The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1910-01-07

- ros,ea nardon for sins. How are
tbev 70 use this power in concrete
.oses Must they not use it lntelh-
emily and with discretion 1t Is
5elegated authority for the proper use
,f which they will be held response
Me How can they pardon sin unless
thew know what sin has been commit
tod How can a court acqult or con
denim a criminal until 1t hears he
,ccusation and the evidence sup
rose a sinner comes to one OF the
aoostles asking pardon for his SIN
would YOU expect that apostle TO grant
him the pardon he asks without know"
ing oven what sin he had committed
and without seeing evidence OF true
sorrow and a purpose Of amendment;
We'll how can he find this out
ONLY through the confession OF the
sinner himself He is there to accuse
himself He is his own attorney
giving his sorrow for sin as reason
10 obtain forgiveness. Here IS a III
bunal Of mercy and reconciliation
which Jesus Christ has establsheca IN
his Church. This practice OF comics
sion in the Catholic Church goes back
10 apostolic times. No merely human
or ecclesiastical power could have
forced it upon the consciences OF all
+be Christians in the world, nor nave
made them submit to II without the
least resistance for fifteen hundred
wears. If it were the work OF Popes
or Bishops or councils, there would
he in Church history some record Of
its introduction. If it were the work
of Pope or Bishops or priests, would
they not have excused themselves
from the humiliating duty of confess
inc TO one another? Do you suppose
they were looking for something TO
40 and imposed upon themselves the
burden of hearing the confession OF
an the Christians IN the world
Do YOU suppose, Mr.. Editor that
Jesus Christ. after displaying for a
few short years his powers to absolve
the sinner from his guilt, withdrew
into am eternal silence, leavi1g man
kind i'm the same helpless condition
that prevailed before his coming
No. hc established this sacrament OF
reconciliation. which will continue 10
his Church as long as there are SIN
ners In the world to be reconciled
But why al' this b0theration OF goial
to confession TO the priest VIII.
not let each one in his own way con
fess To God alone and be reconc.led
m.ght answer by asking anone
question Why an thIs trouble and n
convenience of receiving baptism ann
oarak.nr of the Lord supper
am not going so demand of the Lon
his reasons .or doing thus and SO.
is enough to know that he has chose
this means for imfarung grace am
pardon TO sinners. ID is not given &
us to pick and choose our own wa
of going to heaven God has zap
pointed q way One who grasps OBJ
Sides of the sacramento character q
confession and who perceives its di
vine institution can easily solve TO
himself the objections and nsinuatiou
which were brought up 10y the Her
aids re, resentative.
How can the priest know whethe
the penltent is worthy TO receive alb
solution BY the same rule of com
mon sense by which priest or minis
ter determines the fitness Of a candi
date for baptism Repentance is a
necessary for the worthy reception @
baptism in the case of adults VIII
have sinned as it is for receivln
pardon in the sacrament of penance.
How does the priest know that TIM
penitent is telling the truth He re
lies upon the veracity Of the peniten
who is confessing his sins primarily t.
the all seeing God and secondarly L
the priest, who is only the agent o
God. Whoever goes to confession
knows that if he wilfully conceals
sin, he is telling lie to God and rem
dering his /. confession sacriligious
A man who is so sorry for his sin
that he will 90 to confession at all
is generally reasonable enough to IT.
TO make his confession valid in tn
sight of God Yet if the priest find
that the penitent is not resolved
svoid sin and the dangerous occasio
Of sin he is bound to refuse absolr
ton What of the sins that are fol
gotten They are forgiven togethC
with those that are confessed; for
is absurd 10 think that a sinner recoI
cned to God through the worthy re
ception of this sacrament still remaiI