The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-01-09
THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS
ElOQuaNt Sermon Of Father 0'kGRS
Last Night.
AUTHORITY RHD DUTY OF TIE CHURCH
So Long as There Are Sins to For
give, the Church Must Forgive
Them. Father lIimmil's
Discourse on
Penance.

AZ Inc morning SERVICE ht Tue
Chapel oil the Sacred Heart yester-
day, Rev. Father Himmll delivered
n most entertaining and instructive
address upon the subject Of Pen
ance. The address MAS one mainly
OF instruction.
The Reverend Father spoke of
Penauce and the Sacrament for the
dying aud giving admonltlon rs to
how the soul should be prepared for
the event Of all events IN every life,
death. He spoke Of the Church
embodiment Of forgiveness In nd
ministering to the dying even though
he be wanderer from her fold, the
greatest benefit she could possibly
confer upon his soul.
At night the Rev. Father O'kane,
another of the Jesuit Fathers, who
are conducting the mission, spoke
from the passage, "Son, be OF Good
Heart, Thy Sins are Forgiven Thee"
"Once," said the Reverend
Father, "the gntes OF heaven were
closed against man by reason OF his
first sin, until Christ reOperud them
TO him by the establishment of his
lOI lllEl Sul-
walton, and still the mean, temporal
things of this earth seem more at
traciive TO man than the eternal
salvation of his soul. Yet do those
things represent happiness? Nay
they belle the very name of happi.
ness.
st. Augustine, himself once de-
voted worshiuer ut the shrine of
sensunlIty condemned the search for
happiness III the passion of material
pleasure III the most beautiful Ian
guage this great man ever used.
lake the young men of to-day,
he is nll too often the slave OF his
own passions, or led away by the
pleasures Of our senses. We are all
100 prone TO forget our God
Christ came into the world for
the very purpose OF relieving the
suffering and degradation incident
TO tins very state OF affairs. lie
came to save sinful men. And al.
though lie was the son of God the
naughty scribes and Pharisees
doubted his right to forgive STU, and
10 make test OF his power they
- - "HS hOt CHSitI 10 SiN Nv
Gins are forgiven thee, than Arise.
lake up thy bed and walk and IN
order 10 prove TO them his divinity
ne performed the miracle.
And yet there are some who
oonbt the power of the II oily Church
to forgive SIN, when in Matthews
Gospel our dear Lord promised 10
confer tins power upon the Apostles
and their successors.
Notice HIS language to His Dis.
clples: las the Father hath sent me.
30 send | you"
WAS Ills mission to last only the
Inirty years he was upon earth?
Was 1t not, dear friends. to last for
ever 80 long AS there are sins TO
forgive. tie church must forgive
them, ana YET tIeY say that the ex.
erclse OF this holy junction is derop.
htory 10 the Majesty OF God. Does
the TACT that minister of govern
nent t!ausacts tho business of his
nation abroad belittie The home
government? The church Is ambns
hador plenipotentInry TO mankind,
and 1t is her duty 10 exercise her
power.
"Bnt, my friends. why am prov.
ing to you the high and authorita.
i've source OF the sacrament OF
penance? 1t is because We are
prone to lightly regard, if not to
overlook, ali the manifold goodness
OF Sod ana to stay away from dis
ordained sacraments. The blessed
sacrament is that which will
strengthen and enlarge our spiritual
HE and soothe our troubled hearts.
therefore, let us approach it as
Giten as we need II. The ofleuer the
better"