Priestly cruelty in Spain appears to have derived this instrument from the invention of this kind by Nabis, tyrant of Sparta. See Hampton’s Polybius, vol. ii., p. 291. Mr. Pearsall remarks, “Perhaps, also, the merit of having invented the Virgin is due to the genius of Spain; and it is by no means impossible that it was thence transplanted into Germany during the reign of Charles V., who was monarch of both countries. According to M. de Pfeffel, (Abrégé de l’Histoire d’Allemagne, p. 414) there were great tumults in Germany during the years 1531 and 1532, and continual quarrels at Nuremberg, between the Protestants and Catholics. ‘In 1532 was published,’ says he, ‘the famous Criminal Code of the Empire, which was the most severe and the least observed in Europe.’ In 1533 the Iron Virgin was, according to the Chronicle cited by Siebenkees, constructed at Nuremberg.
“I cannot fix the time when this machine was first employed in Spain; but I was told by Mr. Gévay, a learned Hungarian in the Imperial Library at Vienna, that he had read of this machine in Spanish romance of the early part of the sixteenth century, which proves that it was known in Spain at the period in question. The author, also, of a French romance, published at Paris in 1828, and entitled ‘Cornelia Borogina,’ makes mention of it as Spanish, and this attributes it to the same epoch. Add to this, that it is an instrument much more congenial with the genius of the Spanish nation than with that of the Germans.
“Probably one might find in Spain other specimens of this machine; perhaps some may exist in Italy; for I have heard that at the close of 1814, there was something like it at Florence. But after having seen the engine in the possession of Baron Diedrich, one can no longer doubt that others of its species were employed as appendages to the ancient tribunals; and one is, therefore, obliged to regard the story of ‘The Kiss of the Virgin,’ not as a popular legend, but as history.”
Reflecting on popery, existing thus in Rome and other countries called Catholic, degrading all classes of the community in every nation, we cannot but consider it deserving the execration of mankind. It is a system of priestcraft grafted on the Gospel, a “mystery of iniquity,” utterly at variance with the first principles of humanity, as well as the letter and spirit of Christianity, as taught in the Scriptures. Its dreaded Inquisition, in all its various agencies, is regarded with the utmost abhorrence by the more intelligent people of Rome and of the other States of Italy. The Catholic priests, too, are hated generally, as the crafty oppressors of the laity; and, though this might be denied by the adherents of the Pope, the fact is notorious, from the late revolutions in Europe, and especially from the present condition of the Italian States, whose governments require to be severally supported by the military power of Austria, while Rome itself is occupied by a French army, as indispensable to the support of “the Most Holy Father,” against his beloved children, in his own city!
Intelligent persons, in all popish countries, regard the Romish priesthood with mingled contempt and dread. This is testified by every well-informed writer. As an evidence of this, it may be stated, that a merchant from Portugal, recently in London, being asked by an English merchant, freely, in his counting-house, whether he allowed his own parish priest familiarly to visit his family,—consisting chiefly of daughters,—replied, “No, indeed! on no account whatever would I suffer him to enter my house!” and, laying his hand upon the desk, he declared, with peculiar emphasis, “I would rather suffer this hand to be chopped off, than allow the priest to associate with my family!”
Priestly influence is reluctantly endured by the Catholics, though ignorant of pure Christianity, while sensible men groan under its oppressive intolerance. Hence, the intelligent author of “Rome in the Nineteenth Century,” referring to the jealousy and domination of the priests, remarks, concerning a Catholic friend, who had travelled in other countries, that he cherished the utmost repugnance regarding the established practice of Confession. But still he complied with the custom, for fear of the priests; arguing, “What can I do? If I neglect it, I am reprimanded by the parish priest; if I delay it, my name is posted up in the parish church; if I persist in my contumacy, the arm of the church will overtake me, and my rank and fortune only serve to make me more obnoxious to its power. If I choose to make myself a martyr to infidelity, as the saints of old did to religion, and to suffer the loss of property and personal rights, what is to become of my wife and family? The same ruin would overtake them, though they are Catholics: for I am obliged, not only to conceal my true belief, and profess what I despise, but I must bring up my children in their abominable idolatries and superstition; or, if I teach them the truth, make either hypocrites or beggars!”
Romanism, as will appear from these various facts, instead of promoting the pure and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ—by keeping the people in ignorance of the holy Scriptures, it impedes the advancement of true religion. And, while the intolerant jealousy of the priests disgusts the people, their whole system produces that infidelity which so fearfully prevails in all the states of Europe, to the hindrance and dishonour of pure Christianity. Our confidence is, however, that the whole system of popery will, in due time, be utterly destroyed, by “the brightness of the coming of Christ,” in the full light of the holy Scriptures!
J. Unwin, Gresham Steam Press, 31, Bucklersbury, London.
Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: