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

540 PROSPECTS OF THE PAPACY.Have you in England whole parishes which go over toPopery ?"* At the recent census in Paris, many thousandsof Romanists registered themselves in the protcstant column,while others signified their wish for some better religionthan Popery.South of the Alps infidelity has not taken such root.Spain the Romish Church has shared deeply in the declinewhich has fallen on that unhappy country. A large portionof the ecclesiastical property has been appropriated by theState ; and there are now in Spain bishops without revenues,and parishes without cures.-f* We have occasion to know,that among the young priesthood of Spain, there are not afew earnest inquirers. They have begun to canvass thefoundations of the Pope"'s authority ; and some of themhave openly declared to protestant ministers from Britainthat it will never be well with the Spanish Church till it hasthrown off* the authority of the Roman bishop ; a step of reformationwhich would lead to other and greater reforms.A protestant mission stationed at Gibraltar could at thismoment act with effect both upon the south of Spain andthe adjoining coast of Africa. The Spanish laity are readyto receive the gospel ; the priests are contemned, but feared.In the important kingdom of Piedmont a severe blow hasIn• « The Record," June 2, 1851.+ In "Bell's Weekly Messenger" of April 15, 1850, we find, in a letterdated Madrid, April 3, some interesting notices respecting the presentstate of the Catholic Church in Spain. "There are few bishops in Spainthat leave anything."*.... The writer assigns their miserable revenuesas the cause. " I am personally acquainted with the Bishop ofSegovia, who had assured me that during the whole of the year 1849 hedid not receive a farthing of his salary, and was obliged to live, like the'master of Ravcnswood,' by the ingenuity of his servant. Only think ofa bishop of Segovia (once one of the fattest sees in Spain) living alonewith an old toothless servant in an immense palace,—a palace whichappears worthy to be the residence of a king Parish priestsare now getting scarce, just as they did in France some years ago. Nota week passes without the Gazette containing circulars from differentbishops, notifying vacancies in their dioceses. To-day, for instance, theBishop of Tarragona announces no less than sixty-two."