The true Democrat., 1855-10-23

ral years in the General Assembly, and afte, quitting public life had occasion to pass through it on an election day. Stopping at public house, he met with some old acquaintances wel-meaning but uninformed men, who soon entered into conversation on the subject of the business of the day. "Ofcourse said, ;" my friend, addressing himself to one of them, "you all go for Major A. here-you used to support him, tooth and nail, in old times.' "Why, no sir answered the good man, i've are not so mighty much for him as we used to be-" "And how has that happened? what has occasioned such a change?' "Why haven't you heard, sr?- Why, they say he's turned a tsderaH' Turned a tederaln' exclaimed my friend" is it possible and pray what is .Jedaraln "I don't exactly know, sir. Che reoined) but I allow it aint a human.' Such, surely must be the conjecture which these querists entertain of the strange animal called a Catholic. If quite candid they will admit that the first time they saw one, they peeped in his .face for the horns which should decorate his brow, then turned their eyes down to examine his cloven foot and finally cast sly glance behind to get peep at the whlskery and pendulous ornament, which they had been ac- customed to regard as the appropriate append age of the imps of Satan. It cannot be expect ed, that should enter into detailed explana- ton of the Catholic tenets on the subject of confession. It is enough for me to say, that | it is the settled doctrine of the Catholic church that the pardon of sin Is not to be obtained but by faith, thorough and sincere repentance a firm purpose, by Gods help, not to sin again, resolution, where the crime has been nitrous to others to make complete recompence for the wrong, and an application of the merits of the Redeemer to the lsoul of the penitent. Con- fession is part of an ordinance, which Catholics believe to have been instituted by the Saviour, which they term the Sacrament of Penance, and in which is demanded from tho penitent, an outward profession of that contrition by which he is internally penetrated. All practi- cal Catholics, Popes, Prelates, and Priests, Elm perors, Kings, Nobles learned, unlearned, great and small, rich and poor who feel their con- sciences oppressed with sense of guilt, are re- quired humbly to accuse themselves of their offences, and to specify them. It is not enough that they shall confess that they have done the things that they ought not to have done, and left undone the things which they ought to have done, but they arc bound to admit themselves guilty in the sight of God, of hav- ing violated his command and of having omit. ted that duty. And no pardon is pronounced, promised, invoked, expected, or asked, but on the express condition of full repentance and future reformation. The enquiry is not here, whether this belief is orthodox, but whether this practice disqualifes them for the honest discharge of the duties of citizen Sir, my testimony may be of little avai but I owe it to the cause of truth, and 1 will therefore give it without hesitation. 1 have mingled intimately with christians of every denomination, but of all the religious observances with which 1 am acquainted. as pracdsed by any sect, none so effectually as this, compels examination, keeps down pride of heart. checks progress in crime or restrains irregularappette and passion. Voltaire, who hated the christian and above all the Catholic religion with intense hatred, has yet left on record his opinion that the wit of man had never devised and never could devise a happier security for human morals. Let those christians who reject the practice as one too humiliating to be borne, and who deny that it has su6icient for it's introduction into the church, calmly, resolutcly and conscientously oppose the Catholic faith by argument. But they ought not, and such of them as are in deed christians, will not, misrepresent or tra- duce it.