Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-02-17
"AMOSv SPEAKS.
Who Can Forgive SIM No Priests In
Christ's Church.


Mr.. Editor:-In your issue of the 18th |
ult., "A Catholic" quotes John 20:23, |
"Whose sins you shall forgive, they are
forgiven them, and whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained" to prove that
God hath given some men the power TO
forgive sins against God.
His quotation is from the Roman
Catholic Douay Bible, John 20:23 in
King James version, appointed to be
read in churches" and is the Protes-
tants' Bible regardless of the Westmins-
ter version. or revision, reads, "Whoso-
ever sins We remit, they are RENTED
unto them; and wbosoever sins We re-
tain, they are retained"
Roman Catholics consider said scrip
ture TO be "The commission stamped
by the broad seal of heaven, by virtue
of which the pastors OF Christ's church
aOsolye repentiDg sinners. from their
si.,, apOn their confession" See DOu-
ay Bible.
Protestants look upon the verse in
disciplinary light. To exercise business,
righteousness, equity TO all, No.
NIT, pass by the sins of some, while 9th
ers are retained or kept for trial. In
connection with said verse, the 10th
and 18th chapters of Matthew are quot
ed, showing the record in heaven shall
be in accordance TO bis actions. -
II God charges his angels
with folly, he certainly can charge
men at his best state with folly; there
fore it is not reasonable that he can EN-
power a poor frail man who cannot help
from sinking in the water with power to
forgive sin against God.
Man at his best has respect OF
persons. White men who steal thou
sands of dollars, and cause much dis
tress thereby are pardoned, or the in-
dictment against them relaxed, released,
abated or relinquished, while the steal
ing of a chicken or any petit larceny is
retained, committed by a colored man,
and he is sent to the peDitentiary, to de-
crease Republican votes, at an expense
greater than a hundred chickens, OF
whatever the petit larceny be
See the vast number of lyme hers, who
have not been brought to Justice. and
perhaps never will. See the act OF the
Gov. of Ills. and other Governors, and
PardoniDg Boards; see how man exercis
es his pardOning power, with partially
IL man has the power to forgive sint
against God, there undoubtedly woulc
be collisions, acts OF pardon performed
against Gods will
Man may forgive sins commit,e
against himself, but he cannot forgiv,
power to himself
PardoniDg. forgi wing, absolviug sill
against God is based upon cody sor
row, repentance Within the heart. Nom
but God can see within and search tn
heart, therefore none but God can par
don, none but Jesus Christ can redeem
from under the curse of the law.
In the church of Christ-whch is th
church--tbere are no priests, saving Je
sus Christ, the High Priest. 1t is sai'
that the Jewish priesthood ceased A.
90, ''in which year Jerusalem and tn
TemIle were destroyed oy the Romans.
There is no Apostolic or priesthood sui
cession.
There are no sacrifices in the churc
of Christ, saving as is said "the givin
up of all to gain ALL" Hence to destro,
surrender, or suffer to DO lost, FOR th
sake OF obtaihing something, to give u
in favor of a higher or more imperatiy
object or duty. to devote with loss {
sufferiDg.e. z. III thy right eye cause the
to sin, pluck it out; if thy right hand OF
fend thee, cut it off and cast it from the
One must torsake all that he hath to
the disciple of Christ. Obedience is be
ter than priestly sacrifice.
Not all the sacrifices, as burnt offe
ings. thank offerings, or eXpiatory {
ferings,
Can give our guilty conscience peace.
Or take away. the stain;
But Christ the Heavenly Lamb,
Takes all our. sins away.
No more affairs OF earth, stone
wood, or any other material. The
tar is found In Christ, and in the Chri
tian's heart. Otherwise, in the econon
of Gods grace, altar and priest are b
IN, 4
church of Christ, who minister in no
things, are prophets. pastors, evant
lists and teachers.
AMOS