The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-18

on the hills Of Antrim. where the boyish
captive spent so many nights IN prayer
under the open sky, are but the prelude
10 his escape from slavery; and after
ward, when he had returned 10 his home
and friends. the voices that haunted his
sleep. calling MIN back 10 ireland, result
ed In bringing an entire na.ion into the
Christian faith. 20 ''visionares' OF ms
type the world Is deeply Indebted.
sINCEkITY AND MODESTY.
Indeed. in the Confession there Is no
hint OF the exaggerat.on and extravaganza
which appears so strongly In the Lives
Of later date Good sense sincerity and
modesty arc the dominant notes lie be-
nevcd IN mis- mission-ferventiy believed
i'm lt-but so far was he from imagining
himself ready for an undertaking. Of
such magnitude without special training.
that he spent many years IN careful pre-
paration at the best religious school ac-
cessible.
True. he never attained any eXtraor-
binary scholarship. In his Confession
which was written az a 'cply % those
who declared that ne was unht 10 be
made q bishop. he freely comedies Himself
incoctus AMI 'rusticiss imus'-unl armed
and very plain man; and while the
fact that no wrote IN Latin proves thar
he had sufficient education for all ardi-
nary purposes, his peculiar use Of that
language. showing many traces OF Celtic
idi0m. makes Il evident that his frank
ness was no false modesty but simple
honesty He meant just what he said
az strong men commonly 90. Aho
apropos o. these Celtic turns or EXPIRES
sion IL Is OF interest 20 note that ai-
fnH.H o. o.
Of strictly Irish stock. since his birth
place was in a region almost exclusively
settled by the Irish Picts
IMPORTANT QUALITIES.
There are qualities FAR more important
toan Gr.sted scholarship-whi indeed
Is ever hGble TO waste itself In pedantir
trining-and these sturdier traits the
victorious Irish evangelist undoubtedly
possessed What one OF his critics could
have done his work? II was wei FOR
h.s mission that his sympathies gore not
dried away By the dust OF Libraries. All
the better because he was "lndoctus
his words commanded the attention OF
the rude cIansmen, all the more because
he was "rusticis linus Ike themselves.
they trusted and believed him To this
simplicity add cauntless courage and ABB
so.ute sincerity. and you have the Sc
crct OF his wonderful success.
Il Is "a strong man whose work lives
after him: and the results Of ST. Patrick S
labors were felt Tor centuries and eN-
tended far beyond the island be redeemed
from paganism. In the period which fol-
lowed his dcata. the Irish church was
the most jealous and active In all Chris
tendon. Although othors-and they. too
are worthy Of praise-whOse achieve
ments were more spectacular because they
addressed q cmseNes chiefly TO kings ana
MOBILES. have received the greater share
Of credit for converting pagan England.
most OF the real work was done by the
Irish missionaries, animated by the very
spirit OK ST. Patrick. These were the
men who. Drawing danger and hardship
overcoming the obstacles OF an allen
tongue and radical prejudice, penetrated
to every hamlet in northumberland anC
the Marchands and preached the Gospel
to the stubborn villagers until their
Christianity became a fact, not n mere
profession.
Little as we know about the life OF
81. Patrick. has work Is an abiding real
ity: and IL IS safe 20 assume that the
qualities which appear IN The church he
ioundeu were not wanting in himself
~ is unfortunate that a character so
admirable has been yelled behind such
a motley tissue OF fanciful legends-but
the Irish people make no mistake in
honoring the name Of ST. Patrick.