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    corrupting doctrines , elsewhere they are on their guard against his temporal usurpations ; but the Italians have him on their neck , body and soul . It is a question of life and death there , and a question which would have been settled a great many years since , had the two parties been left face to face without extraneous interference . All revolution in Italy is twofold . So long as a foreign enemy tramples on that ill-fated nation , there will be a Pope in the world ; and no longer .

    The fate of the Court of Rome is inexorably involved in that of Austria . The short compromise between Pius IX . and the Italian patriots , in 1848 , was no exception . The veneration and gratitude of the Italians would even then have gone no farther than to offer Pius the Presidency of the National Diet ; but that was with the understanding that his power as a Sovereign was for ever at an end , and that the States of the Church should be thoroughly secularized . ...

    The Italian revolution , however unsuccessful , has not been altogether void of results . Italy has been trodden down , but not crushed . Public opinion has found an utterance that all Austria ' s might will never hush up . A vast division of the country , Piedmont , is still in the enjoyment of unlimited freedom of opinion . In Tuscany the press , however shackled and . racked , is not hopelessly gagged . Nay , in the very Lombardo-Venetian and their

    provinces , newspapers spring up daily , tone and spirit is something unlike what Austrian subjects were used to in the palmy days of Metternich . Italy wields still the sword of opinion , and it is easy to see against what breast its point will be aimed . With Austria , France , and all the other complication of foreign evils no words needs be wasted . There are no two ways of viewing the question . It is matter of sheer force - arguments and protests have no weight here .

    But the Pope ! that is nowadays the game for a high-spirited Italian . Whoever cannot be a soldier in Italy , becomes a theologian . The Pope will have to bear the brunt of all the war that Italy is in no condition to wage against her foreign oppressor . Pius IX . and his priesthood will be a kind of quintaine against which the young knights will try the temper of their weapons previous to fleshing them in the breast of worthier antagonists . We need no other evidence than our faith in the

    unalterable laws of human progress to assure us that a great moral and religious revolution is going on in Italy at the present moment . But if we needed further evidence , we would only have to look over the lists of recent publications at Turin , where the Vaudois preachers have familiarized themselves with the Italian language merely to enable themselves to establish their chapels throughout the Sardinian monarchy ; merely to lay before their Italian brethren the recital of all the persecution they and their fathers had to endure for conscience sake ; merely to put the tenets of the Church of Rome to the test of

    rational inquiry . We see translations of Archbishop Whatelys works at Turin , and Italian bibles , with or without commentaries , even at Milan . To attend the Grisons Protestant chapels has become matter of fashion at Florence : the youths at the Sienna University will sooner fight than confess : in short , it is impossible to say what the Italians will not do to spite the Pope . But now the question arises : Supposing the Italians by direct or indirect means to acquire the right of following the dictates of their consciences in religious matters , on what forms of creed and worship are they likely to become permanently settled ?

    Dr . Achilli is very confident about it : to the Latin or Roman , an Italian Catholic Church is to be subtttituted . The idea of this important revolution sprung up in Iuh mind at Viterbo and Rome , where he filled the office of Professor of Theology . In consequence of his opinions , he was , in sp ite of his distinguished talents and of the fuvour he enjoyed at the court of Gregory XVI ., thrown into

    the dungeons of the Inquisition , from which he was only released " for want of any definite charge being exhibited againut him . " This was in September , 1842 . Since that time an exile in Corfu , Zante , Malta , he pursued his scheme of an Italian Church in all those different localities , till the revolt of 1848-1849 enabled him to carry on hia scheme at Rome itself under the patronage of Mazzini ' s Government , lie tarried there after tho downfall of

    the republic , was arrested by the French in their capacity of Pupal sbirri , and by them " Buffered to escape '' after n few months' confinement in the Castle of St . An « relo .

