a fondness for the study of philosophy, and the higher order of
sciences, and proved himself also a genius in mechanical inventions.
Fortune favored him in his day, and, enjoying all the greater
advantages of the best schools of his time, he studied well all the
old masters, who had preceded him, and became perfectly familiar with
every theory of philosophy and astronomy then known, and prepared
himself for an advance in the sciences. He invented the first
telescope, with which to survey the heavenly bodies, and the result of
his experiments proved conclusively the correctness of the theory
advanced by the conjectures of Copernicus.
He pursued his investigations for years, and established the truth, in
his own mind, of the constant movements of the earth and planets, each
revolving in its own orbit, with the Sun as the common centre of all;
of the truth of which he could never more entertain a single doubt.
But the laws which governed and controlled their movements--the power
and force of attraction and gravitation--he could not yet fully
comprehend. This great work of discovery was left for Sir Isaac
Newton. Knowing the bigotry and intolerance of the ruling powers of
Rome, he, Galileo, resorted to subterfuge in order to obtain
permission to publish his opinions to the world. Yet, when published,
these drew down upon his head the stern persecution of the Pope and
Cardinals, and also opposition and accusations from all other
philosophers and astronomers of his time. At length, hearing the
distant muttering "thunders of the Vatican," he resorted to Rome, to
reason with the powers that then held universal sway. But, like all
other lights of reason--from time immemorial to the present hour--the
fiat of the Romish Church would ever obscure, or crush out light,
chain down the intellect, become the arbiter of the consciences of
men, and permit no advance, save as she might lead; and even then
binding all to her dogmas, and decrees, by the power of force, and
threatenings of her Inquisitions. She has ever stood ready, where she
had the power, to crush with her iron heel every one who dared to
oppose, or sought to lead the mind of man to light and liberty. And it
has been the force of circumstances alone, that has, in part, broken
this chain of bondage, emancipated the mind, given freedom to thought,
and permitted the advance of human intellect.
Galileo seemed, indeed, as Nature's philosopher of his time. "He
interrogated the laws of nature by experiments and observations, and
we have to ascribe to him the first true investigation of the laws of
terrestrial gravity." Had he stood firm and maintained the truths
which God had permitted him to comprehend, the lights of a true
science would then have shone forth, and it is possible that our
knowledge to-day would be far in advance of what it is. We judge thus,
because of the rapid advance made during the last century, especially
since Dr. William Herschel first pointed his telescope toward the
heavens.
But on Galileo's arrival at Rome, neither his venerable age, his
enlightened mind, his acknowledged comprehensive and brilliant
intellect, nor even his honorable and eloquent appeals for a full and
scientific investigation as to the correctness of his theory, could
gain a generous response. The powers that ruled had not made the
advance, and it was dangerous to them to permit any one outside to do
so. Hence, all new doctrines were held as heretical, and must be
crushed at once. He was placed in confinement, charged with treason
and conspiracy against the Church; his views heretical, such as
demanded the most rigorous punishment;--even after he should renounce
them before the cardinals sitting as Inquisitors in his case. The
charges against him were those of his published views, which he freely
acknowledged, and, while he knew them to be _truths_, yet so
controlling was the influence of his belief in the dogmas of that
church--even as it is with all its adherents--that he bowed to its
fiat, and, on bended knees laid his hand upon the Holy Gospels, and
swore by them and the Roman Catholic Church, before God, and the
Inquisition of Cardinals, that the _truths he had published_ were
_false_, abjuring, cursing, and detesting them as heresies; and swore
a life allegiance to the Church, and received submissively, his
sentence to a dungeon in the Inquisition for life.
Says Prof. Olmsted, "We cannot approve of his employing artifice in
the promulgation of truth; and we are compelled to lament that his
lofty spirit bowed in the final conflict. How far, therefore, he sinks
below the dignity of a Christian martyr!"
