The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-01-29
CATHOLIC BELIEF
ON %PURGATORY
The Subject Discussed by the
Local Priest
Mr.. Editor:

May | ask the liberty To make
use of your paper TO set Alright
in the minds of the good people
of Miller. the teaching of the
one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
church, concerning the doctrine
Purgatory aud th2s at the same
time bring to an end, tie use
less and Improbable talk start
ed at the revival meetings be-
ing held in our city by a certain
Mr.. Romig.
The Catholic church teaches
that besides a place of eternal
tOrments for the wicked and of
everlasting rest for the right
eous, there exists in the text
life a middle state of temporary
punishment, allotted for those
who have died in venial sir
slight FAULT or who have not
satisfied the justice of God for
sins already forgiven. She also
teaches us that, although the
souls consigned to this inter.
mediate state, commonly called
Purgatory, cannot help them
selves, they may be aided by
the ,uilrages Of the faithful On
earth. Tie existence Of purga.
tory naturally implies the cor
relative dogma-the utility of
praying for the dead; for the
souls consigned to This middle
state have lot reached the term
of their journey. They are still
eXiles from heaven, and fit sub.
jects for divine ~c,ememcy.
Is it aot strange that this cher
ished doc riuo should be called
in question by the dwelling il
novatois Cf the 10th century,
when we consider that it is clear
ly taught In the Old aud New
Testament that it is unanimous
ly proclaimed by the Fathers ,f
the church: tina it is embodied
in all all the ancient liturgies of
the Oriental and Western
church: and that it is "A doctrine
alikn cOnsonant with our reason
and emiEently "GuSoling to the
human heart?
/. 1t is "a doctrine plainly
contained in the Old Testament
and piously practiccd by ;he He
brew people. AT the close of am
engagement which Judas Macha-
beus had with the enemy. he
ordered prayers and sacrifices to
be offered for his slain comrades,
"and making a g thering, he
sent twelve thousand drachma
of silver to Jerusalem for sacri
flee to be offered for the sins of
the dead, thinking well and re
! ligi,usly concerning the resur-
rectionn etc. = 1T is.
therefore, a holy and holesome
thought To pray for the dead,
that they may be loosed from
sins Gil. Mach. NIL. 1916
These words are So forcib'e that
no comment of mine could make
them clearer. This passage was
obnoxious aud a stumbling block
to the Reformers. Finding they
could not weaken the force OF
the text, they impiousiy threw
overheard the Book of Macha-
bees, like a man who assassin
ates IA hostile witness. They
pretended that the two Books oI
Machabees YER apocryphal
and yet hey have precisely the
same authority as the Gospel ot
st. Matthew or any other portion
of the Bible; for the canonicit,
of the Holy Scriptures rests sole.
ly on the authority of the Catho
lie church, which proclaimed
them inspired. But even al,
hitting, for the sake If argu
mint, that the Books of Macha
bees we're not entitled to be-
ranked among the Canonica
Books of Holy Scripture. no one
has ever denied that they are
truthful historical monument
and as such that they serve t,
demonstrate that it was a pre-.
vailing practice among the He
brew peop..e as it is with us, t.
offer up prayers and sacrifices
for the dead.
Continued next week.