The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-29

the sin of intemperance captain of vessel is will Ft6 Hanger of shipwreck and his pas sengers to loss of life, he is guilty of crime even if the wreck does not happen So it is with men who ex- pose their souls to danger. They sin as soon as they deliberately expose their soul to danger.''
 Father Walsh then treated in order such occasions or dangers of sin as immoral books, written not to uplift the mind of the reader, .but written
 merely to sell, and containing the vilest kind of impure suggestions to make the sale sure.'' Perhaps never
 before in this city was the danger of these books so powerfully stated.
 In this connection Father Walsh spoke in strong terms against the in decent postal cards and pictures that nood the country Bad immoral plays were next considered as occasions of sin. "One man may see a question able show,'' said the preacher "and it may be no occasion of sin at all to him. But it may be a temptation to bad thoughts and desires to the person who sits next to him. If it be an oc- casion of sin to that person it is a ser ious sin for that person to go to that theater.'
 Our government" said Father Walsh 'fhas at great cost placed light houses on especially dangerous places to warn sailors of the danger lest ships and lives be lost. Shall not those who have the care of souls at heart be equally alert and place signal lights on all places that are especially dan gerouS to the souls of men? And what is so dangerous as the saloon? It is no exaggeration to say that any one sa- loon in this city has caused more loss to souls, than even the most danger ous rocks in the Atlantic have caused to life.
 Before every saloon a signal should De set up warning men of the hun dreds of souls that have been led to sin by entering that place. It is a disreputable business and the Catholic Church in solemn council assembled in this country has branded it as such and urges all Catholics to keep out of that business and obliges every pastor to keep this before the minds of his people by preaching on the subject to them at regularly recurring intervals
 Company keeping was the last oc- casion of sin treated. -'It is necessary that young men and women keep com pany preparatory to marriage" said the missionary. 'But company keep ing is liable to become a serious occa- sion of great sin. How many a young man or young women were innocent and pure and holy until the company keeping age arrived. It is the duty of parents to see to it that all that is within their power be done to lessen the danger which is here to their sons and daughters .
 NOW 10 nave your sins forgiven in confession you know that you must not only determine and promise to avoid the sin, you know you must de- termine and promise to avoid even the proximate occasion of sin. The man who has sinned by intemperance must keep away from rhe saloon, the reader of bad books must destroy them, the man who sins on account of the com pany he keeps must give up that com pany or there is no forgiveness of his sin in confession. That is the value of the confessional. It gives a chance to the priest to point out when occasion requires, the special danger of sin to the one who is confessing and to in- sist that there is no forgiveness un- less you determine and promise to avoid those dangers
 Tonight Father Moran will prea ch and Father Walsh will answer ques- tions that have been placed in the question box. Confessions are heard by the missionaries from to 2 in the from to 6 in the afternoon and from s to 10 at night. As the 300 men who are attending the mission all go to confession and Holy Com munioni this week it is urgent that they come at the times appointed. AL ready large number have received these two Sacraments. Non-Catholics as well as Catholics are invited.