Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-04-20


rests upon his back it is anchored
with straps to his head. At the sta
ton a number of poems were moving
some dirt a short distance for side
track. They were carrying it in bas-
kets upon their heads; and railway
said that while the road
was building the contractors did their
best to establish with these men the
use of the wheelbarrow. The men
submitted, but straightway to the top
of their heads went the wheelbaTow.
In reply to an incredulous smile the
railroad man reasserted the truth of
his statement.
The streets of Zacatecas are very
narrow, many not more than II or
Is feet wide. The buildings are of
stone or concrete and two or three, |
and few four, stories high. The ar
chitecture is of tie ancient, Moorish |
order, the most striking feature of |
which, is the great number of stately |
domes which rise high above the sur
rounding buildings, from churches |
and cathedrals, and what before the
confscation of 1857, were monasta-
ries and converts and nunneries but
which are now devoted to secular
uses. The Hotel Zacatecano, Ameri-
can headquarters, is one of those
grand old structures, built and occu-
pied by the monks Of st. Augustine
down to the time of its confscation
in 1857. IL is after the Spanish style
with great central open court, from
the broad galleries and arcades sur
rounding which, the rooms of each
story are reached. 1t was commenc-
ed in 1850 and completed in 1875.
more than two centuries before
American independence. Over the
spacious stairway, the stone steps of
which, well worn with the tread of
centuries, lead to the arcades of the
upper stories, high dome rises,
which lifts into proper proportion the
north end of the building. At the
south end, somewhat higher than the
main building, is the chapel in whose
still loftier dome the architectural
perfection of the whole mass culmi-
mates. Here, secure from the in
quisitive gossip of the world. were
clustered for centuries the Augustine
monks. What revelations these high
old walls could make were there a
tongue for every room, the massive
old keys of which, still in use, re-
mind one of the key of the Bastile,
imagination alone must supply.
What noble charities, what spiritual
growth, what victories for the Mas
ter, and perchance, alas! perchance,
what victories of the flesh over the
spirit, the recording angel may have
here made a note of no human being
shall ever know.
The chapel is now used by the
Presbyterians who have an organized
church of over 700 members, the only
Protestant organization in the city,
and said to be the largest and most
prosperous one in the whole Repub-
lie. This is largely due to DR.. Pre-
vost, native of Philadelphia, who
came into the country as one of the
medical staff of Taylor's army in
1S47. He married a Mexican lady,
soon learned the Spanish language,
and has since practiced his profess
sion at Zacatecas, and though a lay
man is recognized power in the re-
ligious affairs of the city. Here it
should be remembered that previous
to the constitution of 1857, which Sc
cures perfect religious toleration
now, the laws of Mexico both civil
and Ecclesiastical, prohibited any re-
liglous worship whatever, either pub
lie or private, except in accordance
with the rites of the church of Rome.
Any violation of this law was follow
ed by severe penalties. Notwith-
standing, DR.. Provost with few of
the faithful held secret meetings at
his house, for which he was several
, times arrested, but for want of full
, proof was as often discharged. AL
, though the liberal constitution was
adopted in 1857, the civil war which
, as consequence followed between
, the liberals and the church party,
, made it still unsafe to hold public
| meetings-especially was this so >af-
, ter the arrival of Maximillian and
the French troops in aid of the
church party in 1862; and accord.
ingly no puplic meetings were held here
till after the overthrow of Maximilliar
] in 1867. Since then this church has
q grown to be what it now is; and this
, brief history of the Presbyterian
church in Zacatecas is the history oil
. the two hundred and seventy Protest.
$ ant organizations now existing
throughout the Republic, which have
90 ordained ministers, 80 licensed
: preachers and over 100 other work
ers, with about 10000 attendants
upon the ministry of the word.
d At the prayer-meeting this, Wed
S nesday, evening there were fully two
0 hundred present. The pastor being
t away on vacation, middle-aged
: intelligent Mexican had charge of the
r meeting, which was also addressed
: by several other natives, while sever.
+ al others still led in prayer. DR.
!. Provost was the only American who