New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-12

dvidusl An eminent writer IN support Of Chris
tanity. lDr Paley) expresses the opinion that the
direct object OF the Christian revelation was to
supply anofirss, and not raies-sanetiOns, and not
precepfs and he strongly intimstes that, indepen-
den, Of the purpose Of Christs atonement and pro
pit!ation for the sns Of the world the only object
of His mission upon earth was 10 reveal future
state to bring life and Immortality 10 light He
does not appear to think that Christ promulgated
any new principle Of morality and he positively
asserts that morality neither 10 the Gospel nor
ia any other book can be subject Of discovery
because qualities Of actions depend entirely on
their effects which effects must all along have
been the subjects Of human experience. To this
reply in the express words Of Jesus: A nec
commandment ! give you, that ye love one an
other - and | add that this command explained
illustrated. and dated, as il was by the whole
tenor Of His discourses and especially by the para
be OF the Good Samaritan appears TO me to be not
only entirely new, but in the most rigorous sense
OF the word discovery 10 morals and discovery
the importance Of which TO the hapPine" oil the
human race, az far exceeds any discovery In the
physical laws Of Nature, the soul is superior to
the DOCys 1t IL DC OOJccbCN WV P''"N'r-
benevolence toward enemies, and the forgivness
Of injuries may be found not only in the Old Tes
lament bat even in some Of the heather writers
particularly the discourses of Socrates, ! answer
that the same may be said Of the immortality OF the
soul and Of the rewards and punishmenrs OF iu'
ture state. The doctrine was not more discovery
than the precept but their connexlon with eacn
.other. the authority with which they were taught
and the miracles by which they were enforced be-
long exclusively 20 the mission of Christ. Attend
psrticularly 10 the miracle recorded in the second
chapter of Luke, as having taken place at the
birth of Jesus when the angel Of the Lord said to
the shepherds " Fear not, for behold bring you
glad tdngs Of great JOY which shall be TO al Peo'
pie; for unto you is born this day IN the City o.
David. a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord In
these words the character Of Jesus, as RedeemeT
was announced but the historian adds" And
suddenly there was with the angel multitude Of
the heavenly host praising God and singing Glory to
God in the highest, and on earth peace good vii
toward men, These words, ss understand them,
announced the moral precept of benevolence az ex
plictly for the object Of Christ's appearance as
the preceding words had declared the purpose OF
redemption. IL is related 10 the life OF the Roman
dramatic Poet Terence, that when one OF the
perfonages of bis comedy, the Sell Tormentor. the
first time uttered on the stage the line Homo
som. bumani nil slienum puto,' Il am man, no
thing human is uuinteresting to me- universal
shout of applause burst forth from the whole audi
ence, and that in so great multitude Of Romans.
and deputies from the nations their subjects and
allies there was not one individual but felt in his
heart this noble sentiment. Yet how feeble and
defective it u.s. in comparison with the Christian
command of Charity as unfoded in the discoveries
of Christ and enlarged upon in the writings Of His
apostles The heart OF man will always respond
with rapture to this sentiment when there s no
selfish unsocial passion 10 oppose it but the com
mand to lay it down the great and fundamental
rule of conduct for human life and TO subdue and
sacrifice all the tyrsnnioal and selfish passions to
preserve it, this is the peculiar and unfading glory
of Christianity this is the conquest over our
selves which without the aid Of merciul God,
none of us can achieve, and which II was worthy
of His special interpostion To enable US 10 accom-
pish.
From Your saectionste Father,
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.