It will be evident that the origin of the doctrine that a small number of privileged Christians obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and are exempted from the punishment of their sins, through the medium of a substitute--as held by the Church of Rome--is Pagan, if it is proved, 1st, That there is a striking similarity between the practices required by the Church of Rome to obtain the forgiveness of sins, and to be exempted from the punishment of those sins, and those which were, and still now are, required in the Pagan religion for the same purpose; and, 2d, That those practices were not instituted among Christians in the first two centuries. But it can be proved, 1st, That there is a striking similarity between the practices required by the Church of Rome to obtain the forgiveness of sins, and to be exempted from the punishment of those sins, through the medium of a substitute, and those which were, and still now are, required in the Pagan religion for the same purpose; and, 2d, That those practices were not instituted among Christians in the first two centuries. 1st. We prove that there is a striking similarity between the practices required by the Church of Rome to obtain the forgiveness of sins, and to be exempted from the punishment of those sins, through the medium of a substitute, and those which were, and still now are, required in the Pagan religion for the same purpose. The Pagans, publicly and privately, used lustral water, which, they thought, had the virtue of purifying the soul, and of remitting the punishment of certain impurities and sins. The Priests, in solemn religious ceremonies, aspersed the assistants with it; and the people kept and used it in their families. In the same manner, the Church of Rome believes that holy water has the virtue of purifying the soul, and of remitting the punishment of certain impurities and sins. The Roman Catholics use it publicly and privately. Every Sunday, before the celebration of the high mass, the priests asperse the people with holy water for the aforesaid end; and also pour it on the coffins of the dead at the funerals. The laymen keep and use it in their families for the same end. These lustrations are practiced, even in our days, by many of the Pagans. The Madegasses believe that they can obtain the forgiveness of the punishment of their sins in dipping a piece of gold in a vessel full of water, and in drinking that water. The Father Jesuit Bouchet, a missionary in India, writes: "The Indians say that in bathing in certain rivers sins are _entirely_ remitted; and that their mysterious waters wash not only the bodies, but also purify the souls in an admirable manner." This testimony, Chateaubriand adds, is confirmed by the Memoirs of the English Society of Calcutta. The waters of the Ganges are reputed as having the greatest expiatory virtue: so the Church of Rome holds that the baptismal waters remit the original and all other sins, and exempt those baptized from punishment.