The foundation of the Church in Britain has been ascribed, by many eminent authorities, to St. Paul; and the learned Dr. Burgess, Bishop of St. David’s, goes so far as to say, that this interesting point is established by as much substantial evidence as any historical fact can require; and he proceeds to give the testimony of the first six centuries in support of the doctrine. The first and most important testimony is that of Clemens Romanus, “the intimate friend and fellow-labourer of St. Paul,” who says, that in preaching the gospel the apostles went _to the utmost bounds of the west_, which seems to have been the usual designation of Britain. Theoderet speaks of the inhabitants of Spain, Gaul, and _Britain_, as dwelling in the _utmost bounds of the west_. In the second century, Irenœus speaks of Christianity as propagated to the utmost bounds of the earth by the apostles and their disciples; and Tertullian, at the beginning of the third century, gives a kindred testimony. In the fourth century, (A.D. 270–340), Eusebius says, that some of the apostles passed over the ocean to the British Isles; and Jerome, in the same century, ascribes this province to St. Paul, and says, that after his imprisonment, having been in Spain, he went from ocean to ocean, and preached the gospel in the _western parts_. Theodoret, in the fifth century, and Venantius Fortunatus in the sixth, are also quoted as witnesses to the same effect. The learned bishop has conducted the argument with consummate ability; and in the judgment of many has demonstrated the point. Gildas, a Briton, called the wise, very positively ascribes the first mission to Britain to St. Joseph of Arimathea, who, according to his account, evangelized Gaul. This opinion is supported by Bede, William of Malmesbury, and many eminent divines of the Church. Sammes, in his ‘Antiquities of Britain,’ inclines to the same idea, and gives an illustration of the first church supposed to be built by him; but it does not appear to be based upon sufficient evidence to entitle it to acceptance. The conversion of Britain to the Christian faith has also been ascribed to St. Peter, St. James the Great, and to Simon Zelotes. Bishop Taylor and Dr. Cox are disposed to award the honour to the latter. Southey is of opinion that the Gospel was first introduced here by the family of Caractacus, who propagated it among the British tribes; and he is certainly upheld in this by many weighty considerations. As there is existing such contrariety of belief among those master intellects, who have deeply studied the subject, we should certainly regard it as vain presumption, to record any dogmatic judgment.