The Irish standard., 1895-03-16
SATURDAY, MARCH 1s. 1895.
ST. PATRICK.

ST. PATRICK. !.
Next Sunday, March II, is the day
now universally recognized as St. Pat
rick's day. Whether the anniversary OF
his birth, Of his death or Of come great
work, or mere arbitrary date is not
known. Much concerning this great
apostle of the Irish people is cast in I'M
certainty and in the mythical. His birth
place is unknown or at least uncertain,
his early life is lost in the ages, the
method of his work and educate n are
only slightly known. 1t has even been
asserted by some writer's that st. Pat
rick did not preach the doctrines Of the
Catholic Church in it's entirety. OF those
some assert that St. Patrick was an
Episcopalian, others that he was really q
Presbyterian and others declare him to
be myth, that there really was no such
parsonage as St. Patrick. All of these
doubts and falsities but testify to the
high place that this man is entitled to in
the history of the world. There never
lived q man whose life work entitled him
to the consideration of all the world and
all succeeding generations, whose history
has not been twisted and distorted,
whose motives have not been miscon-
strued and maligned and whose very
identity distant ages have not doubted,
and all of this is done in the face of most
thoroughly reliable and recorded data
and against the strongest kind Of Cir
cumatantial evidence. The fact that
wherever the Catholic Church is found,
and it is found all over the civilized
world, cathedrals and churches are found
named in honor of that great Christian
teacher is sufficient evidence and history
of his existence and identity. In evil
dence Of the Importance Of the work
done by St. Patrick it is but necessary to
say that at this day deep students and
able writer's are engaged in working out
the details of his history. In proof of his
influence and it's permanency we have
only to note that after l4OO years the
people whom he persuaded to give UP
the worship of reptiles and trees and &C
cept the religion of Jesus Christ still
hold the doctrines he so we'll taught
them, although through many of those
cruel centuries they have been forced to
live in poverty and slavery as recon
pense for their fidelity.
The fact that 80 many of the details Of
this great mans life are enshrouded in
mystery adds rather than detracts to his
greatness. 1t shows that he rose from
obscurity to greatness. It is compara-
lively unimportant whether st. Patrick
was born in France, in Scotland or in
England. Suffice it to say that the great
weight Of authority is to the effect that
he was born in Scotland st Fitzpatrick
near Dumbarton OF the mouth OF the
Clyde, that his father was descendant
Of noble Roman family who acquired
property and lived there after the evacn-
alton Of of the British territory By the
Leqione, that his mother was native OF
Gaul, that at 8 period when he was only
youth his family crossed to northern
France and that while there the country
was invaded by marauding band OF
Britons who plundered the inhabitants
after Staying many Of them, including
ST. Patrick's father, aud carried him and
his sisters to Ireland where they were
sold as slaves to different masters
While serving % common shepherd
in slavery be acquired 3 knowledge Ct
the language and the people Escaping
Y he went 70 France whore he pursued the
studies which fitted him him Tor his mis-
S sionary work and them went g Bone
4 and Was commissi b Pope Oeles-.
\ tine u convert the Irish. alladins and
1 III olloNers had 4 attennpted this and
landed]
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