The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1898-10-13
The Question Box.
The Second List Of fQuestions Submitted
to FIR. Powers With His Answers
Briefly Compiled.

Bwer TO the question: "DOes not tne
priests Of the Catholic church try to
usurp the power Of God in Pretend
ing to pardon sins; what authority
or warrant OF scripture has the
Catholic priest for hearing confess
ions.l
The Gospel record Of this miracle
is very significant. (The miracle
above referred to was treated in last
weeks issue.) 1t shows plainly
the faith of the people in the healing
power Of Christ. 1t shows further
that when Christ laid claim to the
power of forgiving sins, that the
scribes were scandalized. Why, we
are justified in asking were the
scribes scandalized at the claim Of
Christ Of the power of forgiving sins?
Evidently because they regarded the
forgivness Of sin as prerogative Of
God alone. Had they been less
hasty in drawing conclusions, they
would themselves have seen, that
the power of working miracles. as
well as the power Of forgiving sins,
must come from God, and that it is
as easy for God to give man the one
power as the other. But man is al
ways slower to believe what is un-
familiar Ethan what is not. The
power Of performing miracles was
not an unheard Of thing among the
Jews, and while they marveled, they
were not disposed to regard as in
credible the exercise of this power
by Christ, but they were evidently
unprepared by anything in the ex-
perience of their race to hear man
claim the power Of forgiving sins
hence, they were shocked and
scandalized with it. But noting
carefully the words of Christ in re-
ference to the accusations of bias
phemy you will see how clearly he
points. out the error thatIgave rise to
the accusation. "Why do you think
evil In your hearts, whether itiis east
er,to say thy sins are forgiven thee or
to say, arise and walk" By single
question Christ informs the scandal
lied scribes that there was no good
reason for their Indignation. They
had evidently approached him in the
hope and expectation Of witnessing
a miracle They expected to see
him heal the sick man who had been
brought to him. Had they seen
him do this.much only, they. would
have been pleased not scandalized.
But man of himself cannot work
miracles. 1t Is God who works them
through man and it is no harder fol
God to make man his instrument in
pardoning rims t:4an 1t is in working
miracles. This the scribes should
have known because we cannot place
q limit to Gods power, and they
should not have been scand allied
when he said, "Thy sins are forgiven
thee" But Christs mission on earth
was one of mercy. 70 save, not to
condemn, hence, he proceeds to give
them additional reason for believing
that the son of man hath power or
earth to forgive sins. He worked 8
miracle to prove that man could for
give sin. "But that you may know
that the son Of man hath power OF
earth to forgive sins (then he SAITH
to the man sick of the palsy arise
take up thy bed and go into the
house, and he arose and went into
the house and the multitude seeing
1t feared and glorifled God who hac
givon such power to man." st. Matt
XIX. Those who witnessed thii
miracle understood the motive Chris
had In performing 1t, namely, to prov,
that the son of man had power OF
earth to forgive sin. Christ tole
them that this was his object. Ant
what did they do after witnessin,
the miraclea "They glorified God.
And why did they glorify Him? Fo
having given such power to man
What Is meant by such power? Evi
IDENTIFY the power Of forgiving sins
because it was to prove man poss
essed this power that he worked tn,
miracle. Hence, then we hav,
Christ claiming as man the power O
forgiying sins and exercising thi
power, then as man he evidently re
ceived this power from God, ant
when he says to his Apostles, "A
the father sent me, also send you,
does 1t not imply that the Apostles
received the power Of forgiying sin
from Christ? Hence, then we mus
conclude since Christ, as man, exer
cised the power Of forgiving sins
since he told his Deciples that al
power was given to him in HEAVIER
and earth, and as the Father hatl
sent me, also send you, and thei
clenched 1t all with this plain ant
positive declaration "Receive ye tn,
Holy Ghost, whose SINS ye shall for
give, they are forgiven them, who's,
sins ye shall retain, they are retain.
ed" There is no room left for can
dor to escape the conclusion tha
Christ gave the Apostles power t.
forgive sin.
i But granted that tho Apostles hav,
the power to forgive sin, where die
thew get the mower to bear canfasainp