Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-03-18
For the Monitor.
ST. PALRICK,SDA AND IRELAND

The 18th day of March, sacred to the
memory of St: Patrick, is observed hE-
the Irish people as national holiday.
Miraculous gifts are ascribed to him, by
monkish writers of the dark ages the
shamrock is worn on this day, and truly
the sons of Hibernia have good reason
for keeping his memory green. Ages
ago, ere Christianity had Illuminated
the northern portion of Europe, while its
tribes were sunk in heather supersti-
tions, and the sacrifcial fires of Druid
worship burned upon countless altars,
and Druid priests practiced the mysteri-
Gus rites of their religion, and the smoke
of human sacrifices sometimes ascended
to propitiate their gods (our own ances-
tors, being sunk in the same night of
barbarism-and themselves but savages),
Patrick, youth of Brittany, was torn
from his early home and carried prison.
er to Ireland, where he spent six years
in servitude and was then liberated in
accordance with the custom of the coun-
try, which was to grant freedom to all
their slaves every z years. He returned
to his native land and became student
in the schools of Gaul; he was educated
in the pure christian faith, his father
being priest and himself appointed a
presbyter. While arduously pursuing
his studies, his heart yearned over those
benighted souls among whom his lot had
been cast for long years in his youth.
who were perishing for want of the bread
of life. Like St. Paul he heard the cry,
''Come over and help us, - cry ever 60
ing forth from every idolatrous people
who are struggling toward the light, and
in whose breasts the impulse of worship,
and the desire to satisfy perverted con-
science, seeks expression in their rude
ceremonies. This cry he needed, and in
the year 432, or about the middle of the
fifth century, historians differing some
what as to dates and minor details) he
carried the gospel in it's purity to the
green shores of Erin, and was kindly re-
ceived by its Celtic natives
Filled with apostolic zeal, blessed with
remarkable powers, his mission was one
OF almost miraculous success. Soon the
praises of the true God were chanted by
the native bards, their music mingling
with the melody of the sea that embraced
the peaceful isle. His labors were re.
warded by the gradual disappearance of
those idolatrous practices that had so
long prevailed, and by the general ac-
ceptance of Christianity in its primitive
purity. For at this time Rome was not
the mistress of the world, the seat of
despotic power, as she became in after
centuries. No Pope yet claimed by
right of inheritance the possession Of
EST. Peters Keys" papal supremacy
not being secured until A. D. 6O7 ; no
worshipers at this time bowed in adora-
tion at the shrine of the Virgin Mary
crucifxes, rosaries, and all the parapher-
MALTA of the pompous Italian worship Of
later times, had not yet been introduced
But this once proud city lay at the feet
Of those northern savage hordes, who had
at this time begun to overrun southern
Europe, leaving ruin and desolation in
their train. Goths and Huns had re.
duced her population, destroyed much Of
her magnifcence and desecrated her hal
lowed shrines. Her humiliation was soor
after completed by Genserie The church
itself had to struggle for its existence
and while it continued to sink lower ant
lower in barbarism, the light of ST. Pat
rick's church in Ireland steadily increas
ing in brightness, was for centuries tn,
only beacon light of surrounding nation
amid the prevailing gloom, and IRELAND
truly became the ''Gem of the Seas anc
the Isle of Saints Its apostle founded
schools and monasteries all over the Isle
The seeds of truth and purity he plant
ed, yielded a thousand fold, and afte
his death, said to have taken place a
Down in Ulster, others carried forwar
the work he began. Ireland became th
seat of science and literature it's monas
teries were crowded with scholars froT
all parts of Europe, who were taught b
the most accomplished teachers of til
age. History informs us that at on
time, there were seven thousand stu
dents at the college of Armagh, and tina
neighboring nations were dependent W
on Ireland for teachers and missionaries
who went everywhere fulfilling the
mission, and first instilling into th
! minds of the northern races, the valu
. and desirableness of education.
At this time Ireland had been deya
tated by no savage hordes; the Norwt
} gians had made peaceable settlement
upon its western isles. It's inhabitan
belonged to that family of Celts that ;
| one time Iuled over France, Brittany an
the Highlands of Scotland. Its klne
were elected by a national assembly, an
: reigned in quiet over a contented, hapr
E and progressive people. The luxurial
e isle amply provided for the wants of i
l inhabitants, who were renowned for the
e passionate love of music and poetry
!. Their bards were honored alike wit
S princes, and welcomed to the courts
b other nations, their weird and thrillir
/ strains oftentimes charming their sava.
e foes. Centuries had elapsed; ST. Pa
f rick slept with his fathers, but Columl
g and countless others renowned for lear
: ing, purity and ZEAL carried forward Il
i, work he began, and Irish missionari
|, planted schools and monasteries in Sec
IS land. France and Britain. la the z
: century the Irish church still maintain,
$ its purity and independence, while t
is church of Rome had been rapidly pl
d crossing in corruption and lust of powt
: 1t had fastened its iron grasp upon t
r throat of every other christian nation
n Europe, and primitive Christianity W
A well nigh crushed out In the lth ce