The Irish standard., 1909-10-16
THE FAMOUS LECTURE
OF FATHER 7. BURKE
Before an Enthusiastic Au-
dience in the City Of Bos-
ton on Sept. %, 1872, on
the Genius and Character of
the Irish People--It is a Fine
Specimen of True Flo.
quence From the Lips of a
Son of Saint Dominic.

quence From the Lips OF q
Son of Saint Dominic.
bera22, 1872, Father Thomas Burke, the
famous. Dominican preacher, had the
following to say concerning the Irish
people:
Men of Ireland-men of Irish blood
men of the Irish race, I, an Irish priest
am here to speak to you of the genius
and the character of the Irish people.
am come to speak to you of the his
tory of our Nation and our honorable
race. 1 am not ashamed of the history
of my country. say, taking it all for
all, that it is the grandest country and
the most glorious race to which the
genius of history can bear record.
There are two elements that consti-
tute the character and genius of every
people. The two elements are the re-
ligion of the people and their govern
ment., need not tell you that,;of all
the influences that can be brought to
bear upon any man, or upon any nu-
| ton, the most powerful is the influence
of their religion. If that religion lie
from God 1t will make Godlike pep.
pie.
| If that religion be from Heaven, IT
will make heavenly people. If that
religion be noble, it will make a noble
/ .peaple..,. .a,ass.hyS side,Twith their 'relts-
i IGN comes, thek tasm or system of gov
ernmeht under which they live. II
that government be just and fair,
mild and benefcent, it will make a
noble people. If that government ts
the government Of the people-govern-
ing themselves as America does today
1T will make every man in the land
"a lover Of his government, lover OF
the country, and a lover of the institu-
"tions under which he lives. But If this
.SoVernment be.a foreign government
will make an alienated people. If that
government be an unjust and tyranni-
cal government, it will make rebel
lious and revolutionary people.
What is the first grand feature Of
the Irish genius and the Irish char
acter? 1t is this; that, having once
received the Catholic faith from St.
Patrick, Ireland has clung to it with "a
fidelity SURPRISING all other peoples.
They struggled for that faith dur
| ing three hundred years against Ill
the power of the north-unconquer-
able-when the Danes endeavored TO
wrest from Ireland her Christian faith,
and to force her back into the dark
ness of Pagan infidelity. They have
struggled for that faith during three
hundred years of English tyranny and
English Penal Law. They have suc-
fered for that faith, loss of property.
loss of friends, loss Of Nationality. loss
of life. But, Ireland, glorious Ireland,
has never relinquished the faith which
she received-and she is as Catholic
today as in the days when she bowed
her virgin head before St. Patrick to
receive, from him the regenerating
waters Of Baptism. This, say, is the
hrst beautiful light in the character
and genius of the people of Ireland.
The next great point in the genius
and character of the Irish people is the
bravery and valor and courage that
have been tried upon a thousand
fields; and, glory to you o Ireland!
Irish courage has never been found
wanting: never! They fought for n
] thousand years on their own soil. The
cause was good one; the fortune
of the cause was bad. They were de-
feated and overpowered upon hum
dred, yes. a thousand fields; but never
from the day on which 1reland's
sword sprang from its scabbard TO
meet the first marauding Danes. down
| to the day that the last Irish soldtAr
! perisheds on Vinegar IIill-never had
! Ireland been dishonored or defeated ~
+ the cowardice Of her children. Why?
Whence comes this light Of our peoS
pie? i answer that it comes from
this: that Ireland is a. Nation; and
.1rishmen;e az q people have never yet
drawn the sword in bad. treacher-
! Gus or = dishonorable cause. We have
fought on "a thousand fields at home
l and abroad; I'VE have been from time
! to time Obliged to shed our blood in
~