Says Dr. Brewster, "At the age of seventy, on his bended knees, and
with his right hand resting on the Holy Evangelists, did this
patriarch of science avow his present and past belief in the Romish
Church; abandon as false and heretical the doctrine of the earth's
motion, and of the sun's immobility, and pledge himself to denounce to
the Inquisition, any other person who was even suspected of like
heresy. He abjured, cursed, and detested, those eternal and immutable
truths which the Almighty had permitted him to be the first to
establish. Had Galileo but added the courage of a martyr, to the
wisdom of the sage; had he carried the glance of his indignant eye
round the circle of his Judges; had he lifted his hands to heaven, and
called the living God to witness the truth and immutability of his
opinions; the bigotry of his enemies would have been disarmed, and
science would have enjoyed a memorable triumph."
THE ROMISH CHURCH.
It is impossible for the mind to contemplate the scene presented to
the world, by the history of that trial and unjust condemnation,
without a shudder, if not a premonition of what may yet be in the
future.
Religious bigotry is more intolerant than any other power of dominion,
and where the mind and conscience is trammelled, and brought under the
subjection of superior intellect, the masses become almost as menials,
ready to do their masters' bidding. We hold to a system of religion,
one which leaves the mind untrammelled, and permits free intercourse
with the spirit of God; that which casts aside all that might obstruct
or intervene, and which enables the soul to commune with its Maker and
Redeemer; that which enables each "to know for himself and not
another." This is the Protestant faith and doctrine, contra-distinguished
from the Roman Catholic faith, whose Popes, Bishops, and Priests,
become, as it were, the arbiters of the minds and consciences of their
adherents; stand between them and their Maker, and trifle with the
souls of men, as implements and matters of commerce. It is time that
the days of superstition were ended.
It is fast losing ground in the old world, where, for long centuries
past, it has held the masses in ignorance. But, of late years, it has
been rapidly gaining ground on our own continent, and its progress of
late has been fearful, and may well alarm the Protestants of our own
country. We hold that Catholicism is little else than a complete
system of superstition. The minds of the masses of its votaries are
trained and educated to it from childhood. Hence, there is no
possibility of ever eradicating it from the minds of those thus
educated. The priests, cardinals, and Pope, can, at any moment,
trammel free thought by their own edicts, and bring their subjects to
their own terms. Their subjects are taught to believe them to possess
superior power; to be able to stand between them and heaven, or hell,
to lock, or unlock at pleasure; and so ingenious is their system of
religion taught, that it ensnares the mind and holds it ever
subservient.
We have seen with what submission that mighty man of learning and
towering intellect, Galileo, bowed to this imperial power. By arduous
study, labor and experiments, he had gained a knowledge of his
Creators wonderful works, far transcending all that was known of it by
the ruling powers of Rome. He knew this knowledge was truth, as
immutable as God himself, yet, if _cursed_ by the Pope of Rome, he,
doubtless, believed this curse would place him in perdition, and no
one would pray his soul out of purgatory. Therefore, he perjured
himself (for when he had sworn it false, he still believed it true) in
order to reconcile the rulers, and secure their intercession. This is
only an isolated case out of, doubtless, thousands of others, where
mind and conscience is brought fully under their subjection.
Rome to-day, and the Romish Church, is the same in spirit and ambition
of universal sway, as in the days of Galileo. Give her but the power,
and rather than lose it again, she would bind humanity in chains of
perpetual ignorance as to the source and lights of eternal truth, save
that which she alone might graciously promulgate; and this to a
favored few, whose trainings were such that their consciences were
securely chained to her car, more ponderous and destructive, than that
of Juggernaut.
Some, perhaps, are ready to say we have borne down too severely upon
the Roman Catholics, that they, too, are now more enlightened, and
more liberal in their views than formerly, that they have founded
schools and institutions of learning, equal--perhaps superior, to
those of any other denomination in our country. Grant all this; but
why, and for what purpose? _Answer._ The force of circumstances; the
enlightenment of the age has compelled them to move forward. They are
ever wily and on the alert; the philosophy of science was marching
onward; the millions could no longer be held in the old beaten track
of ignorance to pander to the few, and Rome, comprehending all this,
foresees her impending downfall, unless she, too, steps forward with
her _gilded robe_. She therefore, takes a new tack, with her ponderous
ship, upon the sea of mind. She has in store her mines of wealth,
gathered daily from the poor sons and daughters of toil, some of whom
almost starve themselves in order to pay penance to the Priests for
sins laid to their charge, committed--if sins they be, in ignorance.
