justices committed, and
who does not at least promise sincerely to acquit himself at the first
favorable opportunity and to the extent of his capacity. This means
that only on these conditions can the sin be forgiven by God. That man
is not disposed sufficiently to receive absolution who continually
neglects opportunities to keep his promise; who refuses to pay any,
because he cannot pay all; who decides to leave the burden of
restitution to his heirs, even with the wherewith to do so. It is
better not to go to confession at all than to go with these
dispositions; it is better to wait until you can make up your mind.

CHAPTER XCVII.
GETTING RID OF ILL-GOTTEN GOODS.

IT may happen that a person discover among his legitimately acquired
possessions something that does not in reality belong to him. He may
have come by it through purchase, donation, etc.; he kept it in good
faith, thinking that he had a clear title to it. He now finds that
there was an error somewhere, and that it is the property of some one
else. Of course, he is not the lawful owner, and does not become such
by virtue of his good faith; although, in certain given circumstances,
if the good faith, or ignorance of error, last long enough, a title may
be acquired by prescription, and the possessor become the lawful owner.
But we are not considering the question of prescription.

It is evident, then, that our friend must dispossess himself in favor
of the real owner, as soon as the latter comes upon the scene and
proves his claim. But the possessor may in all innocence have alienated
the goods, destroyed or consumed them; or they may have perished
through accident or fatality. In the latter case, nothing remains to
refund, no one is to blame, and the owner must bear the loss. Even in
the former case, if the holder can say in conscience that he in nowise
became richer by the possession and use of the goods in question, he is
not bound to make restitution. If, however, there be considerable
profits, they rightly belong to the owner, and the possessor must
refund the same.

But the question arises as to how the holder is to be compensated for
the expenditure made in the beginning and in good faith when he
purchased the goods which he is now obliged to hand over to another.
Impartial justice demands that when the rightful owner claims his
goods, the holder relinquish them, and he may take what he gets, even
if it be nothing. He might claim a compensation