The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-02-08
The Scotch Highlanders.

4uS SSUlku mig ulduOSlSs
No one who has lived amongst the
Highlanders and studied the charac-
ter of the people can fail to love and
admire them. Their ordinary life. oc-
cupied in quiet. pastoral occupations.
induces Il shyness with strangers.
but under the calm exterior there is
Il deep fund of emotion, ready to well
up when stirred by religious enthusi-
asm. For their Gaelic prayers are
full of poetry and Astounding with
JUNCTION, and are treasured up from
one generation to another. Witness
the beautiful hymn invoking the
Blessed Trinity, st. Michael. st.
Columbia and the golden haired
Sheperdess. Mother of the Lamb with
out spot" in which the people Of Ben
hecula and the Other Catholic islands
publicly commend to God and the
saints the welfare Of their focks and
herds. as they lead them annually to
the summer grazing grounds. Gener-
Gus to a fault they are ever ready
to hcstow upon the needy: staunch
of purpose. they are a race given to
undying friendships. even though. like
all people whose affections are strong,
they may be slow to forgive an in
jury. says the Catholic World.
The position of priest in a High
land community is. as may he i'm
agined. one of exceptional authority
The deep reverence and enthusiastic
devotion with which the people regard
their faith. extends to the person of
the priest. and not only in spiritual
things. but even in many of the every
day affairs of life which even re-
motely concern his interests. his will
is ol,eyed with childlike docility. EX-
amples will show this better than
pages of description. The writer
knows one Highland priest who has
often driven from the public house. on
Il SATURDAY night. the too indulgent
members of his flock. and that with a
liberal Use of his pastoral staff" nor
was he ever gainsaid. Again. it is
still customary in some parishes for
the priest to call to the altar rails on
Sunday, for public reprimand. the no.
t"lous delinquents of the past week.
II is doubtful whether such Il survival
of the discipline of the early Church
could he found in any other European
country. except perhaps. in some of
the more secluded parishes of the kin
dred race in ireland.
1t is not astonishing. therefore, that
the temporal interests of the priest
should be regarded as the proper OBJ
jcct of his peoples care. That ii is so
is shown by the fact that in the coun-
try districts. the rougher part of the
farm work is accomplished gratuitous-
ly. Should he need any carting DONE
he announces from the altar the differ
ent days upon which he desires the
various farmers and crofters to as
sist: the whole parish again, will as
semble to cut peat for fuel on the ap-
pointed priests moss-day:' and so
with other matters of like nature.
Brought up in such principles. the
young Highlander regards the priests
interests as his own. and is not likely
to be wanting when his help is needed
in things that affect religion more di-
rectly. Is there to be special feast
day-somc procession of the blessed
sacrament-the priest simply an
nounces that help will be needed, and
scores of willing hands are at his serv-
ice. The writer can never forget an
occasion of the kind in which he was
privileged to take part, and in which
the cheerful readiness with which the
young men of the glen devoted them
selves to the needful labor, was as
ediiying as their religious demcanor
during the sacred function itself
1t is true that in such secluded dis
trictS as those we are now considering
the work required is very different in
it's nature from that so urgently
needed in the cities and large towns,
but whatever assistance the Highland
priest may demand. there is always
abundant good will to supply it. and
that, after all. is the question at issue.