Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-12-22
PURGATORY PROVED.
An Expository Sermon on Thi- Catholic
 Doctrine

Last evening after vespeEs ID the Ro- man Catholic church Rev. Father Anto- mo Jouvenceeu preached a sermon in English on the subject of the 'State of man after death." Curious to know the evidence which the reverend divine would produce, and the description he would give Of that undiscovered coun- try, from whose bourne DO traveller has e'er returned" a CITIZEN scribe for the nonce found himself within the walls of the sanctuary, and "takin' notes" to "prent 'em."
 After the ceremonies of ''vespers" had been concluded, the reverend father en- nounced his text, and in a steedy tone distinctly enunciated his doctrines. Fol lowing IS a synopsis of bis sermon:
 TEXT: Amen l say unto you Lhat every idle word that men shall say they shall sive an ac- count thereof be ore the tribunal of God.
 Life Is a steady and unbroken march to the grave and to eternity. Good Christians not conscious of mortal sin feel themselves unworthy of heaven. He therefore trusts in the mercy of God to purify hIs soul and render him worthy of eternal bliss. Our faith teaches the existence of place called purgRtory, which will cleanse the soul of man from the last particle of sin, and make 1t fit tO abide n so pure place as heaven.
 We arc bound to these souls ID purga- fnrgs l.Ns Che. bond. # the Catholic church is called the com munlon of the saints.
 The existence of purgatory is well established and proved, although 1t is doubted by modern infidels. We have the testimony of the Old Testament, the words of our Lord in the New Testa- ment, the testimony Of the Fathers, and the universal liturgy of the church.
 First let us examine the evidence of the Old Testament. Judas MaccAbees, after B bloody fight, offered up Lrayers m behalf of those who bad been killed. The existence of a middle state was thus admitted by the ancient Hebrews
 The doctrine was insinuated by our Lord Hs witnessed by my text. An idle word Is not a mortal sin. If men have to give an account of idle words, and if there IS any punishment for them, 1t nus be light punishment, such as the pains of purgatory. St. Paul said every mans word si all be manifested, and be shall be saved as by fire, meaning he will he ultimately saved. The Fathers have given these meanings to these texts.
 From the second century t. our time the existence of purgatory has always been admitted as one of the principal doctrines of the Catholic church.
 Tertullian said good widow always remembers to pray for her deceased husband; especially on the anniversary of his death.
 Eusebius said that priest and people prayed for the dead Constantine in the chapel be had built in honor of the twelve Apostles. Another saint at the same date said, ''I charge my people not to bury my body with perfumes, but to pray to the Almighty so my soul may be released from Its sins"
 St. Ambrose said that the soul goes to that place of rest.
 h the fifth century lived St. Augus- tine. When his mother, the blessed s. Monica, died, she asked him as last request that he remember her every day at the sacrifice of the mass He said he never mounted the altar of the Lord without recollecting his dying mothers request.
 Thus We see that the Fathers of the church believed in purgatory, and that souls could be released from their pains therein by prayer.
 The liturgy of the Catholic church is a book containing descriptions of mass and other ceremonies. The first one was issued by the authority of St. Peter at Rome. In our liturgy prayers are re- quested for souls Tn purggtOry. We re- quest our own congregation to pray for the dead. In the graveydrds the tomb- stones say, "Pray for us"
 Protestants by denying the existence of pnrgatory deny their members sweet consolation. 1 should say Protestants deny the very idea of meritorious pun ishment. They leave only the alterna- tive of heaven or hell. We know that nothing defled can enter heaven. Purg- atOry is for those vho have only slightly sinned. IngersOll, who certainly is not a Catholic, says he prefers Catholicism to Protestantism because it gives a man chance for new trial.
 Men who die without sin go direct to heaven. The saints in heaven sympa- thize with Us. They pray for us. This does not diminish the mediation of Christ, which they derive only from him. This consolation IS to be found only in the Catholic church. There IS no bar rier between life and death with us Christians.
 Let us embrace that religion which has established a golden link with those who have "f8llen asleep and who "are DO more.' The doctrine Of purgatOry is sweet to the Gath )lIc church. Amen.