The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-03-17
'THE KIMBALLG
cLArE TlNAN
Official Paper Of the Citv and County
SAINT PATRICK

set apart in the Roman calendar for
special religious o%bservances in honor
of the founder of the Christian church
in Ireland, canonized by the Church
of Rome as st. Patrick. 1t is not the
day of st. Patrlck's birth, but is sup
posed to be the date of his death. His
torians differ greatly upon many
points connected with this remark
able apostle of Christ. The best
authorities give his birthplace as
France. but others claim that he was
born in Scotland, while there are
those who hold that he was a genuine
lriShman. So greatly has the admira-
tion for his life and work increased
within the last century that attempts
have been made to klknap him from
the Catholic church and make a Babtist
of him or a Scotch Presbyterian, the
former because it is claimed in some
histories that he was babtized by
immersion las if the Catholic church
did not recognize this form of babtism)
and the latter because of the disputed
place Of his nativity.
st. Patrick, as he himself tells us,
was the son of Calpurnius, a deacon,
and the grandson of Potitus. a presbv-
ter in the Catholic church. Hismother
was Conchessa, sister, it is stated, of
Martin of Tours. Thus he was not
only the O of Catholic parents, but
came OF a family of ecclesiastics on
both his mothers and his fathers
side.
When ST., Patrick was a youth he
was captured and carried to Ireland by
pirates, where he was sold to a shep-
herd. Here he spent a few years IN
slavery tending the hocks and herds of
his pagan master. He was resigned
to his fate, never expecting to be free
again, and spending his time in
prayer. Here he mastered the Gaelic
language, or the Irish tongue. Per-
haps to this may be attributed much
of his success in his adopted country
in after years.
After some years he was finally re-
stored to his home in France, where
he began devoting himself to the ac-
Iqulrement of sacred learning to fit
himself for the priesthood, and after
years of unremitting study was ordain-
ed a priest by his uncle, Martin of Tours
He then went to Rome and was con-
secrated a bishop by Pope Celestine
in the year 431. With a few compan-
ions he again repaired to Ireland and
began the conversion of the people,
who were at that time pagans.
Ireland was in those time under
kingly rule, and composed of less
than 1000 0 people, engaged in clanish
wars. There was no such thing as
native industry. The people lived IN
barracks of stone, made their owr
garments with needles and knew not
what a day would bring forth. The
kings belonged to the fire w%orshipers
and waged war constantly upon the
christians when they were not defend
ing themselves from the worldly mer
or savage tribes that swarmed dowr
from Northern Europe.
st. Patrick's labors in Ireland mel
with great success, and the mustard
seed af the true faith planted by hin
soon became a mighty tree, spreading
oyer the whole island. Christianity
ripened IN Ireland like fruits under I;
summers sun, and the loye for thu
faith the Irish race has shown II
every land by making every sacrifice
for it, giving up wealth, rank. countr,
and family-abandonlng everything
but their faith.
How great a source of joy and con
ISOLATION must it be to St. Patrick to
day, when looking down from Heaven
he sees his children whom he enrolled
in Christianity still true to the Legacy
of faith he impaired to them fourteen
hundred years ago.
st. Patrick is supposed to have dice
on March II, A. D. 465 in the 92nl
year Of his age, at. D~ownspatrlck
County of Down, where his burial spo,