"'I beg your pardon, Sir, but you are mistaken.'
"'To the law and the testimony; specify one case in which any one of the apostles ever ventured on forgiving any man his sins.'
"'I have not my New Testament with me, or I could prove the truth of what I say.'
"'I know all the facts of the New Testament, and if you will only refer to any one case, I will give it to you with all its details.'
"No reply.
"'No, Sir; the apostles always directed the attention of the guilty, for the remission of their sins, to God, seated on a throne of grace; or directly to Jesus Christ, as a Saviour mighty to save. I certainly will give your priests the credit of acting a very cunning part in one particular, relating to the possession of apostolic powers.'
"'A very cunning part, Sir! in what particular?'
"'Why, the apostles proved that they had power to work visible miracles; but this power your priests lay no claim to, because, if they did, they would be challenged to the proof; but they claim an authority to forgive sins (after certain cash payments are made), which authority the apostles never exercised; and when they are asked for a proof that they possess it, they have none to offer except their own fallible testimony. However, their deluded devotees very meekly hand over the cash, which the priest very gravely pockets, reminding me of the Ephesian jugglers, who said, in justification of their zeal for the great goddess Diana, "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our living." This, Sir, is worse than mere sham; it is a daring usurpation of the Divine prerogative, which is no less than an act of blasphemy; for who can forgive sins but God only?'
"No reply.