The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-07-14


able cause for not complying with
them.
Besides good confession and com,
munion, those who live in the city OF
Wheeling will make one visit once
day for fifteen days to the Cathedral and
St. Alphonsus' Church; and those living
outside of Wheeling will visit there own
parish church once day for fifteen days,
But we grant to all the Reverend Clergy
power to reduce the number of these
visits. or to commute them into some
other good work, according to their
discretion. Children who nave not
made their First Communion, Will
approach the Sacrament Of Penance ana
make such number Of visits 10 Ine
Church as their confessors may prescripe1'
When making your visits to the cnurcii
YOU will pray for the prosperity oil Ine
Catholic Church and of the Apostollc
See, for the extirpation OF error ana heF-
straved from the truth, and for the peace
ond unitv Of the Christian world. The
Indulgence of the Jubilee may be APP
nIied by way OF suffrage, to those VINO,
ppnited TO God by charity, have Quilted
this world. Although the giving OF
aims is not a necessary condition for
@aining the Indulgence of the Jubilee,
Vet we earnestly exhOrt you, dear
brethren. in seeking pardon OF God, to
bnor in mind the words of the Prophet
Daniel (iv. 24): "Redecm thy sins with
aims and thy iniquitIes with works of
mercy TO the poor" 1t is our wish that
in all the churches OF our Diocese a
special box or boxes, marked "Jubilee
Aims" be provided and placed in some
conspicuous place, and the amounts con-
tributed be forwarded to us for the bene-
fit of the orphan asylum. We recon-
mend to you the use of the "Manual of
Instructions on the Jubilee" rs a most
appropriate book OF devotion.
And now, dear brethren, we deem 1t
prorer as recommended by the Holy
Father, to offer few words of eXpiana-
ton regarding the nature OF lndulgences
of which Jubilee is the heighest form.
The RIGHT understanding of our doctrine
and practice on this point will remove
many of the absurd notions entertained
by those who are not Catholics and Will
stimulate the child,en Of the Church to
have more frequent Recourse to the rich
treasures within their reach.
An Indulgence is defined: "Ihe re-
mission of the temporal punishment due
to sin, after the guilt of sin had been re-
nitted." So far, therefore, from being
the forgiveness of the sin itself, as by
some supposed, an Indulgence can in 10
case be gained until the stain Of sin has
already been erased from the souli-
until the cry of the penitcnt prophet, ut
tered in sorrow by the repentant soul,
has been heard: "Wash me yet more
from nv iniquIty, and clense me from
nv sim Whilst the guilt Of even one
crcvious sin remains unctiaced, the poor
sinful soul is liable to both temporal and
eternal punishment, and can expect 10
relaxation of Gods Just severity. But as
soon us the guilt or stain OF mortal SIN
has been washed away from the soul, by
the application OF the blood OF Christ
through the means by Him appointed,
then is the penalty OF eternal punish
ment RENTED. For at the same moment
in winch mortal sin is forgiven, God ;
grace is poured into the SOUL and no
soul that Is in the grace OF God, Is liable
or amenable to everlasting punishment
,chilst size continues IN COTS grace. But
it does not follow that, when the guilt
of sin, with Its eternal punishment, has
been removed, all temporal chastlsements
are also forgiven. The Sacred Scriptures,
both o! the Old and New Testament, teach
to the contrary; and the Church of
Christ has plainly shown from its earl
lest ages, that she recognizes temporal
punishment for sin. even after the sin IT.
self has been pardoned by God. He,
therefore, who gains an Indulgence,
simply obtains the entire or partial re-
mission of the punishment which he
would otherwise have had to endure, in
this world or in Purgatory. But the
preciousness of this favor can be fully
estimated by those only, who have been
cast into that prison, from which there
is no escape till the last farthing has
been pad to the justice OF God.
But how is il that the Church can re-
NIT even this temporal punishment!
Has such power been conferred on her.
outside of the Sucraments?
A simple explanation will be the best
answer to these questions. The Church
well knows and clearly teaches that there
is no remission Of sin or its consequences
except through the merits OF Jesus Christ,
applied to our souls in the various ways
which He has freely appointed. In holy
baptism the guilt of SIN and all its punish
mcnt, both temporal and eternal, are re-
United, excepting the pains OF life COM
mon to Nil men, and permitted by God
for very wise reasons. There is trul y II
new birth, giving to the baptlsed all the
privileges OF a child of God and an heir to
heaven. But when these privileges have
been unhappiIy forfeited by sin they are
not easily recovered in ali their tulIness.
Hear " hat St. Paul says on this point
at islmpoSsible for those who were once
enlightened, have tasted all the heavenly
gift and were made parlakers Ofthc Holy
Ghost and are fallen away, to be
re',c,ccd Ggam unto penancc,' &c. HEIR.
Vi, 4, ). 81
BY penunce we gain indeed the for
givcness of sin and escape he'll; but our
Lord has justly reserved some penalty
for our transgressions, which assume n
blacker dye when committed by those
who, through the sacrament Of reSenera-
ton, have become children of God. We
must. then, make some atonement for
our ingratitude and wickedness; though
all our works of penance must necessarily
derive their merit in the sight OF God
from the infinite satistactions Of Christ
All our mcritorious actions are in fact
only conditions established by our Lord
for the application of HIS own divine
mercies to our sous. For as He, OF His
own free will, purchased our redemption,
so can and does He lay down such con
ditions rs lie pleases for our participation
in the fruits of HIS redemption. Now
He has ordained that after being, by
Gods mercy justified through the Sac
rament Of Pcnance, it shall be our strict
duty, at the same time that it is our