Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-10-13
Religions Condition of Italy.

is on the way to occupy soon ltohe
rank among the nations Of Europe.
It's people arc possessed Of energy
and lofty aspirations its area. is
larger than til at Of Prussia, and It's
population more numerous; It's ia
cilities for becoming great mari
time power are unsurpassed and the
past history Of Venice, Genoa, and
other towns sufficiently proves that
the Italians wanted only the freedom
which they now possess, in order'to
recover large share in the com
merce of the world It's literature is
giving indications OF return to its
golden era The interest which we
naturally feel in the destiny Of such
q nation, is greatly increased by the
promising prospect that the political
and social regenerationof thepeop!e
will be followed by a religious refor-
ormation.
We must not be discouraged by
the apparently slow progress Of the
Protestant missions. On the con-
trary. sudden transition of large
masses of the people from their old
creed to Protestanism would cause
just apprehension that with many
this step was more the fruit of mum
dane consideration and influences
from abroad, than of a thorough per-
sopal conviction and religious CON
version. The progress Of the ,refor-
nation, though seemingly slow, is
steady and satisfactory. Protestant
churches and congregations are
springing up in every part Of the
kingdom, and schools and literature
brig more correct knowledge of
Biblical Christianity to tens of thou
sands. -aaa tsI ,sxaW b
The actual progress of Protestant
ism reveals, however, the only feature
Of the great religious movement
which is going on in Italy. Though
the majority Of the people are not
yet ready to leave the national church
they betray q great interestin reli-
gious questions The continual con-
fict between the Governnent and
the Hierarchy forces causes every
Italian to examine the nature Of this
conflict, and to mediate on its pro-
bable issue, Parliament cannot avoid
devoting a considerable portion of
its time to ecclesiastical questions,
and the special Importance which the
combat against the temporal p ,wer Of
the Pope as for Italy, greatly aids
in the religious education of the ma
ton. -
For some time it has been expect
ed that the italian Government would
be gradually driven by the attitude
of the Papal Court into a position
similar to that which Henry III. of
England assumed in the sixteenth
century. High Church Episcopal
lians were. in particular,~sanguine
that the Italian Government would
succeed in so reducing or abolishing
the Papal prerogatives, as to pave
the way for union between most
of the dioceses of Italy and the Es-
tablished Church of England. The
Italian Government has denied hav-
ing any such intentions. Though
accommodated by the Pope they
will retain their, standing in the Ro-
man Catholic Church. TLey still
acknowledge the Pope as the 81 irit-
III head of the Church, but they
are unfinching in their refusal to
acknowledge any jurisdiction of the
Pope, the Bishops and the Councils
in matters strictly temporal a
This view seems to beaecepted by
the majority of italian statesmen,
however, much they may otherwise
differ in their religious opinions, as
the best way to consummate and con-
solidate the national unity of Italy,
y very interesting debate on this
subject took place recently in the
Italian Parliament The celebrated
ex-Jesuit Passaglia, the leader OF
the liberal party among the clergy,
who has been elected a member of
the italian Parliament, made his
maiden speech, in which he proposed
a bill which, according to him, would