The true northerner., 1917-03-30
FATHER CLARSON WRITES
OF IRISH ACHIEVEMENT


The following letter from our good
friend, Father Clarson of st. Mary's
Rectory of Paw Paw, is a sequel to
our editorial of several weeks ago on
wearing of the Green. It was re-
ceived and should have been given
space in last weeks issue, but was
crowded out by other matter. The
letter follows:-(Editor)
1t is not beyond the memory OF men
still living when it was the fashion
among writer's of certain caste, to
make st. Patrick's Day the occasion
to indulge in vulgar jokes and ribald
jests, at the expense of the Irish
people. and to dress up the Irishman
as Buffoon or scarecrow, and ex-
hibit him as an object of ridicule and
contempt.
1t was therefore with sincere pleas
ure / read your scholarly and appre-
ciative monograph on st. Patrick, and
the work achieved by his Spiritual
children.
Your summary of patrician history
is attested by all reputable historians,
and by none more eloquently than by
the peerless Englishman, John Henry
Cardinal Newman, who writes:
81 cannot forget how it was from
Rome that the glorious st. Patrick
was sent to Ireland, and did work
so great that he could have no sue
cessor in it. The sanctity and zeal
and learning, which followed on his
death being but the result of the inn
pulse which he gave"
The discovery of America, the
achievements of Washington, the ex-
ploits of Napoleon, do not more clear
/ ly lie within the boundaries of legiti
mate and authentic history, than the
proud preeminence Of ireland among
,he nations of Europe, for several
centuries after the introduction of
Christianity. 1t is no eXaggeration
to say that at this period ireland was
the university Of Europe. Her schools
were the most renowned in the world
and writer's who were little disposed
to do her justice, admit tnat this was
a time of extraordinary activity, and
memorable services to civilization.
In her schools were trained an entire
population of philosophers, writer's,
painters, musicians, poets and histor-
ians; but above all of missionaries
destined to spread the light of the
Gospel and Christian civilization not
only in the Celtic Countries of which
Ireland was the nursing mother, but
throughout Europe, among all the
Teutonic races, among the Franks
and Burgundians as well as among
the dwellers op- the Rhine and Danube
up to the frontiers of Italy itself.
So in substance writes Mont de Lam
bert. And green in his history of
England says "that the science and the
knowledge which fled the sentiment
took refuge in Ireland which made
her the university of the West"
1t was then she won the proud title
still fondly cherished, "lnsula Sanct-
Drum ct Doctorum," "the island of
Saints and Scholars"
Centuries have to be passed over
! during which Ireland passed through
crucible of fire and sword which,
/ for unrelenting cruelty and ruthless
! ba1baritv. the annals of history fur
nish no parallel, and this at the hands
of the people whom she taught and
civilized, and who now claim to be
the champion of the rights and liber-
ties of small nations. To such
state of. desolation was the country
reduced that one is inclined to cry
out with the prophet. "How solitary
now she sits that once thronged the
city" She was a queen, and the
children Of many nations came to do