Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-06-11

extent; they are, therefore, not disposed to give
very full information upon the subject or to exhibit
the gold and silver vessels, vases, precious stones,
and other forms of wealth quite enough is eXhib-
tied to strike the behoder with wonder The first
object that presents itself on entering the cathedral
| is the altar near the centre of the building 10 is
made of highly wrought and highly polished silver,
and covered with profUsion of ornaments Of pure
gold On each side of this altar runs a baustrade,
enclosing space about eight feet wide and eighty
or a hundred feet long. The balusters are about
four feet high, and tour inches thick IN the largest
part the handrail from six to eight inches wide.-
! Upon the top Of this hnndrai vt the distance of
six or eight feet apart, are human images bcauti-
fully wrought, and about two feet high All OF
these, the baustrade, handrail and images, are
made of a compound of gold, silver and copper
more valuable than silver. was told that an offer
had been made to take this balustrade, and replace
it with another of exactly the same size and work
manship OF pure silver, and TO give half Il million
besides. There is much more of the same balus-
trade in other parts Of the church should think,
/ in all Of it, not less than three hundred feet.
As you walk through the building, On either side
there are different apartments, all filed, from the
floor to the ceiling, with paintings statues, vases,
huge candesticks, walters, and thousand other ar
ticles, made Of gold or silver. This, too is only
the every day display of articles of least value !;
the more costly are slowed away in chests and clos
els. What must it be when all these are brought
out, with the immense quantities of precious stones
which the church is known to possess? And this
is only one Of the churches of the city of Mexico,
where there are between sixty and eighty others,
and some Of them possessing little less wealth than
the cathedral and it must also be remembered,
that all the other large cities such Putbla, Quad
alaara, Guan0iuato, Zacaeeas, Durango, San Louis
Potos have each propononate number of e.
quay gorgeous establishments. 1t would be the
widest and most random conjecture TO attempt al
q of tho pf nrorious rnnto1c
withdrawn from the useful purposes of the currency
of the world, and wasted in these barbaric orna
meuts, as incompatible with GOOD taste MS they are
with the humility winch was the most striking lea-
ture in the character Of the founder of religion
whose chosen instruments were the lowly and hum
bic, and who himself regarded as the highest evil
dencc of his divine mission, the fact that I" to the
poor the gospel was preached" DO not doubt
but there is enough of the precious metals in the
different churches Of Mexico to relieve sensby the
pressure upon the currency Of the world, which has
resulted from the diminished production Of the
mines, and the increased quantity which has been
appropriated to purposes of luxury, and to pay the
cost Of much more tasteful decorations in archi-
lecture and statuary, made Of mahogany and mar
BILE.
But the immense wealth which is thus collected
in the churches, is not by any means all, or even
the larger portion, Of the wealth Of the Mexican
church and clergy. They own very many of the
finest houses IN Mexico and other cities (the rents
Of which must be enormously besides valuable real
estates all over the Republic. Almost every per-
son leaves bequest in his will for masses for his
soul, which constitute an incumbrlnce upon the
estate, and thus nearly all the estates Of the small
proprietors are mortgaoed to the church. The
property held by the church in mortman is esna-
ted at fifty millions.
| Mexico is believe, the only country where the
church property remains in its untouched entirety
l,1
from the sales Of the estates of the banished Je
suits; but with that exception, no President, how
ever hard pressed land there is no day in the year
that they are not hard pressed) has ever dared to
encroach upon that which is regarded consecratel
property with the exception of Gomez Farrias,
who, in 1884, proposed to the legislative chambers
to confscate all the church property, and the
sure would, no doubt, have been adopted, but for
revolution which overthrow the administration.
But it is impossible that such state of things can
last always. | have heard inteiI gent men express
the opinion, that one-fourth of the property Of the
country is in the hands of the priesthood; and, in
stead OF diminishing. is continually increasing. AS
a means OF raising money, would not give the
single institution Of the Catholic religion of masses
and indulgence for the benefit of the souls of the
dead, for the power of taxation possessed by any
government. No tax gatherer is required to col
ect it its payment is enforced by all the strongest
and best feelings of the human heart. All re-
gons and superstitions have their priesthood and
their prestcrait, from the reptile worship Of the
Nile 10 our own pure and holy religion; but Of all
the articles of cunning and venality 10 extort mon
ey from credulous weakness, there is none so pc.
tential a for the benefit Of souls in purga-
tory. Our own more rational faith teaches that
when man dies his account is closed, and his des-
tiny for good evil is fixed for ever, and that he
is to be judged by the deeds done In the body but
another creed inculcates that that dest " NAV be
Hal b,,n
vicarous and vena!. 1t would seem to be IN direct
contradiction to the Saviour, in the comparison
, of the camel passing through the eye of needle
4 Nothin@Is easier than for rich man to enter the
kingdom of heavens he purchases that entrance
E with money. He who can pay for most masses
, shorens in proportion the period of his probation
, of torment in purgatory. Who is it that will no,
pay his last farthing to relieve the soul of depar
: ted friend from those torments: do not know
, how the fee for these masses is cxacted, but dc
= know that it Is regularly paid and that without
the fee, the mass would be regarded of no value
! or efficacy. We read in the history of the con.
a quest Of Mexico that Cortes paid large sums fol
masses for the soul of Sandoval, when he died, ant
provided large sums IN his will for masses for hi,
= own soul. remember that my washcrwoman ono,
" asked me to lend her two dollars. | asked he
! what she wanted with it. She told me that there
a was particular mass to be said on that day, which
II relieved the souls in purgatory from ten thousant
- years of torment and that she wished to secure thu
, benefit of il for her mother | asked her if sl,
. was fool enough 10 believe it. She answered
=, Why yes sir; is not true 2" and with a coun
9 tenance of as much surprise as if had denied tina
= The sun was shining On day OF religious festlva
y the anniversary of Saint Francisco,) | have seer
+, stuck up on the door Of church of San Francisco
II one of the largest and most magnificent in Mexico
N a small advertisement, of which the following wa
Is the substance-
~ He Hnlino-c tho fap nj :.
,. which we're namcd) have granted thIrty-wo thous
10 and three hundred years, ten days and six hours
q indulgence" for this mass"
If do not remember exactly the number of years
days and hours but positively assert that it spec
70 fled the number Of each, and believe that hay
ie stated them correctly. The manifest object OF hi
IN minute particularly is to secure the more efectuG
~ hnlinf Aan i1lnrn IL