The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-07-24

Retired to a city of about 10000 peo-
Pile, the archbishop of Perugia, as has
been said, lived there thirtytwo years,
or down to the year 1878. He was a
universal reader, and among the wise
saints in the Catholic age he chose st.
Charles Borromeo as a man to initiate.
the gtver of his riches to aims and edu-
cation. He thereupon gave his mind to
the study of education in Perugia.
He made up his mind in the first
place to educate his clergy thoroughly
and to see that their habits were indus
trious and pure. Next he set upon the
education of the upper classes, many of
whom We're contemptibly illiterate.
Finally he came down to the children.
At one time the revolutionary ele-
ments in Perugia arose, and a conflict
took place between them and the papal
troops, who We're of all nations, Swiss,
German, Irish. and even American. and
the popuace was worsted
The archbishop surrounded himself
with friends of like tastes with his own.
favorable to education and sincerely de
5lIOuS vi StNlllG illutlt q.
He had been received In the city, when
he returned there the second time, with
magnificent demonstration. AS the
ruler both ecclesiastic and civil he in
habited the palace upon the public
square, which had ON one side Of 1t the
In 1854 he was made a cardinal, and
this entitled him TO take part IN the Sc
lection of future popes
CHANGING back for a moment at these
dates, we will see that the pope was
horn in the year after Gladstone, that
he became full priest near the close
of General Jackson's administration
and that he became archbishop of Pc
rugia at the time of our Mexican war.
His habits did not differ at any time.
He was remarkably laborious, of a
spare frame, with high, capacious
forehead, a large mouth full, long
and expressive nose and an expression
of thorough refinement, purity and
acuteness.
Being nobleman of the best class Of
italian descent and Of nation imme-
MORALLY ardent for knowledge and low
ing the arts he was also destitute of
sourness and had convictions without
being opinionated.
None could impeach his private life,
He was ever accessible to his priests
and to those people who required him
as a spiritual friend, but he also had
high spirit and when browbeaten dis,
closed something like military power
within. and he could use indignant
words. He was too worldly wise to he
cheated, too discreet to commit himself
in either word or deed except as his
Judgment and conscience were touched,
and after the Italians in 1860 overran
his state they found that he was a diff
flcult man TO handle in that he kept on
the side of intelligent public opinion.
In short, he was pope in spirit. rep
resenting the antiquity and authority
of the church long before it was proba-
BILE that he would fill the pontifical
chair. He rose to this distinction at
last by having deserved it.
Though it is probable that he was
not ullllllnuIul OF tHe uOuOT anu iluu-
ence Of that great Office, he knew too
we'll that TO reach It in this dangerous
age he must deserve 1t by combina-
ton of character, of courage and of
wisdom
In 1866 the French troops We're with
drawn from Rome, and the pope was
left to such an army ms he could him
self create. The Italians, however, six
years previously had overrun Sicily
and Naples, annexed Tuscany and 9th
er states and finally Venice, and were
determined to occupy the papal states.
At this time Cardinal Pecci addressed
the priests in words which should be
common to all churches, saying;
The moral conduct of the priests is
the mirror into which the people look
to find model foS their own demean-
or. Every shadow, every stain. Is re
marked by the vulgar eye, and the
mere shadow is enough to make the
people lose their esteem Of priestly
worth. 1t is impossible that a priest
who lays himself open to such re