The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-21

without going further TO show what might be
brought forward as grounds for argument In favor
the % pscs Whs is meant ~ ne the
Council Of Trent has left US several plain PROPOSE
tons OF articles which may be said to be assem-
believe ana say each for himself, constantly
hold that there Is purgatory, and that the souls
faithful We believe therefore, in the existence OF
middle state, place wherein souls are detained
until the process Of purihcation is completed, all
vestiges OF sin erased and the soul made fit TO
appear before the throne Of God and enjoy the bless
ings Of that paradise into which, are repeatedly
ofpurgatory may be cassed with the doctrines OF the
unity OF God the immortality OF the soul and certain
other doctrines on which revelation has commented
but OF which mans intelligence has OWNED nothing.
Purgatory approves itself to the thinking mind.
Those who deny the existence OF purgatory, those
professors OF religions which, declaim against the
Catholic Church. by their assertions and In their
arguments show very insufficient idea OF the holi
ness and Justice OF Almighty God and the gradations
OF sin. The slightest venal stn must necessarily
bring about q certain amount OF separation between
the soul and God, but certainly not much as would
purgatory-speak OF SIN they make no distinction
between mortal and venia sins, and as any sin de-
files the soul and nothing defled can enter heaven,
only Of some slight venial sip must suffer the same
endless tortures Of hell those who are guilty Of
the most heinous mortal sins. GOD must in virtue
OF His perfection, make very great distinction
between mortal and venial SIN, while he sta nds
revOlted at mortal sin and DEGREES the soul guilty Of
decree
venal sin must be cleansed from the soul before the
soul can enter into that kingdom where all is pure.
TO say otherwise would be to preach blasphemy.
The general impression regarding Sin Is that 1t is
misf0rtune-a mania-and until we have a better
appreciation OF the magnitude OF sin We cannot have
proper appreciation OF purgatorv. The souls in
Lord-they have only been touched by His hand,
and the prayers Of the faithful on earth can tighten
that touch.
In regard to indulgences, we are each taught to
believe that the power OF granting indugences has
been left by Christ to his Church AID that their use
is most wholesome to Christian people, There are
intelligent people IN this latter portion OF the nine
teenth century wh0 despite all that has been said
that nave been taught all the books that have been
published, despite the accumulated means which
exist Of obtaining information on this subject, seem
seriously and deliberately to believe that we teach
that indulgences are permits to commit sin. Just
after have stated that sin is the greatest OF an
means, knew that every one Of You were to die to-
night by some sudden and terrible disaster
and that by the commission OF one little venial
sn-a little harness lie for instance, could
save you l must not do it; / should be
doing greater evil to avert the lesser. II
could save the people OF the United States from
death by pestlence; II could relieve all the souls in
purgat0ry; If could save the people OF the whole
world from falling into the depths OF hell by telling
simple lie, must not do it. must do no evil that
good may come. This Is the law OF the Church and
this Is what we teach Who Will tell US that any one
OF the teachers would 80 diverge from the teachings
OF the Church as to give permission to commit sin
have known educated men who believed that per-
missi on to commit sin could be bought beforehand.
Now person to gain an indulgence must be free
from mortal sin.
The reverend orator then told an anecdote Of y
traveller who went from England travelling over the
Continent to find out the evils OF POpery, and finding
in one Of the churches which he visited q table of
items with certain amounts Of money named after
each item in hls ignorance OF the language in which
the tablet was written actually jotted down in his
note book the statement that the list named certain
crimes for PERMISSION to commit which these prices
were asked. An inquiry revealed the fact that he
had copied the price list of chairs IN different parts
OF the church.
Explaining the nature Of indugences the speaker
said, "lndulgences are only remission by authority
OF the Church OF portion Of the temporal punish
ment due to sin. pienary indulgence Is a remis
sion OF the entire bodily punishment, and
this, we all know, is not easy to OBJ
portion OF the punishment. The whole doctrine
rests on charity which unites the Church militant
with the Church suffering, and which Is frequently
mentioned IN the eplstleS OF st. Paul. The conclu-
sion 10 be derived from firm belief III the exist
ence OF pnrgatory and the power OF the Church TO
grant and the efficacy or indulgences Is That we
should endeavor to gain by prayer an increased
devotion to the souls III purgatory They yearn Tor
our helps they now the Jolly OF their career on
EARTH their former sins and mperlections, and lon.
to be ransomed and obtain the reward which awaits
sight or God. The reverend orator closed his dis
course by hoping that the effect OF what he had been
saying would enter into the hearts or his hearers
and generate greater devotion to the souls N pur
gat0ry ana assuring them that II by their assistance
soul should be relieved the grateful PRAYER OF
that soul would be more esicaciUus than al the
prayers given ON earth.