The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-07
ST. GOLUMBA'S HONOR.
GAELIC sOCIETY,S EXERCISES IN
CHICK ERING HALL.

The Rov. mr.. strahan OF the Catholic Univer-
aity Delivers n Stirring Plea in Behnir OF
tho Hvssit Rsce-Hs Reviews Its SUFFERING
nnd Services In Christtaait9Ns Behalf
The commemoration OF the thirteenth CEN
tenary Of the death, on June o, 597. Of St Co
lumbkillo or COLUMBIA, the founder OF the
monastery at Iona and Of many other educa-
tional institutions In Scotland and ireland, be-
gan in this city yesterday. The principal exer-
ciscs were those Of the Gaelic Society, which
were held last evening in Chickering Hall. A
distinct Gaelic flavor was given to the
meeting by the musical programme, which
included "a Chuislin mo Chroidhe" and
The Last Rose of summer" played on
the cello by Victor Herbert, an Irish Rhap-
pody"played on the organ by Bernard oDon-
noll, and q number Of Gaelic songs sung by Miss
Marie 6tori, Mr.. Helen orDonnell. J. d. Lyons,
and Edward O,Mahony.
EdwnrdT. MoCrystal. President Of the Gaelic
Society, opened the meeting with an introduce
tory address in Gaelic, and Supreme Court JUS
tice Joseph r. DAILY, who presided, spoke briefly
IN introducing the Rev. Thomas ]. Strahan, d.
D.. Professor Of Church History in the Catholic
University of America, who made tho address
Of the evening on "St. Columbldllo and Euro
pean Civilization" DR.. strahan said, in part:
ITO US, children of the Irish race, st. COLUMBIA
n the embodiment of our ideal, natural and
supernatural. st. Patrick was an Irishmanb by
adoption, but COLUMBIA boastod of the purest and
noblest blood In the land. He was q child Of the
princoly family Of the Neills, compared with
whom the Colonna or the Hohonzollerns are Of
yesterday; q possible successor to the high
kingship of Ireland, and a man of extraordinary
gifts Of character and talent.
HE combined in his person the PROJECTIONS
which the Irish have always admired: ancient
family, physical beauty. personal bravery and
endurance, and q high commanding spirit. He
was, moreover, a child OF song, and q rare mas
ter OF that irresistible melting power Of music.
TO which our race !, S 80 Pseo oEs1 Igts sensible IS aoc that
transaSurod Il. lie w" was. moreover, a soidieriyy
HEsFSs . is = sSS,ssy 81 ia tSs hr sGV %Ilssia ny .n sn G1 as
the Irishmen Of his time looked upon the brill
Liant Ds. sna nSele sSS DHins %ah a iaSy to %'t that R0 Of thy Rs
Roman people for the young Germanicus.
,o "Fs sIoB be H \ neon we u.s. sS 20 h S7 men We 20 a sGes Sou ind
eternally. BY the subtleet and stoutest cords. to
tho tSSd, ,sH St al u inls Of to 'n %aS Uso sacri aRs We for f It's
welfare. But we cannot forget that the Greater
1lorioul state that the sun shines on, and that.
With all its other children, We are calledto the
hhiGne. I'D Sig a5aiI.n ap Pso sh sh mG lot S of msent Ierk fr 1nsr
foHndstion Of civil liberty, and the more pn.
: - | IS 'e va !rs Of s, %fsliF iS I'll, ,F sssF more WHIT sSi.
IDENTIFY than any other race, since fer the lack Of
thess thing We have With h.s one bIsd msSn n OK.
sssSls; nSSo than amy. amy otnsr family Of the chi,
,sf y 4I%ishty sss again b srG Ike n up the des gSs
On and made her Impact irresistible, and bound
the peoples and the nations of tho earth in one
' ;BE SDon in ERR eon %hi1sz;t Is 6 o1iy %sat9 ths sword sword
did for Rome, the subtler weapon OF exile is
"Neyer was the deep meaning of Irish exile.
in PARTICULAR. better illustrated than In the man
And 50 when mon look up from the wonderful
work Of competing the institutions Of a great
State, and cry out to us of Irish birth or descent:
"whe 81 s Il. a T. brought to our nA''0n-'alid'ns' sons
What g., 4, yos. burden or. or gg s.cns9 , from Solsdn %.nn,' nnh, ,
AND W. Ss1 rsiss no shln.r tower. but . temple forever.
when such q nomentous question 10 asked
of US we Invite men to 60 back with us in spirit
eaiEssfie fshdhs1lss, ia fan fe ePe eiviias NRas in n a ssRlSSsi
great erisis o., tho human race. We confess our
selves Bib asdnlsers and 81; imitators from afsr,
and ws are willing to stake our utility in the
s Elm. 1a Ha 5hs aaa %e sse a lea w iasi 4 e SS Ps sense OF Of
destiny. as men who stand at the close OF one
% 1bsa Sp spSe1 sD and Se feasin Us 1of ia ah sh sple ]eeataf desF &c
when we consider the culture of modern Eu.
rope, and remember that for centuries 1t has
sssdiSts tSss sSo sahsSpy eaad ssss;,ias Ireland
VI toSo hSuA WV AnNS e-S 49,
ireland sent forth to the Continent a multitude
to convert tie pagan nations. and to restore
numboriosa churches ruined BY long centuries
There stretches out before the eye of the
modern mind q vast perfectbihty OF man
cruel responsibilities Of history; and from tn.
great national vendettes which disgrace the
1 eiortS %SF race, M Sna e s5S s5st W llhi al e E thae ea for a. /;
sure DIS the highest pinnacle in the temple o.
WI stand at the beginning of a new socia,
world IKE the young BARBARIAN op pnnon rsf Of E u
r nspSsbi G fSs|r W fses we fbn s2ys 1 tSe v sm1nip pFsi fd.Ss t Ps
limitless valleys, and the countless hillsides of
world unk mo- n.t to them; only Whsre they w, YER r.
fined. and whore they were subject creatures o
nature. We have. in 2 certain sense. yoked ens
Whatever be the debt of continental nations
sHa,d da cos sss rssdn 10 " the cbri.t dna f Sii3iS neatly as Pi a
as sesinst the conquest Of blood and hate witt
From the earliest days Of their convcrsio,
t she. i%P ,bs so of the oi d l5ish psTH Rs2 a has a ee naiid t
efaposties. They are the most mysterious o
Christian peoples, The awful SHADOW Of tn
than upon any other. For the FIRST 100 year
s saSiy E soIStsrs by 3, G R9lsitu %s THEN into called ESalu tbsH
Europe. Then for a thousand years they were
fbrlnsnti III ie1 more sei asu Of c Ssssissify; S SS nhs h snS e.,
relentless, unspeakable hate II Of 2 sister island
Rether with the arts and sciences. from a multi
tude Of Irish monks; and gratefully paid ther
head Of The wolf and tho Irish schoolmaster.
st COLUMBIA was only the greatest OF a mul
virtues that have in them the power of removal
ing any society in which they are allowed
and learning. When COLUMBIA gathere
his little, communities about him q
Derry and Durrow; still more when h
sent them abroad to Lndisfarne an
Ripon by the voice of his successors; when the
went over to the Continent, and threaded thei
toilsome road through Its. painless forests. an
over It's f6Fdless rivers andIthe inaccessible ALI
and Apennines. he was planting the seeds Of
national vocation, he was training an entir
race. and inuring 1t to the Office and work of tn
Christian apostolate.
Let no one think this an exaggeration. c
the great Christian races only two have com
unscathed through the terrific fires of the lai
three centuries; only two have remained In the