The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-11-27

st. Farrell, and to what a high degree
the sciences were cultivated by the
Irish monks.
1t is stated that Christopher Colum-
bus was greatly Influenced in his be.
lief in the existence of western world
by studying the views and opinions
laid down by ST. Farrell, as also by
reading the account of st. Brendan's
voyages and discoveries. 1t thus ap-
pears that to Irishmen is due the
credit of being the first to define the
true form of the earth, and if not the
actual discoverers of America, to have
been the means of inspiring the great
navigator and discoverer with the firm
conviction that great western CONT
nent existed.
1t may not be out of place here to
give a cursory glance at the progress
of science, particularly of astronomy
and the cosmogony of creation. The
| cosmogony of creation has been writ
ten by several writer's, of whom Moses
was the first. Anaxagoras, who -four
ished in the year 500 B. c., was the
first among the Greeks who enter
tained any tolerable accurate idea on
the subject. His philosophy was grad
ually established among the Greeks
and Romans. The Egyptians held that
there was an eternal chaos and an
eternal spirit which reduced chaos to
order. Plato supposed the world to be
produced by sublime power or deity;
Aristotle that it had neither beginning
nor end. Ptolemy of Alexandria
taught that the earth was immovab]e
and the sun and planets revolved
around it.
There was little light further thrown
on the subject until st. Farrell gave his
VIEWS which, as we have seen, gained
little countenance. Copernicus, who
teenth century, placed the sun as the
center of the planets and laid down
those principles which are now re-
garded as the true foundation tof the
solar system. He was followed by
Calico. The generally received opin-
ion by the ancients was that the earth
was fiat and was, at some point or
other, Joined to the heavens. It re-
mained for modern science and re-
search, and the discovery of Australia,
to prove how many centuries st. Far
rell was ahead of his times, both in
science and in learning.
st. Farrell's life as archbishop was
spent in unceasing labors not only for
his own flock, but for the conversion
of the neighboring provinces, especial
ly Corinthia, which was still pagan.
He not only sent missionaries ro
preach the Gospel among them, but
toward the close Of his life he himself
paid frequent visits to the newly es-
tablished churches and did much to
confirm them in the faith. Hence st.
Farrell is venerated to this day as the
Apostle of Corinthia. He rebuilt the
monastery of st. Peters, and also built
church in honor of st. Stephen and
splendid basilica dedicated to St.
Rudbert, which he made the cathedral
of the diocese, and to which he trans.
lated the relics of that saint, the
founder and first bishop of Salzburg.
When he had these great works COM
pleted he set out on missionary jour-
new among the neighboring tribes, but,
finding his end approaching, he quick
ly returned, and when he came in view
Of his beloved Salzburg and it's encir-
cling hills he began to weep copious
tears, and to cry out: "This is my
rest for ever and ever; here will I
dwell, for I have chosen It," And hav-
ing celebrated the Holy Sacrifice, he
died Nov. 27, 7S5. His body was bur-
led in the southern wing Of the mon
astery which he himself had built. In
the canons of council of Salzburg
held in 1874, the assembled prelates
declared that they recognize Rudbert,
Virgillius (FarrelD and Augustine as
the patrons of that church, and COM
mand their feast days to be kept as
holidays. The festival of st. virgillius
(FarrelD is celebrated in Australia OIL
! November 27. He was canonized in
the year 1888 by Pope Gregory TX.
"This college intimates that you
should donate another chair" said
the aecretarN