ROCKS AHEAD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4302, 5 January 1875, Page 3

ROCKS AHEAD.

Falsehoods which we speak to-day "Were the truths of long ago, etthe dead boughs fall away, Fresher shall the living grow." TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Really some good ought to result to tho world from all the talkings of the churches from the many sects representing Christianity in its manifold divided isms. The gift of tongues has once more been vouchsafed to earth. From north to south, from east to west, come joyful sounds of prayer meetings, and revivals to stem the tidal wave of pure materialism and atheism. In Germany the Old Catholics, estimable, people who have a vague yearning for freedom, n dim sense that something is wrong somewhere, are meeting at Bonn-on-the-Rhine. In Scotland a congress is being held, and a wail comes from It about the progress of unbelief. At Carlisle a conference is going on, and Bishop Harvey Goodwin is lecturing his clergy. The Wesleyans are meeting, planning, complaining. A conference of Christian Workers has had tea ; and at Oxford there is a conference, called by true believers, a “ Union meeting for the promotion of Scriptural Holiness," The Christian, which is full of the doings of the revivalists, has a department for “Requests for Praise and Prayer." In it prayers are requested for an outpouring of Holy Spirit on the clergy of Australia and New Zealand, imputing a most serious' want to all those reverend gentlemen; there are prayers for worldly blessings, from those, who take no thought for the morrow; and prayers and praise for recovery of health from those whom death would land straight in Heaven out of this wicked world. And lastly, in this colony, at the command of hot-house piethts, the members of the Presbyterian General Assembly, we are to be treated to a delicious morceau—religious extravagances, in the shape of “ revivals." It was to be expected that Professor Tyndall’s address at Belfast would call forth the maledictions of the Church—nevertheless, science and scepticism still go on; —“science, falsely so called," remarked the Rev. Mr. Kirkland in his address oa the Bible at the late meeting of the assembly in Wellington. It seems that a Rev. Mr. Watts, of Belfast, is the author of a paper, which was rejected by one of the sections of the British Association, entitled “APlea for Peace and Co-operation between Science and Theology." The notion is exquisite—the title is delectably facetious ; for think of the past relations of the two. Theology being old when science was born into the world, constituted herself the guardian of this latter, and took forcible possession of all the property to which it was heir. Strong, keen, as well as crafty, more cruel than death and more greedy than the grave, theology did her worst by evil treatment to kill the child, and very carefully taught it nothing worth knowing, in order to retain undisputed possession of the property. Survive, however, it did, nourished by bountiful Nature in spite of crushing oppression and mis-education; grew wise, disciplined by noble human nature; aud now that it is competent to manage its-own affairs and already has strength to pitch theology out of tho window so old mother Theology made a frightful grimace, grows craftier and greedier, trys to look affectionate, and says: “Well live in peace for.the future, my child, and we’ll share your estates between us, for you know the troubles and expenses you have cost me in giving you such a fine education ; so let us live in harmony for the future; well bo partners and friends.” But as young Science is in love with the beautiful damsel called Truth, there is not much fear of his accepting the offers of that ancient lady, Theology. In a sermon preached in Westminster Abbey, on Sept. 13th, on “The Religious Aspects of the Age," Canon Kingsley said “he feared deeply that the good old-fashioned faith in a living Christ and an ever-present God was rapidly dying out among us. Men no longer believed in the government of God, in the perpetual divine providence which the Scripture called the Kingdom of God. . . For some reason or other this generation did not seem to care to see God’s strength, and he believed the generations yet to come would believe less and less in Ilia power." While speaking at Dewsbury, the Dean of Manchester expressed his sorrow that Professor Tyndall should have “ended a most remarkable and eloquent speech by terming himself a material Atheist .... without any protest on the part of the audience." No doubt this favorable reception to the professor’s bold declaration has caused regret to other theologians besides the Dean of Manchester. Canon Prescot, at Carlisle, is reported as saying; “When they remembered that half the population of the country attended no place of worship ; that Materialism was advocated by the most profound and hard-working minds of this country; that Atheism advanced, and that the influence, money, and energy of a large body of men in this country, were used to propagate pernicious doctrines, «kc.” At a meeting of the Belfast Presbytery, the Rev. W. Johnston referred to the attacks made.oa Christianity by the leading members of the British Association;—“ Those who were present at. the President’s opening address were pained when they heard one occupying the position of President ignoring the existence of God, the existence of a soul, and of a hereafter.” Fortunately, the truths of science are regarded now by thinking persons more favorably than they were in the past, and the lessons they teach are far move welcome than the. worn-out and exploded creeds of theology, which have usurped the place of vital Christianity. In a great passage of Shelley, we read: • - “ Aud science struck the thrones of earth and heaven, Which shook but fell not.” In past days they merely shook and did not fall ; but now they arc reeling and falling about us fast enough. “Rank materialism ” Is the cry of tho Church, and loud aud deep are tho murmurs of the orthodox believers in creeds; but science and Us champions go on in their way smiling, unruffled at the reproaches and the complaining, as the sun shines calmly on, untroubled by the clouds that drive across the sky. Ajax.