•PRO-^INCIAL COUNCILS. 



swers ; and a third, drawn up in a more familiar manner, for 

 the use of children. The whole was under the skilful direc- 

 tion of the archbishop Santo Toribio, who availed himself of 

 the aid of many learned men, then residing in Lima, more 

 particularly of that of father Juan De Acosta, of the order of 

 Jesuits, by whom the a6ls of the council were framed, and 

 who is considered as the author of the catechism in dialogues. 

 Finally, the council combined the views of the two preceding 

 ones, with whatever have been dictated by an experience of 

 thirty years, in such a way as to claim the public applause, 

 the royal approbation, and the confirmation of the holy apo- 

 stolic see. - 



Many were, notwithstanding, to be found who were greatly 

 exasperated at the censure fulminated, in the third a6t, against 

 every ecclesiastic engaged in commercial pursuits. It was, 

 indeed, a spe6lacle equally novel and pleasant, to see a con- 

 siderable number of priests repair to the council of the Indies, 

 and to Rome even, to pray that the excommunication pro- 

 nounced by the council of Lima should be taken off, at a 

 time when the decree of the council of Trent, which renewed 

 in the most rigorous manner the prohibitions and penalties 

 that have been constantly pronounced by the canons of the 

 church, at all times and in all countries, were in their great- 

 est vigour, and in full observance. The result was, that the 

 appellants failed in the obje6l of their solicitations, as well be- 

 fore the council, as at Rome, where the decree was confirmed 

 in all its particulars. The same thing occurred relatively to 

 the protests against another article, which excommunicated 

 the visitors who should conceal or mutilate the proceedings, 

 in the visitation to which the priests were subje6ted, to the 



end 



