much to do with that reformation. Would not that crowd have leaped on him, and sent him swift to Hades?
Around the uppermost balcony of the church are shields of green, with words in gold upon them. One whole side is appropriated to Mary directly; the rest possibly incidentally. Among her shields are those with these inscriptions: "Mater Creatoris," "Mater Salvatoris," "Virgo Potens," "Virgo Clemens" (Mother of the Creator, of the Saviour, Virgin Powerful, Merciful). The central and primal and ultimate idea of every motto is the Virgin. As if to refer all this to her, and give her at once divine honors, all the opposite side has such phrases as these: "Sedes Sapientiæ," "Causa Nostræ Lætitiæ," "Fœdaris Arca," "Janua Cœli," "Refugio Peccatorum," "Stella Matutina" (Seat of Wisdom, Cause of our Joy, Ark of Faith, Gate of Heaven, Refuge of Sinners, Morning Star).
These may refer to the Church herself, and not to Mary. But below, at an altar, she is called "Refugio Peccatorum," one of the very phrases found up here also. There is no hint that this is not intended. If so, then see how high a pitch of idolatry these priests and bishops have been guilty of, are guilty of to-day, in thus ascribing all the work of salvation to Mary. The people believe it is so, whether they have themselves a sense by which they can escape or not. The crowd have none. The Church is the Church of the Virgin; with her they rise or fall.
A little image of the Virgin and the Child was being carried to a village by a few of its men, to grace a feast there. We passed it on our way back. On their shoulders they bore it, in a white box closed on all sides but the front, set off with flowers. It was sheer idolatry. Leon's cathedral has its graven god and worshiped woman, and poor ragged wretches for an audience. When will it receive the true Gospel? Not without difficulty. They are very fanatical, these poor people. A German came here to preach, and they threatened him with a coat of tar and feathers, and he did not open his lips. They were the most reverential to the priests of any city I have been in. As I stood among the kneeling crowds of the