These priests--some of whom are besotted--still stand forth as the
arbiters of the consciences of their deluded followers; pretend to bar
the gates of heaven; admitting none, save for the _shillings_ or the
_pounds_, showing plainly that the continued organization of this
church, in this enlightened age, is but the force of early education.
Yes, they have erected their school and college edifices, and also
their _convents_ and _monasteries_. They have ample material for
efficient teachers: but mark you, these have all been well trained
from infancy in the "_lap of the Church_." They are obedient,
efficient and orderly, and, at proper times, are ready to make
advantageous displays. They take charge of all the youth of _their_
flock, and, alas, by their seductive insinuations, are now making
rapid progress against Protestantism in our own country. They are
educating tens of thousands of Protestant youth.
Do they ever exhibit to, or instruct them in your Protestant Bible?
No, never! but on the other hand; are they not constantly trying to
instruct, charm, and fascinate them with their own system of religious
worship? They are partial to your children--especially to your
_daughters_, who will, in time, be among the mothers of the succeeding
generation, and who, of course, will train up their offspring in the
same faith. Just let them secure a majority of mothers as firm
believers in the Romish faith, and they will bid defiance to all
opposing influences. How long since one of their Archbishops said, in
a public address, in one of our leading cities: _Let us once control
the children, the youth of the land, and we can soon control the
nation_; or words of this import? See their indefatigable exertions;
their complete system of organization; their primary schools, their
Seminaries, Academies, Colleges, Convents, and Monasteries, already
established, and to which they are adding, annually, many more, while
Protestants seem to be slumbering over the kindling fires of a
volcano, which may in time break forth in all its destructive fury, as
it oft-times has during past centuries.
Is it not high time that Protestants of our own country, were waking
up in regard to their present, and eternal interests? Let a
preponderance of power be centered in any one man, and you may then
bid a final adieu to a republican form of government, and must,
perhaps, bow to infamous and oppressive "decrees" emanating from an
iron will.
In our own country, this cannot yet be, unless the usurper is backed
by a soldiery, who are hired, and paid, out of a controlled treasury.
This could not long maintain, in this, or any country, where there is
freedom of mind and thought, and where conscience remains
untrammelled. But let the masses be thus controlled by one superior
intellect, and feel that their ETERNAL interests are subject to his
will, and they will be ever ready to do his bidding.
The Popes of Rome have--successively--held this power over a portion
of Europe, even as the history of the dark days of the "Inquisitions"
and martyrdoms attest. Thus it has been, and thus we believe it ever
will be, where Roman Catholics gain universal sway: for we believe
there is scarcely a member of that organization living to-day, who
would not--at the Pope's command--make every desired sacrifice; not
only of worldly goods and interests, but even of life itself--if
required.
We do not condemn--collectively, nor individually, the masses, and
members of that faith. Far be this from us. We believe that a very
large majority of them are honest, and truly devotional. No other
class of people on the globe have been more self-sacrificing than many
of them, in performing acts of kindness, charity and mercy, and these
offices have been performed in a true spirit of Christian benevolence.
Would that all other professed Christian organizations would equal
them in this respect. All should render relief, when within their
power, to suffering humanity. We believe that all such efforts upon
the part of any one, will merit, and obtain, individual reward. What
we condemn is the spirit of the ruling powers of the Romish Church;
its bigotry, and intolerance; and because they--by educating into
their system of religion--trammel the mind, and control the
conscience, rendering them subservient to the dictation and will of
the rulers. The Pope, bishops, and priests, claim to be the mediums
through which their adherents are saved, as, also we believe mediums,
whose "curses" pronounced against any, will consign the soul to
perdition, while they chain the mind to superstition.
