Richmond planet., 1894-01-27

Rev. z. ID. Lewis Engages In the Dis
cussiOn-He Attacks FavOrite
Tenet OF Catholicism-The
Priesthood aud Its
Functions.

MR.. EDTTORs-formlC q lew llucd III
reference to an article, appearing in
your issue of the 18th inst, written
b "A Catholic" whom, since no
name was signed. 1 regard to be an
uututored nephite. endeavoring to
revive some dead issues killed In the
great Reformation. For those vers-
ed in Roman Catholicism have long
since ceased, submitting their nefa-
rIous doctrines to the scrutiny OF an
intelligent public, as Is evidenced by
their discourageuent OF others than
the priests TO read Cons word.
WHY BIZ REPLIES.
Perhaps shall be considered rath-
er forward In answering that lltti3
missile OF error since the thrusts
therein we're not aimed directly at
me, but my only apology Is, that /
love the people and especially the
flock over which the Holy GHOST has
made me overseer, and going before
them, as q shepherd, endeavor to
pluck up and cast away every pois-
onous weed of error which If eaten by
them may cause sickness and death
Without further apology, let uscalm
on the question, "Who can forgive
SIM" he gives the following as his
reason for believing that man the
creature has power to forgive sins
committed against theCREATo ,GoD.
"What," says he, ''hinders GoD from
giving the power to forgive sins to
men II He chooses to do SO? III he
could and did give power to men to
raise the dead TO life again can he
not also give the power to forgive
| sins In His name II He pleases2 No
reasonable man surely can deny
| this. mo, Catholic, ] win not, Il dare
not question the power OF God, Tor
/ all things are possible with God.
| would not question your reasoning
| at this point were 1t not so fl hagrant-
ly falacilous. You argue that because
God is able TO give men the power to
forgive sins committed against Him
that He has done so. Again. because
God In the beginning OF Christianity
did, as a means OF showing the divir
ity of His work, give power to mer
to work miracles in raising the dead
that for this reason He has giver
men the power TO forgive sins com
mitted against him. How falacilous
ly absurd To my mind your argu
ment is a ''non sequitur." You haC
as well argue that because God creaI
ed this world, that He can, and hal
given men the power to create othe
| worlds, and that because Peter ha6
the power to raise Dorcas from tn
dead, he had power to forgive 81
| mons sin. But Peter, though hev
ing power 70 raise the dead. eaid {.
Simon: xou u1rss pray 60 Goo i 20
desire to have tle sta OF thino henr
forgiven. See Acts S:2i-23.
u, THAT SOLEMN COMMISSION.
LET us notice" says he, what tn
Bible says; in John 20:21-23 wher
3 you will find how Christ with I'm
preseive ceremonies gave a solem
#, commission to His priests to forgiv
, sins, and BE said to them, agai
"Peace be to you, and as the Fatht
! has sent Me, / also send you,
Whose sins you forgive they are foI
: given them, and whose sins you r
tain, they are retained"
OF course we will not consider 6
= this point his statement OF the SO
/ emn commission given to his priest
for we know that the Apostles wel
not known as priests, neither will
q Just here consider the functions
> the Office of the priests; Tor 1t is pc
fectly obvious that the office OF Il
priest is essentially different fro
= that of an apostle. But let us CO
: slider the passage which he quotes {
h confirming his argument. can tine
aphete tas amartias aphientai a
al tots, an tinon kratete kekcatentai
ss Be it remembered that this pa
le sage. like all others, must be intel
g preted I'm view of the whole scopesa'
trend of revelation, and most esp
II cIally according to the unioldin
e and the execution of the plan OF +
er demption. Otherwise there Is INN
n nent danger of a contradiction
~ the word of God. which ss righ'
impossible.
er THE FUNCTIONS OF THE PRIESTS.
We The feet that there was at
- time OF Christ's ascension, no writ
gospel such as we now have. a
that men and women were to be st
40 ed and brought into the kingdom
lea God; and that they could be say
fl only upon the forgiveness OF tn
ite sins, which forgiveness was bestov
Ar In consideration of certain con-
We tions, which conditions had b
made known to his apostles, 1t '
reasonable and also necessary y
he should appoint certain indivi
uals to -3ecIare the conditions OF
he forgiv eness of sins.
'th These were the apostles, the val
IN ty and authority OF whose OF
should be attested by miracles
ior wonders. Mark 16:15-20.
THE APOSTOLIC AND PRIEsTLY ol
IN eEs NOT SIMILAR.
ior II the Office and the author 1t.
an IN the priests of today are similar
;Sh ;th that of the apostles. let them pr
rtv It by raising from the dead som
his their mothers and fathers, sis
and brothers, and we will bel
sed them. The true meaning OF
lay passage is, that whosoever sin
tor declare or pronounce forgiven
frl- ';l conformity to the conditions viz
any ap{ pentance toward God, and 4
fro toward our Lord and Saviour j.
his Christ, they shall be forgiven,
~vhoooovar aims va declare unfOT