Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-04-05
That Dubious Saint.

Wash, should furnish up its memories
of ST. Patrick. There is no doubt what
ever about his birthplace, which was at
or near the town of Fitzpatrick, in Scot
land. That he lived there some sixteen
wears, was carried away by pirates and
sold into slavery are perfectly authenti-
Gated facts of which our contemporary
ovght to blush to beignorant. His name
is Murphy, too.
The above, it is hardly necessary
to state, is copied from the Oregonian,
its assertive language establishing
beyond doubt the paternity of the
paragraph. Its writer probably rea-
lied the force of the assertion of one
of st. Patrick S would-be biOgraph-
ers, who after wading through the
ambiguous and conflicting accounts
of the alleged patron saint of Ireland,
threw up his hands in dismay and
declared that A man is perfectly
safe in asserting and undertaking to
prove almost anything about ST.
Patrick for the simple reason that
nobody can disprove it, Makers of
history-like the O~gonian-prob-
ably rely upon this condition, and
boldly and unequivOcally accept the
version that first comes to hand, re-
lying as well upon the self-evident
proposition that it is more difficult
to prove negative than to assert an
affirmative, especially when the ma
terial on hand presents so much in
formation to suit all sorts of story
building.
Lippincott's Biographical Diction-
airy ought to be pretty good authority
on such subjects, and it says that st.
Patrick is supposed to have been
born at small village, Tabernia, in
Scotland, about 372 A. d., and is sup
posed to have been the first who
preached Christianity in Ireland.
His death is rdriously dated from 454
to 1913. An autobiography or Con-
fession" is supposed to have been
written by him. Reference is made
by DR.. Thomas, Lippincott's COM
piler, to Lives of the Saints Q779)
Todd's Life of St. Patrick" (1S63),
Chambers Biographical Dictionary
of Eminent ScOtchmen," and the
British Quarterly Review" for Oc-
tober, 1867.
The American Cyclopedia says st.
Patrick, according to most authorities,
was born near Fitzpatrick, at the
mouth of the Clyde, in 372 and died
at Down, Ulster, in 464. This ac-
count disputes the truth of the claim
that he was first to introduce Chris
tianity into Ireland and doubts the
authenticity of Confessions attrib-
uted to him.
The Standard Cyclopedia declares
that there is much doubt as to date of
birth and death of St. Patrick, as
well as the place Of birth and death.
Every event noted in connection with
the reputed history of the accredited
apostle is prefaced with it is re-
ported" or is said to have BEEN"
There seems to be no doubt, what
ever in this advanced age, but that
the snake story regarding St. Pat
rick is pure fiction. The tradition is
that he drove all reptilian creatures,
including frogs and toads, out of Ire
land. As early as 1850 this was con-
tradicted by Father Feyjoo, Bene-
dictine monk, famed for his learning
as well as his piety, This father
was called the Addison of Spain, be-
ing perfect master of the pen and q
thorough scholar. He asserted that
St. Patrick never banished snakes
from Ireland, for the very simple rea-
son that there never had been any
snakes in that country to Danish.
He quoted Latin writer, who lived
a hundred years, or more, before the
time of St. Patrick-Solinus by name
who clearly stated that at the time
he wrote, Hibernia was wholly with
out snakes. Father Feyjoo argued,
in further proof, that in the Irish
language there was no word for
snake, the nearest to it being At
harm imhe"-literally the father of
poison" Bishop Fiesole, writing in
the ninth century, and Thomas Bell,
in his work on British Reptiles,
confirms these statements, and there
are said to be many other authorities
to the same effect.
! 1t does seem that paper of the
standing of the Oregonian can ill af-
ford to meet fair and honest comment
with badinage, or to turn the small
end of its big telescope upon any i'm
partial critic. 1t puts one in mind
of the lawyers advice to his student,
for use when in a perplexity: eff
your case is sustained by law, stick
to the law and talk to the Judge; if
strong in evidence, but wanting in
law, parade the evidence and talk to
the jury; if wanting in law and facts,
ignore both, and abuse the other
fellow" But we never thought the
Oregonian would be driven to that
strait. And its editorials are sup
posed to be viseed by the leading edi-
tor of the West, and his name is
Scott, tool
COUNTESS Bishop Nicholas, other
wise known as Eleanor Fletcher
Bishop, the Florence Nightingale
, OF America during the Civil war, be-
l -