Bible Influence.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 14 May 1913, Page 3

Bible Influence.

AN UNACCEPTED CHALLENGE.

Reply to Mr Horace "W. Milner.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Sorry for troubling you again, and to a greater length than is my custom, but the last letter of your correspondent, Mr Milner, compels the step. I can assure him that, if you so will it, I am not (to use Mr Milner's own elegant phraseology), by any means " shut up." I return to the fray with a light heart, though only an- '-'* Insignificant fanatical bigot in "a corner," to again quote Mr Milner, when placing me in such august company as that of His Majesty, King George the Ififth by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith. Of course, v^these flattering reference to my-~'-\Mteis by no means a "personality^" which Mr Milner so resents, but rather a little timely pleasan- - try on his part at my expense. In your issue of the 16th ult you were good enough to allow me to ask Mr Milner, as a corallary to his belief that the secret of England's -greatness wasthe Bible, if he were prepared to debate on a -■: public platform in Helensville ■ that the "Secret " of God's Own Country's , present prosperity, 'Vgreaiineiss,*'' was to be directly attributed to the Bible r^Tier than to the inventions of Gdld Storage, and the Cream Separating • Machiue. The question required a simple answer of yes, or no, but, instead, Mr Milner, without making the slightest reference to ~ ns.uch.a de,bate.:Pr. sriqh -intentions, ■ pours forth,, in - a column-long ■v T'ftttftV. +•.>!«•. rcriale -of i-lris- wrath on

poor me. Mr Milner is evidently angry, but not " prepared." In the last paragraph of his letter he says —" In closing I ask Mr Hopper one more question—if he doubts the truth of a private Conversation of the late Queen, what does he make of the Coronation Ceremony ? The Arch-bishop said : It (the Bible) has sweetened the home life, it has permeated literature and art, and shaped the national character etc." In reply to Mr Milner's question will you allow me to say, Sir, that what His Grace of Canterbury, or the Pope of Rome or any King or Queen of England " said " has nothing, absolutely, to do with what I believe ? If what others say is to be our rule of faith then then there are many millions more of God's children —if Mr Milner will allow that Mahomedans or Buddhists, etc, can be sueh —who " say " they will not accept the Bible as their rule of faith or as the Word, of their God than the millions who do, With what the Bible contains that is good and " sweet " I am possibly, as well acquainted —if it is not presumption of me to say so —as the Archbishop of Canter-' bury or Mr Milner, but that there is much that is not " sweet," but that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth is adundantly evident.

There' are passages that any decent parent would, or should hesitate about reading before the children he loves. There are passages, too, that represent — falsely represent —a God of love and mercy commanding his victorious generals to put the inhabitants of a doomed city, including the woman and children, and even the sucking babes at the breast, to the edge of the sword, and because I do not believe this of a " Heavenly Father " to Mr Milner and those who think with him lam anathema maranatha. Be it so !

For centuries,the Bible, in its various transformations, editions and revisions, has been a fruitful source of civic, religious, and international strife. It has at times deluged Europe with blood, lighted the fires of martyrdom, stained the headsman's axe and even now, in the twentieth Century is looked upon with suspicion as a' strife-bringer, and even in " God's Own Country " is rigidly and rightly, in my opinion, excluding from her public Schools. To my other alleged evasions of Mr Milner's points I shall refer in another letter,. I am, etc. CLAUD HOPPER. Mokai, 9-5-13.