I Said Repeatedly
That The Pope, Whom They Revered, Was An Arch Deceiver, And The
Head Minister Of Satan Here
On earth, and that the monks and
friars, whose absence they so deplored, and to whom they had been
accustomed
To confess themselves, were his subordinate agents.
When called upon for proofs, I invariably cited the ignorance of my
auditors respecting the Scriptures, and said that if their
spiritual guides had been really ministers of Christ, they would
not have permitted their flocks to remain unacquainted with His
Word.
Since this occurred, I have been frequently surprised that I
experienced no insult and ill-treatment from the people, whose
superstitions I was thus attacking; but I really experienced none,
and am inclined to believe that the utter fearlessness which I
displayed, trusting in the Protection of the Almighty, may have
been the cause. When threatened by danger, the best policy is to
fix your eye steadily upon it, and it will in general vanish like
the morning mist before the sun; whereas, if you quail before it,
it is sure to become more imminent. I have fervent hope that the
words of my mouth sank deep into the hearts of some of my auditors,
as I observed many of them depart musing and pensive. I
occasionally distributed tracts amongst them; for although they
themselves were unable to turn them to much account, I thought that
by their means they might become of service at some future time,
and fall into the hands of others, to whom they might be of eternal
interest. Many a book which is abandoned to the waters is wafted
to some remote shore, and there proves a blessing and a comfort to
millions, who are ignorant from whence it came.
The next day, which was Friday, I called at the house of my friend
Don Geronimo Azveto. I did not find him there, but was directed to
the see, or episcopal palace, in an apartment of which I found him,
writing, with another gentleman, to whom he introduced me; it was
the governor of Evora, who welcomed me with every mark of kindness
and affability. After some discourse, we went out together to
examine an ancient edifice, which was reported to have served, in
bygone times, as a temple to Diana. Part of it was evidently of
Roman architecture, for there was no mistaking the beautiful light
pillars which supported a dome, under which the sacrifices to the
most captivating and poetical divinity of the heathen theocracy had
probably been made; but the original space between the pillars had
been filled up with rubbish of a modern date, and the rest of the
building was apparently of the architecture of the latter end of
the Middle Ages. It was situated at one end of the building which
had once been the seat of the Inquisition, and had served, before
the erection of the present see, as the residence of the bishop.
Within the see, where the governor now resides, is a superb
library, occupying an immense vaulted room, like the aisle of a
cathedral, and in a side apartment is a collection of paintings by
Portuguese artists, chiefly portraits, amongst which is that of Don
Sebastian.
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