Volume 5 — Original. Confiteor.
Reading edition
"Confess therefore your sins one to another."—St. James v. 16. By Richard Storrs Willis. When to God alone I make confession, Why, my shameful heart! so light thy task? While so deep the shame and the emotion When to man thou must thy guilt unmask? Only here we find the true abasement: More than God we dread the eye of man! Hence the justice that, by heaven's ordaining, Human guilt a human eye should scan! Ah! how oft, by some great sin o'ermastered, Hearts in secret pray, but all in vain! Not till human ear has heard the story Peace descends and Guilt can smile again! Thus must sin requite both earth and heaven; Since 'gainst man the wrong as well as God! Just amends are due the Heavenly Father— Due my brother of this earthly sod! Ye who fain would find a peace that's vanished. Heaven demands no long, desponding search! Seek the kind, attentive ear of Jesus, Seek his listening human ear—the Church!