The missionary. (Mt. Zion, Hancock County, Ga.) 1819-182?, August 30, 1824, Image 1

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Vo 11 VoL. Vl.] From the London New Monthly Magazine, for June. SECRETS OF THE MODERN SPAN ISH INQUISITION Though much has been said and written regarding the frightful tribunal of the In quisition, little was correctly known res pecting its mysterious proceedings until a very late period. All that related to it was enveloped in impenetrable mystery. Its regulations and proceedings were conduct ed so as to conceal the sufferings of its vic tims, and the cruelties of its executioners. The fanaticism of its agents, the oaths and meoace9 of its jailors, the eternal darkness of its dungeous, the thickness of its walls, and the fear of being again plunged into suffering, or perishing by the daggers of its familiars, for revealing what they had seen there, prevented the few who had the good fortune to escape from its horrours, from opening them to the world. In every class of society its secret agents were constantly active, and perfect silence alone respecting the acts of the tribunal was the only guar antee for personal security. By the vulgar, the sufferings of the Inquisition were con sidered like (hose of Hell; none had wit nessed them and told their tale; and this ignorance respecting them increased the terrible impression which they made, and contributed to prolong (be existence “of the tribunal itself. In 1808, the French invasion of the Pe ninsula, as in many other instances in the countries which their armies entered, con tributed in some way to the benefit of the people. It put an end to the uncertainty existing respecting this tribunal and its mys terious proceedings. It unmasked its crimes and exposed them to the day, and broke the fearful charm which enviroued it so long. The monsters who presided in it, ferocious as beasts of prey, fled on the ap proach of an enlightened enemy, and for got, from their fears, the victims and writ ten proceedings of their hellish court; these effectually revealed its horrible mys teries. Napolean at Chamartin, and the Cortes subsequently at Cadiz, pronounced its sentence of destruction ; and from that period the Holy Office may be considered ns loosing its former power over the pub lick mind forever, though the hand of des potism might, in fact, re-establish it. M. M , whose name is identified with the revival of the Spanish drama, and with its reputation, was the first writer who cor* reeled the opinions of his countrytneu, lu regard to the transactions of this tribunal. He published in 1809, accompanied with notes full of judgement and spirit, the ac count of an Auto da fe, which had been cel ebrated at Logrado two centuries before, and the particulars of which had been printed there at the time. This report, drawn up by the order and under the in spection of the Hofy Office itself, forms the most complete accusation that could be ex hibited again-d that body. It presents an abstract of all that human depravity and the accumulated ignorance of ages can en gender. Unhappy women slowly consum ed by fire, for having been convicted of sorcery—gave remarks on the Devil, and his adventures in gallantry with these poor tortured females—express details, as re volting to reason as to decency—things, in short, so horribly inconsistent as to render it incredible that they could have been written or uttered by any but madmen; — these, and such as these, are the contents of the work r.ow alluded to. On this occa sion, the King (Joseph Bonaparte,) com missioned the Canon Llorente to examine into the archives of the Inquisition. M. Llorente, who had been during a longtime Secretary to the Holy Office at Toledo, and was. moreover, well acquainted with the history of his country, found himself admirably situated for the execution of such a task. His famous work, formed upon these records which he collected, deserves to be considered as an important service rendered to humanity, however destitute ii may be of style or philosophical connex ion. That hideous monster, the Inquisition, is there displayed in all its naked horrour. It must be borne in mind, however, that the Spanish Inquisition, as described in the writings of M. A1 and Llorente, and as cousthuted from the time of Ferdinand V., to the eud of the reign of Charles 11., is not exactly the same with that existing in 1808. its name, indeed, remained to excite feel ings of abhorrence; but the venom of its nature was, in fact, nearly exhausted. Feebleness is the necessary result of age; and (he Inquisition had grown old by the lape of three centuries. Charles 111., moreover, the m >si truly religious monarch that Spain has ever known, had given a considerable check to its influence; and from that period, the council of Castile, by continued opposition, had gradually wrested from it the chief portion of its privileges. A* evil frequeolly operates to produce good, the viziership of the Prince of Peace, estab fished upon the corruption of morals and the contempt of social observances, requir ed an abridgement of the power of all judi cial institutions; and (be Holy Office, in cluded in the number of these, suffered a further retrenchment of its sway. in this