The Irish standard., 1914-03-21

Throughout the Twin Cities Tues
day the memory Of st. Patrick was
very generally honored. Many of the
Catholic parishes of Minneapolis had
special programs in honor of the feast
of St. Patrick. The largest meeting
planned for the occasion was at the
Minneapolis Auditorium. The speak
er of the evening was Attorney J. F.
T. O'Connor of Grand Forks, N. D.,
formerly of Yale University.
The speaker was introduced by
Father Cullen, who, in a few we'll
chosen words, directed the attention
of the audience toward the considera-
tion of the important ideals of the
Irish race.
Mr. O'Connor won his audience
from the start, and the response with
which he was greeted indicated the
sympathy and attention Of his hear
ers. The following is his address in
full:
Mr.. Chairman. Ladies and Gentle
men: l appreciate very much the in
vitation of the committee of the Irish
American Society of Minneapolis to
be with you this evening and to as
sist in honoring the memory of st. Pat
rick. confess feel a good deal like
the speaker who was introduced to
an audience in New York by a rather
enthusiastic chairman. In closing the
introduction, the chairman said, "A
man of much less ability would do, but
we could not find one."
Tonight, thousands of great gather
ings such as this one, are being held
in public halls in honor of Ireland s
patron Saint. From imposing assem-
blages where speakers and singers re-
call the struggle and toll of the Irish
race to the son of Erin in his little
cabin on western claim, where the
March wind carries the song of har-
bingers of spring, yea, wherever an
Irishman may be found tonight into
his memory comes the scenes of his
childhood and the history of his peo-
pie. Fifteen hundred years is a long
time to think back through the history
of mankind. Governments, the proud
offspring of the great minds of the
century, builded as their proud but de-
ceived founders believed upon imper.
ishable foundations, have risen glori.
ously in their ascent, but pitable as
their columns crumbled, and their au.
thor wreathed before the inevitable
hand of time. Men, great men in his.
tory who sent their armies forth in
mad conquest of the world, whose
names struck terror into the hearts of
the people, who crushed the weak and
subdued the strong, the shadows Of
whose royal banners alone were STOP
ped by the angry seas, who builded
temples and erected monuments in the
vain hope that generation after gen.
Grafton would sing their name in high
praises, lived and died. Some of these
men remembered only as connecting
links in history, some buried in obliv-
ion, SO we turn from rulers and their
great cities, from victorious generals
and their plundering armies, from the
dust into which their temples and
monuments disintergrated and ask,
what is the price of Immortality?
The answer comes from the fires on
the hills Of Slane, lighted by st. Pat
rick in commemoration of Easter, well
coming the displeasure of king, over
fifteen hundred years ago. The ele-
ments dashed the exiled lad on the
coast of Ireland. Tending swine dur
ing the day, the animals were his best
companions at night. Alone, in a
strange land with strange peoples
dominated by the cloud Of paganism;
he commenced his labors near to the
heart Of nature. developing his powers
to their fullness in faithful services.
You can picture the little lad stand
ing among the beasts Of the field per-
forming the most mental of all labors.
Schooled in adversity-the unpretenti-
GUS school Of great beginnings, was his
good fortune.
1nheriting the riches Of poverty, he
loved not display. but simplicity.
Have you ever reflected that for the
accomplishment Of every great pur.
pose, the Maker OF the Universe has
entrusted the mission to the meek and
the lowly. The man who answered the
King in biblical times. that he was