NEWSPAPER BLASPHEMY.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 322, 20 January 1871, Page 2

NEWSPAPER BLASPHEMY.

To the Editor of the EVENING- Star. Sir, —I am not a religious man, nor have I the lea.t liking for hypocritical canting, but, I confess it, I have a prejudice in favour of the Bible and religion, which I learned in my infancy from one who was too good for this world ; and it makes me resent any offence offered to the' Deity, or to His Holy Word. The other evening, on coming home, I found my children merry-making over an article in your contemporary, the Evening News, and one of them, with the Bible open at the book of Daniel, comparing the sacred words of Holy Writ with an article in the Evening News, written as a parody on the words of the Bit le. lam surprised that neither you nor your morning contemporaries have noticed the blasphemous production, and resented, in the name of outraged Christianity and Judaism, this offence to the tenderest and holiest feelings of the people. Tho comparison of "Stafford" to Almighty God, and the " Public" to the Son of Man walking in the midst of the burning fiery furnace is insufferable. Allowance can be made for the species of monomania with regard to Mr. Vogel which seems to have dethroned the reason of your contemporary, and which, probably arising ffom some disappointment in negociations, or from personal offence, makes " Vogel " the beginning, the middle, and the end of every article, every squib. But taking not much interest in politics, I do take an interest in my family ; and even if all others are silent, in the name of my children, and my G-od, I do raise my voice against such profanity. The drivelling article in itself is a long way behind the Chaldean Manuscript of Christopher North } but I cannot understand how any one having the oversight of' a newspaper, unless ho meant to ridicule religion could tolerate the publication of what must be a personal offence to the Deity, as it is to the sacred feelings of the people. Religion is only too often the butt for infidelity to shoot its arrows at; and though a newspaper conductor need not be religious, he should ac least not wield the power, great or little, which he has, to insult religion, and ridicule the Book of G-od. This may do, sir, in Tasmania, but not in Auckland. Your contemporary should remember the saying of a man who professed no more than the Keligiou of Nature : — " An Atheist laugh's a poor reward For Deity offended." I am, &c, One not a Scoefer.