The Banner of the Truth in Ireland.

APRIL 1, 1868.

ST. PATRICK AND THE OLD RELIGION IN IRELAND. ALSE assertions, when uncontradicted, are soon received as positive truths, and the oftener repeated become the more established in the minds of those who make them, and consequently of those who hear. Nor is this altogether to be wondered at; since the silence or non-contradiction o those from whom the contradiction is expected cannot be accounted for, except that they give their assent to the assertion, or consider it too insignificant to refute; but this latter inference is never drawn by an opponent in controversy, since every statement put forth is deemed important by the party from whom it comes; hence the uncontradicted assertion is repeated, and, when still unanswered, the reasonable conclusion is the assertion is true, or the opponents would show its falsity. Thus, by the silence of those who know the truth, error has become established in the minds of thousands, on no other grounds than they never heard anything contrary to what they hold. It is no answer to such people to say, "You should have inquired before you accepted the proposition," for the retort might fairly come, "From whom could I inquire, since I heard no one object to the statements ?" hence it is incumbent on the friends of truth not merely to assert their own propositions, but contradict those they believe to be false.

This is unmistakably our duty under every circumstance, but especially in doctrines and practices of religion. It could be easily shown that in all ages error has crept in, gained a footing, and at length became established, simply for the want of protest from those who knew the doctrines and practices to be false, but who unaccountably kept silent, and thus the evil took root, and soon became positive dogmas and fixed practices. Let, then, the true and faithful never

imagine any statement is too insignificant to be contradicted; it is their duty to "keep guard," and seeing the slightest movement from the enemy, and not to sound the alarm, is on their part either supineness that ought not to be from soldiers expected to be vigilant, or ignorance which is unworthy of their position, or timidity which should never be in those whose confidence it is to "fear not ;" and so every reason alleged for silence when truth is attacked and falsehood put forth, could be shown as unworthy of the Christian soldier whose whole duty brings him into circumstances where his position must be varied from the passive to the active, the defensive to the offensive; and he who preserves one, to the exclusion of the others, has not the "proportion of faith" which is his privilege; but the true experienced soldier will ever have his armour ready for the most opposite and difficult emergencies.

Our Mission Work in Ireland eminently possesses this varied character; hence its success in advancing truth and weakening error. We need not illustrate this point at any length; one example will be sufficient. False statements are never put by the Romanists in Ireland, or elsewhere, which our Missionaries do not at once criticise and thoroughly expose; while the old boasts of former days are likewise deprived of their false security by the true explanations of what is really the case. Our example of this is

ST. PATRICK AND THE OLD RELIGION OF IRELAND.

The " Apostle of Ireland" was looked upon by every Irish Roman Catholic as having been a preacher of the same doctrines and practices now held by the Church of Rome, and hence in their view of it a Roman. The Irish Church Missions, in the course of their operations, put forth the true teaching of the Saint; and by means of handbills, sermons, advertisements, discussions, etc., on the subject, the people of Ireland were taught the facts that the Creed, Worship, and Preaching of St. Patrick was not Roman Catholic, but Protestant; how far God blessed that instruction can never yet be fully known ; but we do know by many instances that it aroused a spirit of earnest inquiry which by the Spirit's guiding led to deep conviction and true conversion. Thus the action of the Missionaries throughout the county in denying the Papal assertion that St. Patrick belonged to Rome, contradicted the teaching which, for want of denial, the Romanists looked upon as indisputable, and the popular mind of Ireland would to this day have still thought the same, had not denial been put forth from some quarter. Not but there were such efforts made previous to these by the Irish Church Missions, but they failed to reach the public in any decided form or successful effect, not having been issued for Missionary pur

poses; but by the operation of the Society with the avowed object of reaching the masses, the people were influenced on this subject as they had never been before. And likewise on all other points of difference between us and Rome.

We purposed giving a sketch of St. Patrick's labours and teachings in Ireland, but space will not permit our doing so. We append, however, the copy of a "handbill" on the subject, from which the reader can see the style and matter of these bills, and from thence infer what, with God's blessing, could be the results of their wide circulation throughout the country.

IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS.

ROMAN CATHOLICS ARE INVITED

TO

A FRIENDLY DISCUSSION

OF

QUESTIONS RELATING TO EVERLASTING SALVATION,

IN

(Here the place and date are given),

AT HALF-PAST SEVEN O'CLOCK.

Each Speaker 15 Minutes—after Nine o'clock, 10 Minutes. Any Priest or Layman welcome to speak.

Subject for Debate:-St. Patrick a Christian Protestant.

