"Spiritism and. Christianity."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11643, 22 August 1905, Page 7

"Spiritism and. Christianity."

TO THE EDITOB

Sir, — Under the Tieading of "Spiritism and Christianity," your correspondent "J.N." makes use of the following words: "The founder of Christianity, when He did speak on any matter involving any knowledge of scientific facts, was always wrong, as also He was in all His attempts at prophesying." Is "J.N." so utterly ignorant of the New Testament, or the facts of history, that he has never read Christ's prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem, and the fulfilment of that prophecy in history? If lie will take the trouble to look, he will see that Christ foretold in graphic detail that which took 'place about forty years after, and which is described by the Jewish historian, Josephus.' "J.N." makes his statements without giving a single argument in support of them, which, I suppose, goes to show that he has none. The same might be said about his remarks on evolution, but probably when his "arguments" have gone through a few more stages of evolution we shall hear a little more. — I am, etc., v

TO THE EDITOB. Sir, — Mr Goodman, in his answer to my letter .on the above subject, takes exception~to my statement that the founder of Christianity ' "failed to -communicate to us one useful scientific fact, and. when He did speak He" was' always wrong, and tlit same as regards prophecy." Whatever of healing, etc., that Christ did was not scientific or in accordance with science, but supernatural and miraculous, and He claimed it as such, saying that all His power -was from above and done ..by .Him. as the Son of God. Mr Goodman says "The significance of His words and methods have only recently been discovered by science." This seems an extraordinary thing to say, and does not agree with what Christ said, for He said, "My words shall not pass away," etc., and if ,Mr Goodman means that the restoring of the sick by the science of mental therapeutics was meant by Christ, then I say it is not true, for the cases related in the Gospels were instantaneous in most cases, -and neither was faith in all cases absolutely necessary, for we read on one case where 'the restoration to health wa*s done lo a person at a distance. Christ claimed that Hi 3 mighty works were done by His as being the Son of God, one with the Father, etc. Christ said on one occasion after performing a mircle, "Greater works than these shall follow those that believe/ meaning that those with faith should be the performers of miracles,' but it does not follow that the patients must necessarily believe in all cases. This was both s promise and a prophecy; and will anyone say that it has been fulfilled? A proof that faith was not always a necessity wat the case of the man that Peter healed at the temple gate, when he was going up to the temple service. The man asked alms, and' Peter said, "Silver or gold have I none," but such as I have give I untc thee. Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.' 1 Will anyone say that Christ's miracles. and Peter's also, are parallel to what Mr Goodman calls the discovery of modern science? Mr Goodman says, "as to the prophecy, the words of the Master have been literally fulfilled." Mr Goodman overlooks the prophecy that Christ made that the end of the world would' take place before that then present generation passed away. Christ said, "All power in heaven and on earth is given unto me." Will Mr Goodman say that recent scientific discovery has anything that he can range alongside that? As to the casting out of devils, modern science has discovered and avows that there never was such possession by men of demons. Christ spoke of the heart as being the seat of the- intellect, but science has long ago discovered that the brain is the seat of the intellect. The subject is so large that it would take a book to go into the thing at all satisfactorily. — I am, etc.,