The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-09-03
CATHOLIC SUPERSTITION.

bon in the s7th Chap. of his biitory, of the re-
puted power OF the ancient monks! ga be-
leving age, hys &c, es6ly perfuaded, that
the nghtea caprice of an egyptian or a Syrian
monk, had been Efficient to Interrupt the e
terna laws of the upivsrfs. The favourites of
heaven were accuhomed tocurenveteraseditsafss
witha touch, word or diitan, mcfage : s, to
expel the mon obttinate drmons from the fouls,
or bodies, which they polftGtd. They fan,ili-
arly accotted or inperiouly commanded,
the Lions and ferpcnts OF the defer. infufed
vegetation into fip!efs trunk fnfpeuded
iron on the furnace of the water patel the
Mile onthe back of a crocodile, ard refrcihed
hemtt'ves III fiery furnace. Theie, ex.raya-
ant tales, which difp,ay the fiction, without
he genius OF poetry, have ferionny affected
he reafon, the faith and the morals of the
Chriaians. Their creduiity debated and vita
ed the faculties of the mind they corrupted
The evidence OF hiaory; and f,perltiton gra-
dually extugnilled the hottie light of philof,-
phy and fciencc. Every mode of religions wor-
fh;p which had been practifcd by the ilints. eve
ry mvtterous dotrriue which they believed, was
fortified by the ian6tion of divine revelation, &
allthe manly virtues were opPretfed by the fer
vile and puhiianimous reign Of the monks. If
it be noiiiSle to meafire the interval between
the ph;iofophic writings of Cicero and the IA
cred legend OF Theodoret, between Inc chsrad-
err ofCato andth OF Simeon, We may appre-
eciate The memorable revolution which was sc-
compli'hed in the Roman Empire within a peri
cd OF 500 years"
Such fnpera;tious dognias might well have
fuitsd the genius of the age, on which the ht-
torian was deicantiDg becsufc the human mind
had not yet acquired filfficient refoution to
( E.akeof the .l:ackles CT authority the lights
Of England and Of France had not yet iumina-
ted the cells oe iupcritition, nor defined the Ii
mits of probable evidence nor had the prefs
b,.tt e
- one Country 10 al ,hofo vino wcrc connected
together by the intereits OF commerce or the in
citemeGts ofcIrioity. Bot what is our iurprfe
and what ought 10 De orr Indignation, when We
perceive that even theTe toaited improvements
of intellect gre no iuficic prefervatives againit
the encroachments of fupcrfition 1.-THE 5th
century was d:Aurbed BY the religious preten-
foDs of 2 Simon, the 10Th century has been
cifhonored by the names of Paris and a La
! bre.- If.he ignorant inhabitants of Syria and E.
Z egypt have beenthe dppcscfa hgiousfanatacifn,
the civilized cities Of Paris and Rome, viiited by
the wife ard n.tructed by the works of genins,
have not been more fortunate. Let thefe exam
plesiftheyars produ Give ONO otherbene fit, teach
us at lean the necet,ity of philofcphic fcept
cifn When fnpsrfiticus fictious are report
ed though they ihouid be corrobcrated by the
pretended tettimony of nulnberlels wit
ic;Ies. LET us recollett that the inpoturcs of
Paris & ofLahre wercequally well authenticated
and Were equally deceptive Let US in fact ac-
knowledge 10 opinion TO be juf, which is not
Imported by rea!on; and no report to be pro-
= pable, which is not confident with the eternal
q laws of natu:c
EstyufF from tbs I" hiRo,feal End pbilo6bbical
Memoirs Of PMS be.Extb. ami Of bis pontif-
cote, do7vn 10 bfPeriod efbis retirement into
Tytcnay."
OF THE JrsuIrs, AND OF THE VENERABLE
LABRE.
THE intrfnes of the Jcfnts were interviewer
with the whole pontfcate of Plus VI. and were
Reproduced in every variety of form. Stran-
gers, as in the days Of their PROPERTY, TO all
fcrCples, they availed themfelves of every cir
cumftance that occurred. They employed BY
turns aicetic books and calumnious Hhcls; the
illuGors Of fupertition, and the light of philofo-
ply; making every thing fubfervient to their
purpofe, from the atheiit 10 the capuchn friar,
and from the, foyere;gn TO the beggar in the
freets. -
The year 1889 was witnefs to the deyelope-
ment of enc other moa abjeet, and, at the fame
= tipe, MOI ridcu'ous plans.
III the ccurfe of the month of April, while Pr
us VI. was on Wifi TO the Poutine marines,
report faddcnIy fprcsd iii Rome OF the death
ola French beggar, who was become the obief
4. OF pubic VeHeratiOn. HIS body, which was eX-
pofcd fer three days, preftrved, it was fsid, the
feasibility or It's members, without nlewinG the
leaf iign of putrefaction. He had lived nine
years at Rome unnoticed By every ono; int no
foonsr had he clofed mis- eyes, thaEtne mott ed;-
fying wonders were related Of him. He had led
the mof piors and mot exemplary life. Redu-
sed TO the lowell degree of indulgence, he added
voluntary fufferines TO his unavoidable private
ons; covered with rags, he remained expofed
\ 70 the inclemency of the weather, and, by way
kf penance, fufercd the vernin to prey upon
4 his Heib. Many perfons recolle6ted to have
feen him and motonlefs in the Areets, and at
! tie doors Of the churches, expecting, without
afiing. the iiy of palIengers. 1t was faid,
that he was accufomed 10 ditribute the furolus
: of The aims ne received to other paupers, and
that he had predicted the moment of his death
Tbe greateff perionaees in Rome, the populace
Bspd above All tne preifs, hafened in crowds to
his tomb where great number of miracles were
performed. The fck were carried thither:
they returned healed and thefe wonders, az
always happens, were atteGted by numerous and
creditable wtnchus. The mott mi6ni partcu-
lara Of his life were collected; his portrait was
engraved and in lefs than twenty-fcur hours,