state of things, while Godoy held unlimited authority, the successors of Saint Dominick might be seen in the courtly an THE MISSIONARY. tichamber, forming a motley group with the vainest courtezans, and emulously watching for a look from the haughty fa vourite. Depriveffof moral and political consideration, their functions were now con fined to the prohibition of certain books, or the punishment, perchance, of some vision ary old woman ( beata .) Having seen what wa9 the nature of the Inquisition at the period of its fall, we will now view it at that of its late revival. Fer dinand VII., in his re-appearance on the summit of the Pyrenees, after his exile might well be compared to a disastrous com et, boding every species of plague to the unhappy Spaniards. He destroyed in his iogratitude the constitutional system, to which he was indebted for his personal lib erty. Ignorance, superstition, and every kind of feudal abuse, were fostered by him into poisonous vigour. He re-established with alacrity the tribunal of the Holy Of fice, for no purpose of religion (his charac ter is destitute of it,) but as an instrument of terrour and vengeance-i-as a means of subduing, by the horrours of incarceration, alt that was virtuous, liberal aod enlighten ed. From (hat fatal moment, not a day passed but some unfortunates were torn from the bosom of their families, to be plunged into the vaults of the Inquisition; and, in some instances, to undergo every refinement in the art of torture. Such was the rage for the finding or making victims, that the dungeons were speedily crowded. A single accusation at Valencia sufficed for ihe committal to (he Inquisition of twenty five individuals, together with the accusing party. At Murcia, the arrest of at least two hundred persons was occasioned by a single charge. At Madrid, at Grenada, at St. Jacques, every where, in short, were victims seized upon, without regard to age, sex, condition, or services rendered. A Spanish nobleman (the Count de Montigo,) who was immured in the cells of the Holy Office, recovered his liberty only ibroqgh the Revolution of 1820, the interests of which, however, be subsequently betrayed. Two generals, M. M. Torrigo and Almedo var, who had received many wounds during the war for independence—various superi our officers, persons belonging to the finance department, priests and monks, women and children, all were hurried away into the same dreadful confinement. Out of a number of facts which we could cite, the following anecdote, to the authen licity of wmen we pledge ourselves, may suffice for an example:—Mr. E , distin guished as a man of letters, and attached to an important branch of the state administra tion, was arrested and conducted to the In quisition at Madrid, for having expressed, as was alleged, irreligious opinions; but, in reality, liberal opinions. Moreover, as it was expected to be shown that these ex pressious had been uttered in presence of his wife, who bad not denotiuced him to the Holy Office, she was likewise committed to the same dungeon. This unl'ortanate coup le had a young and only child, whom Mad ame E brought with her, and who died in the inquisition through cold and improp. er food. The king, who from a dearth of occupation, sometimes took a fancy to pris on sights, chanced to present himself at the door of the cell where the scarce cold corpse of the child was lying. Madame E threw herself at his feet, and with tears implored release from a place, where every thing would inflict on her memory the last agooies of her child. Her youth, beauty, and virtue, the eloquence of her grief, and the force of her despair, moved to pity all who heard her except Ferdinand, who brutally turned away ! We cannot refrain from noting down here the famous mandate of Miery Campillo, the Inquisitor-general, which was read in every Church in Spain on the first Sunday in Lent, 1815:—“ His Excellency , the Grand Inquis itor , enjoins all Confessors , under pain of ex communication , to denounce to the Holy Office such persons as may have confessed themselves to belong to the order of Freemasonry ls it possible for baseness to proceed farther than ihis? Yes: several confessors were found to comply with the order of his Ex celleocy !! The king took ao undisguised part in all these infamies, and appointed Judges belonging to the different tribunals to aid in the inquisitorial examinations. With regard to trials like these, it may easily be imagined that contradictions, ab surdities, and falsehoods were their custom ary foundation. Whether a prisoner denied the pretended crime, or in despair suffered himself to avow it, he was sure to be sent back to his confinement. The only indul gence shewn was to those who were base enough to denounce fresh victims. Some account remains to be giveu of the inhumao conduct of the jailors towards the incarcerated, on Ferdinand’s revival of the Inquisition. What shall we say when we hear the case of ao unhappy Chaplain, in the regiment of LoreDa, whilst in Murcia, who, alter a popular commotion had restor ed him to liberty, took the violent alterna tive of drowning himself in a well, rather than return to the Inquisition? What shall we say, when informed, that a young officer of the same regiment was driven to madness and suicide at Valencia? The most complete information, however, with which we can j supply oar readers on tins head, will be a Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.