The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-17
BY JAMES H. COLLINS

ture of spiritual autobiography than a confession, though he enumerates his sins. His lack of learning had evidently made detractors among more scholarly ecclesiastics, and his life-story was writ ten as a justification of what he had done. of miracles he says nothng-at least, insofar as things contrary to nat ural law Is concerned. But Patrick was filled with the wonder of his strange life. the spiritual promptings that had sent him to his work the fact that he. an unlettered youth from the farthest boundaries of the great Roman empire had been singled out by God from all the multitude of men then in tho world who were more fitted for the task, to under take the conversion and civilization of Ireland. It is an account. written In not very scholarly Latin, of the dealings be- tween God and himself. and he does not conceal the imputation that this heather island, in which he had spent six years of captivity, had no attractions for him. His detractors had evidently hinted that his work had been undertaken from worldly motives, for self-glory, and even profit. He shows that his mission never brought him gains, for when men and women brought him gifts he restored them at the risk of offense. The whole tone of this document Is so humble that for long the scholars who examined 1t were led to underrate the true extent and importance of Saint Patrick's work
 The Letter Against Corotious" does not furnish so much information about the saint himself. but throws light on conditions in the fifth century. Coroticus was d British chief who ruled a strong fort near what is now the town of Dunn barton, in Scotland. Soldiers of this chief had appeared at an Irish religious cer- emony and carried away neophytes in their white robes. putting others to the sword. Patrick addressed a denunciatory letter to the chief. commanding him to repent and restore the captives, and ask ing all Christians to rorbear drinking, or eating with, receiving aims from or showing respect to Corotcus until this should be done. What effect this letter had Is unknown. But Irish myth has 1t that Coroticus disregarded the command and was turned into a fox.
 It is pretty conclusively established that Patrick died at Saul. town thas has long disappeared but which grew up around the place where he built his first church. on the island-plain of Ireland The date is fixed in the year 46l. and tra- dtion has set March F as the day of his death, adding that for twelve days after there was no night. It Is also recorded that two rival kingdoms, Ulidia and Ori- or, fought for his body, and three towns sL sLosequently laid claim to having It. Saul. Armagh and Downpatrick. Schol- ars find evidence favoring Saul, and oon- clude that Patrick was buried quietly in an unmarked grave. No monument was erected, and 1t is likely that the disputes rose long after.
 From the fact that PatriclSs resting place is unknown, grew up a legend that he had lived to 120 years and had been buried by angels. like Moses Later man. uscripts have even credited him with 1s2 years. But after an exhaustive analysis of all the documents and disputes in this matter Professor Bury feels warranted in setting his age at between seventy and seventy-four.
 No visible memorial of Patrick has come down to us. His writings are copies, the ea/iest made more than three hundred yea/ after his death Nothing in the form of portrait exists, and but little in the way of historic sites of his labors. though certain places in Ireland are connected with his memory either by tradition or nomenclature. One possible exception has oblivion permitted. In the Middle Ages the church of Armagh cher ished a crozier and hand-bell which wers believed to have belonged to Saint Pat rick The crozler was destroyed in a re- lgious war during the sixteenth century but the hand bell. four-sided iron one. still exists. and is in the National Mu- scum at Dublin. Both relics were un- doubtedly very ancient, and it has been demonstrated that the bell was known at Armagh as early as the first century after Patrick's death.