The Irish standard., 1914-02-21
THE Work Of
THE IRISH MONKS
Eloquent Tribute Paid to Work Of
Monks in Ireland
What They Have Done to Make
Ireland Land of Saints and
Scholars"
National Chairman A. o. H. History
Committee Addresses Chicago
Irish Fellowship Club

The Irish Monks in the Cause of
Humanity" was the subject of an elo-
quent and scholarly address by Pro-
fessor Michael ]. Rohan of Marquette
University, Milwaukee, at one of the
recent meetings of the Irish Fellow.
ship club in Chicago.
Professor Rohan said:
ireland, the home OF the Irish
monks; what poetic sweetness
clusters round the hallowed names;
Island of Destiny Poland of the
Seas;' Land of Saints and Scholars;
what euphonious sounds to the ear
of the true Irishman and woman;
what an inspiration for the monk in
his cell communing with his God, to
make known to the world her love of
learning, her affection for virtue and
chastity; what nobler theme ever oc.
cupied the mind of man than Ireland,
sitting majestic in her queenly beauty,
girt round with the storm-tossed billOWs
of the wild Atlantic; land of sainted
memories and living, throbbing faith,
ancient home of the arts and re-
finement.
A Classical Comparison.
Every classical scholar is familiar
with the myth of Prometheus the I'll
tan, which the pen of Greeces first
great tragic poet has clothed with
the endurance of Immortality. Pro
metheus, one Of the lasasnmong the
elder race of gods, is therein repre-
sented, bound upon the cheerless
Stythian rock, because in his unri
vailed generosity and love for the
downtrodden he dared to steal 8
spark of that eternal fire of Zeus in
behalf of mankind, to whom he thus
delegated the power, which resulted
in the creation of all the arts of peace
He found man ignorant and wanting
in all those things which are the pa
rents of civilization; he left him, en-
lightened and happy. But his deet
only invoked torture of 1000 years
upon his head.
| Story of Monasticism.
1.-THE story of monasticism, viewe'
2 in it's marvellous effects, is almost
: perfectly analogous repetition of thi
! ancient tradition. And this is espe
D cially true Of that noble tragedy Q
Irish monks, who, not immune fror
f the relentless spirit of oppression an
r suffering which has for centurie
e reigned in the Green Isle of the Ses
r have been accorded ingratitude fO
n generosity, contumely for heroi
e deeds. But that popularity whic
/ serves to increase the pathos of th
) tale consists in this, that, unlike tn
: hero of the myth, they have bee
scourged, not by any whom they Nigh
have offended by uplifting humanit!
but by humanity itself. Vilified an
held up to ridicule by such as ow
all their culture to them, Irish monk
have been compelled to subsist /
sorrowful and weary isolation trol
the rest of mankind. In the Who'll
u annals of the worlds history we thin
there is no instance equal to it fo
injustice and ingratitude. The slal
derous wit, spread upon penny ca
: toons, is, forsooth, the popular eulos
j. pronounced upon this noble race {
y men! Geniuses of SANDER, like Vc
y taire and Madame Roland, have, out {
8, jealous motives, attempted to b
V, smirch their shining reputation, s
IS little studied by the world at large
t. but, with Chateaubriand and Mont
ri lembert, we edefy them to instant
e any country. age or society, in whit
n they or their followers have not give
n unimpeachable testimony to greatne
It, by their deeds and accomplishment
i, The charge of ignorance and ind
in lence is an indictment agains. tru
le and civilization itself.
NJ Beauty Of Antiquity.
y "If you would desire a subje
clothed in the beauty of antiquit
-, - study this phase of human beneN
" lence, which far beyond Bernard.
20 teyond Benedict, extends Itself, lii
~ an indissoluble ray Of light into Il
~ morning dawn Of civilization, not cv'
-, ~ to Anthony, founder of the Cenobitt
~ not even to Paul and the hermits
-. Thebais, but in practical prototype
Theraneutae in Egypt's twilig
reign; yea, to Elias, as from the la
~ of Israel he fees to abide on t
u" Jordan's banks, in solitary communi
with his Maker. The companion