and is still
practised in protestant churches of our day. But auricular confession was
unknown by the disciples of Christ; as it is rejected, to-day, with horror
by all the true followers of the Son of God.

Erasmus, one of the most learned Roman Catholics which opposed the
Reformation in the 16th century, so admirably begun by Luther and Calvin,
fearlessly and honestly makes the following declaration in his treaty: De
Paenitantia, Dis 5. "This institution of penance began rather of some
tradition of the Old or New Testament. But our divines, not advisedly
considering what the old doctors do say, are deceived: that which they say
of general and open confession, they wrest by and by to this secret and
privy kind of confession.

It is a public fact, which no learned Roman Catholic has ever denied, that
auricular confession became a dogma and obligatory practice of the church
only at the council of Lateran in the year 1215, under the Pope Innocent
III. Not a single trace of auricular confession, as a dogma, can be found
before that year.

Thus, it has taken more than twelve hundred years of efforts for Satan to
bring out that master-piece of his inventions to conquer the world and
destroy the souls of men.

Little by little, that imposture had crept into the world, just as the
shadows of a stormy night creep without any one being able to note the
moment when the first rays of light give way before the dark clouds. We
know very well when the sun was shining, we know when it was very dark all
over the world, but no one can tell positively when the first ray of light
faded away. So saith the Lord:

"The Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his
field.

"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and
went his way.

"But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, there appeared
the tares also.

"So the servants of the house-holder came and said unto him: Sir, dist not
thou sow good seed in the field? From whence then hath it tares?

"He said unto them: The enemy hath done this." (Mat. xiii, 24-28.)

Yes, the Good Master tells us that the enemy sowed those tares in his field
during the night--when men were sleeping.

But he does not tell us precisely the hour of the night when the enemy cast
the tares among the wheat.

If any one likes to know how fearfully dark was the night which covered the
"Kingdom," and how cruel, implacable and savage was the en