MY CREED.
THE first time that I was laid hold of by the Inquisition, I blamed
myself for not disclosing more fully what my belief was at that period.
Already for several years, I had received the doctrines of the Bible:
I had become a theologian of the true primitive Church. I cannot,
however, say that as yet I was a firm believer, since I had not abiding
in me the spirit of the Gospel of Christ; which is neither the fruit
of our reading, nor the work of our own intellect, but is given us
immediately from God. I was a Christian in mind, but not in heart. If
Christianity, as some suppose, were a mere opinion, a belief, it would
suffice, in order to become a Christian, to admit the truth of the
Scriptures. The absurdity of which is manifest, from the consideration
that, in this case, the first Christian would have been no other
than the devil, since he was the first to acknowledge the truth of
Christianity. I understood and acknowledged the truth, although I was
not yet fully actuated by it; I possessed the understanding of faith,
but not faith itself; I could instruct others in its precepts, but was
not myself capable of obeying them. This, I apprehend, was a state
necessary for me to undergo, preparatory to the great change--as the
state of the chrysalis is essential to the production of the butterfly.
I stood midway between the old and the new man: the old man was already
buried, but the new man had not yet come to life.
What, then, would have been my profession of faith, at this period?
That of a theologian, who draws his arguments from the Bible; that
of a man who, aware not only of the errors of others, but of his own
also, renounces, condemns, and endeavours to get rid of them, by every
possible means. This profession of faith I had not yet publicly avowed,
but in many ways it might have been surmised; and putting together the
various opinions I had already made known, it was not difficult to form
a pretty correct idea as to the whole of my religious persuasions. I
by no means wanted the courage--I wanted only a fitting opportunity to
declare myself.
Every action, to be well performed, ought to be done in its proper time
and place. The true reason, therefore, why I had not avowed my full
sentiments was, that a fitting opportunity had not yet presented itself.
But Rome was not ignorant of my real opinions. Surrounded as I was with
spies, although leading a private life in Naples, separated from the
Dominicans, apart from society, and buried among my books, the Papal
Court still found no difficulty in becoming acquainted with my state of
mind, and was displeased thereat; and since there appeared but little
hope that I should retrace my steps, it would have been very glad had
I, at that time, come so far forward as to afford a pretence for my
apprehension.
The Inquisition, ever since the year 1833, had been endeavouring, by
means of its emissaries, to discover in my conduct some ground for
accusation. But either through want of ability, or from not being so
malicious as it required, they brought nothing against me that the Holy
Office could take hold of. Their accusations, as far as I could learn,
were vague, uncertain, and frequently contradictory. Among my accusers
were two cardinals. One of them stated that during all the time I had
lived with him, (I think it was during Lent, in 1835,) although he
had studied my character with great attention, he never could make
me out satisfactorily; that he had listened to above forty of my
sermons, and never found in them a single expression to which he could
object;--but that in my private conversation he had often detected
much bitterness against the Court of Rome, and, in many points, direct
opposition to the Council of Trent; and that, although not himself
altogether a disciple of Bellarmine, he felt shocked at the severity
of my attacks upon that celebrated writer: neither, he continued, did
I spare the other two historians and annalists of the Church of Rome,
Orsi and Baronio; that I spoke highly of Fra Paolo Sarpi to Cardinal
Pallavicino; that I ridiculed the sanctity of Gregory VII., and went so
far as to say that it would be well to take the opinion of the Countess
Matilda on that point. The other cardinal who accused me, expressed
himself as follows:--
"I have nothing to say against Father Achilli myself, but my vicar
has told me that he is unstable in his faith. I think him a dangerous
character: it would be best to make a friend of him, by kind treatment.
I see no middle path; we must either make him a bishop, or shut him up
in the Inquisition."