— Jesus Christ. Os all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable support?.— Washington. MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK COUNTY, GEORGIA,) MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 1824. condensed account of what has been com municated to us by a patriotick magistrate, who was shut up during fifteen months in the Inquisition at Valencia, and is at this moment in London. M G was arrested the 27th Janua ry, 1819, whilst in bed, at two o’clock in the morning. His papers were sealed ap, and all explanation was withheld. He was con ducted to the Inquisition, distant only fifty paces from bis house, by endless tsrniogs and windings. When there, he was made to halt suddenly before a little private door. The chief of the escort, a judge of the crim inal court, gave a mysterious and precon certed kind of knock. A jailor presented himself, and demanded, with solemnity of utterance, which was the judge and which the accused. This point ascertained, he took the two in with him, leaving the oih ers outside. The door closed on them, aod all was involved in darkness and silence. The jailor, groping along, and without a syllable of speech, conducted bis two com panions through the intricate labyrinth of corridors, now asceodiog staircases, and now descending. This course of involu tions occupied about twenty minutes. Their conductor suddenly stopped, and clapping thrice with his hands, was answer ed in like manner from above. Two fol ding-doors opened with a startling sound, and a wide well-lighted staircase was dis played to view. This brought them to a hall hung with black velvet, “having a table in its centre covered with the like sable, colour, a silver crucifix, and two candles of green wax. At thi9 table stood two Inquis itors, habited in full ceremony—the square cap, the cross of honour, green neck ker chiefs, and green sleeves. One of these persooages was recognized by M. G , as one of the friends of his boyhood, a fel low-collegian; the other was a man whom he was in the daily habit of seeing, and who had, indeed, discoursed with him but a few hours before in the mo9t amicable way. Neither of them, however, gave him the lea9t sign of recognition, or showed, either then, or in the sequel, the least disposition to soften his state of suffering. They be gan by gravely chanting forth some verses of the Psalm Exsurge Dei , Sic. and then de manded of the criminal his name and pro fession. The jailor was thereupon told to do his duly. This consisted in conducting M. G—— to a dungeon, eight feet square, ( bavin? a crated skvlierbt without ?las*A and leaving him there without a candle, or even a pitcher of water. After remaining thus for three days, be was supplied with a wretched mattrass and a chair. These formed, during fifteen months, the whole of his furniture. His sustenance was a dish of rice every twenty-four hours, with half a pound of brown bread, and, in the mornings, a cup of diluted stuff, miscalled chocolate. His jailors, seen only at these periods, al ways maintained the silence of statutes. The light of the day in this living tomb was but of live hours’ duration. On one occasion, the barber who was sent to shave the unfortunate prisoner, con trived to slip into bis hands a letter from bis wife, together with a pencil and a bit of paper to facilitate a reply. Delighted at this unexpected consolation, M. G— pe rused and kissed a thousand times the cher ished lines. His reply was soon prepared —but alas ! the Argus-eyed turnkeys had conceived suspicions, the result of which was a discovery, and the consignment of the poor barber to one of the pris on rooms, where be was kept until 1820 His successor in office showed none of (he zeal of pity. After three months’ incar ceration, M. G.— underwent bis first rego lar examination in the same hall, and with the same ceremony. One of the in qisitors made a sort of opening oration on the justice and benignity of the Holy Office, (these were wonderfully borne witness to by the livid and haggard countenance of their victim,) and proceeded to tell him that the tribunal knew already the whole , even to the precise day, place and hour, wheu M. G— had been present, with other accomplices, at a masonick meeting; that it was, consequently, useless to deny it: and that the tribunal, in calling on him now for his confession, desired merely to find a pretext for extending towards him the in dulgence allowed to penitents, iic. £c. M. G—, not to be duped by Ihis mode of ad dress, protested openly against it. The ad dition of menaces and insults could not shake his firmness ; and he wa9 taken back to hi 9 confinement. Some months afterwards he was again summoned into the same pres ence, but with the like result; and from that period he was no longer interrogated. Being seized with illness, through the vari ous miseries And horrors of his situation, he several times implored the aid of a phy sician; but was answered that when his life should be iu danger, that would be granted him!