Daily inter mountain., 1900-03-17

the other, and none knew Z. night If he
would rise in the morning. Mothers bade
their sons fearful farewell as they went
out to work in the field and fathers wept
for their daughters. Rival kings ruled
different parts of the island, and each
year saw them rise up in terrific combat.
The ruling king, the one who possessed
dominion over the greater part of the
island at that time, was Leaghaire; and
young Patrick found himself a subject of
this Warlike ruler
The religion of Ireland was that Of
the sun and fire worshipers. A few Chris
tians there were, but they We're perse-
cuted, and were obliged to worship their
God in secret while they bowed down be-
fore the eternal fires in public.
At first young Patrick was Mortified to
find himself in a country of Druids; and
then he did as only one Of his strong
character could have done. He set to
work to Christianize the country.
BEGINNING HIS WORK.
Fortunately, if the legends are to be
believed, he was gifted suddenly with the
power of working miracles; and when he
could not move the people by his advice
and instruction, he stretched forth his
hand and worked a miracle.
1t is conceded to be true that, at this
time, the earnest young Christian had the
power of the supernatural. This must
be accepted by all those who believe that
miracles have ever been wrought. But,
even Invested OF these powers, Patrick
lived a marvellous life
Many are the miracles that are now at
tributed to Ireland's patron saint. The
tale of how he took sounding brass in
strument. closely resembling a modern
drum, beat upon it until all the snakes
came out of their holes has been told;
and how, still beating, he called the
snakes after him, until they all came to-
gether at the waters edge. At another
wild beating of the drum the snakes
tunbled into the water
They tell also how Patrick once chal-
lenged no less person than King Leag-
halre himself to a manifestation of pow
er IF you will light the sticks under
your KETTLE said Patrick. II will believe
In your God of Fire. The king scorn-
1ully ordered the kindlings to be lighted.
But to the amazement of the attendants.
the sticks would not burn. After the
men exhausted themselves in the effort
to make the fire, Patrick blew upon the
wood and straightway blaze arose.
The Druid High Priest was exceedingly
lenged Patrick to work miracle in his
presence. Patrick, who was at that time
about 40 years old, in his very prime.
confident and strong of his powers, called
all the Druid priests together at high
noon and there, in the presence of them
all. called upon the Most High to cover
the earth with darkness. In the twink
ling of an eye the whole world became
as black as midnight.
These things caused the fame of Pat
rick to spread greatly, SO that. after a
while he became the greatest power in
Ireland.
HIS HoNoRs.
The Pope Celestine heard of this and
made him a priest of the Catholic church
then bishop. and finally cardinal. At
ms death ne became almost Immediately
a saint
Robbed of all else, save his own per-
sonality, which is admitted to be great
by those Of all religions, Patrick of Ire
land lives today in sacred history as one
of the greatest characters that ever ex-
listed.
Before he had been at work long there
was no spot left untouched by the new
religion. In the year 443 II years after
his arrival in ireland, st. Patrick was
member of the council appointed to re-
model the laws of the land on a Christian
basis.
For nearly 60 years ST. Patrick contin.
ued his work. Rome sending help, an6
the work was consolidated and built up
into firmly established religion.
He was in a place called Uladh when
he was warned that death was near.
The saint proceeded toward Armagh,
where he wished to be buried, but he was
told in a dream to return to the province
of Uladh, which was the scene of his first
trfumphs When he arrived at Saul he
took to his bed, and on the 18th of March.
A. D. .492, 60 years after his arrival in
Ireland and at the age of 120. the pa
tron saint of Ireland breathed his last
surrounded by converts of his ministry
He found in Ireland 3,0O0,0 900 Of pagans
and In 60 years he had changed the re-
iigious aspect of the land to an almost
incredible degree.
Ireland has commemorated him in
many ways, and his movements during
his long stay there can be almost indi-
vidually traced by the names of the va
ltous places and institutions which bear
his honored name.
The island on which he landed is call
ed Innis-patrick. which means Island of
st. Patrick. while the famous Cathedral
of st. Patrick in Dublin is built upon the
very spot upon which the patron saint es-
tablished the first Christian church that
Dublin had.