Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-26
FINAL IN SERIES
 OF LENTEN SERMONS.
Scandal, the Greatest. of All Sins, Emphasized by Rev. Albert Casey.

Scandal, the greatest of all sins was specially emphasized by Rev. Albert Casey of Providence in the final in the series of Sunday evening Lenten ger mons at St. PatrIck's church last evening.
 The attendance was very large and che music rendered by the choir was exceptionally good. The order of the musical service was Mercadantes ves- pers and Salutaris was rendered in fine voice by Horace Corning.
 In part Rev. Father Casey said-
 Woe to the man to whom scandal comesi God gave us life; He not soniy placed us in this world, but He wishes us to carry the seed of life and it is to be ours IS long as He wishes. When man disobeys that commandment Thou shall not kill, he deprives the man of that which God gave him and offends Gods law. Thou shall not kill or thou shall not take mans physical life any more than his civil life. You have no right to make known a mans faults to his neighbor, thus depri ing this man Of his reputation You have sinned in a special manner when you deprive him Of the life of the im- mortal soul or deprive him of the spiritual life. When you take a mans physical life you take from him some thing very Va 'EaoIe. You take from him something that he could enjoy to the full extent When you deprive a man of the good respect of the com uldHAlS It may De the course or a lew days, few months. few years. mostly q temporary injury, but when you in- f1ict on the spiritual soul an injury which lasts from a day, through his lifetime, and maybe through eternity. an injury that may last through the portals of death and in the loss of his immortal soul woe to this man to whom scandal coneth. It is batter that he tie millstone around his neck. Scandal is a sin that is so ire f hn nnrl1- mitted by words or il may be com mitted by the deeds you perform. It is a sin committed by your neighbor because of you.
 Father Casey in an illustration told of man who was guilty of theft from his employer and has been successful. He is not satisfied but comes forth to his fellow friend and tells him of his feat and glorifes himself in a quiet way. He urges his friend who is an honest. everyday workingman, to do likewise. Now the second man after continuous persuasion does likewise. It is not only a sin of his but it is a sin of the first mar who urged hlm on- Saturday nights after completing week of honest work you feel per haps as if you need pleasure in the form of drinking or gambling. I say to you 1t is wrong to get drunk: 1t is deprive others of things that they need. I don't say it is wrong to play cards, but it Is wrong to gamble. That is sin of yours: but, oh, if you take a friend to Join you, you are not only guilty of drinking and gambling your self but you are guilty of the cause of another mans guEt- You may be guilty of scandal without the help of by yourself, and yet neighbors join you without your persuasion.
 Father Casey told of the influence parents have on children. The father who does not lead an upright Chris tian life will influence the life of a child and is guilty of scandal. Those who are in authority have influence, either good or bad. You may be guilty of scandal without committing an act of sit at all and to bring out his point Father Casey cited from the Bible of what St. Paul said: If I scandalize my neighbors by eating meat, shall stop eating the meat forever.
 We are living in the midst of men or believe as we do. There are cer- tain number in this country who look at playing cards, dancing or smoking as sins We know that smoking is dancing can be indulged in as a sin Living in this world, associated with men and women. we must not only be careful of ourselves but we must be have the possibility of forgiveness We resolve and promise not to commit the sin again, but do we know if our neighbor who we led on will repent and what if he does not repent. what will we do to repair it? He may go on and commit sin after sin There are men who have passed in the next world suffering today of the sins they left behind them. Sin is an offense against God and an offense against our inn mortal soul. Of all sins. the grea.e Is scandal The sin of which we are responsible God will hold un account able for. If we unite with Satan we unite forces to rebel against God.