Correspondence.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3703, 6 November 1880, Page 2

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Evening Stib.

Sib,—l desire to remove the very erroneous impression under which ''Sceptic " labors regarding" the opprobrious names " in my last, which have seemingly touched his all top sensitive nature. There is a wide difference ; between.,'! creature-like " and " limited reason " as he quotes, and " not for a creature like " Sceptic," even with his bloated gift of reason to fathom the inscrutable." It was not written to offend because' the.assertion is equally applicable to all finite minds when considering the infinite. Ido not think him " a fool" by any means, but he evidently admits the aptitude, of the sentence in which the expression occurs by the absence of denial in his letter of the Ist inst. I regret he should apply the term to himself, and now offer my apology for my seemingly rude behaviour.

" Sceptic's " letters are so replete with assertions and questions that I scarcely know bow to deal with thorn; and if they do not " proToke controversy ■" it is difficult to discover how he is to "acquire the knowledge" for which he yearns. The " Authenticity of the Scriptures," which seems to be his favorite topic, is one upon' which volumes have been written, and it does seem extraordinary; if they are of " divine origin," and "so simple as to be adapted to the intellect of a child," that men of powerful minds, deep research, and the highest scholastic attainments should differ so vastly in opinion, and find it necessary to apply the most subtle arguments in supporting a theory which should be self-evident. The feeling entertained by the majority of the Christian sects for that ancient record, the Bible, in many cases resembles the worship of the African for his fetish; and the most recondite statements are published to prove its man? wonderful stories as facts, and make the impossible appear reasonably possible.' In my opinion all such disquisitions are utterly worthless. We must accept things as they are written, and it is a matter ot indifference whether one be>> lieves Jonah was accommodated three days and nights in the digestive organ of' a whale, or another regards the tale' as an ingenious, fable possessing a moral after the manner of iEsop. In another letter "Sceptic" strings together an appalling host of questions, which may be stated thusly: Do professing Christians of the present, age profe by their lives and actions their acceptance of and belief in the divine origin and authenticity of the Scriptures P This question may be briefly answered: That nearly 2000 years ago Christ taught and preached in a country where rain and tempest are almost unknown; in an age when the, manners and customs of the people were simple and inexpensive, and the " almighty dollar " was not the power in the State it is now. That as oivilization extended and knowledge increased a grand and sensuous form of Christianity originated, delighting in gorgeous temples and equally resplendent altars, whose motto was, and is, " infallibility!" That doctrines and dogmas were imposed upon the credulous people and a heirarchy established which ruled the civilized world. Then were those templeu declared to be reared in honor of God and the convenience of the worshippers, the simplicity of religious faith and form were lost, and every offshoot from that oppressive church followed its example in | establishing a priesthood and building churches for the congregations. The people then objected to soil their costly raiment by it tending open air preaching ; r it was notf<*the fashion. They preferred to 4 pay,. their priests in current coin of' the realm, instead of bringing them, according to ancient custom, a tithe of their worldly possessions; and I for one don't blame a minister of the period for leaving a savage race (who get on vastly better without him), and accepting «• a call" to a snug living among his,own 1 people. A modern preacher of Christianity has his (may I say commercial?) value, and'the people pay: accordingly. If he is an eloquent man, his place of worship pays; if he is not, it is always in debt and difficulty. " Sceptic" must admit the change in the executive form of Christianity was the inevitable result of its propagation in countries whose climate is the reverse of Palestine; their national characters less imaginative, but more vigorous and practical; and where the primitive fashion of the Apostles would be wholly unsuitable. Besides, the days of so-called miracles have long passed away (notwith*

standing the Knock affair), and a»y minister who trusted 'to benevolent, but remarkably sagacious, ravens to feed him, or trudged from one district to another in a pair of clumsy sandals, and a blanket for his robe, would quickly find himself the victim of. a misplaced confidence.— I am, Ac, Spbbo. (To be continued.)