ROMAN CATHOLICISM 293 



den from the world but which is so large and vital a part 

 of the soul's history, all must stand the searchlight of God's 

 commands and prohibitions. This serious and frequent ex- 

 amination of one's life in its every detail and motive quickens 

 the action of conscience and strengthens its voice. The de- 

 liberate hauling of one's self before the bar of eternal law, 

 the steady looking at one's faults, failures and transgressions, 

 whether against God, one's neighbor or one's own interests, 

 is the first step in amendment. 



The declaration of one's sins to a fellow-creature is not 

 agreeable — it is not intended that it should be ; it is a medicine 

 for our pride, and medicine as a rule is not particularly pala- 

 table. But this declaration of sins is incumbent upon every 

 one in the Church from the Pope himself down to the hum- 

 blest layman in any walk of life. Every Catholic knows, too, 

 that so absolute and sacred is the secrecy of the confessional, 

 that the confessor would be obliged to lay down his life 

 rather than reveal what is committed to his judgment in that 

 tribunal. And that tribunal is guarded from abuse by the 

 severest penalties the Church can decree. 



Besides confession of sin, every Catholic knows that as a 

 condition for obtaining forgiveness of God, he must have true 

 sorrow — otherwise his confession were worse than a mockery. 

 It would be sacrilege, and he would have added to his burden 

 of sin, instead of lightening it. And that sorrow is to be of 

 no vague general kind, but very definite and practical. It in- 

 cludes not only regret and repentance for the past, but a re- 

 solve for the future. It means the definite and firm resolution 

 to correct the sins that are declared, and furthermore to keep 

 from whatever might prove a proximate occasion of sin. It 

 is this, coupled with the recitals of the sins to the priest, which 

 entitles the penitent to absolution. But it does not end here. 

 There is then the satisfaction, or so-called penance, to be per- 

 formed by the penitent. If he has stolen he must make resti- 

 tution ; if he has slandered he must repair his slanders, etc. ; 

 in every instance he must perform some exercise of piety in- 

 tended to call to his mind and impress on his conscience the 

 avoidance of temptation and sin. 



Confession is for the Catholic the preparation for Holy 

 Communion. Hence his earnestness in striving to make as 

 sincere, humble and contrite confession as possible. For he 



