The Roman Occupation

What was the impact of Roman Occupation on the British Isles?

The conquest of the Romans in the British Isles came to an end in 211 AD, when Emperor Severus died before completing his conquest of Scotland (Caledonia).

This resulted in a truce where Hadrian's Wall would serve as the permanent border of Roman Britain. 

After that, Roman Britain consisted only of England and Wales.

In Wales, the Romans had a very loose presence.  It mostly consisted of mining operations for gold, copper, lead, zinc, and silver plus defensive forts along the southern coast.  The roads built by the Romans were mainly for connecting the mines to the ports on the southern coast.

However, north of Hadrian's Wall the effects of this last effort to conquer Scotland would last for decades.

The Caledonians had been greatly reduced in numbers and their land had been devastated by the Romans.  The Romans had intentionally tried to destroy them off the face of the Earth.

The Caledonians had intermarried enough with Celts, and adopted enough of the customs of the Celts, including the language of the Celts, that they had become indistinguishable from the rest of the inhabitants of the British Isles, except for their unnatural red hair. 

So, they stopped dying their hair to distinguish themselves from other people. 

The former land of the Caledonians between Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall was later the called Valentia by the Romans.  The former land of the Caledonians north of Valentia became the main part of the kingdom of Dal Riata.  

Dal Riata was a Gaelic pronunciation of Dal Riada - the portion of Riada.  He was the first ruler of the Caledonians who had migrated to North Ireland just across the Irish Sea from Caledonia.  Some Caledonians had settled in Dal Riata instead of migrating to southern Ireland to join the Deisi.

These Caledonians brought Gaelic culture to Scotland when they expanded Dal Riata to include the former land of the Caledonians north of Valentia. 

The Caledonians of Dal Riata made Dunadd in Scotland their new capital.  Ogham writing, that had been developed by missionaries of the Children of Truth, soon began being used on monument stones there.

The hillfort the Caledonians had built at Dunadd centuries earlier was surrounded by a large bog that could only be traveled through very slowly.  Some of the Caledonians had hidden at Dunadd from the Romans since it was often obscured by fog from the edges of the large bog.  (Today the bog has been drained, so it is no longer an island in the midst of a foggy bog.)

So, some of the Caledonians remained in Dal Riata, but most of them had no choice but to leave.

Many of the Caledonians found that their farmsteads had been destroyed, their earth scorched, and their livestock taken in Valentia and Dal Riata. 

So, new waves of Caledonians joined the Deisi in Ireland, deepening the Irish Dark Age.  They learned to speak Gaelic like the rest of the Deisi.

A small part of the Caledonians went to live among the Picts.

Valentia had lots of empty land suitable for farming after most of the Caledonians that formerly inhabited it were either killed or driven off in 211 AD.  So, other Caledonians moved into Valentia from Dal Riata after the Romans left.

Those that remained in the former lands of the Caledonians largely became sustenance farmers.  Their inefficient practices relied on large tracts of lands, perhaps a hide (120 acres) per family.  As they repopulated the land, eventually some of their descendants also migrated to Ireland to join the Deisi as well.

Most importantly, many of those who remained in their former tribal territories in Valentia and Dal Riata came into the House of Truth.  They had lost all faith in the religion of the Druids.

From the Roman trading outposts on the shores of western and southern Scotland as well as northern England, plus near Hadrian's Wall in Valentia, the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) had preached to the Caledonians they encountered.  Eventually, they moved into the remaining small settlements of the Caledonians built around their former hill forts.

The Children of Truth did not start Celtic Christian communities in Valentia or Dal Riata, because the Caledonians were too spread out.  Instead, they met in small groups in homes during the Sabbath.

They also set up camps during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) as Saint Ilid had taught the people of Roman Britain.  This was the original Camp Meeting! 

(Saint is not used in the sense of the False Church of Rome in this post.  It is used in the sense of the Book of Truth (The Bible), where the term is used for all of the Children of Truth.  It is used to distinguish the Children of Truth from others in this post.)

The Caledonians would join them in these camps each autumn for the eight-day festival.  During this time, they would learn how to live in accordance with the teachings of the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) and the Apostles of Truth. This was their main time of learning new things and getting questions answered.

