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every thing he says and does. Even when he breaks the bread, he is ordered to do it in sight of. the whole assembly. So averse are Protestants to all religious juggling and mysterious mummery...

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PROCESSIONS.

One of the most solemn ceremonies in the church of Rome, and that which is performed with the greatest pomp and pageantry, is, the procession of the sacrament on the day called Corpus Christi. That this ceremony has been introduced into the christian religion, in imitation of the heathens, Counsellor de Choul acknowledges in these words: "When the priests of the mother of the gods went in procession, making their supplications in the streets, they carried the idol of Jupiter, and laid him down from time to time at certain stages, where they had prepared altars or resting places. for the purpose, which is practised still in France, on the day of Corpus Christi.

Let any man who is acquainted with what is practised, on this occasion, in popish countries, viz. the numbers of priests assisting at the procession all clothed in white; the monstrous size of the shrine, upon which the host or wafer is supported, carried upon the shoulders of priests, the numbers of young women dressed in white, and marching at the head of the procession, the numbers of little boys dressed likewise in white, decked with flowers and armed with wings; the little lambs also led in the procession; the streets strewed with flowers; the houses on each side hung with the richest tapestry; the little chapels and altars provided at certain stations; the bands of music, and the several rounds and stations they perform before they

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return home, let such a man I say, compare all this with what the pagan writers tell us, of their processions, and he will find the one to be an exact copy of the other.

I shall omit the words of Virgil and Ovid who tell us of the host of the goddess Ceres, being carried in procession thrice round the corn-fields by priests and others, all dressed in white and attended with lighted flambeaux, &c, and shall content myself with what Apuleius says* in his description of the ceremony usually practised on the festival of the goddess Diana.

First he describes those who performed the prelude of the ceremony. "One," says he, says he, "was girded about with a belt and marched along with a military gait. Another with a cap and lance looked like a sportsman. Another was disguised in the habit of a damsel with his frizette, and silks and gilt clogs. One carried a sword and buckler as if he was just come out of a fencing school. Another looked like a magistrate with his fasces and purple. And another with his cloak and long beard, and pantoufles and staff looked like an old. philosopher. There I saw," says he, "a tame she bear dressed up like a girl and carried in a chair; an ape dressed with a hat and yellow robe, &c. These were followed by the procession, where the women, all dressed in white, marched first and strewed the ground with flowers. Then a great number of people with flambeaux, wax-candles and torches. Afterwards a band of music. Then a set of singing boys dressed in white and repeating hymns in praise of the goddess; next to them were the superiors and chief priests, who with their heads shaved, and dressed in white, carried the sacred relics of the gods. Those who came up next were likewise dressed in white and carried

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Metam. 1. 11. pag. 200. edit. plantin, 1587.

the altars. One carried the chest wherein the sacred mysteries of religion were locked up. Another carried the venerable effigy of the divinity; and then appeared the gods who condescend to walk upon human feet."

Polydore Virgil tells us that every street thro' which the procession passed, was hung with tapestry as is practised still among the christians; the same author tells us, that, in Italy, boys and girls are forbidden to look from their windows at the procession. This rule was first made by the pagans for which Verrius Flaccus gives the following reason. "When the plague raged at Rome the oracles declared it was because the people looked down upon the gods when they were carried in procession through the streets." This put the whole city in a consternation not understanding what the oracle meant, as the latin word despicio was equivocal and signified to despise as well as to look down upon. At last it happened that, on Diana's procession-day a little child looked down from an upper story, and repeated to his mother the order that the mysteries, which were carried in an open chariot, were disposed in. As soon as the senate was informed of it they ordered that all the places, through which the procession was to pass, should be veiled with tapestry. The ambiguity of the oracle being thus, cleared up, the plague immediately ceased, and the people were convinced that the sacred ceremonies were profaned by looking down upon the gods as they were carried in procession," It is from thence," says Polydore Virgil, "that the custom was borrowed of forbidding boys and girls to look from their windows at the procession."

Nothing can be more ludicrous than the theatrical disguises that are acted at processions in Spain

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and lialy. Like the old Satyrs and Fauns, that danced and capered at the bacchanals or processions of Bacchus, they go in masquerade and dance with lascivious postures to the music of fiddles, &c. They carry dogs and cats wrapped up in swaddling clothes from whose cries, joined to the music of instruments, results a most droll kind of symphony. Polydore Virgil, cited as before, speaks of these processions thus: "The old Romans and many other nations had many superstitious processions; and it is from them, without doubt, that we have borrowed the eustom. For at our processions the ceremony is opened by pageant streamers, by a party of cavaliers and lansquenets marching out in rank and file, or by some antie personages who raise terror and laughter at once. These are followed by several other scenical personages. The prophets make a part of the ceremony. One personates David, another represents Solomon, others, are arrayed in the disguise of queens. The singing boys armed with wings make up a part of the choir-."

All the processions of the church of Rome, as well those that are made on certain days of the year, viz. Corpus Christi, the Purification, PalmSunday, Rogation-Week, &c. as those that are made upon extraordinary occasions, as in time of pestilence, famine, war, &c. are so many imitations of paganism. There was nothing more comInon among the heathens than the processions they calledsupplications or rogations. On those occasions they carried the images and relics of their gods with great pomp and solemnity. Vehuntur in pompa Simulachra deorum says Macrobius. "Our priests" says Polydore Virgil,*" act in like manner.

* Satur, in Hebrew, signifies covered or disguised, and phanim signifies faces, i. e. visards and masks. Hence, such as wear visards and masks are called Satyrs and Fauns or Pans.

+ Lib. 6, c. 11.

We observe all these things; but I doubt whether what we do be as laudable as it is pompous. I am afraid, I say I am afraid that by so doing we honour the heathen gods more than we do Jesus Christ. For those gods require to be served with pomp and magnificence as Sallust says; but Jesus Christ hates nothing more than such ostentation as he shews by saying: "when thou prayest enter into the closet, and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy father," &c. What will become of us if we do contrary to his orders? At least, let what will happen us, it is certain we do not obey him."

As to the order of the parade in the ancient and modern processions it is exactly the same as may be seen in the description Counsellor du Choul gives us of one of the emperor Domitian's medals.

I remember says he,* to have seen one of those medals, on the reverse side of which was represented a procession of the old Romans wherein the young choiristers or singing boys marched first; then the priests vested in surplices, with the crown of their heads shaved, and carrying branches of laurels in their hands, afterwards the emperors in their purple robes &c."

The motives of the extraordinary processions of the church of Rome, are, as I observed before, some public calamity or other. Now to testify their devotion on these occasions they go barefooted, as the old heathens did, and sometimes wear ropes about their necks as is recorded of cardinal Borromues and several others." This is a sensible proof of your blindness and stupidity, says Tertullian to the heathens that, in the sultry heats of the summer, when the fruits of the earth are in danger of perishing for want of moisture, you call for rain to Jupiter by various kinds of sacrifices and superstitions. You order the people + Apolog. C. 40,

pag. 250.

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