the power of forgiving sin was
conferred upon the Apostles?"

"Most assuredly I do; and avow my belief that they were enabled
to forgive sin, and at the same time other miraculous powers were
conferred on the 'Twelve.' 'Then he called his twelve disciples
together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to
cure diseases.' We know that they cast out devils, restored the blind,
and raised the dead. Power to forgive sin was one among many wonderful
gifts conferred upon them. Yet you do not believe that the power of
raising the dead was transmitted to posterity. How, then, can you say
the gift of absolution was?"

"But, Mary, Christ says in another place--'Thou art Peter: and upon
this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not
prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.'"

"I perfectly agree with you, Florry, in believing that St. Peter had
miraculous powers bestowed on him by our Saviour; but it seems absurd
to suppose that these powers were perpetuated in the ministers of the
Roman Catholic Church. Our Saviour said, what 'Peter loosed, should
be loosed in heaven,' and not what Peter's successors loosed should be
observed and loosed in heaven. We should not judge of Christ's views
by isolated passages, but rather from all his teachings; for if we
did, what would you say to the verse just below those already quoted,
'And he said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an
offense unto me: for thou savorest not the things which be of God, but
those that be of men.' But this is wandering from the subject. In
St. Augustine's Confessions, though I admit somewhat abridged, I find
nothing relating to confessing to priests. This passage alone appears:
'O Lord, thou knowest!--have I not confessed my sins to thee? and
hast thou not pardoned the iniquity of my heart?' Speaking of a
sudden illness during his boyhood, he says he eagerly desired baptism,
fearing to die, and his mother was about to comply with his request,
when he quickly recovered. Now, had he considered confession
necessary, would he not have urged it upon all who read his
Confessions, which you will mark, Florry, were not made to a priest,
but obviously to God himself,"

There followed a long pause, while Florence dropped her face in her
hands and sighe