These Celtic Christians taught them out of the Vetus Latina, which contained books from the Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament) written in Old Latin.  They also began to teach these Caledonians how to write their native language using Old Latin characters, so these Caledonians also began to contribute to British Latin as well.

People also sang songs, played games, and feasted together during the Feast of Tabernacles.  They would also have an opportunity to trade products and crafts.  This was all part of Celtic Christianity in its original form.

These eight-day festivals each fall transformed into Holy Fairs, and Brush Arbor Meetings over the centuries among their descendants.

So, Valentia became a place of refuge for the Children of Truth during the times of persecution that followed in Roman Britain.  It was not hard for the Children of Truth to flee to Valentia from Roman Britain, especially through Wales.

In 225 AD, King Lugaid (Mac Con) was replaced as High King of Ireland that ruled the northern half of Ireland by Fergus Dubdetach, the king of Dal Fiatach.

In 226 AD High King Fergus Dubdetach died, and Cormac mac Airt, the son of High King Art, became the next High King of Ireland that ruled the northern half of Ireland. 

However Aengus Finn, the son of king of King Fergus Dubdetach, remained king of Dal Fiatach.

The Caledonians had lost their identity as Caledonians by 230 AD.  By then a man wrote an dedication inscription in Camulodunum (Colchester), where he called himself the nephew of a Caledonian, instead of calling himself a Caledonian. 

Then more persecution rose up across the Roman Empire.

When Maximinus Thrax become Emperor in 235 AD, he hated the household of his predecessor that contained many of the Children of Truth.  So, he sought to put all leaders among the Children of Truth to death, particularly in Rome.

This led to widespread persecution of the Children of Truth, even reaching Roman Britain, until his own army executed him and sons in 238 AD.   

 

His death initiated a crisis that created chaos across the Roman Empire for almost fifty years.  This crisis led to more periods of persecution of the Children of Truth.

 

Around this time Eogan Mor died, and his son Fiachu Muillethan became the new king of the Deisi Munan (Deisi of Munster) as well as the next High King of the Deisi.

 

Then in 250 AD, Emperor Decius issued an edict requiring everyone in the Roman Empire to get a certificate stating that they had made a sacrifice to himself and the Roman gods.  His goal was to create a single religion across the Roman Empire.  The penalty was death for anyone who refused to get a certificate.  The only exception was for those who followed Rabbinic Judaism.

 

Among those who refused to get a certificate in Roman Britain were a Jewish Child of Truth named Aaron and a Gentile Child of Truth named Julius.  Julius was probably in the Roman Army.  

 

They were both tortured, but still refused to get the certificate.  So, they were both beheaded.

 

Multitudes of the Children of Truth died or went into hiding as a result of the edict, even in Roman Britain.  

 

A great number turned from the faith and got the certificate by the time that Emperor Decius died in 251 AD, ending the edict.  They were referred to as the Lapsi (those whose faith lapsed).

 

In 253 AD, Emperor Gallus appears to have begun a short persecution of a few leaders of the Children of Truth in the vicinity of Rome. There is no evidence that it ever extended to Roman Britain. 

In 257 AD, Emperor Valerian sent a letter to the Roman Senate commanding that all leaders of the Children of Truth perform sacrifices to the Roman gods or be banished from the Roman Empire.  

 

The next year, he sent another letter commanding that all leaders of the Children of Truth, as well as Roman Senators who were part of the Children of Truth, either perform these sacrifices or be killed.  The wives of these Roman Senators were to be banished if they refused to perform the sacrifices as well all members of the imperial household who were part of the Children of Truth.

Emperor Valerian was soon taken captive by the Persians, humiliated, tortured and brutally killed.  As soon as news of his terrible death in 260 AD reached Rome, his son, the new Emperor, immediately rescinded his orders commanding the persecution of the Children of Truth.  

 

Still, many of the Children of Truth had fled to Roman Britain from the mainland of Europe during the persecution.  Others already in Roman Britain had been banished to the land north of Hadrian's Wall, just outside of the Roman Empire.

 

Then the Roman Empire broke into three empires, with Roman Britain being part of the Gallic Empire.

