Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1904-04-07
Good st. Patrick.
The Story Of the Man who Made
ireland Christian.

ish soil had been coming to the bia
American cities ia the mails from
ireland, nearly all the letters and
packages containing. beside the su.
prescription. verses or sentiments
indicating tho patriotic character Of
their contents.
Every one who has a strain Of r.
ish blood 10 his veins generally wear
d BIZ II green ribbon Or 4 shamrock
lSsi 81 tho nth o. March. and thons.
ands and thousands Of freshmen pa.
rade through tbe streets Of many 81
the Giles 81 the United States 10
honor Of their titular saint.
Yet. III spite Of all this prepara-
tion for the welcome ofthe great day,
the extent Of knowledge Of most peo-
pie III regard 70 good st. Patrick In
cludes the facts that be Is patron
saint Of ireland, and, according 10
popular tradition. drove the snakes
out 81 that country and there II
stops How be became the patron
saint and Why she shamrock Is so
closely connected with him, but few
seem 10 know And yet a true III.
ishman viii tell you that IL Il we're
not for the great saint. Ireland would
probably never have had the sham
rock as is emblem.
History has moi revealed whether
81 Patrick camo from France. Scot
land or ireland, The three countries
10 which are attributed his birth
place. but The fact remains that.
wherever he was bora. he devoted
his Iife 10 the welfara o. The people
o. ireland. and they. aud those 81
their blood 10 this country, are the
only people who celebrate bis day,
and who have auy memorials ofhim,
The most noted being The church
that bears his name ID Dun. Patrick.
Men haze como in,o the world, al
ialned distinction. and their memo.
rics haye been eommemorased Tor
some centuries, but mono 81 them
have left . more lasting impression
than she Apostle 81 ireland Che
memory og whose good works ii r..
newcd every seyentceih Of March.
Many aud widely conflicting are
ihc accounts which have been hand
cd down from century 10 century
aud from father % son regarding 81.
Patrick
He was born 10 Scotland 1t Dun
barton, 90 the Clyde; al Nantes, 10
France a. Boulongo sur Mer. and
81 various other places. according
70 many so called authorities. but
bis origin Sill rsmains shronded Ia
mystery. Since In his ''Confes
sions ST. Patrick tells Of his call ID
ireland, II might with reason be In.
ferrcd that be was NOT Is there.
However, Ireland 10 his time. tha,
is, abort the 6fsh century. wascalIed
FIibernia OF Scotia, and the people
Scots. which may account for the
apparent discrepancy.
All historians. however. appear
70 agree in the main A. to The story
81 bis life following his birth.
He was only d shepherd boy when
be was filled with the desire 10 work
Tor the salvation 81 pagan Ireland,
and soon bis fame spread oil over
the country, with the wonderful tales
Of bis conversion OF the people.
Finally be came 10 the land 81 one
King, Leogaire by name, and there,
on the hin ofTara. Of which Moore
and other Irish bards have sung,
be incurred the dispIeasure Of that
monarch by lighting a Gre prepare
tory b his celebration oE Caster,
which was but 4 few days on. The
act 81 kindliug this FIRE was Ia di-
rect violation 10 lhe pagan festival
rites which we're then 10 progress
among the King and Ms subjects.
King Iseogaife ordered the mis-
ereant brought before hin. but he
was 50 impressed with tho dannt-
lcssness 81 the man and interested
ID The wonderful tale be told Of q re-
ligion WHICH they knew nauRht and
Of God whom they had never heard,
that lie brought his wise men, or
druIds. TO face tho stranger. and
question him about bis religion.
Here, while explaining the mystery
OF the Trinity. and while replying
10 questions about the triple person
allty of the one God. ST. Patrick
stopped and picked upa shamrock
leaf, and holding il up before the
gaze 81 the people. said "See; are
not these three leaves growing on
one stem as remarkable as that there