Evening star., 1937-03-13
By Mary Jane Moore.

THIS is the week of green carna-
tions, clay pipes, green neck
ties and shamrocks. In other
L words, Wednesday is ST. Pat
Sick's day, and it will be celebrated
IN every city and hamlet where the
sops and daughters Of Erins Emerald
Isle foregather.
More than that, it will be marked
by all who relish the tale of a fight
ing man OF God who, against heavy
ODDS, tanned wild land and taught
its people the sentler ways Of the
gospel
But how many of the millions who
Will bid their fellows "the top of the
mornin'" really know who st. Patrick
was, how his natal day Is celebrated.
whether 1t always was marked In this
land OF ours, and wherein lies the
claim OF 1reland's patron saint to uni
versal remembrance?
Ihe answer is, probably few" and
certainly the answers to those oues-
tions should not go amiss on the an
nlVersary OF the birth of this vigorous.
colorful magnetic personality, whose
deeds shine forth with undiminished
luSter after the passing of many CEN
turies.
RORN about 387 A. D., the place OF
st. Patrick's birth has been sub
Ject TO considerable question. How
ever. the best authority seems to in
dlcate that it was near Dumbarton.
IN Scotland. He was brought up in
the Christian faith, and church ac-
counts show that his early education
was oeflnitely Of Christian char
acter, although he himself is set forth
as saying that in his boyhood he was
somewhat deficient in his attention to
e nduct and Christian duties.
Lies vicissitudes in that early era
did not pass ST Patrick by. and he,
with many thousands Of others. was
captured by Irish pirates and con-
signed to slavery. At 16 years of age
he Is to be found at Slemish, Ireland,
caring for this masters cattle. It was
at this time that he became fired with
. Christian zeal, and, as he says, II
felt no evil, nor was there any laziness
IN me, because, as / now see, the spirit
was burning within me"
A few years later, after varying for
tunes OF which little is known au-
thenucally, st. Patrick is found back
in Britain. In his dreams he hears
the caN to an Irish mission, and he
was hAeo with Gesire to go to those
VINO never had any knowledge of
Goo and worshipped only idols and
denominations" st. Patrick then re-
turned to Gaul for preparation, was
mace deacon, and finally consecrated
. bishop for the Irish.
HIS mission there was highly s,lc-
eessful. He founded schools and
monastery at Armagh is but one Of
many tributes TO his unfiagpinp ef-
1orS. He converted the Kings OF
Munster, Dublin and Connaupht To
the lalth. But. in the opinion of close
stuoents, 1t must not be supposed that
81. Patrick had an easy time OF il
Inobe were rough and ready davs.
Sen We're fierce and were loath to give
up old customs. But st. Patrick was
unfagging in his zeal
sSoiy "thSii tiuiSS luOSt CLOSELY
70 the name OF ST. Patrick Is the one
which tells OF his Punishment OF toads
and reptiles from Ireland. Legend or
truth, 1t Is an important part Of the
b. Patrick chronicle. AS a matter
OF fact, eminent historians OF the
church have stated that there is no
mention OF this miracle in the early
authentic lives Of the saint; while an
other commentator points out that
I'VE are told by an early explorer OF