Correspondence.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3442, 6 January 1880, Page 2

Correspondence.

P. B. P. AN!) FEOUDE.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Sib,—lf P. B. F. had written intelligibly I would hare answered his letter, bat after reading it orer and over again I fail to see what he is driving at; it is a mass of incongruities and incomprehensions. What a pity it is that people will peraitt in writing about what they know nothing. In a former letter of this person, which I saw in a November Star, apon "Our Liberal Government" he was intelligible enough, and evidently understood what he wrote about, but in my domain he loses himself. So his wisdom is to keep out of print until he learns the paths, for he only makes a fool of himself when he touches Enoch. Fboudis on Pbogbess. Aa to the condition of Sooiety under

Civilization's maddening progress, I never wrofe anything half so strong as the extract jou gave from Froude on Saturday ; his delineation of the present condition of Society is true to the letter, and might have been considerably enlarged. Froude; tees the whole thing at a glance,. and evidently trembles at the ultimate consequence! of the preient raging sea of man's folly. "The wicked (indeed) are like a troubled soa catting up mire and dirt," yea more, every of monstrosity and diabolism. "Cheat, and be cheated, and die." What a heading for an extract! Yes, sir, but that heading conveys to the mind the precise condition of society in this 19th century of the Christian era. Few indeed are they who do not cheat and bam* boozle, while everybody is cheated one way or another by every description of fraud, deceit, guile, imposition and artifice. The fact is the majority of people seem to take delight in overreaching their neighboura, no matter by what nefarious practices. What is modern civilization P It is simply paganism with the cloak of Christianity upon it, but even the cloak itself is worn out now, and .has become as full of holes a« a cullender, and is ready to drop from its wearer. We tremble for society when it reaches its appointed goal, for reach it will in 1881-2 3 4 5-6 and perhaps one year more. " The time of trouble such as never was tine* there was a nation," or ever shall be again is certainly encompassed by those years. The cup of man's folly, his greed, his unrighteousness and his blasphemy is fast filling up to the brim and will presently run over. All the iniquity, the fraud, the rascality that Fronde so graphically describes is only preliminary to the crisis and the crash of a world under sin and , the curse. Vast numbers of those who have not yet ignored the Deity entirely,' yet they imagine He takes no notice of the actions of His creatures but allows them to do as they please without any anticipation of punishment, allows them for instance to oppress the poor by fraud and extortion that they may fill their coffers with the reward of unrighteousness and grow rich with the spoil. Verily there is a God who takes notice of all* such, proceedings, and shortly He will manifest Himself in judgment for all such abomination. The Bible is loud in the denunciation of . such wickedness, but • the warnings of that word of inspiration, extortioner! and others have learned to despise or ignore altogether. What then is (here for earth and its inhabitants but a fearful looking for. of judgment which shall \ devour all the adversaries of the Deity and His Christ. Now, sir, though Fronde can discern the paganism and unrighteous, ness of modern civilisation and trembles in prospect of the consequences, yet he cannot see the only cure tor all the evils we groan uader. He tells us "The change will come.if not to us to our posterity, but the probable manner of it is hopelessly obscure." la itP Then it follows that this great discerner and writer upon present evils either knows not the Bible or he does not believe it. Well, he can enjoy his obscurity if he pleases; but the student of the word of inspiration makes bold to tell him plainly, and all like him, that there is no such thing, as hopeless, obscurity upon these matters. The wind up of man's 6000 years of folly and wickedness under sin and the curse closes in judgment—the judgment of Heaven: this is plainly revealed in the Bible. It is also plainly revealed in the same book that the curse will be removed when the Lord of the earth, Christ Jesus, returns in power; then ~" unrighteousness, sin, and sorrow shall cease, and man be happy and at peace under the reign of .Messiah/ their righteous King. The whole face of nature will be changed then, while thorns and thistles will be replaced by the fruiti and flowers of the earth everywhere in perfection. Mankind, under the reign of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will be mankind in their right senses; bat mankind under the present. civilization and its concomitants is mankind mad, and fast becoming raving mad. The - manner of the change hopelessly obscure, indeed] Not it; the Bible reveals it all, and tfthat book I earnestly, and with all the urgency the short time that now remains of the present age demands, I send the readers of this letter. There, and there only, will be found the information that man needs, and the way put of trouble and sorrow into the new age i and every blessedness and joy through Jesus Christ, the earth's Lord and King. : William Wood.