The Herald of Wales. — 1887-11-26 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

CORRESPON D EN CE.  THE MHZ QUKSTION.-MR. WILLS REPLIES TO MR. HOPKINS. TO TH2 =TOM  Sir,—As e rale- life is too short to anewer John Hopkins, who writes letters like the man amid woiskey should be taken, "internally, externally, and eternally," but I fear my silence mi ht he mistaken although there is very little •to reply to. I have not bad the advantage of seeing the pamphlet be ref .re me to. I daresay it is high'y interesting to those who like that sort of thing, but with all due deference to our worthy Stipendiary, I do not take my history ii. homeopathis blobules in the shape of pamphlets by °madded and unknown historians, and I reckon Mr Fowler will not thank the over -isealona John for introducing hit name into the matter. Mr. Hopkins says he wants no better defence of the Estshlithed State Church than the fact that her ministers because they wear the plush and take the pay of the State, are mfr.!), lied to do that which Ater denominations would scorn to do, and which the clergy were they not blinded by L.S.D., would revolt against. Happy church!  Mr. Hopkins acknowledges that it was at one time the duty of the clergy to divide with the poor, but by the Poor Law (which I Galled iniquitous), they were relieved at the expense of the ratepayers. This only proves my assertion , that if the tithes had been properly used from , the reformation until now, there would not be a pauper in the land. Again, if the torn laws were passed "to relieve the fearful depression of all agricultural property" (all of which I firmly believe, as they were to relieve property, i.e., the landlords' interests, and not the agriculturist or tenant), why, in heaven's name, don't the Conservative Government re-impose them now they are in power, and their friends, the lanolords, are in such straits! For this reason, end this reason only, that owing to the emancipation of the masses, by the Nenconfornuste, from the heathen darkness of State Church teaching, we see the absurdity of Protection, and no Government would be worth a day's purchase that attempted to re-impose those dutiea which only benefited the clergy and the landlords. It may amuse Mr Hopkins to know that in setting up my paper on tithes, the typesetters, instead of putting Hophni and Phineaa in my quotation, made it read as follows :—'The only case in Scripture of tithes taken by force was in the ease of Hopkins and Perkins." If Mr Hopkins will refer to the quotation, he will see God's idea of compulsory tithe., and if he wishes the opinion of Christ on the subject, he will find it in Matt. xxiii, 23, (revised edition) ILO follows : Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye tithe mint and anise (or Sill water) and cummin and have left undone the weightier mattele of the law, judgment, mercy and faith; but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone, ye blind guide. , which strain out the gnat and swallow the camel." _ .  The Scribes and Pharisees murdered him for saying these burning words, and I doubt nut that he would not have fared mush better, had he been living now, from the hands of their lineal descendants, viz., the clergy of the Church of England as by law erstailtsbal.—l have the honour to be Yours,