The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-04
ISSUED TO YOUNG PEOPLE

lation in This City.
Startling indeed are the developments
in the Holy Cross Church, at Arlington
and Claremont avenues, regarding
auricular confession. So far has the mat
ter gone that one of the members, it is
said, threatened to horsewhp the rector.
the Rev Augustine Elmendorf, for allow
ing the distribution of certain books
among the young people of the parish
during the ten days mission but recently
ended
The question of confession is not what
has stirred the members of the congre-
cation, but the books containing directions
of preparation for confession. which the
rector has caused to be given to the
members of the congregation that they
emphatically declared they would never
set foot inside the church while the pres
ent rector remains.
Il is known positively that at least a
dozen families have severed their connec-
tou with the church for the time being
member went SO far as to write to Bishop
starkey, inquiring if he had sanctioned
the distribution of such books. The.
Bishops secretary replied that the mat
ter was of so great Importance that the
Bishop could not answer it Immediately,
and he would take some time to consider
it.
The book is called 1.-THE Way of Peni-
tence," and it is written by the Rev.
Marks Church, Philadelphia, and pub
lished by firm in that city. The book
is a pamphlet of forty pages, measuring
about three and half inches by two and
half The first half of the book is a
historical discussion of sin, in the course
of which a number of prayers some
what rhapsodical in tone. are introduced.
Among the remarkable passages in it, the
following may be quoted
In making a good confession, five dis
positions are required that we should
come ~ with great sorrow for our sins
f2) with faith in the power of the Precious
Blood of Christ to cleanse US from all
sin: go with entire sincerity, because we
desire to tell all our sins, for to be in
sincere is sacrilege, since it is lying not
hut ,pta ADqni3S and
sapphira lied (Acts L, 8; (N with a firm
purpose of amendment of life, for with
out this there can be no true penitence;
(5 with hope of pardon. This last was
what was lacking in the confession of
Judas Iscariot; it was full and entire, but
he had no hope that he could be forgiven.
Then to add a few practical hints
"a Say many prayers and make many
acts of contrition while preparing for
confession. (2) Keep in mind three things
in confession: 1t is required (a) to tell all,
(b) to give some idea of the number of
times the sin was committed, whether it
was occasional or habitual and (c) to say
whether it was aggravated by any circum-
stances. (3) Always make good thanks
giving after Absolution. (D Always do
the imposed penance very exactly and
carefully; it is test of your sincerity
and humility.
The following is also characteristic
When you come to make your confess
sion to a priest remember that he is Gods
ambassador. and that you are really maxi
ing IT to God Think as little as you can
of the presence of the priest and as much
as you can of the presence of our Lord.
You will probably kneel before crueifix;
speak as you would to our Lord on the
cross.
When you kneel. the priest first gives
you blessing, and then you say the form
of confession, as folows:-
What follows is the Confetior, from the
Roman Catholic Prayer Book. with all
allusion TO the Virgin Mary and the
saints left out. The formularies which
follow are precisely the same as those
Of the Catholic Church. The latter part
of the book from pages twenty-five to
forty inclusive. is taken up with:-"Ques-
tions on the Commandments. which are
an ampliication, with an infinitude of in
innate detail of the Examination of Con-
science which is printed in every Catho-
lie prayer book. Many Of the questions
are frivolous to the point of absurdity.
the most noteworthy feature Of them be-
ing the section attached to the Fifth
Commandment. The expressions in this
are conclusive proof that the book is in
Life insurance is a good thing but health IN