b'^\'%,\'%.<^ \n\n\n\n^LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.; \n\n# ^ \n\nI [SMITHSONIAN DEPOSIT.] f \n\nJ UNITED STATES OP AMERICA J \n\n\n\nb V \n\n\n\nROME, \n\nCHRISTIAN AND PAPAL: \nSKETCHES \n\nOF ITS \n\nRELIGIOUS MONUMENTS AND ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY, \n\nWITH \n\nNOTICES OF THE JESUITS AND THE INQUISITION. \n\n\n\nBY 1^\'\'\'4b\'^SANCTIS, D.D., \n\nFOEMEELY CUEATE OF THE MAGDALENE, PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE \nROMAN UNIYEESITY, AND QUALLFICATOR AT THE LNQtJISITION. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nNEW YORK: \n\nHARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, \nFRANKLIN SQUARE, \n\n1856. \n\n\n\nIfe- ft<CO \n\n\n\nThs Library \n\nOP CONGRBSS \n^ASaiNGltJN \n\n\n\nvSt5 \n\n\n\nEntered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand \neight hundred and fifty -six, by \n\nHarper & Brothers, \n\nin the Clerk\'s Office of the District Court of the Southern District \nof New York. \n\n\n\nADVERTISEMENT. \n\n\n\nThe stranger, visiting those localities in the city of \nRome which tradition has invested with a strong re- \nligious interest, finds himself, to a great degree, de- \npendent on the explanations given by monks and \npriests who exhibit them for his impressions of the \nauthenticity and worth of the monuments of ecclesias- \ntical antiquity there displayed. The guide-books, pre- \npared with a special view to sale in Roman Catholic \ncountries, avoiding all conflict with established notions, \nafford him little help in arriving at the truth. It has \nbeen therefore thought that, not only for persons who \nare about visiting that city, but also for many who \nhave already done so, such a work as the present, hav- \ning reference chiefly to the ecclesiastical antiquities, \ninstitutions, and ceremonies of Rome, as contemplated \nfrom an enlightened Christian point of view, may pos- \nsess considerable value. Its author, a man of no ordi- \nnary talents, was formerly a parish priest in that city, \nand by his learning, piety, and wide influence secured \nthe high esteem of the Papal court, and filled several \nofiices of important trust. A convert to the Protestant \nfaith, he has for some years past labored as a devoted \nminister of the Waldensian, or primitive Italian Church \n\n\n\nIV ADVEETISEMENT. \n\nat Turin, Sardinia. Within a few weeks he has been \nchosen professor in one of the Swiss Universities. \nAside, therefore, from abundant corroborative evidence, \nit is believed that the opportunities of acquaintance \nwith things as they are in Rome, and the unimpeach- \nable integrity of this author, are sufficient vouchers \nfor the correctness of statements and the sincerity of \nviews advanced in this little work. \n\n\n\nPREFACE. \n\n\n\nIt is at Rome, and not elsewhere, that Popery should \nbe studied. Books give but a false and incomplete \nidea of it : in them we meet with only the Popery of \nthe Middle Ages, or the poetical Popery of Chateau- \nbriand. As developed in Protestant countries, we find \nthe system of Bossuet \xe2\x80\x94 a Popery less superstitious, \nand perhaps less intolerant, until, at last, it becomes \nthe ruling power. \n\nFrom the period of the Council of Trent, Roman \nCatholicism has identified itself with Jesuitism. That \nunscrupulous order has better known how to clothe \nitself, when occasion required, with new forms, and to \ngive a convenient elasticity to its favorite maxim, that \nthe end is every thing ^ and all the means to attain it \nare good. But by depending on the skillful tactics of \nthe " Society of Jesus," the court of Rome has been \nconstrained to yield to its ascendency, confide her des- \ntiny to its hands, and permit it to direct her interests, \nand of this control Jesuitism has availed itself in the \nmost absolute way. It has constituted the powerful \nmainspring, more or less concealed, of the whole Papal \nmachinery. \n\nTo obtain a correct idea of the immorality of the \nRoman clergy^ one must have lived, as did the author \n\n\n\nVI PREFACE. \n\nof these letters, for many years in one of those places \nwhere priests or monks are gathered. There only is \nit possible to become acquainted with the habits of \nidleness, the vain or guilty conversations and pastimes, \nthe vicious habits in which they engage ; and as re- \ngards the immorality that exists in the nunneries of \nRome, it would be necessary to have been called upon, \nas he was, in his character of preacher and spiritual \ndirector at many of those houses, to hear confessions ; \nto read, as his duties required him to do, in the judi- \ncial records of the vicariate, and in those of the " con- \ngregation" of the bishops and the regular clergy, the \nnumerous instances of the public disorders of priests, \nmonks, and nuns. We do not say that there were no \nexceptions, but it was not on this side that the greater \nnumber of cases appeared. To understand the re- \nligion of Rome as a religion of money, one must visit \nRome, and proceed to the \'\'Datario," where all the \nbishoprics of the world are for sale ; where the prices \nof ecclesiastical benefices and matrimonial dispensa- \ntions are bargained for; or to the ojice of briefs^ \nwhere all other dispensations are for sale. For such \ndetails, we refer to a statement published by the au- \nthor of these letters three or four years since, contain- \ning a calculation of ecclesiastical revenues in the lit- \ntle Roman State. The perquisites of the clergy alone \namount to more than seventeen miUions of francs, not \nincluding the property called ecclesiastical, the pro- \nceeds of the \'^Datario," the briefs, indulgences, bene- \nfices, etc. With regard to the doctrines of Popery, \nwe should seek them, not in the writings of Wiseman \nand Bossuet, nor in any works prepared with a view \n\n\n\nPREFACE. Vll \n\nto allure Protestants ; we must go to Rome itself, and \nthere we shall find two doctrines \xe2\x80\x94 the one official^ and \nthe other actual or practical. Thus Bossuet, for ex- \nample, pretends that the Roman Church does not pro- \nhibit the reading of the Bible, and yet you will see \nthis book put in the \'\' Index" among the most dan- \ngerous of writings, and you will find all the Popes in \ntheir encyclical letters fulminating against it, without \neven excepting the New Testament as translated by \nMartini, Archbishop of Florence. Bossuet denies that \nin the Roman Church crosses, images, or relics are wor- \nshiped ; but go to Rome, and there you will see the \nPope himself prostrated in prayer before crosses, rel- \nics, and images. It is at Rome only that Popery \nJesuitized^ so to speak, can be known in its essential \nform ; it is at the office of the Secretary of State, at \nthe " chancery of extraordinary ecclesiastical affairs," \nthat this whole mystery of iniquity unveils itself. \nThere may be perceived the artifices employed to gain \nover all the kingdoms of the earth, not to Jesus Christ, \nbut to the Pope ; the conspiracies organized or toler- \nated for the attainment of this end. There may be \nwitnessed the meetings at the General of the Jesuits, \nwhere news from the whole world is brought, and \nwhere the reverend fathers rub their hands with de- \nlight when they learn the new conquests of infidelity ; \nwhere they invoke universal disorder, universal irre- \nligion, so that the way may be opened to the ravages \nand the triumphs of the Popish system. \n\nThe love of art, luxury, and sensuality is turned to \naccount by the Popery of Jesuitism with a wonderful \nshrewdness. The Jesuits know full well that man is \n\n\n\nVlll PREFACE. \n\ncarnal ; that the natural man receiveth not the things \nof the spirit, neither can he know them, because thej \nare spiritually discerned. Thus thev have substituted \nfor the worship in spirit and truth taught by Scripture \na material, sensual, and lying worship. Their policy \nproclaims liberty of the conscience and religious free- \ndom in those countries where they can profit by the \npossession of those rights, but it denounces them with \nthe utmost bitterness at home. \n\nOur preface would be lengthened into a book should \nwe attempt to enumerate all the monstrosities con- \ntained in this combination of Popery and Jesuitism. \nIt was the author\'s design to enlarge considerably the \nplan of this correspondence by including a more com- \nplete consideration of the Romish controversy, and a \nmore extended analysis of the monuments, ceremonies, \nand usages of Eomanism, but the epistolary form is \nill adapted to such a work, and he has confined him- \nself to the points noticed in the following letters. \n\nIn view of the facts quoted and the opinions ex- \npressed by the author in this correspondence, the read- \ner is justified in inquiring from what sources he has \ngained a knowledge of them, and what confidence they \nmerit. To this question the author replies openly that \nhe is a Roman by birth. He lived nearly twenty-two \nyears in one of those establishments where there resided \na certain number of priests who bore close relations \nwith the Jesuits. He himself, in the early part of his \ncareer, was among their warmest friends. He regarded \nthem as the supporters of religion until he became \naware of what religion itself was. For fifteen years \nhe occupied the confessional. For eight years he was \n\n\n\nPREFACE. IX \n\nthe curate of one of the principal parishes of Rome, \nthe Magdalene. Being esteemed by his ecclesiastical \nsuperiors, he was often intrusted with important mis- \nsions. He was called upoi^to visit most of the mon- \nasteries in Rome as preacher and confessor. He was \nProfessor of Theology, Emeritus Censor of the Acade- \nmy of Theology in the Roman University, and a mem- \nber of many other academies. He was chosen by Car- \ndinal Micara, dean of the Holy College and a man uni- \nversally respected, to examine his clergy. Finally, as \nregards the Inquisition, he filled during ten years the \nofiice of qualificatory that is, theologian of the Roman \nInquisition. There could exist in that institution no \nsecret with which he was not acquainted. He has \nvisited the prisons, received denunciations, confessed \nculprits, prepared all the papers necessary for the judg- \nment of cases upon which he was called to give his \nopinion. He speaks, therefore, of all these things, not \nfrom hearsay or report, but from actual experience. \n\nPerhaps the reader will inquire his motives for aban- \ndoning so brilliant a position on the road to the high- \nest honors, and exchanging it for the humble career of \na simple preacher of the Gospel \xe2\x80\x94 for a position that \nhas not always placed him above want. The author \nwill only reply that he preferred the glory which comes \nfrom God to that given by man, eternal good to mate- \nrial wealth, peace of conscience with Jesus to the peace \nof the world. This is the secret of his conversion. \nHow many years the combat lasted, how his eyes be- \ncame opened to the light \xe2\x80\x94 this is what he will narrate \nlater, perhaps, when he may judge it useful to the \ncause to which he has devoted his life. For the pres- \n\nA 2 - \n\n\n\nX PKEFACE. \n\nent, he will speak only of that cause which alone has \ninduced him to take up the pen. \n\nTo justify the motives alleged for his own sincerity, \nthe author should, perhaps, add that he never had occa- \nsion to make the slightest complaint of his superiors. \nThey have always surrounded him with their esteem and \nconsideration until his conversion. His conduct might \npossibly bear the stamp of ingratitude, were it not for \nthis word of Peter (Acts, v., 29), which justifies him \nfully, \'\'We ought to obey God rather than men." \n\nThe framework of these letters is fictitious ; the \nthree principal individuals represent the three doctrin- \nal systems brought upon the stage. Catholicism^ sin- \ncere and honest, is represented by ^\'^ Ahhe; it is the \nideal of that class of students who abound in Rome, \nand who are trained to go forth on propagandist mis- \nsions in Protestant countries. Evangelical religion is \nrepresented by the Waldensian Pasquali^ and M. Man- \nson is an honest specimen of the Puseyite or TractOn \nWa^i, with whose opinions and tendencies toward the \nChurch of Rome every one is acquainted. \n\nAs for the other persons who make their appearance \nin these letters, they are actual and real ; their por- \ntraits are true ; to each of them the author could afiix \na proper name. The same is true as regards the cir- \ncumstances and incidents mentioned. Evidence of the \nmost unquestionable character might, were it necessa- \nry, be adduced to demonstrate the reality of them all. \nThe author has also in his possession all the original \ndocuments relating to the various offices of trust he \nhas filled, and the missions upon which he has been \nemployed. He has the certificates of his irreproach- \n\n\n\nPREFACE. XI \n\nable conduct, given him up to his departure from \nRome. \n\nFinally, for the benefit of those who might be sur- \nprised to find that he should have penetrated so far \ninto the mysteries of Jesuitism, the author will say \nthat he has three times performed the exercises of \nSaint Ignatius, mentioned in the first letter, each at \nan interval of several years : the first of these at the \nperiod of his early enthusiasm for the Jesuits, the sec- \nond when the study of the Word had begun to raise \ndoubts in his mind, and the third with the design of \na critical examination, to explore and fathom this mys- \ntery of iniquity, and to be better armed for its attack. \n\n\n\nROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nFIRST LETTER. \n\nHENKY TO EUGENE. \n\nRome, November, 1846. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 ^You have good reason to com- \nplain of my neglect in failing to write to you. Alas ! \nwhat could I do ? In my term of study I had not a \nmoment to dispose of; but, now that we are entering \nupon the autumn vacation, I shall write you so much \nand so often that perhaps your patience may be ex- \nhausted. \n\nYou ask me to tell you what I think of the new \nPope. You know that I am but little acquainted with \npolitics, that I live a very retired life, and that my in- \ntercourse with others is limited to discussions with the \ngood Jesuit fathers, my teachers, my \'\' directors,"* and \nmy friends. You will understand from this that you \nhave come to the wrong person for information about \nwhat you wish to know. However, I may say that \nour good fathers assure me that the concessions made \nby the new Pope will eventually procure great injury \nto our most holy religion. You are a Protestant, ed- \nucated in the pernicious doctrine oifree inquiry. You \n\n* The " director" is the spiritual adviser or confessor of a devout \nRoman Catholic. \n\n\n\n16 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nwill smile, perhaps, at these fears ; but if, like me, you \nhad been so happy as to have been born in the bosom \nof the Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Church, you \nwould be aware that the religion of Jesus Christ is a \nyoke (a light yoke, indeed \xe2\x80\x94 St. Matthew, ch. xi., 30 \xe2\x80\x94 \nbut still a yoke) that should not be made too easy \xe2\x80\x94 that \nshould weigh upon the neck, and constrain, lovingly \nindeed, but effectually and positively ; for to yield much \nliberty to the people is to throw off the bridle from the \ncolt\'s neck. The Holy Father, by permitting all those \n"liberals," who are so many devouring wolves, to re- \nturn into his States, appears to be committing a great \npiece of imprudence, and imperiling the flock of Christ \nconfided to his care. \n\nBut, my good friend, as for myself, I am occupied \nwith one thing only, the salvation of my soul. My \nteachers seem to be satisfied with my progress, and I \nhope by next year to return to my country. Oh ! if \nI could only clasp you in my arms as a brother in \nChrist ! But I do not despair ; you are good, your \nheart is right, and I have great hopes of you. Mean- \nwhile, I am going to relate to you my experience for \nsome time past ; and you will see how unjustly the \ngood fathers of the Company of Jesus are calumniated \nby many. \n\nIn the autumn vacation I was fortunate enough to \nbe admitted to practice the spiritual exercises of St. \nIgnatius in the religious house of St. Eusebius. There \nwere fifty of us belonging to the ecclesiastical order, \namong whom were Cardinal B., four prelates, a good \nmany monks, a few curates, and all the rest were priests, \nwith the exception of myself, who had but received \n\n\n\nEXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS. 17 \n\nthe tonsure.* We all entered on the 22d of Oc- \ntober. \n\nThe church and the convent of St. Eusebius were \ngiven to the Father Jesuits by Leon XII. They are \nsituated on the Esquiline HiU, and cover a great part \nof the site of the ancient baths of Gordian, of which a \nfew vestiges are still to be seen. The convent, or re- \nligious house, was destined by these good fathers to \nserve as a retreat for such persons as desired to prac- \ntice the exercises of St. Ignatius, and at different pe- \nriods of every year it is filled with pious persons, who \ndevote ten days to these exercises. \n\nThere is nothing like this in your religion, which is \nthe very reason why I wish to describe it to you in de- \ntail and exactness, so that you may be able to have an \nidea of it, and to j)erceive the precious resources we \npossess, and that you Protestants are deprived of. \n\nEight days, at least, before the day fixed for admis- \nsion, the candidate must procure a ticket; for these \ngood fathers desire to acquaint themselves beforehand, \nby means of good Christian persons, respecting aU that \nconcerns the individual who seeks to enter upon these \nholy exercises, and this with the sole view of ascer- \ntaining the best method in which to direct his con- \nscience. Hardly have you passed the threshold of the \nsacred house when two fathers come forward to greet \nyou with religious eagerness. A domestic takes your \nbaggage, and conducts you to the chamber prepared \nfor you. Already you find your name written on your \n\n* By the tonsure is meant the ceremony of shaving off the hair \nfrom the crown of the head, performed when persons are admitted \nto holy orders of the Roman Catholic Church. \n\n\n\n18 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\ndoor in large letters, upon a card fastened in an ele- \ngant little frame. The chamber is simply furnished. \nA tolerably soft bed, a little table with every thing \nnecessary for writing, two chairs, a prie-Dieu, a vase \nof holy water, a crucifix, and a printed list of the reg- \nulations hanging against the wall \xe2\x80\x94 this constitutes all \nthe furniture. \n\nAbout half an hour after entering, one of the fathers \npays you a visit, and seeks, by judicious questions, to \nreach the motives which have led you to visit this re- \ntreat. This he does with the pious aim of becoming \nbetter qualified to direct your conscience. This visit \nterminated, the sound of a bell calls each one to the \nchapel, situated in the centre of the building, where \nfour corridors, into which the cells open, terminate. \nThis chapel is consecrated to the Holy Virgin, and on \nthe altar you see her seated, handing to St. Ignatius \nthe book of Spiritual Exercises. In the middle of \nthe chapel, on a green carpet stretched over the pave- \nment, you see a large metal crucifix, which all upon \nentering adore by kneeling and bending down to kiss. \nFather Z., seated in an arm-chair upon a step of the \naltar, commences the introductory discourse upon this \ntext, from Mark, vi., 31 : Yeiiite seorsxim in desertum \nlocum^ et requiescite pusillum : " Come ye yourselves \napart into a desert place, and rest a while." He dem- \nonstrates the absolute necessity for a Christian, and \nstill more for an ecclesiastic, to retire often into soli- \ntude to practice holy spiritual exercises, because Jesus \nChrist himself did as much during the forty days he \npassed in the desert before he began to preach ; and \nhe commanded the apostles to do likewise, which the \n\n\n\nEXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS. 19 \n\ntext cited plainly proves. This is the reason for which \nSt. Ignatius instituted the exercises, and the Holy \nChurch recommends them strongly. Passing thence \nto the exposition of the rules, in the observance of \nwhich it is alone possible to reap great advantage by \nmeans of these exercises, Father Z. continued his re- \nmarks in the same line of thought until the bell gave \nnotice of the close of the discourse. While it lasted, \nseveral worthy fathers, full of zeal for the greatest glory \nof God and the good of souls, made a tour through all \nthe chambers, and examined carefully the baggage of \neach individual ; not, of course, for the purpose of ab- \nstracting any thing therefrom, but simply to find out \nwhat papers, books, and other objects are in the posses- \nsion of those who have entered upon the holy exercises, \nwith a view, again, to be governed by any such dis- \ncoveries in the future direction of their consciences. \nIf they find a valise that is locked, the fathers\' lock- \nsmith, who is provided with a number of skeleton \nkeys, &c., destined to this use, opens it forthwith, and \ncloses it again after the visit. \n\nThe sermon ended, each returns to his chamber, \nwhere he finds a small pewter lamp, with a single wick, \non his \'\'prie-Dieu," beside a little book containing a \nsynopsis of the sermon just heard. This happens \nafter each lecture. You will always find, on return- \ning to your cell, a new libretto containing the abridg- \nment of the last sermon. Half an hour later all pro- \nceed to supper, and thence return to their chambers. \nThis is the time which the good fathers devote to vis- \niting their guests and, conversing with them on sacred \nthemes. The day ends with an examination of the \n\n\n\n20 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nconscience, made in common in the chapel, under the \ndirection of the fathers. \n\nThe following day is entirely devoted to meditation \nand to the explanation of the great maxim, called by \nSt. Ignatius the foundation^ because it is, in fact, the \nbasis of the whole religious edifice \xe2\x80\x94 a maxim which \nhas given so many saints to the Church, and which \nconstitutes the fundamental principle of all the actions \nof the holy fathers. The maxim is this: "Man was \ncreated to praise and adore his Lord and his God, and \nin serving him he saves his soul." The old version \nstood as follows: "so that his soul might he saved.^\'^ \nBut the Holy Father General Eoothan corrected the \ntranslation, comparing it with the original Spanish \xe2\x80\x94 \nthe same that was given by the Virgin to St. Ignatius \nat Mauresa \xe2\x80\x94 which says, "in order that he may save \nhis souV St. Ignatius draws from this principle two \ninferences: ihe^ Jlrst, that every thing in this world \nwas created for the use of man, to serve him as the \nmeans of salvation, and to serve the Lord through \nthem ; the second, that man should be indifferent as \nto the choice of the means, inasmuch as the means \nshould not be considered according to their real value, \ngood or bad, but only in accordance with the end pro- \nposed ; so that if I perceive that by such or such \nmeans, which, in the opinion of worldly men, would be \nbad, I might, nevertheless, contribute to the glory of \nGod and the salvation of my soul, those are the very \nones I ought to choose. \n\nFour long discourses were given, treating exclusive- \nly of this maxim,^ and I assure you that they are not \ntoo many to uproot all the prejudices of our corrupt \n\n\n\nEXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS. 21 \n\nnature, which always wants to judge of good and evil ac- \ncording to a particular view, and not from general views. \n\nWith regard to myself, for example, a great many \ndifficulties sprang up in my mind. According to the \nrule, I wrote them down and presented them to the \nFather Director, so that at the proper time Father Z. \nmight explain them to me. The following were my \nprincipal objections : I did not well understand how \nman could save his soul by serving the Lord; for, sal- \nvation being a gift, to serve God would be doing little \nto obtain so great a benefit ; but we should love Him. \nNow, in the maxim of St. Ignatius, there is no mention \nof a gift of grace, or of love. \n\nThe good father came to me, holding in his hand the \nnote containing my observations. \'\' I can very well \nsee, "said he, smiling, \'\'that you are still suffering under \nthe influence of Geneva ; there these things are car- \nried to an extreme; but we, being unbiased, can recon- \ncile the two extremes. Eecall to your mind the theo- \nlogical doctrines that you have heard from our Father \nPerrone, in the treatise de Gratia^ and all your difficul- \nties will vanish. You will recollect that justification, \nwhich is the ground of our salvation, is a grace, but \nyou will remember also that man must prepare him- \nself to receive this grace ; that he must merit it, if \nnot de condigno^ at least de congruo. You will re- \nmember the anathema pronounced by the Council of \nTrent against Protestants who affirm that man is jus- \ntified by faith without works, ^ and also the teaching of \nthe same council,^ that man, to be justified, should pre- \npare himself; that for this preparation seven things \n\n^ Council of Trent, Session VI., chap. ix. ^ Id. ibid., chap. vi. \n\n\n\n22 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nare necessary, as follows : Faith, fear, hope, love of \nGod, penitence, hatred of sin, and a desire to partici- \npate in the sacraments. Recollect that justification is \nsusceptible of increase, as declared by the same coun- \ncil,^ by sanctification, and by observing the command- \nments of God and of his Church, and then all difficul- \nty will disappear. The salvation of the soul is a gift \nof grace,, because the principle of justification is by \ngrace^ and that we can not merit it de condigno / yet \nthe salvation of the soul depends on us, inasmuch as \nwe prepare ourselves for justification, and we increase \nit till we have acquired eternal life. As for love, my \nbrother, if St. Ignatius does not mention it, he does not \nfor that exclude it. But here, "continued the father, \n"permit me to advise you that the book of Exercises \nwas given to St. Ignatius by the Holy Virgin with her \nown hands ; it is, therefore, a revelation equal at least to \nthat of the Bible ; one should, therefore, be exceedingly \ncircumspect about criticising it. When we know that \nit is a revealed fact (and of this we have evident proof), \nwe ought not to discuss, but to submit." \n\nYou can hardly believe the good which these words \nof Father Z. did me. From this moment I applied \nmyself incessantly, and with all docility, to study the \ncelestial doctrine in the book of the Holy Patriarch. \n\nThe third day the sermons treated of the sins of \nthe angels, of that of Adam, and of all men, always \napplying the great maxim of the Foundation^ that sins \nconsist in the bad choice of means to attain the end. \nAs the lectures on this day and the two following ones \nare intended to terrify the sinner, the windows of the \n3 Council of Trent, Session VI., chap. x. \n\n\n\nEXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS. 23 \n\ncliamber are nearly closed so as to interrupt the light, \nso that we could hardly see to move about. This will \nseem to you childish ; but this solitude, this obscuri- \nty, dismay and terrify one so much that he feels com- \npelled to make known, as soon as possible, the whole \nstate of one\'s conscience. To all this are added the \nausterities of diet and privation of sleep which are pre- \nscribed for these days. All this produces a state of \nexaltation and fervor which it is nearly impossible to \nresist. \n\nThe fourth day the lectures treat of death and of \nhell. Upon entering my chamber after the morning \nexhortation, full of fervor, I threw myself on my knees \nat the prie-Dieu, and in bending down I gave myself \nso violent a blow on my forehead as nearly to stun \nme. I ran to open my window, but what was my \nhorror when I perceived that I had struck my fore- \nhead against a skull which the good fathers had \nplaced on the prie-Dieu to give me a vivid image of \nwhat I should one day become! After the second lec- \nture, instead of a skull I found a picture ; and this \npicture was that of a corpse in a state of dissolution. \nRats were running from all quarters to devour the \nflesh as it fell in rottenness, detaching itself from the \nbones ; worms and putrefaction covering the corpse, \nabove which I read this sentence : " What I am thou \nshalt become ;" and I defy the most obstinate heart \nto resist such shocks. \n\nThe evening after the lecture on Hell you find on \nthe prie-Dieu a picture of a soul damned, surrounded \nby flames, demons, and ferocious beasts of all kinds. \n\nThe fifth day the sermon treats of the particular judg- \n\n\n\n24 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nment and of the universal judgment, and that which \nGod will pronounce upon ecclesiastics especially. \n\nThe sixth day an entirely new method commences : \nthe windows are more open, the corridors are better \nlighted, the dining-table more amply furnished, and \nthe austerities are laid aside. The great \'\' meditation \nof the two Standards^\'\' and its consequences occupy this \nday, in which particular application is made of the great \nmaxim of the Foundation ; and here is developed the \nmechanism of the exercises. In this meditation St. \nIgnatius transports the Christian, in the first place, to \nthe plains of Damascus, where God created man, and \nhe shows him Jesus raising the standard of his cross, \ninviting his disciples to follow him in the way of hu- \nmility and penitence ; but few there are who follow \nhim. From thence, with a truly inspired flight, he \npasses to the fields of Babylon, and he shows you Sa- \ntan seated on a pulpit of fire and smoke, persuading \nmen to follow him in the way of sin ; and many there \nare who follow him. Man must engage with one of \nthese two chieftains, and enroll himself under one of \nthese two standards. Then he who is following these \nexercises feels himself called upon to decide between \nthese two invitations. Oh ! dear Eugene, what a sol- \nemn moment of my life was that which this day wit- \nnessed ! what a day of spiritual elevation ! God re- \nveals himself palpably to each. After this discourse \nyou return to your cell ; then all the good fathers go \nfrom chamber to chamber to keep up the fervor ; they \npresent you with a sheet of paper, divided into three \ncolumns : on the first you are expected to write down \nthe reasons which have influenced you in choosing the \n\n\n\nEXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS. 25 \n\nprofession you have embraced ; on the second, the rea- \nsons you have for being contented with it; on the \nthird, those which rendered you discontented with your \npresent state ; and in the evening one of the fathers is \ncharged to direct you in your choice. I, for example, \nwas determined to become a Jesuit, as it appeared to \nme the most straightforward and best means for gain- \ning the salvation of my soul. But these good fathers \nobserved to me that, as a regular Jesuit, I would not \nbe able to return to my Protestant country, while, on \nthe other hand, the greater glory of God required that \nI should return ; that it was there I could do the most \nfor the cause of religion, especially if I preserved in my \nheart the maxims and the friendship of the fathers who \nhad directed me, as they had directed many others who \nhad become blessed instruments. See, then, how false \nthe report is that the Jesuits seek to draw the whole \nworld into their company. \n\n"When these good fathers have obtained these pa- \npers, written by each at a moment of great religious \nfervor, and after five days of austere practices, then \nthey know perfectly the state of the conscience of each \nindividual. It is for this reason that these writings \nremain in their hands under the seal of confession. \n\nAfter this solemn day the rest of the exercises are \nof little consequence. The seventh day you meditate \nupon the whole life of Jesus Christ ; the eighth, upon \nhis passion and death ; the ninth, on his resurrection, \nhis ascension, and the descent of the Holy Ghost ; \nfinally, on the tenth, there is only one sermon, on the \nlove of God. In the morning of the tenth day the \nfather-general came to say mass, and addressed to us \n\nB \n\n\n\n26 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nan exhortation on devotion to the Holy Heart of Mary, \nand on the obligation which rests upon all ecclesiastics \nto promote this devotion as an assured means of sal- \nvation. \n\nAfter this we were dismissed by the good fathers, \nwhose eyes were filled with tears. \n\nMy dear Eugene, you have just seen with what holy \nskill these good fathers seek the salvation of souls. \nYour Methodists do nothing of the sort. If you should \ncome to Rome, and enter this holy retreat, with all \nyour goodness of heart, you would leave it a very apos- \ntle. As for me, I can tell you that I feel myself en- \ntirely renewed, and have become quite another man ; \nand, although I have not entirely completed my the- \nological studies, I have obtained, in spite of this, the \npermission to devote myself to the conversion of Prot- \nestants. I wished to commence by converting some \nof my countrymen who were here, but Providence has \nthrown me into the company of an Anglican minis- \nter. Only yesterday I began the work of evangeliza- \ntion with him, and I expect great success. In my \nnext letter I will tell you how I met him, and the re- \nsult of a discussion already commenced. Adieu, dear \nEugene. \n\nYour affectionate Henry. \n\n\n\n\nCARDINA-L-PRIEST. \n\n\n\nTHE ENGLISH PRIEST. 29 \n\n\n\nSECOND LETTER. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 I am the happiest man in the \nworld. I told you in my last letter that I had become \nacquainted with an English minister. Well, just im- \nagine I have nearly succeeded in converting him ! I \ncould never have believed that the conversion of Prot- \nestants was such an easy thing, nor that their argu- \nments were so very feeble that a little logic and good \nsense sufficed to overthrow them. Poor Eugene ! how \nI pity you ! But I hope that the facts I am going to \nnarrate will prove_ a great blessing to you. \n\nHardly had I left the house of St. Eusebius, where, \nas I told you in my last, I performed my spiritual ex- \nercises, when I went to the Church of St. Peter to ob- \ntain a plenary indulgence. After having accomplished \nmy acts of devotion, I stopped a moment to contemplate \nthe superb mausoleum of the Pope Eezzonico, a work \nof the immortal Canova. I am no artist, but the sight \nof such a monument fills one with enthusiasm for the \nfine arts. This statue of the Pope, in marble white as \nsnow, represents him kneeling, his hands clasped in \nthe attitude of prayer, with an expression so faithful \nthat you feel disposed to hold your breath for fear of \ntroubling his devotions. The artist has seized the \ninspired moment of the fervent prayer that this Pope \naddresses to God when he beseeches him to remove \nhim from this world ere he shall be obliged to suppress \n\n\n\n30 EOME, CHRISTIAN AISTD PAPAL. \n\nthe Company of Jesus, the most powerful support of \nthe Church. Two lions, the finest ever executed by \nthe chisel, present a striking contrast to the evangelic \nmildness expressed by the countenance of the Pope, \nthe principal figure of the monument ; they enchant \nand ravish you. \n\nWhile I stood in ecstasy before this mausoleum, I \nheard near me a slight movement. I turned, and saw \na man about thirty years of age, with a pleasant face, \ndressed in black, with a long coat reaching below his \nknees, and fastened down in front with a long row of \nbuttons, allowing a small portion of a white cravat to \nbe seen. This man was also occupied in contempla- \nting this marvel of modern art. \n\nAt first I took him to be a priest, but, seeing that \nhe held in his hand a round hat, I perceived my mis- \ntake. He approached, and, saluting me courteously, \ncommenced speaking of the beauty of the mausoleum, \ndesired to know the name of the sculptor, and asked \nme some question about the acts of the Pope honored \nby such a magnificent monument. " This Pope, "said \nhe, "must have rendered great services to religion to \nhave merited this immortal memorial." I replied that \nClement had indeed been a very holy Pope, and a great \nprotector of the Jesuits ; and, after stopping a few mo- \nments longer, we left the church together. \n\nI did not know who the man was, but from his \nlooks I judged him to be an Englishman ; from his \ndress I took him for a priest or a monk, who in En- \ngland are obliged to dress like laymen in a modest \nblack suit. I was on the point of addressing a ques- \ntion to him, when he said to me. \n\n\n\nTHE ENGLISH PEIEST. 31 \n\n" Truly tliis is a magnificent temple, and worthy of \nthe majesty of God. In England we have no idea of \nsuch a temple." \n\n"Pardon me," said I; "may I ask if you are a \nProtestant or Catholic ?" \n\n"I am a Catholic," he replied, "but not a Roman \nCatholic. I am a minister of the Anglican Church, \nwhich is the Catholic and Apostolic Church, because \nit retains the doctrine of venerable antiquity, and pos- \nsesses the apostolic succession." \n\nI perceived, then, that I had to do with a Protestant \npriest, and I rendered thanks to God in my heart that \nhe offered me so early an opportunity to put my zeal \nto the proof. Nevertheless, I shall not hide from you \nthat I was somewhat embarrassed, not knowing how \nto commence the conversation. We walked along for \nsome moments in silence, when I asked him, by way \nof commencing the conversation, what he thought of \nthe separation of the Church of England from that of \nRome. Then, with a deep sigh, he replied : \n\n" Oh ! that event has been the greatest of misfor- \ntunes for the poor Church of England. The separa- \ntion was a necessity without doubt, because matters \nwere treated on both sides with so much warmth, but \nit was a most disastrous necessity: the Church of \nEngland has lost much by this separation." \n\nAt this moment we reached his lodgings, when he \nshook me by the hand and said, \n\n"I like very much the priests of the Roman Church, \nand I should be much pleased to see you again, and \nto converse with you about religion." \n\nAfter that we took leave of each other. You may \n\n\n\n32 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 \n\nimagine my astonishment at this conversation. A \nProtestant, a real Protestant minister, who speaks with \nso much veneration, or, rather, with so much love of \nthe Catholic Church ! This appeared to me an inex- \nplicable phenomenon. The evening of the same day \nI went to the Roman College to see my master and \nget his advice. I related what had happened, and, aft- \ner having reflected a little, he told me : \n\n"Your English priest seems to me a Puseyite.^\'^ \n\nThen I begged the good father to give me an exact \nnotion of Puseyism^ which I had often heard spoken \nof, but which I had never clearly comprehended. \n\n" It would be rather a long affair," replied the good \nfather, "to relate the history of the religious move- \nment of Oxford, called Puseyism^ from Dr. Pusey, who \nstands at its head. If you only knew the trouble we \nhave had, and still continue to give ourselves, in order \nto sustain, excite, and preserve this movement, which \nproduces such great results in England I But the his- \ntory of Puseyism will interest you but little, at least \nat present. It is well, however, that you should know \nhow to conduct yourself with this Anglican minister \nin your discussions. \n\n*\' Ascertain, in the first place, whether you have \ntruly to do with a Puseyite, of which, from the con- \nversation you have had with him to-day, I have little \ndoubt ; but you must be still more positive that such \nis the case. To learn this, you must begin by speak- \ning of the Church and its ministers ; but confine your- \nself to the bishops, priests, and deacons ; you may say, \nwith courtesy, that the true Church is that where the \napostolic succession is to be found. If he be a Pusey- \n\n\n\nDISCUSSION. \n\n\n\n33 \n\n\n\nite, lie -will agree to this doctrine without the least hesi- \ntation. Then, better to assure yourself, you may speak \nof episcopacy as an office of divine institution in the \nChurch, and may touch with delicacy on the superi- \nority of bishops over priests by divine right ; you may \nspeak of the power of the clergy in the absolution of \nsins, transmitted by Jesus Christ to the ministers of \nhis Church \xe2\x80\x94 a power preserved by the apostolic suc- \ncession. Then introduce with prudence the subject \nof auricular confession as a practice which dates as \nfar back as the first centuries of the Church. Tell \nhim that our Father Marchi has discovered confes- \nsionals in the Catacombs, and you will see that this \ndiscovery will interest him vastly. \n\n\n\n\nCHAPEL IN THE CATACOMBS. \n\n\n\n" My son, you must not attack Puseyites with the \nBible like other Protestants ; they admit the authority \nof the Bible, but they recognize that of tradition also, \nthe interpretation of the fathers, and, above all, ecclesi- \n\nB 2 \n\n\n\n34 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nastical antiquities. They repudiate the Protestant \nprinciple of free inquiry^ and the absolute and ex- \nclusive authority of the Bible, in which you perceive \nthey are very similar to ourselves. Be careful never to \nplace yourself with him on the footing of discussion, \nbut see first whether he will agree to these points. \nIf your minister accepts them, he is a Puseyite^ and \nthen, my friend, I would advise you never to enter \nupon a discussion with him." \n\n\'^ Excuse me, my father," said I ; " but if the Pu- \nseyites admit all these things, why are they not Cath- \nolics?" \n\n" Yes, they admit these, and many other things be- \nsides," replied the father. " They admit the adora- \ntion of the Eucharist, the worship of the cross and im- \nages, with some restrictions, it is true, but still they \nadmit them, together with prayers for the dead, and \nPurgatory, besides the doctrine of justification nearly \nas held by the Council of Trent. They bestow high \npraise upon monastic vows and the celibacy of the \npriests, and desire the establishment of convents ; they \nmake use of medals, crucifixes, tapers, and approve in \ngeneral of all the usages of the Catholic Church which \nare capable of being justified by their antiquity, and \nthey desire to become reunited to the mother church, \nwhich their fathers so imprudently abandoned. And \nnote well that the Puseyites are not like the obstinate \nMethodists, who fasten themselves to the Bible, and \nare unwilling to grant any thing that is not found \nthere. The Puseyites are much more reasonable: \nthey concede the authority of the Church, and every \nthing that is justifiable in Christian an-tiquity." \n\n\n\nX DISCUSSION. 