PRICE, TWENTY-FIVE CENTS
FOURTEENTH EDITION

The

Devil's Prayer Book
or an

Exposure of Auricular Confession

as Practiced by
I

. The Roman Catholic Church
.

cYIn Eye-Opener for Husbands, Fathers and Brothers

(

qJy

WILLIAM LLOYD CLARK

MILAN, ILLINOIS

.

1923



INTRODUCTION

The American home is the unit of American government.
•
How

important it then appears, that we
should defend the virtue of woman­

degrade the American home, is simply undermining
the integrity of

our national life. Therefore we claim that the
Roman Catholic con­

fessional box is in conflict with our best interests, as a free, cultured

hood, the purity of home life. Anything
that has a tendency to

and enlightened people, and for the protection of
the virtue of Amer­

ican womanhood we should enact laws that would brand every
bachelor

priest sitting in that Romish Hell Trap of Virtue,
an impostor. It

means virtue, home, purity, intelligence, love of country, patriotism,

all destroyed by ignorance, immorality, crime
and prostitution. � We

have only coasted along the boundless ocean
of Romish error, gather­

ing here and there from the seething
surface a few of her most criminal

sentiments for the consideration of a thinking people. Peter Dens'

"Theology" has been in use among the
Roman clergy more than one

hundred years. It is the embodiment of everything impure,
a banquet

for vultures, a feast for devils. From Rome's
confessional flows a

stream of corruption, that, if it were possible, would pollute
an orthodox

hell. In the confessional, girls, pure enough to be Heaven's angels,
are

asked questions by old bachelor priests, vile enough
to tingle with

shame the cheeks of prostitutes. In the name of the American Republic

we ask that the people investigate the facts contained
in this little book.

N� man has the right to place pope above president,
nor the creeds

and canons of Rome above the Constitution of the United States.

Enforce the teachings of the Romish church as exposed
in this little

book and every principle of free government will perish.
The rights

of the American people will be as insecure as snow upon
volcanic lips.

The stakes of a Western Inquisition will be driven upon our splendid

hills. Around the freeman's soul will heap the bigot's flame, and

Liberty's limbs will once again feel the chill
of chains.

WM. LLOYD CLARK.

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The Roman Catholic Confessional

Rules for Confession

, NOTJt-The contents of this chapter have been compiled from the highest
obtainable authorities and is absolutely reliable. More elaborate works 011 this

subj ect can be obtained by addressing the author.

Confession, the Roman Catholic Church defines as that third

essential part of the holy sacrament of penance which deals with the
accusation of ALL the sins one has committed, made to a priest or other

ecclesiastic duly authorized to receive it, in order to obtain from him
the ABSOLUTION or PARDON of them.

They furthermore declare that this is a duty of every man, or

child, and for the guidance of the faithful, in order that it may be made
more easy, attention is called to the following rules :-

1. Imagine Jesus Christ before you in the person of your con-:
fessor. r,

2. Do not look upon confession as a torture of the conscience, as

infidels, scoffers, and heretics represent it, but as the humble self­

accusation of a child, who knows the kind compassion of his father

(the confessor), finds new consolation with every word, and will be
sure that his father (the priest) will not be angry, but will forgive
him gladly.

4. Never let a long time pass without holy confession, for by this
means you will find it easier, and certainly will derive more profit
from it.

If you have had the misfortune to fall into mortal sin, eive your­
self no rest until you have confessed it .

.

To AVOID THE DANGER OF CONCEALING SIN.

In order to secure yourself from the danger of hiding some sin,
through false shame, from the priest, call to mind:-

1. That by concealing your sins, you become guilty of another
sin.

2. If you conceal it from. the priest, you cannot hide it from God.
3. Through concealment, you will only increase the trouble of

your conscience, and sooner or later you must confess the hidden sin,
or else die with it on your soul, and so be et=rnally lost.

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4.
.

