The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-18

Oou ana the teacnlngS OF the DlDle.
The names of Saints Patrick and Columbia,
the Doctor said, are not mentioned in either
the Old or the New Testament, but the doc
trine they. taught is found all through the
pages of those books. The fact that they
lived after the canons of the Bible were
written was no ground for their zeal and
their evangelical work being moderated or
to preclude their lives being chosen by
pastor fitting subject for sermon.
The two saints were considered as being
almost simultaneous in their appearance in
the great fields of Irish and Scotch mission
airy work. For fourteen centuries the name
of Saint Patrick has been a household word
in lrelann and In the daily life of Irish
Americans.
By many it has long been believed. the
Doctor continued, that about ssint clus-
tiers so much GOd-sent power and purity as
to make him almost divine, and, in thus
losing sight of his hume nifty, TO try to equal
him was thought to be hopeless task.
This has given rise to many absurd stories
of their great feats or physical and intel
lectual power. but they are to be classified
with the idle fables of tradition, enter
tanning to hear, but far too improbable to
believe. Formerly, saints were said to he
perfect in the make-up of their dispositions,
never losing their temper or becoming i'm
patient. but Saint Patrick was an exceD-
ton, The only way to see and to under
saint IS to throw aside all his assumed
character and examine the man together
with his faults, disregarding the mythical
saint and confining study to the actual. OF
the early life of st. Patrick but little is
known, his BIRTH place being even held in
question by historians. Spain, France,
England, Wales and Scotland ell claim the
honor, but IL is commonly granted to Scot
land. Dear as was his name in after years
to Ireland it is certain that she can not lay
claim TO being his native land. The earlier
historical records show that he was kid
mapped at the age of sixteen by pirate
who was direct ancestor of Columbus At
this time he was unconverted, and for six
years he was held in slavery. serving as o
keeper OF fiOcks. During his bondage he
became converted, and by his faith in
God he was the better able to endure
with patience the sutferings that were
heaped upon him. He finally succeeded in
making his escape, and. going to his home
on the banks of the Clyde he settled down
with his parents. Here, he claims, he saw
in vision, man holding in his hand sew
eral documents. One of these was handed
to st. Patrick. and on it was a command to
return to the people in Ireland, not as a
slave, but as missionary. Obeying the call,
he landed on Irish shores in 40, and began
his evangelical labors; Before this time
other missionaries had visited the island,
but their efforts at introducing Christian
ity were very see ttering and difficult to
trace. The records are even meager as to
the extent of his work, he having
his Confession" Hymn and "Epistle.5
The first two are but records of what
use he made of the Bible in his work, and
the last is dedicated to Welsh pirate.
saint Saint Pat nt creed was simple but
the Methodists think he was a typical
preacher, the Baptist find no fault with his
doctrine, except on the question of infant
baptism and immersion, and the Episco-
bishops. Even the Roman Catholics
are wont to believe he was a follower
of the Pope, but there is no foundation to
the theory that he received his commission
to preach from Rome. His doctrine, the
Doctor said, was against the doctrine held
out by the Catholics to-day, and this is in
direct opposition to the dogma so common
in that church that its belief has never
changed since its foundation. Saint Patrick
preached pure gospel and lived holy
life, and, it was claimed by the Doc
tor, there has never been since his day
q more cOnsecrated, prayerful, and spirit
ually minded man. His love for Ireland
knew knew no bound, as is proved by his con con,
the time of his landing. in $40. until the
time of his DEATH in 1913, he never left her
shores on any mission whatever.
A brief historical account of Saint Co
Ireland in 521, just fifty years after the in
fiuence of Saint Patrick had swept over the
land. Educated in monastery, he soon
left Ireland and took up his labor in Scot
lsiuu, WHERE ne ulu SIt8 Work IN saving
the people. He died in 597, at the advanced
age of seventy-seven. Thus Scotland gave
Saint Patrick to Ireland, and Ireland re-
turned the gift a half-century later by
sending out Saint COLUMBIA, while both
were given to the world.
In conclusion. DR.. Mcleod touched upon
the relation of the Irish people to England.
claiming that their oppression was due to
the combined tyranny of Henry 1 of En-
gland and Adrian Nv of Rome The Irish
schools were wiped out, and all the work
that had been begun by Christianity was
stopped. England has since continued to
cate their lands and diregard
the cruelties of absentee landlordism
The Irish themselves have been partially
to blame for their hardships, for they
abandoned the religion of Saint Patrick
and allowed themselves to suffer from in
ternal strifes and divided leadership. They
have been inclined to- gain right ends by
through it all Irish whisky, it was
claimed has done as much harm
as has English oppression. The
remedies for this condition are simple She
must return to the religion of her patron
saint and abandon her false ideas of Gods
worship, and at the same time continue to
agitate the question of independent gov
eminent until England rights all
the wrongs she has committed. Il believe
the day will soon come" said the Doctor,
when England will do this. Ireland can
forget the past, for she has big heart, but
she must look toward the future. The day
is coming when all her religious and pOlit-
zeal wrongs will be righted, and when
peace will be established. Such state of
affairs existed under st. Patrick, and such
will exist again."