The Bible teaches that Christ is our only mediator, that all may come
to God through faith in His Son; every soul is held alike responsible,
and is alike accountable to its Creator. That life and salvation are
freely offered alike to all, the requirement being, to forsake the
ways of sin, and through faith in Jesus Christ, "return unto the Lord
who will have mercy, and to our God who will abundantly pardon."
It will be perceived that our principal objections to that sect are
their superstitions, bigotry, arrogance and intolerance; the chaining
down the mind, and controlling the conscience, and using all for
temporal sway. The antecedents of this power are sufficient to warn
all Protestants against its encroachments, and stimulate them to say,
"Thus far shalt thou go and no farther," and in order to this, let
every Protestant denomination see to the educating of their own
children.
"But," say some of our Protestant mothers, "they have the best
schools, and I want my daughters to be well educated, and
accomplished; and I do not fear their making Catholics of them." So,
likewise, have said thousands of others, and yet, trying the
experiment, they have been mistaken. Their daughters have returned
home fascinated with show and tinsel, and firm adherents to that
doctrine, which, when educated into the mind, can never thence be
eradicated.
Few are aware of the rapid advance the Catholics are making against
Protestantism, at the present time. It is safe to say, that not less
than from fifteen to twenty thousand daughters, belonging to
Protestant families, are baptized into that church annually, in the
United States. On the other hand, few, if any, Catholics ever become
Protestants; and nine out of every ten who do, will--if sick and
fearing the approach of death, send for Catholic Priests; make
confession, and implore their intercession, to rescue their souls from
purgatory, where they feel sure of going for this great sin of
apostasy.
Now we ask, how long will it take, with so large and ever increasing
accessions of our Protestant daughters, for that organization to gain
the ascendancy in our country? Their motto is _eternal vigilance_,
while they wage eternal warfare _against the Protestant faith, and
Christian religion_. The time was, when they held almost universal
sway throughout a large portion of Europe. The edicts of the Pope, and
Roman Catholic rulers, must be obeyed by _all_. Curses, torture,
imprisonment, and _death_--where they had the power--was the portion
of all who disregarded their mandates. And then, as now, their hatred
and persecutions were against those whom they termed "_heretical
Protestants_;" against your ancestors, and your religion. Kings, and
Emperors, trembled on their thrones, and lent willing obedience, lest
a "Bull" should be issued against them from the "Vatican" by the
ruling Pope. Those were dark days for poor Protestants; they had to
worship God in _secret_, or in dens and caves. Even only a few
centuries ago, terror and darkness reigned; multiplied thousands were
slaughtered, or dragged to the "stake" and consumed by fiery faggots;
grey hairs, age or decrepitude, were no shields against their bigoted
fury. The priests then, as now, controlled and directed the
consciences of their followers. No compassion, could be shown--even to
purity and innocence of defenceless females, or helpless children.
Those who could manage to escape and flee the country, did so,
leaving all of worldly goods and possessions behind them _confiscated
to the Church_, and, as strangers, poor and friendless, sought, as
best they could, asylums in other lands--some of whom, finally reached
our own continent, here to enjoy liberty and the freedom of
conscience. And we have to lament the fact that many of them, still
tinctured with the rule and form of despotism, had, by the force of
previous circumstances, imbibed notions akin to despotism and
persecution, and were, for a time, while they had the power, disposed
to use it as manifested by the Puritans first landing on our shores.
But they could not hold this power, because of lack of a complete
organization of a hierarchal power. Free thought and free speech, and
the liberty of a free untrammeled _conscience_ prevailed, and soon
swept away every vestige of religious intolerance and despotism, and
our North American continent soon towered in sublime grandeur and
beauty, and became the home and asylum of freedom for the oppressed of
every clime. This land is the birthright of Protestants, wherein those
of every religious faith, Catholics, and all others, have equal rights
and privileges; but to maintain our liberties, we must educate into
the minds of all, _personal liberty, and accountability_, and leave
the conscience untrammeled so far as regards popes, priests, bishops,
or ministers, _controlling man's future destiny_. All are held
individually, and personally, accountable to God, and He hath sent
His Spirit to enlighten every one, and all who go direct to Him in the
spirit of humility, with faith and prayer, will obtain this light.
