efitrtgliffoEnte.
REV, MR. HAMMOND'S LETTERS FROM
ITALY.
Mr DEAR Mn.. MEARS :—Tbough my
last letter was dated from Verona, still
I did not find time to tell you of any
thing which I saw in that ancient city.
It has a population of 160,000. I re
member, when a boy studying geogra
phy, that it was never a welcome task
to be obliged to learn the populations of
different cities upon the face of the
globe; but now, in moving about, I
always, seek to learn the number of the
inhabitants of the different places through
which we pass. It is natural to suppose
that matters which interest ourselves
will also interest others—a supposition,
howevgr, not always according to fact.
We found the city all astir with the de
parture of the Austrians and the entrance
of the Italian soldiers. The houses,
public and private, were decorated with
all sorts of patriotic inscriptions. Gari
baldi's name appeared as often as Victor
Emanuel's. The people everywhere
love Garibaldi ; but I have been pained
to hear that the royal party seem jealous
of him, and during the great struggle,
which gave to Ily its unity and inde
pendence, they Alight to make an end
of him. He was sent off to the moun
tains to fight, with a small and pborly
equipped army, utterly unable to cope
with the forces of the Austrians. But
he is a noble man, and the common
people will not let him be thrust aside.
He must have learned some things from
his residence in the United States. At:
all events, he seems satisfied of one
thing, and that is, that the priests and
papery have been the ruin of Italy.
I was told yesterday that his soldiers
have sometimes cried aloud, as they
have passed the crowded, thoroughfare,
" Down , with the priests ! Down with
the priests !"
Yes, a wonderful change for the better
has come over,ltaly during the last few
years. And yet it is to be-feared' that,
as multitudes of her people are, led to
reject their faith in 'the Romish Church,
they will relapse into infidelity. This
must be the case, unless a great and
speedy effort is soon made to teach the
simplicity of the way of salvation through
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
When I saw the thousands in Verona
so joyful at having been rid of the hated
Austrian yoke, I could but think of the
far greater joy that would fill their souls
if they would but flee from Satan's
bondage and Heed the Saviour's loving
words: " Come unto me, all ye that are
weary and heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in
heart, and ye shall find rest to your
souls." Then would it be said of Vero
na, as of Samaria, " and there , was great
joy in that city.", (Acts viii. 8.) Who
has not in the United States sometimes
seen a whole city filled with rejoicing
because hundreds and thousands have,
by the help of the Holy Spirit, broke
away from the dominion of the "god of
this world," (2 Cor. iv. 4,) and accepted
of Christ a:their rightful Lord ?
We visited some of the forty churches
in Verona. ' Several were filled :with
provisions and ammunition, and had
been used as barracks. These churches,
as in all the cities of Italy, contain'
many works of art by the old masters.
We visited the tomb of Juliet, by the
side of which Shakespeare represents
Romeo as killing'himself. I had always
supposed this character imaginary; but
the story must have been- founded in
fact, as were most of Shakespeare's plays.
The tomb , of Juliet, was shown in the
sixteenth centuiy, before England's poet
was known to the Italians. Napoleon's
second wife, Maria Louisa, got a bit of
Juliet's reputed tomb, and caused it to
be worked into an elegant necklace and
bracelet, etc. Juliet must have been in
some tomb ; but, that this was hers, no
one positively knows. "
Verona, as a city, is anything but at
tractive. One - of its - principal manu
factures is soap. One of our party re
marked that it is such a filthy place, it
was well that they knew how to make the
article so essential to cleanliness. The
principal object of interest in Verona to
a foreigner is the amphitheatre; built at
the close of the;, first century. I think
it is the most perfect one in existence.
In 1184 it was much injured by an
earthquake, but it was repaired; so that
now, after more than seventeen hundred
years. it is sometimes used. Twenty
two thousand can be seated in this am
phitheatre. It was here thht the gladi
ators fought with beasts, as did, Paul at
Ephesus. I could but 'think of Childe
Harold's words :
And here the buzz of eager nations,ran,,
In murmured pity or loud•roar'd applause,
As man was slaughtered by; his fellow-man.
