Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-11-19
Letter to an Anti. Christian.

ID r. BLANK:
Dear Sir,-You assert that Christianity
is failure 30 far as any improvement in
the worlds condition is concerned. An
assertion unwarranted by facts, and one
that can be successfully combatted by
any one who has q thimbleful OF brains,
with bis eyes shut and his hands tied
behind him.
You assert that it has been power for
evil in the world. 1t is to be admitted
that great crimes have been committed
in the name of Christianity, and rivers
of blood have been shetland that proves
what? Certainly not that which you are
struggling to prove, and founder while
you struggle. Nothing but substance
can cast shadow. You are confOund-
ing shadow for substance, the false for
the true. Base imitation of coin is
strong proof that there is value in the
coin.
To fasten stigma on the Scriptures
you point out a few errors and contra
dictions with a dodge-it-if-you-can kind
of an air. And you say that there are
hundreds of errors and discrepancies
scattered all through the (so-called)
Word of God. AS a matter of fact there
are 10000 variations and defects that
have been detected by Biblical experts,
as existing in various manuscripts, YER
sions and editions. No two editions are
precisely alike, and yet all from one
original. About 10000 of these errors
are of small importance, and the others
do not disturb the doctrine of Gods
justice, mercy and fatherhood, and
mans accountability, his dependence
and his Immortality.
You say it cannot be the work of Him
who is perfection, for it is imperfect.
Because you have your little blemishes,
you are none the less the work of
perfect Being. Man has marred himself,
and If he may mar one piece of Gods
work he may another-if he can reach
it. 1t would be absurd to say that be-
cause your face is specimen of "spatter
work." peck pitted and warty, therefore
it is not the "human face divine" 1t
would be nicer face were it rectified
and made smooth as the brow of inno-
cency, but it serves the purpose for
which faces were created, and the way
faring man, though fool, would not
mistake it for a cabbage
And thus the Bible. 1t serves admir-
ably the purpose for which it was given.
1t is perfectly adapted to all the needs of
men, morally, physically and spiritually,
and as the Creator knew and knows all
the wants and necessities of that which
He has created, it logically follows that
none but He could have been its Author;
could have revealed all that is revealed
in that wonderful volume; and gram
NAUTICAL error, or any other, is not fatal,
and the Book will never die.
To show that the Christ was unre-
liable and contradictory you cite these
passages in John: 81 and my Father are
one" my Father is greater than l."
Do you throw that out as clincher?
Should say that you and your wife are
one, and over on the next page should
say that your wife is superior to you
land she probably is) you would never
believe me again.
1t is written: "And they twain shall be
one flesh" You. look, and 10. two living |
bundles of bones padded with flesh as
before, and your faith falters. The devil
of doubt lays hands on you, and you are
ordained Bible crusher. 1t doesn't
crush at all well. The crushers of all
balm and the consolation are in it still.
Your dead mother found them there
in all their fullness before she went to
Heaven, if you remember.
You inform me that "my set hold to
the belief that God, having made man
perfect, was disappointed that he turned
out so i'll. His plans are never crossed.
His purposes never fail. Sin came, and
the sacrifice had already been prepared
the Lamb had already been slain-prac
tically-in the purpose and councils Of
the Almighty. If the preparation had
not been made, sin had not come, for the
Source of all knowledge can not be taken
unawares. We are quite positive on
that point.
In your grand researches to find out |
The number of concubines the old
patriarchs could muster, aud the little |
dirty deeds the devil caused the just
ones to commit sometimes-hotly spur
red where weak and human-you may |
have caught beautiful glimpses of the
golden links in the unbroken chain of
prophecy, running through all the
Scriptures, clear down to Malachi. 1t is
folly to tug at that chain thinking to
break it. You don't know what to do
with it, and so you sneer.
"The manger of Bethlehem Graded a
King" The promise was given by the
Keeper of promises, and the prophets |
foretold it and you pronounce it false
and stamp it lie. You can deny that
there is warmth in sunshine if you wish.
If you have never seen the liking in his
beauty" your testimony is negative and
worthless.
Have you a substitute for the Christ
you reject, for the Bible you ignore?
Please send copy of your moral code,
not drawn from the Bible. What do you
use in the place of-"Thou shalt not
STEAL" "Thou shalt not kill" "Thou
shalt not bear false witness" "Thou
shalt not commit adultery" and all the
other shalt nots? You have the floor.
Free your mind, brother! JOHN.