Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-04-13
I, WE NESDA APRIL 13. 1s4e

~ ""''tht penalties lntli~ted for the
same crime. And we haze Just as much
authority for saying that II: is is - general
pf'n;Ip'e' which is given as the law BY
when all the posterity of Adam in all
ages should abid', as that given in Gen.
TX: 5 and 6 was for all the posteri,v of
N'"h !" all ages. And thus it leaves US
at liberty to suppose that God may. ac-
cord'1g 10 the council of his own will, in.
stNute new laws, By which to govern his
! people; as The Old and New Tesla.n ent
dispensations.
He next says, eff the advocates for the
abolition Of Capital Punishment fall back
upon The >ixtn command, Elk. Xxx: Is - thou
! shalt not kill; for argument that Is bind!ng
/ uFon all conScieHCps, they will remember
that ii IS as unieerSdL, as it is absolute
that II Is as peremplory against taking away
; all tije-the life Of the meanest inSecr. as
really as the lie Of man. So then if Ibis
command alone IS TO decide, then all u,e OF
The irrational animals for food, and all TAX
ing away Of life Cor seIf-preservation is for
biIden and sinful. Now, is il not truIv
astonishing, thai, men Of profound erudi,ion
and knowledge, will tell US that If we take
) the commandment, "lhou shall not kiII,n
! Tor an argument binding upon all con-
sciences, we must likewise consider that We
jast AS really break the command Of God,
! by destroying the life Of the mednest insect,
! or making use Of the flesh Of animals tor
| food, as though we had taken the life Of a
mau? Do our religious teachers suppose
that their people generally possess maids
so congenlal 10 the reception and growth Of
error, and so willing TO cherish such pal pa
Die absurdIte, as This? suppose they do
not require US, directly, 10 admit that errors
and absurdities are to be found in he Bible !;
but this they must do, if, after they have
read The whole Of he chapter containing that
command, they will then require US to con-
slider it 10 be as unirersaL as ii is absolute :;
and that the life of an insect or beas; is
| as sacred as that Of man for we do con-
| slider the command "5iRding upon all con-
sciences"
The Oath verse of the same chapter reads
| thus: can altar of earth thou shalt make
unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon, thy
burnt offerings and thy peace offerings, thy
sheep and thine oxen; in all places where
record my name will come unto thee and
| will bless thee" Hence, a law in the
same chapter, "Thou shalt not kill" and
another requiring the life Of sheep and oxen:
J and still we are Taught that the first is as
universal as it is absolute, if we shall lap
pen to consider it binding upon our con-
sciences.
"And lastly" be says, GAS it respects
the obligation TO exercise the grace Of for
giveness, it will be remembered that duty
was also binding upon them under the Old
| Testament dispenSation. But how is this
TO be applied? In case Of murder the mur
dered man cannot exercise it, for he is dead.
I However much his friends and relations
may indulge haired, they can not, in lands
where law rules, express that hatred by VIC
lence to the criminal. The forgiveness,
then, must be exercised by the government
First-The murdered man can not exer-
else it. Very true, he can not now exercise
it; but if he possessed the priGcipIe Of love
which it WAS his duty TO possess, he proba
bly, forgave him before life's lamp was ex
linguished. Did Stephen forgive his mur-
durers, or did he probably wish to have them
visited with rerributive justice after his de-
cease2 Let his prayer answer, Lord lay
not this sin to their charge"
Second The friends cannot express their
hatred (not forgiveness) because they are
prevented by law. What an accommodate
ing use Of words! We were talking about
l"exercising forgiveness" He says the law
riolence. Bot, why did he not tell US they
were prevented from exercising their lore
by forgiveness This would be too mani
testify absurd for no circumstances in life
could prevent US from exercising the grace
of forgiveness. Now, therefore,
Thirdly-Beeause the murdered man can
not forgire, neither his friends express their
hatred by riotence, it is left for govern
men, alone TO exercise the spirit of fQrgire-
ness. And this, be thinks, can not be dooe,
because the principles which regulate the
duty OF individual forgiveness can not be
applied TO government. Thus, the COM
mand taught Us in the 5th chap. Of Matthew,
44th verse, must be entirely dispensed with ;
, because The Circumstances under which we