POPE PIUS IX. AND THE BAPTIST FARMER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 4, 17 May 1889, Page 7

POPE PIUS IX. AND THE BAPTIST FARMER.

An incident related (o me, said Archbishop Ryan the other day twenty -one years ago, by Mr. Cuphman, then the American consul at Rome, may be taken as a practical illustration of the effect of peisonal association in removing unfounded prejudices.

Mr. Cushman informed me, dining tny stay in Rome, that an Indiana farmer, of the Baptist persuasion, who had come to Rome with a letter of introduction t > hiraaelf and a request to bd presen'ea to the Hope, then Pius IX., was given an audience with hia Holiness. Mgr. Talbot, an English c ergyman. acted as int 'rpreier. The farmer hai apparently been strongly prejudiced, had heiri many hard things about Popes and Popery, and probably uvertained an idoi. as some parsons h*ve, that the Pope was Antichrist himself. When brought into each other's presence, thiß3 two honest men, tba Pope a&d his visitor, looked into each othei'd eyes, and by th&t influence of attraction which by some has been called magnetism understood each other and speedily c.ime to like each other. Ihe old Indiana farmer promptly said to Mgr. Talbot, '• I like that face," and then exclaimed, "Why, sir, if that old man was over in ludiana, I believe we would ail go to hear him preach." (Laughter.) Mgr Talbot communicated the compliment to bis HoUness, wbo seemed to be perfectly delighted with his gues . It appeared that the farmer's daughter, who was his companion, was ex remely desirous of seeing the Pope; hut as both were to take tleir departure for America on the followii g day, the possibility of her desire being graufltd was very remote. Betore retiring from the Papal presence, the farmer remarked to Mgr. Talbot: •' I believe that if that good old man knew that Jane was walking outside and that this is the only chance th<3 will ba\c 1 1' s-eoing him, he; would break Ml th<-! rules you have r.ert! and would permit my daughter to be admitted. ' Let me explain here that, unier tlu rules, ladies are admitted to the Papal prt sence on B|»cifi d days, and when dresde-d in v ceriain habit, the regulaaons requumg a black dress, black veil, etc. It wab an unheard-of innovation, except in a case of the Queen or other royal peisonage passing through Rome, lor a female to be* admitted to an audience on a day or in a dress other than is stale! In the legulatiors. Monsignor Talbot was amused at the proposition sug-

gested by the visitor, but the Pope having requested that the last remark of the American (in whom he seemed to be much interested) should be repeated to him, was informed of it by Mgr. Talbot.

His Holiness immediately replied :—" Our regulations here are not 'ike those of tbe Medes aud Persians — I want to see Jane, the dtugater." We can imagine the wonder of tbe Swiss Guard, and the surprise of the stately Monsignori and great chamberlains, arrayed in full dress, as they gracefully bowed, while tbe Indiana princess was ushered in (laughter). How muny cobweb prejudices were dashed away by that kind act, that touch of human nature on the part of, the Pope !

A year ago, during my visit to Borne, an American audience, numbering s.;me three hundred, was presented to tbe present Pontiff. About one- naif of the visitors were not Catholics, but the manner of his Holiness wns so gentle and tender that he won the hearts of all of them. If any of them had believed the stories they had heard about the Pope, they must have regarded him as tbe most amiable of Antichrists (laughter.) They came away, not Catholics, but Papists, in the sense of being devoted to the Pope.