Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-03-21
THE REAL ST. PATRICK.
His Real Life Is Almost Lost in
Fanciful Legends.
But His Work In the Redemption Of
Ireland from PaEanism Was an
Abiding Reality-Is Worthy
of All Honor.
copyright, 1851

lCopyrlgnt, 1855.
The life of the famous Irish saint is,
as everybody knows, buried and almost
lest under a tangled debris of legend
and tradition, much of it grotesque in
the extreme. This was only to be ex-
pected. 1t is fate almost sure to
overtake a great religious leader in a
rude and uncritical age; but as re-
suit, any attempt to read out the true
biography of St. Patrick from the ex-
listing records is like trying to decipher
an obscure and faded manuscript over
the face of which have been drawn a
succession of arabesques and carica-
lures.
Still, it Is not to be doubted that st.
Patrick both lived and accomplished a
great work-greater, indeed. than peo-
Pile in general are accustomed to give
him credit for-and even as to the de-
tails Of his life we are not left wholly
at the mercy of legendary lore. A few
apparently authentic documents re-
main-chief among them the "Confes-
sion" believed to have come from his
own hand. The "Epistle" also is prob
ably genuine, but is far less impor-
tant.
The Confession" is an extremely in
teresting document, to the student at
least. From it we get very meager
ACCOUNT of the incidents of the authors
career-though it contains about all
that is strustworthy-but the impression
it gives of the great missionary.s char
acter is clear and striking. 1t is easy
to see that he was man well qualified
to win mems hearts-which is neces-
sarily the first step toward saving their
souls.
st. Patrick was an enthusiast-of
course-else he had been poorly fitted
for his task. He was also something of
dreamer, but happy strain of prac
ticability pervades his dreaming; it
never fails to come to something. His
visions on the hills of Antrim. where
the boyish captive spent so many
nights in prayer under the open sky.
are but the prelude to his escape from
slavery; and afterward, when he had
returned to his home and friends. the
voices that haunted his sleep, calling
him back to Ireland, resulted in bring
ing an entire nation into the Christian
faith. To Missionaries" of this type
the world is deeply indebted.
Indeed, in the Confession" there is
no hint of the exaggeration and ex-
travagance which appears so strongly
in the Lives" of later date. Good
sense, sincerity and modesty are the
dominant notes. He believed in his
mission-fervently believed in it--but
so far was he from imagining himself
ready for an undertaking of such mag
nitude without special training. that
he spent many years in careful prepara-
tion at the best religious school acces-
sible.
True, he never attained to any ex-
traordinary scholarship. In his Con
fession," which was written as a reply
to those who declared that he was unfit
to be made bishop, he freely comedies
himself "indoctus" and "rusticissimus"
-unlearned and very plain man: and
while the fact that he wrote in Latin
proves that he had sufficient education
for all ordinary purposes. his peculiar
use Of that language, showing many
traces of Celtic idiom, makes it evident
that his frankness was no false mod
esty but simply honesty. He meant
just what he said, as strong men COM
monty do. And apropos Of these Gel
tic turns of expression, it is OF interest
to note that, although not born on
Erin's soil. he was of strictly Irish
stock, since his birthplace was in re-
- 81. a1 coff1aI hv thp
Irish Picts.
| There are qualities far more impor-
tant than finished which.
indeed. is ever liable to waste itself in
pedantic trifing-and these sturdier
traits the victorious Irish evangelist
undoubtedly possessed. What one OF
his critics could have done his work
1t was well for his mission that his
sympathies were not dried away by
the dust of libraries. All the better be-
cause he was "indoctus" his words
commanded the attention of the rude
clansmen; all the more because he was
"rusticissimus." like themselves. they
trusted and believed him. To this sim
picity add dauntless courage and abb
solute sincerity, and you have the Sc
cret OF his wonderful success.
1t is strong man whose work lives
after him; and the results of st. Pat
rick's labors were felt for centuries and
extended far beyond the island he re-
deemed from paganism. In the period
which followed his death the Irish
church wns the most jealous and ac'
tive in all Christendom. Although
others-and they, too. are worthy OF
praise-whose achievements were more
spectacular because they addressed
themselves chiefly 10 kings and mobiles.
have received the greater share OF
credit for converting pagan England.
most OF the real work was done by
Irish missionaries. animated by the
very spirit of ST. Patrick. These were
the men who. braving danger and
hardship. overcoming the obstacles OF
nm Milan topo,,e and raciol preiJdice