Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1909-07-15
PURGATORY.


issued by the Brooklyn Tabernacle,
Brooklyn, N. Y, contains the follow
ing ridicule of the Catholic idea of
middle state of suffering (Purgatory)
for atonement for sin. The tendency
of the entire tract is to knock out the
idea which has prevailed for eighteen
hundred years that when man acts
devilishly mean in this life he pays a
penalty for it in the next, which is
rather a dangerous doctrine, SO we
Judge. There are so many evidences
that penalty will be paid in eternity
for meanness done in life that we will
not try to touch upon them all now.
We quote from the tract the follow
ing amusing write-up of Catholic doc
trine regarding purgatory, supposed to
be furnished by Catholic:
"The dead in general, according to
our teaching, pass Immediately to
Purgatory, which is, as the name in
dictates, d place of purgation from sin,
a place of penances, sorrows, woes,
anguish indeed but not hopeless The
period of confinement here maybe be
centuries or thousands of years, ac-
cording to the deserts of the individu-
al and the alleviations granted If
you would know more particularly the
Catholic teachings on this subject, we
refer you to the writings of one of our
great Catholics the noted poet Dante,
loyal Catholic, at one time an Abb
bot, who died in monastery with the
full rights of the Church. Dante S
poem, "Inferno, graphically de-
scribes the fortunes of Purgatory, as
we understand the matter. You can
procure at almost any library an illus
trated copy of this great Catholic
poem Dore the artist, was also a
prominent Catholic and he portrayed
Dante's poem vividly and truthfully.
The illustrations show the torments of
Purgatory vividly-how the demons
chase some until they leap over preci.
pieces into boiling water They ply
others with fiery darts. Others are
burned with heads downward; Others
with feet downward in pits Some
are bitten by serpents Still others are
frozen, etc. We advise that you SET
Dante's work, Inferno, because il
gives our Catholic view of the proper
answer to your question, Where are
the dead2 The vast majority are IL
Purgatory. The billions of the heath
ems are there; because ignorance doei
not save, does not qualify for thu
heavenly condition. All who entel
heaven must previously have been fit
ted and prepared in manner imposs
lille to the heather. Millions of Pro
tessants are there They could not en-
ter heaven except through the portal
of the Catholic Church, neither would
God deem them worthy of eterna
hell, because their rejection of Cathol
icism was due to the confession o
faith under which they we're born ant
environed. Nearly all Catholics go t.
Purgatory also, because, notwith
standing the good offices of on
Church, our holy water, confessions
masses. holy candles, consecrated bury
ing grounds, etc, nevertheless, no
having attained to saintship of charac
ter, they would be excluded from heav
en- until the distressing experiences q
Purgatory would prepare their heart
for heaven. We hold, however, tina
for the reason stated, Catholics wi
not need to remain as long in Purga
tory as will the Protestants an
heathens.
And so Prof Dante's poem is tn
offender, ehH Too vivid-the flame
shine too brightly, EN- We don't SUI
pose, however, that future punish
ment will be carried out just as Pro-
Dante described it. He was ''pote'
you know, and "potes'' are dreamer'
and therefore should not be accepte
as canonical, but-revenons nos mot
tons.
In the second book of Machabees W
rea,. of Judas Machabeus, that "mal
ing a gathering, he sent twelve thou
and drachms of silver to Jerusalem II
sacrifice to be offered for the sins
the dead, thinking we'll and religion
" concerning the resurrection. IF
il he had not hoped that they TIL
we're slain should rise again, it wou
have seemed superhuous and vain
pray for the deadly and because
considered that they who bad fallt
asleep with godliness, had great gra
laid up for them. 1t is therefore
holy and wholesome thought to pr
for the dead, that they may be loos
from sins. xii. 43-46), which stat
ment if not accepted as cannonic
still is of historical value as shown
that the Jews believed and still b
lieve, that prayer is of efficacy for t
dead. This custom antedated Chr
and was in no wise condemned
Him. A writer last week declared
plicitly that st. Paul did not menti
future punishment, but yet we find
ICor. iii, 1915, mention of the 4
which shall try every man's work. a
through which he himself shall be ga
ed In Matt xii, 80. Christ speaks
slight sins being pardoned in the VOL
TO come, and in Pet. iii. 1920,
Peter tells how our Saviour preach
the fact of His redemption to thu
spirits that were in prison. which g
~ ont the same idea of future rem
sion of penalty for sin. Historica
the idea is correct for in Tertulhi
(about sO4 A. d. we find an ailusi
10 the migratory idea in the tollowiI