In regard to the workings of the ruling powers of the Roman Catholic
Church less than two centuries ago, we give place to the following
recent developments, written as a matter of history, by one who
assisted in the investigations only a few weeks ago. This is from
"Catholic Spain:"
GHASTLY REVELATION!
MORE RELICS OF THE SPANISH INQUISITION UNEARTHED.
The London _Star_ has the following from Madrid:
A somewhat ghastly incident has caused considerable
excitement here within the last few weeks. Within a few
hundred yards of the new Plaza de Dos Mayo, inaugurated on
the 2d of this month, there is a locality called the Cruz
del Quemadero. It is a field some three hundred metres
square, at the top of the Calle Aricha de San Bernardo, near
the hospital built by the ex-Queen. Through it a new road
was lately opened, and as the ground was elevated, a cutting
of considerable depth had to be dug. The workmen laid bare
several peculiar looking horizontal strata, of irregular
formation. One was one hundred and fifty feet in length,
another fifty, another ten. The thickness varied from eight
to eighty centimetres. In color the soil was black, the
lower strata being much blacker than the superior ones.
On examination lumps of charred wood were found,
interspersed with ashes, evidently the remains of some huge
fire. Curiosity was soon excited, and further investigation
demonstrated that in portions of these ugly-looking strata,
the finger came upon small pieces of adipose matter, which
yielded, like butter, to the touch. Iron rings were grubbed
up; human bones, a cranium, a long tuft of hair, having
belonged to some female. All these were more or less
charred. Some of the iron was partially fused, and the
texture of bone intermingled with sand was plainly
discernible. _A gag turned up._ The question, what were
these lugubrious records was answered at once. This field of
the Cruz del Quemadero was the place where the
"_Inquisition_" disposed of some of its victims. Here were
the ghastly proofs of the horrors of which this place had
been the scene, suddenly brought to light after the lapse of
two centuries. On the 12th of May, 1689, eighty-three
heretics, including twenty Hebrews, of whom five were women,
were immolated on this very spot. The pile of wood was
eighty feet in length by seven feet in height. A great
concourse witnessed the _auto da fe_, and the horrible
ceremonial completed, the people buried the remains of their
victims under cart-loads of earth. These irregular
geological strata are naught else but the silent testimony
to the atrocities perpetrated on this in the name of
religion and "Catholic Unity." Out of one, your special
correspondent hooked out with his finger, one entire bone of
a human vertebral column, a portion of the tibia, a
fragment of a shoulder-blade with a hole through it, and a
bit of a rib, all bearing the marks of fire. Upward of two
cart-loads of remains of this sort have been carried away
and decently buried. But these horrible strata! There they
remain to tell their own tale, and instruct the present
generation. On the 13th, a public meeting was convened, to
be held at the Quemadero, by the Republican youth of Madrid,
to protest against priestly intolerance and to advocate
_freedom of conscience_. That this discovery should have
been made at a moment when the Spanish clergy are striving
their utmost to affirm the "unity of the Roman Catholic
Church," and are preaching in the churches of the metropolis
against heresy, is a striking coincidence.
The Quemadero is so frequented by people in search of
relics, and the explorations of these strata have been so
extensive, that the authorities have barred the frontage
off, and prohibited access. It is their intention to cut a
square block, and there erect a monument. It is estimated by
Llorente, the great historian of the Inquisition, that this
atrocious tribunal has deprived Spain of twelve millions of
souls, including the Jews, and Moors, expelled from the
country. Thirty-one thousand and ninety-two perished by
fire; 17,659 were first butchered and then burned; 221,985
died of torture. Total, 270,736.