LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 84, 15 May 1914, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE Y.M.C.A.

To the Editor of THE SUN. , Sir—Yoiir correspondent "Amazed and Indignant*' says: "I myself, with others over whom I have influence, have decided that until the association spurges itself of its undesirable 'elements, .we. ,will t lseep aloof. and watch more in sorrow, than anger." I, on •'the dther hand, have ari aversion to .en-' teriiig the building, because I feel {hat . the spirit of the association is to : interfere with,, if • not to crush, free and independent thought.—l am, etc., . • i' UNIVERSALIS?. Sir, —Some years ago, when'the city was, being, > canvassed: for subscriptions towards the building'fund for the - new -Y.M.C.A. : Pala'Ce, thinking I ■was contributing: towards: a Christian' organisation,, I cheerfully gave my mite. * Imagine"my disgust, therefore, at "ks X now do, that 1 have : been ; niist'akeiit' : 'lnstead of > Chris- ® tia.nity, L nowfind< that-the association is. a >the jprogagatiph; of " atheism, agnosticism, infidelity, ,£nd ' othei* false doctrines, setting- at nought ; the'tesichinjg of Blessied Sir,- until' this disgraceful stigma is' re- . ,the association can; look for no further support, morai or financial, from me^—l' 1 am, etc., ; ; 1 'VOX POPULI. [Our: correspondent • has -no right" to say that the is a," hot-bed for the propagation of'atheism, agnosticism, andr infidelity;' * : The statement -is tintrue. ' Because 'an agnPstic happens to hav,e< been admitted-i to j membership, it ;4oe.Si. j i\pt ; ,ifpllaw that i agnosticism is . .witlij (gpod, deal of force that, an agnostic.istype of man Jliats is ' iriost in need "pf the influence of. the Y.M.C.A!, 6ni that he should be encouraged td come out as being pale.—Ed.- TJJE SUN.'] > ,! " ' • To the Editor of THE SUN. Si^—(-When agfaostifeism' becomes ingrained in one's nature/ it becomes diffi- ; cult to-.realise one 7 s till thißy are laid j)are by ? som«ione ; with 4 greater , claims to shrewdness.... . Like.-our. tJL have eaten pf tree of the Knowledge ; of - Good -and .Ev il,and can only pjead that I, 1 too, was innoqent of ,guile. 'Now that -my faults are I. can see how easy it to f be guilty of bad taste, without knowing it. As regards your first propositioh, I corrected. Pershould have' said that a lar,ge vpropo^tioA l l were •'avowedly agnostic iwheil it was av'owedly J safe to' avow. . It be- comforting 'to note the decrease since 1906, '£tnd compute the rate of disappearance,'' to i Of, coutsei •: people of no denomihation', no religion, objectors! to State, people who"; sign themselves >as anything they fancy for the: monient, and Buch like—are' all' a • mijiusr qukntityj; and the remaining lhili lion .or so of "professing -Christian^" are all impressed vwith " the 'duty 'and , pbUgation" of ithe 'brotherhpiod Pf vrhariJ'' I, exclude. your correspondent '' Amazed and . Indignant; 7/ As' an > avowed agnostic, |I don ?t know what category to .placeMmliiii i: liam also agnostic on* the question;'of a membership." So bruiserd, and blistered am 1/ after ypiir vsevei;e that all I can say is, I.'ye got a ticket of membership. •I. thank you for - your characteristic reply to . tipn v : ; of .ipiplying that your headlines were pf the , admitted tailless donkey ■ has no, tail'j variety., As for your question, well, I don't know how. I am avowedly agnostic* Half of my nohxwas left out in my last effuI feel that J have been unnecessarily decapitated.- —I anij etc., >• SUN WORSHIPPER-.