THE FORTY DAYS' INDULGENCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1792, 17 March 1888, Page 3

THE FORTY DAYS' INDULGENCE

TO THE JEDITOB

Sib, — I notice by yonr paper of the 12th last, that a "Protestant" aeka for a "little explanation" with regard to Dr Grimes baviig " extended indulgences for 40 dsyß to the congregation," bat, 1 prosame, that he did bo m Ignorance of the fact that he wsb opening up a very vast lubject. However, . . . , m a Oatholl;— thonghalmcstunedncated— lam piepaied to give him tattle, and to uphold the teaching of the Holy Catholic Obnrch. Now, an indulgence !s not, as your. Qor> respondent won Id have as to believe, aad never was, a permission given by the Church to sin. I am afraid I vrill be nnable to do jaßtice to this subjeot In the ■pscß at my disposal, but I will follow the subject up, if need be, m a future issue. .... To resume, an indulgence ia a remission — not even a forgiveness of cin — of the debt of temporal punishment, due to the Divine Justice for sin, after the b!d itself, And the eternal punishment have been remitted by what we call the Sacrament of penance. Here, again, let me remark, lam not shirking the proving that there is temporal punishment due for bld, and am prepared to establish by proof the authority of the Roman Catholic Church for her teaching?, if it is wished for. Now, I oontend, as 208 million Catholics contend with one voice, that the Ghuroh has power to grant these indulgences . Christ Bald to our firßt Pope, " Thou art Peter, and I will give to theo the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatgover thou ■halt bind upon earth, shall be bound also m Heaven ; and whatsoever thon sbalfc loose upon earth shall be loosed ako m Heaven."— Matt. XVI., 19. Does this text not clearly prove that our Saviour give to St. Peter, as the Chief Paator of His Church, whoeo authority sa such extends to all her members, en ample ard universal power of conducting the faithful to Heaven, by looslrg them from everything that might hinder them from going thither, aiways provided they ba properly disposed, and perform the conditions required upon their part ? Did Christ not tell him to "Feed bis sheep 1 ' (John XXI., 16.) But my friend may contend this power was only given to St. Peter and those present, to which I reply, though St. Paul waß not one of the twelve apostles present when the power was given them by our Saviour, he both exercised it himeelf towards the incestuous Corinthian and recommended to the Pastors of that Church to do the nme ; for, having first oondemned and bound him to publio penance, and " Delivered him over to Satan (or the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit might ba Mved m the day of our Lord," 1 Cor., V. 5 ; yet afterwards, being informed of his great repentance and vehement sorrow, he "writes to that Ghuroh : "To him, that fs such a one, this rebuke is sufficient that it Is given by many ; bo that contrariwise, ye should rather forgive him, and to whom ye have forgiven anything, I also ; for what I forgave, If I have forgiven anything, for yonr sakes have I done it, In the parson of Christ."— 2 Cor;, 11., 6, 10. I recommend "Protestant " to get the "Catholic Dictionary," b> William B. Addis and Thomas Arnold, and, commencing page 440, doubtleaa there he will find as much as he can dLe6t at leisure. Ai I intend to notice another letter referring to Dr Grimes I must conclude, but m bo dolnf, I kindly invite " Proteßtant *' to sign his name m full, and I will do ao too. . . . . — I am, etc. J.O.M. P.