Mr Clover's Lecture

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 2, 16 June 1885, Page 2

Mr Clover's Lecture

m> " Criticisms on Reply to Lecture en the Genuineness ef the Christian Scriptures." According to advertisement the Rev. J. Clover delivered his lecture on the above subject in tbe Primitive Methodist Church, Ffilding, on Sunday evening last. In lieu of tbe ordinary lesson, a large number of passages were read from the scriptures in question, in proof of the contention that Christ claimed te be the Sen of God, and was regarded as such by tbe Kacred writers, and indeed tbat such was a cardinal doctrine in the Apostolic Church. The lecture was prefaced by statemrats explanatory of the course adopted by the lecturer in electing te remain in his own Church in delivering criticism on replies on lectures on subjects that may be afterwards dealt with, arising one of the lecture originally given, and replies thereon that may come to hand. It was also stated, of course, that the cnti-isma to be given on that occasion would be on the reply delivered oa the Saaday evening following that en which the lecture was given. The different points in the reply were then taken up and gone into as fnlly and so far as time permitted. The lecturer stated tbat he intended devoting another evening to criticisms on tbis reply, and in noticing the chief points in Mr Walton's lecture recently delivered, and presumably intended as a reply to the lecture delivered in the Foresters' Hall •■ tbe 24th ult. In a short report like the present it it impossible to give anything like a fair account of the criticisms contained in the lecture, hence anyone really wishing to know all ai-eut them, and te judge of tlieir justness, must really hoar the lecture themselves. Tbis statement vill equally apply to future lectures that may be given. It wiii suffice to say that the lecturer pointed out what he coaceived to be in the reply, viz., inconsistency and fallacy of argument, weakness in the grounds of objection, and the utmost superficiality of statement and reasoning ia regard to the alleged contradictions of scripture. C. Brudlaugh's pamphlet (which had been handed to him by his opponent) was quoted as showiag that in regard to his admissions as to the fact that Irenssus lived and wrote at the extreme end ef the 2nd century, a basis was afforded for an argument in proof of the scriptures being known and recognised then. If this father wrote against heresies, then at that time there mu-t have beon heresies and heretics ; but heresies and heretics imply acknowledged standards ef doctrine from which these heretics bad departed; whence were these standards of doctrine derived, if aot from scripture F The lecture occupied considerable time, and though chiefly read, was interspersed here aud there with extempore remarks, in fuller olucidatioa of tbe different points.