Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-03-07
RARE MEXICAN sIoHro.
An Americans Impressions Q
Palm Sunday in Puebia de 10

/ lie church in Mexico, conceived the
most priseworthy plan OF founding,
somewhere between the coast and the
City of Mexico haven of refuge and
resting-place for weary travellers
writes +. Hoplxinson Smith, i'm Allan
tic Upon one eventful night, when
his mind was filled with this noble re-
solve, he beheld lovely plain, bounded
by the great slope of the volcanoes,
watered by two rivers, and dotted by
many everything springs, making all
things fresh sad green. As he gazed,
his eyes beheld two angels with line
and rod, measuring bounds and dis
tances upon the ground. After seeing
the vision the Bishop awOke, aud that
very hour set out TO search for the
site the angels had shown him; upon
finding which he joyously exclaimed:
This is the site the Lord has chosen
through his holy angels, and here shall
the city be-" and even now the most
,charming and delightful of all the
cities of the Southern slope is this
Puebla de los Angeles. Nothing has
occurred since TO shake the confidence
in the wisdom of the good Bishop, nor
impair the value of his undertaking,
and to-day the idler, the antiquary and
the artist rise up and call him blessed.
But the pious Bishop did not stop
here. AS early as 1886 he laid the
cornerstone of the present cathedral,
completed one hundred and fifty years
later. This noble edifice, in its inte-
rior adornments, lofty nave, broad
aisles divided by massive stone col
umns, inlaid floor of colored marble,
affairs, chapels, and choirs, as well as
in its grand exterior, raised upon a
terrace and surmounted by majestic
towers, is by far the most stately and
beautiful of all the great buildings of
| Mexico.
Before | reached the huge swinging
doors, carved and heavily ironed,
knew it was Palm Sunday; for the
streets were filled with people, each one
carrying long thin leaf of sage palm,
and the balconies with children twisting
the sacred leaves over the iron ratings,
to mark a blessing for the house until
the next festival.
had crossed the plaza, where had
been lettering under the trees, making
groups of Indians lounging on the
benches in the shade, and sketchirg
the outlines of punches of little donheys
doing in the sun; and mounting the
raised terrace upon which the noble
| pile is built, l found myself in the cool,
| incense-laden interior. The aisles were
n moving mass of people waving palms
over their heads, the vista looking like
great fields of ferns in the wind. The
service was still in progress, and the
distant bursts OF the organ regounded
at intervals through the arches.
| wedged my way between the
throngs of worshipers- kneeling,
some shutting along, keeping step with
the crowd-past the inlaid stalls, ex-
quisite carvings, and gilded figures of
saints, until reached the door of the
sacristy. | always searched out the
sacristy. 1t contains the movable prop
erty Of the church, and rs have pas
sion for moving it-when the cacris-
tan is OF the same mind-I always find
it the most attractive corner of any
sacred interior
The room was superb. The walls
were covered with paintings set in gild-
ed frames; the chests of drawers were
crammed with costly vcstments. Two
exquisite tables covered with slabs OF
onyx stood on one side, while upon a
raised shelf above them were ranged
eight superb japanese Imari jars--for
water, presumed. When | entered
, line Of students near the door were be-
ing robed in white starched garments
! by the sacristan; groups OF priests in
! twos and threes, some in vestments,
others in street robes, were chatting
together on an old settle; and an aged
/ bishop, white-haircd, was listening in
| tently TO a young priest dressed in a
dark purple robe, both outlined against
an open window. The whole effect re-
minded me of one of Vibert's pictures.
l was so absorbed that l remained
motionless in the middle of the room,
gazing awkwardly about. The next
moment the light was shut out, and
was half smothered in the folds of u
muslin skirt. / had been mistaken for
q student choristcr, and the sacristan
would have slipped it over my head but
for my smothered protest. Had
known the service, think | should
have risked the consequences.
The sacristy opened into the chapter
room. The wanderer who thinks he
must GO to Italy TO find grand interiors
should stand at the threshold OF this
room and look in; or, still better, rest
his weary bones for half an hour with
IN the perfectly proportioned, vaulted
and domed apartment, hung with Elem
ish tapestry and covered with paint
ings, and examine it at his leisure He
can select any one of the superb old
Spanish chairs presented by Charles ",
thirty-two of which line tho walls; then,
being rested, he can stop into the mid
die of the room. and feast his eyes upon
a single slab of Mexican onyx covering
a table large enough for grand coun-
Gil of bishops. confess | stood for an
instant amazed, wondering whether |
was reilly in Mexico, across its thou
sand miles of dust, or had wandered
into some old palace or church in Vero-
ma or Padua.