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This work expounds the Doctrine of Indulgences in a concise and
comprehensive style, yet with unusual clearness and precision. It
contains no unnecessary repetitions that might weary, no
digressions that might burden, no redundancy and ambiguity of
language or expression that might tend to confuse and embarrass the
reader. Nothing is to be found there but what is solidly practical,
truthful, and simple, and adapted to the capacities of all. "My
desire has been," says the learned author, to render myself useful
to the people; and this desire he seems to have attained in a
pre-eminent degree. It differs, in many respects, from other work
of the same kind. Some authors treat merely of the nature or
doctrinal portion of Indulgences, without caring to exhaust the
subject; others merely of the use or practical portion of them, and
this on a limited scale, with the omission of several charming
devotions of great utility and esteem to Christians; while others
again combine both the doctrinal and practical portions, but in a
manner unsuited to ordinary readers. We know that much of what
concerns Indulgences is contained in Rescripts emanating from, and
positive decisions issued by the Sacred Congregations, under the
direction of the Holy See, and these authors may have written at a
time when the subject had not been so fully discussed and developed
as at present; thus they might have securely advanced opinions then
that are now exploded and obsolete-they might have introduced into
their works a considerable amount of irrelevant matter, or clothed
their ideas in obscure phraseology, or stated things inaccurately.
Let us take e. g. the prayer called the "Angelus." Most of the
treatises that I have seen, lay down that, to gain the 100 days'
Indulgence attached to its recitation, it should be said "morning,
noon, and evening," whereas our author properly states that it
suffices to say it "morning, noon, or evening." In like manner a
certain treatise, justly, perhaps, styled "a standard work on
Indulgences" about the year 1850, t mentions, that, to acquire the
Indulgences of the Via Crucis or Wayof the Cross, it is necessary
"to meditate on each mystery of the Passion," while going t.hrough
the Stations; but Father Maurel, p. 145, note, proves conclusively
from the words of the Sacred Congregation, from the prevailing
impression in Rome, and from reason, that it is enough to meditate
on the Passion in general. St. Alphonsus Liguori, that great Doctor
of the Church, states, also, relying on the authority of Ferraris.
I presume, in his excellent little book on the Commandments (p.
230, n. 68, of the edition in my hands), that "he who hears Mass
gains an Indulgence of 3800 years." Now it is almost an undoubted
fact that no Pope ever gran ted a partial Indulgence of so great a
number of years as this, t and that, in general, there is no
Indulgence at all, as such, obtained by hearing Mass. And so in
numerous instances to be met with in Indulgence-books generally.
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger
Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain
imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed
pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we
have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting,
preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger
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