The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-08
REPENTANCE WAS
 THEME OF SERMON Rev. Father GaIIand Uses a
 Familiar Text ExPOUNDS THE SCRIPTURE
The Confessional Is the Great Barrier to Sin, the Spiritual Physician of Society and the
 Ark of Refuge.

| or Our Lduy or oorroWS SeSleioaS ct high mass on "Repentance,' taking his text from the second verse of the ninth chapter of St. Matthew: Son, be of good heart; thy sins are forgiven thee"
 He spoke in part as follows:
 My Dear Brethren-Our divine lord knew transgress the divine law. But He loved the human race; and this love is attestcG by His death upon the cross, and by the l institution of the sacrament of penancc. Man is weak" He seems to say to Him self; The will fall, but I shall give him the means to rise again. He will at times forget My love for him; he. will forget the sacrifices I make for him; satan will triumph; but I shall not let man be a captive l shall as of old establish for him an ark of refuge" He consequently institutes the sacred tribunal of penance, to which the sinner may go for security. Here every sin is pardoned. All the eter- nal punishment is cancelled. The sinner is once more a free man. The only condi- tions required, are that he be truly sorry for his sins, resolve never again to vio- late the law of God and confess his sins to duly authorized priest of the church of God
 Gods Instruments of Ills Power.
 Some who are not Catholics maintain it CT to forgive sins So did the scribes; for they clamored that Jesus had blas- phemed, as you have just heard from the inspired records of that memorable event. But man does not claim to have this power inherent in himself. It is delegated to him by the Author of all power Does God directly light the earth? Oh, mo- How then? By the material instrument the sun. He gave the center of the solar system the qualities of illumination, and from there the rays of light are diffused throughout our planetary system. He em- ploys. therefore. in the physical world material instrument of His power Can He not do likewise in the world of human society? Who will set the limits of His power? Or who will dictate to Him what He must do? He decrees that certain persons priests of His church. will have power to light the soul of man and to dispe the darkness of sin, and who will say to Him, nay? He is the dispenser of power. The islander of the scribes or the cant of the unbelievers neither can re- strain His love nor annul His decrees
 It Is not, however. my intention today to enter into theological disquisition on the sacrament of penance, but to awaken in your soul true appreciation of this ben eficent favor that you may acknowledge the mercy of God and apply to your souls the merits of Christs sufferings
 Tranquility in Confession.
 Where is the Catholic who does not with a grateful heart thank God for 50 great blessing? Where is the Catholic who has not felt the soothing influence of this benign sacrament? In the anguish of his heart he approached the holy tri- bunal He departed with a light heart and tranquillized conscience. With what ardent love should every Catholic kneel to thank his redeemer and preserverl In the silence of his hear, he pours out his soul in thanksgiving to his constant bene- factor. How many a heart has found tranquility in confession? How many a shipwrecked soul has found here a calm harbor? What would Catholics do but for this sacrament? Baptism would be notifications to many. Numbers are con- taminated by the leprosy of mortal sin. Where would they go for solace? There would be none. Burdened with the dis ease of some mortal sin, they would live and die No guaranty that their sins were ever pardoned. How miserable how de- jected would they livei On their death bed the pains of sickness would be aug mented by the torments of a guilty con- science. No priest to assure them that their sins were forgiven and that the voice of their repentance had penetrated the merciful heart of Jesus: that His sacred blood had purified their afflicted souls
 Now how different. man is taken down with a sudden sickness. He sends for a priest. His anxiety is to have a priest. It Is not for a doctor he cries, it is not his bodily sufferings which alarm him. Oh. no. He might not have been a great sinner, but nevertheless he wants d priest A priest arrives. The sick per son breathes a sigh of relief. He con- fesses his sins, promises if God spare his life to atone for his transgressions The priest bends over him, pronounces the sacred words of dissolution, and in the place of his divine maker says: Be of good heart, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee" What tranquility follows Who can estimate the wonderful works of God in this sacrament of reconciliation? Here the unbeliever were he present, would acknowledge the efficacy of Gods grace; here are seen evidences of Gods mercy; here are proofs that Ills words were not spoken in vain when he empowered His apostles to forgive sins: Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven, and whose sins you shall retain they are retained" Here, too, are evidences that this power stlll abides in the church of God
 Barrier to Sin.
 The confessional is the great barrier to sin, the spiritual physician of society ehe ark of refuge, the regeneration of the social fabric. Society is wicked enough: but what would it be but for the confess sional? Who would set limits to sin? Who would retard its cancerous growth? None The civil laws are not competent to re- strain it. They have not, for crime Is multiplying. They cannot say to tho