The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-11-04

At the houf nahlsd Z wan ut the con.

At the hour named Was ut the con.
vent. and found la Mere Adele ready.
She embraced me warmly, surveyed
me and said / would "do," but must
take off my gloves: it was not etiquette
TO be presented gloved TO the Holy Fa.
ther. We drove across Rome to the
Vatican, descending In front of st. Pc
ter's under the portico, and found the
Swiss guard at the foot of the "Scsls
Regia." They ushered us up past the
Sistine and Paolina Chapels, where we
found servants in the red Papal livery,
who escorted us up innumerable mar.
ro n staircases and through long passa-
ges, until It seemed to me that we had
traversed half the Vatican, and had
no idea in what part of it we were.
We were then shown into large room
hung and furnished In green, with So
fas along tine wall: here were seated
some dozen persons, the gentlemen
generally in uniform, the ladies
III black with wells. Our entry created
little stir as we proceeded to the end
of the room, and several ladies came
forward and spoke to Madame la Su.
perieure n-a few minutes the doors
were opened and everybody walked
into an adjoining room similarly furn-
ished in red. An official parsonage in
purp.e dress was standing by farther
door with a paper in his hand, evident
ly list of names. At once he called
I'M le General de-" and very dis
Misunderstanding elderly gentleman
in Uniform and glitteriDg orders went
forward. Pretty soon afterward he
called Madame D-.n This was
our party. The nuns advanced, Eva,
Agnes, and bringing up. the rear, and
we passed into long gallery hung
with tapestry, in the midst Of which
stood large brass "scaldino" IA vessel
with perforated lid containing burn
ing charcoaD. In front of door lead
ing from this gallery into the audience
chamber stood Monsignore Talbot,
dressed In purple: he bow ed silently as |
he opened the door of the Pope's room,
and we entered, making three curtseys |
as we advanced to the place where Plus !
TN. stood, at the extreme end Of the /
room, by a small table; on which were |
n crucifix and q small hand-bell. The |
room had frescoed walls and ceiling, |
but apparently 10 furniture. The Pope
woe, as usual, white skull-cap, 8
gold chain around the neck, and red
Slippers with the embroidered cross on |
them, which the nuns kissed as they
prostrated themselves before him. We
djd not. PROSTATE ourselves, but only
bowed very low over his hand, which
he extended for us to take. As the
door closed behind US, the Pope address
sing himself to Ia Mere Adele, said, in
his full, rich, melodious voice, "Fille
de David, avancez, ma file, avancezw
The conversation was i'm French, inter-
mingled with Italian when the Pope
spoke to Madame la Superieure: the
ladies addressed him as "Soverain Pom
tife.n La chere Mere then presented
me specially to his Holiness-told him
the particulars of our meeting the frind-
-hip we had mutually conceived, and
her desire to bring me within the pale
Of the true Church; and begged him
10 give me an explanation of the dog
ma of the Immaculate Conception,
which had proved q stumbling block to
many Protestants. He replied Mt
length: said that it meant that the
Blessed Virgin was born free from the
faint OF original sin inherited by every
other child Of Adam; the Church had
always believed in this dogma; it was
10 new creation of his he had merely
it when the whole world
was waiting. in expectation to hear il !;
and he hadreceived letters from many
clergymen in various parts
of the world assuring him OF their be-
lief in the doctrine, as eleyating the
whose mother was thus made
worthy of such honor. Then turning
Kindly to me, he added: My daugh-
Ter, pray for the tenth morning aud
night, that God may show it to yon:
truth only comes through prayer. No
child asks for what he has, but il be
wishes anything more, he asks Lis mo-
ther eagerly, earnestly for it: c'est
comme CO that we must pray to God"
Then to la Mere, Adele: Conversions
10 not comethrough polemics, but as
the Holy Spirit came on the day of
as you may see upon the
.eiling, % pointing up to a large fresco /
IF the Third Person of the Trinity, rep ,
resented In the form ofsRQye with ex-
Tended wings hovcff! over Us. ,
Shortly after this our audience termin- !
,ted. :
We were all delighted with his Holi- !
ness amiability, affability, and liveli- {
ness. a reigning sovereign, as We'll as Z
he Head of the Church, the absence of :
any state, the simplicity and ease of his (
manner, and the frankness with which 5
le engaged us in conversation, Were re-
narkable. We stood outside in the :
gallery warming our hands at the !
. scaldino,r and talking with Monsig- 1
nore Talbot, who made many inquiries {
As to my creed and opinions, and told !
me he had himself received more than /
-wo hundred recantations.-Et-on, Our '
MONTHLY GOSSIP, in The NorCmbcT {
oumbcr Of LipiacotfS Magazine. 3