The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-02-04

Religion In the Interior OF Spain.
From MaemillAn's Magazine 5000 <
SAS to religion. again, It Is at a feariully
low ebb in the interior; and one naturally
asks The question Why sol side fault
to be found in the especial phase Of
Christianity grated upon this people
Certainly no religious faith has ever been
nursed more, and brought up, as II were,
by hand, than that branch Of the Catholic
Church established III Spain. Up TOD Iaw
short years ago the clergy, as selEordained
teachers Of this vast nation, had Il Ito use
trite saying) "all their own way" They
were projected during the sovereignty Of
Queen Isabella more strictly than any Of
her subjects; their rights, revenues, doc
trines were guarded with Q jealousy that
knew not where 10 stop. An Enelisti-
man who, ignorantly, merely took Of bis
hat and did not dismount also from his
horse as the "host" passed him in the
street, was In this town dragged from bis
horse by order Of the priesis, and fined
or imprisoned Tor the oifense. And
what work have the clergy done; what
revolution have they brought about fight.
ing, as It were under cover Z What bless.
ing have they brought about for their
country Simply nothing. True, the
material they have had to work upon has
been Of the rudest kind, but something
might have been done, II but little. Had
the clergy merely exerted themselves 10
get law passed making education com.
pulsory, the good springing from such an
act would have been boundless. But II
was not 80, Feeling all in their own hands
they were well content 70 reat on their
oars, and think, fondly enough that ITO
morrow would be as this day, and still
more abundant The clergy ofthe. State
Church In England certainly in their zeal
for education present q marked contrast
to their brethren here, Tor they did buckle
70 work, and educate. their focks by
means OF national and Sunday schools.
The clergy Of the State Church IN Eng
land, again, especially In our large towns,
are now, In this their day, endeavoring 10
meet and satisfy, and not sliae,g the
inquiring spirit Of the age N which
their lot Is cast The clergy Of the
interior oil Spain, though Kind and
good to their poor, have been content
to stiae, or not acknowledge, the exist
ence ofsuch spirit In their land. They,
in the zenith Of their power, simply sat
still. Aud what has been the result ?
Simple irreligion or blank superstition.
The "civil iunerap and the "civil christen.
ing" the empty churches, the covered
heads Of the men as the religious process.
slons pass by, the cynical profession oil
many oil the educated men, u am
Protestant" which means, II belong to no
church at all; am q doubter, or q
materialistap-all these little things are
evidences that the clergy know not the |
days Of their visitation, or that the faith
they had to preach had not within 1t salt |
enough. Now, the position Of the clergy
In the interior Is cruel indeed; their in
fuence Is on the wane, their incomes are |
cut down 10 nominal sums; many have |
been driven TO lay aside their robes and |
seek their bread by other means;-the
poor-whom once they were glad gener-
ously 10 feed-are suffering from hunger,
cold and wretchedness. ,gt4evn > |