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Page 55
"Ah, I see now--it is an image of the Virgin! But I should suppose
they considered it sacrilegious to expose it to the inclemencies of
the weather."
"Look closely, Florry, there are praying to the Virgin, and imploring
a cessation of the rain. I once happened at Se�or Gonzale's during a
thunder-storm, and, to my astonishment, the family immediately
hung out all the paintings of saints they possessed. I inquired the
meaning, and was told in answer, that the shower would soon pass over,
as they had petitioned the images to that effect. Those women have
repeated a certain number of aves, and withdrawn into the house, but
ere long you will see them return, and go through the same formula."
"It is almost incredible that they should ascribe such miraculous
power to these little bits of painted canvas," replied Florence,
gazing curiously upon the picture which was suspended with the face
toward her.
"No, not incredible, when you remember the quantity of relics annually
exported from Rome, such as 'chips of the Cross,' 'bones of the
Apostles,' and 'fragments of the Virgin's apparel,' which Papists
conscientiously believe are endowed with magical powers sufficient to
relieve various infirmities. I doubt not that those women confidently
expect a favorable response to their petition; and if such
intercession could avail, it was certainly never more needed. Absurd
as the practise appears to us, a doubt of the efficacy of their
prayers never crossed their minds. They are both devout and
conscientious."
"But, Mary, such superstitious ignorance is entirely confined to the
degraded and uneducated classes. No really intelligent mind could rely
on yonder picture to dispel these clouds, and win a ray of sunshine.
I think you are too hasty in supposing that the enlightened portion
of the Catholic Church place such implicit confidence in images and
relics."
"What do you term the enlightened portion of the church? Would not its
prelates be considered as belonging to that class?"
"Most certainly they would, Mary: for doubtless many of the greatest
minds Europe has produced, were and are still to be found among the
Roman Catholic clergy. Yet you would not insinuate that these rely on
the efficacy of such mummery as that we have just witnessed?" replied
Florence, fixing her eyes inquiringly upon her cousin's face.
"Allow me to ask one question ere I reply. Florry, do you believe the
days of miracles have passed away, or do you suppose that the laws of
nature are still constantly infringed, the harmony of cause and
effect destroyed, and wonderful phenomena still vouchsafed to favored
Europeans?"
"Of course I do not advocate the theory that miracles occur at the
present day. It is too preposterous to advance in this enlightened
age. There are perhaps natural phenomena, only to be explained
by scientific research; yet in the common acceptation of the term
miracle, I unhesitatingly declared that I believe none have occurred
since the days of Christ and the Apostles."
"Then, Florry, your position is untenable, for Romish prelates of the
present day do most unquestionably defend the theory of the annual
occurrence of miracles. Bishop ----, whose intellectual endowments are
the constant theme of encomiums, has recently visited Italy. On
his return to America, he brought with him a valuable collection of
relics, which he distributed among the members of his church. Florry,
I can vouch for the truth of what I now say. He declared himself
extremely fortunate in having happened at Naples during the
anniversary of the death of St. Janarius. Said he, 'I repaired to the
place of his martyrdom, and took into my own hand the vial containing
the blood of the blessed saint, now decomposed. As the hour rolled
around I watched the holy dust in breathless anxiety; at the appointed
moment I perceived a change in its appearance, and while I held the
vial in my hand the ashes liquefied and became veritable blood; while
the dark spots on a neighboring stone turned of a deep crimson.' Now
the bishop related this miracle far and wide and priests ministering
at the altar repeated his words to their listening flocks. Sanctioned
by the example of their prelates, do you wonder that the ignorant
masses of the Romish church should implicitly rely upon the
intercession of saints, and place unbounded confidence in the
miraculous powers imputed to relics? Again, the Manuals placed in
the hands of the laity, are compiled under the special supervision of
these ecclesiastical professors, who necessarily indorse all we see
there advanced. In the Ursuline Manual I find this assertion: 'The
Hail Mary was composed in Heaven, dictated by the Holy Ghost, and
delivered to the faithful by the Angel Gabriel!' Now, Florry, does
not this seem blasphemy, bordering on the absurd? What conscientious,
honest, enlightened Christian would unblushingly defend such a
declaration?"
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