Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-30
ST. ANDREWS DAY.
MEDAL
Some Account of the Origin of
the Celebration. &


The st. Andrews Society, in accord
ance with time-honored custom, viii
celebrate the anniversary OF the patron
Saint Of Scotland, at their rooms this
evening. In whatever land Scots
men may abide, they never neglect, on
the recurrence of this night, to celebrate
st. Andrews DaT and send back 70
their native land ~ that patriotic feel
ing with which the bonnie Scot glows
when his memory dwells On 1.-The banks
and bTaes" so dear TO his childhood. The
Both OF November Is regarded as q sacred
day, and is observed with forms and
ceremonies, reminding the members Of
each Society Of the manner and customs
Of COED old ScOtia-"the land o. cakes
aRd brither SeOts.H
The time when st. Andrew became
the patron Saint of Scotland is buried in
obscurity. some sllege that the ancient
cathedral of st. Andrews was founded
prior to the ninth century, and others
prior to the latter part OF the fourth. The
COMMONLY received legend is that q
Greek monk Regulus, who lived ia the
fourth century, had been warned in q
vision or commanded by the Emperor
Constantine to repair to the place In
Greece where st. Andrew the spos-
tie was buried, and there take
10 some OF his remains, and proceed
with them IS sacred relics to Albion.
Regulus obeyed, and on his way he was
shipwreeked in the Bay OF st. Andrews.
But having been rescued, he immedi-
ately received a hOspitable entertain
ment. Hargnst, the King of the Picts,
was converted. So were his people.
And from feelings Of gratitude and piety
the King founded and endowed 8 church
at st. Andrews, and thus were estab-
lished the first Christian priests Of the
country called the Culdees. The Cross
Of st. Andrew, by royal appointment,
became the badge Of the country. In
SIS the Episcopal See was removed to st.
Andrews, and in 1874 it was erected into
an a~rchbishopric by Sextus ". at the
intercessiOn OF James III. It is thus to
st. Andrew that the city which now
besrs his name owes its rise. So early
as II59 the splendid Cathedral Of st.
Andrews was founded. In 1918 it at
tanned its highest m~agni6eenee. But
when the Reformation anne it was SO
completely demolished that there are
now on its site q few crUmbling mOnu-
ments 10 remind US of its vanished
glory.
st. Andrews Day has a purely reli-
giOus origin. The venerated cross, re-
minding Us of the sufferings OF the
Savior of mankind, and his death in
stOnement for the sins of men, is in all
civilized countries, used in some special
form, IS an emblem connected with their
patron sGints-thus showing that their
saints are regarded with honor as having
been the champions of Christianity in
rescuing the Holy SePulchre from Pay
MIN hands.
The Spaniards, for example, employed
q cross guleS, the Italians q cross azure,
the Germans a cross sable, the English a
cryss dor, the French q cross argent,
and the Scots g silver cross on an azure
field. In the middle ages the pilgrims of
the various nations purchased their vari-
our crosses from "priests," and thus
armed, thought themselves secure
against every evil. And as they had to
fight bloody battles for the recovery OF
the Holy Land from the infdel Turk,
these crosses came 10 be esteemed ss their
national standards, and the name OF
their psSrOn saint was Immediately
turnSi into a national wsr-ery. Thus
we are familiar with the phrases "St.
George for Merry England" and asst.
Andrew for Benny Scotland" The
s1ctcG 6pOE OF Idleetiut BtCdLu6 laHllihT
with the sounds of these battle cries, and
these again were carried back to their
countries, and were used whenever
var arose between d nation and an
other, or between clans or tribes OF
fellow-countrymen.
In the reunions Of the st. Andrews
Society, their anniversary is always
distinguished by gOOd-fellOwship and
social festivity. The songs OF Burns and
Ramsay and Cunningham and Tsnnehill
and Mcneil are sung with peculiar zest,
and Gn occasional original tribute from
the Scottish heart swelis out for the
% guild Ould cOUntree."
There will be a presentation Of a superb
gold medal, this evening, to the retiring
President, John Ainslis, Esq, in COM
nemoratiOn of the great interest he has
taken in the welfare Of the
Society, and the imparttality and sound
Judgment with which he has presided
its affairs. The occasion this even
will be n of the most interesting
ever recorded In its annals.