The New York herald., 1875-09-20
ST. CECILIAS ROMAN CATHOLIC)
CHURCH.

THE CONFESSIONAL AND POWER OF FoRGIvING
sIN-sERMoN BY REV. DIR. HUGH FIATTERY.
Large congregations attended the morning services
at ST. Cecilias Roman Cathoc) church. at the corner
f105th and Second avenue, of which the Rev.
DR.. Flattery is pastor. High celebrated at
halfpast ten O'Clock. The choir Of this church is
among the best in the city. The selections yesterday
were peculiarly appropriate Miss Louisa Denison is
the soprano, and the other leading members of the
choir are Miss Teresa Atkinson contralto; Mr. Edward
Atkinson, tenor; Mr.. David Kennedy, baritone, and
Mr.. Frank J. Mora, organist
Toward the close of the Rev. Father Flattery
delivered eloquent sermon. He preceded his dis
by calling to fair soon to open for the
benefit Of the church. which still remains con-
sderably in debt His text was from Matthew ix-
''And Jesus, seeing their faith said the man sick
Of the palsy: Be OF good heart son, thy sins are for
given thee. And behold of the scrbes said within
themselves, he basphemeth and Jesus, seeing their
thoughts, said, Why do you think evil In your
heartsS Whether is il easier to say thy sins are for
given thee; or to say, Arise and walk; But that you
may know that the Son of Man hath power earth to
forgive sins, he said to the man sick of the palsy
Arise, take up thy bed and go into thy house, and he
arose and went into his house"
The principal points Of Father FIattery's remarks
were follows:-hiracles wrought in spiritual SUBJ
stance Of character inestimably more excellent
than thUse performed In mans material nature and
therefore, worthy of the divine omnipotence
But for the very reason that they ofter they
less accessible TO human sense which for ang
BILE evidence Man more promptly believes what he
touches than what he hears related let the re-
lators authority be ever indsputabe Thus eleven
apostles could not make Thomas believe what one
touch of his finger made him fall down and adore.
Hence the Master,
MINDFUL oP HUMAN INFrRMIrY
vouchsafed TO present his visible credentials proves
the greater work by the lesser and by wpng away the
corporea oathsomeness of eprosy his supreme
dominion over the invisible career of sin Having thus
vndicated to Himself 'all power in heaven and upon
earth, He most bountfully delegates IL unrestricted
few lowly fishermen and to their in I'M
broken continuity TO the end of the world. But it is
impossible for men, matter how high their authority
to forgive sin unless they know it to and hence
the necessity of confession II is among the best mis-
understood and perhaps the very best abused of all the
usages of the Christian religion. Confession is as
old as the world-it is coeyal with the human race
The first contessor was Cod the first penitent was
Adam and the first confessional the Garden of
Eden. "Lord, heard thy voice in Paradise and
feared because was naked" That scene is daily re-
produced in every household Look at the enraged
father disconsolate and unappeasabe because of his
beautiful and valuable watch now shattered in frag-
ments all the carpet Look at that incensed
mother, mourning the loss OF her cherished CHINA
wedding present too-now dashed in pieces by that in
by all this unwonted uproar has in the words ofGeness
"had his eyes opened and coming forth from his hiding
place. like Adam from under the trees of Paradise he
tremblingly and tearfully explains, Papa 1t me
That is but the refrain of the primitive jeremad
chanted by Adam IN Paradise. The 1rate parents
subdued, and this candid open confession receives
prompt and loving forgiveness what is done cannot
be undone" Confession, therefore, is both a want
and an instinct Of human nature, to be honored
and rewarded both here and hereafter. IL is that
he simply does can forgive sins, but that he
cises the ministerial function and welds with awful
sponsbty the power graciousy delegated in behalf of
poor fallen man. If priest could have invented CON
fesson he would have exempted himself from the pain
fu ordeal but
CONFESS MORE FREQUENTLY
than priests If any priest has had the ranscendent
ability 10 make such discovery, what his name hls
nationality in what age and in what part of the world
has he first broached the discovery Those questions
have yet TO be answered But If confession is undis
putaby divine in It's origin is also the shield of public
morality and the palladium Of civil society This truth
has been repeatedly witnessed to by writers of un-
rivalled ability and who not open TO suspicion Vol
taire says:-'Confession is old civil society "
He relates the instance Of Marcus Aureus
who always confessed when participating in
the Eleusinian mysteries though the last in the
Empire who needed confession. He adds that ''they
who combat the confessional seek TO deprive of
of the greatest restraints upon his passions Rous
seau exclaims, 'What acts OF restitution and repara-
ton are not accomplished by the cOniessional" Mar
mOntel cries out, what healthy safeguard for the
morals Of youth is the habit OF monthly confession ~
Every candid mind will honestly admit that # the
fessOnal universal practice there would be few
Jas and PRISONS few reiOrmatOries, slender criminal
calendars and countless happy hOmesteads.