a purer state of the church, leaves no doubt on our minds as to his
sentiments on this subject; his words are these: 'When ye depart
hence, there will be no room for repentance--no method of being
reconciled to God. Here eternal life is either lost or won. Here,
by the worship of God, and the fruit of faith, provision is made for
eternal salvation. And let no man be retarded, either by his sins or
years, from coming to obtain it. No repentance is too late while a man
remains in this world.' Our Saviour nowhere gives any encouragement
for such a doctrine. On the contrary, he said to the dying thief:
'This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.' I know of no other
argument which Papists advance in favor of their darling theory, save
the practise of the latter Fathers of their church."

"Mary, I cannot believe this doctrine, without further proof of Divine
sanction."

"Indeed, Florry, I know of no other reason in its favor, and have long
supposed it a system of extortion in connection with indulgences, now
used, only as a means of gain by the dissolute clergy of the Romish
faith. I need scarcely say, that the abuse of this latter doctrine
drove Luther to reformation. It is a well-known fact, that in the 16th
century, Tetzel, a Dominican monk high in his order, drove through
Germany in a wagon, containing two boxes--one holding indulgences,
the other the money received for them. You will smile, Florry, when I
repeat a translation of the German lines Written on the outside of the
latter box:

"'When in this chest the money rings,
The soul straight up to heaven springs.'"