New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-18

was shown fragment of Noah s. Ark, some
SCOT from the furnace of the Hebrew chill.
dren, piece of wood from the cradle of
Christ, and nineteen thousand other relics
Here are specimens from the list of relics in
the grand cathedral of Milan: Four thorns
from the crown of Christ, piece of the
reed with which Christ was struck, a nail
with which he was crucifed, two teeth of
Elijah, the rod of Moses, etc.
If any further evidence was necessary to
prove the absolute apOstacy Of the Roman
Catholic Church, it may be seen in her I'M
scrupulous hypocrisy and disregard of
truth IN the matters of pretended miracles
and the granting of indulgences. An OPP
portunity for imposition was found in the
dark and superstitious ages of the past, and
catholicism was not slow to improve it.
Having affirmed and established by force of
numbers and secular power for centuries her
infiallibility, the way was opened to use any
Imposture cunning priests or unpPincipled
popes could devise Tradition was largely
resorted to, and many of the teachings of
popery have no other foundation than this
When Bible teachings failed to sustain any
truth, tradition could always be found to
give assent, especially when it was first put
IN shape by the brain of some bigoted papist.
The Catholic Church prrtends that many of
its doctrines are attested by miracles and
the more absurd the doctrine the more
numerous the so-called miracles to sustain
1t. Here is an example as to transubstantia-
ton. 1t is said "a number of clergy were
led away by the spirit of evil. and in answer
TO the prayer of Odo in $50, that they might
/, be convinced, the sacramental host in the
priests hands began to drop blood" The
King of Odessa sent an artist to take Dor
trait OF Jesus, but the artist failed, on ac-
count OF the perfectness of Christ's counte-
nance. Jesus seeing the mans embarrass-
ment wiped his face with towel, aud leav-
ing the imprint of his face on it handed it to
the artist. This divine work of art Law for
five hundred years in the niche of a wall
when it was removed and became the pal
ladlum of the nations safety, and
delivered the Edesseans from the
army of the Persians These are
and absurd The devil always apes the
truth when he can. Christ established his
authority by miracles. So it is not strange
that popery should resort to pretended
miracles to sustain her heresies.
Another wicked imposition is the grant
ing of indulgences and the announcement
of the existence and benefits of purgatory.
The creed says: r. .e
also affirm that the power of indulgence was
left by Christ in the Church, and that the use OF
them Is most wholesome TO Christian people.
And: .i.. H lr-
certainly. hold that there is purgatory, and
that the souls therein detained are helped by the
suhrages of the faithful. 1891
The theory of purgatory is, that after
death those not guilty of mortal sins are de-
tanned while and made to suffer, and that
they may be aided SO their time of suffering
will be shortened by the suffrages H. e.
money! of their friends on earth. The
theory Of indulgences is, that the merits of
Christ were more than enough to save the
world; and'that many saints done more than
enough good works than were necessary to
save them. And these two sources of super-
abundant merit give treasury of merits
never TO be exhausted. The kew to this
treasury is in the hands of the Pope. who,
Tor money or other special reasons, will
open 1t and transfer some of its benefits. In
the fifteenth century Clement VII. declared
it a doctrine of the Church that, for certain
sums of money, sins could be forgiven. The
Church was poor and needed money, and
the sale OF lndulgences was farmed out to
princes for SO much province Here
are some of the prices: For simony,
los. 3D.; for sacriiege, los. Cd:
taking false oath, 9s.; for burning a
neighbor's house, lbs. etc. The indulgences
applied to souls in purgatory, so that it
was said that, for a certain amount. those in
could be helped to Heaven. Indul-
gences are still granted by the Pope. In
September, 1863, a circular letter was read
in the churches of New York from the Pope,
asking the prayers of the faithful in behalf
of the late General Council, which THUS con-
cludes:
As prayers are more agreeable to God when they
ascend from soul purified from all stain he opens
with Apostolic hberality the celestial treasury of
indulgences plenary and remission of all sins to all
the faithful of both sexes who shall, between the
first of June and the close of tie Council visit GER
tain churches, lin New York, the Cathedral in Null
berry street: ST. Ann's in Eighth street and the
Nativity IN Second avenuel, or at least OF them
twice who, in addition to the accustomed fast of
the Bmber days, shall fast tor three DAYS even not
and confess their sins and receive
the Eucharist This indulgence is applicable TO the
souls in purSatory
Father Hecker, on returning from Rome.
by the authority of the Pope,
that all who would join certain society in
New York should " have plenary indui-
gence of all their sins, and 800 DAVIS indul-
gence for every work of Christian charity,
which indulgences may be transferred to
souls in purgatory" The Archbishop of
New Orleans has just returned from Rome,
and no doubt we shall soon hear of indul-
gences granted to the faithful of this city,
Words are unequal to the task Of expressing
the wickedness and blasphemy of this prac-
tice. 1t gives to man the power of forgiving
SIN, and by using this power for few pence
or the saying of a few prayers gives an al |
most free license to sin.
And now, to sum up what has been said, |
as proving that the Roman Catholic Church
is an apostate church
l. She has a hierarchy headed by the
Pope that has assumed to itself infallb;lity |
and universal spiritual rule. In the use Of |
that power it has perverted and added to |
the Holy Bible; has made the words of |
wicked councils, corrupt popes and manu-
tactured traditions equal to the Bible and |
that to more certainly control the conscience |
If the people, has refused the Bible to the |
masses.
2 She has multiplied the sacraments, |
md instead of making them simply visible |
signs of inward grace, she has made them |
contain the grace they signify, and that by |
he will of the priest that grace is enjoyed |
by the worshiper, even if he is guilty of |
ordinary sin-thus making salvation de- |
bend solely on works and the will of the |
PRIEST.
3. She has added dogmas and doctrines to
he Gospel, such as the veneration of i'm
'ges, relics and praying TO saints, which
cad certainly to idolatry.
a. She has pretended to work miracles to
anction her worst doctrines.
). To gain the more favor among the |
uperstitious and ignorant, she enlarged !
he Popes domain by adding purgatOry,
where souls not guilty of mortal sins can
lelp themselves and be helped by earthly
riends to heaven.
6. To enrich her Golfers and still further
o gain favor, she invented the system of
ndulgences, in which men assume to for
i've sins for money, and souls are enc0ur-
ged to sin by the easy way to escape from
A colOred man amused himself in Evans
lille, Indiana, the other day, by swinging
rom hook suspended in an ice house for
be hosting and lowering OF ice. Suddenly,