REV. MR TOCKER ON THE LEAGUE UNION.

Southland Times, Issue 25315, 19 June 1935, Page 3

REV. MR TOCKER ON THE LEAGUE UNION.

Sir,—ln Mr Tocker’s address in your Times of June 3, was forgiveness to Germany, as the defeated nation, on Christian principles. Is Christianity represented by Christ as forgiving as the Christian people suppose? How would a salutation made by Christ to-

wards another nation or person be taken by those to whom it is addressed; “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I come not to send peace but a sword. For I am come set man at variance against his father, and his daughter, against the mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And the man’s shall be of his own household. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child, ana the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death.” (Math. X 21. 34-36.) “But I say unto you which hear, love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you.” (Luke VI 27-28.) How does the following compare with the above. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Prepare for the devil and his angels” (Math. XXV 41.) “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark XVI, 16.) “But those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and I shall slay them before me.” (Luke XIX, 27). The foregoing also means that had Christ died one day before he was baptized he would have been damned according to his own saying. Yet he was almost thirty years old when he was baptized by John.. He was not baptized before. According to the above, any man who walks or has walked on this earth, is or was better than Christ because no one would condemn a fellow being for ever and ever to so frightful a torment for ordinary disbelief. A singular thing, too, is that Christ never spoke kindly to His mother. He never called her Mother, except once. “While He yet talked to His Mother, behold His Mother and His brethren stood without desiring to speak with Him. Then one said unto Il’m: Behold Thy Mother, and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee. But He answered and said unto him that told him: Who is My Mother? and who are My brethren? For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in Heaven, the same is My brother, sister and mother.” (Math. XII 46-50.) The same is said in Mark 111 33. In Luke (VIII, 21) “Jesus said unto them: My Mother and my brethren are those which hear the word of God and do it.” That simply means if His mother and brethren are no better than the rest of the Jews there is no salvation for them. At the marriage of Cana, when Christ and His Mother were there, the Mother said to Christ: “They have no wine. Jesus said unto her: Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.” (John II 4.) “For neither His brethren believeth in Him (John VII 5.) When Christ saw His Mother from the Cross He said: “Woman, behold thy son.” (John XIX 26.) His mother was not present at the Crucifixion, according to the other three evangelists. If His brothers and sisters did not believe in Him after being thirty years in His constant company, have we any proof that His Mother believed in him? And they said: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Juda and Simon and are not His sisters here with us, and they were offended at Him. But Jesus said unto them: A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country and among his own kin, and in his own house. And He could could do no mighty work save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk and healed them. And He marvelled at their unbelief.” (Mark V 3-6.)

Now I appeal to the reader of these lines. Do they think it is possible for anyone to grow to full manhood with father, mother, sister and brother as mentioned in the Bible, as well as among playmates of other people’s children, and no one from all these people noticed the slightest difference of superiority or intellect from others. Then at thirty years He proclaims Himself as Son of the God of the Israelites, and more wonderful still, He could not perform any miracles where He was not believed. “I and My Father are one. The Jews answered Him saying, for a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy, and because that Thou being a man makest Thyself God.” (John X 30-33.) The foregoing is from the New Testament. The following is from the Old. “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife bare him no children, and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram: Behold now the Lord hath restrained me from bearing. I pray thee, go unto my maid. It may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram went unto Hagar and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress wsis despised in her eyes. And Sarai said to Abram, my wrong be upon thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her maid she fled from her face into the wilderness. But the angel of the Lord met her and told her that she would bear a son, who should be called Ishmael, and the Lord will multiply his seed accordingly.” (Gen. XV i 1-16.) Slavery first mentioned in the Bible, man bought with money instituted by God. (Gen. XVII 12-13.) One of the chosen of the Lord, Lot, put two daughters with child (Gen. XIX 33-36.) Abraham passed bis wife, Sarah as his sister for King Abimeled but the King was a better man than Abraham (Gen XX.) The above is hardly a subject to Germany on forgiveness. The Germans know as much of this kind of information as anybody. The Bible is not a subject to be caught to children either at home or at school. I am, etc., N. A. NIEDERER.