This worthy cardinal was generally considered to be rather deficient in
judgment. I am of a contrary opinion. Indeed, when I read his letter,
among other documents respecting my cause in the Inquisition, I judged
him to be more crafty than many of his brethren.[5]
Among other accusations brought against me, there was one written by
two Dominicans, who had formerly been my pupils in theology; and these
friars deposed that I manifested a continual spirit of opposition to
many of the doctrines of the Church of Rome, and that they entertained
but little doubt that I should shortly renounce it altogether,--which,
indeed, I had already done. I was also accused, by them, of paying
no respect to authority. Another Dominican asserted that I did not
believe in the power of the keys to absolve the penitent; and that I
explained in a perfectly new manner the words of Christ addressed to
Peter: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,"
&c.;[6] that my explanation, he continued, was as follows:--"I will
give unto thee," signifies a promise that Jesus Christ makes to Peter,
and not a power which he confers upon him, as the Church of Rome
asserts. "The keys" signify knowledge, whereby we unlock and arrive at
the mysteries of science, &c. "Of the kingdom of heaven," signifies
of my church upon earth; on which account we say in our prayers, "Thy
kingdom come." Thus, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven," means, I promise to give unto thee the knowledge of my
church; that is to say, to place thee within it, to give thee fully
to understand its principles and its doctrines, and the spirit with
which it is animated. That the following passage, "Whatsoever _thou_
shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever _thou_
shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven," is to be interpreted
by another, "Whatsoever _ye_ shall bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven; and whatsoever _ye_ shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven."[7] And this, again, by the following, "Whosesoever sins _ye_
remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins _ye_ retain,
they are retained."[8] "Ye"--it being no longer said to Peter alone,
but to all the apostles; yea, to all the disciples also, which includes
all believers. Wherefore St. Augustine exclaims, "What is said to St.
Peter is said to all:" _Quod dictum est Petro dictum est omnibus._ To
you believers, what ye bind shall be securely bound, and what ye loose
shall be entirely loosed.
This interpretation had given such great uneasiness to the poor friar,
that he found it necessary to disburthen his conscience, by relating
the whole to the Inquisitors. I do not recollect on what occasion,
or in what place, I told him all this: it is, however, perfectly
true; and I imagine, in his own mind, the friar did not disagree with
me; though he found it extremely difficult to reconcile it with the
tenets of the Church of Rome, which preach that Jesus Christ, in these
words, confers upon Peter, and upon him alone, the authority of the
keys; by which is to be understood the power of excommunication, and
of absolution, to whomsoever he thinks proper, and for whatever cause
he may judge expedient; and that this power is still possessed by the
heirs of St. Peter, the popes of Rome.
My opinions on these heads were extremely unpalatable to the Church
of Rome; and the more so from the consequences that might attach to
them. Other accusations were also preferred against me, with reference
to the famous dogma of Transubstantiation. It was asserted that I did
not appear to believe in the literal sense of the words of Christ,
respecting the bread and wine of the Last Supper.
All this, however, was very imperfectly related by my accuser, so that
I think no great effect was produced by his disclosures on the minds of
the reverend Inquisitors.
Much clearer was the account of a poor nun, written, as she set forth,
at the instigation of her confessor. With great simplicity, she related
a conversation she had held with me in the confessional, respecting
the two sacraments, which entirely occupied the spiritual thoughts of
this poor sister, Confession, and the Holy Supper. With respect to
the first, she stated, that of all the confessors she had ever heard
of, I had the most strange and singular method. I would listen, she
said, with the greatest patience, to the disclosure, not only of her
sins, but of her thoughts and feelings as well; in short, of all her
deficiencies; and that I was very earnest in directing her conscience
with respect to what she ought to do, according to the dictates of the
Spirit; but that when we were arrived at that point when I ought to
have given her absolution, I invariably turned my back, saying that it
belonged to God alone to give absolution for sins committed against
himself; that we can only absolve each other for the offences we may
have mutually committed against each other; and that the priest and
the bishop can, in the name of the church, absolve such sins as are
committed against the church, but nothing further.
"One day, I said to him," added the nun, "'I believe that Confession,
as the church teaches, is a sacrament instituted by Christ for the
remission of all sins whatsoever. Is it not so?'--'I think not,'
replied he, 'because I do not find any passage in the Holy Scriptures
where the institution of this sacrament is spoken of.'
