Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-01

we are dependent for 1t upon legend
handed down through fifteen centu- |
| ries.
One night in the early part Of the
! fifth century when the good people of
/ the little town OF Bononia. on the coast
OF Gaul (Francel. were asleep In the
rude dwellings Of that day there sud
! denly came from the shore a shouting
| and the clatter Of arms. The citizens,
composing a Roman colony, knew that
some enemy was upon them and sprang
| from their beds and seized their
swords and shields to make defense.
But they were soon overpowered by
| pirates. Bononla was destroyed and its
people either massacred or sold into
| slavery.
| Among the killed were a Briton who
belonged to the Roman army, his wife
"a beautiful Gallo woman, who had
been q slave, but who had been freed
by the Briton in order that he might
marry herr and all their children. ex
cept a son. a youth. who was taken
aboard the pirate ship. He was car
RED to Ireland and sold into slavery in
what is now the county of Ulster and
was set to work attending the pigs on
his masters estate.
We first hear Of the young slave by
the name of Patrick. but whether this
was his original Roman or Gaelic
name we do not know. His dress was
O goatskin, his'shelter a cave. his food
oats mixed in warm water.
Adversely is the most potent cause
to turn men to religion. Patrick pray
ed long and earnestly. Being the son
OF Roman. 1t is probable that from
his father he derived the religion of
Rome.
The announcement that was made to
St Patrick that he was marked for
divine favor was made to him one
night when he was asleep he heard
strains of music. A soft light illumin-
ed his cave. A young man tiuged with
celestial brightness holding a harp
bent over him. II am the angel of
victory" he said. and bring you con-
ISOLATION" Then the angel vanished,
and there was only the dark walls of
the cave.
But from this time Patrick found
happiness. while feeding my herd
upon the mountain" he says. II pray
ed long time ere dawn. Snow might
cover the earth. min fall, the frost
freeze my limbs To i'll felt or numb
ness. The spirit warmed me. | heard
spirits singing within me-" The an
gel of victory often appeared to him
and one day said to him:
Hitherto thou hast wept only for thy
self When thou weepest for others
thou shalt behold the sun of everlast-
, ing life"
The wretched state of those about
him. the poverty. the slavery of the
people. had marked effect on st. Pat
rick He, was moved to rid Ireland Of
their social and religious thraldOm, the
latter being III the keeping of the
druds But when he considered that
he was nothing but slave and a
swinphprd he knew that he could &C
cOmplSh nothing except with divine
assistance
This is how he became convinced
that such assistance would be given
him. One evening while he slept ne
saw Jesus walking before him His
figure was radiant. and beam Of light
shot from his heart and filled Pat
rl.k's with heavenly JOY When the
youth awOiie he was aware Of his
mission AT last he exclaimed. II
have ucn"3d him with my eyes. have
received MIN into my heart. 1t is he.
The Christ has come TO my aid. ! am
free. and | will make my brethren
free"
But there is break in the legend
n,.tT
: by the sea ne saw a ship. with sailors
aboard who We're about 10 set sail for
his old home in Gaul He persuaded
, them to take him with them. On the
voyage he was recaptured by pirates
and this time wns sold into slavery In
Gau Ransomed by friends, he retired
TO a monastery But he did not forget
the sorrows Of the irish people and
, while in the monastery was preparing
for the great work of his Iife-their
:, liberation Then. when he was ready,
. he went back free man TO Ireland
The British isles were at that time
>, subject In religious faith to the druids
~ Stonchenge. in England. there re-
main today immense rocks. some stand.
=. ing upright OF one end, some a fat
stone supported by others. like table
which are supposed TO be connected
with druid worship. What these huge
=. monoliths meant has passed away
= with the melting of the centuries since
4, the primitive wOrshipersI adored their
4 gods and made their sacrifices within
the sonrber forests OF Britain and Ire
r. land 1t was the mission Of ST. Pat
"a rick 10 place in their stead the EN-
bIem of the cross. This work he &C
cOmpIished as a preacher and teach
er He worked upon the lower classes
% Women. children, outlaws. the lesseI
p. grade Of chiefs. all listened TO him.
d The legend goes on to say that one
If day St Patrick met two daughters nj
King Laegairs washing their wedding
q robes in pool, and he converted then
10 to Christianity. Their father was thu
chief ruler Of Ireland. and his paIac,
stood overlooking the plain Of Tara
Every third year ar tle vernal eautno.
20 pyre covered with flowers was bur