The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1903-03-18

lie apprOucneu tne vicinity OF the
palace, st. Patrick lighted fire,
TO camp. for the night. This vas
grave otiense. for no fires were
allowed to be lighted until the
sacrihcial fire Of the following
morning was igutcd. The king
saw the rehellious blaze in the
distance, and sent TO find out who
had kindled it.
st. Patrick was discovered sit
ting rs bold u lion at his fire.
side on the plain, in company
with few followers. The king.
who knew too we'll with whom he
had to deal, ordered St Patrick
to be brought to the idoIatrous
celebration on the following
morning to pit his supernatural
powers against those of the court
magicians and high priests. At
dayhreak. therefore, behold Il g
Druidical high priests and st.
Patrick arrayed against eacn
other, King Laeghairr and court
and people looking on eXpectant-
ly. The Druids had the first
inning. They made snow fall to
the depth of several feet, but
they could not get rid of the
beautiful They caused black
darkness to cover the land. but
when they called for light the
light declined To come. So they
had to suffer the ignominy of nc
cepting the prollered assistance
of St. Patrick. who caused snow
and darkness to disappear in II
twinkling. Then st. Patrick
challenged the chief priest to Il
trial that looked all in favor of
the latter. He proposed to have
the priest placed on pile of
green wood. and the boy. Benig-
nus, who accompanied the party,
placed on II pile of dry wood, and
II test was made To see whose God
would protect his own from the
flames. The priest accepted,
with the result that he was
burned to ashes. while the flames
did not iniure the boy at all. Then
King Llcghaire, with rage in his
heart and smile on his lips. in
vited St Patrick to come to his
palace ON the following day.
Armed men were stationed on the
road to kill the saint and his fol-
lowers, but they saw only few
deer pass them in the night.
Then the king played his last
card \ cup of poisoned wine
was given st. Patrick when he
reached the palace, but the saint
turned the cup upside down, the
poison fell out, and again the
king was foiled. Then he de-
cided to make the best of it, and
gave st. Patrick the freedom of
his kingdom to do as h. pleased.
ST. Putrick's career began from
that moment. King Laeghaire
would not submit to be baptized,
but he showed that Christianity
had make. deep impression on
him.
When his preaching failed to
convert the heather st. Patrick
lifted the staff of Jesus against
the Idol, when suddenly. by the
power of God. the idol fell on Its
side and the silver and gold
poured forth from it broken and
| powdered into dust and the earth
swallowed up the twelve inferior
| gods images surrounding the
chief Idol. On another occasion
when two brothers We're engaged
in fierce combat with swords,
the saint made their arms I'M
movable III stones, staying them
in the air, which miraculous !n-
teivention made good Christians
of the brothers. During one
Lepten season the apostle re-
tired for prayer to Il mountain
] III IL " t1 'ihtl -
this retreat that he bunls he'd the
serpents from Ireland.
St. Patrick was at Madh whore
he was warned that death was
near. The saint proceeded t.
Armagh, where he made his epis,
copal headquarters, us first
Bishop of Armagh. While here
an angel appeared to him in t
vision and gave him minute liz
structions about the size and
style of the proposed cathedral
accordingly he built the wall 10
feet long, the great hall was %
feet long, the kitchen II feet, and
the treasury for the sacred yes.
sells I feet, as the angel ordained
and when it was done the saint
went to Rome to bring back Q
"linen cloth marked with the
! blood Of our Lord Jesus Christ, 81
besides certain relics Of IS
Peter and Paul and Stephen, He