The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-07-20
COMMUNICATION.
MAGGIE BLACK Us. ''sOLTERo."
(tancTuded f,oD1 last

Concluded from last 1reel5.i
ABOUT PURGAToRY.
=, Q. Whist is the doctrine of the Church as to
TINS point? a. We constantly hold that there
Is Purgatory, andfthat the souls therein de-
tained are helped by the suffrage of the faith
Iui-that is, by the prayers and aims offered for
them, and particularly by the holy sacrifice of
the Mass. Q. What do you mean by Purgatory
in Gods grace, yet not without some lesser
stains, or guilt of punishment, which retards
ticular place where these souls suffer, or the
quality OF the torments which they endure, the
Church has decided nothing. Here we have a
few questions and answers from the Roman
catholic catechism concerning Purgatory. It
is then certainly true that the Papists do teach
ard believe the absurd and pernicious doctrine
of the existence of Purgatory. And they also
teach and believe that souls are detained in this
place, for they say it is place, only the Church
mas notidecided where it is. Buqunfortunately
for them (the Roman Catholics), the Scriptures
teach US nothing about such a place, and hence
if the Roman Catholic Church should hereafter
decide where PIirgatory is, it would amount TO
nothing, because the fact that there is a Purga-
tory has never yet been este tablished by either
or by reason. They assert that the souls there
in detained are helped by the sufrrages OF the
are called faithful by Papists, but will refrain
The suffrages are said to be ''the prayers and
aims Seped re t by Ms Them and b the the hGy
ing cannot effect the state of the dead. The
Bible teaches that after death mans destiny is
fixed, for veal or woe, forever. In Eccl. In,
TO- it is said, s'W hatsoever thy hand fiudeth to
do, do it with thy might; for there is no work
grave whittier thou goest." And how can aims
affect the dead? The aims consist of silver and
gold, or their equivalent. In this case man s
salvation would be procured by silver or gold,
or their equivalent and even in eternity, Peter
teaches, 1st, Peter l., Is: Our redemption is
not with corruptblc things, silver and gold,
but with the precious blood OF Christ, as of a
lamb without spot and without blemish." Acts
~. R: Jesus is the only name given under
heaven whereby we must be saved. Not by
aims souls saved. But what are alms?-
Charities given to the poor. But in the helping
of the souls in. Purgntory, they are given TO the
priests to say MaSS-a miserable way OF giving
aims, when the poor have no benefit from them.
ignorant and deluded people. The priests cof-
fers are filled by these aims, and neither the
living who give them nor the dead Tor whom
they are given are profted 10y them. But Mass
nowhere exists but in the teachings OF the Ro-
man Catholic Church, and in the darkened i'm
aginationS of her deceived members What is
the Mass? The Roman Catholic catechism
Grafton and obation of the body and blood Of
Christ, under the sacramental wells, or appear
ance of bread and wine; that the Mass was
instituted by Christ himself at his last sup
per and ordained that his apostles and their
successors should do the same" This cate
chisrn also teaches that lin the Mass there is
offered to God true, proper anu propltiat0ry
sacrifice for the living and the dead" The
saviour never instituted the Mass This doc
trine is not taught in the Bible, which IS my
catechism. But the Bible teaches me that the
doctrine concerning Mass is erroneous. Paul
says: Christ was offered once for the sins OF
the many" He will not be offered again. The
performances OF the Mass is really no sacrifice.
Did not such ebsurdities, imposed upon the
people, demand Il Reformation soch as was af
MAGGIR BLACK.