Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-06-26
VOL. XX......No. 3
MEXICO.

The following extracts from the recently
published work on Mexico, by Hon. Waddy
Thompson, late U. S. Minister to that coun.
try, will be read with interest at the present
time
The Catholic Ritual maintains precedence
among the Mexicans, in consistency With the
natural proneness Of every ignorant people to
pay regard to external symbols and the out.
ward pomns Of religion. As to any rational
idea of true religion, or any just conception
OF its divuie author, the great mass Of the
people are little more enlightened than were
their ancestors in. ahe time of Montezuma,
and their relIs ionis'very little less an idola-
try than that of the gro,esque images of stone
and clay, ofwhicl it has taken the place.
A productive source frevenue is the church;
and it is stated that one fourth of the proper.
ty OF the country is in the hands Of the priest.
hood. AS means of raising money! says
Mr. Thompson, : | would not give the single
institution of masses and 'induigcnces' for
the benefit of the souls of the dead for the
power OF taxation possessed by any govern
ment Of all the articles Of cunning and
venaity to extort money from credulous
weakness, there is none SO potential as mass
for the benefit of souls in purgatory. The
Mexicans have saint for an occasion, and
by paying the priest something, his powerful
aid is secured. They have saint for hor-
SEES, and on the festival of his birthday, hor.
ses are carried to the priest, and for small
sum, receive through him the saints blessing
IA perfect security against all the ills horse
flesh is heir to.
TIL" clergy of Mexico, especially among
the lower orders of priests and friars, are said
to be vicious. Very many Of them have
several nicces in their houses or females who
call them uncle, and the author says that the
injunction of celibacy of those dedicated to,he
priesthood, is, in Mexico, much more iheo-
retically than practically regarded.
The streets of Mexico, the capital, divide
the city into squares, each side of square
having different name, sounding often 10
Protestant ears very much like violation of
the third article of the Decalogue-. as
the "Sreet of Jesus" and the "Street Of
the Holy Ghost" 4 citizens will tell you
that he lives in the Holy Ghost, or that he
lives in Jesus certainly, not always true, If
taken the sense in which our preachers use
these words.
cnoulu Tue CHuTCiltS OF McAlCO Ue ran"
sacked for the means of carrying on the pres
ent war, they would supply almos, incalcu.
liable wealth. The Cathedral of Mexico itself.
, which occupies the site ofthe idol temple of
, Moutczuma, could furnish gold enough to
support powerful army. The altar itself
is made of pure silver ,ornamcnted with gold,
and surmounted with images these last and
the railing are constructed of a compound of
gold, silver, and copper-more valuable than
silver. An offer was made recently to take
! this balnstrade, and replace ii with another
Of the same size and workmanship of pure
. silver and TO give million of dollars be-
suites The church also possesses immense
endowmen's in gold and silver vases. waters,
candlcstlchS, precious stones, Sc, the most
valuable of which are stored away in chests
and closets. The property which the church
holds IN m0rtmaIn, is estimated at fifty mill.
ions. As regards the ornaments Of the
churches, says Mr.. Thompson, it would be
the widest and most random conjecture TO
attempt an estimate of the amount of the
precious metals Withdrawn from the useful
purposes of the arts Il currency of the world,
and wasted in decorations as incompatible
with good taste as with that humility which
was the most striking feature in the charac-
ter OF the Founder vi our religion.