The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-13

Ireland as IL is to-day IS St Patrick S
ideal ireland. lt is not the ignorant idol
worshipping Ireland which he left. 1T Is
velvet Isle, with enormous Industries
and "a great people.
Yet it is stin ST. Patricks Ireland. for
he knew how IL would wax ana grow
great and prepared for It.
Yet ST. Patrick. could he see ireland
to-day. would be disappointed in II. be-
cause IL lacks tn one thing which it
wants. IL lacks independence. ireland
is subject 20 Great Britain. Ii was ac-
Quired by conquest In l172 and has been
held by England, I'm spite OF its numer-
Gus attempts 10 become free. At times
1t has freed part Of itself only 10 be re-
claimed until II Is to-day a part Of the
English nation
But 81. Patrick gave Ireland that
which he himself lOnged for He gave
them the Christian religion. When St.
Patrick. who was born in France, went
10 Ireland in $50 he found there a ma
lion Of the most ignorant people. They
were ruled by kings and worshipped
idols. There was pope In those days
Pope Constantine. but he had very lit
Tie rule I'm Ireland When he heard
that a young man named Patrick lived
IN ireland and was Christian he asked
Patrick 10 work for him and become
UlE lhNhA 30 AAfloAAt HIS 81 hAlAlh
did with such good results that be Chris
tanizod Ireland.
when ST. Patrick died he blessed Ire
land and turned his face to the wall.
and. smiling peac. fully. the historian
tells US breathed his last The watcher
near nm heard him whisper: 4 have
done it," which meant that Priest Pat
rick had spread the Christian religion
throughout Ireland and realized that he
had done so.
Ireland had then very few inhabitants.
possibly a population OF 5000 But in
those DAYS so many nations were wran-
Cling over the little green isle that II
was hard 10 tell what people lived there
and what people did not. All that ST.
Patrick attempted was TO establish the
Christian religion. and having done that.
ne died saying; ~ have done IT,"
Ireland was I'm those days under king
" rule. King Dennis OFlaherty reigned
and was succeeded by King ORory. a
long IFS. Of Irish kings Is ON file in Irish ,
records. They differ as often as the his !
toriaus who write them. for ireland in
those days was so ignorant and so mix
ed up. go tempcstuous and SO unsettled /.
that the kings ruled two at the same |
time. and each king thought himself |
proud could he hold a thousand acres |
free from encroachment
1hese Kings belougth 10 inc lireWOr-
shippers and waged war constantly upon
the Christians. when they were not |
nghtne they were defending themselves
from the worldly men or savage tribes
that swarmed down upon Ireland from !
the north Of Europe.
There was no such thing as native IN
dustry I'm those days. and the Irish people
were cOntcnted 20 spin their own gar
ments with rude needles and make their
footwear with rough instruments. They |
lived IN barracks Of stone aud thew
bring forth.
ST. Patrick himself, though born IN
France. was brought captive 20 Ireland
and sfterwsro taken back 70 France.
He was well on in France. but he re-
'oived 20 return 70 Ireland and do what
he could for the country. He remem-
bssed how the beautiful green swsrd ]