NEW LIGHTS on THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 185, 9 August 1867, Page 2

NEW LIGHTS on THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail. God's Word gives life, but these men's carnal comments Create but doubts, obscuring to the truth, And oft, alas ! give death." -» Sir — Some of your readers may have seen a pamphlet entitled 'A List of and Comments on a few of the popular Errors of the Christian Faith.' The- writer of this pamphlet comments on twenty- four assumed errors, as a few needing repudiation, and offers for the reception of believers certain principles upon which he states the Christian faith ought to be based. These are presented by way of comparison with modem phases of faith. Now, sir, no statement can be received >ou the ipse dixit of an author, aud no opinion accepted that is not justified by an exposition of the grounds on which it is found; aud yet the writer of this tractate says, "so far as experience and observation through eighteen centuries may guide us, we do not find tharireither learning, worth, or zeal, or faith, or all these together, have furthered the elucidation of the mysteries or obscurities of Holy Writ." Little or no argument therefore is offered in behalf

of his scheme of salvation; he obviously believes that it requires only to be stated to be accepted, and his comments on God's Word are to be received as unquestionable. The importance of the subject-matter of this tract is so vast, that it would surely have been well either more fully to discuss the various topics so essentially bearing upon the moral aud spiritual welfare of mankind, or altogether to have left the spirit of truth and righteousuess to its own diviue and effective force. Surely to regard the "Sabbath as among the shadows or types of Christ'' — to say that every one may observe, it or not as he sees fit, as this of itself is of no importance, any more than eating blackpuddings, or abstaining from eating them, is a poor substitute for the divine announcement " the Sabbath was made for man." I fear much mischief from the assertions that "the feeble, weak, and superstitious will always cling to traditionary observances aud vain customs — that the strong are to tolerate their weakness in the observance of one day in seven as a day of rest — that it is manifestly absurd to say the injunction forms part of the moral law, Christians haviug nothing to do with the Decalogue as sueh — and that Christians are set at perfect liberty as to all things not in themselves immoral." Something more than mere" "tradition would lead us to venerate" Sunday as a day of rest and spiritual improvement. Exception might also be taken to the assertion that "we do not look for patriotism or loyalty from Christians." The Grospel nowhere says " the Christian stranger aud pilgrim has nothing to do with a world to which he professes to be dead," but it does say, " Let your light so before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven;" ",Honor the king;" " Render therefore unto Cassar the things that, are Cajsar's," etc. etc. Reserving for a future letter further remarks on this exposition^of "popular errors," I am, etc., A Truth-seeker. August Bth, 1867.