IS CHRISTIANITY DYING?

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12698, 28 October 1904, Page 7

IS CHRISTIANITY DYING?

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Your correspondent said : " Christianity has been expiring for 150 years, rhe question therefore is one Of historical fact. Is Christianity less potent for good than it was, say, in the middle of the eighteenth century? Since then has it shown diminishing energy, os if it were "expiring?'': , , Think of the great moral And religious movements that falsify his statement. The Sunday-school movement has done, and is doing, immense and increasing good. Take also the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts. That marvellous Church of England institution, the S.P.G., has during the last 150 years done more good, perhaps, than any other adjunct of the Church on earth. It has lavished money, labour, and the lives of noble men in carrying the Gospel across pathless seas, trackless wildernesses, boundless continents, and the dark places of the earth full of the habitations of cruelty. "From the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the farthest frozen north to the flower-bordered shores of the Mexican Gulf," her missionaries have toiled and are toiling still, and with considerable success.

The- Wesleyans, Baptists., Roman Catholics., the Mexican Church, the Swedenborgian or Now Church, are also giving millions of money and thousands of lives in heroio and self-sacrificing devotion to Christian mission work the wide world over. And what of tho British and Foreign Bible Society? It has circulated over 150,000,000 copies of the Bible and is circulating 4,000,000 copies yearly. The American society lias sown broadcast over 62,000,000 copies and is circulating 1,750..000 copies yearly. That Book is still, and is increasingly, tins counsel, comfort, guide, and inspiration of the teeming millions of mankind. It abolished slavery. Think, also, of the awakened life and energies of the Churches Anglican, Romish, Wesleyan, Presbyterian, Baptist, and others. Think of the young men's Christian associations throughout tho world. Think of the rise and spread of Wesleyan Methodism, and tho Salvation Army; of prisoners' aid societies, fallen women's homes, international peace societies, benevolent ' societies, Christian endeavour societies, sailors' rests and homes, temperance societies, and of the increased efforts to ameliorate the condition of native races, lunatics, criminals, aged poor and destitute children. The above aro great movements disproving the allegations that Christianity is expiring. . Why, sir, since 1700 the Christians under Protestant Governments havo increased from 02,000,000 to 135,000,000, and the Roman Catholics from 85,000,000 to 195,000,000. But they havo increased not only in quantity but quality also. They have got nobler ideals, more generous impulses, more capable, forceful energies, more undaunted bravery, persistence, and peerless charity. It is Christianity that has during its alleged ' expiring" phase produced the noblest typo of humanity. Where is the non-Chris- ■ tian system that has produced in the last few years its Father Damien, Father Lowder, Shaftesbury, Livingstone, Patteson,' Selwjn, Wesley, Spurgeon, Booth? Its Sisters Dora, its Little Sisters of the Poor? Its Florence Nightingale or Francis Havergil? Superficial observers might conclude that Christianity is on the wan© when they see the alienation of so many of tho working classes from church; when they see so much stress laid upon mere ritual and belief, so little stress laid on good works and Christlikeness; when they see the disunion of Christians and antagonisms and rivalries of Churches; when they see so much indifference to religion and human welfare, and such unforgiving bitterness, such envy and worldly ambitions amongst professing Christians.

But men' must not condemn an army because of a few eowords and deserters, "or a nation because of a few traitors, or a body of men because of a Judas Iscariot. Take a broad survey of Christianity and of Church history, and, in spite of all defects and blight, the tree is growing, the leaven is working, the kingdom is spreading, and it will spread until the Sermon on the Mount becomes the laws governing humanity. Speak. History, who ate the victors? The Spartans who fell at Theringsale's tryst Or the Persians? His victims, or Nero? Ws judges, or Socrates? Pilate or Christ? Thanking you, sir, for your courtesy.— am, etc., F. G. Ewington. October 25. TO THE EDITOR. . Sir,—Whether Christianity is on the wane as fai. bis church attendance goes is the point I presume Mr. Ewington is going to further discuss. It is quite clear to me that the grand Christian principle of " do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you" is about dead. The Government, with their spoils to the victors; the merchant, with his attempted monopoly; and the labourer, with his preference to unionists, arc all antiChrist. We are legislating against Christianity ; we are setting up a new god by Act of Parliamentthe god of self. ; I would like Mr. Ewington to touch on religion from this point of view.—l am, etc., Iconoclast.

THE PUBLIC DEBT. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— Times (London),, on the subject of Mr. Seddon's experimental legislation, remarks:"lt has involved" very considerable expenditure on the part of the State and has burdened the population with a heavy public debt, which amounts now to £32 ?s 9d per head." In 1903 the population stood at 814,842: the amount of debentures and stock in circulation was £55,899,019; therefore the indebtedness per head of European population stood at £68 128. or more than double the amount given by Mr.W. P. Reeves, the Agent-General, for publication in the thunderer. Playing the ostrich trick with facts and figures will not improve New Zealand's credit on the Home market.— am, etc., H. Johnson.