The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-01
THE ACTON PARK ASSEMBLY
An Instructive Lecture by DR.. Bayliss
on Rome, POmpeii and Fesuvius.
Che Treasures of the Buried City-Prof.
Joseph Carhart's Humorous Readings
Services at the Oak Hill Camp

Acton Yesterday, the first exercises of the day
being held al o'clock in the afternoon, at which
hour Rev DR.. Mcconnell, of Roberts Park
Church, Indianapolis opened the meeting with
prayer Rev. DR.. J. Il Bayliss, editor Of the
Western Christian Advocate, Cincinnati, follow
ing with his lecture on "Rcme, Pompeii and
Sesuvius." The lecture was full of interest
He began with describing the trip from Geneva
TO Turin, thence to Genoa the proud with its
marble palaces on the seaward slope" SAID
the lecturer, tits sheltering hills behind
and the blue Mediterranean washing its
feet-and its feet need washing, as do
those of Italian towns generally. Then on to
the leaning tower Of Pisa. This companile OF
The cathedral is 178 feet high, and leans fourteen
feet from the perpendicular. With one exeep-
zion it is the finest campanile in Italy. The
Cathedral is an immense building. The lamp
banging from the lofty ceiling is the identical
lamp which suggested to Calico the idea of
measuring time by the pendulum. SO we wan
Gered and wondered while an archbishop, gor
geously attired and aided by host of ecclesias-
tical underlings, celebrated high mass in the
Cathedral. There were not six worshipers in
the house, which is large enough to hold six
thousand. Then we are off to see the city where
Humbert has succeeded the Caesars 1t is
r the month of August, aud it
Is sunny Italy, sure enough.
The fields are dry. the roads drier. Dust in all
the air. perspiration on all our faces. Birds are
Goo hot to fly; flies too hungry to leave alone.
The cattle loll in the fields. The passengers loll
an the train, and the train itself olis, and does
all Italy. This country has whole corridor in
the library of human history, and one must be
gtupid, indeed, who can ride through Italy even
in fever breeding August and not forget much
Of his discomfort in contemplating this country
of art, song and war"
The Doctors descriptions of the notable places
in and about Rome particularly that of st.
Peters, were remarkably graphic and interest
4ng, though the lecture given within the
brief limits of an hour, and, as the Doctor ex-
pressed it, with time to linger, as like the
dog of the Nile, we can only lap and run"
Among the notable things of Rome, he said, is
the crypt of the Capuchin Convent,
where you will see what will amaze you as much
az St. Peters does but will not excite equal
admiration This is where they store the
monks and this is how they do it: A monk
dies and is barred, and his grave is marked. He
rests undisturbed for ten or twelve years, until
the flesh has disappeared Then the bones are
eXhumed, taken apart and cleaned. They are
then ready for and are distributed about the
place for decorative purposes. The small bones
are used to fresco the walls and ceilings and are
wrought into all manner of devices, vines and
bouquets, circles and triangles, squaress and
,ellipses Bone inches built and skeletons
are put in them for statues. Bone beds are
made and skeleton monks put in them 10
sleep. There are pyramids of skulls, and flowers
made of finger points and vines of vertebrse.
How Dong these RELIGIONS heather have been
working out this poetry in bones do not know
but they claim they have worked ur into vines
and triangles about II 600 of their brethren. The
decorations of these pious cellars are certainly
ample. / have lived in Detroit, indianapolis,
Chicago and am now in Cincinnati, but
! have never seen as much
okuliduggery all nno at n once anywhere
10 promote pety and partly, BY exhibiting dead
Inonks, to create revenue to support living ones
The government has put stop to the business
now and the rest of the dear Capuchin brethren
must get ready for another sort of resurrection
At another church an attendant will solemnly
furnish you with some sand out of the hole in
which the cross stood on which Peter cru
Gifted. That you may not question the truth of
It, he will bring up the sand with little scoop
on the end of pole while you are standing
there. The way the sand holds out leaves no
chance for any reference to the widows cruise
Of OIL l suppose they have been taking sand
gut of that hole for thousand years.
Here l may say that Rome is full of lies
They will show you planks from the Lords man
ger, and nails from His cross. Coming out of the
Mamertine prison Is an old iron staircase, and on
your left as you come up there is an lndention in
the solid rock. The impression resembles some
what human face. and it is now covered with
an iron grating. They say that Peter was con
fined in this prison, which may be true if Peter
was ever in Rome which seems doubtful Paul,
imagine, was really imprisoned there. They
say as Peter was coming up these stairs one day
he stumbled and struck his face against that
solid rock. The common result would be
bruised face. On this occasion it was bruised
rock. This is crediting Peter with altogether
too hard cheek. But they affirm it, and it is
useless to question it.
About IT'S miles south of Rome lies Pompeii.
The railroad carries you to Naples and thence
around the bay to the city Of destruction for
Sodom was hardly more perfectly DESTROYED than
was Pompeii. When the city was founded no
one can determine, The first mention of it in
history is in the fourth century before Christ 1t
became at length the favored resort Of Romans
of wealth and rank, and is mentioned as such by
Seneca and Tacitus. the former of whom calls it
celebrated city. Cicero had villa there when
he entertained Augustus Caesar and other dis
tinguished guests. That it was city of art and
luxury is proved by the collection of Jewels.
paintings and sculptures found there
One of the most remarkable collections
of marble to be seen anywhere is now in the
museum at Naples-came from the ruins of the
buried cities Of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Handsome paintings adorned the walls, foun-
talns played among the beautiful statuary that
graced the gardens and minute cascade muir
INJURED over artificial arches The entrances to
some of the houses were laid in rich mosaics
which still remain Pompel was wicked as
well as luxurious and the proof of the fact is
quite as conclusive as of the other So Pompeii
luxurated and sinned. Splendid chariots
rolled through the paved streets. Multtudes
4hronged the forum, the theaters and the
temples. The population numbered some
where between 900 and 20 900, and so far as
appears there were no poor residents among
them. Pompeii was the home of Roman wealth
and splendor Suddenly. on the oath of August.
masses of smoke and vapor rolled UP and dark
ened all the sky. An immense storm of ashes.
scoriae and fire came down upon the doomed
cities. Thousands fled and multitudes were
overtaken and destroyed The upper stories of