Sta,—Mr. R. V. H. Burne confuses the issue. In neither
of my earlier letters did I question the intentions of the Evangelists. I have in fact little doubt that they fully intended to draw a picture of Jesus designed to authenticate the Christian beliefs current at the time they were writing.
What I did point out was that, presumably without realising it, they incorporated in their narratives much that is inconsistent with such beliefs. Since Mr. Burne does not even attempt to discuss the evidence to which I referred (and there is a great deal more of it besides), the bulk of his letter is irrelevant to the subject.
On the one question of fact which lie raises, Mr. Burne is clearly wrong. He suggests that Jesus " refused to resist his enemies and suffered death in consequence." Actually, Jesus surrendered because, caught as he was by " a great multitude armed with swords and staves," his own little party was in the unfortunate position that " all who drew the sword would perish by the sword."—Yours truly,
78 Queensgate, Bolton, Lancs. W. SMITH. (We cannot continue this correspondence.—En. The Spectator.]
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