"'And the injunction of St. James,' I said, '"Confess your sins to one
another?"'
"'They are of the same signification as those that follow, "and pray
one for another." Do you imagine that only nuns and monks are to pray
for the remainder of mankind? "Confess your sins to one another,"
signifies that it is your duty to confess to me the sins you have
committed against me; and I, on the other hand, will do as much towards
you, if ever I should offend you.'
"'Then it is unnecessary that I should reveal to a confessor the sins I
may have committed against the laws of God?'
"'Not only unnecessary, but the practice is pernicious, if you believe
that the confessor can, on the part of God, pardon you. We read that
this power is granted by God to his Christ, who says, "But, that ye
may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins," &c.
God can delegate to another, in an extraordinary mission, authority to
announce to others that he has pardoned them, as we read in the case of
Nathan, with respect to David. But whom do we ever read of, that was
appointed by God to act as a confessor, and to give absolution in his
stead? Jesus Christ has given to believers the power to remit their own
offences, entirely, and for ever; and this he has done because he is
constituted the Head of the Church, that is to say, of the people who
are believers; to which people God has promised remission of sins,
through faith in Jesus Christ.'
"'Then,' said I to him," continued the nun, "'how shall I be assured
that my sins are forgiven me, unless a prophet is sent to tell me so,
as he was to David?'
"'Oh! you will know it,' replied he, 'through evidence of your own
faith, if you can truly say to yourself, "I believe in the remission of
sins." Is not faith more convincing than words? Man's words may deceive
you, but not the word of God. If you were to hear from me, what you
have so often heard from others, "I absolve you from your sins," what
assurance would you have, that you were really absolved? What am I, but
a sinner, like yourself? Do you apply for health to a sick man, or for
wealth to a poor one? Oh! how is it possible that you can prefer to be
so continually deceived? Poor deluded being, come out of this darkness,
and open your eyes to the light.'
"'Then,' I replied, 'my father, according to your idea, I ought never
to confess to any one. How, then, could I partake of the Holy Supper?'
"'St. Paul,' he returned, 'has said, "Let a man examine himself, and
so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup." St. Paul nowhere
tells us that it is first necessary to confess to a priest.'"
Here terminated the first part of her account, which was entirely
confined to Confession. The second part related to the Communion, and
was as follows:--
"One day I was at confession: my heaviest crime was a want of
faith in the sacrament of the Holy Supper. I accused myself of
having entertained doubts as to the real presence of Christ in the
Eucharist.--'What do you understand by the real presence?' demanded he.
"'The substance presented before us of the body, blood, soul, and
divinity of Jesus Christ.'
"'If such be your opinion, you are deceived,' he pursued; 'this
substance cannot exist in the bread and wine. You know that this
sacrament is instituted by Christ, to eat and to drink. Hence the
precept, "Eat and drink;" and, again, the penalty for non-observance:
"If ye eat not of this bread and drink not of this cup, ye have no
life in you." Understand well that the body of Christ was not made
to be eaten, nor his blood to be drunk. The natural body of Christ
was offered in sacrifice once only,[9] which is enough for our
sanctification, if you believe St. Paul speaks the truth.'
"'I believe it, indeed,' replied I, 'but I also wish to believe in the
Holy Mother, the Church of Rome.'
"'My good daughter,' he said, 'if these two should be opposed to each
other, to which of them would you give credence,--to St. Paul, or to
the Church of Rome?'
"'I should certainly be more inclined to believe St. Paul, since he
speaks through Divine inspiration.'
"'The case is plain then,--St. Paul and the Church of Rome are in
opposition. The apostle calls that which we eat in the sacrament,
bread, and that which we drink, wine; whereas the Church of Rome
pretends that the bread and the wine vanish away, at the appearance of
the body and blood of Christ.'
"'But then,' I rejoined, 'where is the sacrament; where is the
communion of the body and blood of Christ?'
