Correspondence.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3968, 16 September 1881, Page 3

Correspondence.

Those columns are open to all correspondence of publi interest, but wo do not hold ourselves resnonßible for the opinions of writers. Correspondence must in all cases be authenticated by the real name and address of the writer—not necessarily for publication, lut as a guarantee of good faith. (To the Editor of the Evening Stab.) Sib,—-There have»been thousands of rolumes written about what religion is. If I were called upon to say in a few words what the Christian religion is, I would say it is being kind and good one towards another. And if so, then joining a church or going lo places of worship is not it; going to mass or making confession is not it; going to revival meetings to get greatly excited, and being washed in the blood of the Lamb is not it; believing in the thirty-nine articles is not it; nor yet a belief in any body or thing, not even a belief in God, Christ, the Devil, or the Bible. People may attend to the above things if they choose, but they may be rery wicked at the same lime. Surely professors of Christianity ought to try and learn what Christ's religion is from His own life and sayings, and not go to any creed, nor yet to the prophets or the apostles. Then what did Christ teach on this subject? According to their own records, He said that he would divide the righteous from the wicked as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; He would say to those on His right hand, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, for I was hungry, «nd ye gave me meat; thirsty, and ye gave me drink; naked, and ye clothed me; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me;" and He also ssid, " Let your light so shine before men, that, seeing your good work, they will be led to glorify your Father;" and He said, "Blessed are the peace makers," and "Blessed are the pure in heart;" and "Do unto others as ye would that they should do.to you;" and He said, "He that doeth good shall rise to the resurrection of life," and one of His two great commandments was, " Love thy neighbour as thyself;" and He said, "Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that despitefully use you;" and then He says, "Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man that built his house upon a rock." If the above be the correct definition of what religion is,, then those that are kind and good have that religion, whether they are Protestants or Catholics, Jews or Christians, Brahmins or Mahomedans, or have no name at all; and it makes no matter what they are called. If they have not got this principle they have not Christ's religion. It is lamentable, that after all the money, time, and talent that have been spent to teach what religion is, that generally speaking such a very false impression is made as to what it is—nay, the very opposite effect is produced, by dividing them up into parts, and causing the very bitterest feeling to exist one towards another. What a bitterness exists by the Trinitarianism against the ITnitarianism. and Baptists against the non-Baptists ; the one party would not acknowledge the other had any religion at all. One would naturally think that, the religion that was designed to be the universal one would have a broad base and be easy to be understood; something sublime and beautiful, that is exalted above the mists and narrowness of any one's doxes, either heterodox or othodox. And this is the one that stands out so bold and conspicuous, so great, so grand, so sublime and simple. This religion never changes; it is suitable for all time and all men, and all climes. It is worthy of its author, and the same yesterday, to day, and for ever. I have been studying the popular theology of the day for forty years, and have had to give it up as something not understandable, with its Trinity, its vicarious sacrifice, and eternal torments. But a child might understand Christ's religion if they did not block up his eyes with some creed or other. lam aware that there is a strong passage or two in the Gospels that speak about a belief as being very important. One passage is, "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, and he that iJelieveth not shall be damned." Many people take this to be spurious, and so do I. The meek and lowly Jesua never said this, for- it is in contradiction to His whole life and teachings. If I was to meet a man and tell him a story, and he said that he could not believe it, and I said he must, and if ho did not I would knock him down, how unjust and unreasonable this would be. Yet they place the noble spirited Jesus in this condition. No one can believe against evidence, and to nay that he will be doomed for not believing what he cannot, is the height of bigotry, conceit, and intolerance. But Christ's religion is not a belief, but a life of goodness, and this is what they said of Him, " Jesus of Nazareth going about doing good."—l am, &c, J. Horn.