CIVILISATION V. BARBARISM.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3447, 12 January 1880, Page 3

CIVILISATION V. BARBARISM.

<Xo the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sib,—l read a letter with the heading " P.B P. and Proude " in your issue of ( Jan. 6th, and Hoped to learn something j from a writer who professes to know more on the subject than any other. It; is a pity these so-called inspired writers do not show the uninspired where they are wrong: calling one a fooi is a short way of ending an argument; but that does not mend matters. We are all supposed to hare reasoning powers, but Enoch would not aljow us to use them; to my reason it seems absurd to give to a book infallibility w^hich can be made sense of according to the reader's idea, and not the author's. A book that can do that must be believed in without it being inspired as the Christians' creed. Surely we. need not insist the following words inspired s—(See Book of Proverbs, Chap* t ter 25, Terse 18fch) : " Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and *-fpA'nd «ithout rain." Chapter 26th, Terse 4= "Answer not a fool according to hi* folly, lest thou also be like unto him.'' Verse 5: " Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." Chapter 14th ProTerbs 15th terse: " The simple believeth every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his gding." 26th verse: " A true witness delivereth ■ouls but a deceitful witness speaketh lies." I write this in the hope that every one will study the Bible for themselves, and not trust to others to do so for them— not even Enoch—because we might then get some one who really understood what he was writing about, and not make confusion worse as Enoch does by everlasting repetitions. According to Enoch's question No. 6, it is a matter of education, and not inspiration-inspiration comes after education and not before.—l am, &c., 12th January.

The Rev. James Buller's letters from England appear regularly in the New Zealand Wesleyan, and afford interest to h»Y many friends in this country. Mr Buller's letters are pleasant and easy in style, evidencing a light heart in the writer. Here is a tit-bit about Spurgeon, the prince of-'Baptist preachers :—" At 7 p.m. Mr Butters and myself were found in the Tabernacle. Not less than 3000 were there, yet it was but an ordinary week-night service. There was a large number of young persons, and a goodly proportion of the • common people. Precisely at the hour, Spurgeon appeared on the rostrum. His clear, bell-like voice ran through the spacious building—' Let us pray.' After an earnest prayer, a hymn was sung—no instrument but that of the human roice, led by a precentor. Mark xii. 13 34 was the lesson. As he read he gave a running exposition, according to his wont. Then prayer after a second hymn. A third hymn was sung before the text was given out. It was Mark xii. 34. He preached for more than forty minutes. There was nothing great in the sermon. It was simple, evangelical, and tremendously earnest. It was that sort of preaching which is likely to do good. The congregation was dismissed with the benediction at 8.30 p.m., but not before the preacher had invited any to meet him after the service, if they wished to^sneak to him about their soul's salvation."

He who travels with his eyes open cannot fail to ace that others, as well as himself, have their discomforts and drawbacks, and he will thus be all the more disposed to meet his own with a bravo spirit.