The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-12-05
Bishop Spaulding's Lecture.

Inc lecture delivered by Blsh0p Spaul.
ding at the Catholic churrh Tuesday evening
on "St. COLUMBIA" though not a subject
which permitted much ofthe oratorical pow
ers of this distinguished prelate to be EN-.
HANGED, it was a brilliant and finished lee
ture and throughout was listened to with the
closest attention by the large audience pres
ent. The Bishop spoke without notes-his
usual custom-and his address occupied over
an hour. and "a. half in delivery. He referred
TO St. COLUMBIA as one of the noblest charac-
tiers in Irish history. The influence of such
men were even felt in our tires Such men
never die. The thoughts we think, the Ian.
guage we speak, the laws we obey have been
bequeathed US. In the love of country, love
Of home throughout hopes, fears and disap-
pointments surely of no people can this be
said than of the Irish people. In reference
to the great Saint the speaker said that he
was born in north of Ireland in the year 52l,
when this vast continent Of ours was asleep
in darkness. lie sprang from one of the
noblest and proudest races in Ireland. Be
longing to the first families he had great
wealth at his command, and was o man of
brave and generous impulses. He was ban
ished for life from his native country after
becoming priest and establishing num-
Der of monasteries lie then settled upon
one of the isles of the Ilehrides, where he
founded monastery whose fame soon spread
abroad throughout Europe From that re
treat he diifused the light of religion upon
the pagan population of even remote
with the breath of immortal poesy. He was
not alone Monk, but poet, and pos
sessed a deep love for his native land.
He, like the Irish of the present day
loved his country, though misrule, ignominy
and tyranny, and all the miseres that could
be inflicted upon it. The monks Of ;hose
days were ireland poets, historians, orators
aud statesmen. They stood between the PEG.
pie and their tyrants. They expelled NOR
GhIldllC hiIldpc anu ldlStd up NoIiiu W nc
mans equal These were the monks, the
Irish monks. Young men from various parts
of the continent of Europe came to the Irish
monasteres to be educated, for there they
could get the best instruction. In cOnclud-
ing the reverend speaker eloquently referred
to the grand movement now going on in Ire
land in the interests of selfgovernment,
The cause would triumph, though hopeless
effort and deep misery marked previous
movements, and Ireland restored to freedom
was the speakers cherished desire.
\ number of priests from the surround
ing cities, La Sale. Peru, Streater Seneca
and other places occupied seats inside the
chancel railing during the lecture. Wednes-
day forenoon many of the citizens Of Ottawa,
both Protestant and Catholic, called at the
parochial residence to pay their respects to
the eminent divine, who is highly revered
outside the rale Of his own church for his
scholarly attainments and abilities. The
large audience which gathered to hear his
lecture was composed Of many members of
other churches in this city, which speaks of
n liberality of feeling and generosity that
is especially commendabe.