—When reduced to the ex treme of weakness, and no longer able -to rise from his mattrass, he requested the presence of the Inquisitors, and besought them most touchingly for some nourishment of a more wholesome kind, adding that bis family would remunerate such attentisn. — “ Your family has abandoned you, Sir,” re plied these impostors; “they will listen to no application on the part of a reprobate; and, as far the tribunal, it has no funds for the amelioration of your treatment!!” Such a series of infamous usage must in evitably have proved fatal to M. G—, had not these den 9 of horror been thrown open by the effect of the king’s oath to the Con stitution on the 9th March, 1820. The following day brought the decree to Valen cia, and the people went en masse to burst open the gates of the Inquisition. Half an hour previously, and when the news was already known every where, one of the jailors bad the inhuman assurance to tell M. G— that he at least, should never es cape from his place of lodging! MISSIONARY. From the Missionary Herald for August. RECENT INTELLIGENCE FROM JE RUSALEM. By letters recently come to hand, it ap pears that Mr. Fisk was at Jerusalem at the close of the last year and during the first months of the present. He expressed great pleasure at bearing of the arrival of Messrs. Goodell and Bird at Beyrout. Hav ing learned that Mr. King was with them, and that he, in company with one of the other brethren, were expecting soon to vi sit Jerusalem, Mr. Fisk thus wrote to the Corresponding Secretary, near the last of December :—“ You may well suppose that I am eagerly expecting their arrival. There are several subjects on which I mean to write to you, after I have had coo versation with them ; particularly in regard to Armenian studies, and labours, and types.” He adds,—“l have had many in teresting and 1 trust mutually profitable dis cussions with Mr. Jowett about missionary plans, stations, aud labours.” It was stated at pp. 215 and 216 of our last number, that Messrs. King and Bird left Beyrout on the 2d of January, and arrived at Jerusalem on the 21st. There Mr. King remained till the 6th of the next •nonlh, when he departed for Jaffa, where he continued at least during that month. Soon after his departure, Messrs. Fisk and Bird met with some trouble from the Turk ish authorities, which however terminated much better than could have been expect ed. The Catholicks had entered a charge against them, that they distributed books which were neither Mussulman, Jewish, nor Christian. This charge they of course found no difficulty in refuting;“ and after >'UHP iiinnlrlMnn tha nnrt nf which it would seem were answered satis factorily, they were set ut liberty from a brief arrest. “The next morning,” says Mr. Fisk, we re-commenced the sale of the Scriptures, and in four days sold 190 Testaments among the Armenian pilgrims for near 60 dollars. We trust that the things which happened to us have fallen out unto the furtherance of the Gospel.” Our readers will bear iu mind that it is emphatically true of the Missionaiies to Je rusalem, as it was of the Apostle of old, that they have gone thither “not knowing the things which shall befal them there.” One thing is certain, pretty severe trials of faith, patience aod zeal, can hardly come unexpectedly. Such trials entered into the estimate of the probable cost of this mission, made, before it was commenced, both by the Missionaries and the Board. And should modern Missionaries run no risks, when ancient Missionaries thought it their duty to risk every thing earthly? The obstacles io the way of doing good at Jerusalem, have, nevertheless, been hitherto not so great., and the present pros pects of usefulness in that city are quite as animating, as wa9 ever anticipated. Noth iug has occurred to discourage from increa sing efforts in behalf of that interesting portion of our sinful world; but much to stimulate to more united and fervent pray er among all who love Zion, in behalf of our brethren in Judea. Os the labours and situation of the Mis sionaries to Palestine, and especially those who have entered Jerusalem, the Rev. Mr. Jowett thus writes from Malta to the Corresponding Secretary, under date of May 3d. “Os the mode of their proceedings in their mission at Jerusalem, I can speak as an eye witness, and in a humble degree a partaker in their labours. Nothing could be more quiet, harmless, and unimpeacha bly correct, than their way of preaching the Gospel. They received into their houses all that came unto them ; but there was no crying or lifting up of their voices in the street, as if they meant to make a paity. On the contrary I think your Mis sionaries have an admirable way of avoid ing party-spirit, which they retire from, putting every man on his own conscience. I trust, therefore, that the good Shepherd will preserve them from the wolves by whom they are surrounded. Many has be preserved in that very city: the pages of Scripture abound with (be records of them. But if the old corse still hangs over that spot,—“ It cannot be that a prophet should perish oot of Jerusalem,” —and if our dear brethren should yet have more to suffer, you in America and many others will be praying for them, that they may have grace and