Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-05-10

on TIE BIBLE AND IT'S TEACHINGS.
..,c;cated To the New York Tribune.
LETTER VII.
ST. PErrRsBURG, Sept. lell.

r.d,msnicaied to the New York Tribune.
LETTER VII.
Fl ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 1911.
~. ;-,,erfections Of the Mosaic institu-
-. .h;ch il was the object of Christ's
,-;.eiou upon earth to remove. appear to
y have been these: Ist-The want OF
..,Nsc;ent sanction. The rewards and
...l,;es of the Leyitical law had all Il
Yx..nce TO the present life. There are
49, passages in the Old Testament
-h;eh imply a state Of existence after
J.,th. and some which directly assert
Eu.,e state Of rctribution; but none OF
,hese were contained in the delivery of the
lac. Al the time Of Christ's advent il
vas so far from being a settled article Of
tho Jewish faith, that it was a subject OF
hitter controversy between the two Princi-
al .ects-of Pharlsees who believed, in,
sod Sadducces who denied it. 1t was the
,peciA purpose of Christ's appearance
ucon earth to bring Immortality to light
.lJe substituted the rewards and punish
iuents Of future state Of existence III the
room OF all others. The Jewish sanctions
we're exclusively temporal: those ofChrist
exclusively spiritual. 2d-The want OF
universally. The Jewish dispensation
vas exclusively confined TO a small and
OBSCURE nation. The purposes OF the
Supreme Creator in restricting the know
ledge Of himselfto one petty herd OF fgyP-
,;.n slaves, are as inaccessible to our in
,eIlipence as those of his having concealed
Com them, and from the rest of mankind,
~. certain knowledge of their own i'm
mortality; yet the fact is unqucstlonablc.
rho mission of Christ was intended to
communicate TO the whole human race all
the permanent advantages OF the Mosaic
law. superadding to them-upon the con-
2nion OF repentancc--thc kingdom Of
Heaven. the blessing Of eternal life. Sd
The completely of the objects of legsla-
ron. have observed in a former letter,
that the law Of Sinai comprised, not only
m the ordinary subjects of regulation for
human societies, but those which human
legislators cannot reach. 1t was civil
Law, munich pal law, an ecclesiastical law.
alaw of police. and a law of morality and
religion: it prohibited murder, adultery,
theft and perjury; it prescribed rules FOR
The thoughts as well as for the actions of
men. The completely, however practical
be and even suitable for one small nation
al society, could not have attained to all
the families of the earth. The parts OF
the Jewish Law adapted to promote the
happiness Of mankind, under every variety
Of situation and government in which they
can be placed, were all recognized and
adopted BY Christ; and He expressly
separated them from the rest. lie dis
claimed all Interference with the ordinary
objects Of human legislation; lie declared
that His "kingdom was not of this world
lie acknowledged the authority Of the
Jewish magistrates; He paid for His own
person that tribute 10 the Romans; lie re-
fused in more than one instance 70 assume
the office of Judge in matters OF legal
controversy; lie strictly limited the object
Of His own prcccpts and authority to rell-
gion and morals; He denounced 10 tenn
poral punishment; He promised no tenn
poral rewards; lie took up man as a gov
crnablc being, where the human Magis-
tratc is compelled to leave him, and sup
piled both prccept Of virtue and motive for
practicing it, such as no other morallst or
legislator ever attempted 10 Introduce.
4th-Thc btrdcnsomc duties OF positive
rites, minute lormalitics and expensive
sacrifices. Az these lad Il tendency. not
only to establish and maintain the scpara-
zion of the Jews from all other nations. but
in process Of time had been mistaken by
the Scribcs and Pharisecs and Lawyers.
and probably bv the body of the people,
Er the substance of religion. All the rites
were abolished by Christ. or Gas Paul cx-
presses it) ..werc nailed to His Cross.
You will recolect that am now speaking
Of Christianity, not as the scheme OF re-
demption 10 mankind from the consequent
ces of original sin. but as system of
morality for regulating the conduct Of men
while on earth: and the most striking and
extraordinary feature of its character in
This respect, is its tendency and cxhorta-
ions to absolute perfection. The language
sf Christ to His disciples is explicit: ABE
.ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
n Heaven is perfcct''-and this he cnjoins
~ the conclusion Of that prcccpt, SO eX
'tressly laid down. and so unanswerably
I1rQucd. to ..lovc their enemies. to bless
dose who cursed them. and pray for those
Who dcspitclully used and prosecuted
.ihc,n.'' lie seems 10 consider the temper
Of benevolcnce in return for injury. as
constituting Of itself a perfection similar
10 that Of the Divine Nature. 1t is un-
dc,btcdlv the greatest conquest which the
spirit Of man can achieve over its infirmi-
lies; and 10 him who can attain that elcva-
lion Of virtue which it requires. all other
victories over the evil passions must be
comparatively easy. Nor was tho abso-
lutte perfection merely preached by Christ
Is adoctrine: it was practiced by Himself
throughout His life; prac.iced to the last
instant Of Ills agony on the Cross; prac-
ticed under circumstances Of trial. such
as no other human being was ever expos
edt TO. lie proved by His own example
the possibility of that virtue which He
taught; and although possessed of miracu-
lous powers sufficient to control all the
laws Of Nature. He expressly and repeat
edly declined the use of them TO save
Himself from any part of the sutrerincs
which He was able to endure. The sum
Of Christian Morality. then consists in
piety to God. and benevolence to Man:
ricty. manifested not by formal. solemn
r.