The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-02

| on was 4 ne vineyard After we mad rainblod through
tho grounds, we came back again TO tho bnildngs AM.
wete shown into the several schooooms deyoed 70 the
education Of young grs In apartment were chi
dron OF eight and ten years just commencing tue eie
mentary studies Beyond this another room oe,u-
pied BY more advanced students and stu further On
wore about hy grls OF sixteen thereabout eueaeod
in embroidery some OF ths work was o. .e rones. 10
Scrpton exceeding in beauty OF design ana execution
anything OF the kind had before SO n Alter we nad
inspected these subjects we're conducted past the
long rows of dormtories, into which We could look
through grated windows Each dormitory was
about fifteen feet square, and contained only small
iron bedstead and covering little stand with crucix
upon IT, q couple of chairs and the pictures OF
more "a nts hanging upon the walls We were also
shown several fine paintings me WORK OF some OF the
and before leaving copducted to the large school
side Of the convent dedicated to the educa
ton OF pauper children few priests in long black
robes and broad brmmed hats. vera shutting about
but the exception of conductors and the chiefs
| main object OF the establishment il the education Of
girls useful branches and the maintenance OF Catho
lie influence This inmates arc not exactly nuns, but
their secluslon from the world amounts to the
thing all their lives being spent within these wallis IN de-
exercise and selfdenia The chapel isolated
from the main buildings and is quite neat edihce
Wherever we went doors we're unlocked and fastened
again after and finally, after great deal OF unbar
zoe outer ws 80 .. as a.2
er,nl must be the influences which impel youth and
beauty 70 immure themselves within such dull and I'M
changing precincts There several Of these nsttu
tons here one Of which Is under the charge Of lady
from Baltimore, Nd.
There is also large founding hospital devoted to the
and education Of such stray waits OF humanity
may drift within its shelter II is surrounded by high
walls and seems more like prison than house for
innocent children but is understood that the internal
arrangements are well devised and that all Of the in
mates carefully looked after Most of the Children
placed in this institution Of legitimate and
the convenicncee provided for such rather encou
aging to the evil referred In the wall Of the hosp-
an upright cylinder constructed to revolVe
without adordng view OF the interior Of the establish
men and yet containing an opening for the reception
of "parcesn The unnatural mother who seeks TO nd
herself Of her child places II within the cylinder gives
turn, which rings bell and her infant Is lost to her
forever Attendants Immediately answer the summons,
and remove the little stranger 20 the hospital, with no
knowledge OF the origin of the child than IL II
dropped down from the skies The result Of such an
accommodation in such latitude can well be imagined
SUPERSTITION rHE PEOPLE
The lower classes OF society exceedingly supersi
tious and retain the religious ceremonies and abssrd
performances practsed hundreds OF years ago Among
the uneducated each family has its saints for rain and
for employment and 70 ward OH earthquakes sickness
bad luck, &c thriving business Is carried
on by the sale OF cheap prints Of saints in various
devotional attitudes These hawked about the coun
try and the pedler bargains with each purchaser to
bring priest who will bless the print for hundred
per cent advance on the price Of the saint This gene
% Done rs mac ao aoer sy AN
concerning whose holy attributes there might be any
question All the churches have saints Tilted up in
gorgeous manner inside the buildings and generally
have two less lucky saints outside who have TO
submit all of ndigni,ies from ragged urchns
and who grow old rapidly from exposure ii not from the
unavoidable contemplation Of sinful world. Tue lower
Glasses as rule have great faith in their saints For
example, II apeon gets on. Of work ne spends about
n that does not bring employment perhaps the
saint gets decoration Of flowers and another illumina
on but il that fails the saint is turned upside down for
a while aud eventually placed with his face 10 the wall
until the proprietor is relieved from his embarrassment
rain saint in common If a season is unusually drv the
saint ia brought out grand procession formed and
great attention shown him; but after several appeals
rain is furnished his sainishlp Is gnominously
stripped Of his gay robes and locked up in cell until
the desire OF the community ia gratasd. In Santiago
there is earthquake saint, who on day
specially devoted to him IL brought out in
gorgeous style and conducted through thecity with high
state officials and troops as an escort Upon former oc
late this has been discontinued Everybody in passing
the church takes on his hat and during certain religious
church where the ceremonies going on kneels the
street or wherever ne may BE- In the afternoons the
csrrsses and and Il IS not Unusual to see
every person, Including the ladies' suddenly down
their knees in reverence OF the Host which some priest
may be conveying TO or from sick bed. The Host Is
carried in red covered drawn by ono horse and
is escorted by dragon and lad carrying lighted Ian
tern Every one is compelled TO knee uncovered II
passes II person is on horseback he must dismount
and get down on his marrowb0nes. Those in the
rages sometimes compromise BY knsshns on the cu,h.
the ground No exception IS made account OF age,
rank, and IL an individual docs not promptly com
vigorously enforces with the sabre Those who
prefer not knee in the always the look
/
streets with their carriages or into some store. on
foot.
might add numerous religious pecusrities OF this
| kind which observed here but the preceding
will suffice 20 illustrate the sway Of Catholicism
in these countries In Peru Bolivia and the other
publics these pecuiarities are much more marked.
Among the upper classes the influence Of these
| Is fast losing ground The clergy are energecally
| striving to maintain their sway The popular mind
by perpeuang these practices; but intercourse with
Europe and the United States has taught the educated
here that such customs are not adhered TO elsewhere
rxf
admitted and protected Protestant worship, and there
two nourishing Protestant societies in vapa-
only protection these innovations have public sen,i
men Is bitterly opposed TO them II Is impossible for
Protestant to marry in Chile without Joining me ,ssholc
Rome. Instances have occurred where this was not
done. but thcy rare aud generally led to great dim
Guilty. former Minister of the United States married
here some years ago and had the performed
by clergyman OF the legation, which is always 70.
BY the minister and subject only 70 the laws
Of said country, except In certain SPECIFIED cases
Of high crimes. The archbishop issued than.
dsrng protest against II. communicated the
lady from the Church. and In hs onhcsl capacity de-
nounced her TO the country az living in state OF prost
tution. OF the effect upon her and her family
was very serious and the affair finally became the sub
icct Of long and bitter diplomatic correspondence be-
tween the two governments II Protestant dies out
side OF santiago or Valparaiso the mining districts.
where education and foreign influence Ia felt, the 70
most shameful manner. the priests not permitting the
dust OF hereto 70 mingie with the soil rhe admins
aon Of President Perez during tho past i've years has
much to abolish such practices and 10 disseminate
liberal and enlightened ideas upon the subject OF
religion The contest between the government and the
clergy, headed by the archbishop has been long and
bitter and IS sill, being eneI gs,icay maintained by tho
administration. There few friends Of religious
liberty In Congress- and the temporal power Of the
Church here Is believed to DO already broken but still
yields powerful influence over the masses and will
continue 20 be the Of Chile until education
widely disseminated and the majority brought up to
the standard OF nghtenment shared by the good
~ Of principal cities aud the wealthy Aociend0dos
QUA VALPARAISO Correspondence.