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

508 SHAM REFORM AND REAL RE-ACTION.cial grace to certain of her devotees ; but the priest was abungler, and permitted the cords to be seen. Veritableportraits of Chi'ist and the Virgin, said to have been discoveredin some subterranean vault of the ancient palace ofthe Senate at Rome, where they had lain undiscovered foreighteen centuries, were hawked about in France,*Duringwinter, the friars in Naples and in some parts of Italy havebeen zealously warning their flocksfrom the pulpit againstthe three great evils. Revolution, Communism, and Protestantism," I heard," says a Continental correspondent,writing from Naples last December,— " I heard a preacher,a few days since, from the pulpit of a church exclaim, Mind'what you are about ! You may ere long fall into the deplorablestate of the English, and lose all hope of salvation."'"-f-A deep veil rests above the confessional ; but theactivity of the priests of Rome in every other departmentat this moment leaves no doubt that that powerful engineis worked with energy and effect.The Church of Rome has carefully noted every phase ofsociety at this moment, and, with her usual flexibility andtact, she suits herself to all, and has a separate argumentfor each particular class. To governments trembling in thepresence of the "fierce democratic''"' she represents herself asthe only bulwark of order.She bids kings lean on her, andso save their thrones and sceptres, which otherwise will beswept away. She calls on those shocked by the impieties andblasphemies of socialism to ponder the consequences of forsakingthe true faith; telling them that if they rebel againstthe teaching of the Church, they plunge into the abyss of atheism.To the propertied man, who trembles at the confiscationand pillage which a triumphant communism would bringwith it, she exhibits herself as alike able to preserve hisearthly and to augmerat his heavenly goods. In the panicthat is abroad, she knows that men have not the calmness* Price of the two portraits, one franc fifty cents (Is. 3d,).+ " Daily News."