Show degrading superstition the follo following lg scene is described in a recent letter from rome romel by one of the correspondents of the N Y observer ebne one evening during the latter part of lent I 1 witnessed though in the tha darkness I 1 did not see leej ond one of the most curious exhibitions 1 of popery tit that I 1 lie lle have ever heard of I 1 coul could d aca scarcely reely have believed that such bi a scene would occur had I 1 not beeh hen ben present hearing that in a one of the churches near the centre e of the city a seif self flagellation look yook took tooh place every ev evening e ning I 1 went one ona afternoon just before darl darle iut rut lut put found the church filled with females allot and was vils told by the sacristan that the tile I 1 flagellation of the n men len ien would take place the next night niba accordingly I 1 went at the appointed time the church was nearly dark only four or five fire small candles candies being lighted at the high hirah altar it was war difficult even to see free lle lue forms of if those who entered and took their stations in diff lerent different parts of the building presently two priests came out froin from the tiie suc sue sacristy risty a and ud commenced a mournful ser set service v ice in the fhe lle ile lie congregation joined and which wb ich had llad the most dolorous effect while this was in progress a priest passed around the church distributing the lashes to be used by the peni tents at leneth three loud raps were given on the door leading to the vestibule when it was suddenly closed and fastened th the e lights were removed and the most perfect barkness car kness 8 ensued d painful i r nral to the eye it was a akness that cou con could ya be felt presently some one the high nil all altar r commenced in a musical voice the tones of wl which ilch lich were modulated to give rive it effect a discourse di course upon the sufferings of christ his manner was at first perfectly impassioned unimpassioned 1 and his words were measured with the precision and uttered with the tile beauty of poetry it was altogether the most musical italian man to which I 1 have ever listened ile he became more animated until at a certain point the whole conc congregation rT elation commenced 1 g themselves the the lashing nearly nai nar ly drowned every other sound bli bit baij a dolorous chan chao tUva comnien ced ped ed and ild old responded to by dhosi those who were veto engaged in the making the ono DUO of the tile I 1 ir most ost singular character llene fiene time lime elapsed i a bbb bill was ws roli roii fot afi sort ot or penance pel pei lance to cf ceasr cease abw but it i is F some 01 ne mii mYo utes before bedre the summons wis w is by ail all the s wera were brought hack back the i ws is opened and the tile cere 1 mon y wis wig over oie opo ole after is nother those who bai hai lal ial t aken taken part in u kt t and wilo were not biot p priests i i but ordinary citizens citizen retired red pra pro probably bibly kiwy supposing that they had atoned for or added greatly to their virtue by th this 1 8 a act ct 0 of vill will worship I 1 as if god could be je appeased with such each service i t a i ri r there was no attempt at concealment arid and any one that chose could euter outer iha tha church before the signal was given for fastening tile door I 1 was J careful to secure a place plase on a platform at a convenient destat dis distarce larce ce from tile tiie lashes of or tha multitud multi multitude and from froin this point ili III the bathe most abject darkness that I 1 everio fo have I 1 felt I 1 contemplated co antem plated the thee feene wh will the garms earns feeling feelings with which 1 I should regard th self seif li ia of the devotees of lle ile he lie forns of df heathenism which prevail at the pres preb hint fent av or of those in t th 16 time of elijah eiljah who crieda aloud and cut themselves after thur thyr manner with mith knives koves ana aua lancets lancers lanc ets till the blood gushed gushe dout ont out uron upon them |