CAPITALISING CHRISTIANITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 878, 23 January 1930, Page 8

CAPITALISING CHRISTIANITY

Sir, — We are familiar with talk upon the heavenly rewards of Christianity, but it was something of a surprise to learn from your report of Mr. H. R. Jenkins’s Rotary speech, that that religion yields cash dividends to its followers on earth. Incidentally Mr. Jenkins took a ramble through history, seeking support for his thesis, and leaving heavy footprints at every step. Alexander the Great, we learn, was a wonderful philosopher. I have read much of his great military exploits, as also of his debauchery and cruel capriciousness, but he has yet to find his place in philosophical histories. Mr. Jenkins has also heard of Socrates —“I believe his writings are still worth reading—even today”—“when we have such men as Edgar Wallace,” one feels he was tempted to add. It is cruel, perhaps, to whisper that Socrates wrote nothing. His principles precluded that. We know of him only through the writings of his followers. Next we dash across centuries and space and learn that “Confucius has done nothing for China and nothing for civilisation.” That is very remiss of Confucius, who should have known better. I wonder how much exactly Mr. Jenkins knows about Confucius, his life and influence. Of course, he lived 2,500 years ago, before Christianity, New Zealand, or the United Party had been dreamt of. But we

find that apart from having influenced Chinese thought for good throughout that period, he commenced life in a humble capacity, eventually rising to the governorship of Chung-tu province. During his office “dishonesty and dissolution were ashamed—loyalty and good faith became the characteristics of men, and chastity and docility that of women.” I have not space to compare Indian “suttee” with Christian auto-de-fe , but if Mr. Jenkins does as much for his country in the course of his career as did Confucius, I hope no one will so want in charity as to say he did nothing for his country or civilisation. A.E.C.