Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-12-02

ALBERT PAYsoN TERHUNE
The FnquiisitiOn


But the religion Of which she spok'
was not one based upon the Scrip
lures. nor upon the creeds OF eithei
Catholics or Professionals. nor OF any
other branch OF the Church OF Christ
Il was a man-made dogma. with tor
ture and intimidation for basis.
In l4S0 the Inqhisition, or holy
Office, as It was termed, was organ
lied In Spain. The Spanish nation
was almost at the height OF its great
ness The marriage OF Ferdinand and
Isabella had united the mighty prov.
tnces Of CASTLE and Aragon. There
were thousands OF Moors (Mahome.
tans from Africa and other non-C Chris
tians throughout the country. These
were, In many cases, rich and power
full. The church feared that Chris
tianity's supremacy was In danger.
Hence the great body OF MoOrs were
driven out and those who remained,
as well as followers OF other religions.
were forced, on pain OF death. to EN-
brace Christianity. Then the Inqulsi-
ton turned its attention to so-called
heretIcs. and Spain gained a reputa-
ton for heartless cruelty from which
It has never wholly recovered.
At Seville, In 1881. the Inquisition
began its actual work. During that
year, In Seville. alone. 29S victims
were burned. Throughout all the ma
ton about 1000 suffered like fate,
Thomas OF Torquemada. a Dominican,
was made president OF the holy office.
He and his successor, Cardinal
Ximines. made II a national lnstItu-
t. ton whose name aroused panic and
hatred in every district OF Spain and
aroused even the callous Fifteenth
century Englishmen to indignation.
The InqulsItlon's mode of procedure
vas unique. A man. woman or child
was suspected of heresy. seized and
subjected to an irregular preliminary
examination. Then ali the evidence
and suspicious circumstances In the
case were submitted TO a higher body.
The members Of this, fearing lest their
own holy zeal might otherwise be
questioned, usually decided against the
prisoner. The latter was then locked
up In solitary confinement and sort
of third degree" was applied TO force
a confession Of guilt and to enroll the
victim as ''penltentr II no confess
sion was forthcoming the most hor-
rible fortunes were applied.
Most of these fortunes were of too
atrocious a nature to bear descrip-
ton. A few Of the less unspeakable
were the "thumb-screw, the boot"
the rack" and the virgin" The
thumb-screw and boot crushed the fin
gers and feet. respectively, to a jelly.
The rack was an apparatus to which
prisoner was strapped while every
joint was stretched and twisted until
sinews we're torn apart and homes
crushed The virgin" was hollow
image lined with spikes. The victim
was placed within It and the spikes
driven slowly into his flesh. In these
hideous ways did the Inquisitors OF
Spain seek to enforce the gentle doc
trines Of peace, forgiveness and love.
II the suspect still refused to con-
fess he was carried 20 the highest
court OF the Inquisiti0n, and there. for
fhe first time. he heard the charges
against him and was allowed to reply |
to them. Heretofore. ne had had no |
clear idea OF what particular crime he
was accused. The defense was usual
y a mere mockery. II the victim had
wealthy friends he could appeal to /
Rome. Thus. while the local Inquisi-
ion confiscated the captive's property.
he papaI headquarters also got his
friends money.
-Ta=EHe eases Df-actla ftFsf-there
vas no redress for torture. imprison-
nent and loss OF fortune. II con
-Icted. the condemned hereto was
,urned alive. The motto of the holy
'fice was "MlsericordIa ct Justitia"--
Mercy and Justicel"
Such horrors drove people from the
ountry by the hundred thousand In
evenly years the hitherto increasing
population Of Spain dropped from TO-
10000 10 6.O09O00. Trade. agricul-
ure. manufactures and all industries
vere brought to standstiil Whole
lstricts were depopulated.
But there is. perhaps, no great eyll
rithout some compensating good.
While the reign OF terror was al its
eight. golden gateway of escape
pened to westward. America was dis
overed. In the new land men might
ope TO live reasonably free from the
emonIacai fortunes Of the Inquisition-
the maItreated Spaniards /
ocked fhIther IN thousands. Towns.
IlIages and rural districts IN the New
Torld were speedily filled by the .
.fugees M
In considering the Inquisition II {
ust not. for a moment, be Imagined I
lat the holy Office had the approval 4
7 Christians at large. or that II rel
scted dIscredIt on the true tenets Of .
Ie church. There can be no great !
ID holy cause shat does not some
here lead to abuses and misrule
, the medieval Spaniards merely :
,ed Christianity as an instrument J.
herewith 10 wreak their own cruelty !.
ID injustice 4
And, after all. were their crimes 30 (