In the first place, the Scripture teaches us in many places that God will render to every man according to his works. Thus our Blessed Lord himself, in speaking of his coming at the last Judgment, says, "The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels, and then will he render to every man according to his works."* But what, you will ask, have these words to do with purgatory, of which no mention is here made? A great deal, my dear children, as you will soon see. For if Almighty God will render to every man according to his works, it is plain that those, who have committed lesser or venial sins, will not meet with the same punishment as those, who have committed mortal or grievous ones. Now we know that those, who die in the guilt of mortal sin, are condemned without hope to eternal punishment. What, then, will become of those who die in lesser or venial sin? Into heaven they certainly cannot enter until they have satisfied the Justice of God; but, at the same time, we cannot suppose that an infinitely Good God will condemn them for these lesser faults to the eternal flames of hell. Let us suppose, for example, that one man has murdered a fellow-creature, and that another has stolen an apple; moreover, that they both die without receiving pardon for the sin they have committed. Can we suppose for a moment that the man, who has stolen an apple only, will be condemned to the same eternal place of torments as he who has committed the heinous crime of murder? If this were so, God would not be rendering to every man according to his works, which we know from Holy Scripture that he does, and which his Justice indeed requires. Hence it clearly follows that there must be some middle place between heaven and hell, where he, who dies in the guilt of lesser sin, may be able to

*Matt. xvi. 27,

discharge the debt of punishment he owes to God, and so enter into the everlasting joys of Paradise. That there is such a middle place the Church teaches us, and we call it Purgatory.

In the second place, the Scripture teaches us that nothing defiled can enter heaven. For heaven is the abode of God, who is Holiness itself, and of those pure spirits, the Angels, who ever minister at his throne. But which of us, even though he be not stained with the black guilt of mortal sin, has not some lesser stain of sin upon his soul, sufficient to render him unworthy to enter into that pure and holy abode ? We know, indeed, that there are some happy souls who, at their death, have been found worthy of immediate admission into the company of the Blessed; the Martyrs, for example, who, by the generous sacrifice of their lives for Jesus Christ, have, as the Holy Scripture expresses it, washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb of God. In like manner many holy Confessors of the faith, Bishops, monks, and hermits, virgins and widows, and other Saints of God, have, for their patient sufferings and heroic virtues, been deemed worthy of the same privilege. But, alas, all are not Saints, even of those whom we commonly call good and holy! It stands to reason, therefore, since we cannot suppose that a Good and Merciful God will condemn to eternal flames those who are stained with these lesser sins and imperfections, and since, on the other hand, Holy Scripture assures us that no one defiled can enter into the pure abode of the Blessed, that there must be some other place, where the soul may be purified by suffering, and so rendered worthy to be admitted into the presence of God and the company of the Saints. This place of purification is commonly called Purgatory. Finally, the Holy Scripture says, that some souls

* Apoc. xxi. 27.

shall be saved, yet so as by fire.* What fire is it that is here spoken of? It is plain that it is not an earthly fire, for the Apostle St. Paul is here speaking of the judgment passed by God on our actions after death. Neither is it the fire of hell, since that will not save any one, but will burn for ever him that is thrown therein. It follows, therefore, that it must be the fire or sufferings of purgatory, which, as fire purifies gold or silver from any baser metal that is mixed with it, so cleanses the soul from the dross of sin, and makes it worthy to shine in the Heavenly Jerusalem.

You see, then, my dear children, that it is evident from Holy Scripture, that there is a place after death where the soul is purified from sin, which is the meaning of the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory.

We read in the acts of the martyrdom of St. Perpetua, who was put to death for the faith about two hundred years after Christ, a beautiful account of a vision, with which she was favoured by our Blessed Lord, respecting her deceased brother. As this vision shows us how the prayers, which we offer for the dead, serve both to relieve their sufferings and to hasten their release from Purgatory, I will now relate it to you as it was told by St. Perpetua herself to the companions of her martyrdom.

