It is the Roman custom to say masses for the dead and to charge a fee, regulated by the position and ability of the relatives to pay. We quote a testimony to the wickedness of this unholy traffic: "The Church Consistory Courts, which were set up in every town in Christendom were simple shops. These courts took account of all offenses, real and imaginary, offenses against the moral law, the law of the realm, and common law. But no matter what the offenses were, whether murder or robbery, or eating meat on Fridays, and talking disrespectfully of the counterfeit bones of a saint, all were alike expiable by the payment of a fine. Indeed, as everyone knows, many of the ordinances of the Church, and decretals of the Popes, were promulgated for pecuniary gain. Then, as that Church had spies in every household, and canon law was a gin and a snare and a pitfall for every honest man, a stream of accused persons was constantly pouring into the courts, and a stream of gold constantly pouring into the exchequer of the Church " (The Roman Catholic Church in Italy. Alexander Robertson, D.D., pp. 113, 114).
Whether it be indulgences, purgatory, dispensations, etc., the cry was for money, money, money, and this from the professed followers of the Apostle Peter, who said: " Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk " (Acts 3:66Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6)).