Q. Who was St. Patrick? He was son of Calpurnius, and grandson of Potitus. Q. What was his father? A clergyman.

Q. What was his grandfather? A clergyman also. See his "Confession," where he says that he was the son of Calpurnius, a deacon, who was the son of Potitus, a presbyter. The original extract is thus given in the following words by Dr. Lanigan, "Eccles. Hist.," vol. i., p. 95—“ Patrem habui Calpornium diaconem, filium quondam Potiti presbyteri."

Q. What do you infer from these facts? That in those days the clergy were not forbidden to marry.

Q. Were the holy apostles allowed to marry? Yes. Peter was a married man. (See Matt. viii. 14, Roman Catholic Bible.)

man.

Q. Were the holy Evangelists allowed to marry? Yes. Philip was a married (See Acts xxi. 8, 9, Roman Catholic Bible.)

Q. What does St. Paul say on this subject, writing to Timothy ? "It behoveth, therefore, a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife." And again-"Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, who rule well their children and their own houses." (1 Tim. iii. 2, 12, Roman Catholic Bible.)

Q Was St. Patrick a native of Ireland? No. His parents resided at Bonaven Taberniæ, a village of Scotland, but some have supposed that he was born in France.

Q. But did he not pass a considerable portion of his youth in Ireland? Yes. He was stolen from his parents when sixteen years of age, and sold to an Irish Pagan Prince, who sent him into the fields to feed swine.

Q. In what part of Ireland was he so employed ? In the vicinity of Sliev-mis, a mountain in the County Antrim.

Q. When did St. Patrick return to Ireland as a preacher of the gospel? About the year 432.

Q. When did St. Patrick die? He died at an advanced age, on the 17th of March, A.D. 493.

Q. Were there Christians in Ireland before the time of St. Patrick? There were; for Dr. Lanigan, the Roman Catholic historian, states, "It is, however, universally admitted that there were Christian congregations in Ireland before the mission of Palladius, which took place in 431, of which, were there no other proof, the testimony of Prosper forms sufficient evidence. For in his Chronicle at that year he says, that Palladius was sent to the Scots, believing in Christ-that is, as he informs us elsewhere, to the Scots living in Ireland."-" Eccles. Hist.," vol. i., p. 9.

Q. Was St. Patrick consecrated by the Pope? No; for the same Dr. Lanigan also says, that "the account of St. Patrick's consecration by Pope Celestine is not to be met with in any of the lives (of the saint), except those two compilations of ALL STORIES (i.e., fables), namely, Jocelin's and the Tripartite, whence it made its way into some Breviaries, and other late documents."-Vol. i., pp. 191, 192.

Q. What does Dr. Todd say concerning the "Confession of St. Patrick"? He says that St. Patrick "aimed evidently at employing as much as possible the language of Holy Scripture; for the 'Confession' was addressed to his converts, whom he had instructed in the letter of the Scriptures, and upon whose ears the words of Holy Writ fell with an authority from which there was no appeal."-Dr. Todd, p. 388.

Q. What does Tillemont, the Roman Catholic historian, say of St. Patrick's "Confession"? "In a word, we see in the tract much of the character of St. Paul. The author was undoubtedly well read in the Scriptures."-Quoted in Dr. Todd's "Life of St. Patrick," p. 383.

Q. Did St. Patrick hold or teach the doctrine of Purgatory? No; for in a book ascribed to him, called, "The Three Habitations" (by which he meant, as he himself tells us, Heaven, Earth, and Hell), he does not say a word about Purgatory.

Q. Did St. Patrick ever offer the sacrifice of the Mass? No. He commemorated the one true and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in the same way as Protestants do now, and therefore used communion-tables of wood instead of altars of stone.

Q. How do you prove this? Dr. Lanigan, the Roman Catholic historian, says, "It is not to be wondered at that the Irish made their altars of wood from the beginning, and that they continued to do so in consequence of their steady attachment to the practices received from St. Patrick.". "Eccles. Hist.," vol. iv., p. 272.

Q. Did St. Patrick refuse the SACRAMENTAL CUP TO THE LAITY? No; for the cup was first denied to the lay people by the Council of Constance, A.D. 1414, nine hundred and eighty-six years after St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland as a missionary.— See Roman Catholic "Catechism of Perseverance," p. 393.

In the Pastoral Letters by Dr. Cullen on the Festival of St. Patrick (Dublin : James Duffy, 1865), we read, p. 16-"Having obtained all he desired-liberty for truth-Patrick devoted himself with heroic courage and burning zeal to the conversion of the Irish people. Filled with the Spirit of God, he became all to all that he might gain all to Christ; HE KNEW NOTHING BUT CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED ; he desired nothing but the salvation of the souls that were redeemed by the precious blood of the Immaculate Lamb." And yet in p. 60 of the same work Dr. Cullen recommends for use a prayer of St. Bernard addressed to the Blessed Virgin, in which these words occur-"I beseech thee to adopt me for ever as thy child, and to take on thyself the care of my eternal salvation. Do not, O mother of God, reject my prayer, but graciously hear and grant it. Amen." Would St. Patrick have ever used such a prayer as this? Was this the religion of the early Irish Church? Did not St. Patrick pray only to God?"I have cast myself into the hands of the Omnipotent God, who reigns everywhere. As the prophet says, 'Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.'"-St. Patrick's "Confession," Olden, p. 76.