And wherefore slaughtered& Wherefore, but
because •
Such were the bloddy circus' genial laws
And the imperial pleasure. Wherefore not?
What matters where we fall to fill the maws
Of worms, on battle-plains or listed spot?
Both are but theatres where the chief actors
rot.
I see before me the gladiator lie :
He leans upon his hand—his manly brow
Consents to death, but conquers agony,
And his droop'd head sinks gradually low,
And through his side the last drops, ebbing
slow
From the red gash, fall•heavy, one by one,
Like the first of a thunder showy.; and now
The arena swims around him—he is gone
Eie ceased the inhuman'shout which hailed the
wretch who won. *,
He heard it, but he heeded not—his eyes
Were with his heart, and that wawfar away.
He reck'd not of the life he lost nor prize;
But where his rude hut by the Dannbe lay,
There were his young barbarians all at play,
There was their Dacian mother, he, their sire,
Butchered to make a Roman holiday.
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1866
All this rushed with _ his blood. Shall he ex
pire,
And nnavenged 711 !Arise l ye Goths, and glut
your ire I
The fortifications of Verona since
1815, when the city fell into the hands
of Austria, have attracted much atten
tion. The city has long been regarded
as perfectly impregnable. • But it is no
longer the key of the Austrian power in
Italy. The strength of its walls have
not been tested by cannon balls. A few
dashes of the pen in signing the late
treaty have rendered powerless the mas
sive walls of Verona, and let the Italian
soldiers in to take possession.
From Verona we took the train to
Mantua, on the
." smooth, sliding Min
tins." The Austrians had just left the
city, and it was beautifully blossomed
t with tri-colored red, white and green
ags. Thousands from the country were
flocking into the city to celebrate the
day. But the chief interest of the city
to us lay in the fact that it was the
place where Virgil first saw the light of
day.
From Mantua we drove across the
country to Reggio, the place of the poet
Ariosto. Thence we were soon on our
way to Bologna. In the railroad car
riage I found myselfoseated by the side
of an accomplished lady,c- who spoke .
English fluently. She seemed very glad
to enter into conversation. < We soon
entered upon religious topics. She had
spent some, time in Boston, and though
anxious, to`: become a Christian, still she
knew nothing of Christ and the way of
salvation. She had a little boy, who
was being educated in a Roman Catho
lic iollege in France. But though 'she
,was the daughter of a Roman Catholic
Italian, father, still she had no faith in
the mummeries of the Popish Church,
and she urged us to pray for her dear
boy.' I tried to show her the simplicity
of the way of salvation throtth faith in
Christ, and that the many prayers which
she told me she uttered would avail
nothing, unless she were willing to give
up all herself-righteousness and to trust
alone in Christ. She seemed very grate
ful for all that had been said to her, and
this we parted that night at Bologna.
The next day we met again in the train
on our way io Ancona. We were apt
little surprised"lb that'she'wai the
celebrated prima donna La Cantissa
Biscaccianti, who has often sung before
great audiences in America, and in dif
ferent parts of the world. She was on
her way to her home in Fano . . She
told us that her husband had fallen
while fighting for the Union in America.
Poor woman! How I pitied her. All
her honors could never make her happy,
and she kne* it. With all her beauty,
she was not happy—far from it. Npthing
but the Saviour's love can fill her heart.
I seemed to hear her saying,, in the sad
words of Lord Byron :
What exile from himself can flee?
To zones, though more and more remote
Still, still pursues, where e'er I.be,
The blight of life—the demon Thought.
Yet others rapt in pleasure seem s - - -
And taste of all that I forsake;
01 may they still in transport dream,
And ne'er, at least, like me awake.
Through many a clime 'tis mine to go,
With many a retrospection curst;
And all my solace is to know,
Whlkte'er betide, I've known the the worst
What is that worst ?' Nay, do not ask;
In pity from the search forbear.