 

During these years, Celtic Christianity continued to grow in Roman Britain and other Celtic lands.  

 

One of the leaders during this time was Saint Cennych.  He built a Celtic Christian Community at Llangennych ("Community of Gennych (his Celtic name)" in south Wales. 

When some of the Children of Truth returned to the mainland of Europe, Saint Similien went to the Armorica, the part of France where many Celts had migrated to Wales from.

Saint Similien established a congregation in Nantes made up mainly of people from his native Wales. This was the first time that Celtic Christianity was known to be brought to Brittany.  

 

Soon, the sons of the magistrate of Nantes came into the House of Truth. Saint Donatian and Saint Rogatian then began helping Saint Similien bringing other local people into the House of Truth.

 

After that more unrest rose up in Ireland.

 

In 262 AD King Aengus Finn died in battle, and his son Lugaid Lorc became the next king of Dal Fiatach.

 

In 265 AD High King Cormac was blinded in one-eye in a battle after some of the Deisi Temro attacked the capital of the Irish at Tara.  He had to step down from being High King of the Irish since he had a blemish according to the Dli na Fiene, so he placed his son Cairbre Lifechair on the throne.

In 266 AD,  King Cormac then came into the House of Truth.  Afterwards, he rallied his troops and drove out the Deisi Temro from Tara completely.  The king of Ui Laithain (Leinster) then drove out the Ui Bairrche from their land next to the Deisi Becc, so the Deisi Temro could live there.

 

King Cormac was killed by choking on a salmon bone embedded in his food by the Druids.  They were angry at him for coming into the House of Truth earlier that year and wanted to prevent the spread of Celtic Christianity throughout the northern half of Ireland. 

 

Eochaid Gonnat, King of the Ulaid, then replaced King Cormac as High King of the Irish that ruled over the northern half of Ireland.

The next year, High King Eochaid was killed in battle and Cairbre Lifechair, the son of King Cormac, became the new High King of the Irish.

Around 270 AD High King Fiachu died, and his son Ailill Flann Mor became the king of the Deisi Munan as well as the next High King of the Deisi.

 

In 270 AD, the last of the invading hordes of Caledonians from Scotland arrived in Ireland to join the Deisi.  

 

That same year, a group of Dalcassians, the ruling branch of the Deisi Tuisceart in the kingdom of Dal Cas in Ireland, were led by Eochaid Allmuir (Eochaid the foreigner), an expelled Irish prince, into Wales from Ireland and settled in Dyfed.  His brother went to live among the Deisi Munan in their kingdom of Munster in Ireland.

 

In 274 AD, the Roman Empire was reunited under Emperor Aurelian.

 

That same year, there was a short-lived rebellion to free Roman Britain from Roman rule.   In response, the Romans began building a series of forts along the southern coast of England.

When Emperor Diocletian came to power in 284 AD, he finally brought an end to the crisis when he initiated reforms to bring stability across the Roman Empire.

 

Emperor Diocletian then purged the Roman army of the Children of Truth and surrounded himself with public opponents of the Children of Truth.

 

This led the congregation of Saint Similien to become afraid that he would be killed by the Roman Governor of Gaul.  (It was not uncommon for the Roman Governors to kill leaders of the Children of Truth when there was not official protection by the Roman Emperor.)

 

Even though his congregation begged him to leave the city, Saint Similien refused to leave.  He knew that his congregation would need him to strengthen them if persecution arose against them.

 

Also in 284 AD, High King Cairbre died, and the sons of King Lugaid took over as joint High Kings of the Irish.  Soon, one of them killed his brother to become the sole High King of the Irish.

 

The next year, Fiacha Sraibhtine, the son of King Cairbre, killed the remaining son of King Lugaid and became High King of the Irish.

 

Then Emperor Diocletian was forced to become co-emperor in 286 AD, weakening the Roman Empire.

 

Emperor Diocletian split the Roman Empire into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires.  He ruled the Eastern Roman Empire while Emperor Maximian ruled the Western Roman Empire that included Roman Britain. 

So that year, the head of the Roman Navy in Britain, Carausius, led a revolt against the Roman Emperor and became Emperor of Britannic Empire.  He became the ruler over Roman Britain and took control of parts of Brittany.

