Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-03-21
St. Patrick's Day i'm Frost
hurg-An imposing Pageant

great success Never before, probably, has
the town, and more particularly st. Mich
acls Church, witnessed religious display
more imposing, or attracting more general
attention. 1t is admitted that the celebra-
ton of the same day last year i'll Cumber-
land was not attended with SO much @TH,
or features of general interest. In fact, 1t
may be stated that on no former occasion,
! in any place in the county, has st. Patricks
Day been observed with a celebration OF
more pomp and circumstance than this year
in the mountain city of Frostburg,
The day dawncd unpropitiously, but
long ere noon the fog lifted and the sun
smiled upon and gildcd the gorgeous pa
gcantry of the banners and regalia OF march
ing Societies, while music paid its stirring
tributes TO the pleasure Of the scene from
six magnificent Bands.
AT an early hour st. Michaefs Temper
ancc and St Joscphs Beneficial Societies of
Frostburg assembled at their headquarters
from whence they marched to the Frostburg
depot to receive and welcome their invited
guests. The Temperance and Benevolent
Socictics of Wcstcrnport, Barton and Lon
aconing had turned out i'll full force mum
bcring over five hundred men headed by
five of the best Brass Bands in the county.
Their arrival was greeted with many
"Cead Mile FuAha' "a hundred thousand
welcomes) Notwithstanding the mass OF
people at the depot there was not the least
confusion. The Societies dressed i'll fine
rcgalia. with military precision, formed in
line aud with banners floating and the
merry strains of the Bands, marched direct
" to Eckhart Mines to receive st. Edwards
Society of Cumberland. After the arrival
and hearty welcome Of this Society, the pro
/ ccsson, now over eight hundred men strong,
! proceeded to St Michaers Church to assist
| at Mass Eckhart Mines and FrostblTg,
! over a mile apart seemed 10 be linked to-
| gethcr by an uninterrupted chain OF sta!Nart
and JOYOUS Irishmcn. First came the Amer
! lean and Irish Flags, followed successfully
by wagon occupied by little girls dressed
in white, with green scalis; the carriages
for the clergy; the Cadets attached to the
different Societies over two hundred strong;
the various Societies, each led by Brass
Band. After the brilliant display toward
and from Ecllhart, and arrival at St. Mich
! acl's Church, it was found the Church was
arrayed in Its most festive attire. n large
! flag, semi green and white, tloated from the
lofty spirc; Il large arch at the entrance to
tie grounds, twincd with evclgrccns and
bearing the ription-"C ead Mite fa!ttoF
announced doubly the unhounded wei
come TO Erin's joyous sons and daughters.
/ Under this arch the procession moved into
! Che Church at the entrance Of which Rev.
Father SClMIrT, the pastor, i'll tie namc OF
| all his congregation bid Il hearty welcome
to their honorcd visitors. In a few mo-
mcn!s the spacious Church was filled to
Overlooking. The walls of the sanctuary
were dcckcd with the costly and dazzling
Banners deposited within tic sacred pre-
cints by the various Societies.
Grand High Mass followed with Rev.
Father O'BKEEN, Of Lonaconing as Cclc
vAN, deacon and sub-dcacon, and Rev.
ScuMrTT, Master Of Ceremonies,
After the Gospel, Rev. Father OSuLI-
VAN assembled the pulpit and delivered an
eloquent panegyr;c upon Ire!and's great
Apostle The Rev. Father has always just
! ly enjoyed the reputation of being one of
the most popular, learned and eloquent
. pulpit orators among tie mountains OF Al
lrgunv, but on 10 ioImcr occasion has his
.!uquence been more conspicuous than on
this. 1t would be impossible to do justice
to his discourse by synopsis, and we wh
therefore be content with a lew prominent
/ sentences:
The two foremost characteristics Of the
Irish people are their lore II 're(fgtoa and their
Aore q coant1y; both are firmly linked to-
| gcthcr in the heart Of every true son of
Erin. st. Patrick did not bring to Ireland
riches, but he gave it what is more valuable
the priceless jewel of faith. That jewel
Ireland has never lost during fifteen humid
rcd wears 10 this day. The powers of dark
ness have employed all means to ROB her Of
the great treasure whereWith her bridegroom
But all their efforts have been in vain A
jewel may be crushed end broken under
the stroke OF the hammer, but after its di-
vision ii shines with the same lustre as be-
fore, The priceless jewel given by St Pat
rick to the Irish nation has been under the
heavy hammer of persecution for centuries
all means have been devised and employed
to change and destroy the brightness Of Ire
lands most precious gem-taith. Thehan-
mer Of persecution h,:, driven away many
Of Erin>s best sons to strange and distant
lands, but it could not destroy the lustrc OF
ancient faith And whilst other nations
even the very land trod by the sacred feet
of the Savior, have lost their faith, Ireland
has ever most faithfully preserved hers, and
amidst persecution clings to il with unshak-
en- firmncss and courage. Even when, like
Lazarus, she lay poor, weeping, bleeding
and hungry, at the gate of Divcs-rich
England, she would not give up that which
she valued higher than all earthly gifts and
glory-her faith-the faith of st. Patrick.
Persecution it has been said, has driven
many away from lrelands sunny hills and
blooming vallics to seek homes i'll a strange
land. But wheresoevcr the sons and daugh-
tiers of the great st. Patrick have gone,
they have carried with them the gift of faith,
thus becoming, in a certain de rec, mis-
sionary race. Everywhere, i'll every land,
they have erected living monuments OF their
t,ttt L., ytnlc