Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/400

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304 YUle,Tear. [Booi I1. for without check, in the putclass and celebrating of muses, whether pa?d for by the living or the legacies of the dead. Nor is this a perverted view of either the Council of Trent, or this doctrine and its conse- quences and attendants. Their practice will establish the truth of this charge with all its gravity. Much superstition appears in their At?ri?,? and./'u,?M? for the dead. It is acknowledged that the bodies of deceased persons should be car- ried to their graves in a decent manner, that lamentation and sorrow may be properly manifested respecting them, that it is not unlawful t,; true appropriate ceremonies or rites at their burials, not so much for religion as for order's sake. These things we cordially acknowledge as proper and fit; but there are several matters relating to funerals and burials that are purely superstitious, and which grow out of, and are connected with their doctrine of pur?Tatory. First. They burn tapers or candles to indicate that the souls of the deceased are alive.* The use of holy clay is another superstitious observance. Secondly. Another superstitious observance is their frequent remem- brance of the dead. They have their ?veek'? ? for the dead, or a remembrance of them every seventh d?y; their /m/.f toe?k'? m/nd?, or every third day; their month's minds every month; and their anniver- saries' or every year'? minds. Thirdly. They teach that whatever is done in behalf of the dead is meritoriov?; and allege the place where David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead: "Blessed are ye of the Lord," &c., 2 Sam. ii, 4. FourOdy. They think their singing, chanting, ringing, giving of doles and alms to the poor, and such other superstitious customs profit the dead.t Fi?hly. In their funerals and suffrages for the dead, they make great difference between the rich and the poor. For they suppose, it.is pos- sible that so many prayers and huffrages be. made at once for the dealt, that their souls may at once be delivered out of purgatory. "And therefore in this case only the condition of the rich is better than the poor, because he possesseth that wherewith suffrages can be made for him."?. There is greater respect shown to a departed l?ope than to any other; for on the first day there must be two hundred masses said for his soul, and for nine days after one hundred masses every day. They all teach with Dens, ?hat suffragia animabus pro quibus fiant proaunt infallibilitor; "suffrages infallibly profit the souls for which they are made." The reason which he gives for this, is: "Because there is no impediment in them, and God appears to accept these suf- frages for them; for as St. Thomas saith, (quest. cit. art. l, in c.,) ' These works are efficient for ?hose for whom they are offered, being bestowed on them, as it were, by the doer of them.' For such is the belief of all the faithful."? Now is it not plain from this, that the rich who can pay for the greater number of masses and prayers by BeHar. do Purg., lib. ii, c. 19. t Bellar., c. 19. Et ideo in bee solo casu melior eat �omiltio divitis, qu&m pauper/s, qui-? irabet umie surfregis fiant pro ipso.--Albert. Ma?. de Off?c. Mi?s., tract. ?. �/a nullins in eis eat impedimemum, et Dens videtur ilia pro eis acceptare; ham ut d/eit 8. Th. (quaeeL cit. art. i, in c.) ,' Is?s oper? quod?nmodo efficiuntur eorom. pm quibus fiunt, quasi els a fscieute collata." Ita etiam habit sensum fidel/um.--De? d? P?rg., No. ?1, ?ol. vii, p. 408. 1