THE HERESY HUNT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 215, 10 September 1908, Page 2

THE HERESY HUNT.

(By Frank Morton.)

Glancing over prominent topics just now, one cannot altogether overlook the heresy hunt. 1 regret this, because I am the simplest of laymen in the matter of theology. The facts, however, are apparently simple. The Rev. J. Gibson Smitb, an esteemed Presbyterian clergyman of Wellington, recently published in England a book called "The Christ ol the Cross." The honesty of the writer is not impugned, its reverence there is no mistaking.' Mr Gibson Smith is a maa of great personal charm and strong probity, and much of his character has got into his book. But he has an idea that' his fellowChristians, or some of his fellowChristians, are mistaken in their conception of the truth with regard to one great doctrine of the Church. He has formed, earnestly and prayerfully as he says, and as one can well believe, his own idea of the true meaning and intention' of the Atonement. He holds that in that regard the idpas of some other Christians are in effect superstitious and dishonouring to God. 1. He does, not for a moment deny either the necessity or the efficacy of the Atonement, but he differs from the view that it was expiatory—he will not regard his God as a gaoler to be appeased or a creditor hungrily clamouring for his pound of flesli. He may be right, he may be wrong. I don't know; and I am not convinced that I should be any happier or more, useful in 1908 if I did know. Let us return to the facts. Mr Gibson Smith's book was cordially received in England. There, apparently, its heresy was not detected, because, it may be, in England even the clergy* are'being brought under the influence of modern thought. But in New Zealand it is quite othei-wise. There has been a notable ebullition of wrath, a strange upstirring of the clerical Presbyterian conscience.; Several gentlemen whose names. I had not previously heard of have manifested an honest desire to serve their God by crying down\ their brother. And so the matter, stairds. So is the rigidity- of Presbyteiianism once again gloriously asserted. The thing may be entirely right. Vdo not know. Mr Gibson Smith may be entirely in the wrong, and' bis tormentors entirMy in the rierht. But the fact is again made clear—the fact' that 00. entering the Christian ministry a man is assumed and expected to forfeit and lay down all right of private judgment, and only to accept the guidance of God when that guidance is approved or endorsed by the clergy. Once upon a time the clergy persecuted men who were led to l:e----iieve that the world is round., And all this sort of thing _ seems very surango to a frank outsider who remembers how wh,at we know as Christian doctrine has been modified and manufactured, trimmed and reshaped since the days of Jesus of Nazareth. The expiatory theory, which Mr Gibson Smith is now condemned for harbouring, was no part 01 primitive Christian doctrine. Personally, U never question any man'a full rfght to his opinions, and I hate the idea of restricting the liberty of any man's religious opinions. The Presbyterian Church may- or may not be abb"" to loso men of Mr Gibson Smith's character and calibre—that is nob my affair. I have known oxoellent men of all religions and of none; I merely plead for liberty. And in» general, I am much of the mind of bluff Dean Swift: "I as little fear that God vill damn a man that has charity as I hope any priest can save one"who. has not." -

It is not easy to trust, your cleric very far when he once gets away from tho high places of 'Christian charity. History furnishes abundant justification for that' fact, _ anyhow. No creature on earth is so bitter and intolerant as a Christian minister whenever he forgets to be a Christian. When^veiThe is in the mood to, discuss vexed points of doctrine, he leaves those high places. Sometimes he merely succeeds in making a brother wretched, and sometimes Cm days gono by) his zeal started fires in Smithfield. What are called holy wars have ever been the cruellest and fiercest. There never were harsher persecutors than the£ archbishops Archbishop Laud was on© of the worst, and it is pleasing to remsmb^r that he died at the hands of the common headsman. Here is on epitaph for Laud that you will scarcely nave seen before-, Heer lyes within ye compass of this earth A man of boundless pride, of meanest birth; England's last Primate, whose unequal fate , Made him tho prince's love, the people's hate. . , A Protestant in shew, yet joyried by art . An English headpiece to a Roman heart; A seaming patriote, yet this wonder bredd, Hee was • the Chuche*s, his a traitour's head, Which being taken of, hee thus did dyp, The Churches, prince's, people's enemy. And where he is to-day I don't like to remember i:ow the weather's getting warmer. Dissension breeds bigotry, and bigotry breeds cruelty and hate. Hate breeds avarice from tho vlk- body of superstition. Let me, while we are in the mood of epitaph, recall a very quaint thing of the kind that '.yas once written by an imppnjteat thief. The story is too sood to be untrue: A certain priest that had much gold Woi^d lay it in a chest Within the chancel, and thereon Did.-write " hie Deus est." A merry ladd whoso greedy mind Did seeke for such a prey, Neglecting much the reverend stile That on ye caskete lay, Tooke cut ye gold, and blotting out The parson's name thereon, . Wrote " Resurrexit, non, est hie. Thy God is risen and/gone."