The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-07-13

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See, for the extirpation Of error and her
esy, for the conversion OF all who have
strayed from the truth, and for the peace
and unity Of the Christian world. The
Indulgence Of the Jubilee may bc ap'
piled, by way OF suffrage, 10 those who
united to God by charity, have quilted
this world. Although the givingof alms
il not necessary condition for gaining
the Indulgence OF the Jubilee, yet VIZ
earnestly cxhort you, dear brethren, in
seeking pardon OF God, to bear in mind
the words of the Prophet Daniel (iy. 2i)
"Redcem thy sins with aims, and thy ini-
quitics with works Of mercy to the poor.
Ii is our wish that in all the Churches OF
our Diocese special box, or boxes,
marked Jubilee Aims he provided and
placed in some conspicuous place, and that
the amounts contributed be forwarded 10
us, for the benefit OF the orphan asylum.
We recommend to you the use Of the
"Manual of Instructions on the Jubilee"
as most appropriate book Of devotion.
And now, dear brethren, We deem il
proper, rs recommended by the Holy
Father, to Oiler yOu few words Of cx-
planatiOn regarding the nature Of lndul.
genccs, Of which Jubilee is the highest
form. The right understanding Of our
doctrine and practice ON this point will
remove many Of the very absurd notions
entertained by those who are not CathO.
lies, and will stimulate the children Of the
Church to have more frequent recourse To
the rich treasures within their reach.
An Indulgence is defined; "Thc re-
mission Of the temporal punishment
due to sin, after the guilt Of sin has
been remilted," So far, therefore, from
being the forgiveness Uf the sin itself,
as by some supposed, an Indulgence
can in nO ease bG gained until the stain
Of sin has already been erased from the
soul until the cry Vi the pcnitcnt
prophet, uttered in sorrow by the re-
pentant soul, has b,cn heard: "Wash
me vet more from my iniquity, and
cleanse me from my sin Whilst the
guilt Ui even one grirvors sin remains
uncilaccd, the poor sinful soul il liable
to both temporal aud eternal punish
mcnt, and can expect no relaxation Of
Gods Just severity. But ~ soon as the
guilt or stain Of mortal sin ha1 been
washed away from the soul, by the ap-
pliratiOn ui the blOUd Of Christ through
the means by Him appointed, then, too,
is the penalty Of eternal punishment re-
mittcd. For ut the same moment in
which mortal SIN is forgiven, Gud's grace
is poured into the soul aud soul that
is in the grace Of God, il liable Or anIcna-
BILE to everlasting punishment whiid she
continues in Cuts grace. But 1t does not
follow, that, when the guilt Of sin, with
it, eternal punishment, has been removed,
all temporal chastiscmrnts are also for
given. The Sacred Scriptures, both of
the Old and New Testament, teach the
contrary; and the Church uf Christ has
plainly shown, from the carlic'lagcs, that
She recognizes temporal punishment for
sin, even after the sin itself had been par
doncd by God. lie, therefore, who gains
an Indulgence, simply obtains the entire
0r partial remission Of the punishment
which he would otherwise have had tU
endure, in this world ur in Purgatory.
lIut the prcciunsncss 0f this favor can h.
fully estimated by those only, who have
been rast into that prison, from which
there H. nU escape till the last farthing
Ias been paid to the justice Of GOd.
But how is il that the Church can re-
init even this temporal punishment? Has
such power been conferred on her, out
side Of the sacramcnts
A simple explanation will he the best
answer to these questions. Tie Church
we'll knows aud clearly teaches that there
is no remission Of sin or its consequences
except through the merits uf Jesus Christ,
applied To our souls in the various ways
which lie has freely appointed. In holy
baptism the guilt Of sin and all iIs punish
mCnt, both temporal and eternal, are re-
mitted, excepting the pains of life com
mon to all men, and permitted by God for
very wise reasons. There il truly new
birth, giving To the baptized all the priv
ilcgcs Of child Of GOd and an heir Of
heaven. but when these privileges have
been unhappily forfeited by sin they are
not easily recovered in all their fnllness.
Hear what 81. Paul says on this point:
at IL impossible for those who were once
enlightened, have tasted also the heavenly
gift and were made partakcrs Of the Holy
Ghost ... and are fallen away, to be
rerlcrel again unto pcnanCe,' DC. (llebr.
Vi, 4. 3, g.
~ lenancr We gain indeed the forgive.
meas Of sin and escape hell but our Lord
has Justly reserved some penalty for our
lransgrcssiuns, which assume blaCker
dye when committed by those who,
through the sacrament Of regeneration,
have become children Of God. We must,
then, make some aioncmcnt for our in.
gratitude and wickcdncss; though all
our works Of lcnanCc must necessarily
derive their merit In the sight Of God
from the infinite satisfaCtiOns of Christ.
All our mcritOrious actions ARE in fact
only conditions established by Our Lord
for the application Of Ills own divine mer.
It's 10 our souls. For ~ lie, Of llis own free
will, purchased our redemption, 20 can
and does lie lay down such conditions as
lie peascs for our participation in the
fruits Of His redemption. Now lie
has ordained that after being, by Gods
mercy, justified through the Sacrament
Of pcnanrr, il shall I've Olir strict duty,
nj the same time that il il our blessed
privilege, To deserve, by our CO-Uper1-
tion with him in the fullilmcnt Of llis
prescribed conditions, not only recon.
j,cnse prOpOrtOnaic tO the good works
done in Ills holy grace, but also the
remission Of the temporal snilerings due
to our trnnsgrcssiOns. This last effect Of
good wOrks-their efficacy in rCinitting
temporal Chastiscmcnt for sin-may eX.
ccci in value before God the debt we
owe To llis Justice. " this God alone
can Judge lie alone can estimate their
value. But whatever ia not needed 10y
him who performs these mcritoriOus
works goes Ia make up common treas.
ury, placed nt the ChGrch's disposal for
the benefit Of her needy children. Hence
when, III virtue of nm Indulgence, the dc.
served punishment Is rclnIicl, tiOd al.
ways receives the satisfaction which lie
claims and which Ills Justice demands.
The debt due Ia him Il paid to iis full
amount ont Ui the treasury NJ merits laid
up in the Church.
We to not thereby lctogatc from the
aloncmCni Of Christ, hut rather enhance
il1 precious value, since our works "