Bible Influence.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 July 1913, Page 3

Bible Influence.

Reply to Mr Horace W. Milner,

TO THE. EDITOR,

SIR.—Mr Milner's last letter begins thus —" In opening up this controversey I started out to disprove the inference of Mr Hopper I that the Bible has a bad influence upon character." I suppose Mr Milner means " implication ; " the " inference" is his who deduces from a statement made. As a skilled dialectitian, the challen- < ger in a debate, he should be more careful about the correct application of its terminology. In the fresh inroads which he has made into the domain of his Latin he is not more fortunate. With a playful attempt to exhibit some sign of the saving grace of humour, which I must admit I did not think he possessed, Mr Milner, referring to myself, says —" He is certainly turning this problem into the Tons Assenorum,' which means the asses bridge." With due respect to Mr Milner's ripe scholarship, " Pons Assenorum" does not mean "asses bridge," "Pons Asinorum" does. I might retaliate by saying " Now, find the donkey," but I forbear. I refer to the matter just to show that as a verbatim et litteratim translator of the I Bible Mr Milner would be sadly lax. In reference to a biblical quotation of mine in my last letter Mr Milner says : " The Devil can quote Scripture, and I am afraid he will have a lot to answer for in the example he has left the sons of men in twisting and turning the Word of God." " The Devil can quote Scripture." This, at least shows that his Satanic Majesty does not spend all his time " going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour," but that he devotes his leisure to the study of theology and, possibly, to other literary pursuits. I sincerely hope a copy of the Kaipara Advertiser falls into his hands or, to be correct, I should say his " claws." He might be tempted into writing to the Editor to clear his character of those foul aspersions which Mr Milner and his class never fail to cast upon it. I'm sure the " Printer's Devil" would be most assiduous in his attention to his great prototype's manuscript lest he should be " misunderstood." Seriously, Sir, I really thought that belief in a personal devil, in any guise, had long since been relegated to the limbo of exploded myths, by all intelligent people. Will you pardon me if I dwell a little upon the subject, as Mr Milner has given me the lead ? If the Devil exists to continue to " set bad examples to the sons of men," in the name of Heaven why does not the God who made him destroy him in the interests of the human race ? Prevention is better than cure. When I was a boy (I presume that was long before Mr Milner was) we were told by those who professed to know the times and the seasons that Satan was just about to be put upon the chain for a thousand years, " that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years be fulfilled." According to M r Milner he is still at large. Dreadful times these, Sir, of which I speak, despite Mr Milner's sneers at my boyish fears. (To be continued next weok.)