Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-03
RELIGIOUS MISCELLANY.
RELIGION IN SPAIN.

Extracts from letter addressed by a gen
tIenpan IN Cadiz, to the Corresponding
Secretary of the American Bible SOci-
ETY.; furnished, By request Of the author,
for the Nea0 York Observer.
CADIZ, June 81, 1888.
NV dear Sir,-On the 9th instant, |
had much pleasure to receive, via. Glib
raltar, your highly valued letter of 30th
April, informing me that you had sent TO
the care of the American Consul at that
place, case containing SO Spanish BIZ
bes, and $50 Testaments, granted by the
Bible Society for the gratuitous distrbu-
lion, or sale when possible, among the I'M
fortunate people of this country; for
which very handsome grant l feel truly
grateful, and am only sorry to say that
there is but small prospect, in the pres
ent aspect of affairs, that such gift will
be valued as it deserves.
know not whether you are aware,
that the word of God is still prohibited
entrance into this degraded country; but
such being the case, has prevented me
from ordering the books round here i'm
mediately from Gibraltar, as could have
wished. | have given directions that, as
opportunity occurs, a few may be sent
round from time to time, when | shall
make such use of them as think most
conducive to the object we have in view
their being Perused; for though
could easily get rid of hundreds of the
sacred tones, | doubt whether we could
assure ourselves that a proper respec
would be paid to them; or whether, il
fact, they would not be at first looked a
in the same light as that with which I
child regards toy, and then thrown asid,
on the shelf, never to be again thought Of
cannot well describe TO you the stat
OF feeling in which | write this. WheI
| look around me and view the dens
spiritual and intellectual darkness il
which the Spanish people are enveloped
the prospect is indeed melancholy. Wher
| consider that can scarcely name an in
dividual, (true, there IS one exception) il
Cadiz, be he native or foreign, who woul
CO cooperate with me in distributing tn
bread Of life contained in the Holy Scrip
lures; and that, on the contrary, an ind
vidual engaged in that pious act has {
: late actually been held up as subject 70
prescription and persecution by the Bish
} op of this city; when consider that tn
r authorized agent of the London Bible 81
ciety at Madrid has, only short tim
!, since, been imprisoned, it requires n
small degree of moral, if not physic;
courage, TO place ourselves against tn
| current of the roaring stream of Romis
bigotry and authorized intolerance.
e A few weeks since, notice was give
that on a certain Sunday. the new builC
e ing, [lhe Cathedral would be opened
It the public for the purpose OF witnessin
Y the effect of some pieces of music IN th
! edifice, and that subscription would a
so be made in aid of the funds for finisl
d ing the work. On the day appoints
this building, which, we are told, is IL
It tended to be dedicated to the service of J
e hovah, was opened, and desecrated in
? manner shameful to conceive. For Sc
e eral hours the place was crowded to e
IS cess by people gathered together, to a
h appearance with no other object than tn
: OF worshipping the god. renity. On q
r sides of the sacred (!) evifce resound,
If mirth and laughter, each one seeming
vie with his neighbor in prostituting q
b place. In fact, the whole scene resent
ed more crowded theatre, than a bull
ut ing dedicated to the service of the Nc
High. No person attempted to adore
to the concourse, or remind them of the pu
T. pose for which that building was inten
ce ed. :.
Awful indeed is the proclamation OF Il
w Sabbath in this devoted land. Not mo
than a fortnight from the time at viii