He was distinguished by his royal descent, but his character rendered him still more illustrious. [Sidenote: HIS TEACHING.] The Judaical sacerdotalism which was beginning to extend in the Christian Church found no support in Iona. They had forms, but not to them did they look for life. It was the Holy Ghost, Columba maintained, that made a servant of God. When the youth of Caledonia assembled around the elders on these savage shores, or in their humble chapel, these ministers of the Lord would say to them: "The Holy Scriptures are the only rule of faith.[22] Throw aside all merit of works, and look for salvation to the grace of God alone.[23] Beware of a religion which consists of outward observances: it is better to keep your heart pure before God than to abstain from meats.[24] One alone is your head, Jesus Christ. Bishops and presbyters are equal;[25] they should be the husbands of one wife, and have their children in subjection."[26] [22] Prolatis Sanctæ Scripturæ testimoniis. (Adomn. 1. i. c. 22.) The testimony of the Holy Scriptures being exhibited. [23] Bishop Munter, Altbritische Kirche. Stud. und Krit. vi. 745. [24] Meliores sunt ergo qui non magno opere jejunant, cor intrinsecus nitidum coram Deo sollicite servantes. (Gildas in ejusd. Synod. Append.) Those are better who, though not fasting very particularly, keep diligently before God a heart pure within. [25] In Hibernia episcopi et presbyteri unum sunt. (Ekkehardi liber. Arx. Geschichte von S. Gall. i. 267.) In Ireland bishops and presbyters are equal. [26] Patrem habui Calpornium diaconum filium quondam Potiti Presbyteri. Patricii Confessio. Even as late as the twelfth century we meet with married Irish bishops. (Bernard, Vita Malachiæ, cap. x.) My father was Calpurnius son of Potitus once a presbyter. The sages of Iona knew nothing of transubstantiation or of the withdrawal of the cup in the Lord's Supper, or of auricular confession, or of prayers to the dead, or tapers, or incense; they celebrated Easter on a different day from Rome;[27] synodal assemblies regulated the affairs of the church, and the papal supremacy was unknown.[28] The sun of the Gospel shone upon these wild and distant shores. In after-years, it was the privilege of Great Britain to recover with a purer lustre the same sun and the same Gospel. [27] In die quidem dominica alia tamen quam dicebat hebdomade celebrabant. Beda, lib. iii. cap. iv. [28] Augustinus novam religionem docet.....dum ad unius episcopi romani dominatum omnia revocat. (Buchan. lib. v. cap. xxxvi.) Augustine teaches a _new_ religion ... when he reduces all under the dominion of the bishop of Rome alone.