The Elbert County tribune., 1906-03-15

ireland was, the author says, "di-
yided into large number OF small
districts, each of which was owned by
tribe. the aggregate of a humber of
clans or families which believed that
they were descended from a common
ancestor. At the head of the tribe was
a king who was elected from a GER
tain family"
The success of Patrick's enterprise
depended ON the kings of the tribes
and chiefs of the clans. If chief
accepted the new faith his clan would
generally follow his example. and thus
on every account the process of estab-
fishing the Christian worship and
priesthood in Ireland must begin from
above. and not from below.
Patrick had exorcists in his train,
and it was not unimportant that the
Christian. going forth to persuade the
heather, had such equipments Of
superstition. He was able to meet
the heather sorcerer on common
ground, because he believed in the
sorceries which he condemned. Hs
was as fully convinced as the pagan
that the powers of magicians weIs
real. but he knew that those power
were strictly limited whereas the
power of his own God was limitless.
ST. Patrick's Place in History.
Succeeding chapters include Pat
rick's labors in Dalaradia, Meath, Con
naught his visit to Rome. the founda
tion of Armagh and ecclesiastical or
ganization, the denunciatiop of Corot
Gus, Patrick's Confession" death and
burial. A. D. 461.
In describing St Patrick's place in
history. Prof. Bury declares that the
nearest likeness to Patrick will per
haps be found in st. Boniface. the
Saxon Winfrid. He, too, like Patrick
and COLUMBIA. had both to order and
further his faith in regions where II
had never penetrated. But, like Pat
rick and unlike Columbia. he was in
touch with the rest of western Chris
tendon. st. Patrick did not 60 for
the Scots what Wulflas did for the
Goths and the Slavonic apostles for
the Slavs; he did not translate the
sacred books of his religion into Irish
or found a national church literature
What he and his fellow-workers did
was to diffuse a knowledge of Latin
in Ireland.
To the circumstances that he adopt
ed this line of policy and did not at
tempt to create national ecclesiastic
al language must be ascribed the rise
of the schools of learning which dis
tinguished Ireland in the sixth and
seventh centuries.
at is true" says the author, "that
the Irish church moved on certain
lines which Patrick did not contem
plate and would not have approved.
The development of the organization
which it was his task to institute was
largely modified in coloring and con.
formation by the genius terrae But
it would be untrue to say that his
work was undone. The schools OF
learning, for which the Scots became
famous few generations after his
death. learning which contrasts with
his own illiterateness, owe their rise
to the contact with Roman ideas and
the acquaintance with Roman litera
ture which his labors, more than any.
thing else. lifted within the horizon
of Ireland
Judged by what he actually com.
| passed, st. Patrick, in Prof Bury's
opinion, must be placed along with
the most efficient of those who took
part in spreading the Christian faith
beyond the boundaries of the Roman
empire. He was endowed in abundant
measure with the quality of er thu.
siasm. and stands in quite a diffe4.ept
rank from the apostle of England, IN
whom this victorious energy of enthu.
siasm was NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., the
messenger and instrument of Gregory
the Great.
Patrick was no mere messenger OF
instrument. He had a strong person.
ality and the power of initiative: he
depended on himself. or, as he would
have said, on divine guidance. He was
not in constant communication with
Xystus, or Leo, or any superior: he
was thrown upon the resources of his
own Judgment. Yet no less than
Augustine. no less than Boniface. he
was the bearer of the Roman idea.
1T was Patrick with his auxiliaries
who bore to their shores the vessel OF
| Romes influence. along with the sa.
cred mysteries of Rome's faith. No
wonder that his labors should have
/ been almost unobserved in the davs of
ecumenical stress and struggle, when
/ the Germans by land and by sea were
| engaging the worlds attention. and
the Huns were rearing their vast
though transient empire. But he was
laboring for the Roman idea no less
than the great Aetius himself. though
in another way and on a smaller
scene. He brought a new land uto
the spiritual federation which VIZ "a
closely bound up with Rome"