Richmond planet., 1894-02-03

give those who have offended us. WrooS
again. That duty was laid before all.no|
before the Eleven only, in,the sermon on
the mount, and again in the answer Civ
en- by Christ to st. Peter when the lAt
ter asked him how often he ought to for
give his brother. Also in Matt. 1916
Luke 17:34 as quoted by you. In thost
words of John 2O:2l etc, Christ speaks
of a twofold power: that offorgiving and
retaining. Do you mean to say tha.
Christ should give the Holy Ghost that
the Apostles might sometimes not for
give their brother when he threatens ell
with eternal damnation II they refuse co
do 50 ? How ridiculouis I how shocking'
We fail, you continue, tn hnd q sin-
| glc hint where he (Peterl forgavs -
sins OF one OF these 1000 ths+
1 Verted a. his preaching a..
| child could answer you this stupi< v,,,
1 lection. for he would readily reply, that
| no one can receive valid absolution be-
| fore baptism, and Immediately after
baptism there is surely no need for it as
| all the sins are forgiven in baptism.
Again you conclude that Peter did
not have it (the power to forgive Bins)
else he would not have exhorted Simon
to pray to God for forgiveness OF bis sin.
do you imagine Bro. Lewis, that we
catholics are silly enough to suppose,
that all we have to doll we wish our
sins forgiven, is simply to teli them to
the priest, when it has been the constant
teaching of the Church, that without
faith and true sorrow or repentance, no
sin is ever forgiven What St Peter
said to Simon, every priest repeats over
and over to the the people and before
giving absoiution THAT is pardon in the
name and power of Cody he always ex-
horts the person coming to confession TO
be sorry for all the sins and to change.
i may give here the answer of the cate
chism, that little book which every cath
olic child 10 bound to learn. Question.
What must we do to receive the Sacra-
ment of Psnancesworthily7 (that is to re-
ally obtain pardon in confession.) Ans.
i. We must examine our conscience, q.
We must have sorrow for our sins. s.
We must make firm resolution never
more to offend God 4. We must con
fees our sins TO the priest. 8. We must
accept the penance which the priest
gives us. Does it really seem, as you
say, that Christ is led by the Church,
when we well know that the priest in
| granting pardon to those who really re-
| pent is merely the agent Of Christ and
that it is Cbrist's power still ?
It does seem TO me, you say again,
that in order to forgive sin. man
another'e heart Very true You wrote
| better than you knew, for this is precise
| ly the reason why Christ commanded Us
| TO confess, to tell our sins and thus to
/ express our secrets SO that the priest
may be able to judge, whether he Ia tu
| forgive or to retain.
Why not go directly to God rath-
| er round about way, is it not ? Such
however, Is the plan adopted by our
Saviour that men are to be guided by
divinely appointed men who are tc 81
ply the fruits OF redemption.
| Do you know VIII = ~1e
4 God-s pans Appncano Iacslis--(a
l application is easy
And this doctrine so true, so beautiful,
| so consoling, ,iyou seriously tell US no one
has ever believed (thought) except sonie
''poor deluded creature" Those 800,
| 00O, 900 then who to day cheerfully be
lieve this doctrineare mo one.' Tertulian
st. Cyprien, st. Ambrose, st. Augustine,
ST. Thomas and a host of others, the
most learned and the most holy that the
world has ever seen are but poor delud-
ed creatures" Those shining lights
Manning and Newman, thoee Ia Episco
| pal ministers who few weeks ago left
their church and with it good living to
! seek admission into the Catholic Churcn
and hundreds of others, all educated
| men, both In this country and others
are but"poor deluded creatures" What
senseless audacity
Another objection "i the Apostle,
had power to forgive sin, were they au
thorized to transmit il to other individ
uals2 AS you are so fond of asking
questions let me ask you another one. l
the Apostles had not the authority Il
4 fron "A rrfu m. hmm ~
what pretended right do you get up an(
preach and baptizeP Did Christ say Il
you: go and preach my gospel" DID
he say to you. 60 and baptize
By the way, you modestly inform u
that the Holy Ghost has made you over
seer (bishop) over the flock. Will vol
kindly tell US where, whsn and how tha
interesting event happened Also if an,
one else saw the Holy Ghost do so, o
whether you proved it by raising from
the dead your father or mother or an,
one else ? Poor Bro. Lewis quomod,
cecidisti chow art thou fallen y
In conclusion we are treated to q pret
ty little story, which, however, l pro
nounce . vile, clumsy fabrication aud
challenge you, sir, to give your author
ty for it.
In the administration of the sacra
, ments bishops and priests are bound t.
use q certain form OF words under pal
| of 0rievOus sin, and no one IL allowed {
! change them. / say it most emphatica
ly that no priest or bishop in earnest ev
or pronounced such silly words as thos
I which you quote. Let me give for th
. information of the readers OF the PLAN
EFT, the exact words which the priest zee
> In giving pardon in Gods name when
thinks the nerson is vvt0rkhvsr,F'+
: 1 thee ana A., Dy MS authoriIy s.4,-~-.
thee from every bond of ex-communicl
| tion and interdict. in as much as in m
: power lieth and thou standeth in nee.
I Finally, absolve thee from thy siAs>i
!; the name of the Father. and OF the Sol
! | and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.''
Before closing, let me give you q woI
: OF warning. To bring in untransiatf
= Greek or Latin is only to throw sand i
to the eyes of the people.
No statement OF yours shall pass u
challenged. You had better step livel
: will furnish you all the music you wal
and that gratis. Perhaps you may soc
regret having been so forward and f1r
= out that, instead OF getting hold OF 9
"untutored neophyte," you caught
= tartar.
= And now, good bye, Bro. Lewis.
- this week. i hope to meet you agsin-
A CATHOLIC PRIEST
le UNION ! UNIONli