New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-12
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE.
LETTERS
FROM HON. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS TO HIS son
ON THE BIBLE AND ITS TEACHINGS.
LETTERS

coumanes,e5 70 Tie Tnsaa-

which 1t was the object of Christs mission upon
earth 10 remove appear 10 me TO have been these
lst-The want OF q sufficient sanction. The rewards
and penalties Of the Levitcal law had all a refer
ence 70 the present life There are many passages
m the Old Testament which imply state Of ez-
istenoe after death and some which directly as
sert future state Of retrbution; but Of these
were contained in the delivery OF the Law. AT
the time Of Christs advent it was so far hom be
ng settled article Of the Jewish faith, that 1t was
a subject Of bitter controversy between the two
principal sec,s-oi Pharisees who believed In, and
sadducees who denied il. II was the special pur
pose of Christs appearance upon earth to bring
Immortality 70 light. " He substituted the re
wards and punisbments of a future state Of exis-
tence in the room Of all Others. The Jewish sanctions
were exclusively temporal those of Christ excu-
sively spiritual 2d-The want Of universally.
The Jewish dispensstion was exclusively confined
70 small and obscure nation. The proposes of the
Supreme Creator in restricting the knowledge OF
himself to one petty herd of Egyptian slaves are as
inaccessible intelligence those of his having
concealed from them and from the rest OF mankind,
the certain knowledge Of their own immortality
yet the fact is u1ques,ionable. The mission oil
Christ was intended to communicate to the whole
human race all the permanent advantages OF the
Mosaic Law, superaddng 10 them--upon the con
dition of repentance-the kingdom of Heaven, the
blessing of eternal life 3d-The completely of the
objec;s Of legislation. have observed ia former
letter that the law Of Sinai comprised, not only all
the ordinary subjects of regulation for human so
eeties. but those which human Legislators cannot
reach. II was a civil law, a municipal law. an
ecclesiastical law, law of police and a law Of
morality and religion it prohibited murder, adul.
terry, theft and perjury it prescribed rules Tor the
thoughts as well as for the actions OF men. The
compexity however practicable and even suitable
for one small natons' society, could not have at
taned to all the families OF the earth The parts
of the Jewish Law adapted to promote the happi-
mes. of mankind under every variety OF situation
and government in which they can be placed were
all recognized and adopted by Christ and He ex.
pressly separated them from the rest. He dis
claimed all Interference with the ordnsry objects
of human legislation He declared that His King
dom wa. not Of this world He acknowledged the
authority of the Jewish magistrates He paid for HE
own person the tribute 20 the Romans He refused
in more than one instance to assume the office Of
Judge in matters of legal controversy He strictly
limited the bect Of His own precepts and authori
~ to religion and morals He denounced no TEN
poral punishment He promised no temporal re
wards He took up Man as governable being,
where the human Magistrate ia compelled to leave
him, and supplied both precept of virtue and mo
tive for practcing it, such as no other moralist or
legislator ever attempted to introduce. ith-The
% tive ttfa tor
malities and expensive sacrifices. AL these had a
tendency. not only to establish and maintain the
separation Of the Jews from all other nations, but
In process of time had been mistaken by the
Scribes and Pharisees and Lawyers, and probably
by the body of the people for the substance of re
ligion. All the rites were abolished by Christ or
las Paul expresses III were nailed to His Cross
You will recolect that am now speaking OF Chris
tianity, not as the scheme of redemption TO man
Kind from the consequences Of original sin, but as
system OF morality for regulating the conduct OF
men while on earth and the most striking aud ex
trsordinary feature of its character in this respect
IL it's tendency and exhortatons to absolute per
lection. The language of Christ to His disciples is
explicit Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
sther in Heaven is perfect -andthis he enjons at
The conclusion of that precept, so expressly laid
iovn and so unanswersbly argued, to Glove their
enemies to bless those who cursed them. and pray for
hose who despiteially used and periecuted them"
de seems TO consider the temper OF benevolence In
eturn for injury as constituting of itself perfec'
ion similar to that OF the Divine Nature. Ii is IN
loubtedly the greatest conquest which the spirit OF
nan can achieve over its inirmities and to him
\. r oh -
,uires all other victories over the evil passions
must be comparatively easy Nor was the sbso-
ute perfection merely preached by Christ as doc
'rne: it was practiced by Himself throughout His
Ne practiced to the last instant of His agony on
tne e'oss practiced under circumstances OF trial
saehn no other human being was ever exposed
10 ne proved by His own example the posi-
DiG'y oil that virtue which He taught and although
possessed Of miraculous powers sufficient to con
'oi All 'ne laws of Mature He expressly and re-
'estediy declined the use of them to save Himself
rom any part oil the sufierings which He was able
% endure Inc sum Of Christian Morality, then,
'onsisls IN Piety to God, and beneyolence to Man;
ple'y, manifested not by formal solemn rites and
'acrihces OF burntoierings. but by repentance,
BY obedience by submission, by humility, by the
worship Of the heart and by benevolence not
bundled upon selfish motives, but superior even to
sense Of wrong or the resentment of injuries :
Worldly prudence 10 scarcely noticed among all v
he Institutions of Christ the pursuit Of donors =
Ind riches the objects OF ambition and avarice are
strongly discountensnced in many places and :
'ndae soci,ude about the Ordinary cares OF life is
'ccssionally reproved OF worldly prudence, there
Ire rules enough in the Proverbs Of Solomon, and r
10 the compilations Of the son Of Siracb Christ a
Passes no ceDsure upon them, bat He left what
os the selfish virtues where He found them. IL
Y" not to proclaim commonplace morality that
ne came down from Heaven His commands were d
new that His disciples should "love one another" |
.@ toey should love even strangers, that they =
'Dad :" love their enemies" He prescribed bsrri q
)" AGAINST all the mseicent passions He gave as !.
sas' the utmost point of perfection Of which hu- q
- powers are susceptible, and at the same time u
WED degrees Of indulgence and relaxation to = =