35 \n\n" Why, then, my father, do we not seek to make \nthem Catholics ? It appears to me that, with such \nprinciples, their conversion would not be difficult." \n\n^\' Nothing is more truly easy, my son, than the con- \nversion of a Puseyite ; if he is really consistent he \nmust become a Catholic. Admit, for example, that \nthe only true Church is that in which the apostolic suc- \ncession of its ministers is found transmitted by the \nimposition of the hands of the bishops, and what is the \nconsequence? That the Roman Church is the true \none, for it possesses this succession. By granting that \nthe rule of faith is not in the Bible alone, but is also \nfound in tradition and in the authority of the Church, \nthere results the necessary consequence that all the \nProtestant churches, including the Episcopal Church \nof England, recognizing the Bible as the only rule of \nfaith, are false, and that the Roman Church is the only \ntrue Church, because her rule of faith is based upon \nthe Bible, tradition, and the authority of the Church \nitself. You see clearly, therefore, my friend, that a \nlittle logic is sufficient to render all Puseyites Catho- \nlics." \n\n\'\'But do you not believe that, if all the Puseyites \nshould become converted to Catholicism, it would be \nfor the greater glory of God ?" \n\n"No, my son ; you must permit the Puseyite move- \nment to continue, so that it may bear its own fruits. \nIf all the Puseyites should become Catholics, this ag- \nitation would cease, the Protestants Avould be alarmed, \nand all that the Roman Church would have gained \nwould be a few thousand individuals, and nothing \nmore! It is well enough, from time to time, that a \n\n\n\n36 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nPuseyite doctor should become a Catholic, so that, \nunder our direction, he may more properly continue \nthe movement ; but it would not be advantageous if a \ngreat number came over to us. Puseyism is a living \nwitness in the midst of our enemies of the necessity \nof Catholicism. It is a worm which, properly nour- \nished and cared for, will gnaw at the vitals of Protest- \nantism, and destroy it in the end. England must ex- \npiate the great sin of her separation from Rome. She \nshall pay for it, be sure of that, and shortly too. ..." \n\n" But, my father, in the mean time, ou^ good friends \nthe Puseyites who die are damned, since they die out \nof the Holy Church." \n\n" Our good fathers who are in England provide for \nthis contingency: they are invested for this purpose \nby the Holy Father with the necessary powers to re- \nceive the abjurations of the dying whenever it is pru- \ndent to do so ; but if they could not, why, their dam- \nnation could not be imputed to us. The end, my son, \njustifies the means. Our aim is a most holy one, \nnamely, the conversion of England, and the best means \nto attain it is }yjPuseyism. You, who have recently \npracticed the holy exercises, must recollect that all \nmeans are good if they only lead to the end. Pru- \ndence, the first of the cardinal virtues, teaches us some- \ntimes to permit a little evil in order that a great good \nmay result. Just as an invalid permits the amputa- \ntion of a limb to save his body, so we also may be \nobliged to permit the damnation of a few hundred Pu- \nseyites that England some day may be converted. So, \nmy son, do not give yourself much trouble about con- \nverting this man ; bring him to us ; Father Marchi will \n\n\n\nATTEMPT AT CONVERSION. 37 \n\nconduct him to the Catacombs, and will show him sev- \neral monuments of Christian antiquity that will con- \nfirm him all the more in his opinions, and he will he \nable to do more for us in England as a Puseyite than \nas a declared CathoHc. ..." \n\nI admit, dear Eugene, that I was not fully convinced \nby this reasoning of my professor, and I resolved to \nmyself to make use of his advice only so far as it \nshould lead to the conversion of my Englishman. \n\nThis being decided upon, the next morning I went \nto find him. He received me with the greatest amia- \nbility, and we resumed our conversation on religion. \nI will not relate in detail this conversation, which treat- \ned of the divers subjects indicated by my professor, \nand upon which he agreed with me almost entirely ; \nbut I did not stop there. He agreed with me that the \nonly veritable Church of Jesus Christ was that visible \nsociety established on the day of Pentecost, whose \nfounders were the apostles, whose heads were their suc- \ncessors, and whose members comprised all those who \nprofessed Christianity. I drew the inference that the \nveritable Church being a visible society^ a visible body \nshould also have a visible head ; that the heads of the \nChurch being the successors of the apostles \xe2\x80\x94 that is \nto say, the bishops, there should also exist among them \nan order, and, consequently, a head of the bishops, who \nwas also the head of all the Church ; and it is upon \nthis bishop that the succession of St. Peter must have \ndevolved. \n\nMr. Manson (such is the name of the Englishman) \nperceived at once the results of my reasoning.^ He \n\n^ Newman\'s Sermon on the Church. \n\n\n\n38 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nsaw that he could not elude them, for they followed \nfrom his own principles, and that one can not remain \na Puseyite, at least logically, without recognizing the \nprimacy of the Pope, and all the prerogatives which \ngrew out of it, as well as their consequences. Then \nhe began to defend himself, saying that the Roman \nChurch had degenerated in many points from the beau- \ntiful Catholic doctrine of antiquity. I observed to him \nthat, granting this \xe2\x80\x94 which, however, I did not \xe2\x80\x94 my \nconclusions were not invalidated, for if it be once estab- \nlished that the only veritable Church of Jesus Christ \nis that in which the apostolic succession is found, and \nthe fact of the existence of this succession in the Roman \nChurch not being doubted, it resulted that this Church \nwas the only true one ; and, as there is no hope of \nsalvation out of the true Church of Christ, one must \nabsolutely belong to the Roman Catholic Church, or \nelse go to hell. \n\nNevertheless, I w^ould not admit that the Roman \nChurch had degenerated from the doctrine of antiqui- \nty ; and I repeated all the more willingly the word \nantiquity^ for, to tell you the truth, my dear Eugene, \ncontroversies with Protestants are difficult for us when \nthey must be resolved by the Bible. Tou Protestants, \nadmitting neither the authority of tradition nor the in- \nterpretation of the infallible Church, do not stand on \nthe same ground with us ; but when the controversy \nis based not exclusively on the Bible, when tradition \nand the authority of the Church are added, when you \nsee the proof of doctrines in antiquity, then the advan- \ntage is on our side. Accordingly, I asked Mr. Manson \nwhat those doctrines were in which, according to him, \n\n\n\nHOPES OF VICTORY. 39 \n\nthe Roman Catholic Church had degenerated from ven- \nerable antiquity. \n\nHere he appeared to be a little embarrassed, and \nfrom a multitude of words I understood him to allude \nto the service in the Latin tongue and the communion \nin one kind only. This, said he, was contrary to an- \ntiquity. Then I endeavored to demonstrate to him, \nfirom his own principles, that these things were imma- \nterial as to the truth of the Roman Catholic Church, \nsince they in no wise belonged to the field of dogma, \nbut only to that of discipline ; and that when once we \nregard the Church \xe2\x80\x94 that is, the bishops assembled in \ncouncil \xe2\x80\x94 as the supreme authority over the whole \nChurch, we must grant that they have the right to \nestablish this discipline, which in a word means that \nto reject discipline one must deny the authority of the \nChurch. On the whole, I thought that I should surely \ngain the victory, and Mr. Manson appeared already to \nexperience a presentiment of his defeat, when his ser- \nvant announced two visitors. \n\nMr. Manson rose to receive two gentlemen who en- \ntered ; one was a young Englishman, and the other a \nman about thirty years of age, whom I recognized by \nhis accent to be an Italian. Then, to my great regret, \nI took leave of Mr. Manson, who asked me for my ad- \ndress, and assured me that, if he had known it, he would \nhave called on me before to continue the conversation, \nwhich interested him exceedingly ; thereupon we sep- \narated. \n\nI only await, my dear Eugene, the hour and the mo- \nment to bring this matter to a termination. The con- \nversion of the man is certain. After I have seen him \n\n\n\n40 \n\n\n\nROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nand made further progress in the discussion, I shall \nwrite to you immediately. Adieu. \n\n\n\n\nSYMBOLICAL LAMP FROM THE CATACOMBS. \n\n\n\n\nCARDINAL IN FULL COSTUME. \n\n\n\nDISAPPEOBATION OF FATHER P. 43 \n\n\n\nTHJRD LETTER. \n\nThe popular proverb which says, Man proposes \nand God disposes, is but too true. I had proposed to \nconvert the Englishman to Catholicism, which I spoke \nto you about in my last, and God has chosen, perhaps, \nto make me the instrument of two other conversions ; \nonly it is painful to think that this event should have \nresulted in a break \xe2\x80\x94 I should almost say an open rup- \nture \xe2\x80\x94 between my master and myself; and I fear lest \nit may have estranged the good Father Jesuit from \nme* But God will take care of this, for I act only for \nhis glory. \n\nI related to you in my last how I left Mr. Manson \nupon the arrival of two strangers. It was then noon. \nTwo hours later I received a note from my master, \nthe Father P., who invited me to visit him at the Ro- \nman College the same evening. I went there at the \nappointed hour. \n\nFather P. received me at first with coldness, but \nsoon after, assuming his ordinary paternal tone, he \nsaid to me, \n\n" It appears, my son, that you have not in the least \nprofited by the exercises of St. Ignatius !" \n\nMortified by this reproach, I begged him to explain. \n\n"What have you done this morning?" \n\nThen I related to him with simplicity all my con- \nversation with Mr. Manson. But he, interrupting me, \nsaid, \n\n\n\n44 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n" I know all that, and it is for tliis reason that I \nhave sent for you. You have not chosen to follow my \ncounsel, hut have entered on a discussion in spite of \nmy advice, and you have compromised every thing." \n\nI could not understand how the victory, all but cer- \ntain, which I had gained, could have produced so much \ninjury, and I asked humbly for further explanation. \n\n" My son," replied the good father, " if you had fol- \nlowed the directions which I gave you, you would not \nhave made so long a visit. These two gentlemen, \ncoming after your departure, would\' not have found \nyou still there, or, if they had met you, would not have \nfound you in the midst of a discussion. This visit \nwould have passed as a simple visit of politeness, and \nall would have ended well. But do you know what \nhappened after your departure? These two gentle- \nmen wished to know what this Abbe had been saying \nso earnestly. Mr. Manson told them ; then they also \ntook it in their heads to join in the discussion." \n\n\'\'Oh, my father!" exclaimed I, interrupting him, \n" let them do their best ; if the truth be on my side, \nwhat have I to fear ?" \n\n"Tou do not know," said he, \'\'with whom you \nhave to deal. These two men are not Puseyites^ but \nobstinate Protestants, who will attack you with the \nBible, and you will not know how to reply to them. \nThe Holy Church does not permit even inquisitors to \ndispute with heretics on the Bible. No, my son ; if \nyou have committed one fault, do not commit a second \none ; withdraw from this discussion ; give as a pretext \na want of time ; say that you have some business to \nattend to, and that you can not occupy yourself with \n\n\n\nOBEDIlCNCE* 45 \n\nany thing else ; only endeavor to bring the Englishman \nto me, and do not meddle any farther in this affair." \n\nAfter this I left the good father, folly resolved to \nobey him, though with great reluctance. I was really \nsurprised to see him so well informed as to all that oc- \ncurred, but, dismissing all suspicion, I went home, de- \ntermined never to return to Mr. Manson, and politely \nto excuse myself if he should send for me. But here \nI repeat my proverb, Man proposes and God disposes ; \nfor, as you will see, I could not keep my resolution. \n\nThe day after this conversation, at about eleven \no\'clock in the morning, as I was walking home after \nmy lessons, I met Mr. Manson, who was seeking me \nanxiously. \n\n" Dear friend," said he," I have need of you." \n\nI conducted him to my house. Then he informed \nme that the two gentlemen who had interrupted our \nconversation were exceedingly desirous to have it re- \nsumed. He told me that the younger one, Mr. Sweet- \nman, was a very rich young gentleman, who had \nstudied in Oxford, and was much pleased with the \nnew doctrines ; that his father had sent him to Rome, \nbelieving that a sight of the Roman court would con- \nvince him of his error, and would bring him back to \nProtestantism. For this purpose he gave him as a \ncompanion Mr. Pasquali, the other gentleman. This \nMr. Pasquali is a Piedmontese, of the sect of the Wal- \ndenses, and, as he knows Rome very well, he has un- \ndertaken to show Mr. Sweetman all the corruption of \nCatholicism. \n\n\'\'You see, therefore, that this Mr. Pasquali is our \ncommon adversary. I am not a Roman Catholic, but \n\n\n\n46 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nI can not suffer evil to be spoken of the Catholic com- \nmunion, which is incontestably the most ancient of all \nChristian communions." \n\nEesolved to follow in all points the advice of my \nmaster, I excused myself Tby telling him that I abso- \nlutely could not enter upon a new discussion from a \nwant of time. Mr. Manson appeared satisfied with \nmy excuse, and said no more about it. He remained \na few moments longer, and upon departing said, \n\n" I hope, at least, that you will not refuse me an \nhour of your time, but will come this evening and \ntake a cup of tea with me, for you have no lessons at \nnight." \n\nIt appeared to me that it would be impolite to re- \nfuse, so I accepted. \n\nAt the hour agreed upon I called at Mr. Manson\'s, \nbut Mr. Sweetman and the Waldensian were already \nthere. The former introduced me to those two gen- \ntlemen in accordance with English etiquette. We \ncommenced conversing on different subjects, but soon \nMr. Manson began to speak of the beautiful churches \nof Rome, and of the astonishing monuments of antiq- \nuity to be found there, and he concluded by saying \nthat if the fanatical dissenters who declaim so loudly \nagainst the Roman Church could only see Rome, ex- \namine its monuments, temples, hierarchy, and the maj- \nesty of its ceremonies, certainly they would not con- \ntinue to be so much opposed to it. \n\n" My views are the very reverse of yours," said the \nWaldensian hereupon," and I am persuaded that a sin- \ncere Protestant, in good faith, who comes to Rome, will \nfind precisely, in her monuments, temples, hierarchy, \n\n\n\nTHE AVALDENSIAN. 47 \n\nand ceremonies, reasons for her condemnation, and for \ndeclaring her fallen from the ancient faith preached by \nSt. Paul. I will go still farther, and sustain that ev- \nery sincere and enlightened Catholic who will examine \nthese things, and act consistently, must abandon that \nChurch." \n\nMany other things were said on the same subject. \nMr. Manson supported his statement with warmth, \nand the Waldensian, cold as ice, did not give up an \ninch, while Mr. Sweetman endeavored to occupy mid- \ndle ground. For my part, I kept silence, not wishing \nto disobey my master, who had interdicted all discus- \nsion with these gentlemen. However, I thought with- \nm myself that I could very well take part in the de- \nbate without disobeying, because it did not relate to \nthe Bible. Nevertheless, I remained silent, when Mr. \nSweetman, addressing me directly, said, \n\n\'\'Mr. Abbe, you ought not to remain quiet while a \nsubject in which you are so much interested is dis- \ncussed." \n\n"The Abbe is silent," said the Waldensian, \'\'be- \ncause he knows that the truth is on our side." \n\nAt these words I felt myself reddening, and an im- \npulse of holy zeal incited me to attack this infamous \nheretic, and teach him to speak more respectfully of \nthe holy Catholic religion. I forgot the advice of my \nprofessor, and, with voice choking with indignation, I \nreplied that my silence was caused by my pity for the \nabsurdity of his reasons, which appeared to me unwor- \nthy of any reply. \n\n"How dare you," added I, "after seeing these monu- \nments, which attest the venerable antiquity of Cathol- \n\n\n\n48 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nicism, conclude that it is false? Perhaps, for a religion \nto be the veritable one, it must be modern." \n\nThe Waldensian then held out his hand in token of \nfriendship, and said, while shaking mine, \n\n"This confirms me in my good opinion of you. \nYou are a sincere Catholic; you are a Catholic be- \ncause you think that it is right to be one; and if you \nshould perceive that you were in error, you would aban- \ndon your views, I am sure, and turn to the Gospel." \n\nYou can imagine, dear Eugene, how shocked I was \nat such a proposition. I abandon the Catholic relig- \nion! I would prefer death rather than entertain the \nleast doubt of its truth ! Then the exhortations of \nmy master returned to my mind, and I felt how cor- \nrect they were. I repented of my disobedience, and \ndetermined never more to have any thing to do with \nheretics of this sort. I awaited anxiously the oppor- \ntunity to leave this house, never to return to it. I \nmerely replied that Mr. Pasquali was a thousand \nleagues from expressing my true thoughts. \n\n"Very well," rejoined the Waldensian ; "let us prove \nit. I propose to challenge you, not by words, but by \nfacts. You may conduct us in our visit to those mon- \numents, which you think prove the truth of Catholicism ; \nwe will examine them together, and I give you my word \nof honor that, if you succeed in convincing me of the \ntruth of Catholicism, I will immediately become a Cath- \nolic; whereas, if I succeed in persuading you, you may \nremain free to do as your conscience dictates. If you \ndo not accept a challenge on such equitable terms, then \nyou must permit me to believe that you acknowledge \nyourself vanquished." \n\n\n\nDISPLEASUEE OF THE PROFESSOR. 49 \n\nI sought still to excuse myself from a "want of time, \nbut the Waldensian observed that, as it was a question \nof converting to the truth three men whom I believed \nto be in error, I ought to sacrifice every other occupa- \ntion to a work of such importance. He observed, be- \nsides, that this excuse was unseasonable, since, having \ncommenced the discussion with Mr. Manson, I could \nnot conscientiously give it up. \n\n"Besides," said he again, "we are in no hurry. \nYou have no lessons on Thursday, and you will soon \nhave two weeks\' vacation at the Christmas holidays. \nYou can, then, give us Thursday and your vacation." \n\nHaving no other excuse, I accepted the challenge, \nand it was agreed that we should begin our excursions \non Thursday. This occurred on Tuesday evening. \n\nWednesday I went to the College. Upon entering, \nI perceived the professor eyed me askance. Can it \nbe possible, thought I, that he knows already what \nhappened last night ? Who could have informed \nhim ? After the lesson, I begged the professor to al- \nlow me a few moments\' conversation. As soon as we \nwere alone, he gave me a severe reproof for my diso- \nbedience. \n\n"Be carefiil," said he; "I will not protect you \nagainst the terrible consequences this may have for \nyou." \n\nI was amazed by the reproaches of the good father, \nand burst into tears. As he appeared about to retire \nand leave me there, I threw myself at his feet, clasp- \ning his knees, and besought him so earnestly that at \nlast he seemed to be moved, and, resuming his friendly \ntone of voice, \n\nC \n\n\n\n50 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n"Well," said he, "let us endeavor to remedy, in \nsome measure, your imprudence; but I assure you that \nthis is the last time that I will counsel you, and if you \ndo not obey me to the letter, I will abandon you to all \nthe consequences of your folly." \n\nI promised blind obedience. Then the good father \nled me to his chamber to give me proper instructions. \n\nI relate all this, my dear Eugene, that you may \nknow the prudence of the good fathers, who, fearing \nmy youth and inexperience, gave me useful advice to \nwithdraw honorably from this dispute wherein they \nsaw me so inconsiderately engaged. \n\nHaving entered his chamber, \n\n"My son," said he, "since you have become en- \ngaged in this terrible affair, you must withdraw from \nit with honor. Go, therefore, to-morrow to the meet- \ning, but only to-morrow ! You must make a choice \nof some point of primary importance, which shall be \neasy to defend, and in which you may succeed hand- \nsomely. Let the theme, therefore, of your research for \nto-morrow be Saint Peter. Conduct these gentlemen \ndirectly to the Church of Saint Peter in vinculis^ and \nthere the Father Abbot, informed beforehand by me, \nwill show you the monuments which attest that this \nchurch was built by the Senator Pudens, and conse- \ncrated by Saint Peter himself. He will show you, \nalso, the chains wherewith the impious Nero fettered \nthat apostle. From thence proceed to the Roman \nForum, called the Camjpo Yaccino^ and conduct them \nto the Mamertine prison, where Peter was incarcerated. \nThen go up to Saint Peter Montorio^ and show them \nthe place where he was crucified. From thence lead \n\n\n\nTHE professor\'s COUNSEL. 51 \n\nthem to Santa Maria delta Traspontina^ and in the \nfourth chapel on the left hand point out the two col- \numns to which the holy apostles Peter and Paul were \nbound and scourged. Finally, conduct them to the \nVatican, to see the bodies of the holy apostles, and to \nthe Cathedral of Saint Peter. From all these monu- \nments you will deduce that Saint Peter was really Bish- \nop of Rome, and, consequently, that all the promises \nmade to Peter by Jesus Christ, namely, the keys of the \nkingdom of heaven, primacy, and infallibility (Luke, \nxxii., 32) passed to his successors; which succession \nhas been preserved down to the actual sovereign pon- \ntiff, Pius IX. Here the Waldensian will try to equivo- \ncate ; he will want to argue from the Bible with refer- \nence to the primacy of the Pope. Then you will call \nhim to order, the challenge only referring to the mon- \numents ; besides, you may be sure the good Puseyite \nwill come to your aid." \n\n"But do you believe, my father, that Mr. Pasquali \nwill give up so easily ?" \n\n\'*No matter, my son, about his yielding; it takes \nmore than that to overcome the obstinacy of a Wal- \ndensian. The only question is that you may withdraw \nfrom all this honorably. Then you must appear of- \nfended, and must reproach him for not having followed \nyour argument ; you must feign impatience, and re- \ntire; in this manner you can get out of the affair." \n\nI know that all that these good fathers say is for \nthe greatest glory of God ; but I will confess to you \nwith sincerity, my dear Eugene, that I was little dis- \nposed to follow their counsel ; it appeared to me to be \ncowardice thus to abandon the Held of battle. \n\n\n\n52 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nThe father perceived my trouble, and, tapping me \nlightly on the shoulder, said, \n\n"Poor Henry ! you are really unlucky in this first \ntrial of your missionary life ; you commence with a \nPuseyite, whom you ought not to convert, and with an \nobstinate and knowing Waldensian, with whom you \nshould not risk yourself. But do not be dis- \ncouraged ; another time you will have better luck." \n\n" But could I not\xe2\x80\x94" \n\n" No," retorted the father, sharply, interrupting me ; \n" you can not, you ought not to do differently from \nwhat I have told you to do. Do you know what will \nhappen if you do not obey ? You will be embarrass- \ned by questions from which you can not extricate your- \nself. From the antiquities, he will pass to the Bible, \nand make use of it with the pernicious art that these \nheretics possess ; the result will be that the Puseyite \nwill abandon us and return to Protestantism, that Mr. \nSweetman will bury himself deeper in his errors, and \nthat you will have made the victory easy to the tri- \numphant Waldensian ! And you, what will become of \nyou ? Recollect that at Rome there is an Inquisition \nnot only for heretics, but also for every one who does \nthe least damage to the holy Church." \n\nThis said, he opened the door and bade me farewell. \n\nAt this conversation I was beside myself; the last \nwords of my professor terrified me. \n\nLeaving the College, therefore, I returned home, \nwhere I found a note from the secretary of the deputy \ncardinal, who ordered me to appear immediately at the \nChancery to receive orders from his eminence concern- \ning me. \n\n\n\nCITED BEFOEE THE DEPUTY CARDINAL. 53 \n\nWhen an ecclesiastic is cited at the Chancery in this \nmanner, it is a proof that he has been accused of some \nwrong action. \n\nI hastened thither, therefore, and found there a few \npriests, who measured me from head to foot with a sar- \ndonic smile. One of them, a man of gigantic size, told \nme I must speak with the canon secretary, and I was \nimmediately ushered into his room. The secretary to \nwhom I refer is a priest seventy or eighty years of \nage. This venerable man, who is the model and mir- \nror of all the priests of Rome, cherished by the Pope, \nbeloved by all the cardinals, respected, I may almost \nsay adored, by the w^hole clergy, a zealous preacher, \nan indefatigable confessor, appears always the same, \nfrom the morning, when he rises to say mass, till the \nevening, which he ends invariably with a game of \ncards. Having been announced and introduced, the \ngood canon made me sit down by his side ; then he \nsaid he was grieved at being obliged to reprimand me, \nbut that his office obliged him to do so ; then, after \nmany words, he gave me to understand that the depu- \nty cardinal was rather uneasy about me, because on \nthe preceding evening I had had a conversation with \nthree Protestants whom he forbade me again visiting. \n"You are acquainted," he added, "with the canons \nof the third and fourth of the holy councils of Lateran, \nwhich forbid even to salute heretics ; and you, my \nson, you \xe2\x80\x94 you have taken tea with them ! ! An ec- \nclesiastic ! What does this mean ?" \n\nAs for me, at that moment I knew no longer to \nwhich world I belonged. Accused, blamed, menaced \nfrom all sides for an action that appeared to me the \n\n\n\n54 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nbest I had ever performed, I could no longer resist the \nviolence of my grief; a convulsive fit of tears suffo- \ncated me. The canon called for aid, and the chamber \nwas soon filled with priests. Having recovered my \nsenses, I begged the good priest to listen to me, every \none present retiring. I related to him all that had \npassed. When I had finished, he said, \n\n\'\' Reassure yourself, my son : the vice-cardinal was \ndificrently informed ; but I have confidence in what \nyou tell me, and, although I have not the power to \nchange the order of the cardinal, yet I will assume the \nresponsibility ; his eminence is a reasonable man, and \nI will easily persuade him. Continue, therefore, my \nson, your work, but do it prudently ; I tell you this \nfrom charity, for, personally, you can not, in any event, \ncompromise the cause of the Church, because you have \nno official character. Only be careful of yourself, my \nson, and, before commencing any discussion with these \nheretics, recite three times an Ave Maria to the holy \nVirgin, who, as the Church teaches, has alone con- \nfounded all heresies ; then fear nothing." - \n\nThus spoke this worthy priest. \n\nAs for me, having become more quiet, I resolved to \nfollow his advice rather than that of my master, and I \nreturned home better satisfied. To-morrow our first \nvisit to the Roman antiquities will take place, and the \nday after I will write you the result. \n\nWith the best love of your affectionate friend, \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\nVISIT TO THE MONUMENTS. 55 \n\n\n\nFOURTH LETTER. \n\nRome, January, 1847. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 ^You touched me to the quick \nin your last by telling me that, if I had not kept my \nword by informing you of the result of my discussion \nwith the Waldensian, it was doubtless because he \nhad reduced me to silence ; but you wounded me still \nmore by the suspicion you express in predicting that \nthe discussion will end in what you call my conversion \nto Protestantism. No, dear Eugene, before harboring \nfor one instant the thought of abandoning my holy \nreligion, I pray God to hasten my death. \n\nIf I have remained a whole month without writing \nto you, it is because I was waiting to be able to re- \nlate in a few words the issue of the debate with the \nWaldensian. But since you press me so hard, I am \ndetermined to write you how things stand, and I do \nit with complete frankness, confiding in your friend- \nship, convinced that you will not use my letters to \ncompromise me, and persuaded, on the other hand, \nthat I shall be able definitively to announce to you my \nvictory over the Waldensian. I will relate, therefore, \nwith all sincerity, what occurred during our visit to \nthe monuments. \n\nOn the day agreed upon, we went, in the first place, \nto the church of Saint Peter in vinculis^ situated on \nthe southern point of the Esquiline Hill. A superb \nportico of fine arcades forms the entrance to this mag- \nnificent church, whose architecture is both cheerful and \n\n\n\n56 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nmajestic. I shall not describe to you the beautiful \npicture of Saint Augustine, by Guercino, nor that rep- \nresenting the deliverance of Saint Peter from prison, \nby Domenichino ; but the chef d\'oeuvre of Michael An- \ngelo, the statue of Moses, destined for the mausoleum \nof Julius II. (which was never built), eclipses every \nthing else in this church. Messrs. Manson, Sweet- \nman, and I stood in admiration before this statue, \nwhich shows how high the inspiration of art can at- \ntain. During this, the Waldensian smiled at our en- \nthusiasm ; then, touching me gently on the shoulder, \nhe said, \n\n" Sir Abbe, I beg you to explain this contradiction. \nTour Church says that churches are holy places con- \nsecrated to the Lord, and it applies to the material \npart of them all that is written concerning the Temple \nof Jerusalem. How is it, then, that your temples are \ntransformed into exhibitions of the fine arts, and mu- \nseums, and are thereby exposed to profanation ?" \n\nI replied that these statues were placed in the \nchurches to excite the devotion of the people. \n\n"A very commonplace remark," interrupted the \nWaldensian; "but let us not enter so soon upon the \nquestion of images. I maintain that, even should I \nagree to what you say, this monument is surely not \nplaced here to incite to devotion." \n\n" Magnificence," I replied, " is well suited to the \nhouse of God." \n\n"Yes," he rejoined; "but it is written that it is \nholiness that becometh the house of the Lord." \n\nAfter this we passed into the sacristy, where the \nFather Abbot was waiting for us ; he received us with \n\n\n\nTHE CHAINS OF SAINT PETER. 57 \n\nceremonious politeness. Here stands a beautiful mar- \nble altar, upon which is placed a small but finely \nsculptured shrine, also in marble. The Father Abbot \nhad four tapers lighted, and, after putting on his sur- \nplice and stole, he opened the shrine and took out a \nbeautiful urn of rock crystal, containing the chains of \nSaint Peter. Then he related how, in the fifth cen- \ntury, Jxivenal^ patriarch of Jerusalem, had sent as a \npresent to Pope Leo I. the chain with which St. Paul \nhad been bound in Jerusalem by the order of Herod ; \nhe added that this chain having been placed by the \nside of the one with which Saint Peter was bound in \nRome by the order of Nero, the two chains spon- \ntaneously united themselves, and ever after formed but \none chain ; thereupon that the Empress Eudoxia, wife \nof Valentinian III., constructed this church on the site \nof the ancient temple built by Pudens, and consecra- \nted it to Saint Peter. \n\n"Is this account well authenticated?" asked the \nWaldensian. \n\n" To presume to doubt it," replied the abbot, *\'you \nmust doubt the clearest evidence. If you will take the \ntrouble to come up to my apartment, I will show you \nthe documents." \n\nWe went up, therefore, into the chamber of the ab- \nbot, who took from his library the first volume of the \nworks of the learned Tillemont, and read from page \n172 as follows: "Tradition says that Peter convert- \ned, while in Eome, the Senator Pudens ; that he lived \nin his house, and consecrated it, so that it became the \nfirst church in Rome, under the name of Saint Peter \nin viiiculisJ\'\'* \n\nC 2 \n\n\n\n68 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nAt this I was delighted, and I admired the wisdom \nof my master for having so well planned and directed \nmy visit to the monuments. Mr. Manson exclaimed, \n\n"Ah! truly Rome is the only place where one can \ngain a thorough knowledge of holy antiquities." \n\nThe Waldensian, with his accustomed coolness, re- \njoined, \n\n"But do you believe. Father Abbot, that Tillemont \nreally placed confidence in such a fact ?" \n\n"What a question!" replied the abbot; "Tille- \nmont based his statements on tradition.", \n\n"Very well," proceeded the Waldensian; "let me \nlook, if you please, at the second volume of Tille- \nmont." \n\nAnd, having received it, he opened at page 616, and \nshowed that Tillemont founded his assertion on the \napocryphal book of the Pastor^ attributed to Hermas ; \nthen he demonstrated that all the events related by \nHermas took place in the time of Antoninus, that is, \nabout the middle of the second century, from which, if \nwe were to rely upon this tradition, we must conclude \nthat Saint Peter lived in the house of Pudens in the \nyear 150 after Christ ! \n\nThe Father Abbot and I were overwhelmed with \ndismay at this observation ; nevertheless, the good fa- \nther did not lose courage, and drew from a bureau an \nold Martyrology, bound in parchment, with illumina- \nted capitals, and opening it at the date of the 1st of \nAugust, he read these words in Latin : " Consecration \nby Saint Peter, the apostle,, of the first church built \nin Rome." \n\nThe Waldensian took the Martyrology to examine \n\n\n\nSAINT PETER IN ^NCULIS. 59 \n\nit, and perceived from the writing and the illumina- \ntions that it was a work of the fourteenth century. \n\n*\'But," said he, " a document posterior by fourteen \ncenturies to the fact to be proven is a testimony whol- \nly useless, Mr. Abbot." \n\n\'\'Very well ; here is another of the Cardinal Bona," \nrejoined the abbot, producing a book of the Liturgies \nof the said cardinal, "which contains the history of \nthis church written by one of our canons." \n\n"All these testimonies, my reverend father," said \nthe Waldensian, " are modern ; but let us not depart \nfrom Tillemont, if you please. Look at what is writ- \nten in page 504 ; read it \xe2\x80\x94 read it, Sir Abbot. We can \nnot believe that the Christians had any churches or \nedifices constructed with a view of their meeting for \nthe performance of religious exercises until after the \npersecution of Severus, about the year 230; and," \nadded the Waldensian, " I could prove by quotations \nfrom all the fathers of the first centuries that the \nChristians did not possess a single church until the \nend of the third century." \n\nThe Father Abbot at these words turned as red as \nfire ; and I, burning with rage and unable to contain \nmyself, said to the Waldensian, \n\n"And as for the chains, sir, have you still other ob- \njections to make ?" \n\n" None at all ; and one must be deprived of his \nsenses not to agree that what I have under my eyes \nis really a chain ; but to be reasonably persuaded that \nthis was Saint Peter\'s chain, you must, in the first \nplace, know why, instead of the two chains with which \nSaint Peter was bound, there remains but one. Be- \n\n\n\n60 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nsides, who preserved this chain ? Was it Herod ? or \nthe Jews ? or the Christians ? We should know how, \nat the ruin of Jerusalem, when every thing was de- \nstroyed, this chain alone was preserved ? As regards \nthe Roman one, you must show that Peter really was \nat Rome ; for, if he never came there, how could he \nthere have been chained ? Besides, I will ask, who \npreserved this chain ? Nero ? But he was not suf- \nficiently pious for that. The Christians? But who \nwould have been hardy enough to ask for it ? And if \nthey had dared to do so, you know too well that at \nthat epoch the worship of relics was held to be sacri- \nlegious. It suffices to read TertuUian, Origen, and \nJustin the Martyr to be convinced of this. Thus, Sir \nAbbe, let us pass to the examination of some other \nmonument, for this one can not in any way convince \nme." \n\nThis first experience showed me that I had to do \nwith a man better posted on the subject than myself, \nand I perceived then how judicious was the advice of \nmy master. I looked for some way to extricate my- \nself from the difficulties into which I had plunged, and \nI should have been happy if he had borrowed some of \nhis arguments from the Bible, so as to enable me to \naccuse him of breaking the agreement, and to escape \nwith honor. For this purpose, instead of conducting \nhim to the church of Saint Peter in carcere^ according \nto the plan laid down by my master, I led him to the \none called Domine quo Yadis. \n\nNot far from the city, on the Appian Way, we find \na little church constructed on the very spot where our \nLord appeared to Peter. But in order that you may \n\n\n\nDOMINE QUO VADIS. 63 \n\nhave an exact knowledge of this fact, I transcribe here \nthe inscription cut in marble on a tablet on the above- \nmentioned church : \n\n" This church, called Santa Maria delle Piante, \nand commonly Dojnine quo Yadis^ is named Delle Pi- \nante because of the apparition of our Lord unto Peter, \nwhich happened on this very spot. That glorious \napostle, having been persuaded, and, so to speak, com- \npelled by the Christians to leave his prison and to flee \nfrom Rome, was proceeding along the Appian Way, \nwhen, reaching this spot, he met our Lord himself \nwalking toward Rome. Astonished at his presence, \nhe addressed him thus: Pomine, quo vadis? (Lord, \nwhither goest thou ?) Jesus replied, Yenio Romam \niterum crucifigi (I am going to Rome to be crucified \nagain). Peter understood the mystery at once ; and \nhe recollected that the Lord had foretold that he should \nsuffer this infliction when about to give him the gov- \nernment of his Church, and, turning round immedi- \nately, he returned to Rome, and the Lord disappeared ; \nbut in vanishing he left the print of his foot on a \nstone of the pavement ; hence this church derived the \nname of Santa Maria delle Piante^ and from the \nwords of Peter that oi Pontine quo Vadis . . . 1830." \n\nHardly had we arrived in front of the church when \nthe Waldensian pointed out the inscription on the door, \nand begged me to read it. It reads thus : \n\n" Stop, traveler, and enter this temple, where thou \nshalt find the impress left by the feet of our Lord Je- \nsus Christ when he met Peter fleeing from prison. \nThine alms are solicited for the wax and the oil, and \nto deliver a soul from Purgatory." \n\n\n\n64 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nHe added, "I doubt much whether the Abbe will be \nmore successful in the examination of this second mon- \nument than he was in that of the first," \n\nWe entered. On the wall, to the right, there is a \npicture of our Savior bearing his cross on his shoul- \nders, and walking toward Rome; and on the left, you \nsee Saint Peter fleeing from Rome. In the middle of \nthe church there is a stone pavement representing the \nold Appian Way, and in the middle of this pavement \nis a square white stone, raised above the others, with \nthe print of the feet of our Lord covered by an iron \ngrating, around which is engraved the seventh verse of \nthe 131st Psalm, " We worship the place where his \nfeet were."* \n\nThe Waldensian looked very grave and left the \nchurch; Mr. Sweetman also appeared very much shock- \ned, and followed him, and Mr. Manson himself seemed \nto me about half satisfied. Not knowing what this \nsudden retreat meant, I left also. Then the Wal- \ndensian, with a solemnity of manner that startled me, \nsaid, \n\n"Mr. Abbe, I am a Christian, and I can not endure, \nunder the pretext of religion, the adorable person of \nour Lord Jesus Christ to be turned to ridicule, nor \nsuch an abuse made of the Word of God to incite peo- \nple to the worship of a stone.^\' \n\nI endeavored to justify the matter, but they all turn- \ned against me: so I kept silence. From thence we \npassed on to the Church of St. Peter in carcere. It is \nthe subterranean prison, the Mamertine itself, where \n\n* The quotation is made from the Yulgate ; the passage thus ren- \ndered in that version occurs in onr Bibles in the 132d Psalm. \n\n\n\nSAINT PETER IN CARCERE. 