In spite of all complaints, however, Martin did not abate the severity of his discipline.  As a bishop he pushed his monastic system into all the surrounding country.  His zeal knew no bounds, and his strength seemed inexhaustible.  “No one ever saw him either gloomy or merry,” remarks his biographer.  Amid many embarrassments and difficulties he was ever the same, with a countenance full of heavenly serenity.  He was a great miracle-worker—­that is, if everything recorded of him is true.  He cast out demons, and healed the sick; he had strange visions of angels and demons, and, wonderful to relate, thrice he raised bodies from the dead.

But all conquerors are at last vanquished by the angel of death, and Martin passed into the company of the heavenly host and the category of saints.  Two thousand monks attended his funeral.  His fame spread all over Europe.  Tradition tells us he was the uncle of Saint Patrick of Ireland.  Churches were dedicated to him in France, Germany, Scotland and England.  The festival of his birth is celebrated on the eleventh of November.  In Scotland this day still marks the winter term, which is called Martinmas.  Saint Martin’s shrine was one of the most famous of the middle ages, and was noted for its wonderful cures.  No saint is held, even now, in higher veneration by the French Catholic.

It is not known when the institution was planted in Spain, but in 380 the council of Saragossa forbade priests to assume monkish habits.  Germany received the institution some time in the fifth century.  The introduction of Christianity as well as of monasticism into the British Isles is shrouded in darkness.  A few jewels of fact may be gathered from the legendary rubbish.  It is probable that before the days of Benedict, Saint Patrick, independently of Rome, established monasteries in Ireland and preached the gospel there; and, without doubt, before the birth of Benedict of Nursia, there were monks and monasteries in Great Britain.  The monastery of Bangor is said to have been founded about 450 A.D.

It is probable that Christianity was introduced into Britain before the close of the second century, and that monasticism arose some time in the fifth century.  Tertullian, about the beginning of the third century, boasts that Christianity had conquered places in Britain where the Roman arms could not penetrate.  Origen claimed that the power of the Savior was manifest in Britain as well as in Muritania.  The earliest notice we have of a British church occurs in the writings of the Venerable Bede (673-735 A.D.), a monk whose numerous and valuable works on English history entitle him to the praise of being “the greatest literary benefactor this or any other nation has produced.”  He informs us that a British king—­Lucius—­embraced Christianity during the reign of the Emperor Aurelius, and that missionaries were sent from Rome to Britain about that time.  Lingard says the story is suspicious, since “we know not from what source Bede, at the distance of five centuries, derived his information.”  It seems quite likely that there must have been some Christians among the Roman soldiers or civil officials who lived in Britain during the Roman occupation of the country.  The whole problem has been the theme of so much controversy, however, that a fuller discussion is reserved for the next chapter.