The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-03-23

INT Their heads to vege,ate-ft only in their ms.
tive putref elton to corrupt the ground
which they lie.
Let us then, my friends, forever cherish the
memory of the parent see, ard thoul-h the hark
OF Peter be assailed with storms from without.
or driven on rocks and quicksands by the ner6dy
which may reign within, let the experience az
eighteen centuries assure Us that her omainotent
| sieersman, though AT times apparently a.leen
shall rising up, rebuke the wind, and raw In tina
sea, peace, be STILL and the wind shall cease and
there shall be made great calm.
To return to Patrick. Ii ,ving obtained the
Apostolical benediction froih the reigniuy non.
tf Celestine the First, he FASTENED to the field
assigned by Providence. Where shall the cham
pion Of the cross land! Where is that happy
spot destined TO receive the first sacred imprint
OF his feet to hear the first blessed sound Of
| salvation from his lipsr The town of Bray, in
the county OF Wicklow, seems with best title to
lay claim to this boast. Who shall now relate
the iabors and the sutferings OF the servant of
uod, the obstacles he had 10 encounter from the
long rootof preJudices OF the priests, from the
power OF our heathen mouarchs in a word, from
the numoer!ess difficulties which must ever at
tend In any country, the establishment of d new
religion upon the ruins CT the old : Who shall
tell the travels, the preaching, the sanctity of
this harbinger Of the Almighty, the virtues he
practiced, the zeal he displayed, the humility
which won the hearts of his hearers, the mir
aoles brought, the conversions he made the saves
re confutef, the churches he founded, the mon.
asteries he built, the schools Of learning and
pety he erected, the kings hs baptized, the
bishops he ordained, the councils he held, and
the saints he formed In fine, who shall re.
count the complete and victorious success which
crowned misslun.ry career on - wears during
which he triumphantly planted the banner of sal.
walton, in the hearts on she throne, and over the
affairs OF our beloved Ise. |. il remarked BY
historians, and TO the pride Of Ireland be it re.
marked that the Christian rc.i zion has always
found II easier to gain io,,hold IN civilized
nations than III barb,rou, cljmea AID that the
purer the light Of reason beams on the human
mind the more Readily IL yields 10. that most
Reasonable prlnci ple-the submitting 81 its rea.
son to Iaith in its assent to the sublime my-ter-
les Of revelation. Hence, the polished state Of
manners which at that time distinguished our
ancestors from all those other nations whom the
hauerr Of Greece and Rome branded with the
contcmp.ous epithet of b.rbariau.. This poll
lshed state OF manners did undoubtedly contrib
ute not little to that splendid result If our
saints evangelical expedition. That generous
spirit, too, - TIL. ~ 50 innate 10 our national
character, that -pifit 70 impatient OF control,
that spirit which every aye h - 80 PROMINENT
ly spurnea the dic.Ation Of force, that spirit,
say coHld no, bu, end an attentive ear 70 the
mild percussion which dropped from the lips OF
the meek, unarmed go-peiler Of peace.
Among the first oi his converts was MS former
m.st'r, and thi, prince, with the mos, OF his de-
pendsnts did not hesitate to receive the traths
aid blessings OF salvation from his once poor
and humble slave.
But Let US follow him = Tara, and figure -
our minds the intrepid Oh I'D pon Of the cross
like another Paul III the Areop.Zu-J appearing
before the states general OF the great lrl-h ma
iion,a aud III the assembly II her priests, Der poets
and hss philosophers i'll the face of tier tors,
Legislators, warriors aud rl.uarch-. boldly deny
ing their pr"i.ne -npsr-ti,,on, r-pri,utuiins
their vices, Exposing himself to the loft, II hui
man wisdom, the s~rc,-m, oi worldly grandeur,
fronting I'd" Iseraces # pride AID tie =, If
power, preaching up the salty ~ earthly pomp,
and the cphtemp. OF al visible gte.,nr.,, invit.
ing ~ humility. modification aud l-u.sce, and
for the hope which he holds out t. them II
invisible hereafter, presenting TO ,heic No5-hIp
and imitation the Cse.,or 90 heaven lni earth
clothed in bun. Al assh AID Iyius Al iyuoniuou.
death upon the cross.
Finally, my iriends, the humble, the Jealous
Patrick, n word and in work, in name and in
deed. In labor ard IN fruit, hcio,e men md be-
fore angels, the Apostle OF Ireland, having the
consolation Ia behold not n Druidi-h temple
standing. not al Irish soul uureseuerated 70
Christ; having in . word established the nationsl
Church, the same in doctrine and in constitu
sion, as nov, after ,he w..,e and tear OF fourteen
centuries You Dshold hsr. in ths s.htietA year
OF his aye, and ior;hie.h OF his Divine mission,
in the year Of our Lord iG4, i. summoned on
high 70 receive In the the arms II his beloved
and loving Saviour, the reoomp.nse due - so
happy a contamination OF bis Apostolic !abOr.
Oh. my friends, 10. the spirit OF patriotism,
she love Of coustry, X'sion,i pride, the vener.
alton OF your forsfaths... tho recollection Of
their faith, their virtues, their tolls, their suffer
ings, lot that enth usi.sm which the recollection
| OF your country's CONVERSION has now hindled IL
your souls, and which speak, 10 me with tongue.
OF trumpets in the universal .uehce that sur
rounds me let, in word. every memory that
to man ia sacred and to MAT Is dear, induce you
| t. cherish ia your heart OF hearts the name OF
him who carried the light Of Chri.tisn,ty 10
| your fathers.
"Rsmem Der the DAYS Of old" For five centU-
| ries after her apostles demise, Ireland meri,ed
| and bore without y rival tue unprecedented title
| Of Island OF Saints" T" this very day tue al
tsrs Of chri.,i.n Europe vsuers,e,-S the OBJ
| servance Of his Gospel.
| Irel,nd has ever cluny 70 the centre OF unity.
! She ia now what sho has evei been, the invlici-
| bl~ professor Of the one ancient creed, without
| stain upon her name, without treachery in her
hierarchy or di-honor in her priesthood and ha-
wing congregation OF Irish followers that. dur
ing centuries If national woe. hive spurned '1e
| brihe of the apostate-spurDed the terrors oi ha-
| nshmen,, or met the steel of the tyr.ut with a
shout Ut hooking defiance
| Yes. Iceland stands alone upon the m'p "a the
world tor pre-cininent national virtue sEAi ior
undying national hdelity. There is no record "f
any people which can bear even n reihote %c'opa'
rison with the history of ireland tor her Sation'
al suffering, for her unbrokcn resistance throus h
81 li,,tn n Ion