    Dr . Achilli is an earnest , sincere writer . His Dealings with th& Inquisition is not something got up for the gratification of the saints at Exeter Hall , like so many other works published by other Italian " converts" before him , under such titles as My Confessions , My Revelations , &c . &c . Dr . Achilli writes * as he acted , from deep conviction . But he takes it for granted that his faith would be the faith of Italy , if the country were ever allowed the free choice of a religion ; and there we differ with him . An Italian reformer in the nineteenth

    century should set up no other cry than " Down with the Pope ! " Accidenti al Papa ! as the Roman Transteverini have it . The complication of any other question will only involve him in controversies in which he is not sure to come off a conqueror . Theology needs not to be abstruse or cavillous in Italy , tt takes no great subtilty of argument to sicken the Italians of their winking Madonnas , of the bubbling blood of their saints . Catholicism in Italy is something infinitely more clumsy , more abject , than even Cullen or Wiseman would attempt to introduce into this country . No being above the level of the commonest brute could ever

    submit to it , and the causes of this shocking degradation must not all be sought in the craft of the priest , as in the incorrigible proneness to grovelling superstition on the part of the people themselves . A people like the Italian , in its present abjection , cannot be dealt with with reason alone : appeal must be made to its passions , and that more thriving spirits , like Father Gavazzi , are doing ; . An Italian can be a patriot and yet a Christian , a Catholic , apostolic , Roman Christian . The

    demolition of the mere temporal power of the Pope can be safely attempted , and it were wise , we think , to limit the work of the Reformers to that object merely . We do not think there are two religious opinions in Italy ; there are only the illiterate , who believe all ; and the educated classes , who believe nothing . Both require great management . Real truth is sure to make its way in the end ; but we see no chance for any one who would force a readymade truth upon such discordant elements .

    Dr . Achilli is still wise enough to admit of latitude and compromise : — 41 The reformation that we advocate and preach , is not founded on novelty . We profess no other belief than what the Holy Scriptures distinctly and directly authorize ; and we repudiate all that in later ages has been added by men . Our worship , therefore , goes la « k to the practice " of primitive Christianity , pure , siihple , and spiritual ; adapted to the requirements and the devotion of the faithful ; not bound by laws to any particular form , but varying according to the necessities of times , plaeeB , and persons . Our 'loctrine is in agreement with the Bible , and our forms are similar to those of the

    lleformed Evangelical Church . The slight difference that may oxisf . between ourselves and the members of other reformed churches , does not prevent us from hailing them as brethren . Moreover , as we profess to derive our origin from no one particular founder , and render thanks to God for having through His grace enabled us to reform ourselves , we are willing to extend our sympathy towards all our Chiistian brethren , whatever may be their denomination . We even hope that our Church will be distinguished by a greater spirit of conciliation than is perhaps to be found in others . Each of us will be enrolled in the Evangelical Alliance , and will preacli the doctrines of union and concord ; faith , charity , and

    boo ( I works . " Whether we shall adopt the Episcopalian or the Presbyterian form of government , I cannot , yet say . To tell the truth , I am not at present greatly interested about the question , wince I consider it altogether a secondary one . It will greatly depend on the Bishops of the Latin Church in Italy . If they receive and promote our views , it i . s probable that they mny , like the Jiishops of England , be received by the general body of the Reformers ; otherwise ihry will be done away with , us is the case in . Scotland , Switzerland , and other countries ;

    we shall have pastors in their stead , and among them some will be appointed , as presidents , to offices «> f greater authority . I am inclined to believe that , the change of name will be sufficient to induce the reform . The word bishop is of Greek origin , and . would be better rendered by the word moderator , inspector , or superintendent ; which would at once get rid of the idle notion of the reformed bishops , respecting the apostolic succession , and all its presumed rights and privileges . I maintain the absolute necessity of a complete and thorough reform of what is degraded and nlmne < l . As to anything further I am for my own part indifferent about it . "

