The Irish standard., 1918-09-28


the seat of learning of the Catholic
church, under the care of Father
Ravoux.
Under the direction of the Marist
Fathers at Merrimeux the student
distinguished himself in mathematics,
above all other branches. In four
years he had left behind his class
mates and completed the eight years
course at Merrimeux. In that time
he had won prize after prize in al
most every subject, taking the prizes
in French language and literature
from the lads of the land themselves.
When he had finished at Merri-
meux, Ireland went to the higher
school at Hyeres, where he devoted
himself to theological and philosophi-
cal courses. For two years he delved
deep into the history of the early
struggles of the church.
At Hyeres he became also a close
student of the famous old French ora
tor and statesman, Bousset, and his
own public speeches in after life
showed he had caught in youth the
methods of the great French thinker.
Concluding his work with the Mar
list Fathers, Father Ireland returned
to America, to take up his duties as
parish priest at the Cathedral in St.
Paul Landing in New York, he
found his country on the verge OF
plunging into that Civil War, which
threw it for four years into the
depths of gloom and despair. The
war cloud, which had been threaten
ing even when he had sailed away
six years before, had broken.
But Father Ireland waited not
moment to decide which cause he
should espouse. He became an ar
dent Unionist even before he reached
the Mississippi river town. Disem-
barking from the boat at St. Paul,
filled with his French mannerisms,
TALL gaunt and awkward, with his
priestly robes Tapping against his
lean shanks, he threw himself heart
and soul into the struggle. He spoke
passionately for the Union and the
flag on all occasions, making circum-
stances if there were none, and he
spoke with such vehemence and fiery
vigor that he soon attracted the at
tentiou of Alexander Ramsey, the IA
nous war governor.
1t was about this time that the
commander of the Fifth Minnesota
volunteer infantry wrote Governor
Ramsey, asking him to appoint new
chaplain for the regiment And in a
letter preserved in the State His
torical associations library at the
State Capitol, the old war governor,
writing to close personal friend,
quoted from his letter to the regi-
mental commander, Il take great
pleasure in appointing John Ireland
to fill the vacancy as chaplain of the
Fifth Minnesota"
And so to the front went the SOL
dier-priest. Nor was he long in prov
ing his valor in camp and on the field
of battle Corinth and score of lesser
and greater fights felt his presence.
He turned the weary marches of the
men through the sitting heat and the
driving rains of the Southland into
merry measures. At Iuka he gave
yoeman help by rushing ammunition
to the front when it was sorely need
ed. The men placed as much faith
in him as in their regular officers, and
being their father confessor, they
loved him as we'll as believed in him.
It was almost a year after he had
left St. Paul for the South that he
was stricken with a malignant form
of fever. The disease seized him
while he was with his regiment in
front of Vicksburg, to which the vic
torious Grant had just laid seige. The
sitting heat and the exposure proved
too much for him, and for weeks he
lay in his tent, sturdily refusing to
follow the advice of his physicians
and return North. Finally such in
roads had been made on his strength
that he could do nothing but comply,
and boarding transport, he returned
to the milder climate of Minnesota.
Once back, he did not take long to
throw off the effects of the fever, and
began Immediately to look around for
further activities.
The opportunity presented itself
without much search. He literally
threw off his coat and waded in, and
the victorious war he waged against
the demon rum won for him fame as
temperance reformer throughout the
land, and the rumors of his fight spread
even to Europe.
Realizing that the best way to reach
the father was through his children
onH hic h0voo Eo%hov Tuo1o~.l