The Irish standard., 1914-02-21

nlSn ana low, klllS ana peasant, the
monk is, indeed, patriarch o. the
rations, of whose great spieidors
Flato might only dream in an ideal
republic. This said of muEastioism
IN general, must, at the outset, be
understood to apply in particular to
Irish monks, whose land has long
since become proverbially known as
the Isle of Saints and Scholars ana
who especially constitute the strong
only to the great dynasty of Supreme
Pontiffs.
I'VE do not. indeed, pretend to give
in this dissertation any adequate his
tory of Irish monasticism, either in
it's growth or in its sublime results;
sublime, because annihilating time
and space, they have reached across
the years even to our day. The labor
of lifetime and the combined elo-
quence of the ancient and modern
world, would, alone, be capable of
tracing the great currents of thought
and Of virtue which had their foun-
tain-head in the land stained with
the blood of patriots.
The Deeds of Irish Monks.
I'm order, however, that we may
the more clearly understand the deeds
of Irish monks in the cause of that
same humanity for which Calvary was
made an altar of sacrifice, it is we'll
that we understand the state of EN-.
pire throughout Europe at the time
of their greatest achievements. Time,
conditions and races. logically force
us to judge of results by crcum-
stances of their incipiency. We
would not, for example, wish to make
comparison between the relative mill
tary merits of Hannibal and the great
Corsican, Napoleon, who in the nine.
teenth century, shouldered, like Ath-
ems, the civilized world and tossed it
about at will. 1t is evident that such
course, without being productive
of any satisfactory results, would only
lead to the disparagement OF the one,
and the undue praise of the other.
What, then, are we to think OF those
writer's of modern times, who would
have us sneer at the meagre science
of the middle ages in the presence
Of Newton, formulating the obedience
of planet to it's Creator into law
or of Edison, startling Nature with
her own voice? Considering, then
the times of which we are about tc
speak, the wonder is, as Bishop Gil
mour Of Cleveland says, not that the
monks everywhere, and we add again
ly, "did so little, but that so much
order and future happiness was the
outcome of so much chaos and ter
ror.'
What is called the Catholic Thea
ter Movement has been launched ir
New York and promises to spread it:
influence over the country. It's pro
jectors have cannily decided to de
nounce no plays as bad, but to con
J fine their efforts to commencing thos'
that are good and wholesome.
1t will maintain and publish
white list" of those plays the faith
full are recommended to see So far
it has put but two of the presen
plays of New York on this list-"PeI
o. My Heart" and Things Tha
Count" Others will probably be add
ed to the list from time to time.
Bulletins are to be distributed Il
, Catholic churches and printed pledg
forms are to be circulated. 1t Is cas-
to see that such movement ma
grow into something of tremendou
benefit to the theater, so long as tn
choice Of plays on the white list" /
made with good judgment and in nc
too narrow spirit. "Peg o. NJ
Heart" sweet, clean Irish coined,
, will be at the Metropolitan Oper
House for weeks engagement, b.
p ginning Sunday evening, Feb. 20, wit
matinees Wednesday and Saturday.