The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-03-20
REV. O'TOOLE'S SERMON ON
SAINT PATRICK
Delivered Sunday Evening Before n
Large Audience-"God is Wonder
full i'm His Saints" Subject.

eu ringing and patriotic sermon
Father O'Toole was greeted by one
OF the most select audiences that
ever congregated in that edifice
Many persons were turned from the
doors. For the benefit of those who
were unable to hear this magnificent
! sermon and for the enlightenment of
the public generally, we herewith
/ present extracts from II. Father
O'Toole based his remarks upon
Saint Patrick and chose as his SUBJ
ject, God is wonderful in His
Saints" He said in part:
Every country has its heroes who
are annually honored for their 10y
atty and patriotism. Every Chris
tian country has her Saints whose
| feast days are fittingly observed for
their loyalty to God and country.
The people of Germany annually
honor st. Bonafice, their Patron
Saint; the people of far off Poland
celebrate the festive day of St. Stanis-
laus; England makes merry on st.
| Georges Day; Wales commentaries
the festal day of st. David; Scotch
men observe the anniversary of st.
Andrew, and lrishmen and the sons
and daughters of Irish parents,
1 wherever they are found on the 1 7th
of March, religiously and joyously
celebrate the feast of st. Patrick,
lreland's Patron Saint
II history speaks any warning, or
teaches any lesson it is this great
truth: that persecution has never
yet put down good cause, nor ma
terially served a bad one.
Truth may be obscured or smother
, ed for a time; it cannot be destroy
n Oh
rise again." The Saints are the
channels through which praise is
most acceptably given to God They
are the heroes of the Church
These holy ones were the messen-
gers of God to mankind. 1t was
through one of these heroes and
sainted channels that God sent the
light of Christianity to Ireland. For
nearly 400 years the light of faith
had burned before it's bright rays
penetrated ireland.
During the first 800 years of the
Christian epoch, the followers of
Christ had to worship God in the
dark caves and gloomy catacombs.
First century of Christianity, Ro-
man Emperor, Domitian, a tyrant.
ordered himself called lord and
god" and was worshipped as such
by his submissive subjects. He mur-
dered many Christians: he plotted
to kin his own wife, who, having
learned of his intention, had him
assassinated in 96. A fitting drop
curtain for the close of his murder
Gus administration.
Cleaning forth on the pages of the
history of the second century of
Christianity we see the blood-stained
name and deeds of Trajan, the
heartless Emperor, who came to
Antioch, over which Bishop Ignatius
presided. Trajan forced the Chris
tians to choose between apostacy and
death. Bishop Ignatius defended his
people and opposed the Emperor.
lgnatus was brought before Trajan
for trial-the Saint and the sinner
met-like bringing a Saint to hell
to stand trial before Judge Satan.
TraJan opened the trial by asking
lgnatius this insulting question:
Who art thou, poor devil, who sett-
est our commands at naught?" Bis
hop Ignatius replied, Call him not
poor devil who bears God within
him. Trial oceeded-Ignatius re-
| fused to yield to wishes of Trajan-
latter had him condemned to be torn
to pieces by wild beasts He was
devoured by hungry lions in the
Roman Amphitheatre. The hungry
| and maddened beasts left nothing of
his body but a few bones which rev.
erently kept at Antioch.
The pagan empire of Rome had
existed for more than 1000, and
had extended its power almost to
every known country in the world.
But at last the day was dawning
when God would grant to His
Church and people the glorious vic
tory over paganism. AS God selected
| a Washington to lead the American
people to civil liberty, so God select
ed a Constantine to win Christian
| liberty for his followers
The man whom God had chosen
to put out the fires of pagan sacri-
flee in the Roman Empire was one
OF the greatest warriors that ever
| faced an enemy.
Constantine was the first among
the Roman emperors to embrace the
/ Christian faith. His victory over
paganism reads like a beautiful story
OF bygone ages. Historians tell us
that Constantine marched against
the pretended emperor, Maxentius,
who had lSS,0OO soldiers under his
command. Constantine with half
that number marched out to give bat
tie to him. On his way to meet the
enemy, Constantine, looking heaven
ward, saw brilliant, luminous cross
in the sky bearing this inscription,
In hoe signo vinces''-"by this sign
thou shalt conquer" To his banner
Constantine attached a representa-
tion of the miraculous cross, and set
out to meet Maxentius. Both armies
fought a desperate battle (Oct. 3,
3l2) near the Milvian Bridge which
spanned the majestic Tiber. Maxen-
titus and his powerful army were de-
feated and routed. In rapidly re-
treating from the scene of battle,
Maxentius and many of his men mad
ly rushed onto the bridge spanning
the river, the bridge gave way, and
Maxentius and many of his men were
precipitated into the waters of the
Tiber whose tawny waves formed
winding sheets for their lifeless bod
les.
The next day Constantine entered