Smile on—nor venture to unmask
Man's heart, and view the hell that's there
From Ancona we expected to take a
steamer for Athens, and thence to Pal
estine, but we found' that by that rout.
we must suffer at least fifteen days quar
antine. So we concluded to give up the
sight of " Mars Hill" and the "Isles of
Greece," and go down the whole eastern
coast of. Italy to Brindisi, the ancient
Brudusium. I cannot now tell yon the
objects of interest we have witnessed
on our way thither, for we now are soon
to sail in an It4ian steamer for _Alexan
dria, which we expect to reach in eighty
two hours. Rev. Dr. W. I. Budington
and wife, of Brooklyn, have been with
us since we left Paris, and we intend to
visit the Holy land together. We enjoy
their society extremely.
I do not know that you have ieceived
a single one of the eleven letters which
I have sent you since I left New Eng
land, but I hope that at least some of
them have reached you. It would cheer
our hea t rts to see a copy of the AMERI
CAN PRESBYTERIAN.
Your brother in Christ,
E. P. HAMMOND
OLD AGE.
In the time of the writer of the nine
tieth Psalm, the duration of human life
was not different among the Hebrews
from what it is now. But in the time
of the patriarchs it was much c longer.
When Jacob was asked by the reigning -
Pharoah how old he was, he answered,
" The days of the years of my pilgrimage
are an hundred and thirty years; few and
evil havelhe days of my life been, a nd l
haVe not attained unto the days of my
fathers." He died when one hundred
and forty-seven years old. ‘His com
plaint that his life was shorter than that
of his father's is confirmed by the re
cord; for Isaac lived to one' hundred
and eighty, and Abraham to one hun
dred and seventy-five. The period of
life, however, of the antedilavians is
stated to have been much longer.
Adam's years are given at nine hundred
and thirty. Those of Methusaleh as
nine hundred and sixty-nine. In the
absence of any detailed and accurate
knowledge of the antediluvian period,
we cannot pretend to speak of the causes
or the effects of this length of days, with
much advantage. Some have ascribed
this longevity to the first energy of re
cently created life. Others have sought
its cause in the simple mode of existence,
the abundance of food, and the living
in the fresh, healthful air. It is a curi
ous fact, however, that the days of some
of these primitive worthies are scarcely
more than have been attained by in
dividuals in other times. Haller col
lected the cases of sixty-two persons,
who had reached from one hundred to
one hundred and twenty years ; twenty-
nine from one hundred and twenty to
one hundred and thirty, and fifteen froth one hundred and thirty to one hundred
and forty. But few instances are
authenticated which reach beyond this
period. Yet we find one who lived one
hundred forty-three years ; another who
attained his one hundred and forty
fourth year; another who counted one
hundred and fifty years ; another one,
one hundred and sixty-nine ; and another
still, one hundred and seventy-five.,
These are remarkable cases of longevity.
And they force us to believe that air,
exercise, sufficient and good 'nutriment,
exert - a wonderful influence on the
human frame, particularly 'when there
are no vices to weaken it, and no great
mental agitations - to undermine its
strength.
It may be well for young men, espe
cially, who flatter themselves that they
live under the light of what is called
Christian civilization, to kno t w'what''a
distinguished heathen ,tisys, in \ regard to.
the respect due to old< age. Oicero, in
his Cato Major—a treatise on Old age--
describes the tokens of rpigpes3i which
were paid in Rome to those ,Wpo were
advanced in years. They received,
salutations—their society Was sought
for—they had places given thein in the
public thoroughfares—when they i entered
an assembly, it the company arose—they
were conducted to their homest—their
counsel was solicited. He als6 men.
tions a remark of Lysander, to till) effect
that "Lacecimmon was the most honors
ble residence for age ; for nowhere was
so much attention paid to the aged, no
where were they held in greater honor.?'
Might it not be well for young America
to ponder the words of this enlightened
heathei writer? E. H. N.
