Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-10-04

it Is easy to do 60, he absolves him
self from doing it when the circum-
stances are adverse. Sometimes, in
deed. to absolve ourselves from more
serious Offenses. we are ready to take
infinite pains.
The form Of self-deceit, that l have
just spoken of is at least productive
of some good deeds-that good which
conscience. But there is an even
commOner form which bears no fruit
at all in action. That is when we sat
isfy the demands of conscience by as
surfing ourselves we feel right, though
it is inexpedient or unnecessary to
change our conduct This sophistry
finds very general employment by the
unforgiving.
These are some of the numerous
ways in which we palter with our con-
sciences. and by which many persons
who would reject priestly absolution
absolve themselves, and, forgetting or
condoning their sins, fancy that God
too has forgotten or condoned them.
They deliberately turn away from self
knowledge, and because their sophis-
sin without the troublous compunc-
tons of conscience, they sin all the
more frequently-so frequently that to
fall perhaps from venial into mortal
sin. We confess desire to follow,
though it be but afar off, the blessed
steps of our Lords most holy life.
And yet how far are we from submit
ting ourselves wholly to his holy will
and pleasure, and studying to serve
him in true holiness and righteous
ness all the days of our life" We do
not surrender ourselves completely
and Internationally to his demands
upon our conduct; we make reserves;
we are disingenious; we use reasoning,
as it were, before God, to prove to him
that what his law has declared to be a
sin. is not such in the peculiar cir
cumstances in which we are placed.
Or, even in those cases in which men
are candid enough to admit that their
besetting sin is a sin, they try to ex-
cuse themselves by saying they are not
strong enough to follow what they
know to be right; whereas if they
could but diligently try and examine
themselves, they would realize that in
nine cases out of ten yielding to temp
tatlon is due not SO much to lack Of
ability to resist as to lack Of will to
resist; we like to yield to a besetting
sin. If our will were strong our abil-
ity would be strong; we have st. Pauls
assurance, God is faithful. who will
not suffer you to be tempted above
that you are able; but will with the
| 10 tot oil II
that We may be able to bear it, q Cor.
x. 49,
Felix died in his sins, and so shall
we If we do not cease deceiving our
selves aud our eonsciences. After all,
our fundamental fault is in devising
excuses for wrong doing. There can
be no excuse or palliation for sin; it
is always and forever abhorrent to the
law of Christ, whose faithful servants
and soldiers we have engaged to be.
II we must sin, let us do it courage
ously and manfully; let us recognize it
clearly as sin: face the alienation
from God which is it's consequence,
and bear the reproaches of conscience
finements and subtleties and self-de-
ceiving sophistries, we should be far
better men. Very few of lis would do
what he would admit to be wrong
and to have no excuse, and there is no
palliation or excuse for sin-no pal
llation or excuse, if we will but re-
member it.
Below the surface stream, shallow
and light,
OF what we say we feel-below the
stream
AS light, of what we think we feel,
there flows
With noiseless current, strong, OBJ
scure and deep,
The central stream of what we feel
indeed"
This innermost soul this central
stream" is the real man, the man that
he who searcheth the heart regards.
We may profess with our lips to be
better that we are, we may even try to
deceive ourselves, but the real man
lives on in the sight of God-that real
man whom, perchance, we should be
ashamed that any man should see,
and of whom we ourselves dare take
but fleeting glimpse. 1t is this cen
trail stream" Of our existence which
we must purify if we would be accent
able servants Of the Eternal, who is
righteous, If we would even gain the
right to beg az supplicants:
righteous judge, from sins pollution,
Grant thy gift of dissolution,
Ere that day of retribution."
MISSION BEGINS.
The mission at St Josephs Cathe-
dral was opened at the late mass at
1920 o'clock yesterday morning, when
the congregation crowded the edifice.
The services this week will be con-
Quoted exclusively for the women, and
next week exclusively for the men.
The mission will be in charge of the
we'll known Jesuit Fathers. O'Kane.
Stanton and Goeding
COMMUNION SERVICES.
Communion services were held YES
terday morning In the PRESBYTERIAN
churches in the city Large congre-
cations were the rule, and in each
church there were accessions to the
membership. In the Second church
services were held every night last
week, and in the First and Third
churches, special services were held
on Friday night.