Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-10-17
CO.'S Hatred
OF Sin SHOWN
FATHER VIM. J. CLIFFORD GAVE
FORCEFUL SERMON LAST
NIGHT At MISSION.
LARGE AUDIENCE OUT.
St. Patrick's Church Was Crowded
With Faithful Of Parish and
Numerous Nom
Catholics.

|
Rev. Father VIM. J. Clifford In his
forceful sermon last evening on "The
Only Obstacle to Salvation empha-
sized Gods hatred for sin. He pointed
out that sin was the only obstacle to
the salvation Of mankind. st. Pat
rick's church again housed an I'M
mense audience and the sermon OF
the evening with the other exercises
we're given the devout attention Of the
congregation. The services opened at
1880 o'clock with the recitation Of the
rosary with Rev. Father Felix Byrne
leading. The last decade was again
offered up to those who should and are
not making the mission. These are
called the spiritually dead OF the con-
gregation. Following the rosary,
Father Byrne answered some OF the
questions that were deposited during
the day in the question box. He then
told of two conversions that came to
his view while In Washington, D. C..
One was that Of the son Of Bishop
sabin, we'll known figure in the ma
tons capital, and the other OF
colored boy who had been befriended
by some priests. Father Byrne ex-
pressed delight at the large congrega-
ton that attended the early morning
mass Monday, saying that he was conf
dent the mission would be a success.
| Father Clifford took occasion to re-
fer to the articles of devotion that
were available during the mission,
particular mention being made of the
gold crosses for women and girls. He
urged all to wear these outward signs
of their faith, saying that in these
days of degenerate fashions he hoped
that the wearing Of crosses would
continue and not be subject to the
constantly changing whims OF the
fashion makers. y
| The great crowds at the mission
services thus far are source OF much
Measure to the two missioners. Camp
stools are placed in the aisles during
the evening services, and people are
: also accommodated in the sanitary
and sacristy. Five hundred people
attended the two morning mass S TO-
day, and 300 were present at the $50
service.
The following important announce
ment was made last evening:
"Those making the mission should
avoid anything that Is calculated to
turn the attention away from the ser
vices and all important truths preach
ed during the mission. Every exer-
else should be attended If possible
Those who miss one. not only lose the
benefits Of the particular exercise but
also run the risk of not hearing the
very truths ON which the grace OF
conversion or Of perseverance, depends"
Gods Ha.re of Sin.
The sermon of the evening, del1v-
cred bv Father Clifford. was taken
from the twenty-first chapter OF the
book of Ecclesiasticus, "My Son, Hast
Thou Sinned?"
"In these Words said Father CHI
ford. 1--WE find an Indictment OF sin
Sin is the only obstacle that can keep
ia ont of hell. It is the one disorder
of this world. Men sin because they
are attracted to 1t, and at the same
time away down in their hearts they
repel It. It is the one act Of treason tc
Cod. The gravity Of sin is measured by
the person against whom it is direct
; ed Does God hate sin? In the scrip
lures we are told of Lucifer. the
|, prince of light, and the exalted posi-
tion he held in Gods domain He hac
one evil thought not even a spoken
word, but for that thought he was
hurled down into an infinite hell
Every war, famine, holocaust anc
misery are evidences OF Gods hatreo
of sim"
Father Clifford then referred to the
sin of Adam and the destruction Of
sodom and Gomorrah, and then ne
came down to more recent disasters
"In 1902 in your evening paper yol
read Of the eruption of Mt. Pelee," sale
the missioner. "a few weeks before
: that great disaster. some atheist or
; Good Friday crucified pig In derisior
of the crucifixion of our savior. Gods
: hatred Of sin was shown in the subse
ouent destruction of that CITY, and tt
this dav no scientist has satisfacto
ily explained how those poor people
came to their deaths. A year or 81
later on Christmas day the city o
Messana on the island of Sicily was
wiped out by the waters of the sea
A few days before Christmas the sooe
neople Of that city were preparing
their cribs for the Christmas festival
and paper published by some
atheist came out in derision and sale
let God show himself and we will be
1ieye,' The waters came on Christmas
morning. destroying ALL Does God no
punish sin? In your own city here JUS
the other day a man was drowned II
the river for committing heinous sin
God hates sin with everlasting hate
Wa, it not sin that made God leave
his heavenly home and come down I,
earth for thirty-three years ana the1
offer up his life on Calvary for us
: God knows all sin. Even the secre
} sin you might have is known by God
Those who are in sin should ask COO
: for his forgiveness, and during th1'
| mission is the accepted time
: foregoing table. only the slump ma
=, rVyn RI