Then in 287 AD, Saint Donatian and Saint Rogatian were arrested and brought before the Roman Governor in Nantes, Brittany (western France).  When commanded to sacrifice to Roman idols, they refused.  They were tortured, but still would not renounce their faith.  So, the next day they were beheaded.

 

Saint Similien then buried Saint Donatian and Saint Rogatian in the courtyard of their villa, which they had given to him as a place for their Celtic Christian congregation to meet.

 

In 288 AD, the Emperor Maximian was defeated by Emperor Carausius at sea when he tried to invade Roman Britain under foggy conditions.  

 

Peace was made and Emperor Carausius was recognized as the head of the Britannic Empire.  The Britannic Empire was also expanded to include all of Brittany as well as some of the surrounding parts of western Gaul (France).

 

So, Emperor Carausius was called the Restorer of Britain by the people of Roman Britain, which he had placed on coins he minted, as well the slogan "Spirit of Britain".  The people of Roman Britain were plainly ready for the Roman Occupation to come to an end.

In 293 AD, Emperor Constantius took all of Gaul back from the Britannic Empire.  The treasurer of the Britannic Empire, Allectus, then assassinated Emperor Carausius and declared himself as the new emperor.

 

In 296 AD, Emperor Constantius sent another naval attack against Roman Britain in foggy weather.  

 

This time the ship of Consul Julius Asclepiodotus slipped into the main port.  He proceeded to burn the fleet of the Britannic Empire in the port.  

 

Consul Asclepiodotus then killed Emperor Allectus in the pursuing battle.  Roman Britain was once again back under control of the Romans and Consul Asclepiodotus became the new Governor.

Also that year, the Ui Bairrche drove the Deisi Temro out of their lands in northern Leinster.  The Deisi Temro then migrated to southern Ui Laithain near the border of Osraige.

By 300, the Picts were forming kingdoms with clearly defined borders.  

 

Each kingdom was roughly the territory of one of the tribes that were originally led by one of the seven sons of Cruithne.  Each kingdom retained the name of the tribe, which was named after one of these sons.

 

These seven kingdoms of the Picts were: Cat (Cait), Ce, Circinn, Fib (Fife), Fidach (Inverness), Fotla (Atholl), Fortrui. These kingdoms controlled roughly northern and eastern Scotland, with the former Caledonians controlling western and southern Scotland.

 

The kingdom of Cat subjugated the kingdoms of Orkney and the Shetlands (first called "the islands of the people of Cat") by this time.  The kingdom of Cat did not face a lot of opposition since the Romans had abandoned Orkney.

According to Ammianus Marcellinus, the tribe that Fortrui was named after meant "the fortress people".

The kingdom of Fortrui began building a new and stronger fort made from stones at Burghead. This new fort was built over an existing earthen and wooden fortification that had been build centuries earlier.  This gave them better protection against the Romans and guarded the anchorage where their navy was being built up at.

Also, by 300 AD, the last of the Picts that had joined the Cruthin and the last of the Caledonians that had joined the Deisi, had become completely civilized.  They had all adopted Irish customs and Gaelic language.  This allowed for Ireland to return to a land of kingdoms with clearly defined borders.  Once again, the "Dli na Fiene" was the law of the land.  The Irish Dark Age was over.

Then another round of persecution arose in Roman Britain.

In 302 AD, Diocletian was urged by Galerius, his co-emperor, to begin persecution of the Children of Truth across the Roman Empire.  So, after consulting with the oracle of Delphi, Diocletian began his universal persecution of the Children of Truth in 303 AD.  

 

Their goal was to bring the entire Roman Empire back under Roman Paganism, except for the allowed religion of Rabbinic Judaism.  This persecution caused the number of the Lapsi to swell across the Roman Empire - except for Roman Britain, as many turned from following the Man of Truth to escape persecution.

 

However, one of the co-emperors, Emperor Constantius, was not enthusiastic about the persecution.  

 

Governor Asclepiodotus tried to enforce this persecution in Roman Britain.  He was soon killed by Coillus, a Welsh Roman commander.

 

This ended this persecution of the Children of Truth in Roman Britain.  For this reason, the Welsh Children of Truth in Roman Britain called Coillus, "Coel the Protector". 

