MATTER OF OPINION.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3217, 11 June 1879, Page 2

MATTER OF OPINION.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) j - "'Sib,—We were faVored with a letter from Mr William Wood on " Blasphemy " in Saturday's issue of your paper, j It seems that he takes exception to an article on " Omnipotence," which appeared jn a former issue of your paper. The writer of that article (Mr R. L. Greg) supposes that God may be Omnipotent compared -with man, and yet may not in the; nature ■of things be able to prevent the etil in the weld—that, in fact, he may ■ be hampered by the nature of the material he has to operate on. Mr WooC thinks that this is blasphemy, and triumphantly asks—Was Christ hampered by the nature of the material he had to operate on Pj To which I say, decidedly he was. Some of the material put a crown of thorns on His head, spat upon Him, beat Hinvput nails tbiougs His hands and through; His feet, and hung Him up on a cross. I rather think that that: wm bcioK hampered by the material. Mr Wood is always harping oh 1881 and the end of the world. He says there will be a second delugt in that year, which will, sweep all -the Atheists and their-connections from | the earth.. May I ask Mr Wood how he knows this P Has he had a special revelation ? Let me tell Mr Wood that! the world will not come to an end in 18811 I am not a mere expounder of prophecy like himself, but I ama true.prophet^ as time will show. Atheists and Infidels are not Gcd'a enemies. God is not the enemy of any class of men, as Mr Wood erroneously supposes. God is" the God, Father, and Friend of the. Atheist, Pagan; Mahomedan, Jew and Christian. We are all His children:: some may be better children;. than ■, others, v 1 that., Js \ all. i Whenever I hare had the good fortune to read any of Mr Greg's writings, either in '> your paper or others, I have always been struck with the grandeur and nobility of his sentiments. ,-,I- consider , him" one of the profoundest' thinlcers of theage. j As for blasphemy—what/ is.; blasphemy Itf* Constantinople is not, blasphemy at Home* and what is blasphemy at Rome is: not necessarily blasphemy-in London, jMr Wood's own letter, if read in a Mahomev •dan mosque, or Jewish Sjnogogw; would' be held to be the rankest blasphemy. The object of all religion is good conduct. If a man's faith assists him to attain! this end then it is valuable; but if it is a niere matter of opinion, then it'is not worths twopence towards his salvation.—l - am, &C«i GEOBOB'VIDiI. ■' IHivytreet. ;■• :: ■:■?■■„ „.: i -,_

•• With all, thj',fal/io, I lore' thee siili,'f murmured a youpg man as he calmly handed his girl the artificial teeth that she had sneezed into his lap.