The Irish standard., 1889-03-30

81 80, 1889.
Of history. We find some few histo
rians whose object is to justify the &C
tion of nation which did everything
to rob the Irish people of their faith a
we'll as of worldly possessions, who sa.
the whole history of St. Patrick is {
myth; others assume that he was neve]
commissioned by Rome to preach tht
gospel to the Irish people; others agair
that he was Protestant, as though
| forsooth, Professionalism was ever heard
of before the age when Luther broke
his vows, quarreled with the Pope and
died impenitent. There are doubts, it
is true, as to the date of his birth:
doubts as to the time he visited that
country; doubts as to his birth place
whether he was born in Scotland, in
England, in Wales. in Ireland Or in
France-doubts as to the date of his
death, but we at least are willing to ac-
cept, and prepared to prove, that he was
commissioned by Pope Celestine to
preach the gospel; that he fulfilled
faithfully that commission, and that he
converted the whole island to Cathol
icity.
The facts of the history Of our SAINTS
life may be told in a few sentence
Born in France, according to proba
BILE opinion, about the year 387, of hon
orable parents-honorable, because
they served God we'll and were, there
fore, faithful to their fellow men-he
was taken captive in early life and lived
six years in exile, performing mental
work in the North of Ireland without
mnrmur and without regret. And after
he had obtained his liberty and returned
to his rela4 ives and his native land, he
tells us that he heard, as it were, the
voice of the Irish calling on him to re-
turn and to teach them the way of
light AT once be began to get himself
ready for the life of a missionary and he
returned to the island about the year
432. where he ]abored in season and out
of season, like another ST. Paul for up
wards of sixty years, with what success
we shall see. Facts are but the dry
bones of history. In themselves they
are of little importance, but they are Of
great moment, in-so far as they are the
starting points for the philosophy of
history. It is with the inner life OF
the saint we are principally concerned.
1t is Of more consequence to know that
he made the world better, and by what
means he made it better than to dis
cuss the dates of his birth and death
He found the country pagan; pagan to
the very core; impregnated with no
BILE form of paganism, if YOU will, for
the people worshipped the sun and
stars and not the groveliDg things of
earth, as did the ruder nations. Under
his holy influence, Christianity burst
forth like the sudden ripeness of a
northern summer.
1t is true the missionary Paladius
visited Ireland before st. Patrick; but
be met with scant success, because OF a
persecution gotten up against him by
petty prince. because he was not versed
in the language of the country. and
knew not the manner and customs OF
the people. But ST Patrick used nat
ural helps as we'll as supernatural aids
He spoke their language, and from the
time he had spent his term of slavery
there he was conversant with the habits
of the people. Knowing the attachment
of the Irish people for their chiefs, he
made it point to convert first chief
tain, or some member of his family, for
such a. convert was sure to have large
following, and he enlisted the bards in
his favor, so that their accomplish
ments hitherto used for pagan festivi-
ties we're thence:forward devoted to
proclaim the praises of tbs true God.
Although community of fierce and
proud tribes, forever warning amongst
themselves, and wholly secluded from
the rest of the world; With an ancient
hierarchy entrenched IN its own vener-
able superstitions, and safe from the
weakening infusion of the creeds of
Greece and Rome, would seem to pre-
sent as dark and intractaple materials
for the formation of a Christian people
as any that can be considered; yet not
before nor since has an invader Of that
country met with such little opposition.
He went to the Irish with new reli-
gion, which was message of peace,
and which heartily recommended itself
to the warm sympathies Of the race.
HIS progress through the country was
that of beloved ruler visiting his de-
voted subjects. No martyrs blood was
necessary to nourish the faith in Irish
soil, and no missionary ever lived to see
the fruits Of his labors so fully ripened.
Nowhere else in the history of nations
do we fnd a country which produced
a national hierarchy in the lifetime of
her own apostle, nowhere else do we
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