Evening journal., 1915-03-17
Sons Of IRELAND
HONOR ST. PATRICK
Special Masses In Churches
and Entertainments
Mark the Day
SHAMROCK THE
POPULAR TWIG

Good afternoon and good luck This
is St. Patrick's Day.
Everywhere one turned today could
be seen "th' little o. green of the
Emerald lslo' and all joined In the
celebration. In st. Patrick's Church
at O'Clock the Itcv. James P Quig-
ley celebrated the mass and the con-
gregation filled every seat in the
church. The main altar was decor
ated with flowers, while inside the
sanctuary rail the statue of ST. Pat
rick had been moved out and palms
and banks OF flowers made a pretty
picture as lighted candles fickered
among the leaves and flowers.
In all the other Catholic churches
Of the city the feast Of st. Patrick
was observed by the celebration on
masses which were largely attended
The Benevolent Pioneer Literary
Society will hold celebration this
evening
The celebration by the Benevolent
Pioneer Literary Association will be
elaborate. A most pleasing musical
program has been prepared,
in which appropriate Irish
songs will be sung by the Pioneer
Glee and Minstrel Club, and addresses
made by some prominent attorneys.
who are honored sons OF Erin
The irish Volunteers will hold
bali in Irish-American Hall tonight.
Shamrocks from the old land were
worn by many persons. Green sta
tlonery and seasonable postcards with
afu
today.
Members of the Rockford Club will
hold a St. Patricks Day dance IN their
clubroom. at the foot of Rockford
road, tonight Music for the dancing
will be furnished by a three piece or
chestra.
And the soul stirring drumbeats OF
/ Ireland's patron saint will reverberatc
through the memory and mingle
with the sweeter strains of Ireland's
golden harp
The poet Thomas Moore tells the
story Of ST. Patricks harp in his
exquisite ballad concerning the origin
of the harp. and when the Irish Lady
Patricia touches the harp-strings
upon st. Patrick's Day here is the
theme Of her song:
'Tis believed that this Harp which
now wake for thee
Was a siren of old. who sung under
the sea
And who often. at eve, through the
bright waters roved
To meet on the green shore a youth
whom she loved.
: But she loved him in vain, for he left
: her to weep.
: And in tears, all the night her gold
tresses TO steep.
! Till Heaven lookd with pity on tru,
love so warm
And changed to this soft Harp the
I sea-maiden's form.
Still her bosom rose fair-still her
cheek smiled the same
And her sea beauties gracefully found
the light frame.
While her hair shedding dewdrops
from all its bright rings.
Fell over her white arms to make the
gold strings.
Hence It came that this soft harp so
long hath been known
To minele loves language with sor-
rows sad tone;
TIL thou dids't divide them and teach
the fond lay
To speak love when I'm near thee,
and grief when away.
But st. Patrick the vigorous, St. Pat
rick the good. was strenuous church
man, and when he came tn convert tn,
Irish. and incidentally 10 rid the Elmer
aid Isle of snakes, il was with drum
beat, not with love songs and harp
that he attained his victories. Will
drumbcats he startled the careless. Will
drumbeats he frightened all creeping
crawling evil mtil
"Ihe toads went hop. the frogs went
Hop, slap, dash into the water,
And beasts committed suicide 10 saw,
themselves from slaughter"
Yea, a regular Billy Sunday was
Bishop Patricious. who is variously
credited with being a native of Tours,
France. and with having been born in
Nomphthur, England. a little village
Just outside Of Glastonbury. But any
way, from his own confessions. Il is
learned St Patrick was carried by
pirates to the shores of Ireland. was
destined to convert the Irish from
Pagan 10 Christian gath and 10 be-
come the patron saint OF the warm
hearted people among whom his lot
was cast. Statesman, organizer,
priest. his methods were yet those OF
the Salvation Army, and sinners were
! arrested then. as now, by a dominant
and insistent call.
II is recorded that after the Saints
drum had called many multitudes to-
. gether and scared the reptiles until
the very last OF them were trembling
upon the edge of plunging headlong
into the sea. the drum was beaten so
violently that il burst, and only the
fact that an rangel came down from
Heaven and patched II up enabled
the good saint to carry out his great
crusade. But celestial help was given
him and then, having prepared the
way for good by driving out evil, st
Patrick plucked tiny shamrock from
. the turf Of Ireland and with its trefoil
, leaf TO serve as the symbol of three
in one, he preached the woudrous
truth Of the Trinity Of God the Father
God the Son and God the Holy Ghost
Today the church keeps the feast o
her sains, whose natal day is suppose,
to be the 18th of March. the sain
, whose methods appear to have beer
as full of energy nd quickening fir
. as the winds and sun of March, an,
today we wear the shamrock OF 81
. pafrick's adODted cOuntrv and unhoI