" It was replied, that, unless he had
approached her without desire, merely for the sake of propagating his
species, he was not without sin; but in all cases it was requisite for
him, before he entered the church, or communicated, to purge himself
by prayer and ablution; and he ought not, even after using these
precautions, to participate immediately of the sacred duties.[*] There
are some other questions and replies still more indecent and more
ridiculous.[**] And on the whole it appears that Gregory and his
missionary, if sympathy of manners have any influence, were better
calculated than men of more refined understandings, for making a
progress with the ignorant and barbarous Saxons.
The more to facilitate the reception of Christianity, Gregory enjoined
Augustine to remove the idols from the heathen altars, but not to
destroy the altars themselves; because the people, he said, would be
allured to frequent the Christian worship, when they found it celebrated
in a place which they were accustomed to revere.
[* Bede, lib. i. cap. 27. Spell. Concil. p. 97,
98, 99, &c.]
[** Augustine asks, "Si mulier menstrua
consuetudine tenetur, an ecclesiam intrare et licet, aut
sacrae communionis sacramenta percipere?" Gregory answers,
"Santae communionis mysterium in eisdem diebus percipere non
debet prohiberi.
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