Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-13
lQotttster Daily spp,
From the n. Y. Independent.
Ow the People Like the PoDe


ests of AndOver seine Of those still summer af-
ternOonS when storm is rolling up over the
valley of the Merrimac. Every knot of peo-
pie, every salon and drawing room has its own
reports.
Home is all ear, all tongue, and all unite in
saying that a crisis OF some kind is near.
Nevertheless, such is human nature that all
things 20 on much in the same old way-peo-
pie eat and drink, talk and laugh-visit the
Siudios OF artists, and give dinners and have
soirees-and gay ladies sit, tea cup in hand,
slpping tranquility, while the observation goes
round that eve are doubtless upon a volcano"
1t is difficult to suppose that there is any real
belief in all these things, tor if there were, peo-
pie would take some personal action thereup-
on. All things seem at present firm and
stable that one has difficulty to realize that
that anything great and critical really is
coming.
This morning we have been walking through
the Vatican, examining the frescoes of r l.
phael, while below, in st. Peters, the pope
was offering prayers.
Truly, it seemed to affect one singuarly to
look on those walls which Raphael had EN-.
blazoned everywhere with the triumphs of the
Catholic church-to see everywhere the name
or portrait of Leo X, and remember that it
was just when all this power and splendor was
at Its highest point, and Raphael and Michael
Angelo were giving outward expression in St.
Peters to the vast conception OF an earthly
ecclesiastical kingdom--when it was Just at
this time that poor monk OF Wittenberg set
agoing that counter current which is now
washing away the very foundations of the pom
tifcal throne.
For my part, feel in myself none of that
affinity with anything in the Vatican pile
which the Gothic cathedrals of the north in
spire. 1t is vast, airy, splend{d-overpower-
ing by vastness OF space, dazzli5g, by richness
and variety, but it proddses Oh Vs. pc religious
effect, and only another Bight SHRINE of that
man worship which fds BeehSthe pfoclivity of
Italy, ancient and~fho&eEp The old Romans
worshipped senator's and enfpeT9rs, and built
temples to their honor, and in like manner all
the arches of ST. Peter's-its magniicence
speaks of Leo, and Julius, and Sixtus, but not
of God.
To-day we entered the church while yet the
services were going on. crowd in this vast
edi6ce is like a knot in the open street. so far
does it seem from filling it. We walked around
the skirts, and at last disposed ourselves where
we could take a view of the Pope's guard
said know not with what authority, to have
been designed by Michael Angelo-when look
ed at simply in itself, strikes one as the excess
of harlequenism-a combination OF stripes Of the
most intense yellow, red and violet color, the
head being surmounted by hemlet from
which droops an immense TUT of horse hair.
But taken in connection with the splenpid and
snowy architecture of St, Peters this costume
has peculiai@ and spictQfssque efGcEY The
soldiers stri& De, aS one !seas thei3cItSssing
and repassingsloMn the arcades of lofty apch.
es much as brilliant fauiugoes and parroquets
in the long lines Of a tropical forest These
men are tall, large and finely developed, and
give a striking effect to the ceremony.
ho l,o
passed out was brilliant enough. First his
lacqueys, all in crimson damask, the chamber
lains in the rich old Spanish costume with vel
vet doublet and wide ruff, then cardinals in
Fheir vioet-colored suits, fit for the mourning
of Lent, and lastly the mild old man with his
round calm face-his clear, lustrious, hazel
eyes, looking tatherly as he blessed from
right to LETT, but ones heart lenged to think
well of him, and some still young Protestants
of our own acquaintance confessed to all inci-
nation to kneei before him. In fact, the pap
acy in its present embarrassment could not
have a more favorable embodiment for moving
on the sympathies of the world. His general
air of aflability and benignity; the freedom of
his life from any stain OF serious moral accuse
ton; his apparent sincerity and conscientious
ness in holding the position he does, interest
for him personally those who have no SYM
patty for the cause he represents. When a
good person stands conscentiously in Il posi-
ton which is an obstacle to human progress,
and one sees the wheels likely TO go over him,
one cannot but shrink for him, and instructive
ly put out a hand to help him.
1t is difficult for us to conceive the position
of a sensible, intelligent individual, believing
with the whole heart, all and undivided, the
traditions and teachings of the Roman church
and our sympathy is often impaired from want
of ability TO thape this out to ourselves. Our
education is, from turret 70 foundation stone,
so different, that we are apt to think that he
must in his heart see the absurdities which we
do, and that he is practicing wilully on the
weaknesses of the credulous. But the spirit
which made Leo Y exclaim, GLOW much
profit this fable of Christ is to us" is not that
OF Pho Nino. His state of mind is more that
of sincere fanatic than that of deceiver,
and as such should command more respect
Had he been a double minded man, he would
have yielded the point TO The French emperor
before now-but he entrenches himself upon
his conscience and says as Luther did, "Here
stand-I can no other God help me !'-and
so God will, we hope, help him to more light
while he helps the poor Romans to more liber-
ty.
When you speak to Italians of the pope, and
say he seems to be a good man, they say, "He
was, but he has changed"
The thing which hiss the most discovered
them from him--the uatorgiUa6te thing-the
breaking point between him and them-has
been the encouragement and promotion lie
gave to the officer under whom were executed
the slaughters of Perugia. That made the
breaking point in many honest hearts that had
chung to him before. They said-"He is in
deed our enemy" 1t is undoubtedly the case
that on his own part the pope is embittered
towards the people On two or three public
occasions he has broken out into tempests of
excitement, and ragged in a manner foreign to
the general mildness OF his demeanor; and, in
fact, if he has given orders of non-resstance
to his soldiers, it is only because he knows thas
when the French troops withdraw resistance
will be idle.
The fact is this; the pope is just in the pc.
! sition of general who has received orders to
defend an indelensible post-hs church says
thus and so-she cannot change, and so what
is left for him but to stay quietly at his post
till he is forced from it?
81 cannot give up my temporal power" he
says, 'it is not mine to give; if you will take
it from me, that is another thing. l shall sub
nit only when | cannot help it,"
So matters stand to-day, and every day
brings some slight shade, but no great move
ment The prayers in ST. Peters, that we de-
scribed as occurring to day, were certainly
characterized by more than usual earnestness
of feeling. That mysterious mesmeric sense
by which you learn in crowd that some deep
feeling is at work. was very perceptible, and
one could hear in pauses a sort of stir and
rustllng, as of breath drawn in with emotion,
and everywhere about us well dressed people
were kneeling, seemingly praying with the ut
most ierVor Even the French sold rs and
officers bore on their faces the traces Of deep
IL