Plittrer',s Cabit.
LANGE'S COMMENTARY. The Acts of tke
Apostles. An Exegetical and Doctrinal
Commentary, by Gotthard Victor Lechler,
D.D., Ordinary Professor of Theology, and
Superintendent at Leipsic,' with Homileti
cal additions, by Rev.. Charles Gerok, Su
: pbrintendent at Stuttgart. Translated from
the Second' German 'Edition, with addi=
dons, by Charles F. Schaeffer, D.D.,Pro
fessor of Theology in the Theological Semi
nary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in PhiladelPhia. New York : Charles
Scribner'& Co. 'Bvo., pp. 40. $5.
Every preacher and student of the
Word must welcome the successive
issues of this great and comprehensive
work. The Commentary on the Acts
forms the third volume Or --the series: l
The collaborator in this work selected
by Dr: Lange, Prof. Lechler, of Leipsic,
had `devoted himself to the study of this
portion of. Scripture with a view to the
producing of his book, " The Apostolic'
and Post-Apostolic Age," for fifteen
years. He might, therefore, be consider-1
ed as thoroughly furnished for his work.
Superintendent. Gerok, his associate,
the Homiletical part, is a preacher of
celebrity in Stuttgart, and a Christian
poet *hose effasicris_urs, highly prized
in Gerikany, and known by translations
throughout the - Christian world. The
translator in this country, Prot Seh-aef
fer, Of this city,_ has done more than
merely present the ideas of the. authors
in a correct English garb, great as that
service is. He has added, especia4 to
the critical part z , new and independent
observations, based upon a wider study
of the original authorities than: that, of
the German editors of the work. Es
pecially have the readings of the Codex
Sinaiticus, edited by Tischendorf, 1862
and 1863, been collated with the so
called " received text," by Prof. Schaef
fer. The scholarship and general com
pleteness of the work are therefore even
ahead of the original work of Lange.
Taking the work as a whole, we may
unhesitatingly renew our commendation
of the former volumes. The critical
notes give us all that is important in
reference to the state of the text ; the
exegetical discussions are thorough, in
dependent, free from conceits, evangeli
cal ; the doctrinal comments are fresh
and striking, spiritual and instructive;
the homiletical part suggestive and help-,
ful to the sermonizer. The whole forms'
a library of .criticism, exegesis, dogmat
ics and homiletics in itself. It is the
product of an age, whOse bewildering
variety and versatility in every sphere
of thought, is compensated by that pa
tient, systematizing, organizing faculty,
which gathers up and places within the
reach of the general student and of the
worker, the important results which by
himself he could never attain or profit by.
Great in its own originality, the Cora,
naentary is still greater as a conapend of
interpretation, doctrine and homily, to
which the learning, scholarship, and elo
quence 'of the Church as 'a whole has
contributed. The homiletical part of
this volume, indeed, seems to suffer in
comparison with its predecessors, in the
replacing of the condensed hints drawn
from hundreds of diverse sources, by the
more enlarged statements of the homi
letical editor. These are sometimes
more of thucharacter of rich meditations,
than of those terse homiletical hints
that flash like Sparks' all over the pages
of the preceding Commentaries on the
Gospels: •
The American editor and the printer
of this volume are both Philadelphians.
The typographical execution of the work
is every way creditable. The paper is
quite heavy, heavier almost than ne
cessary. The whole at $5 by mail is
marvelously cheap for these times.
MANNA Volt" THE PILGRIM ; or, Readings
for a Month, from various authors ; Hew
itson, McCheyne, Adelaide Newton and
others. Selected and compiled by the
author of "Drifted Snow Flakes." Phila
delphia : "1. Hamilton. 24m0., pp. 130.
A little volume full of precious, com
forting views'of truth ; coming home to
the heart of the 'Christian in a familiar
way, and making Christ and divine
things topics of close and tender ter
est. Scripture and spiritual song gle
in, discreet proportions, and unite to
make the meditations very appropriate
beginnings for the day.
