LECTURE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5236, 14 December 1883, Page 2

LECTURE.

The last of the series of lectures in connection with the V.M.C.A., on the subject of Christianity v. Freethought, was delivered in the Fire Brigade Hall last evening by the Rev. Mr Treadwell. ,There was a fair attendance, The chair was occupied by Mr Gilbert Carson, who introduced the lecturer in a few remarks, referred to the' great success attending the course of lectures. - The Rev. Mr Treadwell, who chose as his particular branch of the subject "The Resurrection of Christ," openedjhis address by', showing how absolutely necessary to Christi-^ anity was the fact of a resurrection, a belief in I which was general amongst all persons able to form a judgment of such things; The resurrection, he contended, was easy, to, .- prove, as it was not a matter of .theory but of fact, and;thaii there, was. no denying that Christ died, "was .buried, and rose again, he being afterwards spoken to and touched by those who had known him. Those persons who had seen him were per- - sons who were competent to form opinions and thoroughly believed what they had stated. He scoffed at the theory which.had been set forward by some of those who wished to disprove the Bible version, that Jetiua/waa: : only in a trance when he was. taken;;down from the cross; or that (as had been asserted) the tale of the resurrection had arisen from tho imagination of Mary Mag- _ delene, and was simply a mere ghosfc story. • The Jews of the day, who were the most interested in disproving the resurrection, could easily have reputed the tale if it was wrong, but they did not do so, which shows that it was a fact. He concluded by .referring to the records which we had of the , resurrection, and stated that all true Christians, if we looked at them in an unbiassed planner, could not but believe them. -Even if the Gospels were set aside there remained " " this Epistles of St. Paul (written within 28 " '- years of the crucifixion), which were ample proof of the truth of the resurrection. At the close" of the lecture, which" was at- ..< tentively listened to, a vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer on the motion of Mr'J ohn Rose, and the proceedings were brought • to a close with the benediction, , ".' • ," „, 1 ■ -,'•,'