Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-03-21


mark,
SO let that be his birthday" "Amen," says the
"It he wasn't twins sure our history will show
That, at least, he's worth any two saints that We
Then they all got blind drunk-which completed
And we keep up the practice from that day to this.
Samuel LOrsr.
biography ofIhe Saint.
st. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, was
born, according to the best accounts, at
Fitzpatrick, Scotland, about the year 372.
When about Is years old, he was carried
off by pirates, who sold him into slavery
in ireland, where his master employed
him MS swineherd on the well known
mountain of Sleamish, in the county of
Antrim. Here he passed seven years,
learning the Irish language and becom-
ing acquainted with the manners, habits
and customs Of Irish people. Escaping
| TO Scotland, he determined to devote him
self to the conversion of the Irish people
to Christianity, they then being adherents
of the Druidical form of heather worship.
He was successfully ordained deacon,
priest and bishop, the name Patricius be-
ing conferred upon him at Rome by Pope
Celestine, his original name having been
| Succath (valor in war;. SO great were
his abilities, so strong his zeal, so pure
his faith and SO upright his life that be-
fore his death almost all of Ireland was
brought to acknowledge the mild and
beneicent sway of the meek and lowly
Nazarene.
The footsteps of this holy man can be
! traced alrHost from his cradle to his grave
by the places called after him. In Scot
land Fitzpatrick (the cell or church Of
Patrick, Dumbartonshire, attests the
place of his birth &; Dalpatrick (the dis
trict or division of Patrick, Lanarkshire,
place where he resided Cragphadrig
(rock of Patrick, near Inverness, noun
tain which he had visited kirkpatrick
at Irongray, in Kircudbright, and Kirk
patrick at Fleming, in Dumfries, are two
churches which lie established while he
sailed finally from Portpatrick. In Eng
land he preached at Patterdale patrick s
dale), in Westmoreland and founded the
Church of kirkpatrick, in Durham. Wis.
iting Wales he walked over Sarn- Cadrig
(Patricss causeway), which, now covered
by the sea, forms dangerous shoal in
Carnarvon Bay. Departing, he sailed
from Liam badrig (the Church of Patrick },
in the Island of Anglesea. Arriving at
Ireland he first landed at Innis- patrick
(the Island of Patrick, and next at Holm
patrick, in the County of Dublin. Sail
ing northward he touched at the Isle OF
Man, sometimes also called Innis-patrick
where he founded another church Of
Kirkpatrick, near the town of Peel
Again landing in !Ireland, in the County
of Down, he converted and baptized the
chieftain Dichu, on his own threshing
floor. The name of the parish of Saul
| Il ,ho1 J. I,
PATRICK perpetuates the event. He ther
proceeded to Temple-patrick, in Antrim
and thence to n lofty mountain in Mayo
ever since called CROUCH patrick. H,
founded an abbey in East Meath callet
Domnack- -padraig (the house of Patrick }
and built church in Dublin on the spo
; where st. Patrick's Cathedral now stands
In Leinster there is ST. Patrick Wood
r at Cashel, st. Patrick's Rock, ant
, throughout Ireland there are many St
; Patrick's wells where he quenched hi
, thirst.
, St. Patrick, after living to see his labor
successful and the religion he SO lovel
firmly planted, chiefly through his efforts
in the land where he had for many year
, in his youth been employed in menta
=, service as captive and slave in the lanC
of his adoption, that its light has shon,
steadily through all the centuries since
: died on March II, 493, or 495, over ~
a years old In addition to his labors, st
Patrick devoted the land bestowed ol
> him to the foundation of churches, o
cloisters for both sexes, and of numerou
" monastic schools, which tiourished durln
several succeeding centuries keepin
= lighted in that benighted Western wor
9 the torch of learning, which, but for Ire
\ land, had been finally and forever eItin
guished in blood.
The legends related of st. Patrick ar
/ many and are illustrative alike of the su
e perstitions and the faith Of the remot
times in which he lived and labored.
d is said of him that he banished snake
e and yermln from Ireland. Be that as
J. may, certain it is that there are no snake
in the Gem of the Sea.
% 1t is related Of him that che swai
e across the Shannon with his head in h
le month, certainly the most marvellous
m all the miracles ascribed to the saints.
W On one of the islands of Lough Der
I'd was st. Patrick's purgatory, where gou
AZ mnnds were tantalized with delicious ban
st quets which constantly elude their grasl
se while they at the same time suffer IL
p, torture of collie.
ry There was St. Patrick's cave throug
I'll which was descent to purgatory, for IL
MS behoof of the living who wished to e
We plate their evil deeds before death.
he 1t is said by tradition that when
ad Patrick cleared Ireland OF its vermin OF
ng old serpent resisted stoutly, but that :
f's Patrick overcame it by cunning. F
made box and invited the serpent to e
?" ter it. The serpent declined, saying
was too small but st. Patrick insist,
ng that it was large enough. After mu,
Iat contention the serpent decided to pro
yas that the box was too small and entered
no upon which ST. Patrick slammed doy
lid the lid and cast the box into the sea, n
nd ever since the writings of the serpe
as have caused the waves Of the sea, and
all pleading with st. Patrick to release