The Vatican Council, Number Two [pp. 841-854]

T/ie Vatican Cot~,wii~ 85 f
simple manner, and to the satisfaction partition; and the loss of voice by`its
of all. The hall itself is, as we have passage aloft into the church is presaid, the north wing of the transept, vented by an awning overhead, stretchdivided from the rest of the churd~ ing entirely across the hall, and exby a partition wall, rising about one tending from the partition some
third of the way to the vaulted ceiling twenty-five feet forward.
above. Its dimensions are about two In a solemn session all this change
hundred feet in length by almost one disappears. The second partition and
hundred in breadth, and the ceiling the awning are taken away. The
is over one hundred and fifty feet prelates occupy their old places; the
high. Its southern end, toward the second altar is removed; the pope's
church, is square. The other end is throne is restored; and the services are
the semi-cfrcular apse of the transept. at the original altar. All is brought
This apse is occupied by an elevated back again for the next congregation.
platform, on which, in the middle, is A few hours suffice to put`it up or
the throne of the sovereign pontiff. take it away.
The cardinals are seated in lines on In the congregation of December
either side of him, and before them 28il~, after the voting had ended, and
are seated the patriarchs. All this the ballots had been sealed up as
occupies nearly one third of il~e ball. usual, to be afterward counted, the
For the other two thirds, lines of seats presiding cardinal announced that the
stretch down on either side, from the discussion on the first schcma, or
platfbn~ to the partition wall, giving draught, on matters of faith, would now
ample room for all the bishops. In commence, and that fourteen prelates
the middle, between these rows of had already given notice of their inseats, stretches an ample space down tention to speak. They would have
to the broad door. Toward the plat- precedence of all others, and would
form there are here and there in it be heard in their order of rank and
tables and seats for the secretaries, seniority. Seven spoke that day, all
notaries, and other officials. Nearer of course in Latin. First was Cardithe door stands the altar, and near by nal Rauscher, of Vienna. The second
the movable pulpit. The alteration of the number was the learned Archconsists in iliis: a second partition bishop of St. Louis. The seventh
wall, of light materials, is thrown was the eloquent Archbishop Conacross the hall, about one third of nolly, of Halifax. The discussion
the way from the door, cutting off was continued on the 29th, when, in
the altar and one half of the seats on addition to the seven who remained
either side. The prelates who occu- over from the day before, a second
pied these seats are now placed in list of ten additional speakers was another temporary seats in the middle nounced. On the 3d of January,
space and on the platform. As the the Bishop of Savannah spoke; and
Holy Father does not preside in the a third list of five more speakers was
congregations, his throne is removed, given in on the 4th. On the 8th,
and thus room is obtained in the apse still nine speakers in addition sent in
for another altar, at which the mass their names; all was closed at the
is celebrated. At its conclusion, the sitting of January iith. In all, thirtypresiding cardinals come forward and five speakers addressed the coundi
take their places in seats in front of Three others, who were to speak,
the altar. The pulpit stands oppo- stated that what they intended to say
site, against the middle of the new bad already been fully treated of by