THE CONFESSION

This is the private acknowledgement of sins to a priest in the Sacrament of confession. In the early Christian church, sinners were frequently held to Public confession and to public penance by Bishop and his council.

      In 1215 A.D. the fourth Lateran Council imposed upon Roman Catholics, the duty of private confession at least once a year, after reaching the age of reason.

In the private confession the penitent normally confesses his sins to a priest seated behind a screen in the confessional. The priest is supposed not to reveal the confession of the sinner at all, and to anybody else.

Judging the gravity of the sin, the preist prescribes penance or restitution, and then in the name of the TRINITY gives absolution. In the Latin church the words of absolution are:

      ``I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.''

      In order to receive this absolution, the penitent must be willing to do penance, be sorry for his sins as offenses against God, and be resolute against repeating them. Forgotten sins are forgiven, when other sins are acknowledged.

      Contrary to the above mentioned confession; in Islam no one can absolve or forgive sins except Allah Himself. It is cited in the QURAN, that the Book in which man's deeds are recorded will never miss or forget even the smallest of good or bad deeds. He who has done an atom's weight of evil, will find it recorded in his book, and he who has done an atom's weight of good deeds will also find it recorded for him. He shall receive such a record of what he has done in the final day of Judgement, in Dooms Day.

      For further information about Christian Confession, please refer to International, or American Encyclopedia.   TRANSLATOR'S NOTE