The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1888-03-23
IRELAND'S PATRON SAINT.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS BIRTH,
HIS LIFE AND HIS WORKS..

History Based Largely Upon Legend.
Conflicting Statements Patrick's
Youth and Captivity--His Unccaslng
Prayers-Return Home.
Seven cities claimed to be the birthplace
Of Homer. Nearly that many nations lay
claim to the honor Of giving ST. Patrick to
the world. England, Scotland, Wales and
France all present an abundance Of legendary
evidence to substantiate their claims, and
one ancient writer even ascribes his origin to
the Jewish exiles, driven from the Holy City
by the Roman conquerers, who settled in
Armoric Gaul Some historians have even
gone so far as to point out the very spot
where he was born. Tho years Of his birth
and death are also points Of wide difference
among the hlstoriansAthe former ranging
from 372 to 3SS; the latter is quite generally
conceded to be 493.
Coglans writings, which are based upon
well authenticated traditions Of Armoric
Gaul, are probably the most truthful and re-
liable. He states positively that St Patrick
was born at Holy Tours, in Armoric Gaul, in
S7S. There he spent his early youth until the
arrival of the fleets and armies Of Mall Neeal-
ZACH in pursuit Of the Roman legions, which
had invaded Ireland and met with ignomin-
Gus defeat. Having disposed Of tho Romans,
the Celts proceeded to ravage the country.
The wise monarch Mall was assassinated by
an Irish vassal on the bank Of the Loire
His naval armament returned to Ireland in
$50. Among the spoils takon back with
them were 200 children for slaves, among
them the boy Patrick Thus, while the loss
of Mall was great one to Ireland, she re-
ceived an inestimable blessing in this holy
parsonage, who was then 1o years of ago
His fathers name was Calphurnius and his
mothers Conceisa, which indicates that
they were of Roman extraction. They were
both killed by the Irish invaders His bap-
tisrnal name was not Patrick, but succath,
meaning valiant in war None Of the his.
torians have attempted to record ANYTHING
of his youthful history.
In $50 he was sold to the petty prince.
Milcho Human, and his three brothers, in the
province of Dalaradia, in tho north Of Ire
land, and served them six years. This was
the occasion of his name being changed to
Cotteraig, because he served four masters
Milcho, observing how careful and dilipent
he was, purchased the shares of his three
brothers, and thus became sole proprietor of
the boy. He sent him to feed tho hogs on
SGev-nur's, and St Patrick himself describes
this part of his life as follows:
"My constant business was to feed tho
hogs. was frequent in prayse; the love
and fear of God more and more infamed nv
heart; my faith was enlarged; my spirit
augmented; so that said an hundred pray-
ers by day and almost as many by night I
arose before day to Ely prayers, in the snow,
in the frost, in the rain; nor was affected
by slothfulness, for then the spirit Of God
was warm within me-"
It was here that he perfected himself in the
Irish language. He completed his six years
OF servitude, and then, according to the law
which seems to have been in force, he was
released he tells us he was then warned in
dream to prepare to return to his native
land. Upon arriving thero he was again
seized and taken into captivity, but regained
his freedom again in two months-history
does not say how.
Then he enjoyed two years with his rela-
tves, after which he was warned through a
vision that there was work for him to do in
Ireland, and that he should return there.
He resolved then to carry Out his long
cherished wish to attempt the work of con-
verting Ireland. To fit himself for this work
he spent many yearasin travel and study.
Then, having been clothed with authority
from the pope, he sailed for Ireland with
twenty colaborers, all men Of great piety
and wisdom. He landed first in Britain and
preached for several days with great sue
cess. Here he increased his following to
thirty-four and proceeded to ireland, land
ing on the coast Of Wicklow, where he at
once began his labors. His first convert was
Smell, great man in that country, and he
soon added the king, queen and many Of the
nobility.
His innovation was strongly opposed by
tie Druidtcal priests, who naturally wished
to preserve the great power they held over
the people through their supposed magical
and mystifying acts. But legend says that
st. Patrick's miraculous powers soon put the
magicians to shame The antagonism of the
Druids was SO bitter that, in spite of his
benevolence and gentleness, St. Patrick was
compelled to curse their fertile lands so that
they became dreary bogs; to curse their
rivers 50 that they produced no fish, and
their kettles so that no fire could make them
boil, and finally to curse the Druids them
selves so that the earth opened and swallowed
them up.
Many other miracles are ascribed to St.
Patrick, prominent among which was the
setting on fire, by blowing upon it, Of pile
Of snowballs and chunks Of ice, which he had
told his companions to gather when they
complained of the bitter cold one morning.
All the world knows that to st. Patrick is
ascribed the credit OF the freedom of Ireland
from snakes. Colgan solemnly states that st.
Patrick accomplished the feat of banishine
the reptiles through the instrumentality of q
drum, which lie beat with such fervor that
he burst tho head, and that IN angel at once
ammo to tho rescue md n,ende6 IL
Tho work Of ST. Patrick in Ireland will live
as long as the island continues to hold it's
verdant fields and valleys Inevery part are
fourishing churches and grand cathedrals
organized and established by him, monu-
ments to his fame in this world and gems for
his diadem in the Beautiful City, where he is
with the Master he SO earnestly and efficiently
served.
In the year 461 st. Patrick journeyed to
Rome where he was received with joy by the
pope and confirmed in his apostolate Of Ire
land. He returned to Ireland in 1853. He
lived for thirty years after this, mostly In
retirement, although he did not neglect the
concerns of the church, but, through synods
and ecclesiastical councils, he exercised q
general supervision. The number Of churches
said to have been established by him is 700.
These last thirty years of his eventful and
holy life were spent, for the most part, be-
tween the monasteries Of Saballum and Ar
magh. He concluded his ministry and his
life in tho Abbey Of Saul, on the 18th Of
March, 403, in the 12Oth year of his age, as is
supposed. He was buried at Down. The
English invaded Ulster In l185, and in 11s8
the remains Of St. Patrick, st. Columb and