Sin deserves shame; therefore, it is only another mark of

your impenitence if you are unwilling
to submit yourself to this morti- .

fication.

5. Such concealment exposes you to the danger of being put to

shame in the presence of all creatures, at the day
of judgment,

and of burning forever in hell-fire. Ah, if a lost
soul could come from

hell, and find a priest, would he be ashamed to
confess?

6. Tell me, would you not show to the physician
of your body,

your secret wounds, if you hoped to
be healed? Much more should

you uncover the
sickness of your soul to your spiritual physician (the

priest), if you would not die eternally.

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.

In order to prepare yourself to make a good confession,
examine

your conscience with
care and diligence.

To examine your conscience, means to try to carefully
remember

how often we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, against the com­

mandments of God and the Church. If we cannot remember
how

many times we have
committed each sin, we must try to remember

how many times we have
committed each sin every day, every week,

every month, or every year. In the
examination of conscience, we

should'not be too scrupulous in making it.

WHAT IT IS NECESSARY TO CONFESS.

1. Every mortal sin must he conf.essed. If knowingly you
con­

ceal a mortal sin in holy confession, you will not only obtain no pardon

for your other sins, but you are guilty
besides of sacrilege. I f you

have doubt whether you have committed
mortal sin, or whether you

have already confessed it, the best way is to lay this doubt, together

with the sin, before the priest.
2. You must confess those circumstances which change the nature

of sin, or increase the number. For example: if
the person with whom

you committed the
sin of impurity was a married person, you must

mention this fact; because it shows that you were also guilty of
the

sin of adultery. It is a much more guilty thing to
utter a calumny in

the presence of a large company than before a few persons;
before the

neighbors of one you slander, than before strangers;
or to steal a large

sum of money rather than a small one;
or if you take a small sum

very often, rather than once or twice only.
3. You must confess the number of your mortal sins, as near as

you can remember. If you can not
remember the exact number, then

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say: it was about so many times, or so many times
more or less. If

you have to make confession for
so many years back, and cannot re­

member how often you have committed the sin, you should at least

say how long the habit continued, about how often in the day, in a week,

in a month, you fell into that sin; and if the habit was interrupted for

a while, say how long.

THE MANNER OF MAKING CONFESSION.

1. When you go to the confessional, do not press before others.

While you are waiting for your turn do not distract yourself by look­

ing around and talking. If you have long to wait, you may read any­

thing in your prayer-book which relates to holy confession, or say the

Rosary, or meditate upon some spiritual subject.
2. Do not place yourself so near the confessional as to hear the

confessions of those who are before you. If ever you should by any
accident hear any sin confessed, you are bound to keep it secret under

pain of sin. Anyone who listens from curiosity is also guilty of sin.

3. When you are about to kneel down before your confessor,

arouse yourself once more to a true contrition and sorrow for your
sins, and imagine Jesus Christ actually before you in person of the

priest. Be very careful during confession to observe the greatest pos­
sible modesty, in your words and manner. Do not speak too loud, so

that persons around may hear, and not so low that even your confessor

cannot understand you. If you do not understand what the priest is

saying, do not let him go on speaking to no purpose, but teU him so

at once.

IN THE CONFESSIONAL Box.

When you have said the act of contrition, go to the confessional

box, kneel down, and when you see the priest ready to hear you, begin

your confession by making the sign of the cross: "In the name of

the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." Then

say: "Bless me, father, for I have sinned." Repeat the Confiteor,
as follows: "I confess to Almighty God, to the Blessed Mary, ever

Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist,
to the holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, and to all, the Saints, and to you
father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed,

through my fault, through my great fault, through my most grievous
fault (here strike your breast three times) ; therefore, I beseech the

Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, the blessed Michael the Archangel, the

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blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, all the

Saints, and you, father, to pray to our Lord God for me."

