The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-07-27

( thor of the nineteenth century, one Of
| the most renowned that ever spoke the
| English tongue, himself Presbyterian
of the stlaightest sect, the great Mac
Aulay, takes a different view; and in
the commencement OF his history of
England, fit to rank with "Livy's pic
| tured page" declares that the resem-
blancc of the church of Rome, often
| spoken of by divines. to the ark Of
Genesis was never more perfect than
during those evil days when she alone
rode in darkness and tempest on the
deluge beneath which all the great
works ancient power and wisdom lay
cntombed, bearing within her that fee
bic germ from which n second and
more glorious civilization was to
spring.
What, for instance, was the effect
of this so-called ignorance and SUPER
stition upon that country from which
we derive our language and laws? For
GOO years, from the time of it's inva.
sion by Julius Caesar, it had remained
| under the dominion of the Caesars.
and Notwithstanding the enlightenment
of the Augustan age and the splcndor
that succeeded it; notwithstanding the
efforts Of the Romans to clvilize and
advance that province; notwithstanding
their founding Of it's cities and their
building across 1t Of that triple wall;
without progress, 1t had remained in
barbarlsm, and enchained by the re-
ligious power Of what was dark as
well as bloody superstition.
But the instant it is touched by the
spiritual power of Rome, how magic
the change! Pope Gregory l., justly
called the Great, sends st. Augustine
with forty monks across the channel,
who lands in Kent and with no other
weapon than the cross, as 1t were
miraculosly, in two years converts
the whole island to the Catholic faith.
And that Britain which had almost
disappeared from history behind the
clouds Of barbnrlsm reappears as Eng
land prosperous and "mcrrie England"
Respondent with the light of that
Catholic truth which shone on her un-
clouded for Il thousand years, and
prepared her for that glorious march
which has placed her in the front Of
the nations, and made her the most
Stable government in the world.
Who that has taken the trouble to
inquire does not know that it was the
Influence of the Catholic church and
Its hierarchy that softened the dire and
mutual hostility of the Norman and
Saxon and at length united them, and
that the aid Of the hierarchy was sig-
nally efficient in extorting from King
John at Runnymede "the great char
ter" of English liberty, to whose price,
less blessings and protection we here
today are heirs? Well may England's
greatest and Protestant historian ad.
NIT that 1t is difficult to say whether
she owes more to the Roman Catholic
religion or the reformation,
And what does history tell us was
the Influence of this so-called Ignorance
and superstition upon another historic
land? Once 1t was the ultima thule Of
the world-the barbarous island homo
OF a race untamable, Of pagan warriors.
pirates and marauders. But, about 400
years ago, Pope Sylvester sends there
Catholic missionary.
| believe those of our Protestant
friends who are skeptical about ST.
Peters faith make no question at all
upon st. Patrlclzs. Yes, Catholic
missionary, who had acquired the Ian.
guage Of that country while he was q
slave upon it's coast, to which he had
been carried in his youth by a band
OF pirates from his native Brittany.
And again, as il miraculously, those
bloody savages and pirates all but ST.
multaneously kneel before the cross Of
Jesus, and accept the faith which He
established upon earth. And hallow.
ing grace descends from heaven upon
that land, to expel forever from it
every poisonous influence, and to in.
spire those virtues which have made