The Labor enquirer., 1884-09-06
Bees and Sin.
For The Enquirer.

for Inc enquirer.
I cannot understand the Christian re-
ligion. Salvation is mystery; atone
ment conundrum. The whole system
is said tobe reform for this world and
bliss for the next. AS reform it would
strike me favorably if / could grasp the
central idea. The beginning of the re-
form is very abrupt but puzzling step
called conversion. This comes about in
various ways, but the result is always
called change of heart. have been
told that common kind Of conversion
is where some hardened wretch is struck
by chance remark from friend on the
subject; or some peculiarly weighty verse
from the bible meets the eye; or some
calamity overtakes him; perhaps after a
hard day of sin he finds his babe has
died Of Group, and forthwith he be comes
Christian. This seems unjust to the
infant.
A newspaper paragraph, or the relating
of some touching incident may be the
turning point. TIE latter hits my case
at present. A paragraph has been
brought to my notice, but am surprised
that the result is not the same as in other
cases may be to blame. but am,
honest. Some Of the essential condi-
ations must have been wanting The
words can be found in the Standard, a
Baptist paper of, Chicago, dated July 10:
"a little girl giving. her experience for
membership, said: L was converted
the day the bee stung my mother When
asked what she meant by that, she re.
piled: When the bee stung my mother,
cried and ran away, afraid he would
sting me. She called me back, and said,
don't be afraid; he can't sting you now,
heshas left his sting in my hand. Then
she told me that sin could not sting me
either, if 1 believed in Jesus, for sin had
left its sting in Jesus.'" .EEst
. Ny first impression on reading the
above was that it was good loke, but
s rejecting that it was in the old reliable
Standard, the idea had to be abandoned.
At this point 1 should have prepared my.
self to receive the spirit, but as that func-
tionary did not seem anxious, began to
speculate on the little girls story. Such
a course was fatal, but do not know
whether spirit or was to blame. -
The story must of course be taken fig
uratively. An unbeliever might take it
literally and plaYfully speculate on the
practical consequences that would result
If every sin had sting. Looking at the
parable in its universal sense, was led
to inquire: would the child's belief rem.
der her incapable of committing a sin ?
By inquiring among competent Chris.
tians / find they all say, no, a Christian
is liable to temptation and sin, but by
faith are free from its consequences
Then 4 infer that Christian need not
hesitate about handling a bee, O. e. sin.
ning), for the sting (eonsequences) will
be received and b,,rne bF Jesus NY
sense of Justice has 50 far prevented me
from receiving the doctrine. l still think
sin is more like horaet; when it has
stung once it is read to sting again. "A
sin that stings once: VIII be just as pain.
full if committed agairl, and if continued
increases in volume q certsin per cent
per sting. Furthermore, it is not righr
that ! fool with wasp and some one els,
get stung. At school, some years ago. 4
: was considered the Iaeane.t kind of ,
trick to throw the responsibility of ,
bent pin in the teachtr's chair, over ont,
another scholar, yet onr national religion
is founded on that very principle. It i.
very puzziing. I may not have all tn,
hcta | would like nothing better thar
to be Christian. if the scheme can b
brought down (or rather up to my ide,
Of practical morality. ZkNo.