Then first of all, tell your confessor how long it is since you made

your last
confession-whether you received the absolution of your

sins from the priest-and if you have performed the penance imposed

upon you, be careful that your answers be
brief and to the point,

without covering up your sins, and without false excuse.

QUl!STIONS ASK�D IN THE CONFESSIONAL.

How long ago did you make your last confession? Did you per­
form your penance? Was that confession a good one, or a bad con­

fession? How many such sacrilegious confessions and communions

have you made?

Have you ever denied the Catholic faith?
Have you openly re­

jected any doctrine of the Catholic Church? Have you spoken against

any article of faith? Have you suggested or encouraged such doubts

in others? How often?

Have you sometimes betrayed the Catholic faith by saying that

all religions are good, or that a man may be saved in one as well as

in others? How many times?

Have you read the Protestant Bible, tracts, or other books upon

matters of religion circulated by heretics? Have you kept them in your

house, or sold them, or given to others to read? How often?
F

Have you joined in singing or worship of heretics, either public
or private? Have you gone to their churches? Have you listened to

their preaching? How often?
Have you consulted fortune-tellers, to find out things to come,

recover things lost, etc.? Have you given credit to dreams, taken notice

of omens, or made any other superstitious observation? How oftsn ?

Have you exposed your faith to danger by evil associations? Have

you united yourself to the Free Masons, or Odd Fellows,
or any other

similar society forbidden by the church?

Have you, by your own fault, rernaineo in ignorance of the doc­

trines and teachings of our holy religion?
Have you undertaken the study of the Holy Scriptures without

the consent of your spiritual advisors O? Have you studied them from

false motives, or interpreted them contrary to the interpretation of

the church? How often?

Have you been guilty of blasphemy, by angry, injurious, or insult­

ing words, spoken against God, against his power, his justice, .his good­

ness, or other perfection? Have you pronounced any sacred name of



God, or of the saints, in a blasphemous or irreverent manner? Have

you spoken in a blasphemous or irreverent manner of sacred things,
for example of the holy sacraments, the crucifix, the cross, scapulars,
rosary, blessed medals, or sacred relics? How many times?

Have you abused the Holy Scriptures by any indecent or grossly
irreverent application? Was it done in the presence of others? How
often?

Have you been guilty of great indifference in the church, by
immodest actions or conversation-by an indecent way of dressing,
or some gross misconduct in gazing about, and laughing? How often?

Have you consulted dream books, books of astrology, etc.? Have

you kept them in your house, or giv'en them to others to read? Have

you made use of card cutting, tossing cups, etc.? Have you been

guilty of witch craft, or made use of any spells, or like inventions of
the devil? How often?

Have you had a custom of swearing rashly and inconsiderately by
the name of God, by your soul, or by the way of imprecation upon
yourself? How long have you had this custom? How many times
a day have you sworn in this manner?

Have you cursed yourself or others? I f so, was it from the heart?
Have you been accessory to others swearing, cursing, or blaspheming?
How often?

Have you broken any vow or solemn promise to God? Have you
broken the marriage promise without just cause? How often?

Have you done servile work on Sundays, or holy days of obliga­
tion, without necessity, or permission of your holy advisors? How
often? Have you caused others to do the same?

Have you spent Sundays, or holy days in taverns, or elsewhere?
in dancing, gambling, in drinking to excess, in criminal walks and visits,
\iT scandalous pleasure parties? Have you omitted to hear mass on
those days by your own fault?

Have you broken the second commandment of the church, by
eating meat on Fridays, and other days when meat is not allowed?
Have you been the cause of others doing the same? How many times?

Have you been married clandestinely, without the presence of

priest and witnesses? Was it even before an heretic preacher?
Have you married within "orbidden degrees, and without

dispensation; or with unbaptize IS (i. e., a person unbaptized in
the Romish faith) ; or with som. _ .. .cr impediment which would make

marriage invalid?
Have you been ungrateful to your parents? Did you despise

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Is Gustave obliged to recommence the confession of his sin,-yes
or no?

