The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-18
.ST, PATRICK'S DAY
 IS DULY OBSERVED High Mass is Celebrated in St.
 PauI's Church FATHER DOYLE'S GRAFTON Varied Programme Rendered Last Night In St. Paurs Hall-Loyal
 Sons of Erin Pay Tribute
 to Honored Saint.
FATHER D0YLE'S ORATI0N

St. Patrick's day was observed in Bir- mingham yesterday by a high mass at St. Paurs church at o'clock in the morning and an entertainment at St. Pauls hall at o'clock in the even ing.
 At mass the Rev. Father o'Rielly de- livered sermon appropriate to the festi- val referring to the grand work of St. Patrick and the missionary zeal of the Irish people.
 The feature of the entertainment in the evening was an address by the Rev. Father Francis c. Doyle, pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Anniston his theme being "rhe Day We cele- brate."
 William. H. Cutliff presided, and others on the platform were District Deputy of the Knights of Columbus J. A. Blount of Gadsden, Hugh McGeever, J. Carran, P. McCrossin, William Grady of Pratt City. the Rev. Father Brannon of Texas and the Rev. Father Galland, of Pratt City.
 The exercises were under the auspices of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the following programme being rendered;
 Opening Address-The Rev. Father P. A. ORielly.
 Vocal Solo-Miss Alice Fallon.
 Song, Come Back to Erin, ,"-James O'Hear, Jr.
 Piano Solo-Miss Lizzie Clarke.
 Cornet Solo-John F. Harrington.
 Address-"The Day We Celebrate" the Rev. Father r. c. Doyle.
 Violin Solo-Oliver Challfoux.
 Finale-"The Wearing of the Green"
 The address of Father Doyle was de- livered to an audience that gave evil dence of It's appreciation by frequent out bursts of applause. It did not require more than casual observation to know that the theme was one of absorbing in- terest.
 Father Doyle is an orator. His voice Is clear and sonorous his delivery is at once refined, graceful and vigorous, and the matter of his discussion bore the stamp of scholarship.
 Father Doyle's Address.
 Father Doyle said in part:
 'In every community or nation is found that peculiar attitude of it's members to- wards men and things which we call it's spirit, and which Is as clearly discerned as If 1t possessed material existence. We speak for example, of our own national spirit as a something which exhibits the characteristics of those who make our laws, of those who defend them, of those who enjoy the privileges or share in the burdens inseparable from citizenship. As a rule it embraces the noblest attributes of our nature and whilst it flourishes, the society which possesses 1t is also bound to flourish. but when it begins to decay, the ruin of that society is not far dis tant.
 Sometimes this spirit is the result of concerted state or national action; some times it originates from the magnetic in- f1uenee of one man, dying when he dies, or again surviving him for centuries after he has been gathered to his fathers. Such is the spirit bequeathed by the great Apostle of the Irish to his children, for al- though fourteen hundred years have pass ed away since St. Patrick died, his spirit yet lives Seven centuries of tyranny with it's three centuries of religious persecution have been unable to banish that spirit from the breasts of the Irish people. It lives not as feeble and fading light that must sooner or later succumb 10 the hand of time--it flourishes today with all the vitality of its first existence It is met wlth-not only among you faithful Irish men and sons of Irishmen who are gath cred around this festive board this even- ing-it Is met with also in the faithful Irishman who tolls in the fields of his desolated country; it confronts us in the person of the Irish patriot who struggles against the expressions of English tyran- ny and the seductive influence of English gold It rises up before us in the exile from Erin who seeks in a foreign land that sustenance, that rest, that liberty t-4.-. l.. r. the breasts of those who have passed the limits of the country in which they were born. it is sacred fire that warns the hopes and animates the deeds of those countless myraids of Irishmen and Irish women who long ago bade their adieu to the land that gave them birth
 Wrongs of Centuries.
 'Ireland's history especially is one of tears and cruel bloodshed. The wrongs of centuries have grown to a mighty ava lanche destined one day to fall with crushing force on the government that has built it.
 Today the question of Ireland's national freedom engages much attention In the civilized world. In the day dreams of her sons. and daughters she seems to be aI- most within reach of her stolen birth right. Peaceful agitation, hostile meas ures, covert and open attacks find their advocates among the wronged and op- pressed of this afflicted country. To minds which have never experienced the horrors of an English dungeon, or the penal servi- tude of Australia, some of the measures advocated to further the cause of Irish liberty seem extravagant and unlawful To the free-born of our own dear Amer ica,, who enjoy constitutional liberty that happiest medium between despotism and anarchy--no words can portray the depth of degradation entailed by slavery to a foreign foe.
 ''Hence though morallsts may have to censure the indiscriminate slaughter of the innocent, or the wholesale destruction of possessions protected by even the hated British crown, they can find excusing words and even words of pity for the