Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-08-03
The Confessional.

nave salQ nolnln9 oil the sceneS VI
temptation, that are necessarily associated
with the confessional. 1t is in the sphere
of every mans experience, that if he has
by any means discovered that hidden thing
the secret thing of woman's heart-ll
he has discovered her great secret, perhaps
a secret that nestled in her own brcst un-
known to all beside-a secret of her sin, ol
her crime, or her sinful tendencies aud her
unholy thoughts it is | say, in the sphere
of every mans experience, that the woman
whose secret be thus, he knows is In his
power. How he may be disposed TO use
his power is another question; but be knows
tha! woman is in his power, and iuH oil
ten he may, use, that power for the worst
aud basest of purposes. 1t is also IN the
sphere of any woman's experience, that Il
she has committed any crime against the
laws-any sin against mortality-she tries
to g1ard her secret in the depths Of hel
own heart and she feels that if she divulge
it to any man, or if any man has got pos
session of it, she is in bis power. She is no
longer her own mistress; she becomes bis
slave. Fear and suspicion Of his betraylng
her, places her for ever at his feet; she
cannot refuse him any demand. And it is
the same between man and man. Aud
this is the confessional; it places the secret
of every woman in the breast of the priest
she is thus in his power for every purpose
1t places the secret of every man in the
power Of the priest. She is from that mo
ment his slave. This is an objection to the
confessional, TO Fhicb, know of no salts
factory reply. 1t necessarily places bott
the priest and the penitent under circum
stances too trying for flesh and blooa.-
Priests may be priests, bRt Sti' the expert
eace Of rnank;al shows they are flesh and
blood like others. And sure l am, that
considering the nature of the communica
tions that pass--considering they go not tC
the actions, but 10 the secret thoughts and
concealed desires-all the most private per
sonal, mysterious feelings of our feshy ua
ture, sure | am, that God who desired US
to pray, that we be not led into temptation
never himself required us to rush into tha
worst of all scenes Of temptation-the Roman
Confessional.
And then, finally, I have said nothing o
that which interferes with all the most sa
cred sanctities of home, where the husband
and wife should live and love il the mos
perfect and mutual confidence. TherC
amidst our homes, and beside our hearts
sits the priest of the confessional. Tha
man bv means of confessional, knows more
of the wife's heart and thoughts and feel
ings, he has more Of her confidence, anC
knows more of her secrets than even hel
own husband. Whatever thought of gooc
or evil has place in her mird, whatever feel
ing of fondness, or of alterations OF love o.
of coldness, las found home in her hear
whatever desire of infdelity to her VOWS, Of
of FIRST love to her husband has laid hold o
her flesh, whatever it may be, it is knowr
to the confessor. All may be kept secre
and unknown from all others, cherished
secret and mystery within her scarcely
breathed TO herself and concealed ever
from her husband, all is revealed in the con
fessonal. Allis known, for it has beer
whispered in the ear of that confidant of an.
other sex, that most dangerous of all thing:
the unmarried confident of an noIher sex
the man of the confessional! There he
sits between the husband aud the wife
By day and by night he has more Of the
secret confidence, more Of the secrets, the
heart secrets of each, than is known to eacl
other. There he sits, sometimes the kind
ly adviser, and sometimes the lasciviou:
tempter. There he sits, a mysterious being
knowing the hear.-secrets of both, knowing
perhaps the secret iRidelity of both, and
thus having both in bis power, able to wield
them both TO his personal purpose. There
be sits, the living and continual representa-
tive of that scene, when in the garden o.
Eden, the man and woman lived and loved
together, and were holy when alone, but
one entered, and there was whispering with
the woman, and insidious questions were
put to her. and she fell! 1t was the type
of the confessional
Evenings NTH the Romanists.