The Irish standard., 1907-03-23


ration of independence, justices for
our supreme bench, and presidents for
our White House. She has given men
10 chop down our woods. to build our
railroads and turned our virgin prai-
rie against the nonn-day sun. There
is no nation under Heavens eternal
blue that has a prouder and more glor-
ious history than Ireland. Her people
We're pure under Paganism; they were
more resplendent than the noon-day
sun under the Christian reign "They
were upright when honor was rebel
lion; they We're true when integrity
was treason: they stood by the doomed
and accused when to pity was to par
ticipate; they We're loyal to liberty,
when to name her was to die" Her
intellectual wealth is proverbial, her
orators outstripped a Cicero in scoring
a Cataline. and a Denosthenes an An
tony. Her soldiers never knew no
cowardly defeat. They subdued the
hardy Napoleon at Waterloo with as
much ease as they drove the Danes
from the plains of Clontarf. The
beauty and purity of her maidens are
in the mouths of all peoples, and still
deHes comparison. Their devotion to
the Holy Faith astounded the world
when it saw their blood wash the
green isle from shore to shore and flow
IN rivers to the seas The fidelity of
her priesthood has no comparison in
the worlds history. The days of the
year are not sufficient to commemor-
ate, the one -thousandth part of her
saints, and her martyrs have almost
bankrupt the heavens for golden
crowns. All! my dear friends, if hu-
man flesh ever merited honor; if NOR
tai men ever deserved the aureole of
mundane glory-that human flesh, and
those mortal men-could be none other
than the sons of the Gael. What a
proud history, what a noble heritage.
How profound, then. must the ignor-
ance of those people be who waive
their right and title decd to such fame
by trying in vain to deny their origin.
What legions Of devils must possess
the souls of those who forsake the
Church and their God, whilst the very
blood of the martyrs cry out to them
Have | been split in vain," whilst the
despairing wall of sainted kith and kin
cleaves the clouds, fills the earth. and
assails their ears with their cries of
for shame, for shame. l would ask
such people to sever their connections
with sin, and cease commerce with the
devil, for this is why they stand con-
demned as a scandal to God and coun-
try. Let such recreants say what,
'flT.
Am mad that I should cherish that
which bears but bitter fruit;
will tear it from my bosom, though
my heart be a its root
~.
My dear brethren, be true to the
faith Of ST. Patrick, and the noble
characteristics that marked the green
isle shall find fitting receptacles in
your manly physiques, and the royal
true blood of your martyred forefath-
ers shall course with honor and COM
placency through your manly veins
Be true to the faith of st. Patrick, and
you will be the real, the deserving
heroes Of the Gael. No poets in time
may sing your praises, no trumpets
may blare around your toilsome march
and struggle, but some day the bead
roll will be called, and the Kings right
hand will pin upon your breasts the
cross Of the legion of honor. Irish
men, remember your dignity, remem-
ber your holy faith, cleave closely to
it, be proud Of it, for it is the faith
of Christ, the faith of his Apostles, the
faith of st. Patrick, the Apostle of
Ireland.