To the Editor of the "Norra-Cuina Dairy News."
Sm,—I cannot gratify your correspondent "Paul" by allowing him to divert me from my main testimony into an endless and fruitless discussion about my right as a layman to teach the Book. Those of your readers who hold any convictions about the principle involved will ne able to dispose of his statements without any aid from me, and -they, with me, will fully endorse his statement that "this is not a matter of controversy, but of ordinary commonsense, and of not reading the Bible backwards." For thig matter was settled with armour-plated finality at the Reformation, on the full authority of the then re-discovered Bible, although we are all aware that numbers of worthy people do still hold the medigeval view-point as an amiable obsession which does no particular harm to sensible folk.
But I ought to point out to him that hig third point touches the root of the matter, where he says, "Paul (the real anonymity-scorning original) time upon tithe upon time insisted on his dignity as an apostle and.a minister of God" No, Paul LI, the last thing that the true apostle and minister of God insists upon ig "his dignity."" On the contrary, he is willing to be ''a spectacle to the world, a fool for Christ's sake, reviled, defamed,. and to be re-. garded og the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things," in order that-he may make known the unpopular Gospel. See I Cor. 4: 9-13, where the Apostle affirms that "God hath set forth ug the apostles' last, as appointed to these things. These, and not the -laying on of hands and official consecrations, are the true "'signg of an apostle.' The word "apostle" simply means one sent," and not as "Paul" supposes, "an ordained person," and' God's sent-ones accept the entail of obloquy as the necessary proof and seal of their ministry. In all his warning of his converts against false teachers, not once does the Apostle protest against the latter that they Jad not received the laying on of hands. He knew that this was immaterial," and only says that they should not be listened to if they ''preach another Gospel," or refused to acknowledge the inspired Soriptures. And is it not mere history, "Paul," that may of you @ordained," consecrated rev. gentlemen" are doing this very thing.
Will you allow me in conclusion, Mr. itor, to mention that you have misprinted me in.your issue of July 24, where you make me say, "Our Lord came to John in Patmos some 10 years later" (i.e, after His ministry on earth had closed.. My manuscript read ''70 years," not "10."
I am, etc., C.. H. Coates.
Kiukiang, July 28, 1923.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.