) Gustave is not obliged to a new confession in order to add the

omitted circumstance, if, at the moment he committed the sin, he was

not aware that in such a case there was a particular gravity, because

the difference is not in the act, but in the principle. In principle,

insuperable or absolute ignorance excuses him from the sin of
incest.

Let not his peace of mind be disturbed.

Church in Ciuil Law, page 82. Must we obey a law of the Church

which, prohibited by a civil government, has not been accepted?

Yes; because the Church has received her authority from Christ,

not from a civil power, from which she is quite independent.
Numerical Distinction of Sins, page 98." Delphin, wishing to seduce

a young girl, uses different means for that purpose; unchaste and

endearing talk, love letters, obscene engravings, sensual contact; but

the sin, through fortuitous circumstances, could not be consummated.

Has he committed several sins? ,..
i

He has committed as many sins as there are bad acts of different

species À. . . because the sin not having been consummated, all its

divers means, each one bad in itself, cannot be attributed to a common

aim, and be assimilated with the consummation of the sin.

Servants' Duties, page 107. Is a servant allowed to open the door

of a house to a courtesan?

St. Ligouri concludes in the affirmative, if there is some other

person who would do it.

In cities it is allowable to let a house" to courtesans, if no other

tenants are found, or if they could easily find some other house.

Can a servant harness a horse for a master who is setting out to

commit a sin, and can he accompany him?

It does not appear to be forbidden to get the horse feady, because

the servant no more co-operates in his master's sin than by opening
the door to the courtesan. But he cannot accompany his master, unless

in ca-se of serious damage; or if he is not certain about the designs
of his master.

Is a servant permitted to carry his master's love letters to a

concubine?

No ; at least not without a weighty reason.
Is a servant permitted to carry gifts to a courtesan?

No; unless there is a very weighty reason ..
Are inn-keepers permitted to give newspapers to their customers,

to read?

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The Moral Theology of Peter. Dens has been approved by the

highest authority of the Church of Rome,
and in use more than one

hundred and thirty years. It is published by the "Society for
the

Propagation of the Faith;" with the approbation
of the highest authority

of the Church of Rome. It is catalogued and sold by the Pope's pub­

lisher and bookseller in New York City, and with twenty-two volumes,

containing more than twelve thousand
octavo pages before us, we

challenge all the earth's inhabitants to disprove
books and facts. We

give brief extracts from "Peter Dens"
on Auricular Confession. Now

let him tell us how to

BAPTIZE UNBORN INFANTS AND FŒTA ABORTIONS.

"If an infant has put forth its head from the
womb of the mother,

and the danger of death is imminent, let it be baptized
on the head;

neither must it afterwards be baptized a second time, if it comes
forth

alive. But if it has put forth another member
which gives indication

of vital motion, it may be baptized on it if danger threatens;
and then

if it survives when born, it must, on that condition, be rebaptized;
but

if thus baptized it afterward comes forth from
the womb dead, it

v(_�6ht to be buried on consecrated ground."

Q. "What if the infant baptized in this
case of necessity, that is,

. on the hand, afterward puts forth its head?"

A. "Without delay it must, on this condition, be baptized
on the

head if the danger continues; but otherwise its
entire egression from

the womb must be waited for. The same is to be observed,
if in a

danger of this kind, the baptism may be
ren-Iered considerably more

certain. That is, an infant before baptized only on the toes, ought

now if the danger is still urgent, to be conditionally baptized
on the

feet themselves."
.

"But if there appears no signs of life in the part protruding
fron,

the womb?" .

A. "It may be baptized on that part on the condition,
'if thou

art alive;' for it has been found by experience of midwives,
that

although no signs of life may appear in the part
thus protruding, yet

it may afterward be found to
be alive."

"If, however," says our manual, "no signs of life
has afterwards

appeared, it may not be buried in
consecrated ground."

