RATIONAL RELIGION.

Evening Star, Issue 7624, 29 May 1888, Page 4

RATIONAL RELIGION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Have you seen a pamphlet entitled ' A Reply to a Plea for Prayer ?' The • Plea' professes to base its arguments upon the Divine moral order. The' Reply,' too, makes the same assumption. The author of the 'is an ex-Presbyterian minister, who, of course, accepts the orthodox view of prayer. The writer of the ' Reply ' is a woman—and such a woman as would make glad the heart of MissCobbc, or the fair editor of Theodore Parker's works. Unquestionably she is a person of a clear and vigorous intellect. I am afraid she is not, according to the churches, sound in the faith ; but she, too, has a faith, and she is able to give good reasons for her faith. And this is precisely what very few indeed can satisfactorily accomplish in these transitional times. I She is a thorough-paced Unitarian, albeit she makes no parade of her belief. The theological dogmas of the Atonement, substitution, the creation and fall of man, the redemption of the sinner, etc., she brings forth in a fresh garb, and subjects them to such a crucial criticism as Channing and Dewey might have accepted with delight. 1 take it, saith the gifted authoress, "that hero all we see or know is simply cause and effect. Test both sin and salvation by this process. Sin will be found to be the result of moral declension in various forms, as salvation is of moral obedience and observance. The result in both cases are as certain and verifiable as any chemical test, and show law, order, and a solid foundation of probable, demonstrable fact on which to base immortality, faith, and trust." The writer is very happy in her Scripture quotations. She contends that the words of Jesus have been grossly misunderstood and misapplied, from Paul and Peter downwards. " The only way man can be redeemed is by practising virtue." As man is the architect of his own fortune, so also is he his own redeemer. We are asked to read the twenty-third chapter of Matthew, " showing the necessity of personal internal purgation." From the parable of the prodigal son Christ teaches us that God never is alienated from man. From the parable of the ten virgins we learn " how impossible it is to impute righteousness where it does not exist," Vicarious sacrifice is a priestly lie. The clever lady earnestly urges us to '' cast aside our poor and unworthy thoughts of God." Our God needs not to bt> propitiated by aaorifiufeu, human

or divine. Let us study the Gospels, and observe the perpetual struggle—"the conflict between the two natures within, the crossing of the natural with the spiritual." Let us work out manfully our own salvation. Therefore, according to this noble woman, " pray by the life you live, by the thoughts you think." She truly bases her arguments upon Scripture, reason, and common sense. I really must say that I have read her pamphlet with delight, and received inspiration from its admirable lessons.—l am, etc., J. G. S. Gkant. Dunedin, May 28.