65 \n\nan altar is raised, and which goes by the name of the \nChurch of Saint Peter in cartere. You descend by an \neasy staircase of modern construction to the gate of the \nprison, above which you read an ancient inscription of \nthe time of Augustus, when it was restored. From the \nrirst subterranean prison you go down to the second \nby a small staircase. While descending, I pointed out \nto Mr. Manson the impression of a man\'s head, which \nis to be seen in the wall. It originated in the follow- \ning manner : A soldier having struck Saint Peter, the \nblow knocked his head against the wall, which, indent- \ned by the shock, the print of the head of the apostle \nremained there. \n\nIn the middle of this second prison there is a spring \nof water, which Peter caused to bubble up miraculous- \nly when he converted his guards. Processus and Mar- \ntinian, whom he baptized, together with forty-eight \nother prisoners. \n\nMr. Manson was filled with veneration at the sight \nof this holy spot. He desired to taste of this wonderful \nwater, and preserved some in a small phial which the \nguardian sold him, to carry back to England. The Wal- \ndensian said he knew very well that this was the Mam- \nertine prison where Jugurtha died from starvation, and \nwhere Lentulus, Cethegus, Statilius, Sabinius, and Ce- \nparius, accomplices in the conspiration of Catiline, were \nstrangled by order of Cicero ; where Sejanus was put \nto death by the order of Tiberius, together with Simon, \nson of Gioras, leader of the Jews, made prisoner by \nTitus. \'\'I have learned all these things from history; \nbut history does not mention the imprisonment of Saint \nPeter. History teaches us that this prison was des- \n\n\n\n66 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\ntined for prisoners of state only, but Saint Peter was not \nsuch. History tells us that he who entered never came \nout alive; therefore Peter was not imprisoned here; \nfor, by your own supposition, this was not the place \nof his death. As to the spring, there is nothing extra- \nordinary in that, for in this street all the houses have \nwater at the same level." \n\nThe Waldensian observed, besides, that it was ab- \nsurd to pretend that there was a miraculous intervention \nto create this spring merely to baptize the guards ; for \nthey could very well have brought water to be bap- \ntized, without tempting God by a useless miracle. He \nremarked that it was impossible that forty-eight pris- \noners could have been confined in this place, together \nwith Saint Peter and Saint Paul, for want of room. As \nto the print of the head of the apostle on the wall of \nthe staircase, it was an evident imposture, because the \nstaircase was of modern construction, and formerly \nthey descended into the prison through a hole made in \nthe top, which let in to the prisoners air and a little \nlight. \n\nUpon hearing these reasons, Mr. Manson threw away \nthe bottle he had bought ; and as for me, I bit my \nlips in silence, for I knew not what to reply. \n\n"Well," said I at length, "let us visit the place \nwhere Peter was crucified." \n\n"You refer, I presume," said the Waldensian, "to \nthe famous little temple of Bramante at San Pietro \nMontorio ; but, my dear Abbe, shall you pronounce \nof your single authority upon a question, which the \nmost celebrated of your antiquarians have never been \nable to decide, with regard to the place where Saint \n\n\n\nCOLUMNS OF SAINT PETER AND SAINT PAUL. 67 \n\nPeter died ? Eead Bosio, read Arrighi, and numerous \nothers who have written on the martyrdom of Saint \nPeter, and you will see that many believe they have \ngood reasons for sustaining that the martyrdom of \nSaint Peter took place on the hill of the Vatican ; oth- \ners, between the Vatican and the Janiculiim ; others, \nfinally, at the foot of the Janiculum ; and there is hard- \nly one who believes that it took place where the little \ntemple of Vignola stands. There is,^ therefore, no need \nof our discussing upon this point." \n\nAs for me, the farther I went the more I became \nconfused ; nevertheless I persevered, having no honest \npretext for retiring. We went, therefore, to the church \nof Santa Maria della Trasjpontina, belonging to the \nCarmelite fathers. \n\nHaving entered the church, I called the sexton to \nshow us the columns of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. \nI knew very well where they were ; but I called the \nfriar, hoping that he would become indignant at the \nobservations made by the Waldensian, and that a dis- \npute might ensue which would release me from my em- \nbarrassment. But the very reverse happened. The \nfriar conducted us to the fourth chapel on the left, \nwhere two marble columns, leaning against the wall \nand enveloped in wood, are preserved. An inscription \nin Latin verse says, "That the two apostles, Peter and \nPaul, being bound to these two columns, and scourged, \nthe likeness of our Savior, which is on the altar, ap- \npeared, and spoke to them for a long time to console \nthem in their affliction." \n\nThe Waldensian smiled. The friar, turning round, \nsaid. \n\n\n\n68 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n"It seems you do not believe in this inscription ?\'\' \n\n"I should like," he replied, "to see some document- \nary evidence, inasmuch as contemporary history does \nnot mention the incident, and hence it appears to me \nthat it would be levity to recognize this as an authen- \ntic monument without any proof. These columns were \nfound in digging to lay the foundations of this church \nin 1663, fifteen centuries after the death of Saint Pe- \nter ; who was there, then, to attest the fact ? As for \nthe likeness, the imposition is far too gross to be be- \nlieved, as every body knows that images- did not begin \nto be in use among Christians before the fourth or \nfifth century." \n\n"You are perfectly right, sir," replied the sexton ; \n" I never believed it either. But what is to be done ? \nEvery man must have his trade." \n\nWe left the church, and, proceeding a few steps, Mr. \nPasquali begged us to enter for a moment into the \nchurch of Saint James, called Scossa CavallL So we \nwent in, and he showed us two blocks of marble. \n\n" You recognize this to be Carrara marble, without \nany manner of doubt. Very well ! Now read." \n\nAn inscription on these blocks stated that Saint \nHelen had brought them from Jerusalem ; that one of \nthem was the altar upon which Abraham bound Isaac \nfor a sacrifice ; upon the other, the infant Jesus was \nplaced when he was circumcised. \n\n"Observe," he added, "what confidence you can \nplace upon the monuments preserved in Eome." \n\nMy discouragement was increasing more and more, \nand I prayed in my heart to the Virgin Mary and the \nholy apostles that they would come to my aid. \n\n\n\nTHE COLUMN OF THE TEMPLE. 71 \n\nFinally, we reached Saint Peter\'s. As we entered \nthe church, the Waldensian said, \n\n" Since we have spoken of columns, I want to show \nyou one. Whoever has read the Bible knows that \nthe famous Temple of Solomon was burned by Nebu- \nchadnezzar, and that Zerubbabel began building a sec- \nond one on the plan of that of Solomon. I refer now \nonly to the plan. Well, come and see." \n\nThen he conducted us to the chapel Delia Pieta^ \nand showed us a column with a marble inscription, \nwhich stated that this was a column of the Temple of \nSolomon, which Jesus leaned upon when he preached \nin the Temple. Then turning toward me, with grave \ncomposure, he said, \n\n\'\' What think you of this, Mr. Abbe T \n\nI was overwhelmed ; nevertheless, I gathered cour- \nage, and led the way to the magnificent altar of the \ncathedral. This superb monument is placed at the end \nof the church, opposite the principal door. Four colos- \nsal bronze statues, each twenty-four palms high, sus- \ntain lightly, and as if in triumph, the pulpit of Saint \nPeter, covered with metal, gilded and splendidly sculp- \ntured. The four colossal statues represent two doctors \nof the Latin Church, Saint Ambrosius and Saint Au- \ngustine, and two of the Greek Church, Saint Atha- \nnasius and John Chrysostom. A group of angels, \nplaying in the midst of gilded clouds, surrounds a \ndove \xe2\x80\x94 symbol of the Holy Ghost \xe2\x80\x94 represented in the \nstained glass of a great elliptical window. \n\nThis work is so truly magnificent that Mr. Sweet- \nman, who saw it for the first time, was lost in admira- \ntion. \n\n\n\n72 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nMr. Manson said, \n\n"I hope Mr. Pasquali has nothing to say against \nthis noble monument." \n\n"We have good reason to believe," replied the \nWaldensian, with his accustomed coolness, " that this \npulpit, supported by four doctors of the Church, and \nannually worshiped upon a special anniversary of its \nown, is the chair of Soliman, calif of Babylon, or of \nSaladin, sultan of Jerusalem." \n\nUnable to brook such a sacrilegious insult, I could \nhave struck this impudent heretic, but I was seized \nwith a sort of convulsion ; my friends brought me \nhome in a carriage, and I was compelled to take to my \nbed. \n\nTo-morrow I shall narrate to you the rest of this \nadventure. \n\n\n\nTHE waldensian\'s lettek. 73 \n\n\n\nFIFTH LETTEE. \n\nRome, January, 1847. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 I resume my account of these \ntransactions where I left off yesterday. The morning \nafter the accident that happened to me in the Church \nof Saint Peter, I received a note from the Waldensian. \nI transcribe it here to give you another evidence of my \nirankness, and to show further that I conceal nothing \nfrom you, not even matters unfavorable to myself, but \nthat I open my heart to you as to a brother. Here, \nthen, is the Waldensian\'s letter : \n\n*\' Mr. Abbe, the accident of yesterday has greatly \nafflicted me. I admit that I went a little too far ; in \nspeaking to a sincere Catholic like yourself, I should \nhave been more cautious ; therefore I beg you to par- \ndon me if I have wounded your feelings by the tone \nof my remarks. Yet, although these remarks may \nhave seemed severe to you, this in no way modifies \nthe truth of the fact. I said that I had reasons \nfor believing that this venerable chair, placed on the \naltar, whose anniversary festival is celebrated on the \n18th of January, which is called the \'\'Feast of the \nChair of Saint Peter, first Pope, and first Bishop of \nRome," was the chair of Soliman, sultan of Babylon, \nor of Saladin, sultan of Jerusalem. Now I desire, \nMr. Abbe, to give you my reasons for this belief. \n"In the first place, I can not persuade myself that \n\nD \n\n\n\n74 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nthe humble Saint Peter ever possessed a chair of this \nkind for himself. I can not suppose that for the sake \nof a chair he would have transgressed the express com- \nmand of Jesus (Matt., xx., 25-27). I honor Saint \nPeter too much to believe him a prevaricator and a \nliar. He says himself in his first Epistle, chap, v., \nV. l,that he is only an elder like those whom he is ad- \ndressing \xe2\x80\x94 avfJi7Tpeo(3vrepog, Observe this, I pray you : \nhow is it possible to believe that he could have desired \nto possess a throne peculiar to himself in direct contra- \ndiction of his own words ? But tell me, if you please, \nwhere he kept this chair ? In his house ? But why, \nof all his furniture, have they only preserved this chair? \nPerhaps you will say that this was his official chair in \nthe church; but I have already proved to you that in \nthose days there were no churches, and we see in the \nActs and in the Epistles of the apostles that divine ser- \nvice was performed from house to house. You will cer- \ntainly not pretend that Saint Peter proceeded from \nhouse to house, dragging his chair after him ! \n\n\'\' But suppose for a moment (which is far from be- \ning proved) that Saint Peter was really in Eome, and \nthat he even had a distinct chair to sit upon when of- \nficiating in church, I will ask you who preserved this \nchair? Certainly not the Christians, for it was not \nuntil the fourth century that they began to adore rel- \nics. These are the reasons which prevent me from \nbelieving this chair to have been the one used in di- \nvine service by Saint Peter. Add to this the princi- \npal argument drawn from the Bible and from history, \nboth of which concur to establish the fact that Saint \nPeter never was in Eome, and you will be convinced \n\n\n\nTHE waldensian\'s lettee. 75 \n\nof the justice of my reasons for not having faith in this \nchair. \n\n"I will not obstinately maintain, what excited so \nhighly your displeasure, that this chair may have be- \nlonged to a Moslem. I said this on the authority of \nLady Morgan, who states, in the fourth volume of her \nwork on Italy : * The sacrilegious curiosity of the \nFrench [while they occupied Rome in the beginning \nof this century]* broke through all obstacles to their \nseeing the chair of Saint Peter. They actually re- \nmoved its superb casket, and discovered the relic. \nThe inscription was faithfully copied. The writing is \nin Arabic characters, and is the well-known confession \nof Mohammedan faith \xe2\x80\x94 "There is but one God, and \nMohammed is his prophet." \n\n" I can not vouch for the truth of Lady Morgan\'s \nassertion, but all attempts to refute it have hitherto \nbeen puerile and inconclusive. Perhaps you know \nwhat is considered by many as the most witty and \nsatisfactory reply; it is, that the chair in question \ncan not have belonged to a Turk, because Turks do \nnot use chairs. Every one knows, however, that if the \nTurks do not sit upon chairs, strictly speaking, yet \nthey have richly-decorated stools, on which they place \ncushions for seats. Examine, then, this famous chair, \nand if it proves to be one of ordinary form, we will ac- \nknowledge that Lady Morgan may have been mistaken. \n\n" You know, Mr. Abbe, that I am exceedingly fond \nof the good Benedictine historian, Tillemont. He was \na scholar, a monk, and an honest Catholic ; therefore \nyou can not disapprove of his testimony. Well, Tille- \nmont did not believe, any more than I do, that this was \n\n\n\n76 EOME, CHKISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nSaint Peter\'s chair. \' They pretend,\' says Tillemont, \n\' that the episcopal chair of Saint Peter is at Eome, \nand Baronius says that it is of wood. In spite of \nthis, many persons who have seen the one which it \nwas intended to place solemnly on the altar in 1666, \nstate positively that it is of ivory ; that its ornaments \nare not more than three or four hundred years old, and \nthat the incrustations represent the twelve labors of \nHercules.\' So much for Tillemont. \n\n" You will object that Tillemont is contradicted by \nBaronius. I might reply that it is for you and not for \nme to reconcile these two writers ; but I have a better \nreply to make. I recollect to have read in my youth \na little story which explains all this. \n\n" Cardinal Baronius having observed to Pope Clem- \nent VIII. that the chair exposed for the veneration of \nthe faithful as the chair of Saint Peter was not the \nidentical one, as it could not well be presumed that \nthe labors of Hercules would have been carved on the \nchair of the holy apostle, the Pope agreed to these \nreasons ; but as it was of the utmost importance that \nthere should be a chair, he substituted for the wooden \nchair one of Gothic form, and it is to this chair that \nBaronius refers. But sixty years after the death of \nthis cardinal, Alexander VIII., having built the fa- \nmous altar of the Cathedral, was undecided which of \nthese to place in it ; not the former, because of the la- \nbors of Hercules, nor the latter, on account of its \nGothic form, for the Gothic was unknown in apostolic \ntimes. Then the good Pope Alexander VIII. recol- \nlected that there existed in the depository of relics a \nchair or stool, the gift of one of the first Crusaders, \n\n\n\nTHE JESUITS SUSPECTED. 77 \n\nand, to cut the matter short, he had that one placed \nthere. ^ \n\n"As for this, a chair is but a chair, my dear Mr. \nAbbe, and, being a secondary point, it is unworthy \nsuch great consideration. I have followed you with \ndocility wherever you have chosen to lead me. Now \nI beg you will allow me to be your guide to-morrow; \nbut henceforth I promise not to engage in another con- \ntroversy. I must inform you that Mr. Manson has dis- \nmissed his servant, w^hom I discovered to be a spy of \nthe Jesuits. Adieu, then, till to-morrow. \n\n"Yours, Pasquali." \n\nThese last words produced upon me a magical effect. \nI understood at once how my master had become ac- \nquainted with all my movements and discussions. This \nmethod, which appeared to me so unworthy, irritated \nme so much that I resolved never to be led again blind- \nfold by the fathers. \n\nOn the other hand, the letter of Mr. Pasquali show- \ned that I had been badly advised in my discussions. \nWhy not allow me to choose for myself the proper mon- \numents to be visited ? Why designate such question- \nable ones? Why forbid any discussion on the Bible? \nThese reflections decided me to accept the invitation \nof the Waldensian, and I resolved to free myself en- \ntirely from my dependence on the Jesuits, so far as \nthis debate was concerned. \n\nThe next day my three friends called for me. "To- \nday," said the Waldensian, "we will visit some of the \nmonuments which bear witness to the truth of God\'s \nWord ;" and he conducted us, first, to the Arch of \nTitns. \n\n\n\n78 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nThis invaluable relic of ancient history and art \nstands at the entrance of the road called by the Ro- \nmans the Sacred Way. It is a triumphal monument \nerected by the Senate and Roman people to Titus on \nthe occasion of the destruction of Jerusalem and the \nJewish nationality. \n\n"There," said the Waldensian, "is the class of sa- \ncred antiquities that I admire, in preference to those \nthat the disciples of Dr. Pusey run after with such en- \nthusiastic ardor." \n\n"Pardon me," said Mr. Manson, "ecclesiastical an- \ntiquities should not be depreciated." \n\n"I do not depreciate them, but I put them in their \nproper place. They are of great value to history, and, \nrightly viewed, they show the date of the introduction \nof the various changes and abuses effected in the relig- \nious system. But to make these antiquities an ar- \ngument in theology or a rule of faith is, in my hum- \nble opinion, an excess of folly. If a thing must be \ntrue because it is ancient, it would follow, as regards \nreligion, that paganism, the most ancient, is the most \ntrue. We shall be judged by the Gospel, and not by \nantiquities. The antiquities which should be an ob- \nject of research for the Christian are such as prove \nthe truth of the Bible." \n\nThen he demonstrated that this monument was a \nproof of the divinity of the Word of God, as well for \nthe Jews as for unbelievers. \n\n"Let them read," said he, "the twenty-eighth chap- \nter of Deuteronomy, the twenty-fourth of Saint Mat- \nthew, the thirteenth of Saint Mark, and the nineteenth \nof Saint Luke, and then show them this monument \n\n\n\nTHE PALACE OF THE C^SARS. 79 \n\nconstructed by the pagans, who were wholly ignorant \nof these prophecies, and let them deny, if they can, the \ntruth of the Word of God." \n\nFrom the Arch of Titus we passed on to the neigh- \nboring Palatine Hill, to visit the ruins of the Palace \nof the Csesars. \n\n"This," said the Waldensian, \'\'is an exceedingly \nfine monument of ecclesiastical antiquity. These ru- \nins are the remains of two great libraries, the one Greek \nand the other Latin, where all the works of antiquity \nwere gathered, and which Pope Gregory I., called the \nGreat, gave to the flames." \n\nThen he pointed out the portion of these edifices \nconstructed by Augustus ; the part called by the name \nof Tiberius ; that of Caligula, and that of Nero. \n\n"It is written," said the Waldensian, with solem- \nnity, " \'The dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to \nnaught.\' This is the dwelling of those that were call- \ned Gods, who styled themselves eternal; but He who \nreigns in the heavens laughed at them ; for, having \ngiven to his Son all nations as an inheritance, he broke \nthe proud with a rod of iron,, and dashed them in pie- \nces like a potter\'s vessel (Psalm ii.). These founda- \ntions, the only remains of the palace of those who call- \ned themselves the masters, attest the truth of this \nword, "There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor \ncounsel against the Lord." (Proverbs, xxi., 30.) \n\nThe serious and earnest feeling depicted upon the \ncountenance of this man was very striking and attract- \nive. Mr. Manson remained silent and thoughtful; Mr. \nSweetman listened and appeared much gratified ; and \nas for me, I was constrained to respect the man whom, \n\n\n\nso EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nthe evening "before, I was inclined to maltreat. Yes- \nterday, indeed, I saw in him only an adversary and a \nheretic attacking my religion ; but now he was a man \nexpressing himself on religious subjects in the most \ntruthful and impressive manner. But, in spite of his \nrespectable character, Mr. Pasquali is nevertheless a \nlost and ruined man, since he is in error. This thought \nexcited in me great compassion, and revived my zeal \nfor his conversion. \n\nFrom hence we went to .the Amphitheatre of Fla- \nvins, commonly called the Coliseum. You know that \nVespasian, after the destruction of Jerusalem, built an \namphitheatre, the most vast and magnificent ever erect- \ned, capable of containing one hundred thousand spec- \ntators ; it served for the games of gladiators and com- \nbats of beasts ; then, by a miracle of art, this vast \narena was instantly converted into a lake, upon which \nflotillas of galleys engaged in fighting ; this was called \na naumachia. You know, besides, that, during the \ntimes of the persecutions. Christians were exposed here \nto be devoured by ferocious beasts. To-day this am- \nphitheatre is converted into a holy place. A large \ncross is planted in the centre of the arena, and around \nit there are fourteen small chapels, where fourteen \nscenes from the Passion of our Lord are represented ; \nand this is called the Yia Crucis (the way of the cross). \nThe faithful come hither to pray ; and where formerly \nnothing was heard but the roaring of lions, the lament- \nable cries of victims, and the ferocious applause of a \nbrutal populace, is heard to-day only the pathetic song \nof the believers celebrating the death of the immacu- \nlate Lamb of God. \n\n\n\nTHE COLISEUM. 81 \n\nScarcely had we entered this vast edifice, when Mr. \nPasquali seemed absorbed in a deep revery. "We look- \ned at him in silence. After a few minutes he shook \noff this revery, but still was much affected. \n\n"Oh! dear friends," said he, \'\'how can I express \nthe thoughts that crowd upon me at the sight of this \nmonument! Its builder was but the instrument of \nthe divine judgments upon a people rebellious to their \nGod. The edifice itself is a memorial of the ruin of \nthis people : it was a nation reduced to slavery that \nlabored with their own hands to construct it, and thus \nraised a mute witness to their crime and its appropri- \nate chastisement. \n\n"A Christian, Gaudentius, was the architect of this \nedifice ; and it would seem as though God had in- \nspired him with this beautiful idea, in order that, as \nno human genius had before conceived any thing so \nfair, so symmetrical, so glorious, even thus there should \nbe nothing to equal it in after days." \n\nThen he described the horrors of the games of the \ngladiators, the ferocity of the Eoman people applaud- \ning these massacres, the imperturbable calmness of \nthose monsters called emperors who were present at \nthese butcheries. Next he proceeded to recount the \ncombats of the martyrs, and in colors so lively that \ntears flowed fi\'om the eyes of each. After that, full of \na new enthusiasm, he cried out, \n\n" Oh ! holy religion of Christ ! here thou hast tri- \numphed in thy blood ! here thou hast manifested thy \ndivine power to the whole world ! But when t\\w \nCgesars persecuted thee no longer, when they endeav- \nored to share their throne with thee, then, like Josepli, \n\nD 2 \n\n\n\n82 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nthou didst flee, leaving only thy mantle ; but despot- \nism, vice, and fanaticism \xe2\x80\x94 an infernal triumvirate \xe2\x80\x94 \ntaking hold of this mantle, clothed themselves there- \nwith to reign in thy name." \n\nWe were admiring the language, the tone, and, still \nmore, the ideas of this remarkable man, when a mo- \nnotonous sound was heard at the entrance of the am- \nphitheatre which interrupted him. \n\nIt was Friday ; and we now saw approaching us a \nprocession of persons covered with loose gray robes ; \ntheir heads and faces also covered by a hood of the \nsame material, through which two holes had been made \nto enable them to see. This procession, preceded by \na cross, followed by a barefooted Franciscan brother, \nand by a multitude of women, came to the Coliseum, \nsinging the praises of the cross, and stopping to pray \nbefore each of the fourteen chapels. \n\nMr. Manson and Mr. Sweetman turned to me to ask \nan explanation of this procession and their costume. \nI replied that it was a pious brotherhood who visited \nthe Via Crucis every Friday and every Sunday. We \npaused a moment ; the friar mounted one of the ruins ; \nhis colleagues formed a half circle around him, and the \npeople gathered behind. We remained at some dis- \ntance, but near enough to hear what was said, and the \nfriar commenced his discourse ; but his address was \nso full of silly and absurd remarks that Mr. Manson \nwas shocked, while the Waldensian, happily, was too \nmuch absorbed in his own reflections to hear what was \nsaid ; so we left the amphitheatre. On returning home, \nMr. Pasquali asked us if we were satisfied with our \nvisit. We replied that we were ; but T added that \n\n\n\nAGEEEMENT TO EESUME THE DISCUSSION 85 \n\nthis manner of proceeding witli our discussion Iby \nmeans of the monuments was rather too long. On \nthe other hand, I desired to convince Mr. Manson of \nhis error, and consequently I proposed to resume oui* \ndiscussion. \n\n" Very well," replied the Waldensian ; \'\'but neither \nMr. Sweetman nor I ought to be excluded, and the \nmore because all four of us differ in our religious opin- \nions. The reverend Abbe is a Roman Catholic ; Mr. \nManson belongs to what is called in England the \nHigh-Church party, otherwise the Oxford School ; Mr. \nSweetman is a member of the Anglican Church ; and \nI of the primitive Christian Church. The aim of our \ndiscussion being not to sustain this or that church, \nbut to seek together the truth wherever it may be \nfound, the aid of each is necessary. What do you, \ngentlemen, think of this ?" \n\nWe all agreed, accepted the proposition, and resolved \nto commence the discussion as soon as possible. \n\nI admit to you, my dear Eugene, that this Walden- \nsian enchanted me ; he is a scholar, yet makes no show \nof his learning; he is a man of austere virtue, yet \nwithout affectation. The only reproach to be made \nagainst him is the error he is in ; but I hope, with \nGod\'s help, to undeceive him. In my next letter I \nwill relate to you our first discussion. Adieu. \n\n\n\n86 ROME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nSIXTH LETTER. \n\nRome, February, 1847. \n\nDear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 I have regretted my promise to \nnarrate to you fully and frankly our discussions. I \nfear lest I may injure you, and confirm, you in your \nerrors ; but I have promised, and will keep my prom- \nise. Only I heg you, before passing a definitive judg- \nment on the debate, to wait until it be terminated, \nsince, as one single letter can not contain the entire \ndiscussion, it might happen that the arguments of my \nadversaries should be given therein without my replies, \nand you ought to await these before forming an opin- \nion. \n\nAs the day for the discussion was not yet fixed, I \ntook care not to be seen by Mr. Manson for several \ndays. \n\nIn this delay I had two motives : the first was to \nprepare myself for the combat ; and the second, the \nhope that something might turn up which would ex- \nclude the Waldensian from the debate, in which case \nI proposed to myself to take Mr. Manson alone, and \ndiscuss with him the disputed points, convert him, and \nwithdraw from the debate honorably. \n\nI deliberated day and night upon this matter ; less, \nhowever, about the discussion than about some means \nfor excluding the Waldensian. \n\nWhile I was in this state of perplexity, the mistress \n\n\n\nJESUITICAL INTRIGUE. 87 \n\nof the house came to my room, and, with all imagin- \nable politeness, gave me to understand that I must va- \ncate it within three days. \n\nIn vain I endeavored to learn the reason for this \nsudden ejection from the house. I could get nothing \nfrom her but that she was obliged to obey. \n\nI imagined then, without, however, being certain of it, \nthat the Jesuits, who had placed me in this house, had \nordered her to put me out. I immediately engaged a \nroom in a convent, and left my old quarters the next \nday, so that Mr. Pasquali, having called on me, no \nlonger found me there, nor could he find out whither I \nhad gone. \n\nAt the college, also, I observed a great change in the \nconduct of my professor. He no longer paid me any \nattention, except from time to time, when he direct- \ned some sarcasm against the friends of heretics, and \nagainst such as, not having finished the course of their \ntheological studies, nor having received any mission, \nstill permitted themselves to dispute with heretics. On \nsuch occasions he cast a malignant glance toward me. \nAll this irritated and disturbed me, and I determined \nnever to mix again in a discussion. \n\nOne evening, as I was alone, I heard a knock at my \ndoor. I opened, and beheld my three friends. \n\n"Poor Abbe," said the Waldensian to me, shaking \nme affectionately by the hand, " you are watched \nclosely, and your good fathers, the Jesuits, would like \nto hinder your discussing with us. It is for this very \nreason that we have followed you up ; but fear noth- \ning. We have come to make two propositions ; you \nmay choose whichever you prefer. The first is to \n\n\n\n88 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\ncontinue, or, rather, to commence our debates either at \nyour room, or at any preferable place, on the days and \nat the hours which will be least likely to compromise \nyou ; and the second is to release you fi\'om your prom- \nise, if you desire it ; but I would have you reflect \nthat, if you choose this latter proposition, we shall have \nthe right to infer that both you and your friends, the \nJesuits, dread the consequences of a discussion which \nyou have provoked." \n\nI accepted the proposal to discuss under the pru- \ndent terms proposed, that is, that one evening we \nshould meet at my house, and the next at some other \nplace, to prevent suspicion. \n\nThe Waldensian desired that we should commence \nour discussion with the doctrine of justification by \nfaith, and that of grace, which he called the fundamen- \ntal doctrines of the Gospel. To tell the truth, this \ndoctrine of justification is the most obscure of all in \nour theology, and I was not much disposed to com- \nmence our discussion with this ; so I proposed the \nprimacy of the Pope ; for, thought I, once this point \nagreed upon, Catholicism must be admitted ; but if the \nprimacy of the Pope be excluded, Catholicism falls. \nAfter some objection, my proposal was accepted. \n\nThen the Waldensian, rising from his chair, said, \n\'\'We ought to pray for the assistance of the Holy \nSpirit before commencing ;" and he invited me to \nmake a prayer. \n\nI excused myself, saying we were not accustomed \nto extemporaneous prayer. Then he turned toward \nMr. Manson, who replied that he had not his prayer- \nbook with him. \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 89 \n\n"The prayer-book of a Christian," said the Wal- \ndensian, \'\'is a regenerate heart." \n\nThen raising his eyes toward heaven, and joining \nhis hands, he uttered a prayer so fervent and affecting \nthat it drew tears from my eyes. This prayer filled \nme with astonishment. How, thought I, can a heretic \npray with so much faith and fervor? How^ dare he \ninvoke the name of Jesus Christ with so much confi- \ndence ? \n\nAs for me, who only knew the Protestants from \nbooks and from what I had heard my\'masters say of \nthem in their lessons and sermons, I was quite at a \nloss how to understand this man. \n\nThe prayer ended, Mr. Pasquali observed that, as \nwe proposed simply to seek the truth, and not the ob- \nstinate defense of any particular system, he thought it \nbest for each one to express his ideas on the question \nproposed, and then to consult the Bible to find the \ntruth. \n\nThen beginning, I remarked that Jesus Christ had \nappointed Saint Peter chief and prince of the apostles; \nthat he had constituted him his vicar, and appointed \nhim the visible head of the Church. I added that \nthe dignity of Saint Peter was not purely personal, \nbut that it was transmissible to his successors ; that \nthus the Bishop of Rome, being the successor of Saint \nPeter, possessed the same prerogatives as Christ had \naccorded to Peter, that is to say, primacy and infal- \nlibility. \n\n"I agree," said Mr. Manson, "with what has been \nsaid on the primacy of the Pope, and I admit that the \nBishop of Rome possesses the apostolic succession ; I \n\n\n\n90 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nwould even willingly recognize him as the visible head \nof the Church, if his authority were not absolute, but \nlimited by the ecclesiastical canons. As to his infal- \nlibility^ I never can admit that, because ecclesiastical \nhistory furnishes us with the proof that many popes \nhave erred." \n\n\'\'As for me," said Mr. Sweetman, " I can not ad- \nmit so much ; in matters of religion I only recognize \nthe authority of the Bible and that of the Church. \nThe Bishop of Rome is a bishop like any other ; he \nmay be the primate of Italy, but in no wise that of the \nChurch. There would be no inconvenience, perhaps, \nin granting to the Bishop of Rome an honorary pri- \nmacy, but a primacy in fact, never ! The authority \nof the Church is vested wholly in the episcopacy." \n\nThe Waldensian hereupon drew a Bible from his \npocket, and said, \n\n\'\'For my part, I have no system in regard to this \nquestion, I believe that, in religious matters, systems \noften lead to error ; so I confine myself simply and \npurely to the Word of God." \n\nAfter this preamble, he said that the Bible appeared \nto him to teach four things on this question, namely : \n1st. That Jesus Christ had established a perfect equal- \nity among the apostles ; 2d. That he had formally ex- \ncluded every idea of superiority between them. 3d. \nThat the apostles never recognized any superiority in \nSaint Peter ; 4th. That Jesus Christ was alone the \nhead of his Church. \n\n"1. I have said," he continued, " in the first place, \nthat Jesus Christ had estahlished a perfect equality \namong his apostles. Follow me in the reading of the \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 91 \n\nBible, and you will see the proof in the following \nwords: \'And Jesus came and spake unto them, say- \ning. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth : \ngo ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them \nin the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the \nHoly Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things what- \nsoever I have commanded you ; and lo ! I am with \nyou alway, even unto the end of the world\' (Matthew, \nxxviii., 18-20; Mark, xvi., 15; and John, xx., 21- \n23). \' Then said Jesus to them again. Peace be unto \nyou ; as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. \nAnd when he had said this, he breathed on them, and \nsaith unto them. Receive ye the Holy Ghost ; whose- \nsoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them ; and \nwhosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.\' \n\n"In these passages not a single word is addressed \nto Peter personally ; they are to all and for all, even \nthe right to bind and loose. \n\n" Let us pass on to another sort of proof. We read \nthe following in Acts, viii., 14 : \' The apostles having \nlearned that Samaria had received the word of God, \nthey sent unto them Peter and John.\' If Peter had \nbeen the chief of the apostles, he would have sent them, \nand would not have been sent by them. He says \nhimself (1 Pet., v., 1) : \' The elders which are among \nyou I exhort, who am also an elder.\' Would he have \nused such language if he had had any authority over \nthem ? Perhaps you will say that he spoke thus from \nhumility ; but does humility authorize a lie ? \n\n" Finally, let us see if Saint Paul differs in this mat- \nter from Christ and Peter. In the first place, he speaks \nthus of himself (2 Cor., xii., 11): \'For in nothing am \n\n\n\no \n\n\n\n92 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nI behind the very chiefest apostles.\' And in Galat., \nii., 9, \'James, Cephas, and John gave to me the right \nhands of fellowship.\' And as to Peter, Paul resists \nhim openly (Galat., ii., 14). It appears to me that \nthese are superabundant proofs of the perfect equality \nof the apostles, \n\n" 2. But let us consider whether Jesus Christ has \nnot formally forbidden such supremacy. If we read \nSaint Matthew, chap, xvii., 15, 17, we will see that, \nfar from the Church being subordinate to the apostles, \nor the apostles to one of their number, on the contra- \nry, they were all dependent on the Church, that is to \nsay, upon the body of believers. Farther, could Christ \nexpress himself more clearly than he does in Matt., \nXX., 25-27 ? Listen : \' Ye know that the princes of \nthe Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they \nthat are great exercise authority upon them. But it \nshall not be so among you ; but whosoever will be \ngreat among you, let him be your minister ; and who- \nsoever will be chief among you, let him be your serv- \nant.\' \n\n"But," he added, "with me, the most decisive \npassage is that of Saint Matthew, xxiii., 8-11 : \' But \nbe not ye called Rabbi, for one is your master, even \nChrist, and all ye are brethren. And call no man \nyour father upon the earth, for one is your Father, \nwhich is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters, for \none is your master, even Christ. But he that is great- \nest among you shall be your servant.\' Who dares, \nafter that, to speak of the supremacy of Saint Peter as \nauthorized by Christ ?" \n\nHere Mr. Manson would fain have spoken in sup- \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 93 \n\nport of the supremacy, basing his argument on the an- \ntiquity of its recognition ; but the Waldensian, by ap- \npropriating to himself the argument, sustained that, if \nantiquity created a right and title, the Bible, being \nmore ancient than the usage, was entitled to the high- \nest credence. \n\n\'\' 3. My third assertion," continued Mr. Pasquali, \n"being negative in character, ought to be proved by \nnegative testimony, and not a single passage in the \nBible refers to or mentions this supremacy. If it had \nbeen held as a doctrine \xe2\x80\x94 if it had been a dogma \xe2\x80\x94 who \nsooner than the apostles should have proclaimed and \ntaught it ? Saint Paul mentions twice what is called \nthe hierarchy (1 Cor., xii., 28, and Eph., iv., 11), but \nhe makes no allusion to any supremacy. But what \nwould you think of a professor who, in delivering a \ncourse on the solar system, should forget to mention \nthe sun ? \n\n\'\'4. As to my fourth proposition," he added, "I \nhave no need to make quotations. Whoever knows \nthe Bible, whoever has studied the teachings of Christ, \nknows that he alone is the head of the Church, as \ntaught from the beginning to the end. Yet I will \npoint out a few of the clearest passages on this sub- \nject, namely, Eph., i., 22, 23 ; Eph., iv., 16 ; Col., i., \n18." He read these to us, and was about to cite \nothers, when I inteiTupted him to say it was use- \nless ; that no one denied that Christ was the head of \nthe Church, but that none of these passages excluded \nthe idea of the supremacy of the Pope. Christ, in- \ndeed, is the head of the Church, but he is in heaven \nin glory, and the Pope holds his place on the earth. \n\n\n\n94 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nTo a visible Church a visible head is necessary ; call \nhim the substituted or secondary head, this matters \nlittle, but he is always a head. \n\nMr. Pasquali rejoined that our object was now not \nto dispute, but to seek the truth in the Bible, and he \ndefied any one to find a single word that could author- \nize the Pope to call himself the Vicar of Jesus Christ. \n\nMr. Manson, founding his argument on the belief of \nthe primitive Church, quoted Irenseus ; but Mr. Pas- \nquali, interrupting him, said, "The primitive Church \nis the Church of the Bible \xe2\x80\x94 the Church of apostolic \ntimes ; and if you should succeed in demonstrating by \nyour authority the existence of an authority opposed \nto that of the Bible, you will only have shown an an- \ncient error, and nothing more." \n\nHowever dissatisfied I might be with the conduct \nof the father Jesuits toward me, I could not help think- \ning what one of them had told me, that when a Prot- \nestant argues from the Bible he will no longer listen \nto reason, and I would have been delighted to see Mr. \nManson join in the contest ; but he remained silent, and \nMr. Pasquali continued thus : \n\n" There is nothing new under the sun ; even in the \ntime of Saint Paul the mystery of iniquity commenced, \nand he appeared to have foreseen this invention of the \nscholastics when he wrote to the Ephesians (v. 23): \n\' The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ \ni*s the head of the Church.\' What do you think? \nCould you say the husband is th^ principal head, and \nthe wife the secondary head ? \n\n" Does it not signify rather that as the husband is \nthe sole head of the wife, so Christ is the sole head of \n\n\n\nTHE TEACHER OF THEOLOGY. 95 \n\nthe Church? But see what he says further, 1 Cor., \niii., 11 : \'For other foundation can no man lay than \nthat which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.\' And, to al- \nlow no error to creep in, he designated by what title \nPeter formed a part of the edifice (Gal., ii., 9). He \nwas a pillar of this Church, but only a pillar, and \nnothing more or less, as were also James, John, and \nthe other apostles." \n\nAs I wanted to study the question mol-e closely be- \nfore risking myself in a controversy of this nature, I \nseized the pretext of the lateness of the hour, and that \nthe convent would soon be closed, to proceed no far- \nther. Having, therefore, fixed upon the hour of meet- \ning for the next day, we separated. \n\nAs soon as the gentlemen were gone, I felt the need \nof counsel and support ; but as I could no longer have \nrecourse to my master, I thought I would address my- \nself to the teacher of theology in the convent where I \nlived ; so I went to his room. I laid before him the \nwhole case from the beginning ; and he, after having \nthought over it, replied, \n\n" The remedy is very easy ; complain of the Wal- \ndensian at the Inquisition, and the holy tribunal will \nget you out of this afikir." \n\nI was seized with horror at the mere idea ; but the \nteacher sustained that the Waldensian, being an Ital- \nian, was under the jurisdiction of the Inquisition, and \nthat I was obliged in conscience to denounce him ; he \nadded, \'\' He is a dogmatizing heretic ; you ought ab- \nsolutely to denounce him, otherwise you run the risk \nof being denounced yourself." \n\nI passed the entire night without closing my eyes, \n\n\n\n\n\n\n96 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nSO great was my agitation ; I would rather endure \nany thing than commit a bad action ; and to denounce \nMr. Pasquali, to have him thrown into prison, appeared \nto me an act of horrible perfidy. On the other hand, \nI said to myself, If it is true that I ought in con- \nscience to accuse him under the penalty of committing \na mortal sin, ought I not to do it however much it \nmay cost me ? \n\nAs soon as morning came, I returned once more to \nthe good father, to come to a better .understanding \nabout this matter. \n\n" My son," said he, " I will do you no injury, but \nperhaps some one else may denounce you. You are \na stranger, unacquainted with Rome, and you have \nbeen conversing with Protestants as if you were at \nGeneva : here it is an entirely different thing." \n\n"But," I replied, "I can not believe that I have \ncommitted a crime that could be denounced to the In- \nquisition in endeavoring to convert three Protestants." \n\n\'\'My dear friend, you judge of matters as if you \nwere in your own country. There, where the holy \nCatholic religion is not dominant, the Church can nol \nput forth all her energies ; but here, although she \nadapts herself somewhat to the times in which we live, \nyet she exercises her laws and rights. And do you \nknow what laws can be applied to your case ? They \nare these : The holy Church has the right to dispose \nof her missionaries and to make proselytes every \nwhere, because truth resides in her alone. She may \nmanifest and propagate her doctrines, but if a her- \netic seeks to spread his doctrines, the holy Church \nhas a right to chastise him, and Catholics are under \n\n\n\nINDEPENDENCE. 