e by nature
missionaries. This prompted him to desire to redeem his brethren in
Ireland. In Ulster he began his labours. From this same Tribe others
had visited Ireland. History mentions four who preceded St. Patrick.
The name of St. Paul, by many, is connected with a visit to Ireland. It
is very easy to see how Jeremiah, the patron-saint of Judah, would be
installed in such a relation with the Danites after his death. He was
the real sainted patriarch of Ireland. And by a crafty design of Rome,
young Calpurnius was created sainted patriarch, or St. Patrick, and by
this means Rome linked the greater part of the Irish nation on to
herself. Anybody honest and familiar with history knows that St. Patrick
was a Christian, and in no sense of the word a Roman Catholic. The fact
is, Rome began early to covet Ireland. Once they got possession, it was
necessary for them to destroy the influence of Jeremiah. This they did,
in part, by substituting the name of St. Patrick in the place of the
prophet's; and more, they then set to work to destroy even the old and
famous capital city of Tara. In 565 St. Ruadham, along with a _posse_ of
bishops and chiefs of the South of Ireland, cursed the city, so that
neither King nor Queen might ever rule or reign therein again. They
forced the government, monarchy and people to abandon the place. From
thence Tara was deserted, and the harp sounded no more through Tara's
halls. The city thus cursed crumbled to ruins, and remains to this day
buried, awaiting a glorious resurrection. Rome caught her prize at last;
but neither Rome nor any other power ever enslaved or conquered Ulster.
Beyond the pale--that is, the dividing line, running from the Boyne to
the Shannon--Rome never got, nor never will. Irishmen clamour for
independence, to be free from England, and wonder why they are not. The
reason is that God cannot trust liberty to them; for a people that yoke
themselves to a foreigner, and give themselves over to be governed in
spiritual matters, would make a poor effort if trusted with their
temporal government. We all know that if Ireland had been free, she
would not long have remained so, for body, as well as soul, she would
have committed to the Italians. Why Irish Catholics should ask for
freedom when they so voluntarily bind themselves to a foreigner, I fail
to see. As the Protestants of the North have asked, and had granted,
spiritual freedom in the severance of Church and