The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-03-24

her cant and cunning, all the ill-gotten
gold in her Golfers were not able to Sc
duce the Irish people from their fcalty
to their religion, nor from their longing
for national independence In return
their church and it's priesthood have
been true to this faithful people, and
Rome has never failed in sympathy for
Fever faithful Ireland" All the CHI
canery OF England, all the cunning
diplomacy OF the court of St. James did
not succeed in controlling the selection
OF Catholic bishops in Ireland, was not
able to keep the Vatican in good hu-
NOR, or to keep Archbishop Walsh out
OF Dublin. lreland's aspiration for ma
tionhood and Ireland's intense religious
fervor have been sorrowing sisters in
that desolated island Her priests have
been partiots as we'll as dispensers OF
the mysteries OF God In the penal
days the priest was the schoolmaster,
as we'll as the consider OF his terror
stricken flock 1t was then he became
endearcd to his country as the soggarth
aroon
No hardship deferred the heroic Irish
priest from ministering to his suffering
countrymen. No poverty was too drcary
for his devotedness, no Indebtedness
too repulsivc for his tender sympathy
and love-
A people Injured to suffering for the
sake OF principle become fully trained
to the duties Of patriotism A nation
schooled to devotion to duty to God,
to answering allegiance to con-
science. is a nation well prepared for
loyalty to country, to submissive obcdi-
cncc to. justice and law A nation that
has neglected to learn how to bow in
obedicnt service to God will never I'M
dcrstand tie duties OF obedience to hu
man authority. The only trustworthy
friend OF civil liberty is the human be-
ing who is ready to render unquestion-
ing obedience to the Lord and Master
OF heaven and earth
The priesthood OF Ireland has rem
dcrcd to the cause of civil liberty, to
the holy cause of love OF country, an in
cstlmabe service, by impressng upon
their virttous and liberty-loving coun-
trymen the solcmnity OF their first, their
fna and their never ccasing duty to the
dictates OF conscience.
lrcland's faithful children. trained to
patient endurance in their stcadiast adj
herencc to their religion had learned to
cling with marvellous tcnacity to the
principles OF civil liberty, by which they
have not only preserved distinct ma
t'onality, through all their years OF
bondage, but through which they shall
secure at no distant day, nations in
born right to scli-govcrnment.
Had Ireland surrendered her faith
when Cromwell drew his sword. she
would have secured little or no advant-
age from British power, but she would
then have sealed the death warrant OF
her political rights. At every surren-
der, and with every treaty, the pcrhdy
OF Limerick would have been repeated,
and the treaty broken, ere the ink
wherewitll twas writ was dry" Had
England never apostatizcd from the an
Gent faith at the bidding OF her coarse
and licentous monarch, the union be-
tween the two countries would still have
remained the union OF the shark with
his prey
Scotland surrendered her Catholic
faith almost without struggle, and
Scotand's nationality became as COM
plctcly merged into the British kingdom
as il her ancient chicitains' trumpet
blasts had never rc-ccllocd DER her
hcathcrcd hills. Wales, with the old
faith all but forgotten among her pco-
pie, is not even thought OF as indulging
IN the vain hope OF ever controlling her
own affairs. But the sturdy green isle
has survived centuries OF deadly COM
bat its distinctive characteristics and
its national traits unchanged its scpa-
ia tteeett5tt Il recognized fact Of his
tory, and known among the nations,
in connection with the British empire.
as Great Britain and Ireland.
To the priesthood of ireland more
than to any other one influence or than
to all other influences combined. is due
the credit OF this remarkable fact in
Irclands history.
The Irish people are not ungratciul
They remember with deepest love and
affection the brave patriots who nobly
championcd their country's cause no
r1attcr what their religious creed. The
.isll people have suffered too much in
''leir life and death struggle for the
lcrcd rights OF conscience not to have
learned to accord to all men the same
rights they demand for themselves.
Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmett, Swift.
Davis, John Mitchell, Smith OBrien
and Parncll, arc names that will ever
live i'll Irish hearts and ever iluminc
the brightest pages of Irish valor and
unsclisll patriotism 1t is only simple
justice, however, to remember that it
was the priesthood OF Ireland that in
spired the people with hope, that kept
alive their courage, and famed the
flame of patriotic fervor throughout the
land, for every priest was a patriot,