"'Clearly in the bread and in the cup. You believe St. Paul--listen to
his words: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion
of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the
communion of the body of Christ?"'[10]
"To be candid," added the nun, "this doctrine led me away for a time;
and in communicating in future, I intended to eat of the bread, and
to conjoin myself by faith only, to our Lord Jesus Christ. From which
period I could no longer adore the sacrament, for I could not help
saying to myself, This is merely bread; it can have no particular
signification shut up there;--and so all my devout prayers to this
same sacrament were suddenly put an end to. I experienced a sort of
repugnance in bending my knee, as I passed before the altar; 'If it be
merely bread,' I thought, 'it is an act of idolatry to worship it;'
and at length I felt shocked to see others prostrate, and adoring this
bread, and offering up prayers to it, as if it were God. Afterwards, I
confess, I experienced much suffering when other confessors undertook
to lead me back to my old belief. It was necessary to prohibit me from
thinking on the words of St. Paul, of which no one was able to give me
a satisfactory explanation; unless I should call the reply of a certain
reverend father (to whom I confided my difficulty) a satisfactory one,
when he assured me that he thought it wiser not to trouble his head
about such matters, lest he should have to find the best argument and
the most satisfactory explanation within the walls of the Inquisition."
This poor nun, who was at that time converted by my arguments, was
afterwards compelled to denounce me to the Inquisition, which she had
done through fear of being herself shut up in it, had she refused; as
it obtains possession of the greater part of its victims by threatening
those who will not denounce them, with imprisonment themselves. And I
have no doubt that she was so threatened more than once.
From these and similar accusations was my process got up, before the
Inquisition, in the year 1842. Here then was my profession of faith,
warranted on very respectable authority. I was very glad to see an
account of it; and, to say the truth, I felt not a little proud of
it. I hastily put together these few notices, and hid them for future
use. I was annoyed that I had not time to read more of the voluminous
process, and to extract from it other portions. I should perhaps have
found a complete series of accusations, which might have completely
laid open my entire Christian belief. In fact, there were denunciations
with respect to what I had taught in the schools, in the confessional,
and in the pulpit. Doubtless the opportunity was not lost of accusing
me of frequently controverting the doctrines of Thomas Aquinas,
respecting the pretended propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass, the number
of the Sacraments, the value of Indulgences, the torments of Purgatory,
and other doctrines of that time, handed down to us as dogmas of
religion.
If these accusations were joined to others, which I saw in the volume
at the Inquisition, chiefly from Naples, with respect to my preaching,
then indeed there could have been nothing wanting to satisfy the Holy
Office that I was a heretic, in every sense of the word, and richly
merited to be consigned to the flames.
The Dominicans, to whom, in honour of their founder,[11] has hitherto
been granted the great privilege of being the chief agents in the
Inquisition, hold Thomas Aquinas and his doctrines in the highest
esteem and veneration, insomuch that their principal school is
called after his name. There is no degree of praise that they have
not lavished on their master, on whom they have even bestowed the
title of _Angelic_; and they have represented him, as all the world
knows, with a radiant sun in his breast, as symbolic of his wisdom,
and a dove at his ear, to indicate the presence of the Holy Spirit,
revealing to him the truth. Among other pleasant stories recorded of
him, is one which relates that the crucifix addressed him in a set
speech, in approbation of his doctrine, saying, "O Thomas, thou hast
written well concerning me!" The Dominicans swear to follow implicitly
the theological and philosophical views of Thomas Aquinas; and it
is indispensably requisite to take an oath to that effect, before
admission into their colleges. At the present juncture, all who do
not agree with the Jesuits, flock to the schools of the Dominicans.
Indeed, I am of opinion that these two parties divide among themselves
the whole Church of Rome: those who are not Jesuits, or Molinists, are
Dominicans, or Thomasines. Other schools of theology are of little
account, and are scarcely known, having no followers beyond the
immediate establishments; such as the Benedictines, the Augustines, the
Carmelites, and others.
