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 chief means  whereby  we  obtain  pardon  from  God  for our sins. That original  stain  which  we  inherit  with our nature,  as  well  as  all  actual  sins  of  the  unchristened  adult,  are  removed  by  the  grace  of  Baptism. The remedy  for  sins  committed  after  Baptism is Penance. " Penance,"  says  St.  Jerome,  "  is,  as  it were,  a  plank  from  the  wreck  of  his  baptismal  innocence, on  which  depends  the  Christian's  sole  hope  of salvation." Faith and  fear  and  hope  and  love  are necessary, yes,  but  of  themselves  they  do  not  suffice. They are  as  so  many  steps  by  which  the  sinner  ascends to  such  exalted  virtue  that  he  conceives  and manifests a  heartfelt  sorrow  for  his  sins,  not  only  on account  of  their  intrinsic  malice,  but  more  especially because they  are  offensive  to  God. Sin's remedy must be  as  drastic  as  sin  itself. " The  sinner,"  says the Psalmist,  "  puts  on  iniquity  like  a  garment,  and it  goes  like  water  into  his  entrails,  and  like  oil  into his  bones." Sin palsies  the  soul  more  completely than did  his  disease  the  poor  cripple  of  to-day's  Gospel, and  nothing  but  that  thorough  revulsion  of  its whole being  which  we  call  Penance  can  ever  effect  its recovery. In the  Old  Law  the  virtue  of  penance  was the only  means  by  which  forgiveness  of  sins  could  be obtained. From Adam  to  John  the  Baptist  the  scriptural message  to  the  sinner  was  to  be  converted  to the  Lord  by  bringing  forth  fruits  worthy  of  penance and pardon. It was  on  account  of,  and  in  recognition of,  their  repentance,  and  their  repentance  alone, that God  led  Israel  out  of  captivity,  averted  the doom impending  over  the  great  city  of  Ninive,  and