VISION OF ST. PERPETUA.

"A few days after receiving sentence, when we were all together in prayer, I happened to name Dinocrates, at which I was astonished, because I had not before had him in my thoughts; and I that moment knew that I ought to pray for him. This I began to do with great fervour and sighing before God, and the same night I had the following vision. I saw Dinocrates coming out of a dark place, where there were many others, exceedingly hot and thirsty. His face was dirty, his complexion pale, with the ulcer in his face, of

1 Cor. iii. 15.

which he died at seven years of age. There seemed a great distance between him and me, so that it was impossible for us to come to each other. Near him stood a vessel full of water, whose brim was higher than the stature of an infant. He attempted to drink, but, though he had water, he could not reach it. This mightily grieved me, and I awoke. By this I knew that my brother was in pain, but I trusted I could by prayer relieve him; so I began to pray for him, beseeching God with tears, day and night, that he would grant me my request, as I continued to do till we were removed to the camp prison, being destined for a public show on the festival of the Emperor. The day we were in the stocks I had this vision. I saw the place, which I had beheld dark before, now full of light, and Dinocrates, with his body very clean and well clad, refreshing himself; and, instead of his wound, a scar only. I awaked, and I knew he was relieved from his pain."

St. Perpetua, a few days after, finished her course by a glorious martyrdom, and soon, no doubt, had the happiness of embracing her little brother, whose sufferings she had relieved by her prayers, and whose happy release from purgatory she had hastened.-Butler's Saints' Lives.

The doctrine of Purgatory, and that of praying for the dead, which necessarily follows from it, are two of the most consoling truths of our holy faith. That religion must, indeed, be dreary and desolate, in which it is taught that those dear friends, who are torn from us by death, can no longer be helped by our prayers, and, if not sufficiently pure to be admitted at once into the presence of God, are condemned for ever to be banished from his sight. The history, which I am going to relate to you, will confirm the truth of what I say.

A PROTESTANT CONVERTED BY THE DOCTRINE OF

PURGATORY.

A certain young man, a Protestant, residing in Scotland, had a brother whom he tenderly loved, but who was cut off by a premature death. He was deeply afflicted at so severe a loss, and refused all consolation. What grieved him particularly were the fears for his brother's salvation, which perpetually haunted his mind. He could not bear to think for a

moment that his brother was eternally lost, and yet, when he thought of the Holiness of God and the perfect purity required for admission into heaven, he knew not what to think. In a word, he was driven to the brink of despair, and could find no rest day or night. To divert his mind, he undertook, at the advice of his friends and physician, a journey to the Continent. Providence had so arranged that a Catholic priest sailed with him in the same vessel, and, on landing, lodged at the same hotel. The priest and the young Scotchman were frequently thrown together, and conversed on various subjects, till at last the young man revealed to his new friend the secret of the cruel anxiety which distracted his heart. The priest endeavoured to console him as well as he was able, and spoke to him of the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory and the Catholic practice of praying for the dead. "Oh!" exclaimed the young man, "if I were only able to pray for my dear brother, I should feel my heart relieved. Never would I pass a day without offering up my petitions to God for one whom I have so tenderly loved upon earth." This conversation made a deep impression upon the young man, and led him to inquire into the other doctrines of the Catholic Church. These inquiries soon removed his early prejudices, and a short time after he became a Catholic. Catéchisme de Persévérance, vol. iii.

EIGHTEENTH INSTRUCTION.

Tenth Article. The Forgiveness of Sin. Means of Forgiveness. Nature of Sin. Original Sin.

Q. What is the tenth article of the Creed?

A. The forgiveness of sins.

Q. What is meant by this article ?

A. That there is in the Church of God forgiveness of sins

for such as properly apply for it.

Q. To whom has Christ given power to forgive sins?

A. To the Apostles and their successors, the Bishops and Priests of his Church.