The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-23 00:00:00

ROME.

A letter from Rome dated January 19, says :
Dr. Manning preached the Epiphany sermon last
Wednesday, in the Church of Sant' Andrea del
Valle. His very appearance, which is that of an
ascetic, interests you at first sight, and disposes you
to listen to him as to one who speaks with authority.
Straight and unbending as a line, he, too, assumes
all that he appears to be. He does not ask you to
believe him, but tells you what you are to believe and
imposes on you a faith, After alluding to the season
at which he was addressing his audience, the Doctor
observed that he would rather confine himself to
peaceful subjects, but that this was impossible, for
these were troubled times. First Renan came under
his lash, whose books, though they had been dis-
tributed in the streets, had been rejected by the
faithful with indignation. Thence he proceeded to
castigate a man eminent in his position, who had
the reputation of possessing the most distinguished
intellect in Europe. Delicacy forbade him to en-
large in his remarks on one who assumed to be the
defender of the Holy See. A splendid illustration
of the power and beneficence of the Church was de-
rived from the Epiphany of Christ. As he had
shed light over the world, so had the Roman
Church. The great Roman Empire had fallen, and

its ruins were around them, but Christianity had
risen over them, had saved learning, and monopo-
lized the power of the empire. It was necessary
that Christianity, which was an all-pervading
power, should be represented by a great temporal and
spiritual authority. St. Peter had received his
power from Christ, the Apostle gave it to the
Church, and the Church was represented by, and
embodied in, the Pope, who must be a Pontiff-
Sovereign. In conclusion, he exhorted the faithful
to do their duty, The entire discourse was a splen-
did specimen of unimpassioned eloquence. Assum-
:ng his principles, there was the closest coneater a-
don of argument throughout. Link by link, each
thought was connected with the other, and the
unwary mind, forgetful of the premises assumed,
stood a fair chance of being carried away. In the
afternoon there was a very important meeting of the
English Roman Catholics to consider and decide on
an address to be published to the world. regarding

the establishment of a church in Rome for their co-
religionists. From their point of view the wish
was natural, as England is the only great country
in Europe which has not a national Roman Catho-
lic church in Rome ; and yet it may be said, if the
Church be universal, its rites and doctrines every-
where the same, where is the necessity of a national
church ? I believe it is the intention to restore, or
to build, I am not clear which, a church to the
honour of Thomas a Becket, and subscriptions were
entered into for the purpose.
At half-past five o'clock 80 persons sat down to
dinner in the English College, 40 being connected
with the establishment, and 40 being visitors, con-
sisting of the principal English Catholics in Rome.
After dinner Monsignore Talbot, though it was
understood that there would be no speeches made,
proposed the health of the Pope—all very proper
as the Sovereign of the country. The President of
the College followed, and then Dr. Manning rose,
and, to the surprise of all, unsaid much that he said
last year. At the fete of the Qairites last year,
when the anniversary of the foundation of Rome
was celebrated, the Doctor excited the indignation of
even many of his co-religionists by the terms in
which he spoke of their common country. On this
occasion his toile was altered; in no country ,he said,
did Roman Catholics enjoy so much freedom as in
England. "Nationality,"
when in opposition to
the Church, had always been a curse, but when in
al ianee 'With it a blessing, and the Church had
always favoured the sentiment of nationality—it
might have been added with one notable oteeption.
Lord Campden also spoke, and if his speech, which
was very difficult of interpretation, is rightly under-
his Holiness, a hope that he might recover his lost
stood by me, he expressed his deep sympathy with
dominions, and a wish that in a body they would
go to the Holy Father and lay this expression of
their common feeling at laic feet. The wish was
responded to, and the Pope has promised to receive
them next Monday. On Monday last there was
the annual " Accademia Poliglotta" of the students
of the Propaganda, and I allude to it only to ob-
serve
neg
vetharotetsh,eryejoouitchinsg in the names of Williamwho carried off the palm were
Samba and John Provost. Their delivery and
action were wonderful, and called forth thunders
of applause even in a church.
For the last two nights Fahrenheit has stood at
28 deg.