wiping out sin in this life, or of relieving the soul of some relation
from the pains of purgatory in the other; here, it simply means
the coming of the parish priest and his curate to some house in the
town-land, on a day publicly announced from the altar for that purpose,
on the preceding Sabbath.

This is done to give those who live within the district in which the
station is held an opportunity of coming to their duty, as frequenting
the ordinance of confession is emphatically called. Those who attend
confession in this manner once a year, are considered merely to have
done their duty; it is expected, however, that they should approach the
tribunal,* as it is termed, at least twice during that period, that is,
at the two great festivals of Christmas and Easter. The observance or
omission of this rite among Roman Catholics, establishes, in a great
degeee, the nature of individual character. The man who,frequents his
duty will seldom be pronounced a bad man, let his conduct and principles
be what they may in other respects; and he who neglects it, is looked
upon, by those who attend it, as in a state little short of reprobation.

* That is, of confession--so going to confession is
termed by the priests.

When the "giving out" of the stations was over, and a few more jests
were broken by his Reverence, to which the congregation paid the tribute
of a general and uproarious laugh, he turned round, and resumed the
performance of the mass, whilst his "flock" began to finger their beads
with faces as grave as if nothing of the kind had occurred. When mass
was finished, and the holy water sprinkled upon the people, out of a
tub carried by the mass-server through the chapel for that purpose, the
priest gave them a Latin benediction, and they dispersed.