The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-08
REV. TALMAGE IN ROME.
A SERVICE AT ST. PETERS AND A
LONG LOOK AT THE POPE

A SERVICE AT ST. PETERS AND A
LONG LOOK AT THE POPE.
Beautiful and Touching Scenes at the
Service The Pope Blessing Child
DR.. TalmaEe's Impressions OF the
Holy Father-An Informal Rscep-
Minister Porter and What He
Thinks of His Appointment Su9-
rested Plan to Duplicate the Col
iseum for the American Exhibition
of 18o2-Scenes Sacred to the Mem
Org OF st. Paul - ralmaRs's Stony
Treasures, and a Good Story at His
Expense.
Copyright 1889, By Louis Klopsch, Nel5 York;
BRINDIsI, Nov 1S-I send you from this
place some account of our experiences in
Rome, first of all reminding you that it's
from here we take ship on our way to
Athens. The time now is about two in the
morning. We shall sail presently in the
hope of reaching Piraus by four to-mor-
row morning. This is surely the dirtiest
town of the dirtiest country ever saw.
We are in good spirits. but very tired.
Shortly after our arrival in Rome we
learned that on Sunday, at o'clock in the
afternoon, there was to be Qualification,
prior to his being canonized, of a French
martyr who had sacrificed his life in China.
The services of Qualification, we were
further informed, would take place in one
of the large chapsls Of st. Peters, and the
pope would be present and take an active
part in them. This last was the browning
attraction, as his holiness now rarely appears
in public and tickets Of admission were ex-
ceedingly hard to procure. These had been
issued by the papal authorities free Of
charge, but commanded q considerable
price. so eager was the inquiry for them.
Five were bought for our party, including
DIR. Talmage, who would be able to attend
after fulfilling his engagement In the morn
ing of Sunday. An hour before the time APP
pointed we arrived at st. Peters, where we
waited in the front rank Of over 10000
people seeking admission. a detachment
of the Swiss Papal Guard, all stalwart, fine
looking fellows, dressed in bright uniforms.
held the crowd in check until very numer-
Gus male ctrsir and a small army or guards
had passed into the cathedral and taken
their positions. The guards drew up on
either side of the main entrance along the
entire length of the chapel, after which the
waiting crowd was admi ted at their right
and left. Within very few moments the
chapel was filed with a dense throng.
People crowded each other to such an extent
that many individuals we're fairly wedged
in and were utterly incapable OF moving an
inch in any direction. As we had ascer-
tanned that the pope would walk up the
middle aisle between the two rows of Swiss
guards, we endeavored to get as close TO the
soldiers as possible, and by persistent effort
we succeeded in getting into tue front row
of the crushing crowd The chapel, it ap-
peared to me, was about 800 feet long, and
the people were divided by intervening
soldiers into two huge throngs facing each
other the entire length OF the interior, each
crowd fringed off il front by the brilliant
uniforms of the soldiers. At three,
papal officers and chamberlain, archbishops,
bishops and foreign representatives at
the vatican came struggling in. By this
time, as you must suppose, the temperature
of the air in the chapel had reached fever
heat, and the vast concourse was literally
mass of perspiring humanity. Inquiring
of bystander, the hour being now consid-
erably past that announced, whether the
pope was usually not punctual in filling his
engagements, l was told that in earlier
years, when his physical health was
good, he was a model of pune
Juality, always promptly on time, but
this had been less and less the case with in
creaslng years and bodily Inflrmltles. Of
these the recollection was painful one that
ON the public occasi n preceding this in
which he had participated, his weakness was
so great that he had to be carried into the
services and tainted while assisting in them.
There was no telling this time when he
would arrive, but it would be probably not
much before o'clock. At $3.50 o'clock the
perspiration was streaming down DIR. Tai
IMAGES face, in full view of great many
people, for he was enc of the tallest persons
In the crowd. The circumstances of delay
became more and more distressing and every
now and then the guards permitted people
who could not bear the suffocating pressure
to pass out between their ma iestic ranks.
The sturdy American preacher held his
ground without hInching and beguiled the
time by getting up conversation with an
officer of the Swiss troops, who could con-
verse fluently in the English language.
Immediately behind our party was band
of students preparing for the ministry.
They recognized Dr. Talmage and were
much pleased to see him.