The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-03-17

pounding the doctrine of the Holy
Trinity he used little sprig OF trefon,
OR tlree-leavcd grass,whence the sham
rock came to be the national emblem
as St. Patrick is the national saint or
patron Of Ireland. Ard-Ri Laori was
holding Druidical festival in Tara, at
which the kindling of a great fire
formed chief feature of the proceed
ings, and it was crime punishable
with death for anyone to light a fire in
the surrounding country on the eve
ming of that great festival until after
the sacred fame of Tara Hill blazed
forth.
To his amazement however, the
monarch 7befeld on the Hill OF Slane,
visible from Tara, bright fire l<indled
early in the evening. This was the
Paschal fire which St. Patrick and his
missionaries had lighted, for it was
Holy Saturday. The King sent for
the chief Druid and pointed out to him
on the distant horizon the Pickering
beam that so audaciously violated the
sacred laws. The arch-prest gazed
long and wistfully at the spot, and
eventually answered: ooh, King, there
is indeed flame lighted on yonder
hill, which, if it be not put out tonight,
will never be quenched in Erin
Much disquieted by this oracular an
swer, Laori directed that the offenders,
whoever they might be, should be in
stantly brought before him for punish
ment. St. Patrick, on being arrested,
arrayed himself in his vestments, and,
crozicr in hand, marched boldly at the
head of his captors, reciting aloud as
he went along a litany which is still
extant, in which he invoked ION that
momentous day for Erin" the Holy
Trinity, the Father, the Son. the Holy
Spirit, ever Blessed Mary, the Mother
OF God, and the saints around the
throne OF heaven.
Having arrived before the King and
his assembled courtiers and Druidical
high priests, St. Patrick, undismayed
proclaimed to them that he had come
to quench the fires of pagan sacrifice
in Ireland and light the flame Of Chris
tian faith. The King listened, amazed
and angercd, yet no penalty fell on
Patrick. On the contrary, he made
several converts on the spot, and the
sermon and controversy in the Kings
presence proved an auspicious begin
ming for the glorious mission upon
which he had just entered.
Before St. Patrick came to ireland
she was an enlightened and powerful
nation. Her form OF government bore
the impress OF superior genius, and, in
her civilization, she was fully match
for Greece and Rome in their palmy
days, Paganism was the only stain
on her escutchcon, but as soon as her
apostle appeared Christianity bloomed
like a rose under the influence OF a
southern sun. His progress through
out the land was that OF conquering
hero, and the fire enkinded by him at
Tara was never extinguished.
He found Ireland pagan, and he left
her entirely Christian Converts were
made, priests ordained and bishops
consecrated. Churches, monasteries
and schools covered the land, and the
whole nation presented the spectacle
Of a vast hive Of sanctity and learning.
For 800 years the Irish schools were
50 famous that students tiocked there
in great numbers, and Irish apostles
went to many lands
St. Patrick's death occurred on the
18TH day of March, 4o3, having lived
over 100 years, sixty of which were de-
voted to the conversion OF the generous
people OF Ireland, who accepted the
faith without resistance, and have
clung to it since with loyalty un-
equaled by any other people in Chris
tendom