is not what it has been painted. Having seen what an indulgence is
not, let us see what it is. It is a remission of the whole or a part of
the debt of temporal punishment due to sin after the guilt and eternal
punishment have been forgiven in the sacrament of Penance.

In the early ages of the Church notorious sinners, after being absolved,
were sentenced to long public penances. By sincere sorrow, an indulgence
or remission of some of the time was granted them. Public confession and
public penances have passed away. These public penances are replaced by
pious devotions. Upon the performance of certain pious devotions the
Church at times grants an indulgence; that is, a remission of such
temporal punishment as is equivalent to the canonical penances
corresponding to the sins committed.

Attached to every mortal sin, besides the guilt, is the punishment
incurred. This punishment is eternal and temporal. That there is this
twofold punishment we learn from various places in the Bible. We have an
example in the sin of David. God sent the prophet Nathan to warn him of
his guilt. When Nathan rebuked the king, he confessed his sin with signs
of true contrition. Then Nathan told him that God had forgiven his sin,
but that many temporal punishments would follow. When God forgave the
sin, the guilt and eternal punishment were taken away; but temporal
punishment remained. Other examples could be cited, but this is
sufficient to show that there is a twofold kind of punishment--eternal
and temporal. In confession the guilt and eternal punishment are taken
away, but not always the temporal punishment. This temporal punishment
is what is taken away in whole by a plenary and in part by a partial
indulgence.

In a similar manner we have a twofold punishment attached to crime in
this world. A man commits a crime. He is sentenced to a term in the
penitentiary. After spending his time of punishment he comes back to
society, but finds he has another punishment to undergo in being avoided
by his friends and others.

The practice of granting indulgences was founded on many passages of
Scripture, both of the Old and New Testament. In the 12th chapter of the
book of Numbers we learn that Mary, the sister of Moses, was forgiven a
sin which she had committed. But God inflicted upon her the penalty of
leprosy. This was a temporal punishment. By the prayer of Moses an
indulgence was granted; for God took away the temporal punishment.

Our divi