The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-04-08
sermon BY bishop Kain Yester.
day Afternoon on the C0nfes-
sion and FOrgiyeness.of Sins

Rt. Rev. Bishop Kahn preached ser.
mon on this snbiec. yesterday afternoon
at the Cathedral, taking for his text the
22d capter Of John, ed and 9sd verses,
reading:
sWhose aims you shall forgive, they are
forgiven them; and whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained"
This evenings lecture, the Bishop re-
marked, embraced two questions Of deep
interest-the confession Of sins and their
forgiveness by the ministry Of the priest
hood. This order, for greater clearness,
he inverted, speaking frat of the power Of
forgiying sins, and then Of confession.
The Jews denied this power to Christ
Himself MARK II), and their objection
ia now repeated by those who deny 1t to
His ministers. Who but God eaa forgive
siasl As our civil officers possess powers
not theirs rs private citizens, so must the
ministers Of God possess powers not theirs
as men. Is this power Of absolvlng from
sin amongst the powers delegated to
them? Does Christ use their ministry
for that purpose? The Catholic Church
answers yes. They are ordained and
sent, not as preachers Of the word only,
but as ministers Of reconciliation" and
"dispensers OF the mysteries Of God" In
their commission to preach the apostles
are authorized to baptize. "Go preach,
and baptize." This new birth Of baptism
cannot be repeated. But, as 1t is by the
extarnal ministry OF the apostolic priest.
hood men learn the doctrines of saliva.
ton and are admitted BY baptism among
the children Of God, so by the same min.
istry we're sins committed by the baptized
to be pardoned. This Ia implied in the
words spoken by Christ Mathew xviii;
IL and 1s), and Is expresslY stated IN the
text John X. The Divine Spirit Is con.
ferred on the apostles for this express
purpose, that they may, in virtue Of the
Holy Ghost bestowed upon them, have
power TO forgive sins. But this is 3
power given them for the benefit OF others
given them rs ministers Of Christ, and
to be therefore perpetuated in the sacred
ministry. For its proper exercise, we
infer the necessity OF confessing
ones sins TO the minister who Is
to absolve them, for he is made
the Judge whether forgiveness is to be
impaired or refused. This be cannot
know, except by the acknowledgment Of
the penitent. The early Christians con-
fessed their deeds (Acts xix,iS and ST.
James tells us to confess our sins. To
whom? The context clearly implies that
the confession is 10 be made TO him who
is called in TO pray over and anoint the
sick, that is, to the priest. Not only Ia
this the doctrine taught by all the fathers
OF the church, but in the early editions OF
the Anglican prayer.book the same is
found. Luther, too, believed in the
priestly power Of forgiving ain. It Ia no
wonder that 1t Is nov denied, when men
have come TO regard the church a. only
a human institution, and have stripped
her ministers Of every supernatural
power.
In refutaiion Of the objection that con-
fession ia 80 difficult o task, the Bishop
contended that it ia a mild substitute for
what the sinner deserves, that Its severity
Il harder on the priest thsu on the lay
may; and that its very painfulness is
proof that God, not man, had imposed it.
The assertion that the Catholics pay for
the forgiveness Of their sins was pro.
nounced vile slander. Those who im.
agine confession so easy way for secur-
ing the pardon Of ain, were reminded
that the Catholic Church required all the
conditions which other denominations
ra1n;rad and aven more. The einner
must truly repent and resolve to change
his life, otherwise the absolution is Of no
effect; but he must also confess his sins
and make all necessary reparation.
After noticing that relapses proceed
oftener from change Of will than from
false repentance. The Bishop urged all to
bring the necessary conditions to the re.
eeptiop OF the sacrament Of Penance; and
d1elt on the necessity Of obeying the in
functions Of the church and preparing for
. worthy discharge Of the Easter obli-
CATIONS, - lr