Brought up myself in this school of Aquinas, I was early imbued with
his doctrines. Five years I studied the writings of this author, so
celebrated for learning and scholastic subtlety. Unquestionably,
Thomas Aquinas was not the original framer of the Romish doctrines:
they were already produced, and he did no more than defend and explain
them. The most ingenious of theologians, he possessed a rare faculty
of persuasion; so that if instead of the doctrines he undertook to
defend, he had had others placed before him, still more opposed to the
truth, he would equally well have reconciled them at once to the Holy
Scriptures, and to the teaching of Aristotle. In his _Summa Theologiæ_
is to be found all that can be most interesting to Rome, except _il
diritto nuovo_ of the Council of Trent. I have always admired the
ingenuity of this writer, but very early I experienced considerable
difficulty with respect to some of his theories.
Having completed my course of study, I was appointed, in my
twenty-fourth year, to the duty of teaching. The first book on which
I had to display my ability was this very _Summa Theologiæ_ of Thomas
Aquinas. Many opinions were formed as to how I should acquit myself
on the occasion. It was predicted by some who had heard me strongly
object to various points in the Thomasine doctrines, that I should not
prove very faithful to them. The General of the Dominicans hesitated to
confide to me a school belonging to the order, after he had heard that
in my examination I had shown but little respect for the scholastic
doctrines; and he wrote to a certain cardinal, who had sought to
engage my services, as professor of theology, in a seminary: "I would
willingly accede to the request of your Eminence, with respect to the
Lecturer Achilli, were I not obliged, for certain reasons, to examine
him a little further as to his orthodoxy."[12] After the lapse of a
year, however, he granted me permission to officiate at Viterbo, where,
for a considerable length of time, I was professor of various sciences,
at the Seminary and Bishop's College, as I was also of theology, in the
College of the Dominicans.
My labours in these situations obtained for me, from the very
beginning, considerable reputation, and not a few friends gathered
round me. Still I had many enemies, and chiefly among the friars,--a
class of gentry who to a very little good, adjoin a large share of
evil. Few among them are respectable in character; the major part of
them being lazy vagabonds, who, to avoid every species of exertion,
either physical or mental, and to pass their whole lives in sloth and
ignorance, adopt the frock and cowl, which at once authorize them to
receive food, clothes, and lodging, without any trouble or labour on
their part. Altogether they constitute the worst part of society, and
only serve to demoralize it by their bad example. As I could never
endure them, and shunned all intercourse with them, it was natural that
I should incur their hatred and censure.
It appeared that those among the friars who disliked me, feared me
no less; since in all their attempted persecutions, they studiously
avoided coming forward and avowing their hostility. However this may
be, out of the cloister I was equally beloved and protected. Many
bishops had a regard for me, and several cardinals. Pope Gregory XVI.
looked upon me with a favourable eye, and spoke of me to the general
of my order; and his predecessor, Leo XII., had recommended me to the
Master of the Sacred Palace, as his Vicar, in the year 1827.
In the mean while my enemies grew more and more uneasy every day, and
were more and more disappointed. Did they attack me on one side? They
were speedily put to confusion. On the other? It frequently happened
they inflicted injury on themselves alone. Often, I believe, they
despaired altogether of accomplishing their evil intentions towards me.
One only method remained, by means of which, secretly and securely,
and without danger of being discovered by myself or my protectors,
they might effect their object; and this was the Inquisition: for in
that place no one, not even the dearest friend, can afford protection
or support. There every accusation has to be fully entered into. The
accuser gives his name to the tribunal, which for its own part affects
to be ignorant of it. The same with the witnesses. Rarely does it
happen that they are examined a second time. Their first deposition is
sufficient.
They began in this manner with respect to myself, in order to undermine
the edifice they were determined to destroy; and the first attack
against me was made at Viterbo, in concert with certain parties in
Rome, and some of the Dominicans from Naples, who were also invited to
lend their assistance.
But observe the foolishness and blindness of men! They who wielded this
powerful weapon against me, thought to destroy me with it; instead of
which, they were the means of giving me fresh life. They undertook to
explain to others my profession of faith, which I had not yet been able
to make out clearly to myself. They reared the structure in the most
solemn manner, before the Inquisition, that they themselves might no
longer doubt, and that the memory of my conversion from Papacy to pure
Christianity, which began about the year 1830, from which epoch the
earliest of my accusations are dated, might for ever be preserved. May
the Lord be praised!
