The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-01-03
Meaning, Gffect and Application
Of IHduIgences.

]
THE question of indulgence, which
has been explained quite often in
this paper, is still not only misun-
derstood, but is So twisted and turned
as to make it an incentive to evil. How
an Indulgence could be construed as
meaning permission to violate Gods
/ commandments, and that by persons
posted on all current topics, and whose
profession would naturally require of
them a knowledge of religious topics,
! is a great enigma.
The administration of the church,
! like that of the state, is intrusted to
men, presumably wise and prudent, yet
men with passions and human frailties.
Viewing them in all their acts connect
ed with the church or as churchmen,
We have the human side of the church.
When defining faith and morals, we
have the divine side of the church.
Here comes the infallibe authority,
which is binding, i. e., which Catholics
must believe. Beyond the defined doc
trines, which are not many, one is
free, in most instances, to follow his
own opinion
This rule, as applied to indulgences,
when properly understood, is a great
surprise to parties who confound an
Indulgence with license. 1t is an arti-
Gle Of faith that the church has power
to grant indulgence, l. e., to relax her
own canonical punishment; but it is
not of faith, that the church in grant
ing an indulgence RENTS the temporal
guilt or any portion of it, which re-
mains unremitted before God He who
offends God mortaHy, cannot obtain
forgiveness of the offense till he is sin
cerely sorry, and promises faithfully
never to repeat that act, or be guilty
of any mortal sin. Sorrow is an es-
sential condition for forgiveness and
after the sin is forgiven, to satisfy
infinite justice, a temporal punishment
is yet due. Every loving father will
forgive his erring child when the child
is sincerely sorry, but the wise and
prudent parent viii impose some pen
ance to impress on the child's mind
that he did wrong. That corresponds
with the temporal punishment due God
after the guilt is w:ned out by peni-
tential tears. Does an indulgence re-
nit this temporal punishment? Suarez
an undisputed authority on Catholic
doctrine, answers in the following
words: Some Catholics hold that in
do
to God, but simply remove the obliga-
ton of performing the canonical pen
anee or penances enjoined by the
This is plain, clear and sim
pie. To it there could be no objection.
If, for certain crime, a certain
penance is imposed, the church GER
tainly could relax her own law. The
civil government makes laws and any
lnfraction of these laws is punishable
by term Of days, months or years in
the city, county or state Jail or peni-
Tertiary But the proper authority
may grant an indulgence by shorten
ing the period of the time specified by
the judge. 1t is not at all a defined
article of faith, as some ignorantly
suppose, that the church can grant an
Indulgence which would be remis-
sion Of punishment to the dead, nor
has it been ever done except by way of
suffrage
Beyond the relaxation of her own
canonical penances, it is not of Cath
Ole faith, nor has the church ever
taught that indulgences, whether APP
Piled ia the living or the dead, are eff
cacious only in proportion to the sane
tity of those who comply with the re-
quisite conditions
By way of suffrage" has it's par
allel in the civil order A number of
citizens petition the governor of the
state to pardon a criminal who. they
assure him, has reformed and will be
4 good citizen in the future. Should
the governor accept their suffrage or |
vows and pardon the condemned man.
ne is benefited by the Indulgence of his |
eXcellency. So, too, may one be bene-
1ted by the prayers or SURFACES of
others before God, who will bestow
sraces that unite them to Him. |
rue and well instructed Catholic. who I
S supposed by Catholics to pin all |
lis faith on indulgences, would prefer |
% possess the virtue which merits the
indulgence, to the indulgence itself.
That much abused word, Indulgence. is
lot license to sin, is not remission
If sin, nor is it an atonement for sin.
christ alone could atone for mans
ins. If any abuses have arisen in the
'ast or present regarding indulgences.
hat is attributable to its members.
Who constitute the human side of the
turch. The church is responsible only
or what she teaches authoritively.
Ter defined teaching in this respect
5 simply that she has power to relax
Ter own canonical penance. power
laimed by civil authority from the
mallest society that has its bylaws
u to the highest form of government
$ represented by nations.
Yesterday mornings Herald had
ynops1s of a sermon preached by Apostle
yrum NJ. smith last Sunday The preach
I, WHO was arraigning Christians for
lelr violation OF the commandments ti1d
reclseiy what he condemned Others of 10
ls nV bearing false testimony against /