308 PVtOivotr. [Boor fl. commemoration are included all who have ]mid ;or themselves, ?ud all whose friends have paid for them, as well as all those who had nei- ther money nor friends. Besidas, it may easily be supposed that the i?n?m? of the priest in saying masses will be directed to the souls o� those who have Paid libemil)'. Dens, however, allows, as quoted above, that the ?u.?rag? which would belong to those who are in hea- ven, or to the damned, may be transferred to the poor. But as he and all of them teach t/?t ?.?ages pro. fit only tAo? for wAom t/My ?rf given, and they are never given for' those in heaven or hell, there can be no transfer to the poor from either of these quarters. But why do we reason logically on this point ?. Alas ! it is of no avail; as the doctrine and ius practices are unsoriptuml and simoniacai; and as snch they must appear to every enightened, unprejudiced person, priests them- selves not excepted. It is true the Council of Trent prohibits what has a reference to fdtAy/so-?; but, as we have already shown, she authorizes and even enjoins those ?hin? which unequivocally embrace both the sins of s/tomy and fi/t)� lzwre. Indeed, the council was aware that scandal and offence arose from the pecuniary traffic which had been can'ied on in relation to purgatory: and yet they did not unteach their false doe- trine, and correct their lucrative practice; but, on the other hand, esta- blished both, in commanding bishops to teach the people to l?.rform �e. ts ofe? on behalf of the fait/?ful w?o a? dsad; that is, "to give money to the priests for the relief of the souls which are in IMn'gatory'." The practice of many ages forms a practical proof that Roman priests have amassed immense wealth by means of the doctrine of purgatory. It may not be amiss here to present some of the exl)edients by which this has been accomplished, by the aid of this article of their faith. 1st. Great care is constantly taken to bring this subject before the people. In public discourses the miseries of purgatory, the value of masses, and every figure which imagination can paint, are presented in order to induce all to contribute for the relief of those in purgatory. 2d. Prayers are formed on purpose, in order to make this subject appear as solemn and important as Possible. Prayers are prepared to be offered at the moment of death, at stated intervals after it, and at the return of the anniversary of the event. A solemn office for the demi forms part of the service of the church, and is usually recited once a month, and in Lent once a week: on All-Souls' day (Nov. 2) extraor- dinary manses are said for their relief. 3d. Arrangements may be made at any time with the priest, so as to procure private masses to be said for the benefit of a friend, whose de- liverance out of purgatory is desired. And should the friends of do- ceased persons be slow in procuring masses, the priest will soon in- form them that their relative is in purgatory, and that s certain sum is in immediate requisitiou, in order either to release him or mitigate his ptin. 4th. Public solicitations are frequently made in order to obttin [no- My for the purpose of paying for masses to be said for souls in purga- tory. In Italy and Spain travellers are continually solicited for contri.
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