Why do not my present enemies publish these facts in the manner in
which they took place? I should like to see the secret accusations
against me openly detailed. Instead of falsely framing charges of
immorality which never existed, let them state my real crimes. They
might show "that in point of religious belief I could not depart from
the Holy Scriptures; that my Christianity did not extend beyond the
Bible; that I was greatly opposed to the later doctrines of the Roman
Church; that my theology had existed eighteen centuries, neither more
nor less; and that every article that did not conform itself to this
old theology, I neither owned for doctrine, nor for Christianity."
Such was the epitome with which a Dominican friar of Naples wound up
a lengthened declamation, to prove that I was, reader, guess what--a
_Neoterico_--a _Novatore_.
To say the truth, if the Commissioner of the Inquisition had
communicated to me the substance of the above, I should have leaped
for joy. But in the opinion of the friar, these premises were
terrific. A heretic, according to the Bible! A _Novatore_, according
to primitive Christianity! These titles were for me a source of pride
and gratification. The Inquisitor thought it far better that I should
not be made acquainted with the charges. He did not foresee that I
might read them without his permission. But since I had read them, and
retained them perfectly in my memory, it frequently happened that I
made use of them, in my replies to him. For example, when he asked me
_Quid sentis de fide_? I remember my answer was:
"To those who are good Latin scholars, this question may be considered
in three points of view: you might intend to ask me what I think
concerning faith? or, what do I think I ought to believe? or, lastly,
what is it that I do believe? I will readily reply to all these points.
1st, What do I think concerning faith? That it is a gift from God, by
which we are made believers in the truths that He has revealed.--2d,
What do I think I ought to believe? The truth alone; which He has
revealed to us, according to what is written in the authentic book of
Divine Revelation, and interpreted according to the spirit and common
sense of Christendom.--3d, What is it that I do believe? The answer is
already given."
"Then," rejoined the Inquisitor, "you believe nothing but what you find
written in the Bible?"
"Certainly."
"And you think that all that was said and done by Jesus Christ, is
recorded in that book? How is it then that St. John tells us, that if
that had been the case, the whole world would not have contained the
books that would have been written?"[13]
"I am glad, Father Inquisitor, to hear you quote a text from the
Evangelist, which, if I interpret it aright, leads us to infer that
Jesus did many other things which we do not know; and not, as you
imagine, that we know them from other sources; and that, as they are
told to us from these sources, so we ought to believe them. I do not
believe, Father Inquisitor, more than I find written, because I know
that to be sufficient; I am satisfied that I am not deceived; and
besides, I believe that no one should add to what is written from
Divine inspiration. You have quoted St. John, I now quote him in my
turn, and I select that passage in which, speaking of his Revelation,
he affirms as follows:--
"'If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the
plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away
from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his
part, out of the book of life.'[14]
"Is it not clear, from this, that we are instructed neither to add
to, nor to take away from, what is written? The faith, therefore,
that I profess, is the same that was defined by Jesus Christ himself,
emanating from him eighteen centuries ago. This law was never abrogated
in order to engraft new doctrines upon the old, or to make us falsify
our original belief. Are you of opinion, Father Inquisitor, that we
can possess a different faith from our forefathers? I speak of those
early Christians, who, in this very country, renounced idolatry to
follow Christ; of those very men to whom the apostle addressed the
invaluable testimony: 'Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole
world!' In all other matters I am willing to go with the nineteenth
century; but as regards religion, I do not depart from the first. I do
not know, Father Inquisitor, what your opinion is, but I am firm in the
belief that all Christians ought to be similarly minded; and that the
Church should return to its first state, both as regards discipline and
faith."