 

Coel the Protector had descended from King Beli Mawr, probably through King Gwyn ap Nudd.  

 

Around this time, High King Ailill Flann Mór died childless and his brother Ailill Flann Bec became king of the Deisi Munan as well as the High King of the Deisi.

 

Emperor Diocletian also reformed the structure of the Roman Empire.  He divided Roman Britain into five dioceses.  The area between Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall was called Valentia.

Each diocese was ruled by its own governor.  This would prevent any single governor of Roman Britain from being over a large enough military to lead another rebellion against Rome.

 

Afterwards, Emperor Constantius and his son were sent to conduct a punitive mission against the Picts for raids against Roman Britain in 305 AD.  He made the last mention of the Caledonians, when he identified some who still dyed their hair an unnatural red among the Picts that he encountered.

 

He died in Roman Britain in 306 AD, and his son became emperor in his place.

Emperor Constantine left Coel the Protector as the Roman protector over Valentia, where many of the Children of Truth had fled to during these times of Roman persecution.

 

This area of northern England and southern Scotland was referred to as "The Old North" (Hen Ogledd) by the Welsh.  They named it this because the western half included what used to be the northern part of Cambria (Wales), before the Caledonians had taken it over.

 

Coel the Protector soon became a client king of the Romans over The Old North.   His kingdom was meant to serve as a buffer between Roman Britain and the Picts.

So Coel the Protector became King Coel Hen.  Hen meaning "old", indicating he was the ruler over the Old North. 

 

Around this time, a relative of King Coel Hen, Saint Cynfarch started a Celtic Christian Community at Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd ("Community in the Vale of Clwyd").

 

Celtic Christianity had continued to grow in the Roman Britain and Brittany despite all efforts to extinguish it.

This also started a power struggle between co-emperors.

 

The key to power was the common people.

 

The common people were plainly tired of the persecution of the Children of Truth, which had become over ten percent of the population of the Roman Empire by this time.  Each persecution had only caused their numbers to grow.  Many of those who were not part the Children of Truth had family or friends who were.

 

So, when Emperor Constantine returned to Rome, he reversed the laws of Galerius and Diocletian, gave the Children of Truth full legal equality and returned all confiscated property back to them.  This ended the official persecution of Christians in Roman Britain.

 

Galerius could see that he was on the losing side of this power struggle, so he ended the persecution of the Children of Truth in the eastern part of the Roman Empire as well in 311 AD.

However, it was resumed soon by his successor Maximinus in the eastern quarter of the Roman Empire. 

 

In this same year, the kingdoms of the Picts were united as Pictland.  

 

Their first king was Vipoig. 

 

The king of Pictland appears to have originally been mostly in charge of joint military operations and settling disputes between the seven kingdoms of the Picts.  The king of each individual kingdom apparently ruled over all other matters inside their kingdom.  

 

King Vipoig was apparently the king of Fortrui and ruled from the fortress at Burghead.  

 

The position of king of Pictland appears to not have been restricted to just the king of Fortrui, but most of the kings of Pictland were also the king of Fortrui.

 

According to the Venerable Bede, succession of  the kings of Pictland was based on the line of their mother, but not necessarily her son.  Often it could be a brother or cousin of the most recent king.  It was often someone with proven leadership and military experience.

 

In 312 AD, Constantine became a Christian, at least in name, as well. 

 

The next year, Licinius replaced Maximinus as co-emperor.  

 

Then he and Constantine, officially recognized Christianity as a permitted religion with Edict of Milan.  The persecution of the Children of Truth by the Roman government officially came to an end everywhere, including Roman Britain.

 

The fiery years of the Roman Occupation had purified Celtic Christianity.

 

These Celtic Children of Truth in the western part of the Roman Empire were purified by these trials just like the Children of Truth in the eastern part of the Roman Empire had been in days of the Apostles of Truth.  These Children of Truth were like those that the Apostles of Truth had encouraged through years of persecution.  The Celtic Ministers of Truth were like the Apostles of Truth to them.