97 \n\nthe obligation of denouncing him, especially if the her- \netic is hardy enough to propagate his opinions in a \nplace where there exists a holy tribunal of the Inqui- \nsition. The holy tribunal then is governed by the \ncounsels of prudence ; if the heretic be an Englishman \nor Frenchman, he is quietly sent away by means of the \npolice ; if he be a Swiss, or belong to some other na- \ntion little to be feared, then use is made of all the \nholy rigor of the law. Thus you see your case is \nquite serious, and especially so in these times, when \nPius IX. has commanded the holy tribunal to act with \nthe utmost severity; and since his elevation to the \npapal chair the prisons have become pretty nearly fill- \ned again." \n\n"But, my father," said I, \'\' Canon T., secretary of \nthe vicar-cardinal, has authorized me to discuss with \nthese Protestants." \n\n" Canon T.," added the master, *\' is a good man, but \nhe is ignorant of the laws of the Inquisition ; as for \nthat, do as you like, but recollect I have warned you." \n\nDear Eugene, I can not have faith in what this fa- \nther told me ; I believe he only did it to terrify me. \nNo, no, it is not possible that the holy Catholic Church, \nwhich is a mother full of love for her children, can \nnourish such unjust and cruel sentiments. \n\nPerceiving soon that this priest received me unwill- \ningly when I sought counsel from him, I determined \nto continue my discussion without asking advice, or \nmentioning it to any one. So I went to the appoint- \ned place. But my sheet is filled, and I will tell you \nthe rest in my next. Adieu. \n\nHenry, \nE \n\n\n\n98 KOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nSEVENTH LETTEE. \n\nRome, February, 1847. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 We were to have met in the \nhouse of Mr. Manson the evening following our first \nconversation ; but, recollecting that I lived in a con- \nvent, and that I ran the risk of staying out too late to \nreturn, I went a little after midday to Mr. Manson\'s to \nexcuse myself, and to choose another hour for our meet- \ning. \n\nI found the three friends together. They were ex- \nceedingly glad to see me, and proposed my accompany- \ning them upon a quiet promenade where we could con- \ntinue peaceably our conversation. \n\nWe were then in the height of the Carnival ; but \nyou have no idea what Rome is in Carnival, and I ad- \nmit that to us strangers it is very shocking. The ex- \ncessive dissipation displayed at the theatres and balls, \nthe races, the carriages and masquerades, cause the ruin \nof a great many families ; and the orgies and debauch- \nery during these days destroy the health of great \nnumbers of persons. \n\nI will tell you how the Carnival is passed in Eome. \n\nAt one o\'clock the bell of the Capitol gives the sig- \nnal permitting persons to go out masked. Soon after, \nthe streets are inundated with a masked population, in \nthe most fancy costumes, giving themselves up to ev- \nery folly. At sunset the horse-races take place, and \nprizes of considerable value are given to the victor. \n\n\n\nTHE CARNIVAL. 99 \n\nThis race is presided over by the Roman Senate \nwith great solemnity. The shadow of that Senate, at \nwhose decrees formerly the world trembled, is reduced \nto-day to awarding a prize to the triumphant racer! \n\nThe race finished, the people pursue their bacchana- \nlian orgies in the taverns, cafes, and streets, while the \naristocracy go to dinner. Two hours later the theatres \nare opened, and at midnight, soon after the play, the \npublic balls commence. These balls are called here \n" conversazioni," and they last till daylight. Then all \ngo home to sleep till noon, and the next day they be- \ngin again. \n\nThus the eight days of the Carnival are spent in \nRome. \n\nTo tell you the truth, what shocked me particularly \nwas to see the clergy take part in these amusements. \nI do not mean to say that ecclesiastics go into the \nstreet masked ; if one of them does so, he is reprimand- \ned ; but during the Carnival there are theatrical per- \nformances and balls in almost all the nunneries ; and \nin nearly all the colleges there is a theatre which is \nattended by priests, monks, bishops, and cardinals. \n\nTo us, who are accustomed to the serious habits of \nour country, these things appear both strange and cul- \npable, but here they are looked upon as very innocent. \n\nBut let us return to the point in question. To es- \ncape from this tumult and whirl, we went out of the city \nby the Porta Pia. This beautiful resoii: is absolute- \nly deserted during Carnival ; you may, perhaps, meet \nsome old cardinal or solitary Jesuit. However, to be \nstill less interrupted in our discussion, we entered the \nmagnificent Villa Patrizzi, and seated ourselves in the \n\n\n\n100 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nopen square opposite this palace, wliicli is inhabited \nduring the holidays, \n\n"Gentlemen," said the Waldensian, "before com- \nmencing our discussion, let us first pray ;" and, tak- \ning a Bible from his pocket, he stood up, and, uncov- \nering his head, read from chapter xi. of Saint Luke, \nfrom the 9th to the 13th verse, and, after a short \nmeditation on the subject, made a fervent prayer in \ncalling the Holy Spirit to our aid, which affected me \nprofoundly. Oh ! what a rich acquisition he would be \nfor us, if this man could be attracted to our holy re- \nligion ! \n\nThe prayer ended, the Waldensian asked if there \nwere any passage in the Bible which stated more clear- \nly the truth on the subject discussed yesterday. \n\nMr. Sweetman said that he had some objections to \noffer with respect to the authority of the Church ; but \nas this was not the present subject of discussion, he \nreserved the statement of his objections till the mo- \nment came for considering the Church. \n\n"As for the Pope," said he, "I acknowledge him as \nthe Bishop of Borne and nothing more, as I recognize \nin the same way the Bishop of London." \n\nMr.Manson said, "No further remarks could be made \nif the passages cited by Mr. Pasquali were to be in- \nterpreted as he pretended. But, since all the fathers \nof the primitive Church agree in admitting the suprem- \nacy of the Pope, one is forced to draw this conclusion \n\xe2\x80\x94 either the whole ancient Church was deceived, or else \nyou are deceived. You can not deny that all the fa- \nthers have recognized the primacy of the Pope, neither \ncan you affirm that the whole ancient Church was mis- \n\n\n\nPEIMACY OF THE POPE. 103 \n\ntaken; therefore you ought to admit tliat you are in \nerror. Yet let us understand each other. I do not \nparticipate in the opinion of the Roman theologians, \n-who extend the privilege of this primacy to making \nthe Pope a second God ; I do not, with the primacy, \ngrant infallibility besides." \n\nI was awaiting anxiously the reply of the Walden- \nsian to this argument ; but he, turning to me, said, \n\n\'\'And you, JVIr. Abbe, have you nothing to oppose \nto that?" \n\n"I have, it is true, several remarks to add," I re- \nplied, " but I should like first to hear your reply to \nMr. Manson\'s argument." \n\nBut Mr. Pasquali said, \n\n"As I believe your reasons differ but slightly from \nthose of Mr. Manson, I will reserve my reply, which \nwill serve at the same time for both." \n\nThen I commenced with the celebrated passage of \nSaint Matthew, chap, xvi., 18, 19: "And I say also \nunto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will \nbuild my Church ; and the gates of hell shall not pre- \nvail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys \nof the kingdom of heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt \nloose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." \n\nI observed, \n\n"1. That Christ, in saying \' on this rock I will \nbuild my Church,\' and at the same time designating \nPeter, signified that the Church of Christ was founded \non Peter \xe2\x80\x94 that is to say, that Christ is really the prin- \ncipal foundation or the invisible rock, but that Peter \nis the visible foundation \xe2\x80\x94 that is, the head. \n\n"2. In the same passage the keys of the kingdom \n\n\n\n104 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nof heaven are promised to Peter only, with full author- \nity to bind and to loose ; and I defy the Protestants," \nI added, \'\'to show me a single passage in which the \nkeys of the kingdom of lieaven, which are the sym- \nbols of absolute authority, were promised to any oth- \ner than to Peter alone. Peter, therefore, has received \nfrom Jesus Christ the supremacy of his whole Church ; \n\' and why,\' observes the Cardinal Bellarmine, \' if, then, \nthese words did not signify the authority given to \nPeter, why did the Lord address them to him only?\' " \n\nI wanted to cite some other passages from the Bi- \nble, but the Waldensian interrupted me, and said that, \nbefore passing to other subjects, we ought first fully to \ndiscuss this one. - \n\n" Your first argument on this passage," said he, " is \nbased on the supposition that Peter is the rock on \nwhich Christ said his Church should be founded ; but \nthis is evidently false, for the New Testament is full \nof declarations that prove that Christ, and Christ alone, \nis the stone whereupon his Church is founded. Saint \nPeter himself declares it openly at two different times : \nread Acts, iv., 4 ; 1 Peter, ii., 4, 6. \n\n\'\' Besides, if you place in parallel the 18th and 16th \nverses of Matt, xvi., where Simon Peter had just re- \nplied to this question of Christ\'s, \' Whom say ye that \nI am ?\' \' Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living \nGod,\' you will see that Christ intended to designate \nhimself when he said, \'Upon this rock I will build my \nChurch.\'" \n\nI am going to give you his mode of constructing \nthis passage, for it appears to me a novel one. This \nis his explanation : \n\n\n\nPEIMACY OF THE POPE. 105 \n\nHe remarked, in the first place, that in Syriac^ which \nwas probably the language spoken by Jesus Christ, \nthe word cepha used by him signifies a stone; and Si- \nmon, named by Jesus Cepha^ or, as we say, Cephas^ \nshould also be translated by Peter (stone) ; and here \nan ambiguity would have occurred had not the inspired \nGreek text of the Gospel remedied it. \n\nFor, although the Greek word nerpog (petros) signi- \nfies both a stone and the name of Peter ^ and it would \nhave been quite elegant in Greek to say \'Ett^ tovtg) tw \nXlerpa), that is, on this Peter, if our Lord really had \nhad the intention of founding his Church on his apos- \ntle ; nevertheless, the Evangelist, or the Holy Spirit \nthat directed his pen, desiring that no doubt should \nremain as to the proper interpretation of this passage, \nwrote, \'Enl ravrxj r^ Tzerpa, and on this stone, etc. \n\n\'\'This is not my own interpretation," added Pas- \nquali, \'\'but that of a person whose authority none of \nyou will contest ; it is by Saint Augustine, who, in his \nbook of Retractations, chapter xxi., says, \' This is the \nreason why Christ did not say to him. Thou art a \nstone (petros), but Thou art Peter (Petros). Christ \nwas the stone, and Simon having confessed that Christ \nwas the Son of God, he was called Peter. \'^ " \n\n"Yet," added I, "in other parts of his work Saint \nAugustine says just the contrary." \n\n" I should like," said the Waldensian, " to have you \npay attention, Mr. Abbe, to the peculiar manner in \nwhich the Roman theologians act in relation to the fa- \nthers. While, on the one hand, they exalt their au- \nthority to the highest theological dignity, on the other \nhand they care little about placing them in contradic- \n\nE 2 \n\n\n\n106 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\ntion with themselves whenever this suits their pur- \npose. \n\n" We Waldenses, primitive Christians, who only \nrecognize the fathers as simple teachers, subject to er- \nror, and only admit their authority in doctrinal mat- \nters in so far as they harmonize with the rule of faith, \nyet respect them more than do the Roman Catholics. \nFor instance, the passage which I quote from Saint \nAugustine shows that he erred in good faith when he \nsustained the primacy of Saint Peter, but not that he \ncontradicted himself. The book of Retractations of \nSaint Augustine ought to be in the hands of every one \nwho desires to engage in controversy. \n\n"This theologian advanced many things in the heat \nof discussion which later, after a greater maturity of \nthought, he acknowledged that a Christian ought not \nto sustain. Then, a little before his death, he com- \nposed the book of Retractations, where he withdraws \nall his errors of doctrine, as in his book of Confessions \nhe deplored the errors of his youth. On this account, \nthe passage which I cited, being extracted from his \nbook of Retractations, is of much the greater weight, \nbeing more maturely reflected upon. \n-V "For the same reason, all the other passages of Saint \nAugustine which can be quoted in favor of the primacy \nof Saint Peter are annulled by this retractation." \n\n" Your interpretation," said Mr. Manson, " is entire- \nly opposed to that of the other fathers." \n\n" Even if it were so," replied the Waldensian, " you \nshould remember that we ought not to seek the truth \nin the fathers, but in the Word of God. Yet I will \nundertake to show you that such is not the case ; but \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 107 \n\nI can not do it to-day, not having a whole library in \nmy memory. For the moment, let us pursue this in- \nterpretation of the Bible by means of the Bible. \n\n"Remark that Jesus had hardly pronounced the \nwords in question when he foretold to his disciples his \ndeath close at hand ; and Peter, in a transport of zeal \nwhich certainly was not according to knowledge, en- \ndeavored to dissuade Jesus from this work of redemp- \ntion. Then Jesus, turning toward him, said, \' Get \nthee behind me, Satan ; thou art an offense unto me ; \nfor thou savorest not the things that be of God, but \nthose that be of men.\' \xe2\x80\x94 Matthew, xvi., 23. Suppose \nthat by the preceding words Jesus had really estab- \nlished him head of his Church, what inference must \nwe draw ? That Jesus called the first Pope Satan at \nthe very moment of his installation, and that the first \nwords of this pope proficred since the conferment of \nhis new dignity drew on him the reproach of Jesus as \nbeing a stumbling-block." \n\n"All this would show," I replied, "that the prom- \nise of Jesus to Peter is without meaning." \n\n"God preserve me from such a thought," replied he; \n"this promise of Jesus Christ is the most precious \nthat he ever made to his Church ; it evinces the char- \nacteristic by which that Church proves itself to be his \nown. In effect, Jesus, in promising to build his Church \non this rock, that is to say, on the absolute confession \nof his divinity-r-a confession which proceeds not from \na revelation made by flesh and blood, that is to say, \nfi-\'om human knowledge, but from a revelation of the \nFather, that is to say, an entire dependence on the \nWord of God \xe2\x80\x94 in promising this, I say, Jesus prom- \n\n\n\n108 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nised that all those who founded themselves on this \nrock would form the Church of Christ, against whom \nthe gates of hell could never prevail." \n\n^\'Dear Mr. Pasquali," said Mr. Manson, \'^I do not \nadhere entirely to the Roman doctrine, but this pas- \nsage contains a promise made by Jesus to Saint Peter, \nand to Peter alone, so that we must conclude either \nthat Jesus did not keep his promise, which would be \nan impiety, or that Peter really was established, in one \nsense at least, as the foundation of the Church ; I do \nnot pretend as the principal foundation, but at least as \nthe secondary or administering one." \n\n" Let us endeavor to find," continued Pasquali, \n" but always according to the Bible, what this certain \nsense is by which you believe Peter was established \nthe foundation of the Church, and then all difficulty \nwill disappear. Is Peter perhaps the basis of the \nChurch in this sense, that it reposes on Peter alone to \nthe exclusion of the other prophets ? This is the gen- \neral sense recognized by Papists ; but the Word of \nGod says that the Church is founded on the apostles \nand the prophets (Eph., ii., 20). Here not only Saint \nPeter, but all the other apostles, are placed on the same \nfooting as regards the basis of the Church. In what \nsense, then, could Saint Peter be this foundation ? \nPerhaps that Peter is the principal basis ? But that \nwould be a blasphemy, since a sinner would thus be \nsubstituted for the Son of God, who has redeemed the \nChurch by his very blood. * For other foundation can \nno man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ\' \n(1 Cor., iii., 11). There is only one other significa- \ntion, which is, that Peter was the foundation of the \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 109 \n\nChurch, as James and John, who were also reputed col- \numns of it (Gal., ii.,9), and as were and are the other \napostles. Jesus is the corner stone ; the twelve apos- \ntles are the first twelve stones placed on this founda- \ntion. Saint John says (Rev., xxi., 14), \' The wall of \nthe city had twelve foundations, and in them the names \nof the twelve apostles of the Lamb.\' In this sense \nonly could Saint Peter call himself the foundation of \nthe Church." \n\n"If this were so," said I, "Jesus would have ad- \ndressed his discourse to all his disciples, and not to \nPeter only ; but, having addressed it to Peter alone, \nit is clear that there was question of a privilege which \nconcerned him only." \n\n"I could reply," said the Waldensian, "that Peter \nhaving replied in the name of all to the question ad- \ndressed by Jesus to all the disciples (Matt., xvi., 13), \nit was on that account that Jesus addressed him con- \ncerning that which referred to them all. But perhaps \nthe Abbe and Mr. Manson will prefer the reply made \nto this question by Saint Cyprian, in his book on the \nUnity of the Church. \' To manifest unity, Jesus de- \ncided by his authority that this unity should com- \nmence in one of the disciples. All the other apostles \nparticipated in the same honor and power as Saint Pe- \nter. But the commencement of this unity must spring \nfrom one of them, to show the Church to be one;\'\' \ntherefore Jesus addressed his discourse to Peter, to \ndemonstrate that, although the apostles were equal in \nhonor and power, yet their power was one^ and should \nbe exercised in common, so that the faithful might say \nwe are of Christ, and not of Peter, of Paul, of John, etc." \n\n\n\n110 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nAt this point my face lighted up with joy. I thought \nI could accuse the Waldensian of bad faith in having \nmutilated this passage of Saint Cyprian. \n\n\'\'Behold," said I, \'\'the good faith of the enemies \nof the Church ! They mutilate passages, and omit \nwhat would be against them so as to appear to be in \nthe right. Why, Mr. Pasquali, did you not cite what \nfollows in this passage of Saint Cyprian ? \' And the \nprimacy was given to Peter, to prove that there is only \none Church of Christ and only one chair.\' " \n\n" I hoped," continued the Waldensian, " that the \nabbe, for the honor of the cause he sustains, would \nhave kept silent. The words which he has added to \nthe passage of Cyprian may be found in the book of \nlessons dictated by his professor, and perhaps he will \nfind them in some falsified edition of the same father, \nbut they are a manifest interpolation : \n\n"1st. Because in the most ancient and authentic \nmanuscripts of Saint Cyprian the words are not found. \n\n"2d. They can not be by Cyprian, because they \nare contrary to the whole aim of his book, designed to \ndemonstrate the unity of the Church only, and not the \nprimacy of Saint Peter---a doctrine of which, as we \n>shall see, he was the declared adversary. \n\n"3d. They are not by Cyprian, because he would \nnot thus have contradicted himself. How, indeed, \ncould Cyprian have said that Peter possessed the pri- \nmacy, when, only a line above, he said that all the \napostles were absolutely equal in honor and power ?" \n\nI remained mute at this observation, which took me \nso much by surprise. My confusion became evident \nto all, when two of the noble guards on horseback, \n\n\n\nTHE DISCUSSION INTERRUPTED. 113 \n\nsword in hand and on full gallop, announced tlie pres- \nence of the Pope in the villa. \n\nThe Pope had descended from his carriage, and was \ncoming on foot toward the palace. We all stood up \nthe moment he passed before us. I prostrated my- \nself, and the Holy Father had the goodness to permit \nme to kiss his feet. He cast a glance at my three- \nfriends, who remained standing, with heads uncovered, \nMr. Manson slightly bowing his head. After the \nPope had passed, one of the prelates of his retinue led \nme aside and inquired who my companions were. I \ntold him they were foreigners and Protestants. He \nthen rejoined the procession. \n\nThe Pope entered the palace and went to the bill- \niard saloon, where he began to play with his guards \nand prelates ;^ but soon one of the guards came and \nordered us to leave the villa, and we were obliged to \nobey. \n\nWhen we had left the villa, the Waldensian ob- \nserved to me, \n\n"As I saw you prostrated before the Pope, I recalled \nto mind a certain passage of the Bible." \n\nAnd he opened at the tenth chapter of the Acts of \nthe Apostles, verses 25 and 26. "And as Peter was \ncoming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his \nfeet, and worshiped him. But Peter took him up, \nsaying. Stand up ; I myself also am a man." I want- \ned to reply, but I thought it more pnident to leave \nthese gentlemen, and not be seen in their company. \nThey entered, therefore, into the city by the Gate Pius, \n\n1 Pius IX., in 1846 and 1847, went often to the Villa Patrizzi to \nplay billiards with his guards and prelates. \n\n\n\n114 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nwhile I followed along by the wall, and entered by \nthe Gate Salara. \n\nI am not sure that our conferences will be resumed, \nas we took leave of each other without making a new \nappointment ; but if our discussion does continue, I \nwill inform you immediately. \n\nBelieve me always yours affectionately, \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\nTHE PUSEYITE\'s LETTER. 115 \n\n\n\nEIGHTH LETTER \n\nRome, March, 1847. \nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 After our last meeting, several \ndays passed without my hearing from the three friends. \nFinally, one day, I received from Mr. Manson a letter, \nof which I send a copy : \n\n*\' Monsieur l\'Abbe, \xe2\x80\x94 Since the day we were to- \ngether at the Villa Patrizzi, a number of very remark- \nable things have happened, which have greatly embar- \nrassed me, and exercised a powerful influence on my \nconvictions. \n\n"You know that I am no Roman Catholic, but \nneither am I a fanatical Protestant in my judgment of \nthe state of things in Rome. Now, on the very even- \ning that we separated from you, Mr. Pasquali informed \nme that the object of his remaining in Rome was to \nshow this metropolis to Mr. Sweetman in a religious \npoint of view. \n\n" \'To-morrow,\' said he, \'we shall begin our excur- \nsions, and we should be delighted to have you join us.\' \n\n" I accepted his ofl*er ; and he added that, since we \nhad commenced our discussions with the primacy of \nthe Pope, our excursions should be directed so as to \nbecome acquainted with the use the Pope makes of \nthis supremacy. \n\n" The next morning we met, and visited a church, \nwhose name I will not mention for the moment. We \n\n\n\n116 ROME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\ninquired for the curate, an old acquaintance of Mr. \nPasquali, and he received us most cordially. \n\n"Mr. Pasquali begged him to accompany us to vis- \nit the ecclesiastical congregations ; but the curate re- \nplied that, this being the last day of the Carnival, \nevery thing was closed. Yet he asked us the object \nwe had in view in desiring to visit them. \n\n" \'We are strangers,\' said Mr. Pasquali, ^ and we \nare desirous of seeing how the Pope, by means of these \ncongregations, exercises his supremacy.\' \n\n"Then the curate inquired of Mr. Pasquali who we \nwere ; and being informed, he said, \'Very well ; I see \nthat I can place confidence in you; but at this hour \nI am accustomed to receive the visits of my congrega- \ntion. I shall soon be rid of them.\' He invited us, \nwhile waiting, to be present at his audience. \n\n"For this purpose we entered a chamber on the \nground floor, above which the name Parrochietta was \nwritten. About fifty men and women of the common \npeople were waiting outside for the audience to com- \nmence. A pale and repulsive-looking man stood at \nthe door of the chamber, to introduce, one at a time, the \npersons without. I asked who this man was, and the \ncurate told me that he was the undertaker of the par- \nish, and joined to the office of burying the dead that \nof assisting the curate in the quality of a commission- \ner for things concerning the poor. \n\n"Having entered the chamber, the curate took his \nseat in a large chair, and begged us to be seated at his \nside. \n\n" Before opening the audience the sacristan was ad- \nmitted. He brought a quantity of cards to be signed \n\n\n\nTHE PUSEYITE\'s LETTER. 117 \n\nby the curate ; they were certificates to enable the \nbearers to obtain pensions or subsidies from certain \npubHc funds ; certificates of sickness to get permission \nto eat during Lent, and other similar things. Once \nrid of the sexton, the parishioners entered in their \nproper order: one demanded a permission to carry \narms prohibited by law ; another, to keep a fowling- \npiece ; a third, a certificate to enable him to obtain an \noffice ; a fourth, a permission to get a passport ; a lady, \nelegantly dressed in silk, and covered with jewels, de- \nmanded the curate to attest her poverty, so that she \nmight gain a process she was engaged in against her \nhusband, and the curate did as he was desired. We \nlooked at each other with astonishment. After the \nlady had gone, the curate said to us, \' If I had refused \nthe demand of this lady I should have drawn on my- \nself a terrible persecution : she is protected against her \nhusband by Monsignior A., who has encouraged her \nto separate from him.\' \n\n" \' But how can you make a false certificate V asked \nMr. Pasquali. \n\n" \' In the first place, I could reply,\' added the curate, \n\' that my certificate is only a simple formality required \nby law, and is not prejudicial to any one. In this \ncase, supposing the certificate were false, the telling of \nan innocent lie to guarantee one\'s self from a certain \npersecution is not a sin, or, if it is one, it is only a \nvenial one. In the second place, I w^U inform you \nthat we curates have discovered the means of making \na false certificate without lying. This is the certifi- \ncate I made for her: \'\'I, the undersigned, attest that \nMadame N. is, as far as is known to me, a poor per- \n\n\n\n118 HOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nson." By using this formula nothing is risked, since, \nnot possessing evident proof of her riches, I must sup- \npose that what she says of her poverty is true ; and, \nmoreover, the principle is recognized among us that a \ncertificate of indigence can be given to the richest per- \nsons conscientiously ; for the rich man may call him- \nself poor in comparison with one richer than he, and \nthe most wealthy may be but poor in comparison with \nhis desires. As for myself,\' he continued, \' I never \nwas a partisan of these doctrines ; but what can be \ndone? In Rome, for the least thing a certificate is \nnecessary ; if we should refuse it, we should run the \nrisk of being assassinated, which happened lately to \nthree of my friends, and to many others, who got off, \nhowever, after being badly beaten.\' \n\n" After this he made a sign to the sexton to admit \nsingly the other persons who were waiting. \n\n" I will not enter into the details of the rest of this \naudience. I will only observe in general that I was \ngreatly shocked. \n\n\'\'For instance, one man had recourse to the curate \nfor the bad conduct of his wife, and wanted him to \npoint out a remedy. A woman complained of the bad \nconduct of her husband. Another accused her neigh- \nbor of having insulted her, and this one, who was pres- \nent, protested with great earnestness that the first \nwoman lied, and that it was she who had insulted her \nthe first ; and they would have come to blows if the \nsexton had not put them out by order of the curate. \nA young girl came in tears to accuse her seducer, and \nbegged that he might be obliged to marry her. \n\n" These interviews being ended, the curate conduct- \n\n\n\nTHE PUSEYITE\'S LETTER. 119 \n\ned us into his apartment, and there I asked him if \nthese audiences took place every day. \n\n" \'Even twice a day,\' he replied, \'except on Sun- \ndays, when there is only one.\' \n\n" Mr. Pasquali having asked him to explain to us \nthe functions of the clergy of Rome, he told us the of- \nfice of a curate was extremely delicate, for it stands in \nclose relations with all the tribunals, and especially \nwith the vicariate. The tribunal of the vice-cardinal of \nRome, called the vicariate, is at once a police court and \na tribunal ; it inspects the conduct of the priests, and \nserves as a tribunal for all sorts of abandoned women ! \nThe vicariate decides nothing before hearing the curate. \nTo put on the clerical robe, to take holy orders, to be \npermitted to say mass, a certificate of the curate is re- \nquired. The curate should secretly give information \nat the vicar\'s office once a year respecting the conduct \nof all the priests who live within the bounds of his \nparish ; and as soon as he knows of a fault committed \nby a priest or other ecclesiastic, he is obliged to inform \nagainst him immediately. When an accusation is \nmade against a priest, no proceedings are commenced \ntill information has been given by the curate. In a \nword, a curate acts as an agent of the police over \npriests. \n\n" \'If such is the case,\' said Mr. Sweetman, \'how \ndoes it happen that the culpable immoralities of the \npriests remain so often unpunished ?\' \n\n" \' There are two reasons for that,\' said the curate ; \n\' the first is, that the vicar never proceeds against a \npriest unless there be scandal, that is, unless the neigh- \nbors complain. Consequently, if a priest have at his \n\n\n\n120 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nhouse a sister-in-law, or niece, or governess, or if he \nfrequents a house with bad intentions, if he only knows \nhow to gain over his neighbors by money or protec- \ntion, impose on them by hypocrisy, or make them un- \neasy in their office or position, the vicar, although ac- \nquainted with all this, will nevertheless shut his eyes \nthereto, so as not to initiate the public in these secret \nmisdemeanors. The second reason is, that many of \nthese complaints are considered as calumnies. For in- \nstance, a priest is guardian or administrator for some \nward, and he takes a criminal advantage of his posi- \ntion ; now, if he is a priest who shows great zeal in \nreligion, then, for the good of religion, the complaint \nshould be stigmatized as a calumny ; for what would \nthe people say if they knew that the most zealous \npriests are sometimes the worst V \n\n" Dear Abbe, you could not well believe the effect \nthat these revelations of the curate had upon me. Mr. \nPasquali looked at me in his peculiar way, and the cu- \nrate continued : \n\n" \' The tribunal of the vicar takes cognizance of the \nmisconduct of all the abandoned women, and of im- \nmoralities generally. The prostitutes are within the \njurisdiction of the cardinal-vicar, and each curate has \na register of all those who live within the limits of his \nparish.\' \n\n" As a proof of this, he took out of a drawer a little \nregister, on which the names of all such women were \ninscribed in alphabetical order. \n\n" \'When a curate,\' he continued, \' is tired of one of \nthese women, he has only to denounce her to the vicar, \nand, if she have not powerful protectors, she is imrae- \n\n\n\nTHE PUSEYITE\'s LETTEE. 121 \n\ndiately imprisoned or exiled. But she can not be sub- \nject to either if the curate does not complain of her.\' \n\n*\'\'But,\'I asked, \'does the Pope know of these \nthings?\' \n\n" \' The Pope,\' he replied, \' was once a bishop, and \nknows them even better than I ; but we have a prin- \nciple on which the whole conduct of the tribunal of the \nvicariat is founded, and which is, as it were, the pivot \nof our whole system, and it is this : Of two evils, \nchoose the lesser one.\' \n\n" \'This principle is impious, \'interrupted Mr. Sweet- \nman; \'Saint Paul says {Rom.,iii., 8) that the condem- \nnation of such as admit it is just.\' \n\n" \' As to that,\' rejoined the curate, \' we must draw a \ndistinction : Saint Paul speaks of those who do evil \nthat good may come ; but we do not say that one ought \nto do evil, but that we may permit it to be done. There \nis a difference between doing evil and permitting evil \nto be done.\' \n\n" \' Saint Paul says,\' added Mr. Sweetman, \' that those \nwho approve or permit evil are as culpable as those \nwho do it\' (Eom., i., 32). \n\n" The curate did not give himself the trouble to re- \nply to this last quotation, although he appeared consid- \nerably embarrassed ; but he continued to relate to us \nthat the tribunal of the vicar did not wholly occupy a \ncurate of Rome, but that, besides, he had to do with all \nthe tribunals and congregations ; thus no one could ob- \ntain employment, a passport, a license, without a cer- \ntificate of the curate ; a sick person can not be admit- \nted into a hospital, a young woman obtain dowry, no \nindividual can visit his parents in prison, no poor man \n\nF \n\n\n\n122 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\ncan obtain relief, nor widow toucli the pension due to her \non her husband\'s account \xe2\x80\x94 \' in a word, our certificate \nis necessary for all these things. Besides, we must al- \nways be ready to answer to the police, to the Inquisi- \ntion, to the tribunals, when they demand information \non any subject.\' \n\n" \' But how do you manage,\' I added, \'to know the \nconduct of all your parishioners ?\' \n\n" \'Gentlemen,\' he replied, \'it is a horrible secret, that \nI should never have revealed had you not been the \nfriends of Mr. Pasquali. I suffer, gentlemen, under a \nweight of iniquity that I can no longer support, and \nI pray to God to show me the way to throw it off. \nThe confessional, gentlemen, is the principal means of \npolice which we make use of. But, note well, it is not \nour parishioners who confess to us ; they are afraid to \nconfess to their curate, so the Roman curate hears few- \ner confessions than any other priest. But the curate \nemploys seven or eight female devotees within his par- \nish, who are supported by alms which should be dis- \ntributed to those who are truly poor ; and these dev- \notees it is who devotedly act as spies in the parish, \nand in the morning they come to the confessional of \nthe reverend curate and make their revelations. This \nis an iniquity, I know, but it is inevitable. If a tri\' \nbunal should demand any information of you before \ncondemning any one, and you should declare that you \nknew nothing of the case, or if you should give infor- \nmation of a favorable nature, you would be accused of \nnot doing your duty.\' \n\n" \' But when do you fulfill the principal duties of \nyour office as curate, such as preaching, instruction, \nvisiting the poor and sick ?\' \n\n\n\nTHE PUSEYITE\'S LETTER. 123 \n\n\'\'\'Those duties wliicli you call essential are held \nhere to be veiy secondary. \n\nu ^ Preaching^ for example : I know in Rome a cu- \nrate, one of the best and most highly esteemed, who has \nnever preached in his life because of his incapacity. \nOthers preach on certain Sundays in the year, but they \nhave so small an audience that, were it not for some \nof those devotees, they would have no listeners. We \nare not free to preach the Word of God. The themes \nof our discourse, every thing that we may say, and \nwhich is always the same, are all marked out before- \nhand for us in the Roman Catechism. As regards the \ninstruction for Sunday, the children are made to recite \nfrom memory for one hour from the catechism of Bel- \nlarmine. \n\n" \' As concerns visiting the poor, the deputies of the \ncommission on subsidies are intrusted with that ; and \nas for the sick, the vicar, sexton, and certain priests \nare paid for performing that duty.\' \n\n"Mr. Pasquali until then had not opened his mouth; \nbut now he rose, and, taking the hand of the curate, \nhe said to him, \n\n" \' I advise you to meditate on the two first verses \nof the fourth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corin- \nthians : " Let a man so account of us, as of the min- \nisters of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. \nMoreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found \nfaithful." \n\n" \' Thus do the men act who are esteemed by us as \nthe true ministers of Christ, and the faithful dispensers \nof the mysteries of God.\' \n\n" After that we bade the curate farewell. I avow \n\n\n\n124 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nto you, my dear abbe, that our conversation with this \ncurate greatly disconcerted me; but what has still \nmore disgusted me with the Roman system is what I \nlearned from a second conversation, which I will relate \nto you orally, if you will grant me another interview \nto continue our discussion. If Rome is really such as \nit has been depicted to me, I shall cease to admire it. \n\'\'Believe me your humble servant, Manson." \n\nWhat can I say to this, my dear Eugene? Mr. \nHanson\'s letter has also strongly shaken my faith in \nRome. I assure you I am in a horrible position. I \nhear a voice crying within me which says, " Thou art \nin error, and the Waldensian is in the right." I know \nthat this voice is that of a demon ; but I know his \npower and capacity, and he leaves me neither a day nor \nan hour in repose. I hope this temptation will pass \naway, because I feel, in the midst of this trial, that \ntruth is on the side of the religion I profess. I know \nabuses exist in Rome, but these abuses proceed from \nmen and not from religion ; they exist merely in prac- \ntice, and not in doctrine \xe2\x80\x94 the doctrine is holy and \ntrue. But what increases my agony is that I have no \none to open my heart to except you ; but even you, \nalas ! what consolation can you give me ? \n\nI replied to Mr. Manson, thanking him for his com- \nmunication, and begging him to dispense with an in- \nterview for the moment, but to please to make use of \nthe post for any further communication. \n\nI can not sustain a discussion for the present. God \nwill give me the strength later. Adieu, dear Eugene. \nYour affectionate Henry. \n\n\n\n\nA ROMAN FUNERAL. \n\n\n\nMORE FEOM THE PUSEYITE. 127 \n\n\n\nNINTH LETTER. \n\nEome, March, 1847. \n\nDeae Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 Two days after the reception of \nthe letter that I spoke to you about in my last, the \npost "brought me a second one from the same friend, \nof which the following is a copy : \n\n" Sir Abbe, \xe2\x80\x94 I should have liked greatly to have \nconversed with you, in the hope that you could have \nsome good reasons to give me to refute the revelations \nmade by the curate, but your refusal has led me to \nfear that you have nothing to oppose to them. Nev- \nertheless, I want to inform you of what passed at a \nsecond interview which we had with the same eccle- \nsiastic. \n\n*\'Two days after our first interview we returned \nagain to see him. He was in the sacristy. A discon- \nsolate-looking lady, in a dark dress, was seated before \na table on which the curate was writing ; the sexton \nand undertaker stood at his side, and cast glances of \nintelligence at each other, accompanied by certain re- \npulsive smiles. Seeing the curate occupied, we remain- \ned at a distance, when he, laying down his pen, thus \naddressed the lady, at the same time handing her a \npaper. \'This is your account, and be assured that \nwe have treated you with all possible economy.\' \n\n\'"Fifty scudi!\' (dollars!) cried the lady; \'where \ncan a poor widow like me procure them ?\' \n\n\n\n128 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n" But, not to enter upon the minute details of this \naffair, which deeply affected me, I will merely tell you \nthat this poor lady had lost her husband the evening \nbefore, and had now come to bargain with the curate \nfor his burial. Our friend the curate passes for one \nof the most disinterested priests of Rome. Neverthe- \nless, the sum of fifty Roman scudi was a very consid- \nerable one for a poor woman to pay down immediately, \nespecially as she had lived until then on the small sal- \nary of her husband, who left her no fortune and the \ncharge of six children. \n\n\'\'There the widow stood, with the account of the \ncurate before her, her eyes, filled with tears, fixed on \nthe paper. The sexton and the undertaker were \nstretching out their necks to find out from the account \neach one\'s share. They observed to the widow that \nthe curate had treated her with exceeding moderation, \nbut the poor woman listened to nothing that was said \nto her. \n\n" \' Observe,\' said the undertaker, \' that, for my part, \nby this death I only get seven scudi when I ought \nto receive at least ten.\' \n\n\'"And the Church,\' said the sexton, \'only takes \nabout ten ; the rest is for the curate and the expenses \nof the priests and monks ; and you ought to be de- \nlighted,\' he added, \'that the curate is so easy with \nyou!\' \n\n"As for us, that is, Mr. Sweetman and myself, in \nspite of our English phlegm, we could no longer con- \ntain ourselves. Mr. Pasquali took the lead on this \noccasion, and, taking the curate aside, he begged him \nto dismiss this poor lady under some pretext, and to \n\n\n\nMORE FROM THE PUSEYITE. 129 \n\ntell her that he would call on her in an hour and ar- \nrange this affair. After that he went out a moment, \nbegging us to wait for him, and in the mean time we \nwent to the curate\'s apartment. \n\n" When we were alone with him, we begged him to \nexplain to us the funeral system of Rome. He con- \nsented, and said, \'A few hours after the death of a \nperson, the body is brought to the church of the par- \nish. It is on this occasion that certain taxes must be \npaid to the curate. After the funeral service has been \nperformed in the church, the body is transported at \nnight to the cemetery, where it is buried.\' Wishing \nto know about this more in detail, he told us, \' One \nmust admit that this is not the most edifying thing in \nRome, but no matter, I will explain it to you as it is.\' \nAnd then he informed us that in the Roman Church \nthere is a code called the Clerical Statutes^ according \nto which funeral expenses are governed. The Ro- \nmans, as well as the strangers who die in Rome, are \nobliged to conform to it, and to follow it exactly in \nmatters of funeral ceremonies. \n\n"If any, from humility or other motives, refuse to \ngo to this expense, then the curate cites him before a \ntribunal, where he is immediately condemned to pay \nthe price of a funeral, though not performed according \nto statute, just as if it had been, and in case there are \nmany creditors of the estate, the curate is privileged \nand has priority. \' Look,\' he added, \' at the case of \nthis poor widow, which torments me. I know that \nshe possesses nothing, and is obliged to contract a \ndebt to pay me ; but what can I do ? If I dispense \nwith payment from her, every body would want to be \n\nF 2 \n\n\n\n130 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nexempted, and then what should I do ? My colleagues \nwould accuse me of introducing abuses, and I should \nbecome involved in great difficulties.