VAIiGHAN. Characteristics of Christ's
Teachings. Drawn from the Sermon on
the Mount. By C. J. Vaughan, D.D.,
Vicar of Doncaster. London and New
York : A4>trahan & Co. 18mo., pp.
307. 41.50:
For sale by Smith, English & Co.
In a very clear and agreeable manner,
and fiequently with new and instruct
iVe VOWS' Of the
. truth, Dr. Vaughan, in
this little volume, handles the more sa-
lient Roints, of Christ's teaching in the
Sermon on the Mount. He discusses
our,Saviour's representations of happi
nnis in thEi opening verses; his descrip
tions, of true Christian character ; his
interpretation of the law ; his warnings
against counterfeits ; his injunctions on
&O'er; So. It forms . a series of plea
sant and profitable reading, com Mended
by the excellent and natural style and
the Christian spirit of the writer, as well
as by the neatness and durability of the
externals.
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, N. Y.
MauiTri: The Life and Times of Martin
Luther. By W. Carlos Martyn, author of
the Life and Times of John Milton.
Smerican Tract Society, New York.
12m0., pp. 550 $1.50
This volume is a fresh attempt from
the use of fresh materials, to present the
Christian public with a portrait of the
great Reformer. Every attempt to re
vive and keep fresh the memory of thifi
*Hero of the Reformation is praiseworthy.
Every one who is led to new and dili
gent search of authorities by a hearty
admiration fora Luther's character and
work r
, su c h
as Mr. Martyn claims, will
be,sure to'bring away valuable material
and to add to our ktiowledge. And Mr.
Martyn's bobk is in'thep respects to be
welcomed.. But, after all, it is an un
satisfactory performance. It has too
much the character of a manufactured
book and not an original.production.
Th? materials have not .been sufficiently .
mastered and informed by the spirit of
the writer,, they have not been assimi
lated by thorough mental digestion and
they do not make an impression of unity
and greatness, such as should and would
be conveyed by an adequate work on
this great character. it sun
st
nothing higher- litiii a compilation,
bat, mere compilation the American
Tract Society and its readers do not
wait, , especially on : . a topic which has
employed so many able pens.
The Wok is admirably printed, and
strongly and neatly bound.
GRACIE'S Yisrr. •A Tale for •the Young.
From the London Religious Tract Society.
American Tract Society, New York. 16m0.,
pp. 231. 7.scts.
A story for girls:, forcibly contrasting
the, honorable, upright and generous
ChriStiau character with 'the prevaricat—
ing, mean and liaise, which even similar
outward advantages do not suffice to
amend It is 'well calculated to strength
en good and noble purpose& The illus
trations are numerous. and the externals
attractive.
SYBIL GrREY. A Year in the City. By the
Author . of the , Huguenots in Rrance.
American Tract Society, N. Y. Square
16m0., pp. 264. 85 cts.
Another story for girls mainly. The
contrast' between the wealthy, scheming,
selfish worldling and the noble-mirided,
but meek . ; e4d self-sacrificing child of
:God is well drawn. The story, the
main points of which are said to be
matters . of fact, has life;'motion and dra
matic interest, but, while its faults in
this line are few 'compared with some
others, it borders too closely upon the
romantic and sensational to meet our
entire approval.
PHIL KENNEDY. By H. N. N. American
Traet Society, New York. 16m0., pp. 128.
50 cts.
Every way an admirable story for all
classes and sexes and ages. The provi
dential chain of events, on which it is
constructed, is claimed to be true, audit
is really wonderful and refreshing to
contemplate. It is decidedly the best in
the Tract Society's late issues.
HEwms.. A Child's Warfare ; or The Con
quest of Self By Madeline R Hewes.
J. P. Skelly & Co. 18mo., pp. 313.
A boole crowded full of the strange,
sad and interesting adventures ufs, a.
headstrong boy, the terror of nurse and
sisters,, a severe and well-merited
punishment to himself ; yet all within
the range of a child's life and, of course,
a child's interest A very good story
with some of the fascination of the Rolla
Rooks.
LET WELL ALONE. By the author of "The
Widow's Son." Philada. : J. P. Skelly Ss
Co. 1010., pp. 258.
A story of a poor family, the father of
which was so full of schemes as to be
a burden instead of a help, while mothei
and daughters bravely and hopefully
toiled on, with eneouragements from
Ohristiart. fiiends , and with the strength
'that God vouchsafes' his humblest ser-
vants in every trial. A good book, as
are all of Skelly & Co.'s issues.
NICHOLS. Ne Sanctuary. A Story of the
Civil War. By George Ward Nichols,
author of the " Story of the Great March."
With illustrations. New York: Harper &
Bros. 12m0., pp. 286.
The story of the Great March is an
American classic. We are very sorry
that the laurels won by the author should
be damaged by a weak, sensational
novel, illustrated by still weaker and
more sensational wood-cats.
DICK AND Ms CAT. An Old Tale in a New
Garb. By Mary Ellis. J. Hamilton, Phila.
Square 18mo., pp. 91.
Our four-year-old has appropriated this
book with uncommon promptness and
satisfaction. Its large, black letters
and its well-told story in words of one
syllable, with its excellent illustrations,
make it a valuable book of, instruction
for the young.
BOORS RECEIVED.
BINDING THE SEEPAvEs. By the author o'
the Win and Wear Series. New York :
R. Carter '& Bros. 16m0., pp. 416. $1.25.
NEwroN. The Great Pilot and His Lessons.
By Rev. Richard Newton, D.D.. author of
"Rills from the Fountain of Life," etc.
New York : R. Carter & Bros. 16m0.,
pp. 309. $1.25.
GREENWOOD. Stories of many Lands. By
Grace
le
enwood, author of " History of
my Pets ;etc. Boston: Ticknor &Fiel4ol
Square 1 mo., pp. 206. For' sale by J. B.
Lippincott & Co. $1.50:
LONGFELLOW. Flower de Luce. By Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow, With" illustra
tions. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. Square
16m0., pp. 72. Full gilt, gift edition. For
sale by Lippincott & Co. $2.25.
PERIODICALS . PAMPHLETS
THE SUNDAY MAGAZINE for October,
opens the new volume, and contains :
The Hu t uenot Family in, the English
V illage, by Sarah Tytler; Dr. Howson on
the Metaphors of St. Paul ; Studies from
the Old Testament, I. Abraham, by Dr'
Guthrie ; My Chosen Friends, I. Myra, by
Jean Ingelow ; with many others. There
•
are three full-page illustrations.
UNIFORM TRADT LIST CIRCULAR, for
the Benefit of Publishers, Booksellers,
Newsdealers and Stationers, and every
1 ranch of Trade connected with these
interests. Issued monthly or oftener.
Howard Challen, Philada,, Nov. 1866. The
object, of this Circular is, so far as practica
ble, tslunite in one series and to issue from
one source, the trade lists of all the ;.book
publishers, in the United States, so that
from its pages may be learned the entire
book-list of the country, old and new. The
magnitude and utility, of the enterprise is
! evident, and we trust the publisher will be
crowned with the success which a pioneer
movement of this kind requires, and de
serves. Subscription price, two dollars for
twelve numbers. Address 1308 Chestnut
street.
HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE,
No. 199, December, 1866.—Contents :
Ballad of - Uncle Joe, three illustrations;
Secrets of Sable Island, ten illustrations ;
A Reminiscence of Sleepy Hollow, seven
illustrktions; The Burglary at Vanstel
Eversleigh, two illustrations; The Work of
Salvation; Gilbert Charles Stuart; Vine,
Lane; Good Looks ; The Twenty-third of..
_7.4 1 _Juneirslmputienie; - Virginitins
in Texas; The Last Day oz the Porch;
Drifting; Santa Rosa of Lima; John
Bright; John Ecoleston's Thanksgiving;
Forty-three Days in an Open Boat ; Hohen
baden ; Behind the Scenes; To Beginners
MBook -writing ; Editor's Easy Chair ;
onthly Record of Current Events; Edit
or's Drawer.
Termsifor. Harper's Magazine.and Week
y, each four dollars per annum.
izallauguo.
EXTRACT FROM SPURGEON.
THE GREAT REVIVAL.
Men, brethren and fathers : The Lord
God hath sent us a blessing. • One blessing
is the earnest of many. Drops precede the
April showers. The
: mercies which he
has alrpady bestowed upon us are but the
forerunners and the preludes of something
greater and better yet to - come. He has
given us the former, let us seek of him the
latter rain, that his grace may be'miilti
plied among.us, and his glory ihay be in
creased. ' '
There are some of you to whom I ad
dress myself who stand in the way of any
revival of religion. I would affectionately
admonish you and beseech you not to im
pede the Lord's own work. There be some
of you, perhaps, who are not consistent in
your living. And yet you are professors
of religion; you take the sacramental cup
into your hand and drink its sacred wine,
but still you live.as worldlings live, and are
as carnal and as covetous as they. 0 my
brother, you are a drawback to the Church's
increase. God will never bless an unholy
people, and in proportion to our unholiness
he will withhold the blessing from us. Tell
me of a church that is inconsistent, you
shall tell me of a church that is unblest.
God will first sweep the house, before he
will come to dwell in it. He will have his
Church pure before he will bless it with all
the blessings of his grace. Remember
that, ye unconsecrated ones, and turn unto
God, and ask to be rendered holy.
There are others of you that are so cold
hearted that you stand in the way of all
progress. You are a skid upon'the wheels
of the Church: It cannot move for yoti.
If we would be earnest, you put your cold
hand on everything that is bold and daring.
You have no earnestness. You do not
labor for Christ. You do not serve him
with all your strength.
And there are others of you who are im.
pudent enough to push others on, but never
go forward yourselves. 0, ye Laodiceans !
Ye that are neither hot nor cold, remember
what the Lord hath said of you, " So then,
because thou art neither cold nor hot, I
will spew thee out of my mouth." And so
will he do with ydu. Take heed, take
heed. You are not only hurting yourselves,
but you are injuring the Church.
And there are others of you who are such
sticklers for order, , so given ta anything
that has been, that you do not care for any
revival for fear we should hurt you. You
would not have the church repaired, lest
we should touch one piece of the venerable
moss that coats it. You would not cleanse
your own garment, because there is ancient
dirt upon it. - ion think that because a
thing is ancient, therefore it must be ven
erable. You are lovers of the antique.
You would not have a road mended, be
cause your grandfather drove his wagon
along the rut that is there. "Let it al
ways be there," you say ; " let it alWays be
knee deep." Did not your grandfather go
through it when it was knee deep with
mud, and why should not you do the same?
It Was good enough for him, and it is good
enough for me.
You always have taken an easy seat in
the church, You never saw a revival.
You do not want to see it. You believe it
is all nonsense, and that it is not to be de
sired. You look back; you find no prece
dent for it. Doctor so and so did not talk
about it. Your venerable minister who is
dead did not talk so, you say, therefore it
is not needed. We need not tell you that
it is Scriptural; that you do not care for.
It is not orderly, you say. We need not
tell you the thing is right. You care more
about the thing being ancient than being
good.
Ah! you will have to get out of the way
now, it isn't any good ;. you may try to stop
us, but we will run over you, if you do not
get out of the way. With a little warning
we will have to run over your prejudices
and incur your anger. But your prejudices
must not, cannot restrain us. The chain
may be never so rusty with age and
never so stamped with authority, the pris
oner is always happy to break it, and how
ever your fetters may - shackle us, we will
dash them in pieces if they stand in the
way of the progress of the kingdom of
Christ.
SPIRIT OF ROMANISM TO-DAY.