Q. Did St Patrick receive his commission from Rome? No; for as Dr. Todd says, "Life of St. Patrick," p. 377-" He (St. Patrick) says nothing of Palladius he says nothing of Rome, or of having been commissioned by Pope Celestine. He attributes his Irish Apostleship altogether to an inward call, which he regarded as a divine command." And again, p. 314, "It is a fact of great significance, that in none of the extant writings, possessing the smallest claim to be considered contemporary with St. Patrick, in his mission to Rome so much as alluded to."

Q. Does Prosper, the Secretary of Pope Celestine, in his Chronicle, make mention

of St. Patrick? No; neither Prosper, who wrote about A.D. 450, nor Bede, A.D. 730, nor Platina, who wrote "The Lives of the Popes," A.D. 1481, make mention of St. Patrick or his mission from Rome.

Q. Who were the first writers who mention St. Patrick as connected with Rome ? Nennius, a British monk of the ninth century, and Probus in the tenth century.

Q. What doctrines did St. Patrick teach? The doctrines of the Bible only.

Q. What was the Rule of Faith of the early Irish Church? The Venerable Bede says, "They learned only those things contained in the writings of the Prophets, the Evangelists, and the Apostles."-Book iii. c. 4.

Q. How does the late Archdeacon Hamilton, P.P., describe the Confession of St. Patrick in the dedication of his translation of that work to the (Roman) Catholic people of St. Michan's Parish, Dublin ?—

"My dearly beloved Parishioners,--To you I dedicate this genuine work-'The Confession of St. Patrick.' It was composed by the Saint, in his old age, shortly before his death, and may, therefore, be considered as the precious legacy of his own dying words. It is so much intermingled with THE WORDS OF GOD AS CONTAINED IN THE SCRIPTURES, that these holy words, thus seasoned, become more consoling and effective, by the circumstance of their being presented to us in this divine association. Read, then, attentively and frequently."-" Dedication of Confession."

Should not all men trust in the Saviour alone for salvation, and follow the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make men wise unto salvation? Would not they thus become true followers of St. Patrick?

Is it not clear that St. Patrick did not believe in Purgatory, nor in the Intercession of Saints, nor in the enforced Celibacy of Clergy, nor the Mass Sacrifice, nor Communion in one kind, nor any of the doctrines peculiar to the modern Church of Rome; but that he put all his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and taught salvation through faith in Him alone?

Has not the Church of Rome, then, departed from the faith once delivered to the saints?

Was not the Creed of Pope Pius IV. drawn up eleven hundred years after the death of St. Patrick ? and have not Protestants the same creed that Patrick confessed? Which is the old religion?

"Thus saith the Lord, Stand you on your ways, and see and ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS, which is the good way, and walk ye in it, and you shall find refreshment for your souls."-Jer. vi. 16, Roman Catholic Bible.

St. Patrick's Armour, or Breastplate, at Tara.

"At Tara to-day, the strength of God pilot me-the power of God preserve me -may the wisdom of God instruct me-the eye of God watch over me-the ear of God hear me-the word of God give me sweet talk—the hand of God defend methe way of God guide me-Christ be with me-Christ before me-Christ after me-Christ in me-Christ under me-Christ over me-Christ on my right hand-Christ on my left hand-Christ on this side-Christ on that side-Christ at my back— Christ in the heart of every person to whom I speak-Christ in the mouth of every person who speaks to me-Christ in the eye of every person who looks upon meChrist in the ear of every person who hears me. At Tara, to-day, I invoke the mighty power of the Trinity-Salvation is the Lord's-Salvation is the Lord'sSalvation is Christ's. May thy Salvation, O Lord, be always with us."

Why do the Redemptorists, and Dr. Cullen in his pastorals, not preach and teach from the Sacred Scriptures, as did St. Patrick and all his true disciples ?

St. Patrick's Creed from his "Confession":

"There is no other God, nor ever was nor will be after Him, except God the Father, without beginning; From whom is all beginning; Who upholds all things as we have said: And his Son Jesus Christ, whom, together with the Father, we testify to have always existed; Who before the beginning of the world was spiritually present with the Father; Begotten in an unspeakable manner before all beginning; By whom were made all things visible and invisible; Who was made man, and having overcome death, was received into heaven to the Father; And he hath given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow