ON SCEPTICISM AND MYSTICISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 311, 8 January 1908, Page 3

ON SCEPTICISM AND MYSTICISM.

To the Editor. Sir, —On reading tne caption over your leading article of date January (i, ".Scepticism and Mysticism," I was curious enough to look and see whit niv friend Collins had to say as to the primary meaning (if both lerms which seem so opposed lo each other. A "sceptic," curiously enough, is a thought f il and rellerllvc person, one who wants to know, etc., "while, f.irther down, in the plitr'l, "scepticism" i* i\vi>fed into "doubt, in fidelity, in theology. e!<\. "mysticism" is simpiy "'obscurity i.f I

doctrine." finally devch iiMig jnln knowledge of Spiritual filings nnattnin nlile by the lv.ilnrsl ntcllect." wonders whether and how much "isms" lipil to do with the mental make-up ol Johnson. 'Walker. Webster. Worcester, and ol'-ev distinguished loxioro-n in defining theological terns, for T find that "r Av el:if : o»." among other things, means "'Sne" : 'Hr flin coiTnmnr'efiti"n bv flod V' -s"lf of T*iyi"e truth. fl! nri - lr to prophets, etc." A study of the d'lTerenl "i """ hoisted On a lon«-su(TerM12 public. i' e c""'rnentjiry on I*in ion e" t'on." T rather l : l-e Hie viv in which the word "religion" is defined, vi/.. "T.atin 'reliiio.' from 'religarc. 1 to hind. 01' consolidate." Tioiled down, in the

vernacular it simply means "right-do-ing." It is impossible in a short, letter lo touch on all the points raised by the Hon. F'lidlay and yourself in dealing with Maori tohnngaism or priestlions of the a'-eraee Christian priesthood, the Maori is extremely nmclest in hood, f-r compared with tile assiimp' his claims. foi instance. I have

hefcv 1110 the title of an article in a religions (Protestant) paper in hcavilv leaded type. "Si'rhs f F"l): Groan? of a Damned Rn\il." tli" lett-rnress liein? as livifl anil vivid as th" title. By what possible mean® could the writer have jained liis infermntion apart from Irs imagination. aid liow small a distance pons rites him from tTiose folic you mention who T>"t tVir mothers and brothers to death for "dishelife." for the j I date of the paper was October 20th. 1007. Tlie disbelief in mvsticism if ineradicable in ordinary human nature, and if Mr Findlav's "scepticism" and Mr Kellv's "education" were to lie anplied i« drastic remedies then all the ehnrch'S would hare to their doors, for ther all elaim that their faith is derived from superhuman sources, what man or body of men dare set him or themselves as jud«o where men's intnitionß are concerned?

■Religion as a personal matter is outside State control, in this ennntry anyway, n"d it w'll be n sftrrv day when the pi-ite the law ns'to wliat a. mrrn sh*ll. or shall tint believe. If the Maori iobungas make mistakes and act foolisMv, what about their white comrades of the same kidney, of whoiy no two agree on all points, and who are never willing to own up to their i mistakes, which they simply call "er-

rors of judgment?" Mysticism does not always minister to vanity or covetousness, for in an old book I have before me there is a story of one of the greatest mystics who ever lived, vi?.., the Carpenter of Nazareth.—l am, etc., J. 'A. ROBERTS. I