"Midwives are, moreover, instructed that in a dangerous parturi­

tion they have water at hand, and that with self-possession
without

consternation, attentively and fully, and with a voice truly audible,

they pronounce the words of the form, together
with a proper ablution

by natural water on a proper part of the body of
the person to _be

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baptized, according to what was said. (No.7.)
And hence baptism

(even supposing the proper ablution has taken place) is,
at least very

much endangered when certain midwives, in Laptizing
a child not

entirely brought forth, lest they should deject the
mind of the mother,

pronounce in a low and modest tone:
I baptize, and after a little delay,

thee, and again after a short pause, in the name of the Father,
etc."

(No.7, p. 159.)
"Midwives are further admonished that they never venture to

baptize except in a case of real necessity; if they
do they commit a

heinous sin; No Clergyman inferior to a Deacon, and no layman may

perform the peculiar ceremonies of giving the name, presenting
the

godfather, etc." (No. 13.) .
"One person may baptize several at the same time,

and in a valid

manner by a sufficient ablution with this form, I baptize you;
but this

is not proper except in a case of necessity, when life is
in danger, and

there is no room for delay.
"No one may validly baptize himself." (No. 14.)

Q. "May infants be baptized in the womb of the
mother?"

A. (1) "If any part of the infant has already
been brought

forth to light, it may and should be baptized on that part,
in case of

necessity, according to what has already been said. (No.7.)

(2) "An infant living in the womb can in no
manner be said to

be baptized by the baptism of the mother, if it perchance happens

that she is then baptized, because the infant is distinct from the mother,

both as to soul and body.

(3) "And hence if it is shut up in the womb of the
mother that

it cannot be touched and washed with water, baptism is attempted

uselessly and in vain, because ablution is a necessary part
of the

sacrament.

"But the question is whether a child, as yet entirely in the womb,

may be baptized in a valid manner, if after the labor
has commenced

it can be sprinkled with water, either by the hand or some
other instru­

ment; as is sufficiently plain from the testimony of physicians
and

midwives may be done?" (No. 23.)
On pages 181-2, Nos. 23-4, the subjects of ante-natal baptism

and

cæsarean section are discussed pro and con, with the authority
of

numerous authors .(of course all concurring in the
unanimous opinion

of the Church) and different among themselves
as to the possibility of

christening an unborn fœteus when yet shut up
in the womb ·0£ the

mother and no part of it visible.



when it is born.' However, it remains uncertam at what time precisely
the fœtus is alive. Many, among whom is Neeson, contend that a soul

is never infused into any except a well organized body. Yet, very

many physicians, and more recent theologians, maintain that this takes

place immediately after the conception, or at most, on the third or

seventh day after the conception, as may be seen in the dissertation

on Baptizing Abortions.

"Therefore, abortions, whether they have all the members devel­

oped, or have not yet obtained that perfection; the former, if they give
evidence of life by motion, are absolutely baptized : conditionally,

however, if they manifest no motion, but are, nevertheless, not putrid
or lacerated, although they may appear livid, and without pulse,

respiration, motion and feeling. The latter, if they appear to be human

embryos, even on the first days of pregnancy, are baptized conditionally;

although being very small and imperfectly formed, they may be with­

out perceptible motion; but they are first baptized whilst enclosed in the

film, in order that time may not elapse, at. the risk of their death when

they are exposed to the air; afterwards the skin is cautiously opened
and when it is unclosed the foetus is again baptized, on the condition,

if thou art capable, etc." No. 24, p. 185, vol. v, P. Dens.

This distinguished theologian, in Nos. 25 and 26, pp. 186-187, gives
detailed instruction as to the approved method of christening foetal

abortions, monsters, etc.

But, alas, alas, alas, enough of this vile stuff. Insulted virtue shuts

her eyes, closes her ears, holds her breath, and in contempt turns away,

feeling that hell itself would be a paradise to such demons incarnate

who would curse the world with such a system of debauchery and

infernal brutality.
I

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