The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-03-13
SAINT PATRICK.
Brought Before tho High Court Of
kjnu laooare.

0TOu0uS o0I0T0 SH0 NouEL OI
King Laogare.
Many, many hundred years ago, be-
fore the knowledge Of the Christian
faith was brought to Ireland, the peo-
PIE practiced very strange worship.
Their priests were called Druids. They
offered sacrifices in dark forests, which
they called sacred groves. They had
great love and reverence for the state
ly oak tree, especially when they found
the misletoe, with it's lovely white ber-
ries, growing on it's rugged trunk, says
Jennie A. Rea in the Sunday Com
panio11.
These Druids We're very powerful.
They were the advisers of the King,
and they had great influence over the
people. go @
AS Easter time, in the year 1872,
King Laogare held high court in Ire
lands glorious and ancient capital. 1t
was the custom when this solemn fes-
t;val was held each year at Tara, for
the Druids to light the sacred fire
the Kings sole right on Tara's Hill.
Anyone who dared to light another
while this mystic fire burned was pun
ished with instant DEATH While the
great Council was being held at Tar1,
Saint Patrick, who had just come 20
Ireland, and who knew not the law,
kindled the paschal fire on the OPP
phsite hill-for it was Holy SATURDAY..
At once there was a cry Of alarm
from the Druids.
See, o King!" they cried, "some
che has dared to light a f1re!> This
is a fatal sign for you; for know you
hot that if instant death does not
overtake the, guilty one, to him your
land belongs for -evermore?"
The troubled and angry King sent
hasty messengers to bring the daring
offender before him.
ooh, that first Easter morn at
Tara's Hill!
Oh, springtime in that ancient sham
rock land!
We tread the centuries to meet again,
We bring the picture back Of royal
faith,
The witchery Of spring, the song Of
thrush
In hawthorn hedge. or hid on ivy wall.
We fill the picture of that Eastern
morn
And Patrick coming with the fair
young day.
At one end of the lofty and arched
hall sat King Laogare. His royal Grim
son rnbes were interviewer with
threads of gold; his girdle was studded
with precious stones, and over his
shoulders was thrown a rich mantle
fastened at the throat by costly
brooch. Around him sat his chiefs
and mobiles. On either side of the great
hall, arranged in the order of their
rank, sat the Druids, and, seated on
thrones, as If they, too. were kings,
were the MINISTRIES, the famous Irish
harpers. On the knee of each rested
his beloved harp. "The harp that once
through Tara's Hall the soul Of music
she'd"
Into this august assembly came the
gentle Saint and his little band. robed
In white and carrying crosses in their
hands. So great was the impression
made, by their appearance that the
court rose in reverence. Here in the
pagan court Patrick, the messenger
from Rome. told in burning words
such as they had never heard before,
the wonderful message Of salvation
With the shamrock in his hand, lie
explained the Blessed Trinity. List
ening to the new and beautiful mes
sage, the wise Druids forgot, the sacred
IRE. The chieftains, resting "their
schins on the rims Of their shields sat
ISspellbound.
When Saint Patrick had finished. the
Kings favorite minstrel seized his lharrl
land said, 20. King and men OF Erin
this man, speaks the glory OF the true
One. and this harp Of mine shall neves
resound again save In praise OF Pas-
rick's God" rs
The Druid priests saw that the time
had come when their religion must ia
VI ssSsS Y