THE KINGDOM OF GOD. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2288, 6 January 1898, Page 55

THE KINGDOM OF GOD. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — I have read the Witness for some years — at least these portions that are moat interesting to me — snd I seldom care to criticise anyone's remarks or writings ; but in your Eeligious Column there has appeared at least two letters, one by " Veritas" and another by " Simplicity," to which I take exception. I have not followed "A Banker" in all hia writings, but I have read enough to let me know that "Simplicity" ia in error in his

estimate of him when he asserts that he proclaims the Gospel in the good old way. The way he does to may be good and old to " Simplicity," for it has been proclaimed that way by the majority for a long time, but the good old way was the way Je c us Christ and His apostles proclaimed it, and it is very seldom it is proclaimed that way now. Most people nowadays are too advanced and too enlightened to be satisfied with the oldf?shicned way. Pcple nowadajs like to get into the cheep fold their own particular way, but Christ said that those who did try any other way were thieves and robbers, and such will scarcely get God to pander to their deFire.3. Our religious belitf is the mo3t important to us all, as if we come through on the right side it rnfans eternul life in the age to come, snd our present mirtal life is about threescore years and ten, and the other ua poor mortals can scarcely comprehend, but we know it means millions of years " Simplicity " al*o lays a great weight on faith, but James tells us that faith without works is dead. Paul, speaking of faith, hope, and charity, says the greatest of these is charily, and this charity does not altogether mean the 1 giving of our goods to the poor. If it was fo \ (he rich would buy their way into the kingdom of God, and this blessing cannot ba so attained. Writing of the kingdom of God reminds one of how little we hear if preached nowadays, and yet Chmt spoke of it daily and hourly sometimes, and He said that H; was sent to preach it. The apostles also preached ih, at,d the prophets also spoke of ii, an>l the prophets were supported in their proclamations by ou? Lord Himsf-lf. Now seeing this is a very diffe- | rent gospel. to the one we heir of nowaday?, j one is tempted to ask who authorised the change ? No messenger baa been senb direct frcm God, and therefore this old w;\y must be the only gcod way and the tru* wsiy. Paul says thst if any prepch any othi.r way thin that He pivsehed let him bo accused, and Cbrisb and His apostles said that fal?e toache-s would come who if it were possible would lure | even the very fleet from the way that leadeth unto life, of which onl? a few find. As to " Verifris," I hardly know what to mske of him. Possibly he wanted to air some j professor's ideas a Ihtle in the fable line ; but I j trust that the givafc majority can see ihut there ] was no fible ab-.ufc Jonah. God toldhim to go to Nineveh and prophesy against it, but he trave lied in the other direction, aud the result was that he wan swallowed by a large fish prepared for the purpose and carried to land, and i ajjain told to go to Nineveh, snd he went, j Now was not the tempestuous storm, (he dt- j cision of the lot, and the swallowing by the i fish ail the work of QnA ? Had not God pur- ] posr d to send Jonnh to Nineveh, and did not i he shirk his duty, and did not Gud teach him a lesson that what God proposed man cannob dispose ? Now the swallowing by the fish is j referred to by Christ H : mself, snd did He ever tell a lie or support fables? Fables are very popular now, but they will r,ot carry asiyone into the kingdom of God. Neither wi'l that j good (H way of "B inker's" carry anyone to { he<vcn, for God h»3 not promised heaven to j tho righteoue. Bit God has made certain j promises and laid down a way for our obtain- j ing those promfspe, and said, " This is the way ; walk ye in it," and this is the only good i old way to eternal life. — =1 am, &c , ; OtauTan, December 27. Tjruth.