very recently in this oecumenical Synod, that there is a Purgatory and that the souls there detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar; the holy Synod en- joins on bishops that they diligently endeavour that the sound doctrine concerning Purgatory, transmitted by the holy Fathers and sacred Councils, be believed, maintained, taught, and everywhere proclaimed by the faithful of Christ. But let the more difficult and subtle questions, both those which tend not to edification and those from which for the most part there is no increase of piety, be excluded from popular discourses before the uneducated multitude. In like manner, such things as are uncertain, or which labour under an appearance of error, let them not allow to be made public and treated of. While those things which tend to a certain kind of curiosity or supersti- tion, or which savour of filthy lucre, let them prohibit as scandals and stumblingblocks of the faithful. But let the bishops take care that the suffrages of the faithful who are living, namely, the sacrifices of masses, prayers, alms, and other works of piety, which have been wont to be performed by the faithful for the other 78 ROMAN CATHOLICISM faithful departed, be piously and devoutly performed, in accordance with the institutes of the Church ; and that whatsoever is due on their behalf, from the endow-