Such then, at that time, was my profession of faith; in which I was
continually, through the operation of various circumstances, being
perfected; not a little assisted by the machinations of my enemies
themselves. It is true, I had not yet sufficient courage to seek for
occasions of trial; but on their occurrence, I invariably experienced
such grace and favour from God, that in no instance was the opportunity
lost of deriving due profit from them. And since it has been ordained
by Providence that I should bear solemn testimony in favour of the
pure and true religion of Christ, and publicly make avowal of my faith
before men, and before God, so it was expedient that I should, in the
first instance, make declaration of it in the face of my enemies, and
of that very tribunal before which so many had sacrificed their lives,
in defence of the same holy cause.
I did not at that time perceive the lofty designs of this all-wise
Providence: my eyes were not open to behold the hidden destiny which,
nevertheless, was in store for me. I walked in darkness, and only knew
that I should not lose my way, because I was assured that a Divine hand
would be my protection and my guide.
At present, however, through the mercy of the Lord, I see my way
more clearly. By his power I have been snatched from the abyss of
perdition, delivered from the malice of my enemies, and conducted to a
land where there is liberty of belief, and where man lives honourably,
in obedience to the laws of truth and justice.
My first step, on finding myself a free man in a free country, was to
make a full and unqualified declaration of my religious faith, that
there might not remain the least shadow of doubt, as to my entire
secession from the Church of Rome.
Every one acquainted with me knows that I never attempt to disguise
what I feel; should prudence occasionally enjoin me to be silent, it is
only for a very short time that I can listen to her dictates. My energy
increases before an opposing barrier, until, like a rushing torrent, it
levels and destroys every object it meets with. Thus, no sooner did an
outlet present itself for the manifestation of my opinions, than they
eagerly pressed forward, and swept away all opposition that stood in
their way.
I was full of wrath against the Church of the priests, ever since I
discovered the deceit in which I had been educated; and still more
so, on account of having myself been instrumental in propagating her
doctrines and her errors. This wrath I had hitherto been obliged to
restrain within my own breast; but when I arrived in Corfu, in the year
1842, I found an opportunity for giving way to it, of which I quickly
availed myself. My tongue was not idle, and my pen was more active
still.
I regret that I have not kept copies of several letters I wrote at
that time to divers cardinals at Rome, which, although full of stern
reproof, were written without bitterness, and in a conciliatory spirit;
and I still remember them with pleasure, because I know that they
evinced how strong my feelings were upon the subject.[15]
I shall, however, present to my readers, in the Appendix to this work,
copies of two letters which I wrote about the same period to Pope
Gregory XVI., as well as of one which I subsequently addressed to his
successor Pius IX.
FOOTNOTES:
[5] On one occasion I was left alone by the Inquisitor, above an hour,
in one of the apartments of the Holy Office, while he was preparing my
process. He had left on the table a bundle of papers, containing the
correspondence of the Inquisition with its agents, and from which my
accusations were drawn: I therefore deemed myself at full liberty to
peruse these documents, and obtained from them much important matter,
relating to my own affairs.
[6] Matt. xvi. 19.
[7] Matt. xviii. 18.
[8] John xx. 23.
[9] Heb. x. 10.
[10] I Cor. x. 16.
[11] Domenico di Guzman was the first Inquisitor, under Innocent
III. (1215), to whom he suggested the great project of destroying,
by an armed force, all the Protestants of that period, chiefly known
under the denominations of Albigenses and Valdenses. This friar,
in conjunction with the pope, founded an order of knights, whom he
frequently led on himself, and who were renowned for their massacre
of these good Christians, who, retaining the Gospel, rejected the new
doctrines of the Fourth Council of the Lateran.
[12] Letter from Father Velzi to Cardinal Galeffi (1825).
[13] John xxi. 25.
[14] Rev. xxi. 19.
[15] Since the publication of my first Edition, I have discovered
among my papers a copy of one of these letters, which will be found in
the Appendix. It is addressed to Cardinal Lambruschini, at that time
Secretary of State, on occasion of his having urgently required of the
Papal Consul, at Corfù, that he should endeavour to induce the Ionian
Government to have me sent out of the country. As, however, my real
motive for quitting Rome was well known, the Cardinal's remonstrance
only served to render the Government more determined to protect me.