The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-03-11


Caesars and which Paul expounded
before the men Of Athens. "Tis the
same in all respects as that which An
drew. James and John of the great
Judean twelve carried the distant
Scythians. the Parthians and the
Span ards. Examine it if you will,
for there it is unfolded for inspection,
as it has been for these many ages,
with neither blot nor blur nor slight
est change in any dogma, but bearing
still the stamp Of that Christian
ity original and divine with which
ST. Patrick infused our early fathers.
What it was then so is it now-the
creed which was delivered to the
saints in the olden time. and for
which Christian martyrs braved hor.
rors of rack and caldron, and the
jaws of famished lion. The creed
professed in the ancient State of Ven-
ice, and among the Helvetia nations.
ness. The creed which reigned trium-
plant on the thrones Of Europe. and
for which the barons of the feudal
ages fought and bled and often times
fell in death. The creed which boasts
of a Constantine, Chanlemagne. A
Hilderbrand and that immortal Saii
orman Columbus. IT'S the creed
by Englands Alfred, and the royal
Edward holy and ere he sinned and
fell; by unfortunate. Henry, as it
should be now by the reigning Ed
ward. IT'S the creed in full for
which the uncrowned King OF the
Irish nation Dan O'Connell fought
and won from the British peers a
victory such as swords or armies
could not win, emancipation for his
Catholic countrymen. In word the
creed of the church in Ireland, at the
present time, is the very creed which
she has preached for fifteen centuries,
| the same in all respects the Catholic
| creed which is prea ched and practiced
all around the civilized globe today.
| A certain stamp Of man may be
| found really too narrow to admit all
J this, yet uninpeachable history whisp-
| ers in his ear to Beware. for his pow
err Of intellect is likewise far too
| limited to refute it. Notwithstand-
! ing you'll hear him say, II don't be-
| that can neither think nor reason
may be trained to chatter words like
| these, 81 don't believe it, Tell him
| then to procure a book whose pages
| bear the imprimature of sacred truth,
| a book that men call history, and for
! the Improvement of his mind as for
| the enlightenment of his soul, ask him
| Point to tradition. that is holy and
| hoary and the writings of Irish saints
and scholars, point to Celtic abbey
and cathedral. to Celtic cross ana
| shrine and reliquary. Ask him to re-
call the terrible centuries that are
gone. and oh thank God. for ever.
| centuries of robbery and confiscat ton.
| of rapine and plumber. famine and op-
| preston. aye and of cruel murder
passed in conflict with Dane and
Saxon under Bluff King Hal, and
| good Queen Bess. under the goary
l -
under every prosecuting prince and
| princess from the house of Planta-
| genet to the house of Hanover At
| ter their lapse of centuries shall each
| rise up and one by one impress him
| with regard to the purity and pre-
servation of the Christianity preach
] ed by Irish priest and missionary
| lips may ever hone to speak, shall
| each in turn reply, IT'S in every
| phase the ancient faith. Each shall
| testify that tyranny failed to make
Ireland cast aside her faith. and that
| for neither bride nor horde would
she turn her back ON Him of the
| cross and thorns as did other nations
| who were once as emminently Catho-
| lie. and as proud of their Catholic
faith as Ireland is today. No, Ire.
| land never abandoned the ancient
church did not forfeit one Iota o.
her doctrine, though ike the divine
| mother enthroned in the city on the
hills she too had to face many a per.
| secution and weather many and many
| a bitter storm Yet today after hi.
| career Of centuries Ireland the Chris
tan. is as young and full of vigor
just as loyal to the Christ. and ev
cry jot of His original doctrine a!
on that Easter Morning of the Ions
ago. when she first embraced Hi!
gospel on the Hill of Tara
Oh! Christion Ireland. home Of my
Irish fathers oft indeed were you
compelled to battle for divine religi
Gus cause though like religions foun
der, were you for many a night boil
long and lonely, forced to tread tn,
wine press of Gessolation. In ever,
cline, under every sun. Throughout
the worlds expanse, have your som
knelt down and often times blessed
you for it all III holy prayer. B,
might of brain, and power of braw1,
have they in your defense both OIL
the field, and in the forum, shown
their appreciation and millions mul
tiplied would today drain their bloot
fonts to the latest drop ere the,
would forget you now, Or abandon
their faith in Him, who gave UP HI
,, life for mankind once upon the ire
of Calvary.
Ladies and Gentlemen if my word
| seem somewhat earnest in extollin
, Ireland for her firm adherence to tn
!, ancient faith. yet believe me, it /
not my purpose to reflect on othe
4 IL A,ly