MATTERS OF BELIEF.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3216, 10 June 1879, Page 2

MATTERS OF BELIEF.

■ (To the Editor of the Erening Star.) :, Sib,—l think if Mr Wood wrote withbut getting into such a ferment, his writines would be better liked, and do more good. He does not appear to think that men may differ very widely in their opinions, and yet be very good Christian men. I was commending you for 'ydur judgment' in quoting from such a' calm, sober, high-seuled, .profound' thinker 1 as Greg. I think Mr Wood gets far too hot when speaking about him. liitnotpo»sible for a good intelligent Christian to think with Mr Greg; .that God cannot do^everything in'the sense he puts it. When I hare existed for forty years can he strike that existence out so that I never did exist P Can He contradict Himself P-, Can He be holy, just, and good, and at the same 'tim'e'ibe' 1 a;liar? i Again, is. it- not <pos-> sible for a man to be good and intelligent,, and not believe that the destruction'of the world, is just at.hand. Again, is it not possible that a good 'intelligent' man may ' believe tbat departed spirits do sometimes appear on earth ? Did not Wesley believe so ? Does not the Soriptures say they do P If those manifestations be all caused by ■ Satanic agency (as Mr Wood says they are),' why do' they 'try > to ; account foi 1 them from natural causes ?. Again, is it riot, possible for good men to' believe that there are errorsin the Bible, that it is .not all infallibly correct'? 'At'the present lido not vindicate either of those opinions,' only I cannot see what those opinions have to do with vice or virtue, goodness or badness. One thing is certain, we all ' venerate and love goodness. < We. are not anxious' to know what a man's creed is, so long as we know he is a good man.. it, would sooner take my chance in that future, life with the good man, although he had ah imperfe/ot' creed, or %veu'no creed at all/than with a bad matrwith a correct creed. When bur Lord represented theJudgroent Day, He said,;:*!l€^nie,-ye" blessed of My Father,' inherit the kingdom prepared for you.. For I was hungryi,and ye gave me.,meat;., thirsty.,' and ye gave me drink; naked, and ye clothed,me; sick, and in prison, and ye Visited me." If Jesus had wanted to saythat goodness was the principle thing he required, could he, have said it in 1 stronger and ', plainer language. /1 sometimes if ■uch''as''Mr;W6od;doea*!nofc think.that our Lord left, out sdme' very; importapt, points in only'.naniing gqpdnes'3/ for He says those that do good snail rise to, i the resurrection ; of life, missing out that very important point, - a belief that Christ's/ second ;coming, is just a^hand ; and that other one, that the the Bible is ill infallibly correct; and also that other > 9ne;ja,belief in a personal devjil,; jwhof can! be Vt!t>f<?.pla!c^siait|qn;e time, a Being with big horns and a long tale, i and -clubbed - feet. And yet, strange \o l say,' accbtditfg: to some people's creed, there is not the 1 least chance or us getting to heaven without'believing all those things besides being good. Cannot men be honest, upright;' pure-minded and good without swallowing ' i svery absurd notion that is afloat. Most I men must see the difference between an i opinion floating in the head and real , goodness-—the one is the wheat, the other the chaff—the one is the kernel, the other the shell —the one is the fruit, the other ihe cleaf— the one is the shadow, the other the substance. A very disagreeable, and/offensive way some people have when knyoue disagrees from them to resort to abuse' by calling them wicked, blasphe^ xnous;' infidels.,: This can do no good, and J. say let no one be afraid of the truth by this intolerance.—l am, «fcC,

[ J. HOBN. ! Upper, Albert street, June 9th, 79. , ...