METHODIST LIES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 148, 17 October 1896, Page 4

METHODIST LIES.

\To Two Editor.] Sin, —"Another Methodist" conies upon the scene now to defend the liquor traftic by villifying mo. All I can say is lire away gentlemen. lam ready for you. Only if you would be men enough to unmask yourself and show me your face, I would be better pleased. However, " Another Methodist " is a little bigger liar than his dear brother who preceded him. "Methodist and Another Methodist " are nearly bad enough to open a beer shop, and to send to their headquarters for a license. Let them read the following correspondence that passed between the liquor dealer and the devil: Estkkmkk Sik, —1 am about to open some houses for the sale of wine, whisky, beer, brandy, and all kinds of popular beverage. Our desires, although somewhat different, can bring a greater reward by our united ellbrts. .Now I propose to form a society. I desire only those who have money ; all the others, without money will lie left for you. You may bring me the diligent, the temperate, the respectable, and I will return them tc you drunken, poor and wicked. ]>ring me the young man, and I will ruin his character, destroy his health, shorten his life, and blast his immortal hopes. You may bring me the warmhearted marin'-r, and I will shipwreck him for ever on the rocks. liringmethe considerate temperance man, the professed disciple of Jesus, the magistrates and legislators, the judges of the courts, leaving those who may be accomplices in the violation of the law, and all will go well with us.— I am your servant,' -LnH'oii-DioALioii.

THE UK VII. S KKI'I.Y. Mv Dk.u: llhothek,- -I greet thee with this tender appellation because of the congeniality of our spirits, ami on account of the great work we have undertaken —the work of destruction. I accept cordially thy proposition. For live thousand years I have sought for an agent fully after my own heart to do my work among mankind ; I have canvassed the lowest depths of hell to lind a devil that could perform for me the complete work of destruction. 1 sent the demon Assassination, and he killed only a. few thousands—generally the forsaken and innocent —men who had taken sides with the despised —and his mission was comparatively useless. I sent my servant, Luxury. .She brought in some young, innocent, beautiful damsels in chains ; destroying their virtues, making shipwrecks of their happiness, staining their reputations, and bringing upon them premature deaths and a dishonored grave ; but many escaped. The twin sisters, War and Pestilence, went out : and Hunger followed behind them ; but these three killed the old and young men and women, the good as well as the bad ; thus increasing Heaven as well as Ilell. My Satanic heart felt sad for the prospective loss of my crown and of my kingdom when I contemplated the tremendous work which was being done by the Gospel of Christ to save men from my clutches. Hut when I received your kind letter I shouted for joy, loud enough to shake the vaults of hell : " Eureka ! Eureka! I have found it ! i have it! " In thee, my friend, are combined all the gifts that 1 have been seeking for a long time in vain ; in thee are found all the elements of success. J have always considered myself a gentleman ; although my victims call me a demon. My part will lie merely to allure the victims,—l am, thy dear friend, Satan. If " Methodist " and " Another Methodist " will keep going, they will soon be able to aid Beelzebub.—l am, dec., •John Hosking.

[To the Editor.] Sir, —Any one with ordinary intelligence can see that the letter of your correspondent " Methodist " is written by one whe, in matters of religion, is in the habit of galloping about in his little enclosure of a few square yards, and to get him out of that is something like drawing a badger, with this difference —the badger is not ashamed of his identity, but " Methodist " is. As for " Another Methodist," to my mind he is beneath contempt. To begin with, his letter boils over with bitterness ; and, seeing he has so much to complain of and has not the common courtesy to speak with Dr Hosking, it places him on the plane of an uncultivated plebian, and tho withholding of his name on such a subject proves him a coward. As for his speaking the sentiments of a large majority of the congregation, I challenge him for his evidence. The religion of these snarlers is like their Sunday coat —it gets the dust brushed off on Sundays, and to manifest itself it must be within its little enclosure. There they batten and fatten for one day and want all the rest of the week to digest ; and woe betide the poor doctor if he does not make his usual call and test their appetite, forgetting all the time how much better material is at their command and awaits usage. Instead of taking the elements of the Gospel of Christ in such small closes, which really soothes them to sleep, only to wake uj) out of sorts with themselves and ill at ease with everybody else, let them take it in such doses as will build up a strong, robust, and muscular Christianity. "We shall then hear very little about paying the parson for this or that, and discover the fitness of giving our little in the name and for the cause of Christ. I know Dr Hosking personally. I can speak of his work among tbe sick and the needy,

but ho certainly feels that he has more important work than making stated calls on professedly Christian people, who, if they knew their responsibility, would have an eye for that which lay next to tlu m and be about their Master's business.—l am, &c., W. Taylor. Hastings, Oct. 10, 1896.