We utter words of truth when we sing :

'The love of God is broader

Than the measure of man's mind,
And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind.'

Our trust is in the instrumentality of Holy Scripture for the regeneration of the world. The return to the teaching of the Word of God it was which gave to Protestantism a living energy surpassing that of all other communions, and secured for Protestant nations and communities the foremost rank in the world's progress. Wherever Protestantism has become tainted with Romanism this vital energy is seen lessened. But the day of God is dawning, the powers of evil are waxing faint.

'Far and near, though all unknowing,

Pants for Thee each mortal breast;
Human tears for Thee are flowing,

Human hearts in Thee would rest.
Saviour, lo! the isles are waiting,

Stretched the hand and strained the sight,

For Thy Spirit's new creating,

Love's pure flame, and Wisdom's light.'

XXII

ONE OF THE LATEST MIRACLES' OF NEW POMPEI

WE

E propose to give an outline of a recent and very notorious case lately dealt with in the Italian courts of law a case which sheds a rather sinister light on the ways of both Church and city life in that New Pompei which is held up as an object-lesson in the reconstruction of society. Only through cases like this does the public obtain a real insight into the ways and working of ambitious devotees and wily ecclesiastics.

The case of Filomena Sposato, self-styled Marchesa Raimondo-Venezia, has presented only too vivid a picture of the private doings of the Dominican monks-not the Dominicans of New Pompei, but of Rome and Florence.

Filomena Sposato, after a rather lengthy absence, returned to her home in New Pompei a year or two ago. The Sposato family comprises Filomena's mother; her eldest brother, a priest engaged in the service of the Sanctuary; a second brother, employed in the Post-Office; a third, engaged in some business near Naples; and the illustrious Filomena herself. She found the atmosphere of New Pompei very congenial, and not less the society of the priests vowed to the work of the Sanctuary.

Filomena assumed all the airs of a great lady, but was noted to be rather too lavish of smiles and gracious looks; her manners hardly comported with the austere sanctity of the Madonna of New Pompei. Yet she managed to gain the goodwill of all, telling wonders of her wide experience in travel, vaunting her intimate relations with persons of high standing

in the clerical society of Rome, and announcing that she was on the point of establishing her claim to a large inheritance as niece of Cardinal Rampolla.

She posed as a person of great refinement and of high education, and affected the niceties of Tuscan pronunciation, though her native Apulian accent was still a little unmanageable. Unhappily for her exalted pretensions, it shortly became plain that she was affected with a painful, perhaps a fatal, malady—a foul disease had attacked her spine. The public prints gave a harrowing description of her pitiable condition. The terrible disease had robbed her flesh of its firmness, her cheeks of their roses; she was the mere shadow of her former self. . . . Only her dark, dark eyes retained their witchery; but their gaze was that of a dreamer, and seemed to forebode hysteria.'

Her medical attendant, who was unremitting in his visits, was Dr. Consiglio, of the neighbouring commune of Scafati.

Death seemed fast approaching. Filomena asked for and received the last Sacraments, and declared herself resigned to her fate. She seemed to be struggling in the last agony, and the news of her decease was daily looked for, when suddenly she appeared openly in the town, flushed and glowing with what seemed religious exaltation, apparently quite regenerated and transfigured. At every street corner she loudly proclaimed to the many who collected about her 'that the Holy Virgin of the Rosary, and her own patron Saint, Sta. Filomena di Mugnano, had raised her from her bed of sickness and restored her to health, in answer to the fervent supplications and vows which she had addressed to them in her extremity.'

She told her wondrous tale with the most touching, trueseeming earnestness. The miracle was highly applauded by the listening crowds, who praised and glorified the heavenly helper for having deigned to bow down to a sinful woman, that she might repent and live.

At this time a family of the name of Belingieri, from

Cotrone, was visiting New Pompei. The Belingieri were one of the richest and noblest families of Calabria, a branch of the Barons Belingieri, who have vast possessions in Calabria, on the Ionian coast, and in the great plains of the ancient Eraclea and Metaponto.

The ladies of this family heard of Filomena's story, and were deeply impressed. They sent for the heroine, wishing to hear her own account of the miracle. She told the tale with a charming simplicity; her eyes swam in tears, her voice trembled, all her being seemed to thrill as she gave utterance to her passionate gratitude for the heavenly blessings vouchsafed to her.

'The Madonna,' she said, 'appeared to me at midnight— the ceiling of the room seemed to split to give her passage— she commanded me to leave my bed. "Rise," she said; "I do not wish thee to die.",

The Baroness seemed quite hypnotized as she listened to Filomena, who possesses an insinuating, almost irresistible. charm of discourse, and who went on to suggest that the room where the vision had appeared to her ought to be bought and set apart as holy (at her own expense), and an altar raised on the very spot where she had seen the Madonna standing after her descent through the roof. And such an altar was really set up, and solemnly consecrated by the Bishop, Monsignor Trotter, according to the report in the newspapers.

This miracle was blazoned abroad through the whole Roman Catholic world. It proved an excellent passport for La Sposato, who now gained what had hitherto been denied her-the entrée of the highest clerical circles of Rome. Having gained this end, she planned further exploits. The Naples Mattino says that the miracle was 'principally profitable to certain monks, Filomena's friends.'

Amongst these friends were two Dominicans officiating in the Sanctuary-Padre Cenani, a Florentine, and Padre Azzopardi, a Maltese. They praised her religious fervour with an enthusiasm that seemed almost excessive. Filomena had

i

thought it best to side with the Dominicans in their contest with Signor Longo, and had said much evil of the poor founder of the Sanctuary.

It seems, however, that Azzopardi, finding his close friendship with Filomena made a subject of unpleasant remark, has gone off to Malta, and Padre Cenani has also thought it well to disappear. It was said that his lady penitent kept him busied with her spiritual affairs rather too long and too late.

Says the Mattino: Signor Bianchi, the Delegato of Scafati, was apprised of "irregularities" connected with Filomena and her ghostly counsellors. A full and detailed report was sent by the Delegato to the Prætor at Angri, and by him referred to the Prefect of Salerno and Procuratore del Re.'

The great influence of the Dominican Order was, however, brought to bear on the case; and the removal of Azzopardi to Malta and of Cenani to his convent of St. Miniato at Florence put a quiet and timely end to the scandal that seemed imminent.

La Sposato, deprived of the aid of her banished friends, still found her favour with the Madonna profitable, and induced various persons of the city to advance her the sums of money she needed.

6

A certain shadow of doubt, however, fell on her story of the miracle vouchsafed to her. The Dominicans in charge of the Sanctuary naturally wished to have the wonder properly authenticated, and applied to Filomena's physician, Dr. Consiglio, for the certificate that the recovery of his patient was a patent miracle. But the doctor, being honest and independent, refused their request. On all grounds of scientific evidence,' said he, 'what you ask is simply absurd.' The parish priest, the Rev. Gennaro Federico, expressed the same opinion. After these painful events Filomena found the little world of New Pompei too narrow, and took flight to the strange priestly and monkish world of Rome, and also visited Florence, equally interesting to one of her

views.

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