The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-01-26

probably to an abstemious life-he con
ceived that God especially called hin
to the work of the priesthood, and hav
ling obtained the necessary medical per
mission to enter the church, he was or
dained. His religious zeal now rapidly
unfolded. Endowed with peculiarly
fine voice, we'll remembered by those
who have had the pleasure OF hearing
him read the offices in ST. Peters OF
the Sistine Chapel, he studied elocu
ton, practised preaching extempore
and soon acquired such a mastery Of
language as to draw vast crowds when
ever he assembled the pulpit. He was
particularly brilliant in his fervo'fna-
short, imprisoned discourses, such as
you may hear during holy week at the
Gesu-and carried his congregation
entirely with him. Women who had
admired Mastai as a youth of fashion
now hung on his impassioned words,
and buzzed around his confessional;
strong-minded men, too, became weak
before him, For he shook their souls
by his pictures Of the terrors in store
for the wicked, Stimulating purgatorial
flames by plunging his hands in burn
ing spirits.
But gratifying as all this was, the
youthful priest sighed for more active
occupation and more extensive sphere
of usefulness. An opportunity was not
long wanting. Plus VII having con-
Guided to send a politico-religious mis-
sion to Chill, Mastai applied to be APP
pointed Secretary, and succeeded, in
to the will of his family, in
obtaining the appointment. The mis-
sion, headed by the Bishop of Civita de
after long and hazardous
voyage, arrived at Buenos Ayres. The
journey from that city to Chill was at
tended with great suffering, but, not
the mission underwent
many perils, they were productive of
no other effect on the Secretary than
that of causing him to desire to remain
in the country; one reason doubtless
being that his health, SO far from being
impaired by the hardships and climate,
was sensibly ameliorated. Indeed he
las been heard more than once to say
hat he never enjoyed better health
han during this period of his life; and
20 entirely did he enter into the spirit
# the undertaking that, when the chief,
discouraged by the ill-succcss attending
lis efforts to convert the natives, deter
mined on returning TO Europe, Mastai
vas for remaining in Chill, at all haz-
4rds, preferring even possible martyr
Iom to abandoning measure to which
lie had committed himself.
On Mastai's return to Europe, Leo
III. filled the Pontifcal throne. This
'ontiff, naturally enthusiastic and en-
rgetic, testified his entire appreciation !
f Mastai's conduct by creating him
of Spolcto. When Gregg
y VI. assumed the tiara, Mastai was
from Spoleto and created Car
inal and Bishop of Imola.
Though Mastai's early life was not $
y any means uneventful, yet the Ro- {
lans knew very little of him until he
7as elevated to the tiara. In grateful ',
of the kindness of Plus L
H., he assumed the name of Pic. i
Such, IN outline, was the earlier life
the great high priest of Rome, a r
IAN who, when he assembled the Papal :
hrone, was hailed by the Liberal party I
nth a frenzy of enthusiasm; but who
Don, by his policy, became the cham I
ion of Ultramontanism. In Justice, |
owever, let it be added that Plus TX.
lhcrlted an accumulation of difficult c
es, postponed and complicated by his It
PREDECESSORS.