The Irish standard., 1899-04-08
THE GOOD ST. PATRICK.
: His Memory VIII for Many Genera
tiOns BE NOmOred by the
Sons Of ERIN.

1t was many and many year ago
that the patron saint of the Irish peo-
pie lived and worked in the islands
OF the sea. So long ago that there is
much of mystery gathered about his
life. and even his birth and death are
clouded in uncertainty. But the day
that has been set apart in the calendar
to be devoted to his memory serves to
bring to mind the greatness Of the
mission that he, undertook and the
majesty of the, character he must have
possessed.
1t is tolerably certain that ST. Pat
rick was born near the mouth of the
Clyde, in Britain. at the town or Neth-
muir, about 3oG. The close of the fourth
century saw little or no Christianity
established in these parts. Patrick,
however. was the son of a magistrate,
Deacon Calpurnius, who was him
self the son of Potitus. a priest, and of
a noble family. The Scots and Picts
were constantly making incursions
along the border OF the territory held
by the Romans. and it was in one of
these raids. probably in Ali. that the
youth, then Is Years of age, was taken
a. prisoner by the pagan invaders and
sent as slave to Ireland. Here he
worked in captivity tending flocks. in
the land of the Irish Picts. The scene
of his labors at his period of his life
was probably i'll the county of Antrim.
His occupation gave him ample OPP
portunity for meditation. and the con-
trast between the practices of his pa
gan masters and those to which he had
been accustomed from his youth in
his own land. and in his fathers house,
no doubt strengthened the love in his
heart for the principles he had learned
as 4 boy. The coast of Ireland, es-
pecially to the west and north, was IA
vorable for the hiding of rovers of the
sea. One of The indentations frequent
ed by smugelers and sea-faring people
was the Bay of Kallala. Patrick no
doubt conceived the idea of escaping
from captivity While tending his focks
on the mountain. and the Bay of Kilala
afforded a means Of so doing. After
six years of slavery he found himself
again a free man and among his own
kindred in Britain. He was cordially
received and his friends besought him
to remain among them. but the young
man had high ideals in mind. There
came to him. he tells us. a dream, in
which he heard the voice of the Irish
people calling him as the voice of the
Maccdonians came to the Apostle of
old: "We pray thee. holy youth. to
come and henceforth walk among u.s.
He says himself: 81 heard the voice of
those who were near the wood of Foch-
lad. which is near the western sea-
His ambition was thenceforward to
raise up the people With whom he had
spent six years Of his life. and he devot-
ed himself to preparation for this task
Where this preparation was carried on
is uncertain. or ", neither he obtained
from Pope Ce!eStine the mission OF
converting the people of Ireland. At
any rate he entered on his work about
425 and gave up the remainder of his
bishop. For years he walked among
his adopted people Ind taught them
the principles OF Christianity and right
living, turning them from their wild
and savage ways to mil'ness and self.
confluence.
1t would be strange did not the life
of such a man become surrounded in
the course of time with myths and
legends. and of these there are not q
few. but the truth OF them cannot he
ascertained; they are legends and moth
ing more. so far as history informs us
Yet the noble pioneer of Christianity
is kept in memory by the people tc
whose uplifting he devoted himself .and
each year on the seventeenth of Marcel
his name is honored by them.-Detroi1
Free Press.