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Good Words 1860
Easy Confession, A True Story


About thirty years ago, during the season of Lent, the evening sermon in one of the churches of Turin lasted so long that it became quite dark in the densely crowded aisles. The solemn and eloquent sermon, which treated of the necessity of repentance, seemed to have produced an extraordinary and powerful effect; for scarcely had the preacher concluded, when, from the midst of the crowd, the voice of a man was heard asking for permission to express briefly what was burdening his conscience. He declared, with an expression of the deepest contrition, that the priestly exhortation had so pierced his heart, that he could not refrain from public confession; and without waiting for the permission he had requested, the unseen penitent continued:—''I confess before God and this congregation, that, as a boy and youth, I have offended and grieved my parents by my obstinacy and deception. I have cruelly ill-treated my wife, totally neglected my children, deceived and plundered my clients, and trampled justice under foot. I have indulged in many vices, and injured many persons through my wickedness. I repent heartily of all these evil practices; and to prove the sincerity of my repentance, and, at the same time, to humble my pride, I state, that I live in the street of the Carmelites, that I am an advocate by profession, and that my name is Bonaventura!" At that moment there was heard another voice, exclaiming in a piercing accent, "Hold him fast, the insolent liar! I am the advocate Bonaventura, and all he has said is shameful calumny!" Bat the unknown accuser, who, according to public opinion, had not transgressed the bounds of truth, was clever enough to effect his escape under the cover of darkness, and who he was has always remained a mystery.

The moral of this strange but authentic story is not difficult to find. It is easy to know, describe, and confess another man's sin, but very difficult to be equally clear-sighted, humble, and penitent, in regard to ourselves. Let this be our confession, "My sin is ever before me."


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