\' \n\n" At this moment Mr. Pasquali returned, and begged \nthe curate to accompany us in a visit to the congre- \ngations which assist the Pope in exercising his su- \npremacy, and the curate, after giving some orders to \nthe sexton, started off with us. \n\n"He conducted us, in the first place, to the Office of \nthe Secretary of Indulgences. In the first chamber \nwe found a man putting the seal to permissions of in- \ndulgence ; the second room was full of pasteboard \nboxes, containing the original papers of indulgences \nalready granted. Four tables were occupied by as \nmany priests, three of whom were writing permissions, \nand the fourth one was distributing them on payment. \nWe passed then into another room, where there was \na little prelate, who was the substitute of the secre- \ntary. This man, being a particular friend of the cu- \nrate, received us with the greatest politenesm^ and, \nknowing we were strangers, he instructed us with the \ngreatest good-humor in all the details of the office. He \ntold. us that the sacred congregation of indulgences \nwas composed of many cardinals, but only as a matter \nof form ; that, besides, there was a prelate entitled sec- \nretary, but who never paid any attention to the office, \nwhich was carried on by his substitute or assistant, \nand by the official priests. They it is who grant \nindulgences, privileged altars, the right of blessing \ncrowns, medals, crucifixes, and thousands of objects, \nto those who ask for them. \n\n"I asked him to explain to us what he meant by \n\n\n\nMORE FROM THE PUSEYITE. 131 \n\nprivileged altars. He smiled at my ignorance, and- \ntold me that a privileged altar is one upon which a \nmass being said a soul is immediately delivered from \nPurgatory, and the benefits of this deliverance go to \nthe profit of the soul for which the mass was said. \n* Privileged altars,\' he added, ^are of two sorts, the \nreal and the personal. The real is where the privi- \nlege is attached to the altar itself, and the personal \nis where the privilege is attached to the person who \nsays mass ; so that the priest who possesses a personal \nprivileged altar delivers a soul from Purgatory every \nwhere he says a mass.\' \n\n*\' \'But,\' said Mr. Sweetman, \' a person desirous of \npossessing this privilege must buy it.\' \n\n" \'Buy it ? No,\' replied the assistant ; \' they only \npay a trifle ; but the possessor of it derives great ad- \nvantage fi\'om it, for as soon as it is known that his \nmass delivers a soul from Purgatory, immediately ev- \nery one tries to get one of these privileged priests to \nsay their masses, and they pay them more than the \nothers.\' n, \n\n" Oh ! dear Abbe, what can you allege to justify so \nhorrible an abuse ? And note that this is not only an \nabuse, but an error in doctrine the greatest imaginable. \nWhat ! for a few sous I could buy the right of deliver- \ning souls from Purgatory ? This is, I think, an unpar- \nalleled iniquity But I continue my recital. \n\n"Mr. Pasquali asked what method was employed \nin the sale of indulgences. The assistant replied, \n\' If a petitioner demands one for himself or family, it \nis granted without difficulty ; but those which appear \nto be of a public character I refer to his Holiness. For \n\n\n\n132 KOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nthose granted in perpetuity, and which bring great \nprofits to the Church or to the person to whom they \nare granted, the secretary makes out the rescript, and \nsends it to the office of Secretary of Briefs, where a \nconsideralble sum is paid, according to the quality of \nthe privilege. \n\n"Mr. Pasquali remarked that, indulgences being \nthings purely spiritual, it appeared to him that to sell \nthem was simony. \n\n" \' Certainly,\' replied the assistant, \' if indulgences \nwere sold it would be simony ; God forbid our having \nsuch a thought I It is unjust that Protestants should \naccuse the holy Church of making money out of every \nthing. In the first place, indulgences are not sold, but \ngranted gratuitously. What we oblige them to pay \nfor is not the indulgence, but the stamp, the ink, the \n\npaper, etc and as these are material things that \n\nwe are obliged to buy, so, in good conscience, we may \nsell them.\' \n\n\'\' After this we left the assistant, and, thanking him \nfor his kindness, we walked on toward the office of an- \nother secretary. \n\n" On the way the curate informed us that the con- \ngregation of the indulgences was united to that of rel- \nics, and he invited us to visit the depot or custodia of \nrelics. \n\n"We went, therefore, to the old German College, \nnow the Roman Seminary, where the custodia is to be \nfound. The first chamber is ornamented with sepul- \nchral stones, with glasses and antique vases, with lamps \ncalled eternal lights, and other things of a similar char- \nacter. The second room is full of wooden boxes, paint- \n\n\n\nMORE PROM THE PUSEYITE. 133 \n\ned green, which contain the relics of common saints. \nIn this chamber we found four priests occupied in ar- \nranging relics in little cases ready for distribution ; \nand on the tables you behold, in a confusion that makes \nyou shudder, bones, teeth, bits of old clothes, hair, and \nother articles, spread out so indelicately that I could \nnot believe that these were real relics. I concluded, \ntoo, that the priests who distributed them did not much \nbelieve in them, otherwise they would have handled \nthem with less disgust. The third chamber is des- \ntined for relics called incomparable. The relics of the \napostles, the Virgin, and our Lord, are preserved in \nthis room, and here the guardian priest who occupies \nit holds audiences. This priest, being a friend of the \ncurate, received him .with the utmost politeness. \n\n^\' \' My friends,\' said the curate, presenting us, \' de- \nsire to see some of the incomparable relics.\' \n\n" \' It is impossible,\' replied the official ; \' I can not \nshow them without a written permission from the vice- \ncardinal. But tell me, Mr. Curate, are these gentlemen \nCatholics?\' \n\n" When ho was told who we were, he appeared as if \nthunderstruck. \n\n" \' Quick ! quick ! Mr. Curate, let us be gone from \nhere!\' and he conducted us outside the custodia ; but \nwhen we were in the corridor he begged our pardon, \nand told us that if the vice-cardinal should know that \nthree Protestants had entered the custodia he would \nunquestionably lose his place. \n\n" We inquired the reason for so much caution. \n\n" \' Because Protestants come to examine every \nthing; then they publish what they have seen, and \ncast discredit upon us in foreign countries.\' \n\n\n\n134 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\'\' \' Come, Mr. Canon,\' said the curate, \'you are too \nsevere ; you know me too well to suppose that I would \nget you into trouble.\' \n\n" \'Very wellj\' said the canon ; \'I will give you some \nhints, but I can not show you any thing.\' \n\n\'\'We were therefore obliged to content ourselves \nwith this. \n\n" He then told us that, as it regarded ordinary rel- \nics, they possessed a great quantity of them, for new \nsaints were discovered every day in the catacombs ; \nbut as regards the more remarkable relics there were \nbut a few. \n\n\'\'I inquired how the Pope managed to decide upon \na skeleton found in the catacombs as being that of a \nsaint. \n\n" \' The Pope,\' he replied, \' cares little about such \nthings ; he has confided this business to the vicar-car- \ndinal, who, in turn, leaves it to Father Marchi, a Jesu- \nit, who visits the bodies that are disinterred, and sends \nthem here when he thinks they belonged to saints. \nHere we baptize them, and distribute them to the faith- \nful.\' \n\n*\' \'You baptize them!\' said I, interrupting him in \nmy astonishment ; " you baptize dead bodies !\' \n\n\'\' The canon explained then that to baptize meant \nto give them a name. \n\n" * We do not know what these corpses are. Well, \nthe custodia needs relics of Saint Patrick, for instance, \nso this body is named Saint Patrick.^ \n\n\'\'Mr. Pasquali observed that the authenticity thus \ndepended upon the judgment of a single individual, \nand this man a Jesuit. \n\n\n\nMOEE FROM THE PUSEYITE. 137 \n\n"The official shrugged his shoulders and contin- \nued: \n\n" \' As for the more notable relics, we have but few \nof -them. We have some of the twelve apostles, and \nof John the Baptist ; some milk, some hair, and some \nclothes of the Virgin, of Saint Joseph, Saint James, \nand Saint Anna. Besides these, we have a few relics \nof our Lord, that is to say, two thorns from his crown, \na piece of the true cross, a piece of the inscription, an- \nother, of the sponge, one of his seamless coat, a piece \nof the reed, etc., etc., etc. But if you really want to \nsee superior relics, you will find them in the Church \nof the Holy Gross^ where you will see the finger of \nSaint Thomas with which he touched the side of our \nLord ; a vial full of the blood of Jesus Christ ; anoth- \ner vial full of the milk of the holy Virgin ; the stone \nupon which Saint Gabriel stood at the annunciation \nof the blessed Virgin ; a piece of the stone on which \nour Savior sat when he forgave the sins of Mary Mag- \ndalene ; a piece of the two tables of the law written by \nthe hand of God ; a very little of the manna with which \nGod fed his people in the desert ; the entire inscrip- \ntion of the cross ; a large portion of the cross itself; a \nlock of Christ\'s hair, and many other relics not less \nprecious. \n\n" \'In the Church of Santa Cecilia you will find \nsome more of the Virgin\'s milk, and more still in the \nChurch of San Cosmo ^ and still more in Santa Maria \ndelta Traspontina. \n\n" \' In the Church of St. Prassede you will find an \nunder-garment of the Virgin; a piece of the rod of Mo- \nses, and the portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ, which \n\n\n\n138 ROME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nSaint Peter gave to Pudentius ; one of the stones used \nin stoning Stephen, and the column to which our Lord \nwas bound and scourged. \n\n"\'At St. John Lateran there is preserved the \nblood and water which ran out from the side of Jesus \nChrist ; the head of Saint Zacharias, father of John \nthe Baptist ; the towel upon which Jesus wiped his \nhands after washing the feet of the apostles ; the table \nused at the last Supper ; the rods of Moses and Aaron; \nthe altar used by John the Baptist in the desert. I \npass by a great many other important relics to be found \nin the other churches of Rome.\' ^ \n\n"By this time Mr. Sweetman\'s countenance was \ncrimson with indignation, and he could no longer con- \ntain himself; I partook of the same emotion ; but Mr. \nPasquali, perfectly cool and apparently unconcerned, \ncontinued to question the good canon, until the curate, \nforeseeing unpleasant consequences, bade him farewell, \nand we left. \n\n" Mr. Pasquali then asked the curate on what pas- \nsage of the Bible the Roman Church founded the wor- \nship of relics ? \n\n" \' On two incidents,\' replied the curate; \'the for- \nmer of which is the scene described in the book of Rev- \nelation as occurring in heaven itself, where the reve- \nlator says, " I saw under the altar the souls of them \nthat were slain for the Word of God." If, therefore, \nthe souls of martyrs are under the altar in heaven, their \n\n^ Note hy Translator, \xe2\x80\x94 Some of the most venerated of these relics \nare exhibited in the Church of Saint Peter during the Holy Week, \namong which are two nails of the cross, the spear which pierced \nChrist\'s side, and the handkerchief of Saint Veronica. \n\n\n\nI \n\n\n\nMOEE FEOM THE PUSEYITE. 139 \n\nbodies can very well be kept on our altars on earth. \nThe other fact is related, concerning Stephen, in Acts, \nviii., 2: \'\'And devout men carried Stephen to his \nburial." Hence we see that to collect and preserve the \nrelics of saints is a religious work.\' \n\n" What do you think of such arguments, Mr. Abbe? \nDo you know of any better ones to sustain the practice ? \n\n"The curate having taken his leave, we asked Mr. \nPasquali whither he had gone when he left us so sud- \ndenly in the sacristy. Our good friend told us that he \nhad gone to console the poor widow, and had sent her \na check for fifty scudi to pay for the funeral expenses \nof her husband. We insisted that he should allow us \nto take our share in this charitable act. \n\n" In the evening we went to witness the manner of \nburying the dead in Rome. What a horrible sight ! \n\n" The first hour after midnight the corpses destined \nfor burial are carried out from each parish church, borne \nby two men, preceded by a mercenary priest, who not \nunfrequently leaves the dead body in the street as he \nstops with his two companions at some tavern on the \nway to take a drink. \n\n"Having reached the place where the corpses are \ntemporarily deposited, they pile them one upon anoth- \ner, until each parish has forwarded those they have to \nsend. \n\n" During this interval, the men sit upon the corpses, \nmaking use of the most indecent language, cursing, \nswearing, and using insulting expressions toward the \ndead bodies. . . .^ \n\n^ The wTiter was an eye-witness to these facts, and could mention \nplaces as well as persons. It is true that now things are not carried \n\n\n\n140 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n"All the bodies being at length collected, they are \nthrown together on a wagon, and transported to the \ncemetery. There ffhe corpses are precipitated into a \ndeep pit of masonry ; the aperture is closed with a \nhuge stone, to be opened again the next day on the ar- \nrival of other bodies. \n\n" This system of burial, as barbarous as it is im- \npious, roused my indignation. Mr. Sweetman desired \nto leave Rome immediately, but Mr. Pasquali per- \nsuaded him to remain. \n\n" I feel that my inclination for the Eoman Church \nis growing more feeble from day to day, and I know \nnot how it will end. In the name of charity, grant me \nan interview, I desire so much to converse with you \nabout all these things. \n\n" Believe me your affectionate friend, \n\n"W. Manson, M.A." \n\non in an exactly similar manner, because, in 1849, the system of the \ntransportation of corpses was somewhat ameliorated.^ \n\n^ The translator of these letters, while in Kome in the winter of \n1852-53, visited the Campo Santo of a church at one of the entrances \nof the Catacombs, where men were engaged in clearing out those ter- \nrible burial-pits, which were about fifteen feet in depth, and number- \ned perhaps fifty. There had been thrown together, in horrible con- \nfusion, the bodies of soldiers killed during the Revolution, together \nwith those of women and children, mostly without cofiins, but some- \ntimes a few rough boards, bound by a cord, preserved the rotting \nskeletons from falling in pieces as the workmen drew them up to \nthe pavement. On looking down upon this mass of corruption, from \nwhich a pestilential stench arose, there could be seen here and there \namong the bones a part of a soldier\'s coat or buttons, clotted hair, or \nperhaps a woman\'s shoe still hanging to the bones of the feet. As \nsoon as the authorities discovered us, we were ordered from the place. \nThe massive doors of the inclosure were shut upon us, and we stood \n\n\n\nEFFECT OF THE LETTER. 141 \n\nP.S. \xe2\x80\x94 My dear Eugene, I am utterly bewildered; \nafter transcribing this letter I can not add a single \nword. Pardon my confusion ; pity your poor friend. \n\nHenry. \n\nwithout in the beautiful Campagna, leaving the Roman buriers to \ntheir horrible work* \n\n\n\n142 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL, \n\n\n\nTENTH LETTEE. \n\nRome, March, 1847. \n\nMy DEAR Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 The second letter from Mr. \nManson troubled me exceedingly. I have lived in \nRome several years, but I never knew of these things. \nThe infernal revelations uttered by those imprudent \npriests show but too well that many abuses exist in \nthe administration of ecclesiastical affairs in Rome, and \nthat a reform is necessary. \n\nDiscouraged, overcome, and oppressed with sad \nthoughts, I sought in complete solitude an alleviation \nfor the depression of my mind. \n\nOne day, after dinner, I took refuge under the arches \nof the amphitheatre of Vespasian, and there, seated on \nthe ruins in the most solitary place, I remained ab- \nsorbed in thought, when suddenly the sound of per- \nsons approaching drew me from my reflections, and \nmy three friends appeared. They seemed greatly de- \nlighted on perceiving me. After a few courteous re- \nmarks, the Waldensian said, with his accustomed grav- \nity, that he could not explain my conduct in thus aban- \ndoning the discussion. \n\n" Either you think you are right," said he, \'\' and in \nthat case, then, you ought not to yield the ground; \nor you acknowledge yourself in the wrong, and then \nyou should not remain there ; or else you are in doubt, \nand if so, you ought to become assured of the truth, \nand to follow it after having found it." \n\n\n\nDISCUSSION RESUMED. 14o \n\nI replied that I was sure the truth was on my \nside, but that it was impossible to reply to arguments \ntaken from the Bible if the authority of the Church was \ndenied. \n\n" Very well," he replied, " I will agree to admit the \nauthority of your Church in our discussion. Are you \ncontent ?" \n\nI begged him to explain himself more clearly ; then \nhe added, \n\n"I do not admit the authority of the BoTnan Churchy \nwhich I could not do without the sacrifice of common \nsense ; but, to convince you more thoroughly in our \ndiscussion, I will place myself on your ground, and we \nwill examine the subject from the interpretation of \nthose very fathers who interpreted it precisely as was \nordered by the Council of Trent at the fourth session." \n\nMr. Manson thereupon remarked to the Waldensian \nthat neither did he admit entirely the authority of the \nRoman Church, but he did not perceive how the ad- \nmitting of it should necessarily imply the relinquish- \ning of common sense ! \n\n" This was not our principal question," replied Mr. \nPasquali; "I will confine myself to the statement \nthat, to accept of the infallible authority of the Roman \nChurch, one must admit four or five contradictions, \nevery one of which seems, if possible, more glaring \nthan the rest. For instance, you must acknowledge \nthe Bible to be obscure and unintelligible in matters \nwhich are clearer than the light of noonday, as, for ex- \nample, with regard to salvation hy grace. \n\n"Again, you must regard the Scriptures as clear \nand evident in regard to the most obscure points, even \n\n\n\n144 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nin those that are not mentioned at all ; as, for instance, \nrespecting the infallibility of the Church. \n\n"You must allow that a collection of fallible men \nconstitute an infallible authority ; you must, in spite \nof reason, acknowledge that a man, by nature subject \nto error, as soon as raised to the office of Pope, either \nby intrigue or by money, becomes infallible ; that the \ndecisions of the councils, although in conflict with each \nother, are infallible ; that, when one Pope infallibly \noverthrows what another Pope had infallibly estab- \nlished, both are infallible. Are not these things con- \ntrary to common sense ? Add to all this that while \nthis Roman Church sustains dogmatically that the in- \nterpretation of the Bible does not belong to individuals, \nyet there exists in this very Church such an immense \nnumber of interpreters that, by collecting all their \nworks, one could form the most immense library, and \nthe absurdities, impertinences, and blasphemies that \nthey contain are so numerous that, when collected, it \nwould be found that all the false interpretations at- \ntributed to the heretics are far from equaling those of \nthe interpreters of the Roman Church. \n\n*\' Saint Jerome^ for instance, in his apology address- \ned to Pammachus, presumes to accuse Saint Paul of \ntrickery and dissimulation. \n\n"You, Mr. Abbe," he added, "have too much good \nsense to accept these things as a whole ; but this is \nnot the object of our discussion for to-day. I would \nlike, if agreeable to you, to continue our discussion on \nthe Primacy." \n\nAs for me, not feeling sufficiently prepared to reply \nto the objections of the Waldensian respecting the au- \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 145 \n\nthority of the Church, and especially as many of them \ndemanded a profound knowledge of history, I was con- \ntent to speak on the question of the primacy. We \nwere in a solitary place, and there was no one to trouble \nus ; we sat down, therefore, upon a prostrate column, \nand recommenced our discussion. \n\nYou recollect, doubtless, that our last conversation \nrelated to the celebrated passage of Saint Matthew, \n"Thou art Peter," etc., etc. \n\n*\'Do not believe," said I, \'\'that I admit myself \nvanquished by the explanations you famished on our \nlast debate. You insisted on interpreting this sen- \ntence, and on this stone^ so as to establish that the \nstone was not Peter, but Jesus Christ. Be it so. But \nwhat reply can you make to the words which follow ? \n\'/ xoill give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of \nheaven; and whatsoever thou shalt hind on earth \nshall he hound in heaven^ and whatsoever thou shalt \nloose on earth shall he loosed in heaven."* It is beyond \ndoubt that here Jesus gives a power to Peter, known \nby the name of the power of the keys, that is to say, \nthe right to govern his Church, the power to remit sins, \nto bind souls by censure, to transmit, legitimately, \nthis right to others, to interpret the Scriptures, to or- \ndain ministers, and, in a word, over every thing which \nconstitutes the administration of the Church. The \nsymbol of the keys is the symbol of the most absolute \nand unlimited authority. Saint Peter, therefore, in \nreceiving the promise of the keys of the kingdom of \nheaven, was promised the most absolute and unlim- \nited power." \n\n" You yourself, Mr. Abbe," replied the Waldensian, \n\nG \n\n\n\n146 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\'\'have, without being aware of it, furnished me with \nthe best reply. The keys, you say, are a sign of pow- \ner. Now let us examine if the holy text determines \nthis power expressed by the emblem of the keys, and \nif it was intrusted to Peter only. \n\n" \' Whatsoever thou shalt hind on earth shall be \nhound in heaven^ and whatsoever thou shalt loose on \nearth shall he loosed in heaven.\'\' \n\n" Thus Jesus himself determines the extent of the \nsymbolical power of the keys. Now this power was \nnot promised to Peter alone, but to all Christians ; not \nmerely to priests and bishops, but to every true Chris- \ntian, whether priest or layman." \n\nThis extravagant idea of the Waldensian brought a \nsmile to my lips, as well as to those of Mr. Manson ; \nbut Pasquali, taking a Bible from his pocket, said, \n\n" I advance nothing without good reason. Read, I \nbeg of you, the 18th verse of the 18th chapter of Saint \nMatthew." \n\nThen he remarked that, although a traditional inter- \npretation pretended that the words of the 18th verse \nwere addressed to the apostles alone, like the 21st, \n22d, and 23d verses of the 20th chapter of John, yet \nthe truth is that they were not addressed to the apos- \ntles only, but to the disciples. \n\n" \'These words,\' says the Council of Trent, \'con- \ntained a promise which was realized in the 20th chapter \nof John, verse 23, when Jesus really gave what he had \npromised, that is to say, the faculty of remitting or re- \ntaining sins.\' \n\n" If, therefore," continued Mr. Pasquali, " you study \nwell the Gospel, by comparing the 20th of John with \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 147 \n\nthe 24th of Luke, you will see that Jesus gave to the \ndisciples the power of remitting sins on the evening \n^ preceding the day of his resurrection, when the two dis- \nciples, returning from Emmaus, found together the elev- \nen and those that were with them. The power of the \nkeys was not, therefore, given exclusively to Peter, as \nis pretended Tby the Church of Rome ; not to the apos- \ntles alone, as the commentators would have it ; but \nto all the disciples. This power, therefore, not only \ndoes not establish the primacy of Peter, but excludes \nit." \n\n" But what becomes, then, of the apostolic succes- \nsion?" said Mr.Manson. \n\n" It becomes," said the Waldensian, " what it ought \nto become. The apostles, as such, can not have had \nsuccessors ; as disciples, they have had for successors \nall Christians who profess the same faith with them- \nselves." \n\n" And the power of the Church transmitted by suc- \ncession ?" continued Mr. Manson. \n\n\'\' In the Bible there is not a word which establish- \nes this transmission," replied the Waldensian; "the \npower of the Church has its foundation in its only head, \nJesus Christ. The Church is the body of Christ. \nChristians or disciples are members of this body of \nwhich Christ is the head. From this there results that \nthe authority of the Church is none other than that of \nChrist, communicated by Him to His body in so far \nas He is united to this body as its head." \n\n"According to your idea, then," I added, "every \nChristian would possess the power of the keys ; there \nwould no longer exist any distinction between bish- \n\n\n\n148 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nops, priests, or laymen. Every one would have the \npower to remit sins, and the Church would no longer \nbe a well-organized society, but a horrible anarchy!" \n\nMr. Manson was not alone in supporting my opin- \nion ; Mr. Sweetman also agreed with me. But the \nWaldensian, having remarked that our discussion had \nled us away from our theme \xe2\x80\x94 the primacy of the Pope \n\xe2\x80\x94 begged us to bear our objection in mind, and bring \nit up again when we discussed the nature of the \nChurch. He would have replied to lis immediately \nif his reply would not necessarily have engaged us in \na long discussion. \n\nI remarked that he had not kept his promise to dis- \ncuss according to the principles of the Roman Church. \nThen taking from his pocket a memorandum on which \nsome passages from the fathers were written, \n\n\'\'Very well," said he; "here I am ready to keep \nmy word. The Council of Trent commands that the \nBible should be interpreted after the unanimous con- \nsent of the fathers. Let us now interpret this pas- \nsage: \'I will give unto thee the keys^^ etc., according \nto the interpretation of the fathers. \n\n\'\'In the first place, Origen speaks thus : \'Is it pos- \nsible that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were \ngiven by our Lord to Peter only, and that none of the \nother elect could receive them?\' \n\n"If the words, ^I will give unto thee the heys^\'\' etc., \nbe common to the other apostles, why should they \nnot be so understood, like the passages that precede \nand follow them, though seemingly addressed to Peter \nalone ? \n\n^ Homil. xii., in Matt., No. 11. \n\n\n\nPRIMACY OF THE POPE. 149 \n\n"You see that Origen believed with me that the \npower of the keys was given hj Jesus to all the dis- \nciples and elect, that is to say, to all Christians, and \nnot to Peter alone, nor to the apostles. \n\n\'\' Jerome^ says, \' You say that the Church is found- \ned on Peter ; but we read that it is founded equally \non all the apostles, and that each of them has received \nthe keys of the kingdom of heaven.\' \n\n\'\'Ambrose^ assures us that what was said to Peter \nwas also said to the other apostles : \'T will give thee \nthe keys of the kingdom of heaven.\'\' \n\n" Gaudentius^ aflSrms that all the apostles, after the \nresurrection of Christ, received, as well as Peter, the \nkeys of the kingdom of heaven^ when the Lord said to \nthem, ^Receive ye the Holy Ghost\'\' \n\n^^ Augustine^ declares that the keys of the king- \ndom of heaven were given to the Church when they \nwere given to Peter ; and in another passage,^ \' Can \nit be said that these keys were received by Peter and \nPaul only? No. Did not Peter, James, and John, \nand the other apostles, receive them ? Are not these \nthe keys given to that Church in which sins are remit- \nted daily? These keys were not given to one man \nalone, but to the imity of the Church.\' " \n\nNot to be tedious, my dear Eugene, I will tell you \nthat the Waldensian cited many other passages taken \nfrom the fathers, all of the same period \xe2\x80\x94 passages of \nwhich I took a copy, in order to reply to them ; but, \nafter having made all these quotations, putting his \n\n^ Advers. lorim., lib. i. ^ In Psalm xxxviii. \n\n^ Orat. Ixvi., in die suae rdu. * De Aug. Chr., cap. 30. \n\n^ Sermon 149, de verbis Domini ; et Serm. 295, in nat. Apost. \n\n\n\n150 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nmemorandum in his pocket, he turned toward me and \nsaid, \n\n" What do you think of these, Mr. Abbe ? Either \nyour fathers are heretics like me, or I am a Catholic \nlike them: make your choice." \n\nThen, addressing Mr. Manson, he said, \n\n\'\'Ecclesiastical antiquity must be studied at its \nsource, and not in books written by those who seek in \nthis antiquity merely a support for their errors." \n\nTou may well believe that I did not\' allow this ar- \ngument, drawn from the fathers, to pass without a re- \nply, and I told him that I could produce, on my side, \nat least as many passages from the fathers which ab- \nsolutely contradicted these, and which proved the su- \npremacy of the Pope by these very words, "I will \ngive unto thee the keys," etc. \n\nBut Mr. Pasquali, in a serious tone of voice, isaid to \nme, \n\n" That is just what I expected, Mr. Abbe. Since \nthe unanimous consent of your fathers sustains both \nthe jpro and the con of a doctrine, and interprets the \nBible in two senses entirely opposite, you ought to \nconfess that the principle of interpretation, as laid \ndown by the Council of Trent, is false and delusive \n\xe2\x80\x94 -false^ because by it you never can obtain a verita- \nble interpretation ; delusive^ because, when you think \nto have obtained a certain principle of interpreta- \ntion, you are obliged to have recourse to another, that \nis to say, to the Church, and to renounce every other \ninterpretation whatsoever. Let us return, therefore, \npurely and simply to the only certain source, to the \npure Word of God, and disregard this antiquity which \n\n\n\nTHE CURATE OF SANTA MARIA. 161 \n\ncontradicts itself, which can only serve the purpose of \ndisplaying its erudition, but never answer the end of \n. doctrinal demonstration." \n\nBy this time night had come on. Being invited to \npass the evening at Monsignior C.\'s, I was about to \ntake leave of my friends, when they told me that they \nalso were invited there, so we went together. \n\nOn the way, I asked Mr. Manson who the curate \nwas of whom he had spoken to me in his two letters. \n\n\'\' It was," said he, \'\' the curate of Santa Maria Mad- \ndalena, a man of considerable learning, who has been \nProfessor of Theology, and is still Emeritus Censor of \nthe Theological Academy of Rome, and Theologian of \nthe Holy Office; but he appears," he added, *\'not to \nbe over-pleased with the Eoman Church." \n\nI expressed the desire to know him, and my friends \nappointed the next morning for that purpose. \n\nWhat I saw during the miserable evening that I \nspent at Monsignior C.\'s, and what I learned the next \nmorning, contributed much more than all my discus- \nsions \\yith the Waldensian to dishearten and disturb \nme. But I have reached the end of my sheet, and \nin my next I will relate every thing. Adieu. \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\na \n\n\n\ni \n\n\n\n\nCARDINAL IN PRIVATE HABIT. \n\n\n\nTHE SOIREE. ^ 155 \n\n\n\nELEVENTH LETTER. \n\nRome, March, 1847. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 ^I promised in my last to relate \nto you what passed at the soiree I attended with my \nfriends at Monsignior C.\'s. Although it is with great \nreluctance that I give you an account of things that \nwill in no wise edify you, yet I prefer to open my heart \nto you in all sincerity, rather than, from personal con- \nsiderations, to hide the least thing from you. I am a \nCatholic, and a sincere Catholic ; and although the ar- \nguments of Mr. Pasquali, the revelations of the curate, \nand the disorders that I witness trouble me sometimes, \nyet I remain attached to my Church. I believe it to \nbe the true Church, although I recognize that it is \nsomewhat fallen from the original purity of its doctrine, \nand somewhat disgraced by abuses that have crept in. \nThese abuses are the work of man, but the doctrine \nproceeds from God. \n\nWe went, therefore, together to the palace of Mon- \nsignior C. The staircase was magnificently lighted \nwith candles ; a number of domestics, in rich livery, \nannounced, with a loud voice, the new-comers in the \nantechambers. Their names were then repeated from \nroom to room, so as to arrive at the one where the \nprelate stood long before those who were announced \ncould reach him, so that he might, according to eti- \nquette, advance more or less to meet them, as their \nrank demanded. Thus we traversed four apartments \n\n\n\n156 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\non our way to the reception-room. This last was of \nvery large dimensions, furnished magnificently, and \nbrilliantly lighted. The prelate came forward a step \nor two to meet us, shook hands cordially with the two \nEnglishmen, and nodded slightly to the Waldensian \nand to me. Then he presented the former to certain \ncardinals, prelates, priests, and lords who were present. \nAs for myself, being only a poor little Abbe, I remained \nwith Mr. Pasquali in the corner of the saloon, and, I \nassure you, I was extremely mortified. AH this time \nthe guests continued to arrive, and, after the first sal- \nutations, they separated into dificrent groups and en- \ngaged in conversation. The ladies were seated on \nsofas, leaning against rich damask cushions, and were \nentertained by divers prelates, cardinals, and priests \nwho stood near them. \n\nMr. Pasquali then observed to me, \n\n" Mr. Abb^, what do you think of your successors of \nthe apostles ? Do you see any resemblance between \nthe house of this prelate and that of Saint Peter, which \nChrist entered to heal his mother-in-law ?" \n\nI bit my lips without replying. \n^ In a group near to us there stood a lady and two \nprelates, and, from their laughter and gestures, it was \neasy to perceive that their conversation related to sub- \njects of a nature not the most becoming. \n\nThe Waldensian proposed that we should draw near \nto some other group. The most edifying discourse \nthat we heard was from three old prelates who were \ntalking politics. \n\nSoon after, the doors of another brilliant saloon were \nopened. Each of the cardinals, prelates, or priests \n\n\n\nTHE SOIEEE. 157 \n\neagerly offered his arm to one of the ladies to conduct \nthem into this saloon, where a superb table was cover- \ned with the most delicate dishes ; fishes of all species, \nprepared with the most exquisite luxury, preserves and \nfruits of all sorts, covered the table, around which the \nladies only were seated, while the prelates stood behind \nthem to attend to their wants. Dear Eugene, this sight \nwas repugnant to me ; we were in Lent, and it was a \nday of fasting. It is true, there was no meat at the \ntable, but the excessive display shocked me, as it did \nalso the two Englishmen, who drew up toward us. I \nwould fain have left the place, but Mr. Pasquali detain- \ned me. \n\n\'\' I have come to Rome," said he, " to acquaint Mr. \nSweetman with its character ; and although such a \nsight is repugnant to my feelings, yet I desire to see \nthe end of it, so that Mr. Sweetman may be able to \nsay, when he returns to England, what the priests, suc- \ncessors of the apostles, conversed about." \n\nHe requested us, therefore, to keep silence, and to \nobserve what was passing. The ladies were less nu- \nmerous than the men, so that many priests and laymen \nwere without partners, and it appeared to me that these \nwere more alive to the good living before them than to \nthe duties of gallantry. Also, without thinking of the \nfast of Lent, they ate like gluttons, and bottles of Cham- \npagne disappeared before them. Two young prelates \nwere paying court to the Princess S. One of them \nhaving received some expression of favor, the other was \ntransported with indignation ; his eyes flashed with \nrage, menacing words were exchanged, and the one who \nthought himself slighted, having in his hand a knife \n\n\n\n158 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nwith whicli he was helping the princess, struck his ri- \nval, and wounded him severely in the thigh. The \nprincess screamed, and, springing up, the whole assem- \nIbly were in commotion. I know not how the thing \nwould have ended if Monsignior C and other cardi- \nnals had not interposed between the combatants. The \nwounded prelate was carried off, and Cardinal P., a \nman of great reputation, spoke, and begged the guests \nto maintain the most profound silence on this occur- \nrence, out of respect to his eminence.^ \n\nAfter this incident we returned to the former saloon, \nwhich, in the mean while, had undergone a transforma- \ntion. Gaming-tables were placed at the different cor- \nners of the room, at which the ladies and cardinals were \nfirst invited to be seated and to begin the game. To \nus strangers it was a scandalous sight to see cardinals \nand ladies seated together, and playing at cards. But \nI assure you, my dear Eugene, that card-playing is the \nmost innocent amusement to which the priests are ad- \ndicted. \n\nMr. Manson was really suffering, and Mr. Sweetman \ncould not believe his eyes. As for me, I was profound- \nly humiliated ; but Mr. Pasquali, with his ordinary \ncalmness, said to Mr. Manson, \n\n" What do you think of your brethren, the Eoman \npriests ?" \n\nAnd then, turning toward Mr. Sweetman, he said to \n\nhim, \n\n^ This incident respecting two prelates, one of whom, in a fit of \njealousy, wounded the other in the thigh with a knife at a party, was \nan actual occurrence in Rome in 1845, and the author of these letters \ncould name the house where this scene occurred, and the persons \nwho were engaged in it. \n\n\n\nTHE SOIEEE. 169 \n\n"You are astonished at these things, "but you will \nsee still worse ones." \n\nAnd to me he added, \n\n"Mr. Abbe, defend your Church now. These are \nyour champions, the successors of the apostles." \n\nIt was indeed to me a place of torment. We had \nalready been seated some time in a corner of the room, \naloof from the rest of the company, when Monsignior \nC. approached us. We stood up as he drew near, and \nhe, addressing Mr. Manson, demanded what was the \nEnglish custom as regards parties. Mr. Manson re- \nplied that, when these parties were given by an eccle- \nsiastic, and especially when numbers of them were as- \nsembled together, they were very little like his ; that, \nafter having taken tea, the guests engaged in conver- \nsation, which generally related to religious subjects ; \nthat then a chapter was read from the Bible, where- \nupon edifying observations were made, and the whole \nwas ended by a prayer. \n\n"That is the great mistake of the Protestants," re- \njoined the prelate ; " always the Bible, always the Bi- \nble; that is what makes them so obstinate in their \nerrors." \n\nTo what degree the two Englishmen were scandal- \nized by this observation I could not weU tell you. \n\nThen the Waldensian said, \n\n" Pray will you tell me, Monsignior, if all the eccle- \nsiastical parties in Eome are like this one ?" \n\n" Certainly not," replied the prelate; " this is an ex- \ntraordinary party." \n\n"But card-playing," added Mr. Sweetman, "does \nyour eminence think that to be a good thing ?" \n\n\n\n160 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\'\'At least there is no harm in it ; it is an innocent \ngame, and it is better to play at cards than to talk \nscandal. The best priests in Rome pass all their \nevenings at this game." \n\nSo saying, Monsignior turned around and approach- \ned a table where a question of the game was being dis- \ncussed, and which was submitted to his arbitration. \nThe whole evening was to me one of uninterrupted ag- \nony. At length, to escape the observation of the Wal- \ndensian, I left these gentlemen and went home alone. \n\nThis was the first time I had ever been in such so-* \nciety, and I made up my mind that it should be the \nlast. Nevertheless, I am convinced that such disor- \nder should be imputed to men and not to religion. \n\nHowever, to see the first dignitaries of the Church \npass their evenings in this manner, and then the next \nmorning, after a night of debauchery, take their seats \nin the confessional to reprimand those who come to \nconfess sins infinitely less disgraceful than those they \nhave committed themselves \xe2\x80\x94 all this troubled me, and \ninspired thoughts that I would fain have cast aside. \nThese reflections preoccupied me the whole night, \nwhich I passed without sleep. And do you know \nwhat thought was predominant in my mind ? It was \nthe comparison between the conduct of the Waldensian \nand that of the prelate. How, thought I, this Wal- \ndensian, who always speaks from the Bible, and whose \nacts are in such harmony with the Gospel, will be \ndamned as a heretic and worthy of our execration, while \nthese prelates, whose least innocent amusement is play- \ning at cards, could be the true Christians and success- \nors of the apostles, was more than I could comprehend. \n\n\n\nACCOUNT OF SOULS. 161 \n\nTo drive these meditations from my mind, I re- \nsolved the next morning to visit the curate, of whom \n, I have already spoken to you. Who knows, thought \nI, but this man may have some good explanation to \ngive me? At any rate, I wanted to make his ac- \nquaintance. I went, therefore, the next morning to \nsee this curate. I was introduced into his room, where \nI found him with my three friends and two other per- \nsons, who, as I learned later, were the sexton and the \ngrave-digger. The curate was seated at a table with \nthese two men, and, being occupied, he made me a sign \nto wait. Soon after having dismissed them, Mr. Pas- \nquali questioned him about what occupied him so \nmuch. \n\n"What!" said he, \'\'do you not know that Pass- \nover is approaching, and that I am occupied in making \nout the account of souls f \n\n"What is this account of souls?" said Mr. Man- \nson. \n\n"It is," replied the curate, "the most troublesome, \nand, at the same time, the most interesting feature of \nthe care of souls." \n\nMy friends desiring to possess a complete knowl- \nedge of this affair, the curate showed them a great \nbook on the state of souls, and told us that in Rome, \nas well as in the other Roman States, the curates, dur- \ning Lent, are obliged to visit every house, to register \nevery body, whether subjects or strangers, and to make \nof these registers two copies \xe2\x80\x94 one for the police, the \nother for the ecclesiastical board, and to keep the \noriginal among their own records. \n\nI remarked that this was done so as to know those \n\n\n\n162 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nwho satisfied the command concerning communion at \nPassover.