80 STATESMEN AND SAGES experience of the infirmities of human nature, and a profound knowledge of the depth of those infirmities. His virtues of humility, compassion, moderation, and generosity, all sprung from that, just as his deep faith and strong convictions of Christian truth were begotten of his fierce struggle with doubt and error and his long and ardent search for truth. He died in honor on August 28th, A.D. 430. But men have not ceased to admire his genius, appreciate his labors, love his character ; and thousands imitate bis piety and are governed by his mandates of spiritual life. / /^ +S i ^t^. ST. PATRICK Bv REV. G. F. MACLEAR, B.D. (ABOUT 372-466) THE original name of St. Patrick was Succat, which is said to signify " strong in war." Patricius appears to have been his Roman name. He was born of Christian parents at some period between A.D. 372 and A.D. 415. His father, Calphurnius, was a deacon, his grandfather, Potitus, a priest Though an ecclesiastic, Cal- phurnius would seem to have held the rank of decurion, and may therefore have been of Roman or provincial British extraction. His birthplace was a spot which he himself calls Bonavem Tabernice, and which in all probability may be identified with the modern Kirk- patrick, between Dumbarton and Glasgow. The parents of Succat, as has been already said, were Christians, and it would seem that the Gospel had been preached to some extent in the neighborhood of his father's home. Whatever amount, however, of instruction he may have re- ceived was rudely interrupted, when he was about sixteen years of age. The coasts of Scotland were at this time exposed to the frequent incursions of Irish chieftains, who landed from their swift barks, ravaged the country, and having carried off as many of the inhabitants as they could, consigned them to slavery. In one of these expeditions the house of Calphurnius was attacked, and Succat, with two of his sisters and many of his countrymen, was carried away and conveyed to the north of Ireland.
