monks alone, we should not charge the church with absurdity on their account. But the seamless coat and the Virgin's slipper are shown by the bishops, and the exhibition is sanctioned by the authorities at Rome. At the very word of the pope himself, thousands fall down before the napkin, the cross, and the spear, which are preserved in St. Peter's, and the whole Papal hierarchy say "Amen."

One who was on the ground when the holy coat was worshiped, and who was acquainted with all the cir cumstances, gives a description of the interest taken in this imposition:

"On the 18th of August, the Bishop of Treves performed mass in his pontifical robes, and afterwards exhibited the seamless coat. All the parishes in the city made a pompous procession. The civil and military authorities, the students of college, the school children, the mechanics, the tradesmen, all attended. In the evening the houses were illuminated. The soldiers were led by their officers before the relic, with their colors lowered. Three hundred prisoners asked leave to visit the holy garment, and they came with great gravity and compunction. During the whole exhibition, the cathedral was open from five o'clock in the morning till eight o'clock at night, and it was constantly filled with an immense crowd.

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Pilgrims came from all countries, chiefly from Germany and the eastern frontiers of France. They were for the most part peasants, who, with their vicar at their head, flocked to this pagan spectacle. The city of Treves presented during the exhibition a lively scene. In all the streets and public places, processions were continually passing. Ordinarily, the pilgrims marched two and two, and chanted a monotonous lit

any. All the hotels were crowded. Extensive wooden barracks were erected at the gates of the city, and there, for a penny or two a head, the pilgrims found a little straw to lie upon. At two o'clock in the morning, the noise began again, and continued till a very advanced hour of the night. Playactors of all sorts established themselves at Treves; every day several theaters were opened to amuse the strangers. There were panoramas, dioramas, menageries, puppet shows— all the diversions which are found in France at fairs. Every where mirth and revelry abounded, wholly unlike the composed and pious feelings inspired by the performance of a religious duty.

“Let us now accompany the pilgrims to the cathedral. At the bottom of the nave, on an altar brilliantly lighted, is the relic, in a golden box. Steps placed at each side lead to it. The pilgrims approach, mount the steps, and pass their hand through an oval aperture in the box, to touch the coat of the Lord. Two priests, seated near the relic, receive the chaplets, medals, hoods, and other articles of the faithful, and put them in contact with the marvelous coat, because mere contact is a means of blessing. Objects which have thus touched the relic are consecrated, sanctified; they then become holy chaplets, holy medals, &c.; and after this ceremony the pilgrims go away rejoicing, thinking they have acquired the remission of all their sins. It is needless to say that this exhibition was distinguished by numerous miracles. Has not Rome miracles always at her service? Is not her whole history filled with striking prodigies?

"This exhibition, of course, brought a great deal of money to the priests. This is the true explanation of the riddle. It is estimated that the offerings of the

faithful amounted to five hundred thousand francs (one hundred thousand dollars) in the space of six weeks, without reckoning the eighty thousand medals of the Virgin, which were sold, and the profits from the sale of chaplets and other objects of devotion. Even now, in all the towns of France, the priests employ persons, particularly women, to sell at an exorbitant price a thousand petty articles which have touched the holy coat! such as ribins, bits of cloth, cotton and silk, some of which are shaped like the coat, besides crucifixes and images, in wood or in glass. The clergy have monopolized all the old rags of the neighborhood of Treves, and sell them for their weight in gold; and they find dupes weak enough to purchase these amulets! The product of this traffic, added to the offerings of the pilgrims, will be perhaps from one to two millions of francs."

Another striking characteristic of the Romish church is its wretched intolerance. This is not clearly seen in America, for here she has but little power, and thus far she has secured no hold upon native-born Americans. Any display of a persecuting spirit would destroy its own purpose, and defeat its own efforts. The priests practice their rites and exercise dominion only within their own borders. In England, the cloven foot is seen a little more distinctly, and the church is more arrogant and pretending. In France she takes still greater liberties, and since that monster of wickedness, Louis Napoleon, has trampled down the constitution, has established herself in her own peculiar way. But to know Romanism, one must see Rome; he must travel down through Italy, the seat and head-quarters of Popery, and learn what this false church is when uncontrolled by Protestant influences. He will find,

within the walls of the Eternal City, the press under restrictions unknown in any other city in the world, the Bible a proscribed book, the rights of conscience denied to man, and the whole people in the most abject slavery. He will find the dark, blood-sprinkled cells of the Inquisition, and the dungeons of old St. Angelo, full of prisoners confined for conscience' sake; and could he explore the cloisters of the monks and the deep places in private edifices, he would doubtless find traces of as foul a system of wrong as was ever known beneath the sun. The intolerance of the Romish church is seen in all her dealings with mankind. She has claimed the right to tread upon the neck of princes and kings; she has taught her disciples to break faith with heretics; she has refused permission for other religions to be taught in her dominions, and has at all times displayed a spirit of arrogance and oppression. At the present moment, many of her illu trious sons are exiles, wandering up and down the earth to escape the vengeance of the wily and crafty priesthood. A man cannot utter his opinions freely in Rome. The fear of chains and imprisonment is ever before him; and if, in an unguarded moment, he breaks forth in honest abhorrence at the crimes and woes which abound, a secret police hunts him out, tracks him to his abode, and drags him away, to torture or to death. I do not affirm that Pio Nono is wholly an intolerant man, or that every cardinal is an ambitious tyrant, or that every priest is a crafty villain. Pius is probably a kind, well-meaning, but weak and inefficient pontiff. His history proves him to be friendly to the minor reforms; and could he reign alone, he would doubtless do something to relieve the woes of his subjects. Some of the cardinals are worthy, generous-minded men, who

are wholly averse to oppression; some of the priests are honest, worthy, and perhaps I may say pious, striving to do good. I hope there is many an A Kempis and many a Fenelon yet left in Rome, who will forsake her altars when the cry is heard, "Come out of her, my people." But this pope is the head, and those cardinals and priests rule over an intolerant church. It lives by its intolerance; and when its intolerant spirit is gone or broken, there will be an end of the church. The pope cannot begin to reform without reforming himself out of the episcopal office. His throne is built on perverted justice and monstrous wrongs, and every blow he strikes for progress falls falls upon himself. I would give the pope all the credit which he deserves for his good intentions and his good moral character. He is not, as were some of his predecessors, addicted to vice of all descriptions, from the little petty acts of a friar to unblushing adultery and murder; but whoever hopes any thing from him for freedom, will hope in vain. There was a time when hope was kindled, and men turned to Pius as the political regenerator of Italy. A company of cosy old gentlemen in our country assembled and voted him a complimentary address, and in their enthusiasm dreamed that the long, dark night of Popish oppression was ended. But the But the pope turned friends, and coolly in

the cold shoulder upon his new formed the world, that whoever expected him to do any thing to curtail the power of the Romish see would be mistaken. From that time, Pio Nono has been rolling back the car of reform, doing penance for the few generous acts with which he commenced his pontificate, until he is nearly as much detested by all the patriots as was Gregory XVI. What he has not done which a tyrant is able and willing to do, no living man can tell.