^ The curate smiled, and, turning toward \nMr. Pasquali, he said, \n\n" As the Abbe is a friend of yours, I presume that he \nis one ofus^ and as I have no secrets to keep from you, \nI must say that, although the pretext is that which he \n\n\' Note hy the Translator, \xe2\x80\x94 Catholics are obliged to confess and \npartake of the Sacrament at least once a year, and this during the \nfeast of the Passover. In Rome, and perhaps elsewhere on this oc- \ncasion, a printed bulletin is given to the communicant, stating that \nhe has complied with this command, and this is afterward collected \nfrom every person at their homes by a priest appointed for that pur- \npose. In 1851, the government being still weak from the effects of the \nRevolution, the priests thinking it impolitic to expose their weak- \nness, decided to distribute these tickets without obliging persons to \nobserve the ordinary regulation. \n\nThe following is an exact copy of one of these tickets in my pos- \nsession, given to me while in Rome by a Roman lady of distinc- \ntion ; \n\n\n\n^ <3. <^ ^ <^ O <^^ <^ <<^> ^ <^> O <S> 0| \n\n\n\nV Tctm^cwn Leone s i^^ne^m ^jiirci^rCt^S cUrMco me/nscv \n\n(p VascAcdrt \'RasMAM-dionis. \n\n\\ AnrnDomini MDCCtU \n\n^ fBTRO SERAJTER TAmHO. ^ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe quotation may be translated thus : " Like lions breathing out \nfire, let us retire [i. e., after partaking of the sacrament] from that \ntable, being made terrible to the devil." \n\n\n\nACCOUNT OF SOULS. 163 \n\nhas stated, yet the truth is far otherwise. When we \nreply to Protestants who accuse us of so many things, \nthen we put forward all these pretexts ; but among \nfriends one must tell the truth. Observe, then," he \ncontinued, " what we are obliged to register about each \nindividual, and judge for yourselves. We must, 1st. \nNote exactly his residence, the street, the number, and \nthe story he occupies ; 2d. His name, family and bap- \ntismal, and place of birth ; 3d. His rank, whether no- \nble or not, tradesman, student, workman, etc. ; 4th. \nWhether married, bachelor, or widower, etc. ; 5th. If \na stranger, we must indicate how long a resident in \nRome, and how long he has lived in the parish ; 6th. \nWhere he lived before coming here ; 7th. What sacra- \nments he has received ; and, if that is not sufficient, \nobserve that there is a considerable blank place left to \nwrite down other observations." \n\n"And, as regards Protestants, what is your rule?" \nasked Mr. Pasquali. \n\n" The same as for the others," replied the curate, \n"except that we indicate them specially as Protest- \nants. Besides, every year, we must denounce to the \nEcclesiastical Board and to the police all the Protest- \nants living within our parish. \n\n"You understand from this that all these details \nhave nothing to do with the precept which obliges ev- \nery one to partake of the communion at the feast of the \nPassover." \n\n" So the curates of Rome," said the Waldensian, \n\' \' are police agents. " \n\n"Do not degrade us to that point," replied the cu- \nrate ; " say rather that we are the directors of the po- \n\n\n\n164 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nlice. The police depends entirely upon us ; and, to \nprove this to you, just look for yourselves." \n\nSaying this, he took from a drawer a package of let- \nters from the police, asking him for information con- \ncerning different persons. \n\n\'\' So that neither the police nor the vicar dare to im- \nprison any one before having consulted us, except in ex- \ntraordinary cases, and such as are perfectly palpable." \n\n"Then I was mistaken," said Mr. Pasquali, "in \ncalling J Qiw. police agents ; I should have said spies.\'\'\'* \n\nThe curate appeared w^ounded by this pointed re- \nmark, and rising, he invited us to follow him and con- \ntinue our visit to the office of the secretaryship.* \n\n"I suppose," said he, "that Monsieur I\'Abbe has \ncome to accompany us ?" \n\nI replied that, although this was not precisely the \nobject of my visit, I would accompany my friends with \npleasure. We went, therefore, to the office of tlie Sec- \nretary of the Congregation of the Council. \n\n" This chancery whither I am conducting you," said \nthe curate, on the way, "belongs to the Congregation \nof the Council founded by Pius IV., and is composed \nof cardinals, prelates, and doctors, being such as are \nmost thoroughly versed in the holy canons. The ob- \nject of this congregation is to interpret the decrees of \nthe Council of Trent." \n\nWe entered, therefore, into this chancery, and found \nourselves in a large room, around which were placed a \nnumber of tables, and at each one a priest was seated \nand busy writing. The walls of this room were gar- \nnished with shelves full of pasteboard boxes and pa- \n* See Letter IX. \n\n\n\nTHE CONGKEGATION OF THE COUNCIL. 165 \n\npers. The continual movement of persons going and \ncoming showed the great amount of business that was \nhere transacted. An old priest, seated at the end of \nthe room, was distributing patents and rescripts to \nthose asking for them, and levied the payment for \nthem according to a fixed tariff. \n\nAfter traversing this first room, the curate conduct- \ned us to the cabinet of Monsignior the Secretary, of \nwhom he asked permission to visit the archives. \n\nThe archives are composed of many rooms, full of \npapers, containing the decrees and the interpretations \nof the articles of the Council of Trent. Mr. Pasquali, \nsmiling, remarked that he was no longer surprised that \nthe Roman Church accused the Bible of obscurity, \nsince it had succeeded in filling so many rooms with \nthe interpretations of a council convoked especially to \ninterpret the Bible in its own way. Mr. Pasquali ap- \nproached the guardian, an old and rather weak-minded \npriest, and said to him, \n\n\'\'Are these all the decisions of the congregation?" \n\n"Oh," replied the priest, " you only see here a small \npart. The ancient ones are transported to the general \narchives in the Salvati Palace ; only the more modern \nones are in this chancery, and every day we send out \nhundreds of new ones." \n\n"And all these decisions," demanded Mr. Pasquali, \n" are they paid for ?" \n\n" Certainly," replied the priest; "nothing is ever \ngiven here gratis." \n\nWhen we left this place we visited the chancery \ncalled the Congregation of the Fabric. \n\n"This congregation," said the curate, "was estab- \n\n\n\n166 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nlished by Pope Clement VIII. Its occupation was \nthe care of the edifice of St. Peter ; but, as this admin- \nistration does not occupy it sufficiently, it comprises \nmany other branches." \n\nFor example, when we entered we were witnesses \nin a case which distressed me in my inmost soul. \n\nIt was a priest disputing with the secretary, and \nthis was the object of the discussion : This priest had \ngathered together, from different devotees, sufficient \nmoney to say five thousand masses. But he had \nspent the money, and the masses had never been said. \nThen the priest demanded of the Congregation of the \nFabric a dispensation of the obligation of saying these \nmasses. The whole thing was according to rule, as \nthis dispensation is granted to all : there was no dis- \npute as to that. It was as to the price that they dif- \nfered. The secretary wanted him to pay one bajocco \n(cent) for each mass, according to the tariff, which \namounted in all to fifty dollars. But the priest said \nthat he had a right to a reduction on account of the \ngreat number of masses for which he desired a dispen- \nsation, and, as he came often to get similar dispensa- \ntions, he deserved some consideration ! ! This was the \ncause of dispute. As for me, I blushed with shame, \nand the curate was as much annoyed by this incident \nas myself. We left this place, therefore, and, leav- \ning my friends, I returned home, more humbled and \ntroubled than ever. \n\nI tell you the whole truth, my dear Eugene, and I \nknow not how all this will end. I pray to God to \npreserve me in my faith, but I feel it giving way. \nYou, also, pray for me. Yours affectionately, \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\nAN INTERVIEW. 167 \n\n\n\nTWELFTH LETTEE. \n\nEome, April, 1847. \n\nDear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 After the terrible evening that I \nspoke to you about in my last, and after the circum- \nstance respecting that priest who bargained for the \nabsolution of a sacrilegious robbery, my mind was \ntroubled with most cruel doubts. A long time had \nalready elapsed since my master had spoken to me in \ncollege, when, the day after the above occurrence, he \ncalled me into his chamber after the lesson. I went \nin, and found there with him two old Jesuits: all three \nmaintained the most serious appearance. \n\nMy professor spoke to me, and said, \n\n" My son, it is my duty to warn you that you are \nrunning into great danger. You did not choose to fol- \nlow my advice ; you have continued your discussions \nwith this heretic Waldensian ; you have not brought \nthe Puseyite to us ; hence your own faith is begin- \nning to waver, the Puseyite is returning to Protest- \nantism, and you \xe2\x80\x94 what will become of you? You are \non the brink of a great abyss, but still you have time \nto save yourself." \n\nYou know that I am naturally timid and very nerv- \nous, so that this discourse alarmed me greatly. Nev- \nertheless, I maintained courage enough to tell him that \nit was not so much my discussions with the Walden- \nsian as what I had seen with my own eyes that troub- \nled me. I related to him then all that Mr. Manson \n\n\n\n168 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nhad written to me, all that I had seen in the different \nchanceries, and what had been told me by the curate, \nwhose name I imprudently mentioned. \n\n"All these things are trifles," replied the father; \n" these chanceries are direjcted by men who may abuse \ntheir position, but the principle on which they repose \nis the unlimited power of the Holy Father, as the vicar \nof Jesus Christ, and as the successor of the great apos- \ntle Saint Peter. \n\n"But you know what is taught by the great Fag- \nnani, that it is not lawful to discuss the acts of the \nPope, because every thing he does is done by the au- \nthority of God. You know, also, that the Cardinal \nZubarella, a very learned theologian, sustained the \nproposition that God and the Pope are one and the \nsame as regards their decisions {Deus et Papa faci- \nU7it unum consistorium) ; and, in a certain sense, the \nPope is more than God, because he can do in good con- \nscience unlawful things, which God could not permit \nhimself to do {Papa facit quidquid libet^ etiam illi- \ncitae et est plus quam Pens). And our Cardinal Bel- \nlarmine teaches that, if the Pope should commit an er- \nror by commending a vice and forbidding a virtue, all \ntrue Christians would be obliged, under the penalty of \nsin, to believe that vice is virtue and virtue is vice.^ \nyou know that the holy Council of Lateran, V., in the \nsixth section, termed the Pope God on earth ; and in \nthe tenth he is called the Savior of the Churchy These \nare the doctrines which should be upheld by good Cath- \nolics. The abuses of ministers can not in any way \naffect these doctrines." \n\n^ Bibl. de Romano Pontifico, lib, iv., chap. v. \n\n\n\nAN INTERVIEW. 169 \n\n^"^But, my father," said I, *\xe2\x80\xa2\' these are not abuses, \nbut principles : to declare the bones of an ordinary and \nunknown body to be those of a saint ; to sell indulg- \nences ; to absolve for money from sacrilegious robbery \n\xe2\x80\x94 these appear to me a horrible abuse of principles." \n\nI spoke these words with some vehemence ; and I \nperceived the two Jesuits looking at each other in a \nmysterious manner. As for the professor, without be- \ning in the least disconcerted, he replied, with the great- \nest calmness, that he who, by his word alone, could \ntransform bread into the body of Jesus, could with \nmuch more ease transform the bones of a pagan into \nthose of a saint ; that the power of the Pope was un- \nlimited. \n\nAs to payment for indulgences, he told me that the \nmoney paid was not the price of the grace obtained, \nwhich would be worth infinitely more, but that it was \na part of the price of the meritorious work that ought \nto be done to obtain this grace. \n\nAs I did not appear much convinced by these argu- \nment^, one of the Jesuits joined in, and told me that \nwhile I was in this state of mind I must avoid partak- \ning of the sacraments at the feast of the Passover, and \nthat immediately after this feast the exercises of Saint \nEusebius would commence, which they advised me to \nfollow ; promising me perfect peace of conscience if, \nhowever, I would abstain from all communication with \nmy three friends, with whom they positively forbade \nall association. \n\nAs I sought this peace in all sincerity, I promised \nto follow the exercises ; but as regarded my friends, I \npromised to avoid them as far as I could, but to re- \n\nH \n\n\n\n170 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nfuse to speak to them when I met them was out of the \nquestion. \n\nThen the professor, rising from his chair, said, \n\n" If you ever speak with those heretics again, you \nare a lost man!" \n\nAfter that he dismissed me coldly. On Palm Sun- \nday I went to the Church of Saint Peter to see the \nPope bless the palms. I mingled in the crowd and ob- \nserved the Holy Father, who, from his throne, sur- \nrounded by cardinals and prelates, was distributing \npalms to those of his court, and to some few foreign \nlords admitted to this great honor. I admired the de- \nvotion of both French and English noblemen, who \nprostrated themselves before the Pope, kissed his feet, \nand received with great joy from his hands a small \nolive-branch. I was startled by a voice from behind \nme, which said, \n\n" Oh I what a sublime sight !" \n\n"Yes," replied another voice, "horribly sublime! \nIt is the mystery of iniquity developing itself! What \na correspondence, or, rather, what a contrast between \nthe touching sight which occurred eighteen centuries \nago at Jerusalem and that which they are here mim- \nicking!" \n\nI turned to see who spoke thus, and found myself \nface to face with my three friends. After the cere- \nmony of the palms, mass commenced. Instead of the \nGospel of the day, three deacons sing alternately the \nhistory of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ as re- \nlated by Saint Matthew. One, representing the Evan- \ngelist, sings the whole history ; another represents the \ncharacter of Christ, and sings all the words spoken by \n\n\n\nPALM SUNDAY. 173 \n\nhim ; the third represents the crowd, and sings all \nthose passages pronounced by the Jews, the Pharisees, \nPilate, etc. \n\nMr. Sweetman seemed scandalized. It appeared to \nhim that to sing thus the Passion of Jesus Christ, and \nto represent those personages, was derogatory to the \nsolemnity of the act related, and was rather a scene \nfor the theatre than for the Church. But Mr. Manson, \nwho appreciated the thing better, was extremely edified. \n\n"This external ceremony," said he, "is more im- \npressive to the senses of the faithful. The singing of \nthe Gospel is, besides, a very ancient usage of the \nChurch." \n\n"Do you suppose," said the Waldensian, "that \nSaint Peter sang the Gospel?" \n\nDuring the singing the cardinals and prelates re- \nmain standing. The Pope, descending from his throne, \nretires into a room prepared for the occasion in one of \nthe angles of the church, and hung with damask. From \ntime to time a prelate came out from this room to call \nsome one of the cardinals, who passed into the cham- \nber of the Pope, and returned soon afterward. This \ncoming and going caused a great disturbance, and the \nWaldensian asked us to approach the chamber of the \nPope, and see what was going on within. We endeav- \nored, therefore, to do so, but the Swiss soldiers kept us \nback, and prevented our advancing to look on. In \nspite of this, we observed, at the side of this chamber, \nanother little room hung with tapestry, where jellies \nand other refireshments were being prepared, and we \nheard a burst of laughter proceed from the damask \nchamber; then we understood the mystery, and we \nlooked at each other with astonishment. \n\n\n\n174 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n" Behold," said the Waldensian, "the occupation of \nthe Pope while the Passion of our Lord is being sung \nin the church ! While every Christian should weep in \nhearing the recital of the Passion of the Son of God, \nhe who calls himself the head of his Church is regal- \ning himself with sweetmeats and bursting with laugh- \nter. Monsieur I\'Abbe, and you, Mr. Manson, what do \nyou say to this ? Defend, if you can, this action, which \nI can not attempt to characterize." As, for me, I turn- \ned my back and left the church. \n\nI will not mention, for fear of wearying you, the \nthoughts that this event gave rise to in my mind. On \nThursday I returned to Saint Peter\'s to witness the \nother ceremonies. \n\nAfter mass is said in the Sistine Chapel, the Pope \nenters Saint Peter\'s, and, when he is seated on his \nthrone, a deacon sings the first fifteen verses of the \n13th chapter of Saint John. Then the Pope, having \ntaken a fine linen napkin, descends from his throne, \nand approaches the pilgrims. The pilgrims are twelve \nforeign priests belonging to different nations, who rep- \nresent the twelve apostles. They are dressed in an \nEastern costume, and wear on their head a great white \ncap. They are seated on elevated benches, and each \none has before his feet a copper basin full of water ; \nthen the Pope passes before them, touching their feet \nand pretending to wash them, and then returns to his \nthrone. This ceremony is called the washing of feet. \n\nIn former days I was much edified by this ceremony, \nbut a remark of Pasquali made me consider it differ- \nently. He said that every thing they could not pos- \nsibly efface from the Gospel they turned into a farce. \n\n\n\n\nTHE SISTINE CHAPEL DURING MASS. \n\n\n\nTHE TWELVE PILGRIMS. 179 \n\nAfter this ceremony we witnessed another, which \nthe Waldensian also called a comedy. It was the \nrepresentation of the Supper of the Lord. \n\nIn a vast hall above the vestibule of the church a \ntable had been spread, raised upon a platform, and el- \negantly decorated with an abundance of silver, porce- \nlain, flowers, and fruits. Thousands of spectators \nwere present at this repast. The twelve priests, \ndressed in Eastern costume, were seated at table and \nate with good appetite. The Pope appeared, carrying \na dish, from which he served them ; then he retired. \nThe spectators, having nothing farther to see, did like- \nwise.^ This is the representation at Rome of the \nSupper of the Lord. \n\nThe Waldensian, turning toward us, said, with a \nmost serious voice, \n\n"Do you know how to define exactly Roman Ca- \ntholicism ? It is the Gospel in burlesque." \n\nI endeavored to justify these usages as far as I \ncould, but I admit to you that they were far from \nagreeable to me. \n\nOn Friday I returned to Saint Peter\'s, where they \nsang, as on the preceding Sunday, the Passion of our \nLord, according to the account given by Saint John. \nThe Pope had not yet arrived ; he only appeared after \n\n^ Note hy the Translator, \xe2\x80\x94 The disorders attendant upon these cer- \nemonies are notorious. While present at the ceremony of the Holy \nSupper a few years since, the translator saw an Englishman, who was \nendeavoring to extricate himself from the stifling crowd and gain a \nbreathing-place, felled to the floor by the halberd of one of the Swiss \nGuards, As soon as the Pope had retired, the apostle priests filled \ntheir pockets and handkerchiefs with the good things of the table, \nand the spectators scrambled for the rest. \n\n\n\n180 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nthe singing. Then commenced the adoration of the \ncross. The cardinal who was celebrating it, after nu- \nmerous genuflections, placed himself at the left of the \naltar, at the bottom of the steps. A deacon presented \nhim with the cross covered with a black veil. The \ncardinal uncovered the right arm of the cross ; then \nraising it up toward the people, he sang, ^^ Behold the \nwood of the cross ; come^ let us adore it.\'\'\'\' Then the \nPope, all the cardinals, the clergy, and the people \nkneeled down and adored the cross. \' The cardinal \nascends the steps of the altar, and, uncovering the left \narm of the cross, he sings the same words, but in a \nhigher tone. This is the second adoration, and lasts \na little longer than the first one. Finally, he takes \nhis place at the middle of the altar, uncovers the whole \ncross, and sings the same words, but in a still higher \ntone, and then the third adoration takes place. Every \none remains kneeling till the cardinal has advanced to \nthe centre of the church, where, with great solemnity, \nhe deposits the cross on a carpet laid there for that \npurpose ; then, after making a genuflection, he returns \nto his place. Then the choristers chant a plaintive \nair, and the Pope, taking off his shoes, descends from \nhis throne, and thus, bare-footed, prostrates himself \nand adores the cross. After him, all the cardinals, \nbishops, and priests follow his example, and afterward \nthe people are allowed to do the same. \n\nI was extremely moved at this sight. To see the \nPope humble himself thus before this representation \nof the cross of Christ can not but prove affecting to \nevery good Catholic. Mr. Manson partook of my \nemotion. Pasquali himself appeared troubled, and I \n\n\n\n\n\n^\xc2\xae^\'\'^\'<4^\'-^\'-^ \n\n\n\nSUNDAY OF THE PASSOVER. 187 \n\nthought he was moved by this sight, so I demanded \nof him, when we left the church, the reason of his ag- \nitation. \n\n\'*A Christian," said he, "can not but be troubled \nat the sight of this iniquity. In the Eoman Church \nevery thing serious is turned inte comedy, and the \nmost solemn acts of the Church are pure idolatry." \n\nHere we commenced a discussion on the worship of \nthe cross and images, which I will reserve for a follow- \ning letter, so as not to interrupt my present narration. \n\nThe ceremonies of Holy Saturday are scarcely wor- \nthy of mention ; the benediction of the fire, the paschal \nwax, baptismal fonts, is all that takes place.* \n\nAt length arrives the Sunday of the Passover, the \ngreat day of the feast. \n\nThe whole church of Saint Peter is decorated for \nthis festival. \n\nThe entire garrison of Rome is on parade in the \n\ngreat square ; the Grenadiers, the Swiss Guard, the \n\nmost distinguished citizens, the Guard of the Eoman \n\nSenate, and the Noble Guard, are drawn up in order \n\nof battle in the church, to form an inclosure for the \n\npapal retinue, and surround the altar and the throne. \n\nThe trumpets sound the arrival of the cortege. The \n\n* This remarkable practice of the sprinkling of various objects, of \nsecular as well as religious uses, with holy water, is one of the most \npalpable vestiges of heathenism to be witnessed at Rome. On the \nSaturday before Easter, a number of such objects are thus aspersed; \nbut it is upon the feast of Saint Anthony, a few weeks earlier, that \nthe sprinkling of dumb beasts takes place \xe2\x80\x94 horses, mules, donkeys, \netc., which are thus warranted against q,y\\\\ for the ensuing twelve \nmonths. This ceremony, which is performed at the door of the \nchurch of San Antonio Abate on the 17th of January, is represent- \ned in the engraving on a previous page. \n\n\n\n188 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\npapal cross, borne by a prelate, in the midst of seven \ngilded candlesticks, precedes the train ; after it follows \na long procession of prelates, wearing large red cloaks ; \nnext are carried five papal mitres, very precious, and \nthe triple crown ; then come the cardinals, dressed ac- \ncording to the order to which they belong, with cloaks \nof silver cloth richly embroidered with gold ; at last \ncomes the Pope himself, on a throne carried by men. \nOn either side is borne an immense fan, made of \nthe most precious feathers. As he passes, the people \nkneel. \n\n"Did Saint Peter enter thus into the assembly of \nthe faithful ?" asked the Waldensian. \n\nArriving at the altar, the Pope descended from his \nportable throne to ascend one that had been construct- \ned for him at the right of the altar ; there he changed \nhis dress, and put on the richest pontifical ornaments ; \nthen he ascended the great throne, and commenced to \nsay mass. \n\nWhile the choir were singing the Kyrie Eleison \n(Lord, have mercy on us !), the cardinals came, one \nafter the other, to adore the Pope. \n\nIn the grand mass of the Pope, called pontifical, the \nGospel is sung in Greek and Latin, but with this dif- \nference \xe2\x80\x94 the latter is sung by a cardinal, and the for- \nmer by a simple deacon. The book of the Gospel, in \nLatin, is also placed between seven candlesticks", while \nthe one in Greek has only two ; and all this is design- \ned to demonstrate, according to the doctrine of the \nCouncil of Trent, how much the authority of the trans- \nlation of the Vulgate is superior to the text of the \nBible itself. \n\n\n\nTHE POPE IN COMMUNION. 191 \n\nI will not relate in detail the remarks of the Walden- \nsian ; suffice it to say that Mr. Manson himself ap- \npeared shocked at what he saw, although he could not \nbut admire the majesty of these ceremonies. \n\nBut what displeased me more than all the rest was \nthe communion. The Pope, after the singing of the \nGospel, continued to say mass ; but to receive the \ncommunion he ascended again to his throne, and there \na deacon brought him the consecrated wafer ; and al- \nthough, on the preceding Friday, he had kneeled to \nadore the image of the cross, yet he now remained on \nhis throne in the presence of the holy sacrament. The \ndeacon then brought him a golden goblet, while he, \nstanding, drank through a golden reed the consecrated \nwine. \n\n" Oh ! your Pope !" said the Waldensian, " he does \nnot believe in the real presence of Jesus in the sacra- \nment, or, if he believes in it, he is certainly that man \nof sin of whom Saint Paul speaks in the second epistle \nto the Thessalonians : \' Who opposeth and exalteth \nhimself above all that is called God, or that is wor- \nshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, \nshowing himself that he is God.\' (2 Thess., ii., 4.)" \n\nAfter the mass the procession formed again ; the \nPope reascended his portable throne, and was thus car- \nried up to the great balcony to bless, at the sound of \nmusic and the noise of cannon, the immense crowd \nthat covered the place of Saint Peter\'s. \n\nI will not tell you now what the Waldensian said \non this occasion, and I will only add that I have pass- \ned a very uncomfortable Easter-day. My conscience \ntorments me. I dare not approach the Paschal com- \n\n\n\n192 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nmunion. I know not whether I ought to attend the \nspiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius, as I was advised \nto do by the Jesuits. \n\nIn my next you will know what I have decided upon. \n\nDear Eugene, pray for me, for I am in a truly de- \nplorable state. Adieu. Believe me yours, \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\nIMPRISONMENT. 193 \n\n\n\nTHIRTEENTH LETTER. \n\nRome, April, 1849. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 After two years of trial and \nsuffering, behold me again enjoying the light of day, \nand the sweet liberty which I thought to have lost \nforever. And you, dear Eugene, you supposed you \nhad lost your friend, but behold, yoirhave found him, \nand doubly found him ; for not only is he returned to \nyou alive, but, still more, delivered from all his errors \nand prejudices, and you find in him a brother in our \ncommon Father and Lord Jesus Christ. \n\nWhat the discussions and arguments of my good \nfriend the Waldensian could not do, has been done by \nthe grace of the Lord. Two years spent in the prisons \nof the Inquisition, a long and serious study of the Gos~ \npel, and sincere and fervent prayer, have awakened \nwithin me a faith that was unknown to me before. \n\nThe Lord, whom I did not seek, came himself, and \nsought me out in prison, and the Good Shepherd has \nled the strayed sheep to his fold. \n\nI know not how to begin, I have so many things to \ntell you : my imprisonment, my trial, my sufferings, \nmy conversion, and my deliverance, are so many sub- \njects of deep interest to you, and I should like to re- \nlate them all in a single breath. But this being im- \npossible, I will begin with my liberation, and by a de- \nscription of those terrible prisons, which will aid jov \n\nI \n\n\n\n194 ROME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nin understanding what I have to tell you afterward \nabout my trial. \n\nDo not expect a studied narrative. My relation \nshall be simple, and in my customary manner. \n\nIt was on the 27th of last March, toward sunset, \nthat I heard in the corridor which led to my dungeon a \ntumultuous sound as of persons walking rapidly along, \nclamorous and shouting loudly, but whose words were \ntoo indistinct for comprehension. The opening of the \ndungeon doors, the threats and blasphemies which re- \nsounded through this lower corridor, showed that some \nextraordinary occurrence was taking place. As for me, \nwho had nothing but misery to expect, I threw myself \non my knees and began to pray, recommending my \nsoul to God, when, with a great clash, my door was \nburst open. A man of small stature rushed in first, \nand embraced me, hanging on my neck, and overcome \nwith tears. It was the minister Sterbini^ the author \nof the decree of the abolition of the Holy Office. Oth- \ners followed, and embraced me in their turn. Sterbini \nconfided me to the care of two of them, and said to me, \n\'\' You are free ; now I fly to deliver the others." \n\nI was suffering from an extreme weakness in my \nlimbs, caused by a long sojourn in a close dungeon, so \nthat I could hardly walk. The two men took me in \ntheir arms, and carried me, as if in triumph, into the \nmidst of the crowd of people assembled in the court- \nyard, who, upon seeing me, began to shout with joy \nand to clap their hands, crying out, \'\'\'Hurrah for lib- \nerty of conscience /" I was carried to a room with the \nother liberated prisoners, and there the good people of \nRome, so different from their priests, endeavored to re- \n\n\n\nLIBEEATION. 195 \n\nstore our strength by soups, wine, and cordials. The \nnumber of liberated prisoners in this room soon in- \ncreased to about thirty. Now Sterbini returned, much \nfatigued, and asked each one of us where we desired \nto be led. As for me, I replied, being a stranger, I \nwas without a home, but if they would be good enough \nto take me to the curate of the Magdalene, he would, \nperhaps, be good enough to receive me. \n\n" The curate of the Magdalene, whom you seek," \nsaid Sterbini, " discovered what the priests were before \nyou, and he has left Rome, and with Rome he has \nabandoned the Roman religion." \n\nAt this news I could not but raise my eyes toward \nheaven, and give thanks to God for bringing over this \nman to his Gospel. Then one of the gentlemen pres- \nent begged me to accept a room in his house, which I \ndid, and I am still living with him. Thanks to the \nkindness of my host, and the active care of an excel- \nlent physician, I was enabled to go out within a very \nfew days. Yesterday, the 4th of April, I took my first \nwalk. On this day the gates of the Holy Office were \nthrown open to the public, so that every one might in- \nspect the place where so much iniquity had been per- \npetrated. My host begged me to accompany him as \nguide through these prisons. \n\nThe palace of the Roman Inquisition presents ex- \nternally a style of architecture both simple and severe. \nIts lonely position, the gigantic edifice of the Vatican, \nwhich seems to tower above it, the iron gates that se- \ncure its entrance, and the solemn silence which reigns \naround it, give to these prisons an imposing aspect. \nIt is composed of two rectangles united by a trapezi- \n\n\n\n196 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\num. The first part of the rectangle, facing on the \nstreet, constituted the ancient palace of the ferocious \nMichael Ghilieri, who became later Pius V., the instiga- \ntor and author of the massacre of Saint Bartholemew\'s \nEve. He made a present of this building to the In- \nquisition, who added a number of chambers, and con- \nverted it to the use of the father inquisitors and those \nattached to the Holy Office. The other part of the \nrectangle is destined for prisoners. \n\nWe ascended to the first story. An immense hall \nleads to two large and commodious apartments ; the \none belongs to the father commissary, and the other \nto Monsignior the Assessor. These apartments were \nunfurnished, their possessors having saved the furni- \nture. Thence we entered into the hall of this dread \ntribunal. At the end, in front, are placed the colossal \narms of Pius V. ; a large arm-chair for the father com- \nmissary, surmounted by a huge crucifix ; an elliptical \ntable, with twenty chairs for the consultors of the Holy \nOffice, and a picture of the terrible Guzman (St. Dom- \ninic), composed the whole of the furniture. Thence \nwe passed into the Archives. An inscription in large \ncharacters, placed above the door, interdicted the en- \ntrance under penalty of excommunication. Disregard- \ning this prohibition, multitudes were passing through, \nand we entered with them a large room, having its \nfour walls garnished with shelves full of papers. A \nnumber of tables, with writing materials, were to be \nfound in this first part of the Archives, called the \nChancery. Here it is that the records of all the mod- \nern trials, dating from the middle of the last century \ndown to the present time, were kept. From this we \n\n\n\nPRISON OF THE INQUISITION. 197 \n\nproceeded to the library. All the correspondence of \nthe Holy Office, all the works which speak in praise of \nthe Inquisition, in whatever language they might have \nbeen published, are embraced in this library. Another, \nand the most precious portion, contains a complete col- \nlection of the works of the Italian reformers \xe2\x80\x94 works for \nthe most part unknown to the most learned biblio- \nphiles, because the greater part have been destroyed. \nI had no idea that the Italians had written so much in \nfavor of the Gospel. However, the most interesting \npart of this library is composed of manuscripts found \nby the Inquisition in possession of heretical priests \nwho were imprisoned, or of those whose property was \nsequestrated by the censor. \n\nThe third part of the Archives contains the ancient \nproceedings commenced in the time of Pius V. There \nare to be found the famous trials of Luigi Pasquali, of \nAntonio Paleario, of Carnesecchi, and of many others \nburned in Rome for the cause of the Gospel. There \nthe horrible plans of organization of the Valteline mas- \nsacres are stowed away ; there are the documents of \nthe Gunpowder Plot of England, and the Saint Bar- \ntholomew Massacre of France, and many other docu- \nments, which, if published, would show what Popery is. \n\nFronf^the Archives we passed on to another room \nentirely bare; two side-doors opened into the apart- \nments of the two fathers, called companions. \n\nWe entered into the room of the second companion, \nwhom I knew well, as it was he who filled the office \nof judge-instructor, and I had often been examined by \nhim. In the very chamber where I had been ques- \ntioned, and under the very place where I was seated, \n\n\n\n198 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nI beheld an open trap. Wishing to see what it was, \nwe descended by a little staircase, which led us to a \nrecent opening made in the wall by the order of the \ngovernment of the republic, and this ended in a sub- \nterranean cavity like a sepulchre : the earth on its \nbottom was black and spongy. On one side the earth \nwas heaped up, covering half-buried human skeletons. \nMy heart failed me at this sight, and my guide was \noverflowing with indignation at these horrible sights. \n\nIn the middle of the second rectangle, where the pris- \nons are, is a damp and dark court-yard, and all around \nit are small gates with bars of iron, showing where the \nold dungeons were: they are little cells, low, damp, \nand hardly large enough to contain one person. Be- \nlow these cells are subterraneous passages, formed by \nthe ruins of the ancient Circus of Nero \xe2\x80\x94 ruins which \nappear to have been always destined to be sprinkled \nwith the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. \n\nIn one of these subterranean places there still ex- \nists, in an angle, about thirty steps of a stone staircase, \nwhere the unfortunate victims who were condemned to \ndie by being walled up were made to descend. \n\nThe skeletons found at the bottom showed how \nthese barbarous executions were consummated. The \nvictims, their hands bound behind their backs, were \nburied up to their shoulders in earth mixed with lime ; \nthen the opening was walled up, and they were left \nto die by starvation. The convulsive movements of \nthese skeletons showed the horrible struggle they had \nsustained before death. We left this infernal abode, \nand continued our visit to the ancient prisons. A little \ncorridor to the left of the one already described con- \n\n\n\nPRISON OF THE INQUISITION. 199 \n\nducted US to a small court-yard worse than the first. \nHere there are sixty very small dungeons, divided into \nthree stories. In each of these dungeons can he seen \nan enormous iron ring, which served to clasp the waist \nof the prisoner. In some this ring was fastened to \nthe wall, and in others to the pavement. In the cen- \ntre of one of these dungeons was a round stone, which \nthe government had removed, and it was found to \ncover a hole in which many skeletons could be seen. \nNo one knows whether the individuals found in this \nplace were buried dead or alive. In the midst of so \nmany horrors, we were deeply affected on reading the \nhalf-effaced inscriptions on the walls. One of them \nran thus : " The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not \nwant." Another: "The caprice and cruelty of man \nshall never separate me from thy Church, O Christ, \nmy only hope." A third was this: "Blessed are \nthey which are persecuted for righteousness\' sake, for \ntheirs is the kingdom of heaven." \n\nI was weary of beholding these barbarities, and we \npassed on to the modern prisons. They are composed \nof two compartments. Each of these prisons is in the \nform of a narrow cell. They are separated by a long \nand narrow corridor. On each door is placed a cruci- \nfix, but the countenance of Christ is represented, not \nwith the mild expression of him who uttered the \ntouching prayer, " Father, forgive them, for they know \nnot what they do." It was, on the contrary, mena- \ncing and ferocious. Inside each dungeon is written, in \nlarge letters, a passage from the Bible. These pas- \nsages are chosen from the most threatening of those \nfound in the law and the prophets, not a single pas- \n\n\n\n200 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nsage speaking of compassion or pardon. In vain you \nwould seek for a word of this sort in the dictionary of \nthe Inquisition ; never a sentiment of pity, pity to \nheretics being a heresy. In my prison, for instance, \nthere was written the sixth verse of Psalm cix. : " Set \nthou a wicked man over him, and let Satan stand at \nhis right hand." In another dungeon there was writ- \nten the seventeenth verse of the same Psalm: "As \nhe loved cursing, so let it come unto him ; as he de- \nlighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him." \nAnd in a third was to be found the nineteenth verse \nof the twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy : "Cursed \nshalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt \nthou be when thou goest out." \n\nThere remained to be visited the ancient hall of tor- \nture, situated under ground, and approached by a nar- \nrow stone staircase. The instruments of torture no \nlonger exist, but we saw still, fastened into the wall, \nan iron hook which sustained the axis of the wheel, \nand in the centre was a square stone, in which a post \nwas fixed, which served for torture by means of a rope. \nIron rings fixed in the dome showed the means of \nother tortures. A large chimney-place in one of the \nangles of the room indicated the place of torture by \nfire. But lately this chamber had been converted \ninto the wine-cellar of the reverend father inquisitor. \nAt the side of this cellar the republican government \nhad had a wall torn down, which, although painted \ngray and in s\\ich a manner as to appear ancient, yet, \nits mortar having been examined by masons, it was rec- \nognized to be of very recent construction. This open- \ning conducted into a high room where there were two \n\n\n\nA NEW FAITH. 201 \n\nlarge ovens, made in the form of hives, and these \novens were filled with calcined bones. When the In- \nquisition could no longer burn its victims in public, \nthey were burned secretly in these ovens. After hav- \ning seen all these things, we left this hell never to re- \nturn. \n\nDear Eugene, such is the place where your poor \nfriend languished for two years. The iniquity of the \ntrials surpasses that of the prisons. But the Lord has \ndone great things for me. God has made use of the \nwickedness of men, and of those very men for whom I \nentertained so much esteem, to convert me to him. \n\nWith all this, I have no idea what has become of \nmy friends. I fear greatly lest the Waldensian may \nhave been also thrown into prison by the Holy Office; \nbut whether he has died in prison, or is alive and free, \nI can not ascertain. My host has promised to make \nall possible researches for them, and I await the issue \nwith anxiety. I have not yet decided whither to go ; \nbut while I remain in Rome, I will write you often, \nand will relate the history of my imprisonment and \nmy conversion. Adieu, dear friend. . \n\nHeney. \n12 \n\n\n\nI \n\n202 KOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nFOURTEENTH LETTER. \n\nKome, April, 1849. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 You expect, no doubt, to find \nin this letter the account of my imprisonment, and \nsuch should be the object of this lettei; if I endeav- \nored to follow a chronological order ; but I am anx- \nious to unburden my heart by revealing a mystery of \niniquity until now unknown to you. Perhaps you \nwill say. What is this mystery of iniquity ? The In- \nquisition? .... No. It is Jesuitism! \n\nYou know that I was a Jesuit both in heart and \nsoul, although I did not wear the dress. You know, \nbesides, that I followed the exercises of Saint Igna- \ntius with the most honest intentions. But some con- \nversations with Pasquali, of which I have never in- \nformed you, caused me to become more reserved in my \nintercourse with the Jesuits. \n\nMy confessor of this order was the secretary of the \nfather assistant of France, and as he held me in great \nconsideration, and regarded me already as affiliated^^ \nhe communicated many important things to me, and \nsometimes made me write his letters ; and so great was \nhis confidence in me that he often left me alone in his \nchamber. On such occasions I endeavored to discov- \n\n* The Jesuits denominate those members of the Company who \nhave not assumed the habit, but have secretly joined their body, affili- \nated members. In France these are popularly called *\' Jesuits of the \nshort frock" \xe2\x80\x94 (Jesuites a robe courte). \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 203 \n\ner the secrets of his correspondence ; and although I \ndo not flatter myself that I succeeded in penetrating \ninto them all, yet, by putting them all together, I be- \nlieve I have acquired a pretty good comprehension of \nthe Jesuitical system. \n\nI will not relate in their order the discoveries I \nmade, nor the letters I read ; I will only give the re- \nsults. \n\nThe fundamental maxim of the Jesuits is, as I have \nalready explained to you in speaking of the exercises \nof Saint Ignatius, as follows: "All means are good \nif they conduct to the end in view.\'\'\'\' \n\nWhat end do the Jesuits propose to attain? you \nwill ask. They reply, the greater glory of God. This \nis their motto ; but remark this, they do not say that \ntheir aim is the " glory of God" (which would be an \naim entirely spiritual), but the greater glory of God ; \nand by this comparative they open the way to all sorts \nof interpretations. Thus, for instance, the glory of \nGod would require that all men should arrive at a \nknowledge of truth by means of instruction and per- \nsuasion ; but the greater glory of God, according to \nthem, exacts that all men should be constrained to \nthink like the Jesuits, under penalty of being damned. \nBut what follows will show in clearer light the abom- \ninations of this principle. \n\nTo attain their end, this is their practical argument : \nThe greater glory of God demands the salvation of all \nmen, but this salvation can not be obtained outside of \nthe Catholic Church ; consequently, the greater glory \nof God consists in obliging all men to belong to the \nRoman Church. \n\n\n\n204 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nIn the application of this principle the means are in- \ndifferent. Thus one of the means by which the peoj)le \nremain or become Catholics is ignorance^ so that with \nthem it is a duty to perpetuate ignorance among the \npeople. A true Jesuit beholds in science the ruin of \nreligion. But ignorance can not be maintained open- \nly, because the people would be aware of it ; so it is \nmaintained by feigning instruction. This is the rea- \nson the Jesuits seek the monopoly of education, to en- \nvelop science in inextricable methods, and to divert \nthe intellect with vain questions rather than with solid \ninstruction ; and, should one of their novices surpass \nthe rest, they would, by their great power, either per- \nsecute him as a heretic or a liberal, according to the \ncountry he inhabited, and any writings of his would \nbe put in the Index. To attract and maintain peo- \nple in the Roman religion, superstition must be united \nto ignorance. Superstition may be evil in itself, but \nthe end sanctifies the means. Thus all the modern \nRoman superstitions originate among the Jesuits ; and, \nas many persons will accept nothing in religion that is \nnot ancient, the aid of falsehood and deception is call- \ned in to demonstrate that the inventions of a few days\' \nstanding date back to the first centuries of the Church. \nWise and sincere men soon unmask this imposture ; \nthen the Jesuits declare them to be heretics, Jansen- \nists, or unbelievers, and persecute them. \n\nAll the principles of this mystery of iniquity can \nnot be explained in one letter, therefore let us pass on \nto a consideration of its practical workings. \n\nIn Rome the Jesuits act openly and fearlessly : they \nhold the entire city in their hands. As regards edu- \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 205 \n\ncation, they give instruction in the great Roman Col- \nlege to more than a thousand youths. In the Ger- \n\'/nan College they educate more than a hundred young- \nPrussians, Hungarians, Bavarians, and Swiss, to bo \nsent later to Germany as bishops or priests. In the \nIrish and Scotch Colleges, young men, destined to \nhold ecclesiastical benefices in those two countries, are \neducated. The English College is directed entirely \nby affiliated members. In the college of the Propa- \nganda about three hundred young men of different \ncountries are instructed and sent back to their respect- \nive lands as affiliated Jesuits. They have also charge \nof the College of nobles^ where almost the entire nobil- \nity of Rome are educated by the Jesuits, so that nearly \nall the instruction in Rome is Jesuitical. \n\nAs regards the education of women, it is in the \nhands of the ladies of the Holy Heart and of the Good \nShepherd, whose Jesuitism is notorious. \n\nAll these young people are obliged to confess to the \nreverend father Jesuits, and this is their great harvest- \nfield. Educated by them, and accustomed to hear \ntheir sermons, they can withhold nothing from these \nfathers, whom they esteem and venerate so highly. \n\nJesuits ha^e a peculiar manner of hearing confes- \nsions. They are not content with the simple avowal \nof sins, but, by their kind and insinuating manners, they \nmanage to gather from the youth who makes his con- \nfession all that relates to his family affairs, the con- \nduct of his parents, his household concerns, the names \nand conversation of the persons who frequent it, etc. \nThus it is that innocent boys often become the accusers \nof their own parents, and this is one of the means em- \n\n\n\n206 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nployed by the reverend fathers for their secret police. \nBut this method alone would not attain their end. \nTherefore they have, in the Church of Jesus, a con- \ngregation of nobles, with which all the Roman nobility \nis associated. The Jesuits are its directors and con- \nfessors, and thus hold in their hands the nobility. \n\nThey direct also a congregation of merchants, and \nbecome acquainted, through the confessional, witjj \nevery thing relating to commerce. They also make a \nsimilar use of the congregation of mechanics, called \nprima primaria^ in the Church of Saint Ignatius^ \nand of the countrymen in the Church of Saint Vitale. \n\nThey have in the galleys, at the Castle of Saint An- \ngelo, a congregation of galley-slaves, and thus act as \ntheir police. \n\nAnother congregation established in the prisons ex- \ntends their dominion over the prisoners. And as the \nspiritual direction of the municipal soldiers (or gen- \ndarmes) is confided to them, they are informed of every \nthing that occurs in the city. \n\nIn the church of Caravita there is a congregation \nof ladies, to which nearly all the ladies of the city be- \nlong ; besides, there is another congregation of so-call- \ned half \'ladies^ to which those females who are not \nnoble belong. Finally, the congregation of the Mis- \nsions is attended by the more bigoted mechanics, men \nand maid servants, grisettes, etc. \n\nThe Jesuits are assiduous in their attendance at the \nconfessional, and each confessor has his particular class \nof persons ; those who can best insinuate themselves \ninto the mind of youth are assigned to confess young \nboys ; those who understand tlie nobility confess the \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 207 \n\nnobles. Thus each class has its corresponding and \nappropriate Jesuit confessor. By this means they dis- \ncover every thing. \n\nThe Jesuitical government is eminently monarchi- \ncal. There is but one head, who is the general ; and \nfrom all I could discover, this is the way they govern \nthe world.. Each is compelled to yield a blind obe- \ndience to his superior, so that, according to their own \nexpression, a Jesuit should be in the hands of his su- \nperior what a corpse is in the hands of a surgeon. A \nJesuit should have no conscience, because his con- \nscience is in the hands of his superior, so that (as their \nrule is) he should obey him except where the command \nis evidently a sin. But in the code of Jesuitical mo- \nrality, neither calumny, nor robbery, nor homicide are \nevidently sins. The father-general has divided the \ndifferent kingdoms of the world into as many differ- \nent provinces under his dominion. The three king- \ndoms of the British Isles, for instance, form one prov- \nince ; Italy another ; France another. Each kingdom \nconstitutes but one province under the government of \nthe general. Switzerland, being too inconsiderable to \nform a whole province, is divided between Germany \nand France. Each of these provinces has a represent- \native in Rome, called assistant. Every individual be- \nlonging to the company is obliged to communicate ev- \nery day to a Jesuit called the spiritual father^ or the \nsuperior of the college where he lives, every thing he \nsees, hears, or thinks. These fathers make extracts \nof the most important reports, and communicate them \nto the fathers of the province, who, in their turn, for- \nward a weekly extract to the father-general, who, in \n\n\n\n208 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nhis turn, makes a selection, and lays them before the \nPope in a particular audience every Thursday even- \ning. \n\nAll this renders the father-general an object of dread \neven to crowned heads, because he holds in his hands, \nby means of consciences, all the reins of the Catholic \nsociety. The father-general, acting upon the state- \nments he receives, agrees with his assistants as to the \ncourse to be followed. \n\nIf he believes, for instance, that the greater glory of \nGod demands the creation of a revolution in a king- \ndom, the general sends the order to his assistants^ who \ngive notice to all the associates, and these, obeying as \nmere machines, speak and act as commanded, either in \nthe confessionals or the pulpit ; so that the father-gen- \neral, if not afraid of unveiling his intrigues, might often \npredict an event many months, or even years, before its \noccurrence. This is the reason why Jesuits are pro- \ntected by sovereigns and governments. If any power \nis opposed to them, it must sooner or later fall. \n\nIn those places where the Jesuits have no legal ex- \nistence, the influence of the father-general is perhaps \nstill greater, for there the Jesuits exist as missionaries \nor under some other name. The father-general sends \nto those countries the most artful men, who propagate \ntheir opinions secretly ; and many who would not dare \nto avow themselves Jesuits, connect themselves with \nthe company under some other name without being- \naware of it. \n\nMy confessor, whom I have already spoken of, be- \ning one day in better humor than usual, related to me \nincredible things respecting Jesuitism in England. \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 209 \n\nHe told me, for instance, that, in spite of all persecu- \ntions, they had never abandoned England ; that there \n, were more Jesuits there than in Italy ; they were to \nbe found in all classes of society, in Parliament, among \nthe Protestant clergy, among its bishops, and among \nthe aristocracy. I did not comprehend how a Jesuit \ncould become a Protestant minister, or how a Protest- \nant bishop could be a Jesuit ; but my confessor com- \nmanded silence, saying, \'\' Omnia munda mundis /" \nthat Saint Paul became a Jew among Jews to save \nJews ; so that there was nothing astonishing that a \nJesuit should turn Protestant among Protestants to \nconvert Protestants. \n\nBut this is what I discovered with reference to the \nreligious movement in England denominated Pusey- \nism. The English clergy being extremely partial \nto their system of faith, it would have been impos- \nsible to change their doctrine on this point. The \nschemes and machinations set on foot by Bossuet and \nthe Jansenists of France to unite the English clergy \nto the Catholic Church having been of no avail, the \nJesuits of England tried other means, which was to \ndemonstrate by history and ecclesiastical antiquity the \nlegitimacy of the usages of the Anglican clergy. Then, \nby the aid of disguised Jesuits, the English clergy \nwere induced to examine more minutely the subject \nof ecclesiastical antiquity. The end to be gained was \nto occupy students in long, laborious, and difficult in- \nvestigations, and thus to lead them away from the \nstudy of the Bible. While Bingham was publishing his \nexcellent work on ecclesiastical antiquities, the Pope, \nbeing warned by the Jesuits, chose his best champions, \n\n\n\n210 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nto whom he distributed certain offices to occupy them \nwith the same study ; and as documents of this sort \nabound in Rome, the Roman theologians had the ad- \nvantage, especially as they did not hesitate to commit \nchanges and falsifications. \n\nArrighi, Mamachi, and many others, published in \nRome their Christian antiquities. The Jesuits of En- \ngland now stimulated the Anglican clergy to give them- \nselves up still more to this pursuit, and inspired them \nwith the desire to visit Rome to judge with their own \neyes. In Rome the Jesuits took great care not to \nconvert those missionaries, as they wished to make so \nmany apostles of them. In this manner the Jesuits \nof England and Rome succeeded in attracting a large \nproportion of the English clergy toward Puseyism. \n\nSuch were the revelations of my confessor. \n\nAs regards their tactics in Protestant countries, I \nmay sum it up thus : what the Jesuits preach and \npractice in those countries would be elsewhere regard- \ned as heresy. There they hold to fewer superstitions \nthan in Catholic countries. They permit Catholics, \nin opposition to the decrees of the Popes and the Coun- \ncils, to read the Bible, and this in order to accuse Prot- \nestants of lying when they mention such things in dis- \ncussions. They insinuate themselves among the peo- \nple by charitable works rather than by the confession- \nal. They spare no sacrifice in gaining the favor of \nthe great and powerful, and endeavor to make them- \nselves indispensable by promoting internal dissensions. \nThus, for instance, supposing that there exist in a \nProtestant country two parties, either in the adminis- \ntrative or in the legislative body, the Jesuits, and all \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 211 \n\ngood Catholics acting under their direction, ought to \nremain neutral ; but, instead of doing so, they throw \nthemselves in a mass upon the side of those who prom- \nise them the greatest advantages. Thus combining \nwith the victorious party, they endeavor to annihilate \nthe vanquished ; having succeeded in this, they seek \nto destroy the party to which they attached them- \nselves, and to remain alone masters of the field of \nbattle. \n\nBut, you will say, how can such iniquity be ex- \nplained ? Are they men or demons ? It is impossi- \nble to be so wicked without an aim. What, then, is \nthis aim ? You will ask, too, if they can perform all \nthis without immense riches? Where do they pro- \ncure these riches ? These are questions that can not \nbe answered with few words. I shall postpone such \nreplies for my next. In the mean time I shall remain \nat Rome, but shall leave it when I shall have found \nout what has become of Mr. Pasquali ; then I will in- \nform you of my future residence. \n\nYours affectionately, Heney. \n\n\n\n-- AMr^^^wi\'M\'fiiiijjjjii \n\n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 215 \n\n\n\nFIFTEENTH LETTER. \n\nRome, April, 1849. \n\nMy DEAR Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 I gave you, in my last, a gen- \neral idea of the Jesuits and Jesuitism, but I desire still \nto give you some explanation with regard to their in- \nfluence, their morality, and wealth. If any one should \nattempt to judge the Jesuits of to-day or Jesuitism \nfrom what the writers of the last two centuries have \nsaid, he would Ibe greatly mistaken. Then Jesuitism \nwas at open war with the Gospel and society, whereas \nmodern Jesuitism is a contagious disease \xe2\x80\x94 a sort of \nepidemic, which, although it insinuates itself secretly, \nis none the less dangerous. \n\nJesuitism formerly acted openly, like a conqueror ; \nthe modern system acts secretly, like an assassin. To- \nday the Jesuits are no longer the confessors of kings, \nbecause no influence could be gained thereby ; they \nare no longer court preachers, because sermons and \nconfessions affect no longer the hearts of sovereigns \nnor the destiny of nations. To belie what has been \nsaid of them, and to prove that they are entirely dif- \nferent from what they are accused of being, they have \nchosen another road, so as to govern in their way both \nreligion and society, and this way I have pointed out \nto you in my last letter. \n\nYou asked of me. What end do the Jesuits propose \nto attain ? \n\nIf you should put this question to them, they would \n\n\n\n216 ROME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nreplj, " The greatest glory of God ;" but if you ques- \ntion the facts, you will be forced to conclude that it is \nan immoderate thirst for dominion ; to render them- \nselves necessary to the Pope and to kings, in order \nto govern the Pope and the whole Roman Catholic \nChurch ; and, finally, to command kings and the en- \ntire world. \n\nThis is the veritable aim of the reverend fathers. \nThus Catholicism and Jesuitism, Jesuitism and des- \npotism, are one and the same thing. > \n\nFormerly there existed Jansenists and a Gallican \nChurch, but all this has disappeared, and one can no \nlonger be a good Catholic without being a Jesuit. \n\n"To attain the end, the means are indifferent." \nThis is their favorite maxim. Thus, to rule the intel- \nlects of men, they seek to weaken them ; and, under \nthe pretext of instruction, they fill the minds of youth \nwith prejudices, so as better to maintain them in a \nstate of ignorance slightly tinged with science. To \ngovern in matters of religion, they have rendered re- \nligion material and superstitious. They call them- \nselves the disciples of Jesus, not to model themselves \non him, but to make of him a Jesus of their sort ; for \nif you take any book written by Jesuits and designed \nto nourish (as their expression is) the religion of their \npupils, you will find, not the Jesus of the Gospel, but \na Jesus so contracted as to resemble one of their own \nnovices. It is with the same intention that they have \ninvented all the modern superstitions, and reduced re- \nligion to a material and hypocritical worship, entirely \nabolishing the Gospel idea of worship of spirit and in \ntruth. They seek to command in politics, and to at- \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 217 \n\ntain this end all means are good. Consequently, in \norder to become indispensable to sovereigns, they do \nnot preach, with Peter and Paul, submission to estab- \nlished powers, but, personifying in themselves the Cath- \nolic religion, they preach and teach in the confession- \nal, in pulpits, and in schools, that the best sovereign \nis he who favors them most ; and if a government \ndoes not favor the reverend fathers, that government \nis heretical, and they do not cease to ascribe to it cor- \nrupt intentions. Pius IX., who did not favor them \nmuch in the commencement, was deemed by them a \nschismatic and an intruder, and they openly prayed \nfor his conversion. If a sovereign should not be well \ninclined to the Jesuits, a revolution would certainly \nbreak forth in his kingdom. Under such circum- \nstances, they insinuate that obedience is not due to an \nirreligious sovereign ; and, making a false application \nof the passage which says, " We ought to obey God \nrather than man," and putting themselves in the place \nof God, they excite to disobedience and revolt. \n\nIf a king is beloved by his subjects, the reverend fa- \nthers do not lose courage, but tell the people that the \nqualities they admire are like the enchanting voice of \nthe siren, which only allures to destroy ; that those \nqualities are a snare of the devil, an artifice used by \nirreligious men to uproot from the souls of the subjects \nthe precious treasure of the religion of their forefathers ; \nand they understand so well how to act and what to \nsay, that, if a sovereign were desirous of the good of \nhis subjects, he would be constrained to renounce his \ngood dispositions in order to avoid a bloody revolution ; \nbut should he retain the esteem of his subjects in spite \n\nK \n\n\n\n218 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nof the Jesuits, still they would cause great disturb- \nances in the kingdom. \n\nCount Eossi was the only man who could maintain \nthe statute law in Rome. I know that his assassina- \ntion was attributed, at the time, to the Liberals ; but all \nsensible men in Eome are persuaded that this murder \nwas the consequence of secret manoeuvres of the Jesu- \nits to throw Rome into a bloody revolution. Rossi \nwas assassinated, but other blood was not spared ; for \nthen it was that Cardinal Antonelli, an associate of the \nJesuits, ordered the Swiss Guard to fire on a disarmed \nand peaceable populace, who were demanding of the \nPope a new ministry ; and as this infernal attempt was \nmade in vain, it was this very Jesuitical party who \nconstrained the Pope to abandon Rome, by alarming \nhim with dangers that did not exist, to throw Rome \ninto anarchy, and thus attain their end ; and now again \nthey rule the Pope. Thus they try to carry out their \nplans in every kingdom. Dominion is their only end, \nand, to gain this, all means are good. Wherever they \nlive, the Jesuits must reign or the country must perish. \n\nYou would like to know now how the Jesuits ob- \ntain their immense riches. Their riches are for the \ngreater glory of God. Thus all means to obtain them \nare good. From this it follows that what, according \nto evangelical doctrine, would be called robbery, rap- \nine, fraud, plunder, etc., is with them only an innocent \nmeans to advance the greater glory of God. One of \nthese means is the hypocritical poverty that they affect \n\' externally. If you enter the chamber of a Jesuit, you \nwill behold the evidence of an edifying poverty. A \nJesuit never has a cent in his purse ; but this apparent \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 219 \n\npoverty is only to throw dust into the eyes of the sim- \nple. Far from wanting any thing, the Jesuit has in an \n. instant every thing he desires ; no prince possesses \nmore than he : rich libraries, collections, mirrors, mas- \nterpieces of the fine arts, can be found in all the estab- \nlishments of the Jesuits ; their table, without being \nmagnificent, is nevertheless better than the ordinary \nboard of a gentleman, and their external poverty is \nonly a mask to excite the charity of the simple-mind- \ned. To exercise fraud they make use of another hy- \npocrisy. Their \'\' professed houses" have no revenue, \nbut are supported by charity ; that is to say, their rev- \nenues are not secured in their name, but in the name \nof the infirmary of sick Jesuits ; and by this means \nthey obtain an income that far surpasses their wants ; \nand as they take pains to have it understood that their \nhouses can not possess revenues, they go\' about town \ncollecting money, and thus enrich themselves with the \ncharity of citizens. They will raise funds for their \nchurches under one pretext or another, and thus amass \nconsiderable sums. Thus, a few years since, having \nembellished the grand altar of their church in Rome, \nthey raised contributions for this object to the amount \nof a hundred thousand dollars. \n\nOther sources of revenue for the Jesuits are foreign \nand especially Protestant countries. The Jesuits edu- \ncate in Rome a certain number of young men from for- \neign countries, and this furnishes them with a pretext \nfor making secret collections in those countries for the \nsupport and education in Rome of their missionaries. \nMy father confessor informed me that England alone \nsent yearly thousands of pounds sterling to Rome. \n\n\n\n220 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nI will not speak of the well-known society for the \nPropagation of the Faith, whose centre is in Lyons. \nThe millions collected by that society every year are \ndestined to plant Jesuitism where it does not yet exist. \n\nAnother source of revenue is donations and legacies. \nIf a rich man confesses to a Jesuit, he does not leave \nwithout having paid dearly for the absolution granted \nhim ; not that the reverend father tells him, " Give \nme some money, or I will not absolve you ;" but he \nwill begin by talking charity to him\', and thus far \nthere is nothing to say ; but then, by a misuse of the \npassage in the Gospel which says, \'\'Let not thy left \nhand know what thy right hand doeth," he insinuates \nthat alms-giving is best to be performed by means of \na religious person, who will not divulge the name of \nthe donor. Quoting then another passage, where Je- \nsus praises the woman who poured on him precious \nointment, they endeavor to show that the best charity \nmade is to Jesus, and by Jesus they mean the Jesuits, \nand thus, also, they obtain large sums. If a man who \nhas enriched himself by means of the wealth of others \nconfesses to them, they make use of the parable of the \nunjust steward, \'\'Make to yourselves friends of the \nmammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail they \nmay receive you into everlasting habitations" (Luke, \nxvi., 9); and thus they insinuate that he should give \nthese unjust riches to the Virgin and to the saints, to \nmake friends who will receive him into heaven. At \nthe death-bed of the rich they announce how difficult it \nis for a rich man to be saved, and after having fright- \nened them thoroughly, they suggest that the only way \nremaining is to place their treasure in heaven, so that \n\n\n\nSYSTEM OF THE JESUITS. 221 \n\nwhere their treasure is, there will their heart be also. \nThen, seeing that by a single stroke of the pen the \nkingdom of heaven is opened to him, the dying man \nwillingly signs his will in favor of the reverend fathers. \nThese are but a few of the methods they employ to \nem\'ich themselves. But they make use of other means \nto maintain the esteem of the unsuspecting : they af- \nfect an austere morality, and great zeal for religion. \nIt must be granted that their external conduct is seem- \ningly irreproachable ; you never hear alleged against \nthem such misdeeds as are related concerning other \npriests and monks ; and their convents are particular- \nly free from disorderly scenes. This external show \nof austerity does not prevent them, however, from com- \nmitting unscrupulously all those atrocities which I \nhave related to you, because these are necessary to the \nattainment of their objects, whereas gross immoralities \nwould impede them in the pursuit of their aims. Thus \nthe pivot of Jesuitical morals is self-interest; but as \nall persons under their direction do not choose to prac- \ntice an austere morality, they adapt their moral pre- \ncepts to the inclinations and tastes of the different kinds \nof men. I will not repeat what the celebrated Pascal \nhas said with so much elegant wit in his Provindales^ \nbut I assure you their morality is the same now as \nin his time, apart from some few accidental differences : \nthey affect great devoutness, that they may insinuate \nthemselves among penitents, but their religion consists \nin a horrible superstition; they endeavor to destroy \nthe Gospel entirely. The Gospel teaches that the way \nthat leads to eternal life is narrow, and few there be \nthat enter the strait gate of salvation ; but the Jesuits \n\n\n\n222 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nteach a religion by whicli it is impossible not to be \nsaved. For this purpose they have invented the sys- \ntem of Mariolatry (the worship of Mary), and they \npublish numerous books, and preach daily, that those \nwho devote themselves to Mary can not be damned, \neven if their life had been most criminal. Mary will \nconvert them at their death. For this purpose, again, \nthey have introduced the devotion of their holy saint \nFran9ois Xavier, and invented a new revelation, by \nwhich God has promised to grant to any one practi- \ncing this devotion once in his life any grace demanded \nof him. Also, you will see, during the days conse- \ncrated to this devotion, the church of the Jesuits filled \nwith the elite of society, who come to demand the \ngrace of salvation, although they live in the practice \nof the vilest sins ; and the Jesuits, in the name of \nGod and Franfois Xavier, assure them of their sal- \nvation. \n\nI should never finish if I were to narrate all the \niniquities of the Jesuits ; besides, my sheet is full. \nThese few remarks will suffice to give you a feeble \nidea of Jesuitism. \n\nIn my next I will give you an account of my im- \nprisonment. \n\nBelieve me yours affectionately, \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\nAEKEST. 223 \n\n\n\nSIXTEENTH LETTER. \n\nRome, May, 1849. \n\nDear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 Here I am in a city besieged by \nFrench troops. If I wanted to talk politics, this would \nbe a favorable moment ; but my plan being decided \nupon, I have nothing to do with politics, therefore I \nwill not tell you either of the siege or the defense \nmade, or of the proclamations or the popular insurrec- \ntions, these being matters that you can find in the \npapers. I will simply state that I am still in Rome, \nawaiting the arrival of my dear friend Pasquali, who \nis expected to return from a journey with his two \nfriends, when we shall probably all go to England to- \ngether. \n\nI proceed to fulfill my promise to relate the inci- \ndents of my imprisonment. \n\nIt was on the 5th of April, the Monday after Easter, \nat about nine in the evening, that two men presented \nthemselves at my door. One of them, a tall and stout \nindividual, after having closed the door, stood by the \nside of it ; the other, a small man, rather aged, and \nof an unpleasant expression of countenance, approach- \ned me with repeated salutations, and said, \n\n" Is this the Abbe J ?" \n\n" That is my name," I replied. Then said the re- \npulsive-looking man, \n\n\'\' In that case you will be so good as to follow me ; \n\n\n\n224 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nbut fear nothing ; it will be well enough with you ; \nthe Holy Office is compassionate." \n\nAt the bare name of the Holy Office my eyes grew \ndim, my knees trembled, and I sank upon my chair ; \na chill ran over me. The man continued to speak to \nme, but his voice fell in confused sounds upon my \near. \n\nA few moments afterward the superior of the con- \nvent appeared in my room, pale and trembling ; he was \nordered, in the name of the Holy Office, to place my \nchamber under seal, and was warned that he was re- \nsponsible to the holy tribunal for any thing that might \nbe lost. \n\nThen these two men, taking me each by one arm, \ntried to encourage me with feigned politeness, and thus \nled me from my chamber. The superior of the con- \nvent then placed a seal on my door, and handed to \nthem his signet. After that they put me in a carriage \nto take me to the place of my destination. \n\nWhen we had entered the carriage my conductors \nrevealed their true character. To the honeyed speech- \nes addressed to me before the superior succeeded most \n. base and barbarous insults. I pass them by, for their \nrecollection is painful to me ; yet their insults drew \nme out of my deep despondency ; and perceiving that I \nwas in the presence of a couple of contemptible bailiffs, \nI refrained from all complaint, and remained silent, un- \ntil the stopping of the carriage informed me that I \nhad reached my destination. \n\nA man of ferocious aspect opened the door, and one \nof my companions having descended, he ordered me to \ncome forth, and gave me into the custody of the jailer. \n\n\n\nIMPRISONMENT. 225 \n\nwho seized my arm with his iron grasp, and led me, \nby the light of a lantern, into the prison. \n\nHardly had I entered when a Dominican monk of \nathletic proportions presented himself, and with him a \npriest with paper and ink. Then the men who had ar- \nrested me related their proceedings to the priests, who \ntook notes of them ; they consigned to them the signet \nwhich had served to seal my chamber ; then they un- \ndressed me, leaving me entirely naked, to examine \nwhether I had any thing about me that concerned the \nInquisition. They took away what little money I \nhad, my penknife, shoestrings, collar, and handkerchief. \nAs this treatment seemed to me unnecessarily brutal, \nI complained to the Dominican monk who was present, \nbut he replied with hypocritical suavity that if I be- \nhaved myself the articles should be returned, but that, \nfor the present, charity obliged him to take away every \nthing that could facilitate my committing suicide. \n\nDuring this infamous proceeding I observed that \nmy prison was a small square chamber, like a cell of \na convent ; in one corner there was a bag filled with \nstraw, in the other a broken pitcher ; finally, a table \nand stool, both attached to the wall, completed the fur- \nniture of this dungeon. The search ended, the Do- \nminican turned toward a jailer and said, in a solemn \nvoice, \n\n" This prisoner is committed to your care; you are \nresponsible for him to the Holy Office." \n\nThe jailer made a profound bow, and all retired. \nThe bolts were turned on me, and I stood alone in my \nprison. \n\nI can not express to you, my dear Eugene, the tem- \n\nK 2 \n\n\n\n226 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\npest of emotions that rose within me at that moment. \nI remember only that a heavy hand, like a nightmare, \nseemed to crush my heart and nearly choked my breath- \ning. I know not how long I remained in this state, \nbut I do recollect that a great thought roused me from \nthis terrible despair. At that moment I was not seek- \ning God, but God was seeking me ; these words of \nthe Gospel arose in my mind : Jesus had come " to \npreach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-heart- \ned, to preach deliverance to the captives^ to set at lib- \nerty them that are bruised" (Luke, iv., 18, 19), These \nwords were a balm to my grief. I threw myself on \nmy knees, and prayed from the fullness of my heart, \nand torrents of tears rolled down my cheeks. Then I \nwas relieved ; I groped about for my mattress, threw \nmyself upon it, and slept peaceably the whole night. \n\nMy prison window looked toward the east ; the rays \nof the morning sun fell upon my eyes, and I arose. \nOh ! how terrible to awake after a first night passed \nin prison ! You see it in all its horror, you feel the \nprice of freedom lost ! I began to move about in my \ndungeon, but it was only three paces long, and the \nturning caused my head to swim, and I was forced to \ndesist. I tried to open my window to let in the fresh \nair, but it was so high up I could not reach it. I \nwaited with impatience for the jailer, and each quarter \nof an hour struck by the clock of Saint Peter\'s seem- \ned to me a century. I heard no noise in the whole \nbuilding, and it struck midday, and nothing as yet an- \nnounced that I was still in the land of the living. \n\nDiscouragement, grief, solitude, and hunger so troub- \nled my imagination that I thought they had left me \n\n\n\nIMPRISONMENT. 227 \n\nto starve. At last I heard a sound of keys in the cor- \nridor, my door was opened, and a jailer entered bring- \ning a little basket which contained my dinner. A \nsmall portion of bad soup in a leaden bowl, contain- \ning about three ounces of meat, together with about \ntwelve ounces of bread, composed my meal. No spoon \nor fork, knife or glass, plate or napkin \xe2\x80\x94 these are lux- \nuries refused to the prisoners of the Inquisition. \n\nThe jailer placed my dinner on the table, and said, \n"Adieu till to-morrow ;" and, turning his back, he left \nme alone. \n\nIn this manner were spent eight long days, during \nwhich I only, saw the disagreeable face of my jailer. \nOn the eighth day I asked to see some one of the rev- \nerend father inquisitors. The jailer at these words \nburst into laughter, and scoffed at my boldness in dar- \ning to ask for one of the fathers. \n\n"The fathers," said he, "are not the servants of \nthe prisoners ; when they wish to see you they will \nask for you ; meanwhile you can dispense with ask- \ning for them." \n\nThen I told him why I wished to speak with some \none of them : it was to beg them to change my prison, \nas I could not breathe in its stifling atmosphere, and to \nprocure a few books as a pastime for such eternal days. \n\n"As for the prison," replied the jailer, "it is use- \nless to speak about it, because every room is full ; and \nas regards books and other conveniences, I can serve \nyou as you may desire." \n\nI was at a loss to reconcile this offer of the jailer \nwith his hard-hearted look and what I had heard of \nthe rigors of the Inquisition ; I was surprised at the \n\n\n\n228 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nproposition. He, seeing my astonishment, explained \nhimself, and said, \n\n\'\'Do not believe that we jailers are as bad as is re- \nported, nor that the Inquisition is as cruel as brigands \npretend. The reverend fathers can not authorize a \nmilder treatment of the prisoners, because it would \ncontravene the rules of the Holy Tribunal ; but they \nconfide in the jailers, knowing them to be honest men, \nand these furnish the prisoners with every thing that \nis agreeable to them \xe2\x80\x94 always, however, within the \nbounds of honesty ; so," said he "you have only to \ncommand, and I will bring you any thing you may \ndesire, on the condition, however, that you give notice \nto the reverend father notary to pay for it out of your \nmoney." \n\nThen I confined myself to demanding two things : \nthe first, that my window might be opened every \nmorning; the second, that he would procure some \nbooks. The next morning, as desired, the jailer ar- \nrived with a large book under his arm, which he placed \non the table ; he opened the window also, and then \nretired. I felt my strength return on breathing the \nfresh air ; but, alas ! the book was a collection of Le- \ngends of the saints. I would willingly have thrown \nit away, but was hindered by the urgent necessity of \nhaving something to read in order to occupy my sad \nleisure. However, the perusal of these apocryphal \nhistories excited such profound disgust, that after three \n(lays I begged the jailer to change this book and to \nbring me a Bible. \n\n"A Bible!" exclaimed the jailer with horror, and \nfalling back a step or two and opening his astonished \n\n\n\nIMPRISONMENT. 229 \n\neyes ; "a Bible ! That would be enough to bring the \ndevil back into the Holy Office." \n\nTo understand this expression, you must know that \namong the jailers of the Inquisition, as among the low- \ner classes of Rome, there exists a tradition, introduced \nand preserved by the priests, which is, that the pris- \noners of the Holy Office, arrested for reasons purely \nreligious, have frequent conversations and habitual in- \ntercourse with the Evil One, who often appears, dressed \nas a priest, in the corridors of the prison, where he \nwalks ; and it is for this reason that the jailers, ig- \nnorant and superstitious, hang crosses and pictures of \nsaints on the walls of the corridors and prisons, and \nkeep away every book stigmatized as heretical, which \nthey believe would paralyze the effect of their crosses \nand images. He proposed instead of the Bible some \nromances and theatrical pieces, of which he said he \nhad a large library at my disposal. I accepted, there- \nfore, other books, excluding, however, the romances and \ncomedies ; he brought me then the Sermons of Segneri. \n\nI had already passed a month in prison without \nseeing any one but the gloomy face of my jailer. One \nmorning he brought me the bill of my expenses. For \nhaving opened my window, cleaned my room a lit- \ntle, and procured books during twenty days, the bill \namounted to six dollars. I signed the bill to be ac- \nquitted by the reverend notary. Thus the great rig- \nors of the Inquisition can be avoided by money. \n\nThree months after my first imprisonment I was \ncalled up for examination, and it is fi\'om that mo- \nment that I date my most severe sufferings ; but I will \nrelate the whole to you in my next letter. Adieu! \nYours affectionately, Henry, \n\n\n\n230 KOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nSEVENTEENTH LETTEE. \n\nHome, May, 1849. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 Fifty days already had I lain \nsuifering in this living sepulchre, seeing no one but \nmy ferocious jailer, who, having robbed me of my last \ncent, did not cease to afflict me with all sorts of out- \nrages. \n\nOne morning I heard my door open at an unusual \nhour ; for the first time my prison was swept ; then \nit was perfumed with laurel branches, which were \nburned to purify the air; my stool also was taken \naway and replaced by two chairs. The reason of \nthese changes was a visit which was mysteriously an- \nnounced to me by the jailer. You can not imagine \nwhat a consolation I felt at receiving a visit ; but all \nmy endeavors to learn the name of my visitor were \nuseless. I could not get a word from the jailer. I \nwaited in great anxiety, and my imagination conjec- \ntured a thousand dififerent persons, when at about ten \no\'clock my door was opened again, and the insulting \nvoice of the jailer announced the Abbe Pallotta. \n\nThe Abbe Pallotta is a man who enjoys in Rome \na great reputation for sanctity ; of diminutive stature, \nemaciated form, bald-headed, and dressed in a coat of \ncoarse stuff, which came down to his feet, he inspired \nthe lower classes with great veneration. Tliis man \nwas sent to convert me. On entering my prison, he \ntook from his pocket a crucifix, a book, and a purple \n\n\n\nA VISITOR. 