SOPHISTRY AND PROPHECY.

Northern Advocate, 9 August 1919, Page 6

SOPHISTRY AND PROPHECY.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Som e person of mature age, writing under the head of "Biblical Prophecy," expresses ideas which would only pass current with those that are more superstitious and careless than he is about the things that are supposed to come to pass. He also quotes as authorities men who are no better authorities than himself. He prophecies the usual Armageddon and then the Millenium, but he takes good care to mask his name with three letters, and leaves us to guess as much about his name as we can about his writing. H e also quotes authority, so that if anyone does guess his name he wills have someone to blame. Now, however, good may be the intention of this writer, I can assure him that his writings will do more harm than good, owing to the fact that the first element of our teachings is a misnomer. The constant attitude of the young mind is that of submission to dogmatic teaching i and of course the result is a tendency to accept without inquiry whatever is supposed to b e established. There is not the slightest doubt that some of our children will remember this from now up to 1928 and 1929. Just fancy loading the child's mind with sucli useless ballast, at a time when the great moral and scientific teachers of all countries are trying to teach the young people how to play their part in a new world of civilisation. —I am, etc. D. TILLY.

A German circus which is performing at Coblenz for the benefit of the troops has now about a hundred animals, compared with some 800 -before the war. Many of these had to be destroyed, including a number of elephants which were killed to provide food, the people declaring that they preferred eating to seeing them.

The recent addition to the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts is a big and striking battle scene by th 2 famous marine artist, Charles Dixon. It was presented to the Dominion by Mrs G. H. Black, and describes the "Landing at Anzac" on 25th April, 1915, Where Mrs Black's husband was killed. The picture will be transferred to the Serjeant Art Gallery at Wanganui early in September.

!Mrs Anna M. Kross, who was recently appointed an Assistant Corporation Counsel to the City of New York, has been assigned to the Domestic Relations Court to deal with cases in ■vvhicdi the interests of women are affected. Most of the women who appear In this Court are needy or deserted, and it is believer! that a woman will be much more competent than a man to understand their difficulties. During her previous legal career, Mrs Kross has frequently acted as counsel <for various labour unions, and has been particularly interested in questions relating to the welfare of the working , classes.