The Irish standard., 1897-03-20
ST. PATRICK.

Wherever Irishmen we're found Or last
Wednesday-St. Patrick's Day-the oc-
casion was duly honored with a greater
or lesser degree of fervor and intensity.
In Minneapolis the Irishmen turned their
attention to music and song, mingled
here and there with the drama, preced-
ing which devotional exercises were at
tended. The day here was most gra-
ciously observed, an account of which
will be found elsewhere. '.'''
The week preceding the great national
event DR.. Justus j. Spreng contributed an
article to the Irish World upon st. Pat
rick, and as it was beautiful in sentiment
and historically comprehensive, liberty is
taken to extract some paragraphs from
it. He said:
t'Tender memories are revived, and
millions of hearts are filled with emo
tions that belong to this day alone.
Mother Erin weeps over her scattered
children, and weary exiles think Of loved
ones at home. The land Of youthful
hopes is lost to them forever. It's green
hills they shall never see again, and it
will not be their privilege to sleep with
their kith and kin in Irish graves. Oh:
what emotions fill Irish hearts on ST.
Patrick's Day! At home and abroad, in
every land under the sun, the oft-repeat-
ed story is retold. :" It is atale Of joys
and sorrows, OF hopes. and fears, Civic
tory and defeat. 1t has been rehearsed,
generation after generation, at Irish fire.
sides; and the exile loves to hear it In
foreign lands. Wherever 1reland's child
rem wander there the memory of st.
Patrick is kept alive, He is the apostle
of their country, the father of their
faith, and the founder of their national
Church. His name is associated with
the brightest period Of their history, and
his teachings are so indelibly stamped
on the national character that no other
name Yields such an influence in shap
ing Ireland's destiny. It arouses the
hottest enthusiasm. and it inspires the
most patriotic. devotion. =
Before St: Patrick came to Ireland,
she was an enlightened and powerful
nation. Her form of government bore
the impress Of superior genius, and, in
her civilization, she was fully match
for Greece and Rome in their palmy days.
Paganism was the only stain On her es
cutcheon, but as soon as her apostle ap-
peared, Christianity bloomed like rose
under the. influence of a southern sun.
His progress throughout the land was
that of a conduering hero, and the fire
enkindled by him at Tara was never ex-
tinguished. He found Ireland pagan.
and he left her entirely Christian Con-
verts were made, priests ordained and
bishops consecrated. Churches, monas-
teries and schools covered the land, and
the whole nation presented the spectacle
Of vast hive of sanctity and learning.
For. three hundred years the Irish
schools were so famous that students
tlocked there in great numbers, and Irish
apostles went to many lands to revive
the faith which had decayed, or to plant
1t where paganism prevailed. 1t is safe
to say that in those days Ireland helped
to save the civilization of Europe. The
sacred isle of the pagans had become the
isle of saints and doctors. Ireland's sons
were lamp to enlighten Christendom.
and Patrick was model and inspiration
for all.
These peaceful days could not last for
ever The disciple is not above his Mas
ter. Suffering is the portion Of all the
followers of Jesus. Ireland had to be
the mother of martyred children. The
chalice of affection was raised to poor
Ireland's lips, and she drank it to its
bitter dregs; nay, it was filled again and
again, and she drank it over and over
again. When the golden period of 300
years had passed, the pagan Dane came
to disturb her peace, and for another 800
years she was subjected to all the hor-
rors of a defensive war. She had to fight
for national sovereignty and purity of
faith, and she came out of the ordeal vic
|torious. The peace was. not of long dura
ton, because the Norman soon came, and
the gcerge has continued ever since. For
500 years the sword has not been
sheathed. No nation in the worlds his
tory can point to such a record. During
all those ages there never was an Irish
saint that had not Patrick for his model,
and the most ardent patriot could have
no higher aim than raise his mother.