A LOGICAL RESULT OF WORKS OF MERIT.
THE theory that our good works or service to God merit his favor, or because of them God owes us a blessing, is one of the cardinal doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. It meets a logical result in the following curious document, said to be in the public library of the city of Zacatecas, Mexico, and is vouched for by El Continente Americano, of the City of Mexico. In the year 1820, moved by a terrible drought that had visited the agricultural districts of the empire of Brazil, the chief alcalde of the town of Casthanas published the following decree:— I, the chief alcalde of Casthanas, in consideration of the fact that the Supreme Creator of all things has not comported himself in a becoming manner towards this province, and this town, seeing that during the whole of this past year there has not fallen one decent shower of rain, and as, in consequence, there has been a complete failure of the crops upon which the property of this State depends, I therefore decree and proclaim that:— Art. 1st. If within eight days from the issuing of this decree it shall not have rained abundantly, no one shall go to mass nor say prayers. Art. 2nd. If the drought shall then continue eight days longer, the churches and the chapels shall be burned, and misals, rosaries, and every other article of devotion destroyed. Art. 3rd. And lastly, if, during a third period of eight days, it shall not rain, all the clergy, etc., shall have their heads cut off. And in the meantime everyone is granted free and unrestrained permission to permit every class and kind of sin, in order that it may be seen what manner of people we are to deal with.