Show 0 A NATION ONCE AGAIN a r Y Y v S t s t V n T Y 1 1 r R S i Y f f i ir r l Irelands Ireland's Hope of Home Rule Nearing Realization tion at Last J r I I NATURE i GRACE ANDI AND i r TRAINING FITTED ST. ST PATRICK TO V- V HIS TASK t 1 8 M So Well Accomplished I I I Ireland Was Known for Centuries as I. I the Land of t Saints 1 I fi T. T PATRICK says of ot himself him bim- self In his confession that he was born at fT which is extremely extremely ex ex- extremely hard to Identify Some however claim that Patrick Kirk near Glasgow w In Scotland Scotland Scotland Scot Scot- land took its name from Cram St St. Patrick The saint was born about was wasa a captive and a slave of the king of In Ireland from to went to Gaul and was there ordained priest was consecrated bishop and sent cent to Ireland as missionary in and died at Saul near Strangford Lough County Down Ulster where many years rears before he had founded his church March 17 the day now sacred to his memory Ireland was then occupied by a great number of petty tribes most of whom were evangelized by Patrick So Sowell Sowell well wen was the work accomplished that Ireland was known In subsequent centuries centuries cen cen- as the island of saints and scholars The method employed was that of ot dealing cautiously and gently with the theold theold theold old paganism of the people The chieftains chief were first won over and then through them their clans cans u or Of St St. Patrick himself much that nas has been related Is fabulous but his autObiographical autobiographical au au- confession and his epistle epistle epis epis- tle tie to both of which are unquestionably unquestionably unquestionably un un- un- un questionably genuine reveal a devout simple minded man and a most discreet discreet discreet dis dis- creet and energetic missionary In his epistle he be stat states s that he was of noble birth and that his father was a Roman His Mother Conchessa or Cancels was the sister of St. St Martin of Tours The family of the saint is affirmed d dby by the earliest authorities to have belonged t to Britain but whether the term refers to Great Britain or Brittany Brittany Brittany Brit Brit- tany or other parts of oC France Is not ascertained Some of the quaint stories told In Ireland reland about St St. Patrick would make the he traveler imagine that the saint visited risked the Island for the benefit of witty nitty guides or to promote mirth in wet weather It is not remarkable that the subject of these stories for 16 centuries at countless hearths has been regarded and Is today honored as the greatest man and the greatest benefactor benefactor ben ben- that ever trod the Irish soil ind nd considering the versatility of the the Irish character it is not strange that there remains respecting the saint a arast avast avast vast rast cycle of legends legends pathetic ic tc and profound It could not be otherwise Such a people could not have forgotten the heroic he he- role figure who led them forth In the exodus exodus' from Crom the bondage of ot pagan darkness In many Instances doubtless doubtless doubtless doubt doubt- less has the tale become a tradition the foliage of an ever active popular Imagination gathered around the central central cen cen- Iral stem of fact but the fact remained remained re re- i iA i iA A large tract of Irish history is dark but the time of St. St Patrick and I Ithe the three centuries which succeeded succeed d dt It t Is clearly as depicted depleted by history a a. time of Joy The chronicle Is a song of gratitude and of hope as befits the story of Il a nations nation's conversion con to Christianity The higher legends which however however however how how- ever do not nol profess to keep close to the original sour sources sources s except as regards regards re re- re- re gards garde their spirit and the manners of the tho time are arc found In some some ancient lives JIves of St St. Patrick the most valuable alu able of ot which is the Tripartite Life Lire ascribed by Colgen to the century aCter after after aft aCt er the saints saint's death The Tho work was lost lest for many centuries but two copies copies cop cop- ies les of It were rediscovered one of which has been teen rec recently translated by byan byan byan an eminent Irish scholar holar Mr Hen Hen- nessy DessY The miracles however recorded In Inthe Inthe inthe the Tripartite Life are neither the most moat marvelous nor the most Interest interest- tag ing portion of at that life lite Whether regarded from the religious or philosophic pont point of view few fow things can be more mora Instructive than the picture which It delineates of hu hu- i J r 6 f man nature In the period of critical transition and the dawning of the religion religion religion re re- re- re ligion of peace upon a ra race e barbaric but far far Indeed from savage I t c T That at warlike lac race regarded It Il doubtless doubtless doubt doubt- less lesa as a a. notable cruelty when the new faith discouraged an amusement so pop popular as battle But In many respects respects respects re re- re- re they were in sympathy with the faith That race was one of which the affections affections as well as the passions retained an an ardor and when nature is stronger and l less ss corrupted corrupted corrupted cor cor- it must feel the need of something something something some some- thing higher than Itself Its interpreter I and its supplement t. t It prized the family ties like the Germans recorded record record- ed by Tacitus and nd it could but have been drawn to Christianity Warlike as it was It was unbounded also in loyally generosity and self sac sels c- c it was was- not therefore untouched by the records of martyrs the principles principles principles ples of self self sacrifice sacrifice or the doctrine of ofa a great sacrifice It loved the children children children chil chil- dren and the poor and St. St Patrick made the former the of the faith ralth and the latter the eminent inheritors inheritors inheritors of the kingdom In the main Institutions and traditions traditions of Ireland were favorable to Christianity and the people received th the gospel gladly It appealed to them and prompted ardent nah natures res to find their rest in spiritual things It had cr created among them an excellent appreciation appreciation ap ap- of the beautiful the esthetic esthetic es es- es and the pure The rapid growth of learning as aswell aswell aswell well as piety In In the he three centuries succeeding s the conversion of Ireland proved that the country had not been until then without a preparation for forthe forthe the ilie sift gift perhaps nothing human had so large an influence in the conversion Of the Irish as the personal character l s k kr j- j r d b St. St Patrick of our cur apostle By nature by grace and b by providential training he had bad been especially fitted for his task Everywhere we can trace the might and sweetness that belon belonged ed to his hit character the versatile mind yet the simple heart the varying tact yet the fixed resolve the large desire takIng taking taking tak tak- ing counsel from all yet the minute solicitude solicitude solicitude so so- for tor each the fiery zeal yet the gentle temper the skill in using means yet the reliance in God alone the readiness In action with a willingness willing willing- ness to watt walt the he habitual self pos session yet the outburst of an inspiration inspiration in in- which raised film him above him him- self the self the abiding consciousness of an an n authority authority authority-an an authority In him b hilt t not of him and yet the ever present humility Above all there burned in him that boundless love which seems the main constituent of apostolic char char- acter It was love for tor God Cod but it was love Jove ove for tor man also an Impassioned love a parental compassion Wrong and injustice to the poor he be resented as an injury to God A just man Indeed was St SL Patrick with purity of nature like the patriarchs patriarchs patriarchs patri patri- archs a true pilgrim like Abraham branam gentle and forgiving of heart like Moses a praiseworthy psalmist like David an emulator of wisdom like Solomon a chosen vessel for proclaiming proclaiming pro pro- claiming truth like the Apostle Paul a man of grace and of knowledge atthe of at the Holy Ghost like the beloved John a lion In strength and power a dove in gentleness and humility a n servant of labor In the service of Christ a aking I king In dignity and might for bindIng bind bind- Ing lag and loosening for tor liberating and convicting I |