KELIGION. 235 



upon a time, Adam requested leave to revisit this -world ; 

 permission was granted, and an angel commissioned to 

 conduct liim. On wings of love the j^atriarch hastened to 

 his native earth ; but, so changed, so strange, all seemed 

 to him, that he nowhere felt at home, till he came to Port- 

 ugal. ' Ah, now,' exclaimed he, ' set me down ; every 

 thing here is just as I left it.' " Tlie sequel would have 

 been the same had the good angel taken him to Quito : 

 Adam would have had a longing to be set down there at 

 once. 



The religion of Quito is an intolei'ant Catholicism. 

 The city is crowded with churches and conventual edifices, 

 where, under the garb of religious sanctity, is hidden a 

 mass of corruption, whose influence is felt throughout 

 every grade of society. Daily mass, carnivals, and public 

 processions, constitute religion here. The fete-days are 

 legion, and often mi^t the images of the Virgin and saints 

 be borne through the streets. We witnessed one espe- 

 cially brilliant procession in honor of la Vtrgen Maria 

 del Mosario, the special patroness of the San Domingo 

 Church. The evening preceding the day for the ceremo- 

 nies, the f;x9ade and dome of the church were brilliantly 

 illuminated, and within, hundreds of wax-candles glistened 

 amid tinsel and drapery. About ten, upon the following 

 day, the plaza presented a gay appearance. From the 

 balconies hung flags, shawls, ponchos, and bed-quilts, of 

 every hue and size. x\mid the jingling of bells, and 

 crackling of fireworks, the procession issued from the 

 church, preceded by the images of the saints, borne upon 

 the shoulders of Indians, impressed for the occasion. 

 Following the monks were the high ofiicials of state, in- 

 cluding the President, the military bringing up the rear. 

 This subservience of the State to the Church is the curse 

 of Ecuador ; the present illiberal position of the govern- 

 ment toward Protestants being maintained through the 