courage boldly to follow the Captain of our salvatidn, who was made perfect in sufferings; who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; and [Price %3 50 per ann. who shed his blood in Jerusalem for the re* demption of the world. “ May your Society and your countrymen be roused by the calls from the East to a new ardour in the cause of missions; and stand up like the heart of one man, devot edly resolved to multiply all your past ex ertions ten fold, yea, ao hundred fold.” In a postscript dated March 16th, Mr. Goodell says, that the brethren at Jerusa lem were still in trouble. Through the agency of Mr. Abbott, the English Consul at Beyrout, be had procured a special doc* ument from the Pasha of Damascus, which he bad sent by express to Jerusalem, and which, it was hoped, would put ao end to the disturbances. Let prayers be offered con tinually, say 9 Mr. Goodell, that our brethren. “ may be delivered from those who do not be lieve in Judea.” Extracts from the Journal of Messrs. Goodell and Bird, American Missionaries to Jerusalem. Remarks on Popery. We are continually finding new and pain ful reasons for surprise at remarking how deep-laid is the popish system of delusion. The recollection of the peculiar ceremo nies of his church does not recur to a pa pist only at intervals of weeks. Everv time he passes a church be is taught to raise his hat iu revercuce to Christ, who, he is taught to believe, is bodily present within the doors. Every time he meets a little group of priests, going to visit the sick in tbeir last agonies, he must stop, make bare his head, aod kneel till they are past. He cannot take up a book without being called to R3k himself, what the Pope has commanded io regard to it. He is not rid of bis bondage in the retirement of bis domestick life. Even here he cannot seat himself at his table, but the bishop of Rome interferes to tell him what be mut .• aod wbat he must drink. The director and SigDor TANARUS., being io’ that we expected to goto Jerusalem, could hardly believe that it was our serious in tention. When we assured them that it was, they represented to us in glowipg co lours the wickedness of the inhabitants. We said to them that we had already heard much more of the abominations of that city than they had told us, and that it was on this very account we had resolved in the strength of the Lord to go there; that, if the cities of Judah had been filled with be nevolent, pious, devout persons, we shoqU] where the inhabitants were far from right eousness and heaven. They appeared per fectly amazed at (his; could not conceive it possible that aDy one should be actuated by such motives; aod were very certain that they should make some gam of us by bringing us back with them in the same vessel. A strong contrary wind anciently “ call ed Euroclydon ,” with a high sea. All of us are much distressed with sea-sickness. It is (he first Sabbath since we left our na tive country, on which we were unable to worship God in a publick manner. Today instead of being permitted to go up with glad hearts “ unto the altar of God with a multitude that keep holy day,” we find our selves “ exceedingly tossed with a tem pest,” and are compelled to lie down amidst dirt and vermin, hardly able to speak or to take the least care of ourselves; aod the lad we brought with us from Malta requir ing asMStence himself, instead of rendering it to others. “ Think upon os, O our God, for good.” 28. Wind more favourable. Our health and strength returning. By various con versations with the Captain, the Director, and Signor TANARUS., we find them to be men of more reading and intelligence than ordina ry ; aod are happy in finding them able to speak apparently very good Italian, and to give rules and reasons respecting it; and also io finding them so affable, aod so ready to converse oo the subject of religion. We were desired (his morning by Signor T. to read to him from the Scriptures,but the wea ther was too tempestuous. In the evening we read much to him, making observations on particular passages. Conversation with trie Supercargo. 30. This morning, said to Signor TANARUS., “ Suppose you were in great anxiety of mind, and desired to know in what manner you could be saved, would you rather con sult the Pope, or the Bible ?” Ans. The former. Q. On whose word would you rather depend, as it concerns the salvation of your soul, the word of the Pope, or the word of God ? A. On the word of the Pope, Q. Has not God undertaken to in form us oi every thing necessary for us to know on this subject; and is not his word sufficient to guide us ? A. God has reveal ed many things to the Pope, which are not to be found in the Bible; and there are many things in the Bible, which it is dan gerous and wicked to read. Q. Is it possi ble that a holy God should say any thing to us which it is wicked for os to hear, or should command us to do aoy thing wrong 1 He seemed unwilling to admit this conclu sion, but was still disposed to maintain that it was dangerous and wicked for any, ex cept those who are as wise as himswlf. to read the Bible. We tben conversed on the Pope’s supremacy and (be nature of mira cles. At last he lost his usual patience, and declared that it was wicked to converge op