. Young folks' history of Mexico. ^ Evey article of necessity and luxury wastaxed for the support of these useless incumbents ofcathedrals, churches, and convents. All these, besides thevoluntary contributions of the faithful, and the vast estateswrung from death-bed penitents, to escape the pains ofpurgatory, swelled the accumulations of the RomanCatholic Church in Mexico to an almost fabulous MEXICAN PRIESTS OF THE PAST. Sketch of Juarez. 477 In 1850 it was estimated that the property then held by theChurch amounted to a total of from one-half to two-thirdsthe entire wealth of the n
. Young folks' history of Mexico. ^ Evey article of necessity and luxury wastaxed for the support of these useless incumbents ofcathedrals, churches, and convents. All these, besides thevoluntary contributions of the faithful, and the vast estateswrung from death-bed penitents, to escape the pains ofpurgatory, swelled the accumulations of the RomanCatholic Church in Mexico to an almost fabulous MEXICAN PRIESTS OF THE PAST. Sketch of Juarez. 477 In 1850 it was estimated that the property then held by theChurch amounted to a total of from one-half to two-thirdsthe entire wealth of the nation ! Including the members of the various conventual estab-lishments, Dominicans, Franciscans, etc., there were, in1850, seven thousand ecclesiastics supported by the con-tributions of the people. The cathedrals — notably thoseof Mexico, Puebla, and Guadalajara, — were ablaze withgold and jewels, the spoils of centuries of oppression of asuperstitious people. Is it a wonder that these long-suffering people groanedloudly under their burdens ? Is it strange that, looking atthis great parasite settled upon their fair land, — sappingthe life-blood of their nation, fattening upon the toil ofthemselves and their children, — the Mexican peopleshould begin to inquire why it was permitted to exist ?For centuries past the Church had strangled inquiry intoits doings. By means of fire, and tortur
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Keywords: ., bookauthoroberfred, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookyear1883
