The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-20
EIRST EDITION
BHE GCUMENICAL COUNCIL.
Ess Position and Work Celebration Of the
Vigil Of the Nativity-Political Condition Of
the Pnpnl KinRdom.


Hts Position and worE-Celcbratien OF the
the Papai KinEdom.
ROME, Friday, Dec. 24--The walls of Rome
are pasted over with placards of ecclesiastical
books lately published, and now with long
circular from the hand of the Pope, laying down
the law for schismatics heretics and all sorts of
defenders. II fills several columns In the news
paper Of the city. The leading Catholic organ,
the Civiha CdttoIicd, has given Plus TX the
title of the sPope of Prodigies," and His Holi-
Lness seems to have fairly earned 1t.
What with allocutions, bulls, circular letters,
council calls and maledictions, he hardly gives
the world any rest. An unusual stir has been
necessary, during the past ten years, to preserve
the life of the Papacy at Rome, in financial
|sense, and the statement is now made in a jour
nal of authority, that @ during the period named
q sum equal to 100, 600 of francs has been
poured into the treasury by voluntary contribu-
lions.
THE COUNCILS POSITION AND WORK.
There is not to be another general meeting Of
the Council or one for an allocution or the pub
Ecation of decrees until the Epiphany, the 9th
January. Meanwhile reunions are held
learly every day, without formality, either In
he hall over The great Atrio, In chamber of
Ihe Vatican, or In the amphitheatre in st.
Peters. Something Is said about going to the
Palace of the Lateran. The Fathers only appear
b full episcopal livery, with their capes and
fbitres, on the occasion when the Pope presides.
10 is a general opinion among clerical people
hat the Council will do it's work before
be fiesta of st. Peter and st. Paul near the last
ri June.
tbany, whose services are precious, to the heat
md unhealthiness of the months of midsummer
extremely disagreeable in Rome. The hall in
h. Peters, about which so much has been said,
far from having the dainty accommodations
Thich have been so often described. There are
10 writing desks and praying stools such as
ave been spoken of, but only rows of plain
lenches with high backs and no stuifing,
W n somewhat
nd yellow, resembling gold. The room has
een found somewhat unwieldy, ii such q
erm may be used and the council itself is an
nwieldy body, regarded in bulk, numbering
omething like eight hundred-the size of q
Military regiment, which we know can be less
asily handled in a narrow space than in the
pen field. The speakers can only with great
ifhculty make themselves heard. The voice
favels long way to the roof and down again
tefore reaching the ear. But this elephant can
ind plenty of pasturage in other parts of Rome,
= 10 full of great rooms.
CELEBRATION OF THE NATIVITY.
Tonight, the vigil of the Nativity, Cardinals
ind Bishops will take part in ceremony at Santa
lara Maggiore, which is repeated every year,
nd is made as much oi as any other of the
,hristmas season In that grand old Basilica is
eposited what is believed by the faithful to be
be trough or manger in which the Saviour was
bid at the time of his birth. This cradle con-
ists of three pieces of plank roughly put to-
ether, and pretty shabby with the rust of time.
kal and silver gilt
Within is deposited figure of an infant in
olished metal, resting on bed of straw. The
hole was designed by the French architect
a1adier. On each side are vases of crystal and
Ill., containing fragments of the swadding-
othes OF the infant Saviour, and single straw
om the manger These objects, thus en-
hrined, may be inspected in one of the chapels
ext the Sacristy, where they are deposited.
fter midnight, before Christmas, these relics
Re carried in procession around the church on
atform, supported by Cardinals, with the peal
litanes and the smoke of incense and candles.
According to the record which, of course, no
pod Catholic is permitted to doubt, the EN-
ress St. Helena caused to be trans
Orted to Rome the stable in which the
aviour was born, and the greater part of this
now deposited under the altar of cha
el in the crypt of Santa Naggiore. Other
agments of the stables are deposited in the
fhis shrine has of late years been much en-
fhed with the incrustations of the most costly
uarble.
POLITICAL ROME.
The story of the political condition of Rome
Is soon told. The ancient walls shut in ancient
tinciples of barbarism. The life of the Romans
one of moral and political imprisonment. At
be gates progress truth, and hope are put back.
hight is shut out and for the life OF the intellect
substituted superstitous brooding, and
fayers in dead tongue. Man is a creature of
fbit, and what he is taught to think, and do,
nd be- he is. Most of these priests and monks
4lieve that to Rome and to them is exclusively
3nfded the precious treasure of divine truth.
hey are sincere in their ignorance and love it,
md are the victims of an unenlightened conf
dence. Only the force of new law can drive
hem from their follies, and only tie political
convenience of ruler holding precarious power
In another country is the obstacle to reform.
The present condition of Rome is q scandal to
he civilization of our time. And this is said
pot in passion, as by one apt to indulge the lam
xuage of extravagant praise or condemnation,
put The verdict of conviction formed on the
knowledge of ample observation. 1t is the
error of the ancient system that the acceptance
Of dogma Is made of far greater importance
than the acceptance and practice of principles
1pon which character must be established. The
Pope and those around him claim to be angels
sent down out of Heaven to manage politically,
rs well as spiritually human affairs--a very con-
Fenient mode of government calculated to save
much trouble, If anything like it we're possible.
But no one ever heard of angels making them
elves rich by tobacco monopoly, or specula-
tons in the salt tax, as Antoneil and some of
his associates have done. Providence, since
very remote date, has preferred TO use human
Instruments instead of angels, TO manage State
affairs, and II is only one of the trials of our
tallen nature TO watch sharply that falllbe
agents do not abuse their trust. After the Bri-
fish arist0cracy there is no instrument of gov
ernment SO cunningly devised as that Of the
Roman hierarchy
GHOSTS AND FLOATING HEADS.