The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1895-11-23 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

JOHN TAYLOR'S SERMONETTES. TO THE EDITOR.  SIR, —Mr John Carrick is tempting Providence once more, like the Irishman at Donnybrook Fair, who trails his coat on the ground and invites you to tread upon it if you dare, and get a whack of his shillaleigh, . But he should be very careful, for I have got a shillaleigh too, and I might be tempted to use it. He has had a taste of its quality as your readers know very well.  1. I have shown how little Mr Carrick knows of either hisfory or Scripture, and yet he is venturing once more to air his ignorance. He challenges me to name half-a-dozen of the world's greatest heroes who have been among the world's greatest law-breakers. What about Moses when he slew the Egyptian? or Elijah when he slew the prophets of Baal? or Daniel when he prayed three times a day in defiance of the civil law? What about Christ when he cleared the temple and cursed the priests? What about the Apostles when they refused to be muzzled at the bidding of magistrates and lawyers and the civil powers? What about Tell in Switzerland? or Luther in Germany? or Hampden, Pym, George Fox, John Bunyan. and a host of others in England? or John Brown, of Harper's Ferry, and the anti-slavery heroes of America? Are these names good enough for heroes? 2. Mr John Carrick evidently does not know what a Tory is, so I had better enlighten him. The word Tory is Irish, and means a thief. And any man who takes something for nothing is a thief in my eyes. The men who have stolen the nation's land, and the churches, and the charities, and the seats of learning may have seats in the House of Lords, but I have no more respect for them than I have for Bill Sykes. lam fighting the battle of the masses against the classes, the weak against the strong, and I claim that if Christ came to Carlisle He would do the same to-morrow.  I am glad to see that one or two of your readers have the courage of their opinions, and dare to range themselves on my side. They must expect to be hated, and persecuted, and slandered, and misrepresented if they will dare to testify against iniquity and injustice. If any man will follow Christ's example he must expect to share Christ's fate. "The parsons of to-day would crucify Christ again if He fell into their hands. They honour Him with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him."  I hope this language will greatly shock Mr John Carrick, and set all your readers seriously thinking. They are not my words. They were used in my hearing recently by a cultured Christian lady who has not been inside a church or chapel for over ten years, and does not intend to go again. And when I asked the reason, she said, "Because the majority of the parsons and priests of all denominations are such devils." I frankly confess that I cannot endorse all this worthy lady says about the cloth, but there is just enough truth in her sweeping assertions to cause some of us very serious searchings of heart. I shall be glad to see what effect this has on your correspondents. 3. Mr Carrick's sneers about the dishonesty of Nonconformists and the superior virtue of members of the Church of England are refreshing.' Does he know that for many long centuries his dear old Church of England has been a den of thieves? It belonged originally, as everybody knows, to the Roman Catholics, and they did not get their property honestly. But that royal whoremonger and murderer, Henry