Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-07-14

moral machinery, the social inducement, the
political necessity, which should bring the re-
wing intelligence Of the ago into fruitful ac-
/ tion upon this vast new theatre, for the oini
benefit of America aud Europe, and the solid
foundation of higher civilization than the
world had yet seen.
In the villa Carcggi, which have just
named, Lorenzo dc Medici, the merchant die
laior Of Florence, lived and died, and his son
Giovanni was born; created through the inlu-
enco Of his fond father, an Archbishop at ~,
Cardinal at II, and raised TO the papal throne
at the age of 80, as Pope Leo X. This as
piring, liberal and munifceni Ponti1, who, re-
garded as secular prince, was, with all his
faults, the most enlightened sovereign Of his
age, cradled in all the luxurics ofworldly pow
er, nursed at the bosom of the arts, raised TO
the throne of the then undivided church in ear
ly manhood, devoted his short but brilliant reign
to two main objects, viz. the expulsion Of the
Turks from Europe, and the completion Of the
Church of ST. Peter at Rome, the mos, splen-
did and costly structure Of human hands, and
designed by him to be the great Metropolitan
Temple of Universal Chrstendom. To de-
| fray the enormous expenditure incurred by
these and other measures Of magnifcence and
policy, Leo resoried TO the famous sale of in
dulgences throughout the Christian world
/ The mind Of Western and Northern Europe
had been warming and kindling for a century
and half toward the Reformation; the sale Of
indulgences was the torch in the hands of Lu-
iher which lighted the fame.
Some Of the German princes put themselves
at the head Of this great popular revelation,
which was in reality the movement Of the age
toward civil and religious liberty but Henry
VIII, Of England was'one Of its earliest OPP
punents The traveller is shown, in the library
of the Vatican, The identical copy Of his book
/ against Luther, sent by Henry to Pope Leo the
Tenth, which earned for him and all his sue
cessors the title Of "Defendcr of the Faith. -
A few years passed by, new light, kindled at
no spiritual altar, shono into his mind. Cath
arine Of Auagon was repudiaied; Anne Bo-
leyn was married, and the supremacy Of the
Pope abjured by Henry VIII
This certainly was net the Reformation, but
il was a step toward il. Afer the decease of
the remorselcss and sensual monarch, the con-
science of England took up the work which
his liceniiousnoss and ambition began. The
new opinions gained credit and extension rap
idly, but with fearful dependence on the vicis-
STUDIES of the State. The service and ritual
of The Church of England, substantially as
they exist at this day, were established under
Edward vi; but his sister Mary, married TO
Philip ii, the man who caused his own son TO
be assassina,ed for the good Of his soul, re-
stored the old faith and kindled the fires Of
With the accession oil rlizaoetn tne Unuren
Of England was cautiously restored, and Prot
esiastism again became the religion Of the
State. But the trial Of prosperity was scarce
ly less severe than the trial of adversely
Among the pious conlessors OF the reformed
faith, who had been driven into banlshment un-
der Mary, bitter dissensions arose on the CON
unent. One portion adhered at Frankfort TO
the ritual Of the Church of England, as esia-
lished by Edward another who had taken ref
uge at Geneva preferred the simpler form, and
the more republican system of church govern
ment, which had been adopted by Calvin. On
their return 10 England, after the accession OF
Elizabeth, these differences grew to formidable
magnitude, and those inclining TO the simpler
forms received the name Of "Puriians." The
Queen leaned to the ceremonial OF the ancient
church largo number of the clergy and Ia
ity regarded the sacred ycstmenis, the use Of
the cross in baptism, and some other portion ol
the ritual, as remnants of Popery. There was
no disagreement on points Of docline; but
difference of opinion and taste on these empty
forms-the mere husk of religicn-led to bit
terness of feeling, to the formation of hostile
: sec's' l'he constant seourge OF rro'es'ahusm,J y
10 me interference OF ieeis'a.on 10 secure u",
Voi worship ana when ms iaileo' as al
} ways has and always wiii, except under gov
ernmen's purely desPoue' the exercise oi ih'
J IRON arm oi power 10 punish non-eomiormity
: FOR 'his purpose, courts oi high Comnissiof
and the Siar chamber were es'aoiishea-ripu
, mails abhorreni 10 inc genius oi the common
t law OF England and penalties Of fine, fmpris
onment and death were denounced upon al
whose consciences forbade them to conform Il
} lhe es'a'aolished ritual Aiier various laws o
greater or less severity passed for this end, th
statute Of lo93 was enacted, by which perse