American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-15


OF holy mount. where blue sky rests
Once sacred to the Oliver.
All hail! all hail b. st. Pairck's Day,
Which links hearts far asunder,
And leads them back to Erin's shore,
No matter what under.
Bright ig of green, beneath thy sheen,
May true hearts ever gather,
Till men and all created things
Have passed back to the Father.
Ireland is undoubtedly the most
ancient nation in Europe. Being
an island, she was difficult of access,
and on this account her inhabitants
were free from insult from other
nations for many ages. Ola Erin
cultivated the arts, sciences and
letters more than seven hundred
years before the Christian era. She
held regular intercourse with the
Egyptians and PhGnicians, which
were the most polished nations OF
the earth, and from which she is
said to have borrowed her civiliza-
ton. 1 shall not dwell any longer
on the ancient history of Ireland,
but will proceed to the era of St.
Patrick.
st. Patrick was born towards the
close of the fourth century. The
place of his birth is not we'll authen-
ticated; both France and Scotland
claim the distinguished honor. The
more probable opinion is, that he
was born in Scotland, near the
mouth of the Clyde. His fathers
uame was Calphurnius, and his
mother was native of France, and
neice of the great st. Martin, Bish-
op of Tours. The claim of France,
then, is not unfOunded, but his
parents were sojourning or had set
tied in Scotland at the time of his
birth. Patrick's name at the time
of his ordination was Magonias, but
Pope Celestine, who was his con
temporary, on account of the great
services he had rendered humanity
and religion, conferred on him the
order of the Patriot. The order of
Patricii was instituted by one of the
earliest emperOrs of Rome, and was
only conferred on those who had
distinguished themselves above
their fellows, in sciences or in the
services of their country. Constan-
tine the Great, the first Christian
emperor of Rome, conferred many
privileges on this order, making the
members of the order rank next to
the emperor. Patrick after his ad-
mission into the order, was no long
er called by the Irish Magonias, but
Patricius, which is the singular
number of Patricii, and which
translated into English is Patrick.
Pat, then, is a name that no Irish
man ought to be ashamed of, unless
he disgraces it by his own bad con-
duct. When st. Patrick was sixteen
years of age, he was, with several
other youths, taken as Il CAPTIVE to
Ireland and sold into slavery. We
must remember that in those days
prisoners of war were usually sold
into bondage. Patrick was for
some years employed, on the noun
tains in the county Antrim, in the
mental occupation of herding swine.
Having passed about four years in
seIvitude, he regained his liberty,
and travelled into France, where he
devoted himself to study for some
years, and where he imbibed that
great knowledge and piety which
shone so brightly in his future car
eer. He received episcopal con-
secration, in the year 432, and his
soul being filled with an ardent zeal
for the conversion of those very
people who had enslaved him, he
departed for Ireland, resolved to
devote himself, thenceforward, to a
life of toll and suffering for the
benefit of his fellow-man aud the
glory of God. st. Patrick returned
good for evil. He did not return to
wreak vengence on his former mas
ter, or to make the religion of the
Saviour a stepping-stOne for polit.
ical advancement. His motives
were pure and holy, and far remov-
ed from the slime of political filth
and corruption.
Before Patrick's arrival, Christi
anity was but little known or prac-
ticed in Ireland. Patrick landed
at Wicklow, and Immediately pro-
claimed the joyful tidings of the
gospel. His divine mission was
eminentIy successful from the be-
ginning. A few months after his
arrival, the general assembly had
convened at Tara in East Meath.
1t must be borne in mind that in
those days there were several kings
in Ireland, and that they assembled
once in three years at Tara, for the
purpose of enacting general laws
for the whole country. Patrick went
to Tara and boldly but mildly pro-
claimed the teaching of the Saviour
before the assembled wisdom,
wealth and power of the nation. So
convincing were the arguments and
so sanity the demeanOr of Patrick
that several of the Druids and
monarchs were converted.
On one occasion, when Patrick
was preaching to large audience,
he was interrupted by Druid who
that the doctrine of the
Trinity was absurd, as three could
not exist III one. Patrick imme-
diately stopped down and pulled a
which has three leaves on
one stem. He replied to the Druid,
I" To prove the reality and possibil-
ity of the existence of the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost. have only to
pluck up this humble plant, on
which we have trOdden, and con-
vince you that truth can be attested
I