The Irish standard., 1909-03-13
MINNEAPOLIS. MIaN. SATURDAY.. MARCH IS, 1909

before the princes and chiefs Of clans.
knowing that II he succeeded with ons
chief his whole following would in
those early times change s>over to
Christianity. + 'S55 X
sFIt lis popularly considered that the
chief named Dicho. whom st. Patrick
baptized, was the FIRST born Of the
sons of Erin to the faith Of Christi
Nothing could be more erroneous, as
from passages in the works of st.
Chrysostom 1t has been asserted that
lChristianity was in Erin long before
st. Patrick, and that the country had
been visited from, the earliest ages by
missionaries.
King ,Cormac Mart, who lived and
reigned a century before st. Patrick,
was g. Christian, and ST. Prosper ex-
5pressly states that Palladius, who, like
Patrick, was!sa Christian, was sent to
the Irish, believing in Christ. (vide
t'Life Of st. Patrick" !" by Father NJ. I.
O'Farrell, page. 26.) The facts are that
st. Palladius. with four others-Syl-
vester, Benedict Solinus. and August
ine-had landed in Ireland previous te
ST Patrick's departure from France.
and had met with such success that
hopeful expectations were entertained
In Rome Of the conversion OF the entirs
island. But the Druids, as may be ex-
pected, were hostile to the new religion
and influenced the king Of Lem
ster against PaHadius, who t.len be-
came the enemy, Of the missionary.
Palladius was therefore driven out of
the country by the pagan priests who
saw their tenets confuted and their in
iuence threatened with ruin. in much
the same manner az their brother
fianems OF ancient Rome envied the
Christians in the days Of Trajan an2
Tiberius. Il # ~ II
Referring to the early civilization
of Ireland. Doctor Petrie, in his
learned work upon the round towers Of
Ireland, quotes from a very ancient
sdoc,lnaer showing that Ireland was
psrcllss dufin 81 1'ornIs time, md
|Just ilid xiE1aent aeas IL distri ributst
Throughout Il 81 him. Al that ns pns
burst wound j man in Ireland during
the short Jubilee Of seven Yeas fol
Cornac had the faith Of the. one true
God according to the law. and said he
would not adore stones and treas; bn,
Him who made them and had power
over all the elements-i. 81: The one
|; true God, in Him he would believe:
ESSAY on Round Tow ers, page 2ss.>
King Connor Mach Nessa, who reigned
before Cormac. had also been told oi
the cruciflxion OF Christ BY Altus, and
the traditions Of Munster have present.
ed, the names Of four bishops, Kievan
Ailbe. Declan and 1bar, who preached
the gospel in the south, and who, had
received their jurisdiction direct from
the pope long anterior to the days ot
st. Patrick. It is considered that. the
(. first knowledge Of Christianity was
brought to- the southeastern shores oi
Ireland by merchants who frequented
Irish ports ana which, according Ia
Y 5Tacitus. were more favorably situated
than those Of Britain. 4 However, Ii
cannot be doubted says Father o.
Farrell, that there were many persons
long before the arrival Of Saint Patrick
in different parts Of the country, but
especially along the southern and
southeastern coasts, who protested and
practiced the doctrines Of; Christian
ity.' From all these authorities ii
would appear that Saint Patrick was
sent to perfect and complete the work
OF ireland Isl conversion which earlier
and less successful missionaries had
already commenced. That he thor
SSoughly accomplished his mission IL
obvious from the firm hold which that
faith has since maintained. In; the his
tory and national life Of Ireland. I
The shamrock Is as especially SYM
bolics Of Ireland as the ancient harp
which Moore says. Once through
Tara's halls tts soul of Music shed .sa
II is, also owing to an historical 90.
casion In the history of his mission,
closely associated with the name of ST.