The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-09
Panal Intolerance. :.


The closing of all the Protestant pla
ces of worship in the City OF Rome, Q!
order of the PapaT Government, ha'
lately elected some comment. The ful
lest account of it which we have ye
met with is given in a letter from thu
Rev. DR.. Prime, the welI-known editor
of Tile Observer of this city.
The Roman law strictly prohibits
Protestant worship in the City Of Rome
The only exception to this restriction Ii
that the ambassadors of foreign Gov
ernments may have divine service cele
brated in their own houses. Under
this protection, the Russian, the Prus,
sian, the American, and other represen'
tatives Of foreign Governments have
had for many years chapels IN their own
houses The British Government has
no diplomatic relations with Rome, but
the British Protestants have for forty
wears past been tolerated in holding
worship in hayloft, finished OF as a
chapel, Just outside the walls, by the
Portodel PopoIo. The practice, how
ever, has been more tolerant than the
law, and the Roman authorities have
winked at or overlooked other religious
assemblies of foreign residents. Thus
there have been for six years two sta
lions of Scotch Presbyterians, which
have never been interfered with until,
on December 20, the chaplains were
served with the following most remark
able warning from the British Consul
late:
"BRrTTsH CONSULATE AT ROME,
.-...... Dec. 81, 1865.
"S1R: It is my official duty to in
form you that Monsignore Randi, Gov
ernor of Rome, has just communicated
to me that you are holding illegal re-
ligious meetings in your house, which,
you must know, are prohibited by the
Roman law, and that you have thus
placed yourself IN the pOaoer Of the In
QUESTION, both for arrest and imprison-
ment.
"But as the Monsignore permits me
to give you this notice, l would serious
ly advise that you at once put an end
to these innovations, and that you visit
Monsignore Randi at Monte Citorio and
assure him that you will never again
repeat these illegal acts. [ hope in
this way you may possibly suspend
your exile, which is now hanging over
you. I am, Sir, your obedient SER
want.
JOSEPH SEVERN,
British Consulate.
"To the Rev. James Lewis"
We are not surprised to learn that
some countrymen Of the author Of this
remarkable document suspected him of
approving the purpose of the Govern
ment. All the representations made to
the Papal authorities were fruitless, and
on Jan. 4, the Presbyterian stations
were closed. Mr.. Odo Russell in vain
appealed to Cardinal Antonelll. His
reference to the liberty granted to the
Americans to have place of worship
drew forth the remark, that the Gov
eminent would attend to that also"
Our dispatches by the latest steamers
are several days later than the letter of
DR.. Prime, and they inform US that the
have really been attended to |
also. All the meetings for Protestant
worship within the walls of the City of
Rome, except those in the private
houses of the foreign ambassadors, are
strictly forbidden. To the urgent rep
of the foreign Embassa-
doris, the Roman Government has only,
at length, so far yielded as to allow
the Protestants to meet outside of the
walls of the city. Thus the case re-
mains for the present, and in this state
it may remain, until the Roman people,
aided by the sympathy of Italy and of
all civilized nations, shall forever put an
end to the Roman Inquisition and to
the prohibition OF Protestant worship
in Rome.-Neao York Tribune.
--S