Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-05-13

church. If You have two lambs, bring one /
20 the church. If you have two doves, bring
one to the church If you have two eggs
bring one to the church. If any one does not |
give half of all to the church. let him be ac-
cursed" The infdelity Of Professionalism is /
greatly exposed and cursed. At the close Of
"a sermon on Renan, an Englishman tells me, |
the priest called for three cheers for Jesus
Christ, and when they were given he cried
out Pm una aitra polta," &" One cheer
moro,' which ! suppose to be tiger"
"To rave like a Dominican is common
expression.
have had no personal knowledge Of the
Roman lottery system, but it is, ! am told, !
the greatest institution Of the city II is un-
der the charge of a high dignitary Of the
church, who appears at the weekly drawings
in his ecclesiastical costume. The drawings
take place every Saturday in the Piazza Ma
dana, on the balcony of the Minister of FL
nance The numbers are drawn out by the
official and announced in "a loud voice to the
crowd below. The revenue TO the church Of
the lottery is about thirty thousand dollars
per week In every street there are shops
for the sale of tickets. Great superstition
exists as to the numbers Of the tickets, and to
select the right numbers is a matter Of intense
thought and prayer. a lucky number is a
subject of dreams and divination. The ago
nized penitent, as you suppose who is kissing
st. Peters toe, aud twisting his face into fear
ful contortions of remorse, is only intercediug
with the apostle for lucky terno." If a
man is assassinated, the number of the house
before which he is killed is sought at once as
peculiarly fortunate. If one falls down and
breaks his leg, he buys term corresponding
with the numbers arranged in a book against
the street, the house aud the accident. Num-
bers are OWNED out of all.conceivable combi-
nations of circumstances, and out Of all con-
ceiyable events If a man takes the commu-
Mon at certain altar, and hears certain
priest, or goes to confession, he will turn to
his book and find the numbers "AgnuS Del"
Lamb Of God)' Sc. "Altare" (altar) SO.
" Cornerstone (confession) 81 He then
buys a terno consisting of these three num-
bers. And so on to the end. The people,
men, women and children, waste their sub
stance in these lotteries. They are crazy
over them, and in the most desperate straits
they are the emost eager for gambling 1t cannot
be matter of surprise, in such state Of affairs
th"t ticiS s"Vui" ve "' Pu"'iO 0oe"ii'g ~ '",9
city in respect to life and property. Nor Is
it strange that the Italian people who, as one
told me, :" have lived so near to the Pope, and
known so well what he is, should long to
wrest from his hands temporal power which
he has so shamefully used And it strikes
me that the Romish church can never become
pure church, or approximate to spiritual
usefulness and influence and power, while it
holds the sceptre of secular authority. Moth
ing so corrupts priest as to be a king.
( Nothing so certainly and absolutely demoral-
izes the church as to have worldly supremacy.
1t is this unholy alliance that makes the
Eternal City disgrace TO the Christianity of
which she preteuds to be the mother and
nurse.
Such are a few of the crowds OF facts and
conclusions which have thronged my mind for
a few days past. And repeatedly have my
friends, and others with whom | have con-
versed here, expressed the conviction that
this state Of affairs cannot last long Inc
bayonets Of France are the only support OF
the temporal power of the Papacy. But
causes are at work to undermine the totterlng
fabric Of this old ecclesiastical dynasty which
no bayonets or cannon can encounter. The
very spirit and love of its votarles is fast de.
parting. The railroad aud the telegraph, and
the air of surrounding Italy, are forcing new
IDEAS into the States of the Church.
The churches are thronged by foreigners
: but each year less and less by the resident
population. They are ceasing to be amused
with bambnos and professions aud IArandaS
and Tdcotas and benedictions. 50 Viras are
, posted on but few houses and gush but from
few throats. Of general reverence for the
services OF religion there is none. The chat
. tering OF priests prevented my hearing tht
MiSerere. The Iavola, symbol OF the Last
Supper, was disgusting exhibition OF glut'
, tony and Jolllty. The Layanda was the mock
cry of humility. And with the exception OF
few dreamy souls, and few enthusiastic
girls who are ensnared with the smooth tax
OF homlsh decoyers' none give reverence tG
the strange ana exciting festivals whlch
have watched the past week. On all these
splendid walls the luminous nnger Is tracing
e the sentence that preceded and announced the
e downfall OF Belshazzars empire. Nothlns
4 but the extinction OF the temporal power o.
e the priesthood will ever help hoine' Secuial
injustice is better than the assertion oil celes
e tial right on the part OF earthly rulers
4 have been extremely interested IN th'
i galleries OF Rome. Next TO the runs they
are the most fascinating Inc holy week
/ with all its demands, has not Kept me IRON
: these what time ! nave not gwen 10 cere
f. MONIES, have divided between the relie
e OF ancient glory and the beauties oil I'M
{ "beautiiul arts vi the oiu paintings hu
4 mire most the Magdalen III the oclara' pl
: Guido the marriage OF the infant Christ an'
: s. katherine, BY the same master IN th'
f Vatican and the Iransfguratlon' py raphael
9 and the trescoes OF Raphael, IN the "Logi'
T. Raff@lle." Of the many beautiful thing
S that touch the eyes and the heart IN thes'
j. salons, these are prominent L do not admir-
f the Sixtine chapel its trescoes are no
$ pleasing to my eye "ha' Is lett OF ,he Wor'
of Michael Angelo has been spoiled by tn