231 \n\nstole ; then he drew from his sleeve an image of the \nVirgin in copper bas-relief; he placed all these on my \ntable ; he put on his stole, and, prostrating himself be- \nfore his image, began to pray. After a few minutes \nof prayer, he seated himself, and invited me to kneel \nbefore him and make my confession. I replied that \nGod only could forgive sins, and that I should not, \ntherefore, confess to him. At this reply the Abbe arose \nterrified, and told me I was possessed of the devil, and \nthat he would exorcise me. I replied, "It is those \nwho barbarously persecute innocent men that are pos- \nsessed of the devil, so that if you desire to exorcise \nany body, be good enough to try your exorcism upon \nthe father inquisitors and my jailer." At these words \nhe was thunderstruck. He fell on his knees, drew an \niron scourge from his pocket, and, by a sudden move- \nment, threw open his coat behind, laying bare his shoul- \nders, and began violently to strike his naked shoul- \nders with the scourge, crying, "Be merciful, O Lord!" \nThis action touched me deeply. I could not com- \nprehend this man, and remained some moments stu- \npefied with astonishment ; but when I saw the blood \ntrickle down his shoulders, I was so horrified that I \nthrew myself on him, and snatched the scourge from \nhis hands. Then, how I should have liked to have \nhad Mr. Pasquali near me, to prove to this man, with \ndeliberate coolness and by the Bible, how great was \nhis religious fanaticism ! But he, rising, stood up and \nsaid, " My son, you fear a few blows with a scourge, \nbut what will be the torments of hell that are prepared \nfor you if you continue to reject the pardon of God \nthat is offered to you ?" \n\n\n\n232 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nThen commenced between us a discussion on the \nconditions which God puts to the forgiveness of sins. \n\nI will not give you the details of this discussion, \nwhich lasted half an hour ; I will only say that to all \nthe replies that I made, and to all the passages from \nthe Bible that I cited, he opposed only prayers ad- \ndressed to the Virgin, whose image he kissed, begging \nher to deliver me from the power of the demon. He \ntried to make me kiss this image, and prostrate my- \nself before it ; but, seeing that I refused, he threw him- \nself again on his knees, and would have recommenced \nthe scene of the flagellation, but I prevented him. Then \nhe left me and went out, saying that this sort of de- \nmon could only be chased away by prayer and fasting. \n\nThe scene enacted by this man troubled me in my \nsoul. I passed the whole day distracted by my \nthoughts and doubts. The jailer returned soon after, \naccompanied by a priest, who sprinkled my prison with \nholy water, and threw a great quantity on me. \n\nThe chairs were taken away, and, instead of my \ncustomary dinner, I only got a small piece of black \nbread. The jailer appeared to be seized with horror \nevery time he entered my prison ; he neither spoke to \nme any more, nor replied to my questions. In this \nway I passed nine days. The seventh day after the \nscene related I was called up to be interrogated. Con- \nducted by the jailer to the chamber of instruction, I \nfound there the father Dominican who had visited me \nin prison the night of my arrest. He was seated on \na large chair before a table ; on his left hand sat a \npriest, a notary, writing ; on his right was a large black \ncrucifix ; and a piece of pasteboard, on which was writ- \n\n\n\nEXAMIXATIOX. 233 \n\nten the beginning of the Gospel of Saint John, was \nplaced in the middle of the table. I remained stand- \ning, with the jailer a little behind me. The judge-in- \nstructor ordered me to swear on the Gospel to speak \nthe truth. I took the oath, and was then allowed to \ntake my seat on a wooden stool. \n\nAfter having asked my name. Christian name, pro- \nfession, etc., he asked me if I knew why I was detain- \ned in the prison of the Holy Office. I replied that I \ndid not. But, to render this interrogatory more clear \nto you, I will give you the questions and answers in \nthe order they were made. \n\n" Can you at least conjecture the reason of your im- \nprisonment ?" \n\n\'\'Perhaps on account of the intercourse I had with \nProtestants." \n\n" Why do you think so ?" \n\n"Because the father Jesuit threatened me with the \nHoly Office if I did not discontinue my conversations \nwith those Protestants. I am sure it was he who de- \nnounced me." \n\n" Who were those Protestants you conversed with ?" \n\nI informed him of the names and country of my \nfriends. \n\n"What were the subjects of your conversations?" \n\nI replied to this question as well as I could from rec- \nollection. \n\n"What is your opinion on those subjects?" \n\n"For my opinions I am answerable to God alone; \nthis tribunal, I think, has no right to judge of my be- \nlief." \n\n" You have taken an oath to reply to my questions. \n\n\n\n234 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nI warn you, therefore, that if you do not reply you will \nbe guilty of perjury." \n\nThen I perceived the trick resorted to in compelling \nme to take an oath. I remained for a moment per- \nplexed as to the validity of an oath extorted in that \nmanner, and I finally replied, \n\n\'\' It is not the fear of perjury, but the love of truth, \nthat induces me to reply. I believe every thing taught \nin the Word of God ; not one syllable more or less." \n\nAn infernal smile stole over the livid countenance \nof the brother, and he continued his interrogatory : \n\n\'\'Have you communicated your opinions to any \none r \n\n" I have spoken about them to my confessor." \n\n"Who is your confessor?" \n\n"Father M., a Jesuit." \n\n"And what did he tell you?" \n\n" I do not recollect positively ; but I know that his \nreplies did not convince me." \n\n" Why did they not convince you?" \n\n" Because they were not based on the Word of \nGod." \n\n" What do you mean by the Word of God?" \n\n"I mean the canonical books of the Old and New \nTestaments." \n\n"To how many persons have you communicated \nyour opinions ?" \n\n"I have replied to my confessor only." \n\n" Swear to this point." \n\n" No, I will not swear to it" (for I was warned by \nthe trick of the first oath). \n. My judge then told me that it was out of pure char- \n\n\n\nTHE CHAMBER OF PROOF. 235 \n\nity that he gave me this advice ; by refusing to swear ^ \nwas a proof that I had spoken false ; and, besides, the \nHoly Tribunal had proofs of my falsehood. Then I \ntold him I should no longer swear to any point ; that \nthe questions addressed to me were designed to entrap \nme ; and that, if he did not question me regularly, I \nwould not reply ; and, accordingly, I made no further \nreplies. \n\nAfter having tried, but in vain, to elicit further re- \nplies from me, the judge turned toward the jailer and \nsaid, "This man is commended to your charity." \nThen the jailer ordered me to follow him. \n\nInstead of conducting me back to my prison, he led \nme to a very small dungeon situated in the top of the \nedifice. This prison is called the chamber of proof ^ \nwhich had taken the place of the former system of tor- \nture. It was situated immediately beneath the roof; \na window toward the east, and in the centre of the \nprison, admitted the light. \n\nBars of iron prevented any approach to the window, \neither to breathe the fresh air or to throw it open. \nDuring the excessive heat of July this prison is insup- \nportable \xe2\x80\x94 ^it is Hke a furnace. After sunset, the heat, \nconcentrated in so small a space, rendered it still more \nintolerable, and then it was that the foul and poison- \nous atmosphere was felt in all its horror. Add to \nthis that I did not get so much water as in my other \nprison, as here they only brought to me a little cup full \nof water once a day, which I drank at a single swallow, \nand which left me more thirsty than before. I would \nrather undergo the torture of the rack than endure this \nhorrible and prolonged suffering from hunger, thirst, \n\n\n\n236 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nheat, and pestilential air. Sentiments of rage and \nhatred arose within my heart against my infamous per- \nsecutors, ^and I conceived the idea of dashing my head \nagainst the wall ; hut God preserved me from this ex- \ncess of despair. I prayed no longer ; I no longer be- \nlieved ; my distress had exceeded my strength, and on \nthe fourth day I was reduced to such a state of weak- \nness that the four walls of the prison appeared to turn \naround me, and I no longer knew where I was. \n\nWhile in this state I was again conducted to the \nchamber where I had undergone my first interrogatory. \nI have no recollection of what I did or said on this oc- \ncasion. All that I know is that I was again question- \ned while in this state. After that I was led back to \nmy former prison, which appeared to me a palace, and \nI was again put on my former diet. \n\nA few days after, when I had regained a little \nstrength, Father Theiner, of the congregation of Saint \nPhilip Neri, was introduced into my prison. This \nman, who had been a Protestant and became a Catho- \nlic, passes for one of the best theologians of Rome ; he \nis employed to convert those accused of heresy who are \nin the hands of the Inquisition ; and when he can not \nsucceed, he seeks, by the aid of promises or threats, to \nextort retractations, and each one thus obtained brings \nhim one step nearer to the office of cardinal, which is \nhis supreme ambition. I allowed Father Theiner to \nspeak for some time without contradicting him. While \nhe was speaking, a stratagem suggested itself to my \nmind by which it might be possible for me to procure \na Bible. I appeared disposed to enter upon a discus- \nsion in all the points of controversy, but I told him \n\n\n\nBIBLE ALLOWED. 237 \n\nthat I begged as a great favor that I might be furnish- \ned with a Bible to aid my memory in recalling those \npassages which appeared to me available in discussion, \nthat I might thus be better able to appreciate the ex- \nplanations of his reverence. Father Theiner appeared \nsatisfied, and told me that he would make the demand \nof the father commissary ; accordingly, an hour had \nhardly elapsed when my jailer returned, bringing me a \nBible in Latin, four sheets of paper, an inkstand, and \na pen. He told me that I must account for the paper, \nlest I should amuse myself in wasting it. I could \nhardly contain my joy on finding myself in possession \nof this Bible, so longed for, and still more of materials \nfor writing. The jailer had hardly left me when I \nopened with eagerness the holy book, and my eyes fell \nupon these words of Isaiah, chap. Ixi., v. 1 : " The \nSpirit of the Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord \nhath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; \nhe hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to pro- \nclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the \nprison to them that are bound." Hardly had I read \nthese words, when I thought I felt the hand of the \nLord applying balm to my wounds. The place no \nlonger appeared a prison, and this solitude, which had \nafflicted me so much, seemed to be delightful. I pros- \ntrated myself to render thanks to God ; I prayed and \nwas consoled. From that moment a new life com- \nmenced for me. I no longer felt my sufferings ; God \nwas with me, and I no longer feared the power of man. \nTo-morrow I will inform you what happened to me \nand my Bible. Meanwhile believe me yours affection- \nately, \' Heney. \n\n\n\n238 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nEIGHTEENTH LETTEE. \n\nBorne, May, 1849. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 So great was my joy in pos- \nsessing a Bible that I was "beside myself while devour- \ning its contents. \n\nDuring the rest of this day I read the five books \nof Moses, but without any benefit, because I read with- \nout proper reflection. At night I meditated in my sol- \nitude upon what I had read, but my mind was ex- \ntremely confused. The next morning I rose at the \nbreak of day, and returned to my reading. I told you \nthat the Bible which they brought me was the Latin \nedition of the Vulgate. This edition in quarto was \nprinted at Venice in 1733 by Niccolo Pezzana. I open- \ned at the preface of the Roman edition, and my eyes \nfell by chance on these words: \'\'In this edition of the \nBible many things have been changed expressly, and \nothers, which apparently ought to be changed, have in- \ntentionally been left as they were." This preface is \nattributed to Pope Clement VIII., who had declared \nthe Vulgate authentic ; and it is this same Pope who \nasserted that this Bible, whose authenticity he had \nguaranteed, was full of errors. Now this was no in- \nvention of the Protestants, but the confession of a \nPope ; and it proved to me that it is wrongfully that \nthe Catholics accuse the Protestants of falsifying the \nBible, while with justice these last make the same ac- \ncusation against the Popes. \n\n\n\nSAINT JEEOME AND THE COUNCIL OF TEENT. 239 \n\nPerceiving the importance of these prefaces, I con- \ntinued to read others in my Bible, and found in one, by- \nSaint Jerome, many remarkable things. For example, \nin the preface to the book of Tobit, Saint Jerome de- \nnies that it is canonical ; he makes the same remark \nin his preface to the book of Judith. In his preface \npreceding the Prophecies of Jeremiah, he says he has \nnot translated the book of Baruch because it was apoc- \nryphal. In the preface to the book of Daniel, he says \nthe history of Susannah^ the hymn of the Three Chil- \ndren^ and the fables of Bel and the Dragon are apoc- \nryphal narratives. In the preface of the books of Sol- \nomon he says that the book of Wisdom and of Eccle- \nsiasticus are apocryphal. After that he says, " Since \nthe Church reads the books of Judith, Tobit, and the \nMaccabees, but does not consider them as canoni- \ncal," etc. \n\nThe perusal of this preface showed me that Saint \nJerome, who is styled by the Catholic Church the \ngreatest of doctors^ agreed precisely with the Protest- \nants with regard to the apocryphal books. \n\nIn these prefaces I found also the decrees of the \nfourth session of the Council of Trent, which ranks \namong the canonical books all those that Saint Jerome \nhad declared apocryphal, and terminates with a solemn \nanathema against all who did not hold these books to \nbe canonical. Thus the same Church excommuni- \ncates Saint Jerome which had declared him a doctor \nand a saint. \n\nReading farther in these prefaces, I found a collec- \ntion of extracts from the Bible, extending over eight- \neen pages, which recommend its perusal by the pec- \n\n\n\n240 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\npie. This showed me how much the Eoman Church \nis in contradiction with itself and with the Word of \nGod, since it forbids the perusal of it. Having read the \nprefaces, I asked myself how the Eoman Church could \nthus contradict herself, and how intelligent men, of \nwhom there is such a large number among its members, \ndo not perceive these contradictions. I was still per- \nplexed, when, on opening my Bible, my eyes fell upon \nthe 10th verse of the second chapter of the second Epis- \ntle to the Thessalonians : "Because they received not \nthe love of the truth, that they might be saved;" verse \n11: \'\'And for this cause God shall send them strong \ndelusion, that they should believe a lie." Then my eyes \nbecame opened, and I saw that Mr. Pasquali could not \nhave effected in a year so much as was instantaneous- \nly wrought by the Word of God. Convinced that the \nRoman Church was in error, and that God had reveal- \ned to me the truth, I threw myself on my knees, and \nrepeated those words of Paul of Tarsus, \'\'Lord, what \nwilt thou have me to do?" Taking up my Bible again, \nI read in the Epistle to the Romans. The 16th verse \nof the first chapter made a profound impression on my \nmind : " The Gospel is the power of God unto salva- \ntion to every one that belie veth." Faith, then, thought \nI, is the only condition of salvation. Then I con- \nceived the idea of transcribing the most important pas- \nsages on the under side of my table to aid my memory. \nThe next day I resolved to read the whole of the New \nTestament. \n\nNot to be tedious, I will only say that the doctrine \nof regeneration, as exposed in the third chapter of Saint \nJohn, proved to me clearly that Christianity was not \n\n\n\nCONVERSION. 241 \n\na material worship, but a worship in spirit and truth. \nAlthough aware of the errors of the Roman Church \nfrom the discussions with Mr. Pasquali, yet it was the \nBible that convinced me. I felt that I was suffering \nfor Christ. \n\nThus ten days were passed, during which I read \nthe Bible nearly through. Its perusal furnished me \nabundant matter for reflection, and my conversion was \ncomplete. \n\nOn the tenth day Father Theiner reappeared, and \ndemanded of me if I was convinced of my errors, or if \nI still labored under difficulties. \n\nI replied that I no longer had any ; that God had \naccomplished in me the work of conversion. \n\n\'\'You are then disposed to abjure your errors?" \n\nI replied that it was my most fervent desire, but \nthat I should like to do so in public. \n\nFather Theiner wanted me to sign an act of retract- \nation that he had drawn up ; but I refused to sign it \nwithout even looking at it ; and I told him clearly that \nthe retractation that I intended to make was from the \nerrors of Rome. \n\nHe wanted to discuss with me ; but, having opened \nthe Bible, I showed him these words from the 6th chap- \nter to the Hebrews: \'\'For it is impossible for those \nwho were once enlightened, and have tasted of the \nheavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy \nGhost, .... if they shall fall away, to renew them \nagain unto repentance ; seeing they crucify to them- \nselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open \nshame." I pronounced these words in a solemn tone, \nwith my eyes fixed upon him. Then I asked him, \n\nL \n\n\n\n242 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n"Do you know of whom the apostle is speaking here?" \nHis face became red, and he was full of confusion. \nThen I continued in the same tone: "He speaks of \nthose who have "become apostates from the Gospel; \nHe speaks of me, if I should commit such baseness ; \nHe speaks of you. Father Theiner, who have been guil- \nty of that apostacy." At this his eyes flashed with \nrage. He arose, and went out muttering menaces \nagainst me. \n\nThe jailer entered, and took away my Bible and writ- \ning materials, but he could not carry away my peace \nof conscience. \n\nI was never examined again ; my jailer was the \nonly person who ever afterward entered my cell, and \nthe only words I heard were " either retractation or \ndeath !" Yet my time was happily spent. The bot- \ntom of my table was covered with passages from the \nBible, and furnished me matter for sweet meditations. \nPrayer occupied a portion of my time. The Word of \nGod, which teaches that the unction of the Holy Ghost \nis alone sufficient to regenerate man, was verified in \nme (1 John, ii., 27). I examined from memory the \ndoctrines of the Eoman Church, and immediately some \npassage of the Bible occurred to my mind which re- \nfuted them. For example, I considered the doctrine \nof the Council of Trent which declares that the Bible \ndoes not contain every thing that is necessary for sal- \nvation ; but the Bible says (2d Epistle of Timothy, iii., \n15), " The holy Scriptures, which are able to make \nthee wise unto salvation through faith which is in \nChrist Jesus." With regard to the doctrine of the ob- \nscurity of the Bible, T recollected a passage of Saint \n\n\n\nCONVERSION. 243 \n\nPaul (2 Cor., iv., 3), " But if our Gospel be hid, it is \nhid to them that are lost." Thus at each difficulty \n. was found a passage from the Word of God which re- \nplied to it. Twenty months of meditation and prayer \nhave done more for me, I think, than twenty years \npassed in a theological seminary. \n\nThis, my dear Eugene, is the history of my con- \nversion ; but I have not been alone in receiving this \ngreat benefit from God. Mr. Manson and Mr. Sweet- \nman have both become converted through the instru- \nmentality of Mr. Pasquali. It is but a few moments \nsince I embraced all three of them, they having just \nreturned from the East. \n\nIn my next I will describe to you the imprisonment \nof Mr. Pasquali, who experienced great sufferings ; but \nGod sustained him. \n\nYours truly, Henry, \n\n\n\n244 EOME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nNINETEENTH LETTER \n\nRome, June, 1849. \n\nHere I am again surrounded by my friends and in \nthe height of happiness. You will desire, no doubt, to \nlearn the experience of Mr. Pasquali after the account \nof my imprisonment. I wish you could hear the nar- \nrative from his own lips ; but, as that can not be, I will \ntell you, as well as I am able, what happened to him. \n\nAs soon as my friends learned my imprisonment, \nthey went directly to my chamber ; the father inquisi- \ntor and the notary were examining my papers and \nbooks. Mr. Pasquali was about to ask the father in- \nquisitor where I was, but he was not permitted to \ndo so ; the superior of the convent obliged them to re- \ntire, telling them that they were the authors of my \nruin. Then they called on the Swiss consul to beg \nhim to demand my release. The consul is a worthy \nand excellent man, and appeared much distressed at \nwhat had happened. He said he would willingly in- \nterpose in the aifair, but that it would be useless. \n\'-\' Switzerland," said he, " is a small power, and is not \nin the least feared by the court of Rome." Then my \nfriends tried, but in vain, to penetrate into the prisons \nof the Inquisition. \n\nOne day, toward evening, Mr. Pasquali was walk- \ning in an unfrequented street, when a well-dressed in- \ndividual met him, and, addressing him politely, said \n\n\n\nENTEAPPING. 245 \n\nthat he was a great friend of the Swiss consul, whose \nhouse he had seen him enter ; he added that the con- \nsul had acquainted him with the fact of my imprison- \nment, and that he could procure him an interview with \nme, adding that the present moment was exceedingly \nfavorable for such a purpose. \n\nMr, Pasquali, being an unsuspecting man, was easily \npersuaded, and allowed himself to be conducted by the \nstranger. They entered, therefore, both together with- \nin the walls of the palace of the Inquisition. The \nstranger went to the chamber of the father commis- \nsary, while Mr. Pasquali waited in the ante-chamber. \n\nAfter a few moments a jailer entered, and told him \nto follow, and, having opened a cell, he invited him to \nenter. Hardly had Mr. Pasquali done so when he per- \nceived the trap laid for him, but it was too late to \nescape. They proceeded to undress him, as they had \npreviously done me. \n\nIn the mean time Mr. Sweetman and Mr. Manson \nwere in great agitation ; they went to the police, but \ncould obtain no news of their friend. Then they called \nupon the English consul, and as Mr. Pasquali was the \nbearer of an English passport, the consul, who under- \nstood the court of Rome, sent a note to the Secretary \nof State, asking him to account for this person, and \nthe secretary replied that he would do every thing in \nhis power to satisfy him. Nevertheless, days and \nweeks passed without their receiving any news of Mr. \nPasquali. \n\nOne day a man presented himself at Mr. Manson\'s, \nand said he could inform him where Mr. Pasquali could \nbe found. He told him he could point out a certain \n\n\n\n246 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nmeans of saving him if he would make him a present \nof a hundred dollars, and would maintain absolute \nsilence by swearing never to disclose the name of the \nperson who gave him this information. Mr. Manson \npromised the hundred dollars after the truth of his \npromise should be proved. The man appeared con- \ntented, and thus it was that they discovered the place \nof Mr. Pasquali\'s imprisonment. \n\nIn the mean time Mr. Pasquali had undergone a first \ninterrogatory, but his examination being that of a here- \ntic, the greatest solemnity was required. The father \ncommissary, Monsignior the Assessor, the father of the \nexchequer, two councilors, and a notary, were seated \naround a large table in the hall of the tribunal. Thith- \ner Mr. Pasquali was conducted, and was commanded \nto take an oath. \n\n" The Lord teaches us," said Mr. Pasquali, " not to \nswear at all. I am not accustomed to lie ; but I say \nyea, yea, or nay, nay. God will enable me to speak \nthe truth, but I refuse to take an oath." \n\nThe father commissary asked him to what religious \nsect he belonged. Mr. Pasquali replied in the words \nof Saint Paul, \'\' \'I worship the God of my fathers ;\' \nconcerning the profession of faith that you call a sect^ \nI believe all that is written in the Word of God ; in a \nword, I am a Christian." \n\nThe father commissary continued, \n\n"You belong, then, to a sect separated from the \nChurch of Christ." \n\n\'\'That is false," replied the Waldensian ; " I be- \nlong to the Church of Jesus Christ, and to no sect ; \nby the grace of God, I belong to a Church which has \n\n\n\nTHE DUNGEON. 247 \n\nexisted since the time of the apostles, and has faith- \nfully preserved all their doctrines." \n\nThen one of the councilors asked for permission to \nspeak, and entered into discussion with him. The \neyes of Mr. Pasquali lighted up at the thought of this \nopportunity presented to him for bearing witness to \nthe Gospel in the presence of Scribes and Pharisees. \n\n" The only Church which is the pillar and ground \nof truth is the apostolic Roman ....." \n\n*\' Reverend father," interrupted Mr. Pasquali, \'\' Saint \nPaul speaks of the Church of Jesus Christ, and not of \nthat of Rome. When he spake of the Church of Rome, \nhe said, in addressing the Ephesians (Acts,ch. xx), \'I \nknow this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves \nenter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of \nyour own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse \nthings, to draw away disciples after them.\' It is of \nyou that the apostle speaks in the 1st Epistle of Tim- \nothy, iv., 1: *Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that \nin the latter times some shall depart from the faith, \ngiving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, \nspeaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience \nseared with a hot iron.\' Listen to what is written in \n\nthe 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians " Here the \n\nfather commissary arose, and all the rest with him, ex- \nclaiming, \n\n\'\'He is an obstinate heretic ! Take him away to \nthe lower chamber." And Mr. Pasquali was shut up \nin a subterranean prison, excessively small, where the \nlight never penetrated, and perhaps we were destined \nto be thrown together into one of those ovens I have \ndescribed to you. \n\n\n\n248 ROME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nMr. Manson being, as I told you, informed by a \nstranger, called upon the English consul, and related to \nhim the imprisonment of Mr. Pasquali and the advice \ngiven by the stranger. \n\nHis advice was, that the consul should demand an \naudience of the Pope, and speak to him with firmness, \nas if by order of his government ; that he should exact \nhis immediate liberation, otherwise he would be obliged \nto write that very day to Lord Palmerston. Be sure, \nsaid he, that at this moment the name of Palmerston \nwill make the Pope tremble; but, above all, let the con- \nsul himself speak to the Pope, and keep the affair se- \ncret. \n\nThe consul put on his uniform immediately and \nwent to the palace of the Pope. He entered his ante- \nchamber in a hurried manner, as if he had to make a \ncommunication of the highest importance. He ap- \nproached the chamberlain, and demanded an immediate \naudience, as if for a very serious affair. He obtained \nit at once, and knew so well how to act that he fright- \nened the Pope, who promised to liberate Mr. Pasquali. \nBut the consul was not content with this ; he said the \nmail would leave in an hour, and that he must write \nby the return post the positive result, consequently he \nbegged his Holiness to give to him the order to liberate \nMr. Pasquali ; for, since he was disposed to liberate \nhim that day, an hour more or less would make no \ndifference. The Pope wrote the order, handed it to \nthe consul, who went from there to the Holy Office, \npresented the order, and exacted that Mr. Pasquali \nshould be given over to him immediately. \n\nIt was about one in the afternoon when the two \n\n\n\nRELEASE. 249 \n\nfriends saw the consul arrive at their hotel with Mr. \nPasquali ! The latter, after a month\'s imprisonment, \nwas so changed as to he hardly recognizable. \n\nThe consul begged them to eat something while he \nwas preparing their passports, and urged them to leave \nimmediately for Malta, where he would send their bag- \ngage. \n\n"Leave immediately," said he; \'\'for if the Pope \nshould recover from his surprise, he would be capable \nof withdrawing his consent." \n\nThey left, therefore, recommending me to the con- \nsul, but he could do nothing for me. \n\nMy friends then visited the East ; and now, profit- \ning by the establishment of the Republic, they have \nreturned to Eome on their way to England. \n\nMr. Manson, as well from his conversations with Mr. \nPasquali as from what he had seen, has considerably \nchanged his opinion of the Roman Church ; but it was \nthe treachery exercised against Mr. Pasquali, his pe- \nrusal of the Bible, and constant conversation on relig- \nious subjects, that had converted him. \n\nHe is still attached to the Anglican Church, but has \nentirely abandoned the new doctrines of Oxford ; and \nwhat contributed considerably toward leading him to \nconsider the Roman Church as corrupt and degenerate \nfrom its principles was an occurrence which he wit- \nnessed at Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepul- \nchre \xe2\x80\x94 an event sufficiently frequent, it is true, but which \na Puseyite would never have believed if he had not \nseen it with his own eyes. The incident I allude to \nwas the following : \n\nOne day, while at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, \nL 2 \n\n\n\n250 EOME, CHEISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\na monk, mounted on a ladder, was arranging a lamp, \nwhen a Greek priest approached, upset the ladder, \nand the monk fell. The priest fled and hid himself. \nMy friends, indignant, ran to aid the fallen monk, who \ncried for help. At the same time many other brothers \ncame up, and the wounded man, swearing in Italian, \nrecounted the fact to his companions, exciting them to \nvengeance. The monks disappeared immediately, leav- \ning their wounded companion; but they soon returned, \narmed with pistols, swords, and clubs, and attacked \nfuriously the place where the priest had taken refuge. \nThey broke down a little door which led from the \nchurch into the house of the Greek priests, and a hor- \nrible butchery would have taken place in the church \nitself if a company of armed janissaries had not come \nup, who, with their clubs and the butt ends of their \nguns, beat the monks back into their convent. \n\nThis occurrence entirely cured Mr. Manson ; and \nwhen he learned that similar things frequently happen, \nthat the Turks themselves were no longer scandalized \nby them, and that the Ottoman government was obliged \nto keep a guard of janissaries in the church to prevent \nsimilar quarrels between the Greek priests and Fran- \nciscan monks ; that these monks were considered zeal- \nous missionaries of the Eoman Propaganda, he com- \npletely changed his idea of the Church of Rome, and no \nlonger regarded it as a sister, but as an apostate Church. \n\nMr. Sweetman is entirely changed and converted \nthrough the influence of Mr. P^squali ; the latter is \ndelighted in being surrounded by his three brothers in \nChrist. He considers us his greatest consolation, and \nwe regard him as our spiritual father. \n\n\n\nANTICIPATIONS. 251 \n\nI have left the house of the Roman citizen who re- \nceived me when I was liberated, and am now living \nwith my friends. I expect to leave in a few days, but \nit is undecided whither I shall go. I should like to \nreturn to my own country, but Mr. Pasquali wishes to \nhave me with him some time longer, to instruct and for- \ntify me in the Gospel. I know not, as yet, what will \nbe decided upon. We have lately made an interesting \ndiscovery, which I will relate to you in my next. \n\nAdieu, dear Eugene; by the help of God, I shall soon \nembrace you as a brother. \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\n252 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\n\n\nTWENTIETH LETTEK. \n\nRome, June, 1849. \n\nMy dear Eugene, \xe2\x80\x94 Our departure is decided upon; \nwe shall leave to-morrow. I am going to England \nwith my three friends, but we shall pass by and stop \na few days in Geneva. I shall have so much to tell \nyou, dear Eugene, when we meet ! Then I will relate \nto you in detail a history that I have only sketched in \nmy letters. \n\nTou will make the acquaintance of my good friends, \nand will introduce them to the good Christians of Ge- \nneva, In the mean while, let me relate to you the in- \nteresting discovery we have lately made. \n\nThe desire having suggested itself to Mr. Manson \nto know by whom I had been denounced to the In- \nquisition, I told him that I was convinced it was by \nthe father Jesuits. Mr. Pasquali also partook of this \nopinion ; but Mr. Manson, perhaps from a remaining \naffection for the Jesuits, the last trace of the influence \nof the Oxford school over him, was not convinced. \nMr. Pasquali undertook to ascertain the fact, and for \nthis purpose went to the English consul to ask him if \nit would be possible to make some researches among \nthe archives of the Inquisition which had been de- \nstroyed. The consul accompanied him to the house \nof the minister Sterbini, the author of the decree for \nthe abolition of the Holy Office, who, with all possible \n\n\n\nTHE ARCHIVES. 253 \n\nkindness, offered to escort us to the Chancery of the \ntribunal which had been destroyed. \n\nOn the day fixed upon for this visit, we all went \nwith Sterbini to this horrible palace. The subter- \nranean prisons had been demolished, and some masons \nwere converting this place of vengeance into a charita- \nble Christian asylum ; it was being arranged to serve \nas a home for the families of the poor of Rome. \n\nThe apartment in which the archives were kept re- \nmained, however, uninjured. \'\' The government," ob- \nserved Mr. Sterbini, "is awaiting a favorable moment \nto give a thorough examination to these papers ; how- \never, I should like to show you a few things that I \nhave discovered in the short time that I have devoted \nto this research." \n\nThen he conducted us to a closet, and took firom \nthence a letter, marked 1828, which was written by \nthe Cardinal Bernetti, then Secretary of State, in which \nhe begged the father commissary, in the name of the \nPope, to aid in discovering the author of a conspiracy \nwhich he could not detect by means of the police. \nAppended to this letter was the decision of the tribu- \nnal, which stated that the most efficacious means for \nsuch discoveries was the confessional. The holy tri- \nbunal, in its tarn, begged the Pope to decree that no \nconfessor could absolve a conspirator before denounc- \ning his colleagues to the Holy Office. And as it could \nbe easily proven that nearly all would refuse to de- \nnounce their relatives and friends to the Holy Office, \nthe same decree established that a confessor might re- \nceive accusations without any formality. After this \ncame the Pope\'s brief, which, though not published. \n\n\n\n254 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nwas made known to all confessors. Then came ten \ngreat volumes full of denunciations made by confes- \nsors ; and often had the artful priest employed his fe- \nrocious eloquence in persuading the dying man to de- \nnounce his friends. In this manner were denounced \nnearly all the political men of the Roman States. \nAmong these denunciations was found this singular \ncase: \n\nIn 1845 the inquisitor of Pesaro sent to Eome a \ncopy of certain statutes, which he supposed were those \nof a political association whose aim, said he, was to \nmake recruits throughout the world, enticing them by \ndiplomas to enlist. To these statutes was annexed a \nlist of the names of hundreds of the first families. The \nfather inquisitor expected at least to receive a cardi- \nnal\'s hat for this discovery. Unluckily for him, these \nstatutes were in French, which language he did not \nunderstand. Having been examined in Rome, they \nwere found to be the regulations of a certain benevo- \nlent society established in France for the relief of ref- \nugees from all countries. \n\nThence we came to another shelf containing the \nrevelations, as they are called, respecting solicitations \nto evil. We would have passed it by, but Mr. Pas- \nquali desired Mr. Manson to look at these papers, in \norder to convince him still further that the confession- \nal is a mystery of iniquity. He turned over the leaves \nof these numerous volumes filled with horrible crimes : \nhere a confessor had seduced a whole convent of nuns \nby means of confession, and had gotten the greater part \nof them with child ; there, a confessor at the institu- \ntion called the Conservatory of Divine Providence, \n\n\n\nREVELATIONS. 2o5 \n\nunder the mask of piety, had ruined sixteen of the \nmost beautiful young girls ; and of similar facts there \nwere thousands. \n\nI recollect, besides, the case of a confessor who had \nbeen accused seventeen times of solicitations to evil, \nbut had never been punished, because he was a most \nzealous accuser of sectaries and heretics. \n\nMr. Manson blushed crimson, and Mr. Sweetman \nshook with indignation ; but Mr. Pasquali, w^th his \naccustomed coolness, said, \'\'When you return to Ox- \nford, tell these things to your old teacher, so that he \nmay praise, as he used to do, the system of auricular \nconfession." \n\nWe begged Mr. Sterbini to show us where to find \nthe papers relating to our trial. He looked at the in- \ndex of contents, and then took down from a shelf a \nlarge book. "Here," said he, "is your trial." We \nopened, and found a denunciation by Father P., my \nmaster, and a Jesuit, in which I was accused of having \nheld a conversation with an English heretic. To this \nwas subjoined another denunciation by the former \nservant of Mr. Manson. After the dismissal of this \nservant the Inquisition had decreed with regard to me, \nobservatur^ that is to say, let him be watched. \n\nFrom this moment two individuals were charged to \nwatch and report daily every thing that I did and said. \nFather M. completed this work by revealing my in- \nmost thoughts. Then followed the account of my ex- \namination, my conversations with the Fathers Pallotta \nand Theiner, and my trial ended with this decree : su- \njpersedere donee resipiscat ; or, trial suspended until \nconversion. \n\n\n\n256 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nThe trial of Mr. Pasquali was a consequence of \nmine ; I was accused as the seduced^ and he as the \nseducer. \n\nThe accusers were the same. Yet as Mr. Pasquali \nwas born a Protestant, was in company with English- \nmen, and had an English passport, "he was to be \narrested and punished secretly," because, as the trial \nstated, the times were difficult, and no pretext of com- \nplaint should be furnished to England. The Pope \nmust appear liberal, lest England might uphold the \nLiberals. From these motives, a Roman lord, whose \nbigotry had led him to become a member of the In- \nquisition, undertook the aflfair, and arrested him as we \nhave described. \n\nHis accusation was entitled "Public dogmatist." \nTo this was added his examination, and I have already \ninformed you how abruptly it was ended. Well, hard- \nly had he gone out when the "father" of the exchequer \ndemanded that Pasquali, being a public dogmatist, \nshould be either walled in alive or thrown into a fur- \nnace. The two advisors who then had the floor were \nin favor of th^ furnace, as the usage of walling up alive \nwas too ancient. The other father companions sec- \nonded this motion. But Monsignior the Assessor \njudged differently ; he said that it was possible that \nMr. Pasquali might some day be reclaimed, therefore \nhe thought it better that he should be left for some \ntime in the prisons of the tribunal, because, he added, \nif we put him to death, and later he should be reclaim- \ned by England, the Holy Father would be very much \nirritated against us. The father commissary was of \nthe same opinion, but he thought they ought to refer \n\n\n\nTHE HOLY CHILD. 259 \n\nthe whole affair to the Pope. Thus it was that the \nfear which Lord Palmerston\'s name inspired in Eome \nsaved the life of Pasquali. \n\nThe account of his trial ended with the decree for \nhis liberation. We thanked Mr. Sterbini, and left this \nplace never to return. \n\nWhile walking home, an event occurred, slight in it- \nself, but which gives a good idea of the singular char- \nacter of the Roman people. \n\nA number of persons with uncovered heads, hold- \ning in their hands lighted tapers, although it was mid- \nday, surrounded a carriage which was proceeding slow- \nly ; the people kneeled at its passage. Although at \nsome distance, we saw that the carriage was entirely \ngilded ; upon a large cushion, covered with red velvet \nembroidered with gold, was seated a coachman, dress- \ned in red damask, having on his head an immense wig. \nTwo powerful black horses, with coverings of red vel- \nvet and metal ornaments gilded, drew this mysterious \ncarriage. At the four corners were placed four gilded \nvases, and behind, instead of liveried servants, were \nthree wooden angels gilded, supporting the pontifical \ntiara. \'\'What is that ?" we asked of a man who was \nlooking on indifferently. "That carriage," said he, \n" belongs to the Pope, and cost twenty-eight thousand \ndollars, and the triumvirate presented it to the Holy \nChild." We thanked the man, and llr. Pasquali asked \nme who this Santo bambino was. I informed him \nthat it was a rude image of the child Jesus in the pos- \nsession of the Franciscan friars, who pretended that it \nwas made of olive-wood, and of the very tree against \nwhich Christ leaned when he was seized with a bloody \n\n\n\n260 ROME, CHRISTIAN AND PAPAL. \n\nsweat in the garden of Getlisemane. They say that \nthis image was cut out by angels, and came by itself \nto Rome, and in the following way: It was one Christ- \nmas night, while the friars were chanting, that they \nheard a knock at the door of the church. As no one \nwent to open it, the bells began ringing violently of \nthemselves, the doors opened spontaneously, and the \nBambino entered and took his place on the altar. \nThis Bambino wears the richest dress and most pre- \ncious jewels. \n\nTo-day, while the Roman people have permitted the \nspoliation of their churches, have scattered to the winds \nthe consecrated wafers, which they believe contains \nJesus Christ in person, merely to rob a silver vase of \nlittle value, not only do they not allow the pearls which \ndecorate their Bamhino to be taken away, but they \nhave even presented to him the most magnificent car- \nriage of the Pope. \n\nThe Santo Bambino was being carried around to \nsick people, and is thus more honored than the holy \nsacrament itself. \n\nOf such singular and contradictory instances a great \n. number may be observed in Rome. Not in a letter, \nbut in a large work, would it be possible to describe \nRome as it is. \n\nBut if my life is spared I propose to undertake such \na work, to enlighten those who, living far from Rome, \ncan have no just conception of it. When you tell \nProtestants that Rome is the Babylon of the Apoca- \nlypse, they exclaim with horror and accuse you of fa- \nnaticism. But let them take in hand the Divine Word, \nand, like Mr. Pasquali, let them visit Rome with the \n\n\n\nCONCLUSION. 261 \n\nWord of God in their hands and in their hearts, and \nthen they will behold the truth as it is. \n\nAdieu, dear Eugene ; in a few days we shall be to- \ngether ; we shall embrace and love each other all the \nmore since we have become brothers in Jesus Christ. \n\nHenry. \n\n\n\nTHE END. \n\n\n\nDeacidified using the Bookkeeper process. \nNeutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide \nTreatment Date: Jan. 2006 \n\nPreservationTechnologies \n\nA WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION \n\n1 1 1 Thomson Park Dnve \nCranberry Township, PA 16066 \n(724)779-21111 \n\n\n\n'