    Thin is , however , too much in the language of the evangelical ulliuucu . Dr . Achilli is willing to allow the ItalianH to build their church according to their own rules of architecture , tjo that it is grounded on the great corner-stone of tho Bible . But , in the first place , we do not believe that the majority of thinking Italians will have anything whatever to do with the Bible . In the second place will Dr . Achilli frankly tmlmcribeto any conclusion men have or may come to with the Bible ? Is he prepared to hail the ( JnitarianM , Universal ! stN , and the like n » " Inn Christian brethren . " Yet they ,

    too , have grounded their faith on the same rock ; and there are men amongst them as distinguished for heart-felt piety as for talents , learning , and high reasoning faculties . Though nothing is farther from our intention than to charge Dr . Achilli with worldly motives for his connection with Sir Culling Eardley , Exeterhall , and all that alliance , we must , nevertheless , regret that the connection exists , inasmuch as it binds him to certain tenets and principles which , unless we are greatly mistaken , will always render his

    mission suspicious in Italy . A reform in Italy must for a long time be a purely negative work—a work of destruction . Wage war against the temporal power of the Pope ; lay bare the gross corruption and debauchery of the higher priesthood ; expose all sham miracles , all juggleries and mummeries ; you will have all rational beings with you , and your reform will keep pace with the progress of education amongst the lower orders . The Italians , we feel convinced , will have nothing to do with a new church : either the old one was God's

    work or it was not : if it was , you have only to do away with the superstructure and you will find it safe and sound underneath , for every Divine thing must needs be eternal . Or even that was originally false or imperfect , and what security will you give us that Dr . Achilli and Sir Culling Eardley will not lead us astray for the future as the successors of the apostles have done for the past ? It is so that Italians will speak , and how will the reformers answer ? By a reference to reason ? But is the matter satisfactorily settled where reason is subject to no political fetters ? Can any revolution in

    Italy bring about a more thorough emancipation of thought than has been effected in France , in Belgium , in England , or the United States ? Ye hypocrites ! Avhy do you insist on seeing the mote in the eye of your Italian brothers , and are blind to the beam that is in your own eye ? You champions of the evangelical alliance , does reason yet prevail in Ireland , in England itself ? Can you walk a mile throughout London , or ride two out of it , without stumbling

    on the threshold of convents or nunneries ? Can all your tracts save us from Cullens and Wisemans , that we must needs lose a session of our Legislature , and keep up a Whig Ministry to defend us from Papal aggressions ? Have we not hundreds of thousands of Bibles in circulation ? Have we stinted you when you came round for subscriptions in behalf of new churches , chapels , and bishoprics ? Build up an Italian church , forsooth ! Tell us how we can help the Anglican Church from going to the dogs ?

    But we had almost lost sight of our Doctor . Dr . Achilli , then , is not satisfied with demolishing the Latin Church , but must needs substitute the Italian in its stead . With that view , he tells us he imported a great many thousands of Diodati ' s Italian Bibles and Testaments , which Sir Culling and his friends supplied . He even published an edition of his own of the latter work at Rome , the best part of which has now fallen into the Pope ' s clutches . During his eight years ' exile , the Doctor tried his hand at building churches in the Ionian Islands and at Malta ; he is now laying the foundation of a similar establishment in England . Of the churches of Corfu and Malta he gives us the following accounts-:

    —" My preaching in tho Italian Church , as I have already stated , began about eight years ago , and 1 havo been continually occupied in carrying it forward . From Corfu to Zante , and from thence to Malta , where , in the midst of opposition , not only from my enemies , but also from my weaker brethren , I established my church . " lie met with a terrible opposition on the part of some of his own countrymen ; but , nothing daunted , he removed to Malta itself , and there attempted to establish , not a church merely , but a college of missionaries ; " from which , " he says , " we might send forth our new preachers throughout Italy . This , however , did not take effect , for it is written : ' My ways are not your ways , nor arc your ways my ways . '"

    Full of the scheme of this college , Or . Achilli came to England in 1817 , held meeting in every town , and collected subscriptions . The saintH helped him to the best of their nbilitie . s , and it was precisely their aid that foiled him . On his return to Malta he called too ther a few runaway Italian priests , who , b y their quarrelH and calumnies , first defeated all his p lans , and then turned as open enemies against him : — " Five months of vexation , opposition , and annoyance succeeded Koosse himself , after having accomplished his mission , —th « college being destroyed , and myself compromised in the estimation of those who

    Untitled Article

    March 22 , 1851 . ] ^^ 0 % * && * ¥ * 273

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 22, 1851, page 273, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1875/page/13/