 

Like the early Children of Truth, these Celtic Children of Truth knew that their temporary sufferings for the Man of Truth in this life could not compare to the exceedingly great eternal glory that would be revealed in them (Romans 8:15-18).  The fire that tried their faith had only purified it to make their joy greater as it made them more sure of their salvation (1 Peter 1:5-9). 

 

These Celtic Children of Truth strove together in the faith of the Gospel by not just believing in the Man of Truth, but also suffering for his sake (Philippians 1:27-29).  They were not ashamed to suffered as Christians when they had done nothing wrong, for it made them more like him (1 Peter 4:12-16).

 

These Celtic Children of Truth were willing to suffer being thrown out of their cities like the Man of Truth was, because they looked forward to living in his eternal city (Hebrews 13:12-15).  They knew that if they suffer for following him, then they would reign with him (2 Timothy 2:11-12). 

 

These Celtic Children of Truth experienced the consolation of the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost) that comes upon those who suffer doing the will of the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) (2 Corinthians 1:7).  They were happy to suffer for doing His will (1 Peter 3:14-18).  

 

These Celtic Children of Truth were willing to patiently suffer wrongfully for doing the will of the Father of Truth to walk in the steps of the Man of Truth (1 Peter 2:19-23). They knew that their suffering for not going along with Roman religion would keep them from suffering His eternal judgment (1 Peter 4:1-5).

 

Like the early Christian communities, their Celtic Christian communities were made stronger by the suffering that bound their hearts together (1 Corinthians 12:25-27).  Their community suffering at the hand of their own people, who forbid them from bringing the Gospel to other Celtic nations, bound their hearts with the Jewish believers who had likewise suffered to bring the Gospel to them (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16).  Their whole community suffered whenever one of them was suffering adversity or imprisoned (Hebrews 13:3).

 

Like the Apostles of Truth, these Celtic Ministers of Truth suffered being treated badly and spoken against as they labored to spread the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:9-13).  These leaders were willing to suffer and lose everything to gain the Man of Truth (Philippians 3:7-8).  These leaders did not come to them in vain, because these Celtic Children of Truth continued to preach the Gospel after suffering for doing so (1 Thessalonians 2:1-2).

 

These Celtic Ministers of Truth labored and suffered reproach because they trusted in the Father of Truth (1 Timothy 4:10).  These leaders suffered imprisonment, so the Celtic Children of Truth could be saved through the Gospel (2 Timothy 2:8-10).

 

Like the early Children of Truth, these Celtic Children of Truth prayed for these Celtic Ministers of Truth to continue to boldly proclaim the Gospel while being imprisoned (Ephesians 6:18-20).  They prayed for their leaders to be given opportunities during their imprisonment to tell others about the Man of Truth (Colossians 4:2-5).

 

These Celtic Children of Truth understood that these things happened to these Celtic Ministers of Truth for the furtherance of the Gospel, which emboldened them to also boldly proclaim the Gospel (Philippians 1:12-14). They had compassion on their imprisoned leaders and were willing to give up their wealth for the release of their leaders, for they believed that the Father of Truth would reward them, if they did not give up (Hebrews 10:34-36).

 

These Celtic Children of Truth, in times of great affliction and deep poverty, gave beyond reason to help the Celtic Ministers of Truth spread the Gospel (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).  They became followers of these leaders during those times of great affliction by the Romans for turning from Roman idol worship, which brought them great joy in the Spirit of Truth (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10).  They endured this great fight of afflictions at that time, by being mocked and afflicted for following these leaders (Hebrews 10:32-33).

 

These Celtic Children of Truth persevered through afflictions, by praying when they were afflicted (James 5:10-13).  They resisted the Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan Aka The Devil) by faith in the Man of Truth, because they knew that other Children of Truth were also being afflicted, and the Father of Truth was allowing their suffering to make their faith even stronger (1 Peter 5:8-10).

 

Like the Apostles of Truth, these Celtic Ministers of Truth did not faint, since the afflictions they suffered were but for only a moment and were nothing compared to the exceeding weight of eternal glory that they would receive (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).   They continued maintain good character as they endured afflictions to keep from giving offense to others (2 Corinthians 6:3-10).  They endured affliction to ground the Celtic Children of Truth in the Gospel (Colossians 1:22-25). They were comforted in their afflictions by the reports of the faith and love of these Celtic Children of Truth (1 Thessalonians 3:6-8).

 

Like the Apostles of Truth, these Celtic Ministers of Truth instructed the ministers that they were raising up to continue their work to expect to also be afflicted for doing so (2 Timothy 1:7-12).  They encouraged the next generation of Celtic Ministers of Truth to fight the good fight by enduring afflictions (2 Timothy 4:5-8).

 

Like the early Children of Truth, these Celtic Children of Truth understood that persecution was part of leaving everything to follow the Man of Truth (Mark 10:28-30).  So, they continued telling others about the Man of Truth when they were scattered by persecution (Acts 8:1-4).  This persecution had only caused the Gospel to be scattered to the rest of the British Isles and among Celts in the mainland of Europe, especially in Brittany (Acts 11:19-21).

 

These Celtic Children of Truth overcame evil with good by blessing in every possible way those who persecuted them (Romans 12:14-21).  They continued to do good to all people, especially the other Children of Truth (Galatians 6:7-10).

 

Like the Apostles of Truth, these Celtic Ministers of Truth experienced the Father of Truth showing Himself strong on their behalf in the greatest way when they were experiencing the greatest persecution (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).  Their leaders suffered great persecution because they refused to make the message of the cross less offensive to the dominant religion of the Romans (Galatians 5:9-11).  Their leaders refuse to be like the Lapsi and never compromised the message of the Gospel (Galatians 6:12-14).

 

Persecution of these Celtic Ministers of Truth had only caused these Celtic Children of Truth experience joy and the Spirit of Truth as they stood with their leaders in their persecution (Acts 13:48-52).  Their leaders joined them in experiencing the persecution that came with following the Man of Truth (2 Timothy 3:10-12).

 

Like the early Children of Truth, these Celtic Children of Truth had peace and were cheerful in their tribulation, because they knew that the Man of Truth had overcome the world (John 16:33).  They understood that they had to go through much tribulation to enter his kingdom (Acts 14:21-23).

 

Like the Apostles of Truth, these Celtic Ministers of Truth were filled with exceedingly great joy in their own tribulation by how these Celtic Children of Truth strove to live holy lives (2 Corinthians 7:1-4).  Their leaders persevered through tribulation, so that these Celtic Children of Truth could be strengthened by the Spirit of Truth, understand the love of the Man of Truth, and fully experience the Father of Truth (Ephesians 3:13-19).

 

These Celtic Ministers of Truth were comforted by the Father of Truth in their tribulation, sufferings, and afflictions that these things would bring about the salvation of other people (2 Corinthians 1:3-6).  These leaders told them ahead of time that the Celtic Ministers of Truth would suffer tribulation, so that these Celtic Children of Truth would not be moved away from their faith by the afflictions that came upon their leaders (1 Thessalonians 3:2-5).

 

Like the early Children of Truth, these Celtic Children of Truth could not be separated from the love of the Man of Truth by tribulation or persecution (Romans 8:35-39).  They endured through persecution and tribulation patiently, because they had faith in the Father of Truth to reward their suffering and destroy their persecutors (2 Thessalonians 1:3-6).

 

However, the Lapsi were like stony ground that did not continue to follow the teachings of the Man of Truth when persecution and tribulation arose (Matthew 13:20-21).  They were not rooted enough to keep following him through affliction and persecution (Mark 4:16-17). 

 

So, are you going to be like these Celtic Children of Truth or the Lapsi?

 

Like these Celtic Children of Truth, you can be blessed with living forever in the kingdom of the Man of Truth by enduring persecution for his sake, like the Prophets of Truth did (Matthew 5:10-12).  Or you can be cast out like salt that has lost all flavor (Matthew 5:13).

 

Come into the House of Truth and join these Celtic Children of Truth.

 

Have a passion for the Man of Truth to live and die with him (Romans 14:8).  Know what it is like to have him living in you and through you (Galatians 2:20).  Let him live through you to give you boldness to tell others about him, because you know that to die is to gain being in his presence for eternity (Philippians 1:20-21).

 

Make the Man of Truth king of your life because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10).

 

Come into the House of Truth!