The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-05

A Readers Comments on aishop Hahn"

A Readers Comments on aishop Hainh
Discourse. ltl at.-.
To the Editor Of the IntelligeuCer. .uu
srR-1n your issue oiyesterday there ap'
peared an article on purgatory-a place
where large majority Of your readers be-
lieye to exist only in the imagination OF
Catholics. This report OF lecture, deliv-
cred by a man Of acute mind, learned in
sophistry and skilled in the art Of making
the worse appear the better reasoning, is,
through your paper, thrust into our places
Of business, our work shops, our houses,
and upon our children around our fire.
places. Having given one view OF this
subject, will you not afford small space
for the other side Of the question.
The learned prelate refers for proof 10 a
doubtful passage in the typography, and to
some ambiguous passages in the writings
Of the so.called fathers Christ commands
US to call no man on earth iather). These
fathers 9th third and fourth centuries
lived in a corrupt age, an age in which
we're originated nearly all the errors that
have since afflicted the Kingdom OF Christ
on earth.
Let us hear the teachings Of our Savior.
| In the 18th chapter OF Matthew we have a
description OF the general judgment. Be-
fore Him will be gathered al nations.
These will consist Of the risen dead and OF
the CHANGED living. And the Savior makes
no difference in these two classes. The
line is drawn between the righteous aud
the wicked. To the one the promise Is,
"Come inherit the Kingdom" and to the
other, depart into everlasting fire." There
is nothing like purgatory here.
In the 10Th chapter OF Luke, Our Lord
relates parable which shows the imme-
date state OF the dead after death. Lazarus
was carried by the angels into Abraham's
bosom, and was comforted. The rich man
lifted up his eyes in hell being in torment
He was told, that between him, and Abra.
ham, q great gulph was fixed, and none
could pass either way, and his prayers were
all in vain. No purgatory here. 1t was
the final doom OF the lost soul.
Hear the Apostle Paul. He was DESTROYS
to depart and be with Christ, which is far
better. With him, to be absent from the
body was to be present with the Lord.
Speaking for Christians generally, he says
ave know that II this earthly house were
dissolved we have house eternal in the
heavens" Then again, how triumphant
be was in the near prospect death. The
Lord would give 10 him in that day, (the
day OF his death) a crown OF righteousness.
And not to him only, but to all who love
his appearing, will be given the crown at
the time Of his death. No purgatory here.
The Apostle John heard voice from
heaven saying, Blessed are the dead which
die in the Lord, from henceforth yea, saith
the spirit, they may rest from their labors,
and their works do follow them" Purga-
tory is not rest. But the apostle knew
nothing about 1t. The same apostle says,
"The blood OF Jesus Christ cleanseth US
from all sim" Bishop Kahn says no, only
q part, some sins must be burned out by
the fires Of purgatory. What a sad belief
to die in. No wonder the devout, sincere
Catholic is detected and melancholy per.
son. No wonder that gloom and darkness
and iorebodings gather around his dying
bed, a
He does not expect to enter into rest, but
into punishment, unknown in degree and
uncertain in duration, depending on the
nimbleness, or tardiness, with which some
surviving friend unties his purse, and pays
the priest to get him out. This is horrible
doctrine. But 1t brings untold wealth to
the priest. o! let me die in the full belief
OF that blessed scriptural doctrine, that to
the believer, death is the gate OF glory.
And that / am entering in, washed in
the blood Of the Lamb. AN AGENT.
Preston county W. Ia. February q, 1888.