The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-01
Rev. w. w. BOLTON. DEFINES HIS
ATTITUDE TOWARD PEN
ANCE FOR SIN.
IS GROSSLY misunderstood.
A WORD WHICH ENTHUSIASTICALLY
MEANS REMISSION AND
FORGIVENESS.

Rev. w. w. Bolton, preaching yesterday
morning at the Church of st. Mary the
Virgin on the subject of 1.-THE Granting of
lndulgences and the Episcopal Church, I"
stated that the subject of HRepentance"
necessarily entailed a consideration of
"Indulgences," matter grossly misunder-
stood by the world, denounced root and
branch, and assumed by many an Episco-
palian as finding no place in the economy
of that church. 1t was said to be repugnant
to Professionalism to have been cast out for
ever at the times of the reformation, and
the Twenty second Article of Religion, as
was to be found in the praye books of the
Episcopal church, was said to condemn it
altogether.
The preacher pointed out the gross mis-
take as to the very meaning of the word.
1t is asserted to be license granted by the
church to commit sin. This comes from the
change in the general use of the word. Now
adays it stands for the giving way to mems pas
sions, but of old, and enthusiastically it means
remission, favor and forgiveness What
by the authority of the church of a part of the
temporal punishment due to sin. This punish
ment the church gives in penance. All sin has
to be suffered for. All sin finds us out and re-
coils upon the head of the sinner
In the early days OF Christianity the Catholic
church, both publicly and privately, laid pen
ance upon persons. These were. regulated by
canon law. When these were lessened or
wholly RENTED this was done by an indulg-
ence. The original indulgence affected only
what the church under the power of the Keys
laid as by way of penanee a soul. 1t is q
part, and an absolutely necessary part of that
godly discipline which the Episcopal church
desires greatly to see restored.
Quotations were made from the prayer
book to prove this point and special refer
ence was made TO the Thirty-third Article
of Religion as showing that such claims
as there are made, both to punish and give
penance and lift that penance, evidence
that the Episcopal church holds fast to the
matter OF discipline, which, as a matter of
necessity, curtallS a power of granting in
diligence of such discipline
Bishops of the preachers church had all
down the ages used their inherent power
to cut off sinners from the congregation
and to lift or indulge such punishment
Reference was made to the Jewish church,
where no indulgence was allowed of God to
be given. But by reference to the later
Scriptures it was shown that st. Paul GER
talnly used the power to grant indulgence
upon seeing clear evidence of repentance.
The power to grant indulgences lies with
the Bishop, and not with the priesthood. This
is not because 1t is a greater matter than any
thing that priest can do, but simply ques-
ton OF order and what would work best for the
church at large.
An Indulgence is not then, as so many ig-
norantly surmise, either pardon OF any sin
or license to commit sin. 1t has to do with
canonieal punishment, not with sin. II must
ever be preceded by confession.
Should Bishop excommunicate a party and
assign q penance, and before that penance was
completed the party was fully repentant and it
was felt that readmission should be allowed,
the Episcopal church claims the power 10 lit Il {
the remainder of such penance through the
Episcopate. And such is an indulgence
granted.
The preacher showed where the main
differences on this matter lay between his
own church and that of Rome and stated
that he only mentioned the differences be-
cause the modern development OF the an
cient doctrine had caused men to throw
the whole subject over. He condemned
members of his own church for refusing to
scrutiniZe their prejudices on this head
Touching on the history OF indulgences, he
asserted that never were they sold for cash
by the authority of any church. Sordid
men trafficked in them. All that was asked
was a voluntary offering from a grateful
heart, such as is now given at weddings
and christenings. In the thirteenth CEN
fury those who sold indulgences were held
UP to scorn and were the butt of ridicule.
He concluded with an an appeal to ac-
cept punishment for sin in proper spirit.
Men fret and fume and grumbie at their lot
when they ought to say that such was but the
due reward for their deeds. We suffer now that
our souls may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Justice demands that we shall be punished, but
the infinite pity of God reaches out even as he
lays his rod upon us, and the punishment be-
comes glorious benedictiona if in it our faith
can but see his hand.