White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-03-15
st. Patrick'S DaY.

Saturday, tue 18th day Of March. is the
anniversary of the festival of st. Patrick.
From the Pittsburgh Post, we gather a
few facts in relation to this, the patron
Saint of Ireland. ti-
St. Patrick was born 1874 years ago
in Scotland. The family name was Mann.
When Patrick was about thirty years old,
the Romans abandoning Scotland and
leaving that part of the country subject
to invasion from The North Of Irsl and.
Patrick was taken prisoner and carried
into ireland. Here he was held as q
slave for six months, when he escaped
and returned to Scotland. While slave
be became a convert to the Christian faith
and resolved to devote the remainder Of
his days to the conversion of Ireland.
He was carried into captivity q second
time, and escaped after two months. Mir
acles are attributed to him during his wan
derIngs. He was at length ordained for
his mission, and. selling his property
and birthright, he departed to preach the
Gospel in Ireland. The worship of idols
then generally prevailed in that country.
He travelled over the whole Island, and
was everywhere received with favor by
the wild and ignorant natives. His sue
cess in his mission was most astonishing.
In few years a large portion of the peo-
pie were converted. He gave all his
wealth to the cause maintained and ed
ucsted many children; founded churches
and monasteries.
He was not free from prosecutions and
perils but his courage, his blameless
life and his almost boundless charities
won the hearts of the people, aud in his
old age he had the happiness to see near
~ all ireland christianized, and the con-
dition of the people greatly improved by
his labors, his teachings, and the nuner-
Gus reforms he had introduced.
The Irish had been esteemed but rude
barbarians up to the time of st. Patrick.
But after his labors had been crowned
with such signal success, Ireland sent
forth teachers and preachers to all parts
of Europe. He founded the bishopric
of Armagh and several schools of learn
ing to which students were sent for in
struction from all parts of Europe. as
many as seren thousand students from
all parts Of Europe were registered in one
college at Armagh at one time. Ireland
was then called "the Island Of Saints
and Termed men," On the continent St.
Patrick was known by the name of Sue
cathus, and his writings were received
with great respect and reverence.
No man ever undertook a more peril
Gus or apparently hopeless mission than
st. Patrick, and no ones labors were ever
crowned with more rapid and astonish
ing success. A whole nation was re-
deemed from barbarianism by his labors;
and it is no wonder that even to this day
his name is held in profound reverence by
IriShmen, wherever they are found in the
world.
The 18th day of March is dedicated
to commemorate his virtues and his phi
lanthophy but whether it was the day
of his birth or death is not known. The
traditions in regard to his expulsion of
snakes and all venomous reptiles from
Ireland are not we'll authenticated, though
pretty generally believed by the unlearn-
ed. st. Patrick lived to great age.
He preached and labOred in Ireland over
forty years died at about eighty years
of age at Down. in Ulster. and was buri-
ed there in church Of his name.