Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 368, 31 May 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

LOOKING AHEAD Sir, — Your correspondent “Spirit Now and Always” advances very slender reasons for his belief in immortality. His first and foremost reason is that it is the naturaV belief of the majority of the human race. Not long ago the whole human race believed the world to be flat. Therefore, on your correspondent’s line of reason, it must have been flat then. The strongest law in living nature, the law of self-preservation, is so deeply implanted in us through the age-long process of evolution, that we do not take kindly to the thought of extinction. If birds and animals could express an opinion on the subject there is no doubt they would all believe in immortality because life is just as sweet to them as to us. Man is but an offshoot of the animal world, an animal run to brain, and he cannot be immortal unless all animal life is immortal also, including trees and plants, for there is no hard and fast dividing line between the vegetable and animal kingdom. The plain fact about life is that all life on the planet is but sunlight in another form. We are daily dependent on the sun for our very existence. If the sun was suddenly to leave off shining in one single hour all life would become extinct. In the distant future when the sun’s light and heat have diminished to such an extent, as it certainly will do, that all the oceans of the world are frozen solid, then all life on earth will cease to exist and our planet will continue its journey round the sun as if nothing had happened, until it eventually returns to the sun whence it came. C. JESSON. Rotorua. SCIENCE AND THE SOUL Sir, — I notice in a recent issue of your valuable paper, “Inquirer” asking if the International Bible Students (whom I understand offer £SOO for Scriptural proof of the immortality of. the soul) are prepared to submit the question to three magistrates. Whether the International Bible Students will do so or not is for it to decide. For my part I would welcome the opportunity. Though not a believer in International Bible Students’ teaching, I believe that in this question they have an easy task in proving man is mortal. Waller’s “Concordance of the Soul” records: “The Hebrew word nephesh (soul) occurs in 754 places in the Old Testament, and there is not one single passage among the 754 in which the word nephesh (soul) occurs in the Old Testament where it is said to exist in a state of consciousness between death and the Resurrection.

“In the New Testament the Greek word for soul corresponding to the Hebrew word nephesh occurs in 106 places.” Concluding a treatise covering 36 pages, he writes: “The Old and New Testaments know of no existence of man in body, soul or spirit after death, until the Resurrection, and there can be no separation of man for reward or punishment till the dav of Judgment, the doctrine of the Resurrection being the great central hope of the Old and New Testament saints.”

Fourteen Scripture references are given to prove -death a state of unconsciousness in the grave.” __ Science, in so far as Sir Arthur Keith’s thesis goes, is in agreement with Scripture teaching, but what science cannot do, God can and will effect at the Resurrection—at the last day, when the dead are raised for reward or punishment, according to their works. The contributor would be pleased to answer questions privately. K. R. MACDONALD HELPING SOLDIERS Sir,— As a constant reader of The Sun, I hava been greatly interested in the various letters which have appeared under the above heading. While “Best Man” may possess the knowledge that a few New Zealand League players have accepted engagements with English clubs, what of the English cricket coaches who are engaged by the various cricket associations here. Does h e ever hear of any antagonistic and petty jealousy being shown toward them? It looks as If Best Man” has not been here long enough himself to know exactly what does go on In this country. I am also quite sure he would not see any comment In the English Press about New Zealanders in England, because they do not go Home as assisted immigrants but pay their own expenses. I am colonial-born, served for over three years with the N.Z.E.F., and I met many people while I was in Ilngland. I am quite sure that in the majority of cases the assisted immigrants who complain have been very dissatisfied people in their own home towns and are not so very hardlv done by when they arrive in New Zealand. I have always been a keen football enthusiast, but I must conZ? ss . 7" at * was not aware of the fact that the New Zealand Natives’ Association controlled the activities of our League football players. I have always heard of them as an association interested in the well-being of the native-born of this country. NEW ZEALANDER ILL TE PUEA AND MR. COATES Sir,— May I say tha.t the intimation from Hamilton that the Prime Minister will consider the request of Princess Te Puea for the use of five acres of Crown land for essential food supplies for her Ngaruawahia pa, was read with considerable interest by all well-wishers of her movement. Te Puea has asked for little enough. As far as I am aware this is the first time that she has ever approached the Government for anything. Hitherto she has carried the whole burden on her courageous shoulders. Though to hand back this small area of land, which until the confiscations was included in Ngati-Mahuta tribal lands, might set a precedent, surely Mr. Coates could set it aside for the chieftainess at a peppercorn rental. Your eorrespondnt states that the area, an educational reserve, is used bv the Police Department at Ngaruawahia for

grazing purposes. It is qu:.te time that the question of giving some official support and encouragement to Te Pueas movement was considered by the Government. If the Governor-General thought it worthy of his patronage and sufficiently important to specially journey to Ngaruawahia to view the model settlement, surely Mr. Coates should consider the work in its widest aspect It is a matter, too, that should c onunan the attention of the Maori representative for the district. Te Puea has her light beneath a bushel far too lon *; If it had not been for the enterprise The Sun this movement, which M** • H. Rogge, a foreign journalist, recen • characterised as “unique,” wouia still unknown to the general pu®"-WELL-WISHER N gar uawahia. “THIS IS MY 0WN..." In your issue of May 21, l nobee j? an appeal for members to t West of England Society in Auc*»» To quote Mr. Conlbear, of church: “We have found repeau»h that our society is filling a between exiles in New Zealand , e Homeland!” This ifi an surely to be deplored, yet one n , alas, is much in evidence New Zealand. Mr. Shaw may cused for saying, in effect, thai t are no true New ZealandersNew Zealand national spirit is existent. No wonder, when the v ' of the exile is rampant through beloved country. Much can J® looked from the man who el^® B * Zealand merely as his never try, but what of the man ‘ ,je “° to himself hath said, this is w my native land?” Ana "-her thousands of my country® • women, I burn with shame to M -r * e . who, when they speak of the land,” or “Home,” do so with ing reference to the land whi them birth. I remember d th* band of enthusiasts resusclta_ N.Z.N.A. I was told that wc Zedders” had no right to bard £ for our own protection, an “ was sheer impudence for us l for preference for New Zc-aia for “En-Zedders.” In fact * 1 _ 1 as a looked upon by many pe°F" > a wanton act of aggression, causus ’belli! „ . au<i Wake up. young New show a becoming interest in fare of your own beautiful land! .-RAtTO.*