Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-02-14
Northumberland.

The closing of all the Protestant places
of worship in the City of Rome, by erder
of the Papal Government, has lately elicit
ed some comment. The fullest account of
it which we have yet met with is given in a
letter from the Rev. DIR. Prime, the we'll
known editor of The Obsroer of this city.
The Roman law strictly prohibits Pro-
testant worship in the City of Roa4e. The
only exception to this restriction is that
the ambassadors of foreign Governments
may have divine service celebrated i'm their
own houses. Under this protection, the
Russian, the Prissian the American, and
other representatives of foreign Govern
ments have had for many years chapels in
their own houses. The British Govern
ment has no diplomatic relations with
Rome, but the British Pro,estants have for
forty years past been tolerated in holding
worship in hay loft. finished off as a chap
el. Just outside the walls, by the Porto del
Popolo. The practice, however, has been
more tolerant than the law, and the Roman
authorities have winked at or overlooked
other religious assemblies of foreign resi-
dents. Thus there have been for six years
two stations of Scotch Presbyterians.
which have never been interierred with
until, on December 20, the chqplains were
served with the following most remarkable
warning from the British Consulate.
"BIITIsu CONSULATE AT ROME,
December, 81, 1866.
'SIR: II is my official duty to inform you
that Monsignore Randi, Governor of Rome,
has just communicated to me that YOU are
holding illegal religious meetings in your
house. which, you must know, are
prohibited by the Roman law. and that you
have thus placed yours Ii in The poacerof III
Inquisition, both for arrest and imprison-
mcnt.
but as the Monsignore permits me to
give YOU this notice, would seriously adj
wise 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 lille
gal acts. l hope in this way YOU may pos
sIbly suspend your exile. which is now
hanging over you. | am, Sir, your obedi-
cnt servant.
s'JosEvn SEVERN, British Consul.
ITO the Rev. james Lewis"
We are not surprised To learn that some
countrymen of the author of this rcmarka-
bic document suspected him of approving
the purpose of the Government. All the
representations made to the Papal authori-
ties were fruitless, and on Jan 4 the Pres
bytcrian stations were closed. Mr. Odo
Russell in vain appealed to Cardinal An
tonelli. His reference to the liberty grant
ed to the Americans to have a place of
worship drew forth the remark, that ''the
Government 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 Ameri-
cans have really been attended to also.
All the meetings for Protestant worship
within the walls ofthc City of Rome, eX-
cept those in the private houses of the
foreign ambassadors. are strictly forbidden.
To the urgent representations the foreign
ambassadors, the Roman Government. has
only, at length, So far yielded as to allow
the Professionals To meet outside of the
walls OF the city. Thus the case remains
for the present and in this state it may re-
main, until the Roman people, aided by tire
sympathy Of Italy and OF all civilized ma
lions. shall forever put an end to the Roman
lnquisilion and TO the prohibition of Pro
tcsiant worship in Rome.-N. Y. Tri6.