Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-07-12
PROSPECTS OF SPAIN.


. server, dated at Malaga, furnish very i'm
portant intelligence in regard to Spain
The Bible, he says, is applied for openly
by the Romish priests. The particulars
will be seen below. Let the friends o.
Popery say what they will about its pro,
gress in this country, in those dominions
where it has had its powerful fortress for
ages, and has reigned without control ;
there it is manifestly in a state of weak
ness and decay. When was it ever heard,
since the Man of Sin" had an ascenden-
cy in the Spanish empire, that the Bible
was allowed an entrance within its pre-
cincts? Never, until within a very short
time past. And not until Mr.. Cheever's
communication was received could it even
have been imagined that such open appli-
cations would have been made for it; and
still more astonishing that priests should
be among the applicants.-N York Bap-
t1St Register.
MALAGA; Jan. 81, 1887.
"Just as | am sitting down to write by
the return of the same shi p in which we
embarked for Europe, several priests, and
at least half a dozen others, have come in
to app y for Spanish Bibles and Tesla
ments. We have distributed few, to-
gether with tracts and small books as we
found favorable opportunities; and the re-
port getting into circulation quite crowd
of people have come Of their own accord
to obtain copy of the scriptures. Some
of the boys who live in the cathedral hav-
ing received books from us; several ofthe
priests themselves were anxious to get a
copy of the Spanish Bible, and | trust
from no sinister motives. But it is surely
novel scene in Spain-a Catholic priest
In his own country app ying to Protest
ant for the word of life. Think we could
distribute many hundred volumes in a
short time with ease, if we had them; for
at this revolutionary season the people
have liberty of conscience, as of action,
which they have not enjoyed for long
period. They dare not open the scrip
lures without fear Of the dungeons of the
Inqusition, or the prying bigotry of the
clergy.
The two priests who applied for Bibles
were dressed in the costume of their order,
with their long black gowns and hats that
would almost cover hogshead. The hat
gives them very singular appearance.
The crown IS made round, and just big
enough for the top of the head, and the
circular rim, with the enormous dimen-
sions just stated, is rolled up at the sides
so as nearly to meet over the top 1t looks
like the cap of an immense stove funnel,
contrived to keep the wind from blowing
the smoke down the chimney. One Of
the priests was fat, fair, double-chinned
and corpuIent; the other tall, and spare,
but in his appearance the most sensual
and debauchee of the two. And that in
truth, without exag geration, is the impress
sion produced upon a stranger by almost
any priest he looks upon. I have seen
numbers of them together, and have sell
dom met with a company of men who
bore the characters of sensuaIity and de-
hatchery more plainly depicted in the
countenance. Nor does the appearance
belle the reality, Without any doubt they
are the most debauched class of beings in
all the kingdom of Spain. This is the
testimony which | receive concerning
them on all Sides
The peopl have never yet known what
religious freedom is. The elasticity Of
the national character has been we'll nigh
utterly destroyed by the prevalence for
ages of the most terrible religious despot-
ism in all Europe The genius of Pc
perry has crushed alike the genius and
patriotic spirit of the nation. They are
so deblitated that there seems scarcely
any of the pith and stamina of a hardy
constitution remaining. And the bright
est sign as to the prospect Of the nation for
civil liberty is this at length the
principles Of the Reformation seem to be
stirring among the people. At length thai
light from Luther's genius has got into
the kingdom, and the abuses of Popery
are pointed at, and the vices of the priest
hood noticed, anc the power of the clergy
resisted and circumscribed. The way j:
evidently preparing for religious tolera
ton, and when that takes place Protest
antism will speedily be victorious, ane
} when that is the case, Spain will be tree
Until that time l do not see how freedom
is possible. Until then, it is to be feared
there will be nothing but succession o
sanguinary revolutions.
Great freedom of debate is exercised il
, the sessions of the Cortes on the subjec
: of ecclesiastical abuse, and a tone i
adopted in regard to the domination c
r the Pope on the one hand, and the char
acter of the clergy on the other, whic
augurs we'll for the deliverance of tn
kingdom from the despotism of both. A
energetic speaker, Martin de Valasca, DE-
i clared in recent debate that the Court
: Rome must yield to the authority of tn
Spanish Cortes. 1t is necessary to con
}. bat the court of Rome plainly; it is n
cessary to treat the court as lion, Will
beast; either to cringe TO it, or cut off i
head. And this is what the Cores we