New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-15
LETTERS
FROM HON. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS TO HIS son
ON THE BIBLE AND ITS TEACHINGS
LETTER VIII.


The whole system of Christianity appears to
have been set forth by its Divine Author in His
Sermon on the Mount recorded in the 9Th, eth and
eth chapters Of Matthew. | intend hereafter to
make them the subject of remarks much more at
large; for the present | conine myself merely to
general views. What would impress upon your
mind 10 infinitely important to the happiness and
virtue Of your life, as the general spirit Of Chris
tanity and the duties which results from it. In
my last letter. showed you, from the very words
Of our Saviour that He commanded His disciples to
aim at absolute perfection and that this perfection
consisted In sefsubjugation and brotherly love, in
the complete conquest of our own passions and In
the practice of benevoence to our fellow creatures
Among the Grecian systems OF moral philosopy,
that Of the Stoics resembles the Christian doctrine
in the particular of requiring the total subugation
Of the passions and this part of the Stole principle
WAS adopted by the academies. You will find the
question discussed with all the eloquence and in
genuity OF Cicero, in the fourth Of his Tusculan
dsputstions which advise you to read and medi-
tate upon You will there find proved the duty OF
subduing the passions. 1t is sometimes objected
that this theory is not adapted to the nfirmites OF
human nature; that it is not made for a being so
constituted a. man that an earthen vessel is not
formed to dash itself against rock that in yielding
to the impulses OF the passions, Man only follows
the dictates of his nature that to subdue them ell
trey il an effort beyond his powers. The weak
ness and frailty of nature 1t is not possible to
deny-it 10 too strongly tested by all human ex.
perience, as well as by the whole tenor of the
Scriptures; but the degree of weakness must be
measured by the efforts to overcome it, and not by
indulgence to it. Once admit weakness as an
argument to forbear exerton, and it results In alb
soute impotence 1t is also very jnconclusive reas
oning TO infer that because perfection is not abso
ately to be obtained, it is therefore not to be
sought. Human excellence consist in approxima-
ton to perfection and the only means of approach
ing To any term, is by endeavoring to obtain the
term itself With these convictions upon the mind
with q sincere and honest effort to practice upon
them aud with the aid of a divine blessing which
Is promised to it, the approaches to perfection may
at least be so great to nearly answer all the |
ends which absolute perfection itself could attain /
All exertion therefore, is virtue and if the tree
be judged by its fruit it is certain that all the 1
most virtuous characters Of heather antiquity were
the disciples Of the Stole doctrine Bat let it
be admitted that perfect command Of the pas
sons 10 unattainable to human iniirmity, it will
still be true that the degree of moral excellence
possessed by any individual is in exact proportion
70 NE degree of control he exercises over him
sen According to the Stoics, all vice was resova-
pie n'o IDLY; according to the Christian principle, it
III inc eject Of weakness. In order to preserve
inc oo'ni'n Of our own passions, it behooves us to
NC oon''sn"y and strictly on our guard against the
Innuence ana Injection Of the passions Of others.
inis caution soove all is necessary to youth and
deem !" indispensable to enjoin il upon you.-be-
cause, a. kindness and beneyolence comnri.s. the
whole system of Christian duties. there NAV he
aud often H. great danger Of falling into errors and
vice merely for the want Of saergy to re,i,t tho
example or enticement of others On tbi. min, the
true character Of Christian morality appears To me To
have been misunderstood by some Of its sbIe.t and
varmest defenders. In Paleys View Of the Evil
dsDces Of Christianity there is a chapter upon the
morality Of the Gospel, the general tenor Of which
tU Of the whole work. is excellent, but in which
thsre IL the following passsge; There are two
opposite descriptions Of character. under which
mankind may generally be classed the one pos
sesses vigor 6rmness, resolution, 10 active and
daring, quick In its sensibilites, jealous Of its
fame, eager in its attachments, inAexible OF its
purposes violent in its resentment the other meek,
Yielding. complying, forgiving, not prompt to act
bot willing TO suffer, silent and gentle under rude
nsss and insults, suing for reconciliation where
eshsss would demand satisfaction; giving away
10 the pushes of impotence. conceding and indul-
gent 10 the prejudice the wrong hesdedness.
ths intractsbty Of others with whom it has
y deal The former Of these characters 10. and
ever has BEEN the hvorts of the world it 10 the
seasactsr Of great men,-shsrs 10 9 dignity In 1t