The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-28

night before he died when he sorrowful.
~ said. IL is necessary that scandal
should come
Powor to Forgive Sin.
The Catholic church claims that The
power ol forgiving sins was Glvcn b!
when he spoke these memorable words
Receive yc the Holy Ghost, whose sins
you shall forgive, they arc forgiven them
and whose sins you shall retain. they
Lord here instituted pcnance In the form
of n judicial tribunal. The priest is n
judge who hears the offeDse for this
reason he must know the SIM hts,ce the
necessity OF confcsinG IL. passes Judg-
mcnt by forgivng or not imposes a pun
ishment and prescribcs a remedy. The
ponitent is the aceuser of self and the
advocate OF his own cause. He should
abide by the sentence, as all Catho-
lies do.
"Was Jesus Christ to appear in per-
son 10 every sinful soul and say to each
pcnitent as he did to Magdalen. Thy
sins arc forgiven thee or did he dele.
gate this power 10 ministers appointed
FOR this purpose? We know well that
our Savior never promised 10 present
himself visiby TO each sinner, nor has
he done SO. His plan, therefore. must
have been TO appoint ministers of recon-
ciliation. to act In his name, II has al
WAYS. indeed; been the practice OF AL
mighty God. both in the old and the new
law. 10 empower human agents to exc
cute his merciful designs
Gospel as Authority.
"Rut have we gospel authority TO
show that our Savior did confer on the
apostles and their successors the power
10 forgive sins2 We have the most posi-
comforting this power arc expressed In
the plainest language which admits OF
no miaconccption. In the gospel OF st.
Matthew our Savior thus addresses
fpr
will build my church. And ! will give
10 thee the keys OF the Kingdom OF
heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind
on earth shall be bound also i'm heaven,
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth
shall he looscd also In heaven.
And to all the apostles assembled
OH another occasion he uses the
same forcible language; Whatsoever you
shall bind on earth shall be bound also
n heaven, and whatsoever you shall
oose on earth shall be loosed also in
heaven The soul Is cnchained by sim
] give you power. says our Lord, 10 re-
lease the penitcni soul from it's CALLING
letters. and To restore II 10 the liberty
Of a child of God
''In the gospel of St John VIC have
4 still more striking declaration OF the
absoIving power given by our Savior 10
his apostles Jesus. after his rcSurrec-
ton. thus addresses his disciples: Peace
be to you, AS the Father hath sent me.
Holy Ghost whose sins ye shall forgive.
they arc forgiven them. and whose sins
yc shall retain. they are retained
Enemies See Good In Confession.
Even the avowcd enemies OF the
church speak favorably OF con-
'essop, ono noted infde saving, There
s not, perhaps. moro useful institution
than confession Dear brethren. in con-
,luson. let me say there is not anything
unreasonable about confession I can
gay In truth that Catholics who frequent
The confessional arc yirtuous in their pri
9ate lives. Just. honorable citizens. char
table toward their fellow Confess
Iion is the most powerful factor ever
given by merclfu God TO raise men
rom the m're OF sin. In public dis
,ourse words Of help and encouragement
nay be applicable to a few of the speak
RS hearers, but the words of the priest
n the privacy OF the confessional arc
Exclusively directed 10 the pcnitcnt. McE
'ntcr the confessional bowed down with
yrief SIN. remorse. They enter like the
publican. ashamed 10 look toward
heaven. No human ear hears what
there, as tho confessional is
! sealed book. They leave tho priest
trengthened refreshed all gloom anu
orrow dispelled from their minds. their
ouls filled with divine grace. II was the
resurrection of souls from the graves of
,in TO the warmth OF the Holy Spirits
liyiDc 'f