The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-07-23


dangerously near lis fall.
When he got 70 Rome Pope Gregory
was dying
Pecci was we'll acquainted with Car
dinal Feratti, who soon became Plus
IL, and that pope made him archbish-
op of Perugia at the age Of thirty six.
Nearly at the same time the new pope
granted a general amnesty for political
offenses and was for a time regarded
as a man Of liberal intentions.
1t was fortunate for Archbishop Pee
ci that he could retire to a distance
from Rome in the mountains toward
Tuscany and exercise his prerogatives
ing political passions at the Eternal
City, where very soon Mazzini, Carl
baldi and others revolutionized Rome
and formed a triumvirate of dictators
and had to stand siege by the French
at the close of which the pope was so
liberal dispositions.
Retired to a city Of about 1000 peo-
ple the archbishop of Perugia, as has
been said, lived there thirty-two years
or down to the year 1878. He was
universal reader, and among the wise
saints in the Catholic age he chose ST.
Charles Borromeo as a man to initiate
the giver 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 were contemptibly illiterate
Finally he came down to the children
At one time the revolutionary ele-
iments in Perugia arose, and conflict
took place between them and the papal
troops, who were of all nations. Swiss,
German, Irish, and even American, and
the populace was worsted
The archbishop surrounded. himself
with friends of like tastes with his own,
favora BILE to education and sincerely de-
sirous of seeing morals made voluntary.
He had been received in the city, when
he returned there the second time, with
a magnificent demonstration. AS the
ruler, both ecclesiastic and civil, he in
habited the palace upon the public
square. which had on one side Of it the
city hall and on the other the cathedral
In 1854 he was made a cardinal, and
this entitled him TO take part in the Sc
lection of future popes.
CHANGING back for moment at these
dates, we will see that the pope was
born in the wear 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 a high. capacious
forehead, a large mouth, a 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 a military power
within, and he could use indignant
words. He was too worldly wise to be
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 diff
ficult 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 unmindful Of the honor and influ
ence of that great office, he knew too
well JnaI TO reacn IL III lnlS dangerous
age he must deserve it by a combina
ton Of character, of courage and Of
wisdom.
In 1866 the French troops were with
drawn from Rome, and the pope was
left to such ain army as 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 for 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. It is impossible that priest
who lays himself open to such re-
proaches or suspicious, who has the
L - IL