Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-08-03
SsIstt WistsIIanp.
DENNIS AND THE PRIEST.

DENNIS AND THE PRIEST.
Good morning. Dennis.
Good morning, your reverence.
WHAT'S this they say Of you, Den
mis- am told you have been to
hear the preaching Of the soupers.
You have been told the truth, your
reverence.
And how could you dare to go and
listen to heretics ?
Please your reverence. God is not
hereto and it is the word Of God,
the Bible, that they read.
Ay. the Bible explained by minis
lister.
No. your reverence, the Bible ex.
planned by itself for when il is allow
ed to speak, it explains itself without
any assistance from any other quarter;
and in the very act Of reading it, we
allow it to speak.
But, after all, the minister breaches:
and he insists on your believing what
he breaches
No, your reverence the preacher
tells us not to believe on his word |;
but. when we go home. to take the
Bible. and examine whether il contra
diets or confirms what he has deliver
ed from the pulpit
But don't ycu see that this is mere
sham ; and that you, the common peo-
pie. cannot examine the Holy scrip.
lures, SO as tc judge wether they CON
firm or contradict what the preacher
says ?
AT that rate, your reverence, st.
Luke made fools of the common peo-
pie for the preacher pointed out to
us passage in the Bible which men,
tons that the Bereans compared the
preaching of the Apostle Paul with
the Holy Scriptures and. more than
that, st. Luke commends them for do
ing so. (Acts II: H.
Admirable, Master Dennis you are
quite doctor of divinity. You know
as much as a whole synod Of bishops.
Your decisions will be equal TO those
Of general council.
No, your reverence | make no
pretensions to Judge for other persons;
but ! take the liberty Of jndging for
myself. God inspired the Bible
read his inspired word, and that is all.
But you are not able TO understand
it.
The proof that can is, that really
understand it. understand very well
an almanac made by an ordinary man.
Why should | not understand the BIZ
bic. which has God for its author ? -
Cannot God express what he means as
well as mere mortal ? Besides, the
Bible, speaking Of itself, says that it
is "a light (Psal. li9. 1861
Dennis, you are obstinate and con-
ceited.
Your reverence, il he is an obsti-
nate man who never changes bis opin-
ion. it is you who are obstinate but
as for me, ! found myself in bad
road, and changed for a better, that is
all. l have never pretended to be in
fallible.
You are very conceited TO think that
you know so much more than others.
Others are notvery humble in thinF-
ing that they know more than God ;
but it is to God. and not to my fellow
men, that | hold myself responsible.
must tell you that If you go on
reasoning in this way, ! shall not ad-
nit you to confession.
| confess myself.
Not TO me, at all events.
No; but 10 God.
! To God I?
Yes: to God, who declares in the
Bible that 'if we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to fergive US our
SINS
The church will not marry you.
Twill get married elsewhere.
The church will not bury you.
shall not trouble myself about my
dead body, IL l save my soul.
You will be exconmunicsted.
No matter, / nm received by God.
No prayers will be offered for you.
Ishall pray for myself
No masses will be said for you TO
release you from purgatory.
They would be of no use for /
reckon on going TO paradise.
To paradise. do youg
Yes; to paradise.
How do yoa know that?
Why. thus: | read in the Bible
that the thief when hanging on the
cross at the right hand Of Jesus. after
having confessed his sins 10 Jesus
Christ, who Is God. said 10 him. Lord
remember me And Jesus said un-
10 him, Verify say unto thee. To.
day shalt thou be with me in para.
disc II, then, u penitent malefactor
could be pardoned by believing on Je.
sus Christ. cannot see why. II re-
pent. and trust in the same Saviour,
! may not equally obtain salvation T;
and the proof that my hope Is well
founded lies In what | have read In
the same blessed book, that God 30
loved the world, that he gave his on
| ly begotten Son, that whoSoeyer be-