The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

468 INFLUENCE OF POPERY ON NATIONS.effort on the part of Popery ; and nowhere, not even inNotre Darae at Paris, have we seen the Roman Catholicworship conducted with half the pomp.The organ pealed,the melody of the choir rose and fell in noble bursts, thetapers blazed, and theincense ascended in fragrant clouds.Beautiful little stalls, rich in paintings, ran round the cathedral,each with its altar, crucifix, and tapers, and itspriest, in cope and stole, celebrating mass. There were renownedrelics, in little marble chapels, before which werekept lamps which burned perpetually ; and then, in theever-beauteous choir, which, like the palace in the fairytale, seemed to have arisen unaided by the hand of man,were numerous priests, tall of figure, in vestments of purple,and scarlet, and fine linen, and gold, who ranged themselves,now in rows, bearing burning tapers, and now mingledin curious maze,—their deep rich voices chanting the whilethe service of the mass. Before the high altar, in magnificentrobes, stood the Archbishop of Cologne, bowing,crossing, kissing thecrucifix, and occasionally clasping hishands in the attitude of one in rapt devotion. Not theleast important element inthis goodly show was the unrivalledgrandeur of the temple in which it was enacted.As amere spectacle, we never saw anything that made a tolerableapproach to it. But it rose not beyond a mere artisticeffort. There was not a single truth communicated. Itwas not in the nature of things that such a show (for themass was chanted in a tongue which the peoj^le did notunderstand) should enlighten the conscience, or purify theheart, or elevate the character.Could any one be the betterfor such a Sabbath ? Could any one be the better forthe Sabbaths of a whole life spent in this way ?The directtendency of the service was to subjugate the mind in idolatrousreverence of the mass, and in degrading vassalagethe priesthood. Such was its manifest effect. Of the thousandswhich crowded thetocathedral, two hundred or thereaboutsmight be engaged in counting their beads, or recitingprayers from their prayer-books. Tiiey were ranged in a