Litchfield enquirer., 1869-12-23
Alis1ellallp..
SUNDAY IN IAG4s MEXICO.

The Tribune correspondent, travelling with Mir. Seward, gives the following close view of Catholic saint:- 14-- s5oe
 The city of Lagos has a population of all hues and ages estimated at IS, 900, and of course, supports half dozen churches,
 whose bells keep up an incessant ding from morning to night. The fin- est of these is the Parochial Church, an immense structure, larger even than the of San Juan de los Lagos, built on the same plan, and only second to it in costliness and elegance. It was found- ed in 1784, and the spires of cut stone.
 like those at San Juan, are as yet only two- thirds finished; they are still at work up on them. The interior is exquisitely beau. tiful, with pale blue and gold, with carv- ings and statuary. tiled floor to vaulted t-work roof. The congregation assem- bled at the early morning mass, are even more ragged and devout than that at San Juan; hardly g single representative of the richer and more educated classes be- ing present. The speciality of this church is it's Saint. I forget his name, but the record pasted on the wall shows that he was Roman soldier who suffered martyr dom for his faith Christian, of course, though that is not stated,) in Rome, A. D. 9O1. So the record affrms. His body was found by miracle, preserved as if he were but just defunct, and he was canonized as @ saint. From Rome the body was carried to Spain, and from thence brought to La gos aud placed on the altar with the Bish- ops own hands, 80 years ago. The body is inciosed in magnificent casket about five feet long by three broad and four high,
 with sides of glass, and corners and top of
 richly gilded metal. As special favor to Mir. Seward, the doors before the casket, as it stands in the wall were sopened, and we went up and looked into it, while hun-
 dreds of worthy worshippers knelt and crossed themselves in silent adoration. From close inspection of this remarka-
 ply well-prsseryed specimen, am able to draw the following conclusions: First,
 that the ancient Roman soldiers were
 about four feet eight or nine inches in
 stature--not over five ieet--allowing a fail
 margin for shrinkages second, that they
 had no beard, and their faces were as deli. ! cate as those of girl; third, that they had wax teeth, finger and be-nails, and cuticie on hands, face and slins, and wore, gill
 pasteboard tunics and coats of mail, silk
 stockings and fancy bootees. I respec,
 every mans religion, tnd mean no disre:
 spectf for this illustriop deceased as saint, J but, as soldier, 1 can lot refrain from the
 remark, that if he wasin life a fair speci. linen of the Roman trsops, I would bacl
 the National Guard, Capt Ben Pratt, ol San Francisco, or the McMahon Guard, ICol. Cazeneau. of the same place, to give lodds and knock the strch out of the entire ! phalanx.i Of course such men could as bravely die for their fifth as if they weigh
 ed 300 pounds and measured six feet two
 inches in their stocking feet; nevertheless
 am no longer surprised at the overthrow Iof Rome by the Gths and Vandals, since I have seen what lind of fighting stock ! they had. One thik is apparent in these Central Churches q Mexico, at the first glance, viz.; that the people who come , there to worship a1 in earnest, and moi lhypocrites or doubers. They accept the
 whole faith as it is taught them, withou, hesitation or msnta reservation, and nevel seek to evade its responsibilities, UT hid.
 the fact of their faih when in the pres
 ence of unbelieyee. Fer that I honor them above many q my own conntrymsn land countrywomen '74i2s'> ' NEss ff -T <RF4 44ess F# sEE