The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1898-12-01
Ihe (olJe 81 .une crying ii
the Wilderness
Rev John {. NongaY Presents Z
Scholarly View,

1t seems thag the Kindness of Rev
Fr Powers, Of Logau. Ohio. II
answering by public request, ques'
tions pertaining 70 the doctrine anC
and ritus of the Roman Catholic
church, has awakened the spirit o!
controversy, and instead of public
gratitude toward the learned Priest,
he receives the criticism of some,
who believe otherwise, or perhaps
nothing at all. The veXed question,
"Who can forgive sins?" seems to
trouble the mind of the critique.
We read in John 20-23 (Textune
Hironymi Novum Testamentum
quorum remiseritis pecrata, remit
tuntureis, ct quorum retinueritls re-
tenta sunt." Whose soever suns ye
remit, they are remitted (unto tt em)
! and whose soever sins We retain. they
are retained. J Now the priest does
not IN person remit or retain the sins
of the confessor, but by the authority
of his holy office, assumed at his or
dinatinn to the priest hood, he ac-
cepted the power to offer sacrifice
for the living and the dead. (Accipe
potestatem sacriticandi provivis ct
mortui>) and only gives absolution
to the penitent confessor. who by
| faith in Christ, and 4 resolve 10 live
a better lite in the future, his sins are
RENTED. (torgiven.) 1t is evident
that God employs man as his chosen
instrument to execute His divine
power. Some critics who have never
went above the narrow limits of sec
tarianism, and never learned the \.
B. c. of the broad, generous and
christian catholicity Of Fr. Powers,
and who would accept even lnger-
solism, than the ritus of any church,
find FAULT only. Confession first,
absolutions next. Jas. 5. 16. Con-
fes. your faults, (peccata slnF) one 10
another. May it be by the ordained
oral confession of the devout Roman
Catholic, the general confession in
the Lutheran, Episcopal, the Greek
church or at the public mourners
seat Of the Methodist and other
churches; one thing remains true,
that if we say we have no sins we
deceive ourselves and the truth is not
in us, but if we confess our sins God
is righteous and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness, (John 49, Various
churches hold fast to what is known
as the Claws ofiicium, the Office of
the keys, das amt der schlussel Ger
man) i. q. to remit sin, to bind (lock)
together in marriage, ETC., hence the
dogma, that by the authority given
by Christ to his disciples, 10 remit
sin, said authority is and was trans
ferred to all true disciples and minis
terS of His church, not to remit or
retain sins as sinful moltals them
selves, but as the ambassadors of
Christ. The forma or outward
action. or the absolutIon OF rector,
preacher or priest, does not relieve
man from sin, but it is the penitent
soul conforming with the ordinances
Of the church, aud his unmovable
faith in Christ, who finds his sins
forgiven and so be in peace with
God. "for we are justified b. faith
and have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ" Roman 5 /
We have the erroneous idea that
a preacher or magistrate marries a
couple. Nol he only hears the verb
al contract by their oral confession,
and by their joint promise to live up
to and abide by their mutual agree
ment, he declares them to be man
and wife. Thus a rector or a priest
only gives his absolution in accord
ance with the oral or general confes
sion of the man be has been in
solemn consultation by prayer with
God, and no priest or preacher
claims that mans sins are forgiven
until, or unless the penitent confes-
sor can fully realize the experience
of Paul, ''that the Holy Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God" Roman
s. 16.
Thus, we in love and fraternal
spirit to all. submit the above to an
enlightened public, and with Tenny-
son say, whatever is, is right
By Protestunt-J. l.. Y.
Maxville, Ohl,, Nov. %, 1898.