Gregory surrounded himself with monks, and did everything in his power to promote their interests.  He increased the novitiate to two years, and exempted certain monasteries from the control of the bishops.  Other popes added to these exemptions, and thus widened the breach which already existed between the secular clergy and the monks.  He also fixed a penalty of lifelong imprisonment for abandonment of the monastic life.

Under Gregory’s direction many missionary enterprises were carried on, notably that of Augustine to England.  The story runs that one day Gregory saw some men and beautiful children from Britain put up for sale in the market-place.  Deeply sighing, he exclaimed:  “Alas for grief!  That the author of darkness possesses men of so bright countenance, and that so great grace of aspect bears a mind void of inward grace!” He then asked the children the name of their nation.  “Angles,” was the reply.  “It is well,” he said, “for they have angelic faces.  What is the name of your province?” It was answered, “Deira.”  “Truly,” he said, “De-ira-ns, drawn from anger, and called to the mercy of Christ.  How is your king called?” They answered, “AElla, or Ella.”  Then he cried “Alleluia! it behooves that the praise of God the Creator should be sung in those parts.”  While it is hard to accept this evidently fanciful story in its details, it seems quite probable that the sale of some English slaves in a Roman market drew the attention of Gregory to the needs of Britain.

Some years afterwards, in 596, Gregory commissioned Augustine, prior of the monastery of St. Andrew’s on the Celian Hill, at Rome, with forty companions, to preach the gospel in Britain.  When this celebrated missionary landed on the island of Thanet, he found monasticism had preceded him.  But what was the nature of this British monasticism?  On that question Rome and England are divided.

The Romanist declares that no country received the Christian faith more directly from the Church of Rome than did England; that the most careful study of authentic records reveals no doctrinal strife, no diversity of belief between the early British monks and the Pope of Rome; that St. Patrick, of Ireland, and St. Columba, of Scotland, were loyal sons of their Roman mother.

The Anglican, on the other hand, believes that Christianity was introduced into Britain independently of Rome.  As to the precise means employed, he has his choice of ten legends.  He may hold with Lane that it is reasonable to suppose one of Paul’s ardent converts, burning with fervent zeal, led the Britons to the cross.  Or he may argue with others:  “What is more natural than to imagine that Joseph of Arimathea, driven from Palestine, sailed away to Britain.”  In proof of this assumption, we are shown the chapel of St. Joseph, the remains of the oldest Christian church, where the holy-thorn blossoms earlier than in any other part of England.  Many Anglicans wisely regard all this as legendary.