The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-08-22

preaching, SlNluS COIuuluuiOu, EedCu-
ed such a point of exhaustion that
while in the exercise of his priestly
function in the Pauline chapel,
crowded with people, he tainted, and
thus started that report which pur-
sued him evsr after--that he was
liable to fainting fits, which was
quite untrue, as that was the only
occasion on which he suffered in that
way. and 1t was entirely due to the
heat and the vitiated air of the
chapel.
That was the first opportunity for
the officials of the vatican to step in,
and on the pretext of protecting the
pope's health, attempt gradually to
isolate him from the world. How
ever, they were not always successful.
One of the yearly American pilgrim
images had left the United states az
the beginning of July, 1908. On
their way to Europe Leo XIII, who
should have received them, died, so
that they were in Rome during the
conclave, and the day on which Plus
X. was elected and descended into
st. Peters to give his first benedic-
ton they were in the Basilica, with
two American flags waving above the
immense crowd assembled there and
joining hurrahs to the cheering
which greeted the venerable figure.
Some days after the same American
pilgrimage was in the vatican
gardens when suddenly, the work of
the officials having already begun,
they were ordered away as the pope
was seen approaching. With true
American determination they object
ed that they did not want to leave.
Plus X, who understood something
of what was going on. inquired, and
Cardinal Gibbons, who was among
those who accompanied them, ex-
planned hat it was a pilgrimage of
his c%ountrymen who desired to pay
homage to the holy father. They had
asked for an audience and were wait.
ing for the appointed day. The pom
tiff Immediately said there was no
necessity to wait, and he would re-
ceive the Americans at once in the
adjoining museum lapidarium, Thus
Plus X. received the first pilgrim
mage of his pontificate, held in his
hands and blessed the two American
flags which are still preserved, one
in Rome and one in New York.
Plus X. did not intend to change
the substance of the policy which
his two predecessors had followed
towards Italy. His protests against
the loss of the temporal power, how
ever, lost the vehemence and bitter
ness which formerly characterized
them.
The strongest of his protests on
his subject was when President Lou
bert, disregarding the prohibition to
all Catholic rulers and heads of
states to visit the king of United
Italy in his capital, was the first,
with the exception of Prince Ferdi-
nand of Bulgaria, since 1870, to go
as guest to the quirinal.
This, however, was not only AUS
ed by the feeling towards Italy but
much more by the state of religious
war with France, which was the most
remarkable event in the last pontifi-
cate, and of which many have at
tributed the responsibility to Plus X,
while the hostilities had already be-
gun under Leo. XIII.
France found imitators in Spain,
which passed in parliament bills
against the religious congregations
and the clergy, leading to the recall
of the Spanish ambassador accredited
to the holy see; and in Portugal,
where the republic proclaimed on Oc-
tober 5, 1910, brought about a com
plete separation between church and
state, the expulsion of the religious
congregations and the confiscation Of
their properties.
While such serious crises were
taking place between the vatican and
some of the Latin countries, which
had been known in history as the
most faithful to the holy see, the
relations with Italy, while maintain
ing in the outside form the usual
character of hostility, were in sub
stance much cordial.
1t would take long to enumerate
all the reforms of a religious char
acter initiated by Plus X, such as
that of restoring the Gregorian
chants, of preaching every Sunday
from a text from the Bible, himself
giving the good example by having
as long as his strength allowed him,
the faithful Of the different parishes
of Rome in the courtyard of San
Damaso to hear him explain the
gospel story, and carrying out M
after the other as pope the same
ideas and principles which he had
confessed and advocated al bishop
and patriarch. One of his under