Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-11-14
EBENsBURG, NOVEMBER IL 1856

G0nH0H0 H. "a
cent Of confession would become entirely 1s,e-
atorv. and there is 40 person who would Sc
wiling to disclose to q priest an occult sin
which could be made public and blacken his
fair fame. Such revelation, If perlnifled,
would he destructive Of the divine preceps of
confess;on. But Is re cannot suppose f6at
Christ. the Eternal Wisdom of the Eternal
Father, would pull down With one hand What
he erected with the other. and. as We CafIo-
lies believe ;;nstit.rtad eacramental confsaoion.
and for the purpose Of confession secxssr e
absolute3v necessary-sra conclude tllax iivio-
liable secresy is commanded By our LODI ID
the obligation Of secresy II It were tb1h 80
far foreetful of the solemn ohlie6*ions -
trncted st nv ordination a obliRafion not
arising simply from ecclesiastical. but fom =
divine law--not from man, but directly from
Gods to answer the question proposed.
shonld be forever degraded. rendered. infa-
nous in the eyes Of the Catholic Church,
shunned bv every Catholic. and / believe by
everv honorable man. mo matter how Gar his
rel; ,;oua on;nions and mine might differ:
Summed and rendered infamous as : sacreli-
c;ous wretch vho traanpled ON his most holy
and solemn obligation. and violated thesacred
lava of nature. Of his God. aad of man. I
vould be forever deposed from the sacred
ministry and where the coumon law forms
mart Of the civil Law. be condemned TO serpet-
nal ;mnr;sonment in a monseferv. there to re-
rent d,rr;no NV lifa the horrid crime Iwould
have committed. And what Is still more inn
nortant than all. I vould violate the d;cf.tes
cf NV conscience that stubhorn mentor
vboee voice would forever vhispef 70 nv eoul
hl.ck and dire sacrilece. / might endeayor
70 smotber its crv. bat an INV attempts would
only ada strength to it's terrible reproaehes
and warnings You have committed sacri-
lere Of the deepest dye-sacrilepe to be nm
;s6ed forever by the eternal vengeance of
inst and offended Deity. I have endeayored
thus to state INV reasons as clearly aud sim
plv as could for not answering the question
proposed. thank this honorable Court for
the kind and patient hearing which ii has ex-
I shall receive it with respect.
This statement was listened to with the ut
most attention. It evidently excited great
deal of astonishmcnt in the Court
The decision Of the Judge occun;ed coosid-
erable time In its delivery. and is. therefore.
too lono tx nresent in fuil T shall. II peces-
savv furnish : full verort of II. He decided
II ths j;rs. Mace that no foundation WAS laid
6cr tba ;,,t,ca,,cs;o,, ~ The st.t.,,.,s rf 80
wo,,.r .s = dv;n, aecl.-st;on and rev;ewed
The te.,;u,.,,,, ~ g. (,reu~sI md NJ Tas-
l;po which were the most pertinent to ths
no;nt to show that sense Of ;mnendipc diz-
solution or immed;ate death which eould con
st;tnte her declaration = diving declaration did
not exist. He. Therefore. ruled the preseuta-
ton of declaration. made under such cir
cumstances. Illegal. This rule necessarily
obyiated any necessity TO exact from Mr.. Tee
linz the tlecl.ratiop made to him at the co..
fessional. Yet since the point was argued
,.,,.,,,.,.<ss .s,ss~ = n -. -, Ell
th;. .,,,sst;o,, -sfsr~;s, :. Ja.;s;o .y ~. ~: );
49, Es>.s:-l ,,.'-s- :. s~.ss e .~1lA. - :.
s;,.;ls- .hs-scts- y. -sss-.sa :, 80 ...as
t-;.d In Encl.ra :, -h;.t ,s.l.-s.;<,,. ,s,.5s
~ c,tloi;cs ~ Protcst.,t ,,.;r;sts-s ,r.-s
held n ba ;o.dro;es;hlc tho,,s,h ,ha cla-.,,,s,
not rersrd;nc The confss.;on .s ssc~.enss1 ..x'
were 1ill;no t. d;aoIose .ll th.* ~.s corrr,
nicated to them. The confessions were re-
oarded az made in = nen;tent sn;r;t n n.
hone Of forgiyeness for the sims disclosed a and
hence sacred. though in the estimation Of the
clergyman, by NO means sacramental He
said he regarded any Infringement upon the
tenants of any religious denominations Is
violation of the fundamental law, which guar
antees perfect freedom to all classes in the
exercise of their religious duties, To en-
croach upon the confessional, which was well
understood to be regarded as a fundamental
ignore the Bill Of Rights. so far as It is appli-
cable to that church. In view of these cir
cumstances. as well as series of other con-
siderations connected with this subject. he
felt no hesitation IN ruling that priest enjoys
q privilege of exemption from revealing what
is communicated to him at the confessional.
- ,,,.-- - ere 80 S..:;~, . No. s,~s,Esse