Norwich bulletin., 1912-03-18

gathers around three centerS: Inc
period CT his servitude. the period OF
his preparation in French cloister,
and the period Of his apostolic mission
in Ireland. The time and place Of
birth are both, buried in obscurity.
Opinion is about equally divided as to
the claims of Dunbarton and Boulogne
sur Ne to the place of his birth, which
was some tine in the la tier part of
the fourth century 1t is indisputable
that in his sixteenth year he was cap
tured by pirates and taken captive to
Ireland, where he remained in servi-
tUde 10 one MilCho, a chieftain Of I'll
ster.
Two things were impressed upon
him at this period: First. the sense
OF bondage ranked in his bosom. He
| wondered if God did not have some
great thing 10 do. IF so it could not
be done by Gagged spirit but by d free
spirit The second thing that i'm
press ed him was stne low moral ana
! spiritual state of Ireland. The fires OF
| DTUidiCal worship were seen every
where, which ought to be changed for
the worship Ct the unseen jehovah.
After six years of servitude, with
much ingenuity and hardship, he final
| ly managed TO escape and we next
| find him in France under the tuition OF
| -AuEerre. FIFE greatly impressed his
teacher with his scholarly ability and
| sanity character. At this perio there
| is great confusion as TO the order of
| events. But it seems, however likely
| that he spent some time in the mon
! asteries Of Tours and LeTins. 1t was
| at the latter place where he received
| from one hermit called Justus the eel
! ebrated staff that was to figure so
! largely in fact and fiction during the
! rest Of his life,
! Not far from the year 430 Paladius
! was sent By Pope Celestine as mis-
! sionary to Ireland, but had died soon
! after entering upon mis- missionary du-
| ties. III the meanwhile, st. Patrick
! had returned to his old teacher, ST
! German, who was still more impress
! ed with the amazing ability and saint
! illness OF his pupil. At his suggestion
an interview was held at the Vatican
| ard Celestine himself was so impress
| ed with the youthful Patrick that he
! did not hesitate to appoint him as
| success Sor to Paladius, and subsequent
events justified the acuteness Of his
| Judgment.
1t is quite PROBABLE that the new
| lishop arrived in Ireland some time
| during tire year 432, and from the time
| of his landing till forty years later,
! when his precious remains We're laid
to rest at Downpatrick. there swept
| over Ireland a wave Of spiritual reno
vation scarcely paralleled in the his
tory Of human redemption.
1t is not my aim in this discourse to
| follow infinitely the details Of those
| forty marvellous years. tt is not nee
| essary because it was the story Of uni
form success from beginning to END.
| We find him everywhere preaching,
| converting. baptizing, confirming, Or
daining teaching. planting churches,
and in other ways spreading the Cos
pei Of Christ to the utter discontinue
| Of Druidism, While st. Patrick seem
ed to W or{l uniformly, the record of
his mission is irregular and fragmen-
| tary In the provinces Of Munster and
| Leinster the account il meagre, while
! in Cunnaugnt every insignificant detail
Is given with almost painful minute
ness. The old point on which all writ
ers agree is that his death fell on a
Wednesday. March It. There is moth
ing like consensus Of agreement as 10
the year. the dates ranging all The way
from ass. the earliest. to 499, the lat
est
Let me now call your attention to
some Of those inner characteristics
LR3L nRtuFauJ classify 81. EdCiltt
with the great and good men Of the
world. \
First was the high mystical element
of his nature Mysticism puts empha-
sis on the inner life; it is the rich eX-
perience Of the soul in communion
with its God. 1t is the faculty that
shuts out the external and irrelevant
things Of life ard strives for the illu-
mination Of spirit. 1t is the faculty
that brings the heart of man neares
to the great, loving heart of his Re
deemer.
Second, st. Patricll's life reveals 81
intensely devotional spirit. This is tht
natural outcome { f a mystical nature
II man has a passionate desire Il
see God. in al probability that desire
/ will ne realized. And just as truly
as God is revealed to the inner nature
there VIII be an equally passionate de
= sire to worship Him. If ct. Patricl
realized that there was d mystical un
ion between his soul and his Redeem
err. then ii was perfectly natural tina
he should be intensely devoted 10 tina
, union.
Third, St, Patrick exhibited a burn