Likewise, the Church of Rome holds that the foundation of churches, of priest's houses, of monasteries, of convents, and of nunneries, and their endowment; or any other gift, presented to the saints, bishops, priests, monks, and nuns have a virtue so much the more expiatory for sins, as they are greater and more valuable. It is owing to this horrible doctrine, that the Church of Rome has acquired so much church property that its valuation is beyond any approximate calculation. The French poet, Boileau, spoke the truth when, in his ninth satire, he said: "Si l'on vient à chercher pour quel secret mystère, Alidor, à ses frais, bâtit un monastère.... C'est un homme d'honneur, de piété profonde, Et qui veut rendre à Dieu ce qu'il a pris au monde." _Translation_: "If we wish to inquire for what secret mystery Alidor, at his own expense, built a monastery.... He is a man of honor, of profound piety, and who wishes to restore to God what he stole from the world." The Pagans believed that in piously gazing upon certain statues of the gods their souls were purified; and that the punishment of their sins was remitted; so, even now, the Indians believe that in simply gazing upon the shrub Toulouschi they obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and obtain the exemption from their punishment. Likewise the Church of Rome holds, that, in gazing piously upon the cross, the Catholics obtain the forgiveness of their venial sins, and the exemption from their punishment. The ancient initiations of the Pagans had tribunals of penance, where a priest, under the name of Koës, heard from the mouth of the sinners themselves the avowal of their sins, of which their souls were to be purified, and from the punishment of which they wished to be exempted. One day the famous Lysandre, confessing his sins to one of those Koës, was asked by him impudent questions. Lysandre answered him with this question, "Do you address me those questions in your own name, or in the name of the Deity?" The Koës answered: "In the name of the Deity." "Well," Lysandre rejoined, "let me be; if God questions me, I will answer him." Likewise the Church of Rome has tribunals of penance, where priests hear from the mouth of the sinners themselves the avowal of their sins, of which their souls are to be purified, and from the punishment of which they wish to be exempted. Through the absolution of the priests the greatest sins, without any exemption, are remitted entirely, so that they not only are forgiven, but even their punishment.