of those who walked in his steps ever stood out in more
glorious relief than Patrick, surrounded by Pagan Princes,
and a Pagan Priesthood, on the hill of Tara.

The defence of the fire he had kindled, unlicensed, soon
extended into wider issues. Who were the gods against
whom he had offended? Were they true gods or false? They
had their priests: could they maintain the divinity of
such gods, by argument, or by miracle? For his God, he,
though unworthy, was ready to answer, yea, right ready
to die. His God had become man, and had died for man.
His name alone was sufficient to heal all diseases; to
raise the very dead to life. Such, we learn from the
old biographers, was the line of Patrick's argument. This
sermon ushered in a controversy. The king's guests, who
had come to feast and rejoice, remained to listen and to
meditate. With the impetuosity of the national character
--with all its passion for debate--they rushed into this
new conflict, some on one side, some on the other. The
daughters of the king and many others--the Arch-Druid
himself--became convinced and were baptized. The
missionaries obtained powerful protectors, and the king
assigned to Patrick the pleasant fort of Trim, as a
present residence. From that convenient distance, he
could readily return at any moment, to converse with the
king's guests and the members of his household.

The Druidical superstition never recovered the blow it
received that day at Tara. The conversion of the Arch-Druid
and the Princesses, was, of itself, their knell of doom.