The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-03-18

north and west OF SlcmiSh among the
hills and through the valley, until
it cmptcs into the main. From the top
OF Slemish, which is about fourteen hun
dred and forty feet high. the view is
charminsly delightful. East. about
fifteen miles distant, may bc scerf the
North Channel, dotted all over with
boats plying between Larn, Belfast,
CariFugus and Bangor. Tho town Of
Belfast cannot be seen because Cave
Hill intcrvcncs. South west, louch
Neagh stretches out in the DISTANCE like
a long bank Of yellow, clay -colorcd
clouds. Bcllymcna, Broughshanc and
other towns are seen. The valley Of the
Braid presents from the top of Slcmish
one .: TIE most loveiest sights ever
witnessed.
1t was at the foot Of Slcmish on the
west side, perhaps, that Milcho the
master Of st. Patrick lived. In this
vicinity, some place between Slcmisl,
and the town or settlement Of Brcckna,
st. Patrick watched the hocks (some
say swnc) Of his master as they brows-
cd on the sides of the mountain or
srazel over the valley of the Braid.
The tradition is, and this is the best
authority that exists on the subject,
that on the top of Slemish, or rather
near the top on the north he re-
tired that he might engage in prayer.
On that end there is strange rock or
rather strange break out in large
rock. This rock, about as high as n
mans head and extending considera-
bic distance across the end Of the
mountain, has in it very peculiar
groove or recess which forms what is
called st. Patrick S chair. The face of
the rock appears as if Il section about
two feet wide and about the same in
depth had been taken out from the top
until within two feet Of the ground.
In this, tradition says, st. Patrick was
accustomed to sit and rest. The chair
is comfortable when you get in it, but
it requires some effort to effect this.
No doubt hundreds Of individuals have
sat down in this stone chair Of ST.
Patrick
Slcmish is still used for grazing pur-
poses, as it was fifteen hundred years
ago. The east side which slopes OFF tc-
ward the North Channel. WAS covered
1't't v |, .41!rcTr'oA.Ihe day On whicls
Torms Of Salc-CasS9e. These sheep
Ter ...rS .rarSrS; ); !, Rhcrds-as lazy
loo':i" --,I!~.. -..,;sE ..,.*sE laid my eyes
oh:,
Aftcr Serving out his seven year.
bondage, near Slcmish, st. Patrick re
turned to Gaul. Sometime afterward.
he entered the college Of Tours. /,
this college there was, at that time,
professor by the name Of Martin, VIII,
was the uncle Of st. Patrick. Martin
died some five years afterwards and st
Patrick went to Rome. From Rome Ii,
went to some Of the islands Of the Med
iterrancan sea. In the meantime h,
joined what was known as the bare
footed order Of st. Augustine. After :
period Of fifteen or twenty years from
his leaving Ireland, he was by some &C
cleSiastical authority-thc Catholics sa,
by Pope Cclcstinc, and they arc proba
ably right-scnt back to preach tn,
gospel in the land in which he had ono,
been Il slave.
What the original name Of St. Pat
rick was we do not know. When h,
was baptiscd, which was probably don,
while at college at Tours, or afterwards
when at Rome. he was called Succath
and when he was ordained to prcacl
the gospel, which probably took plac,
after he returned from his visit to tn,
islands Of the Mediterranean, he was
by St Gcrmain, who ordained him
called Magonias. The name Patrick
the only name by which he is known Ii,
received in the following way: AS
mark of respect, and for the purpose o
giving dignity to him as missionary tt
the Irish, Pope Cclcstine conferred up
on him the order Of Patricii. This or
der was instituted by Constantine thu
Great, the first Christian emperor
Among the Romans there was an ordcl
called the Patricii, but the order which
was instituted by Constantine in tn,
Church was more honorable than tina
which existed in the civil government o
Rome. The Christian order Of Patriot
was next in rank to the empcror's s
From Patricii is derived, not regularly
but in fact, Patrick, and from Patrick W.
get Patty, or, for short, Pat, the comm o,
sobriquct Of tho male inhabitants o
the Emerald Isle.
In 432 when sixty years old, he land
ded in Ireland at what was then called
.rioch Cnallan, now Wickloro. Laorgr,