The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-04-13
bishop Kahn on the Power OF the
keYa.

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Eaitou Intelligence.
Bishop Kain in his late sermon on
confession and forgiveness Of sins claim.
ed for the Priesthood Of the Catholic
Church the power TO absolve from ain.
This power Sc prSdicateS on the suthoE.
ity Of the Apostolic commission aS given
by the Apostle John, and which reads as
iclloWs: aAs the Father has sent me,
even 80 I send you. Whosesoeyer sins ye
remit they are RENTED 10 them, and
WhosesoeVer sins ye retain they are retain.
ed.n When the original Twelve Apostles
acted under this commission, did they
not present the most unmistakable ere.
dentfalS In evidence Of their claim
10 divine authority. To this kind Of
evidence u Saviour himself had 70
appeal In attestAtion Of the truth Of what
He had uttered. "If ye believe not me,
believe me for my works sake" Nor
we're the Apostles Of our Lord permitted
10 20 forth nnder their commissson n
Ill they we're eudued with miraculous
power from on high. Only such evidence
could Justify such claims. The Savior,
himself had 10 inspire the people. with
faith in His power 10 forgive sins, oy an
exhibit Of divine power in the cure oil
the paralytic, before BE could convince
them that He could forgive sins.
The Bishop asks, is this power oil a6-
solving from Sin amongst the powers del
gated 10 them, |. e., the priesthood! We
answer in the negative; because the Apos-
tlea had no successors gifted as they were.
Nor were they needed. The divine orig.
inal Of the Gospel, and Of the Church o.
Christ having beenboth alike established
on the evidence Of miracles BY The twelve
whom the Head Of the Church commits.
stoned and sent with plenary power to
execute their commission-this work, we
say. having been accomplished and com.
pleted by the original Twelve, they, in the
nature Of the case, could have had no
SUCCESSORS.
The Prince Of the Apostles, TO whom
was committed the keyso 1 the kingdom,
with power to open and TO shut, expert.
enced with the Eleven the baptism Of the
Holy Spirit, by which they were gifted
with ali necessary knowledge, wisdom
and power to proclaim the Gospel,
absolve from sin, and introduce
the saved into the Holy Apps,
tolic and Catholic Church. To open
the door Of the Kingdom or Church oil
Christ, we say, was the special preroga-
tive and distinguishing honor Of the
Apostle Peter. And 1t is to the glory,
honor and happiness Of the first church,
established in the city Of Jerusalem, on
the ever memorable Penticost,. that It's
members continued steadfast in the Apos'
tles'doctrine and fellowship, and in break.
ing Of bread and in prayers. Three
thousand we're on that occasion absolved
from sins in the ordinance Of baptism,
and received the gift Of the holy Spirit.
Should they be tempted to ain
again, the gracious provision, they
were given to know, was that
they had a gracious and merciful and
faithful priest, and advocate Jesus
Christ, the righteous; that il we confess
our aims, he Is faithful and Just to forgive
us our sins, and he c~leanses Us from all
unrighteousness. All these Dressings
have been provided for the christian
worshipper, without the intervention Of
a Father. confessor, or the confessional.
There are faults which brethren commit
against one another which ought to be
confessed TO the offended party BY the
offender. And such grievance should be
redressed and restitution made. Hence
we are exhorted to confess our faults TO
each other. But these are not the class
Of sins or faults Of which we at present
speak. There are sins committed more
directly against God. The others are
committed more directly against our
neighbors to be treated as the law di'
reefs. a.