CASTING OF STONES
Sra,—I wonder why Mr. McClenaghan wishes to distort Mr. R. S. Hill's letter into a claim by Jews for " Christian charity." Mr. Hill's suggestion was that we, as Christians, should of our own accord treat them in this way, and it is to this that your correspondent objects. For his own purposes he denies that they were a " vehicle of divine revelation," choos- ing to ignore the fact it was the Jews who proclaimed God as the divine Father and concentrating his argument on the rejection nearly 2,000 years ago by certain Jews of Jesus as the Messiah. Mr. McClenaghan reminds us that the Jews were then a sinful people, quoting suitable texts in support of his claim. But how often have precisely the same charges been thundered from pulpits at our own and preceding generations who have had the benefit of many centuries of more humanising civilisation. And, further, what were our own ancestors doing—if we really know who they were at the time of the advent of Jesus. Perhaps, although he may not know it, one or other of the many thousands of Mr. McClenaghan's own ancestors may have been among those about whom the Gospels speak so disparagingly.
As one who believes that the hope of the world lies in the application of the principles laid down in the Sermon on the Mount to everyday life, mayI plead for a real effort to pay less attention to the differences between individuals and peoples, and to concentrate on our much greater resemblances one to another. As a final word, may I suggest to Mr. McClenaghan a re-reading of some words of Jesus which relate to the casting of stones.—Yours obediently,
33 Kingsway, Wembley.
H. J. ROBBIN.
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