Evangelicals Now
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In the Grip of the Druids

IN THE GRIP OF THE DRUIDS
By Beth Coombe Harris
Mayflower Christian Books. 209 pages. £4.95
ISBN 0 907 821 073

This gripping story of Britain within three or four generations of the apostolic age was written 50 years ago, but recently republished by Mayflower.
Most Christians have a huge gap in their knowledge of church history between the 1st century and the 16th. Have you ever wondered how Christianity first came to Britain? What kind of reception did the gospel get? What was it like to follow Christ in that pagan anti-Christian culture, without the aid of a Bible or an established church? In the grip of the Druids is a novel, but a well-researched one and it gives the reader an enthralling glimpse into the joy and the terror of those days.
It is the story of Venissa, the daughter of a Celtic chief, and of her friend Alaric. Then there is a Roman family, equally disturbed by the gospel; and there is Bernard, the pioneer missionary who goes wherever he can gather a crowd and tells the story of Jesus Christ.
There are at the present time about 15,000 Druids in Britain and they may have the air of harmless eccentricity. Their counterparts in pre-Christian Britain were anything but harmless. They exercised a tyrannical hold over the hearts and minds of their parishioners, who lived in fear of offending the gods. Anything could be demanded to appease the wrath of the gods - your crops or your animals if you were lucky; in a tight spot, it would be your son or daughter for human sacrifice. When the gospel brought light and liberty to this dark island, the Druids were desperate and vicious in their response.
It is always encouraging to read about the triumph of the gospel, even in a work of fiction. In this case, the reader knows that it must have been something like this for those early British Christians and the book helps to form an exciting link between the days of the New Testament and our own. It is also a story about growing up and making choices. A good read for anyone, but especially suitable for teenagers.

Esme Shirt

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