Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-05-29

ration OF christian worshlpperS. st.
Agnes, st. Sebastian, st. Francis di-
vide with Christ the homage of the
Faithful, while winking Madonnas (as
in the church of St. Marie del Popolo)
and speaking Madonnas as in the
church of SIS. Cosmas and Damian in
the Forum and weeping Madonnas
(aS in the church of Vicovaro, receive
such incense of alteration as is never
given to the Son, except it may be to
his Bambino, a gaudily dressed doll
in the church of S. Marie sopra Mi
nerva. | have heretofore taken Ro-
manism from its books. | have ad-
mired its devotional literature. have
honored some of its historic names. |
have thought of it as it has been mir
rored in the men and writings that
were exceptional to the system; but
now mine eyes have seen it, my ears
r-s-.U IINt.I "a AZ, S"Lu IIiy 1-~s-a- 49,
touched it, and | am convinced that
from its P0ntifex Maximns to its de-
votee in this land, it is but the restor-
alton, in a christian guise, of the very
spirit and genius of old PagaEism.-
A thousand times | have thought of
Pope and Pagan in the wonderful al
legory of Bunyan.
And what is the social condition of
Rome a.? This Rome governed by the
Vicar of Christ, and demanding to
give law, and condescending to give
benedictions. "urbe ct orb ?" There is
but one opinion on this matter among
the foreign residents of the city, and
among the more intelligent Romans.
Rome has no commerce. | have not
seen a dray while have been in the
city. 1t derives its income altogether
from the fine arts; the sale of pic
lures, mosaics, scarfS and pearls. For
three-fourths of the year, the grass
grows in its plazzas Hence its peo-
pie have a precarious subsistence, and
are poor. Its palaces are deserted,
and the poverty Of the people and the
equipage of ecclesiasticism stare US
in the face always. There are five
thousand priests in Rome, one to every
thirty inhabitants. There are fifty
cardinals, all with immense incomes.
There are ten thousand soldiers, be-
sides the French troops. Now take
these figures, and see how large is the
consuming class. Now take another
fact: on many of the churches is In
scribed over the door-'Daily mdul-
gence is given in full to the living and
the dead" By visiting in advent the
church of st. Croce, 81 1000 years Of
indulgence and remission Of all one 5
sins" By a single visit to other chur
che8 (SS. Damian and CoSma8,) one
thousand years. and on the day Of
the Station, 10000 years. By kissing
! the foot of the, idol in 81 ,Aoostino
100 days indulgence. And a devout
Roman may, in his daily walk, obtain
every year of his life indulgence fol
100000 years. Over some of the
affairs | have seen inscribed, "Eacl
mass at this altar frees a soul from
purgatory." Now what must be the
state of society when there is one
priest to every thirty persons, one car
dinal to every fifteen hundred persons
and no commerce except traffic in mo
saics and paintings. Do you won
der that we were strictly forbidden tt
be out in the evening? that robbery
brigandage and assassination are OI
daily occurrence that men prey Ol
each other; that the officials of Law
cOnnive at OffenseS; that it is NOR
dangerous to be witness than to b
a crimiDa al; that there is general inse
curity and fear among the people
We had iron doors to our room, in
private house, bOlted and barred lik
the gates of a fortress. The lowe
windows of the house have CRATES o
iron to protect them from the entranc
of robbers. The door of your ROOF
: has an iron crate in it, through whic
o you may look before opening it. tn
= atmosphere is filled with suspicion
and vigilance the price of security
And with all the wonderful things {
E Rome to charm and interest one, til
. Eternal City is, | believe, foul bl(
on Christendom. We breathe MOI
~ freely out of it. 1t is city whel
= men do not think, or if they think d
!; not speak; city whose papers (tW
4 of them) never by any chance alluC
, to subjects of real present interes
, which can have any possible beariI
. on the wishes or grievances of Roma
: readers. They never speak of Il
o disturbances, riots, robberies or mu
~ ders which occur here. One mig
this week, l was credibly informed,
= number of men were killed in qua
= rel at the fire works; but the pape
70 have not alluded to it. Foreign jour
a ais, through the letters Of travele
~ give the current news of Rome.
~ If a man loses his purse, the wor
~ thing that can befall him is the ARE
4 of the thief. Stolen property, if !
70 covered, is never restored to the ow
q er. One man lost all his spoons
~ am told but one. The police car
~ for that to identify the rest, and t
m owner never saw it again.
m There is no pulpit in Rome. WI
no preaching there is consists of beggi
k. and cursing. | have heard three 6
e. dresses by priests: one at Pisa, o
he in the Sixtine chapel, and one in t
nd St. Maria del Popolo. As interpr
Of ed to me, they rang the changes OIL
he single idea.