The following report of the Royal Com
missioner at Palermo, Sicily, of the out
rages committed there during the recent
rebellion, under the guidance of the monks,
furnishes abundant evidence that the per
secuting spirit of Rome is as fierce, as un
relenting, and as bloody as ever against all
who oppose her priestly tyranny :
" The insurgents sacked the military hos
pital and greatly ill-treated the sick in
mates, removing mattresses and linen, and
all-material that formed the means of car
rying on that benevolent institution. The
Dominicans issued forth from the hospital,
red flag in hand, and after an interview
with the, rebels, re-entered the building
and, poin .d.nut.those among the sick who
were Si , ns, that they might be spared
from the csacre that awaited s theorthern
'''Th'e rebel bands then turned
their steps to the infant-schools, and there
also pillage& all. that they .could lay their
hands on of value.
" They also broke into the Garibaldi In
.stitute, after a feeble resistance o 4 nlie part
of the young men educated therW ll They
obtained poslession of the entire materiel
of these barraas, and, indeed, of every :
thing of the least value, even looks and
nails, thus reducing this thriving establish
ment to a sad state of desolation.
" Very - many of the soldiers were massa
cred in the most barbarous manner. An
• rialligypian was found nailed up at the
Victoria Barracks, most horribly mutilated,
his eyes having been plucked out, etc.
Near Saint Antonino, a catbineer, who re
fused to cry, Viva la Republica" was
nearly killed by blows on the head and
poinard thrusts, after which the monks
lighted a fire, into which they threw the
dying man.
"Near the convent and at Montreale the
flesh of the soldiers was sold at so much
the pound.
"On the evening of the 31st, a proces
sion moved through the city from Porta
Macqueda toward the San Gaetano statue
—an immense concourse of people follow
ing a monk, who bore a crucifix, and a
woman, who carried the picture of Santa
Rosalie, the patron saint of the country,
the woman furiously proclaiming that it
was the order of the Comitate that every
one should prepare boiling water to throw
upon the troops when they should enter the
city.
• Shortly after, the thirty-first batatlion
of riflemen, driven from the Quattro Venti,
gained possession of the Municipal Palace,
and, firing upon the rebels, soon caused
them to disperse.
.".Nearly all the converts and monasteries
gave shelter to the insurgents, and the
monks themselves were een to fire upon
troops, and with guns antrknives to attempt
to force an entry into houses supposed to
be favorable to the Government. A priest
carrying the Host traversed the Strada
Macqueda, and holding on high the image
of • Christ, blessed the armed bands, who
knelt as he passed, and rising up again,
yelled : ' •Viva Santa Rosalie !'
"At Misilmeri nearly all the carbineers
were massacred and tortured with unheard
of cruelties. Surrounded as they were,
these guards of public safety inevitably fell
victims to their ruffianly assailants. A
certain Sartorio was sentenced to be bitten
to death, and the women set upon him and
literally tore him to pieces with• their teeth,
leaving him a ghastly and bleeding corpse.
"At Palermo, one of the insurgents, who
fought like a demon, after killing several
soldiers, wounded another, and endeavoring
to wrest from him his musket, recognized
his son, in the man he was killing. He
was horror-struck for a moment, but soon
renewed his infernal work of slaughter.
"The monks of San Cosmo during the
whole time loudly rung the convent bells,
and themselves firing on the troops, en
couraged the brigand, hordes to fight to the
last. .
"The nuns of Santa Maria Nuoval op
posite the Archbishop's palace, issued forth,
accompanied by crowds of ruffians, and
went to Santa Vita. Nearly all the con
vents were hotbeds of rebellion, and to them
Palermo owes the frightful scenes enacted
within her walls.
"I forbear to make any comment on
what I have. above written. When other
reports that I await shortly from different
towns of the Province shall have reached
me, it will be my care to forward them to
your Excellency.
44 RAFFAELE CADORNA•
•
" Royal Commissioner.
"To his Excellency the President of the
Council of Ministers."