The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
(From the Gospel in All Lands.)
Romanism as Seen in Mexico.


The great mass Of the people believe
in the Roman Catholic religion but the
better educated seem to have given up
belief in any religion because of the ira
vesty of it with which they are so IA
miliar.
The Rev. R. N Freeman gives the fol-
lowing picture of the Roman Catholic
priest as he is seen in Mexico
The priest does not mingle with the
people. He is not in sympathy with
them He does not study to instruct
and comfort, and benefit the people, but
to blind them with superstition, and
keep them in ignorance of "the things
which belong unto their peace" The
people go to church, but not to be in
structed, nor reproved, nor comforted,
but to look upon monotonous routine OF
service, conducted in an unknown tongue
to them. They go away without being
relieved OF their burdens, and without
receiving strength to bear them.
The priest goes to the homes of the af-
fiicted, when sent for, to administer the
sacrament Of extreme JUNCTION to the dy-
ing-provided he has the assurance that
he will receive a compensation, which is
always required. His first inquiry is,
whether the dying has made his will ii
so how much has been left to the Church?
He then ascertains how much has been
set apart for saying mass for the release
of the soul from purgatory. These
things being satisfactory arranged, he
then, in formal manner, administers
the holy sacrament. He gives the be-
reaved no comfort, more than to assure
them that the soul of the dying is going
into purgatorial fires, there to suffer all
the realities of torment until the Church,
at its own good pleasure, shall deem it
proper to give it release. The priest
hood have no sympathy with the people
farther than personal interest goes.
l have an instance in mind where a
poor woman went to priest to buy a
conSecrated candle to burn before her
dying child, which she had been taught
was necessary to safely conduct the soul
across the last river. The price of the
candle was one reaL-equal to twelve
cents. The woman had but one real, and
because that was little worn the priest
would not accept it.
The priest is called upon to bury the
dead. He first inquiries if the accustomed
fee can be paid, which in no case is less
than four or five dollars If the family
is too poor to raise this amount-which
is not unfrequently the case-then they
must take their dead to the grave, and
without any ceremony bury him out of
their sight. If the poor woman, by TAX
ing all her living can pay the fee, she
does it, to have the holy priest come to
the grave and lift his hands over it in
the act of conservation. This the priest
does in his formal way, puts the poor
widows last penny in his pocket, and
without word of comfort or an express
sion o. sympathy, he goes his way.
A writer in The Independent says that
the observance of Sunday il Mexico is
not up to the average of American Pro-
testantism. The Continental Sunday is
harmless compared with the Mexican
Sunday. The one is often coarse; the
other is bRutal Beer-drinking and pleas
ure excursions may not be eievating &C.
cupation for Sundays but they are bet
ter than cock-6ghting and bull-baiting.
The great idea of the people seems to have
been to make Sunday the day for giving
way to all their lowest passions; and pro-
vided they went to hurried mass in the
morning, the Church had no objection
Sunday has less public recognition than
the twenty-five feast days of the year.
The government Offices close on Sunday,
as do many Of the larger stores; but
that is about the only cessation of bust
ness noticeable. Many Protestants have
to face the alternative of work on Sun
day or loss Of employment and probable
beggary. The principal market day in
all the smaller towns is Sunday. A
Protestant missionary in the country con-
scientiously tried for year not to buy
even his necessaries Oh Sunday but
found himself and his family so failing
in health that he gave it up and now
buys meet on Sunday with a clear con-
science.