Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-18

iellOW-ciliIens "hV ~S"b
honor 10 the memory OF the illustriou'
and God.like man that frst taught their
Pagan ancestry the doctrines Of Chris
tianity and the great principles OF its
religion, faith and hope. The usual
parade OF the Knights of Innisfail, Hi.
bernisn Mutual Relief Society, and
Father Mathew Total Abstinence aud
Benevolent Association were made
through the streets. At 10 o'clock the
procession, headed by Arnoid's brass
band, having formed on the corner OF
Adams and Second streets, under com
maud of Chief Marshal James Reilly
and Assistant Marshal Ryan, the pro
cession moved up Second to jackson,
thence to Main, down Main to Bealr
thence out to DeSoto and on to St. Pat
rick's church, corner Of Linden street.
The procession attracted general atten'
ton, and all along the line Of march the
sidewalks we're thronged with admlriug
spectators. Before reschiug the church
Arnold's baud played Garry Owen, the
societies marching into the building and
taking seats. The church presented a
fine appearance, for the three affairs we're
brilliant with countless tape5s, vases,
flowers, and spotloss linen cloths
fringed with gold lace. On either side OF
the main altar stood two large olsanders
in full bloom, besides the banners OF the
Father Matthew Society and the Hiber-
MAN Association. In the ehancel rail
log we're FIVE altar boys and i've priests,
clad in vestment appropriate to the coca
sion. Rev. Father Meaghsr, Of Nash
Vile, delivered tho GRAFTON; Right Rev.
Father Riordan being master of cersmo
pies; Father William Walsh, celebranti
Father Ermahd, deacon; and Father
sub deacon.
REV. FATHER MEAGHERs GRAFTON
was q mastery effort, and such as to Sc
cure undivided attention. His text was
from a Psalm, which reads: "0hl this
day the Lord has made let us rjoics
therein"
Father MesgheT said the text was ap,
plicable to St, Patrick's day. st. James
preached in Spain. If We meet a Span
lard out OF Spain on St. James day, yet
his EYE shows no more brightness than
on any other day. St.. Peter and St.
Paul preached at Rome, yet if we meetan
Italian on that day he shows no extraor-
binary gladness. St. Austin preached
in England, aud yet if you meet an Eng
lishman he has either forgotten it or else
knows nothing Of it. St. Boniface
preached in Germany, and yet on this
day the German is phleguaiic and I'M
concerned. st. Patrick preached in
ireland; meet az ~Irishmsn on st. Pat
rick's day and 700 will see his eye lighted
up withjoy be hasa heroic and patriotic
dsneanor. because he feels in bis heart,
and i is the expression of his heart, that
"0hl This day the LORD has made; let US
rejoice therein" This feeling aud regard
for St. Pstricks day has entered into the
Irishman; it has become 8 part Of his
nature; be can't look like an ordinary
man on that dsy, because his being il
fused with and electrified by its faith,
and be feels that be becomes the
type Of manhood and Christianity.
The Irish, though PsgsDs at the time St.
Patrick visited them, we're, however, men
Of learning, science, and noble types Of
manhood, superior in these respects ia
any people or nation 10 the world.
Though Pagan, their religion bad never
sank into human sacrifice or other vicel
attendant upon superstition. Nearly q
thousand years before St. Patrick went
there the Irish stood at the head Of tht
wo.ld in learning and civilization. TheJ
had sent out q ship freigblsd with Learned
men 10 ascertain what other people Of
lands possessed SCIENCE and knoWlsdgl
above them. The men returhed and re
ported that no new science or l%earninl
Eas to be found. This shows that ibei
knowledge was incomplete, and with thI
earDestness Of their nature they yearneI
for this unsttsinsblei this mysterious
this something that was wanting. The,
were as ct nndeyeloped but realizing ID
want Of this something 10 complete thei
knowledge, they we're not 10th 10 bcsep
what 81. Patrick preached. Their heart
|, felt that what St. Patrick preached va
" this something" that they had bee
wanting as necessary TO mske man pc.
5 feet. Hence they adopted, graesd, an
believed in the Catholic doctrine
Christianity 50 strongly, SO earnestly, eu
/ so honestly that nothing on earth ca
t shake an Itishmau's faith 10 this I
t ligion. The speaker, az an evidence
!. this aud the great virtues which the r
Iigion had developed 10 The Irish, spoil
Of the ~retrogade aud degeneration
national character, as illustrated By Il
old Roman and the modern Italian, Il
e fierce Gsul and lhe refined Fenchma
:. the spartans Of old and the Creeks
n to-day. The comparison b3,ween t
t above nations with what they once We
,f can hardly bo made. The Irshnan
10 day, however, is as grand asoul "a y