The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-02-12

anu ianatlClSm De avoided as the most
deadly enemies of our race. To avoid
these two extremes, we need but to have
sufficient humility to enable US to submit
willingly to the Last Will and Testament
or our Heavenly Father, as revealed by
Christ and his apostles. Then our pathway
will be SO plain, that "a wayfaring man,
though fool, need not err therein;" and
then all dispute as to what is the moral law
of God, and what is not, will cease, and
not before. XI
To the substitution Of Imprisonment for
life for that of capital punishment, Mr. c.
objects, on account of the liability Of the
criminal making his escapes; but mainly
for the reason, that although society might
be perfectly secured against all danger Of
harm from the murderer, yet the law Of
God demands the blood of the murderer.
and therefore he must die. Hear him.
+" Here. then, we are met by the law of God.
uttering its voice as loud as seven thun.
ders, 'Ye shall take no satisfaction for the
life of the murderer; the murderer shall
surely be put to DEATH Even if a punish.
ment could be devised ten fold more dread.
full than death, Gods law would not be
satisfied" Here, then, it is seen that no.
thing but the blood Of the murderer will
satisfy the law of God, (if the logic of Mr..
c. be correctly although he may have re.
pented, obtained pardon of his sins, and
be fitted for Heaven. Yet according to
Mr.. c., he is not fit to live Yes, fit for
Heaven, but not to live! This is legiti.
mate conclusion from the argument.
1t is evident MIR. G. never intends being
defeated in discussion for the want OF
reason to sustain him; for when argument
fails, he has at hand unfounded assump.
tions, which never do. For example,
d" Eternal Justice" demands the blood OF
the murderer. Whose sheddeth mans
blood, by man shall his blood be shed;"
" Ye shall take no satisfaction for the
blood Of the murderer" These quota.
tions Mr.. G. assumes TO be part and par
Gel Of Gods law; and whenever argument
is not at his command, these stereotyped
assumptions, one or all, are thrown into
the face Of his opponents with the most
daring effrontery. And then, with an af.
fected air Of triumph, gives his antagonists
threatening lecture for presuming TO
to think differently from him upon this
subject. Hear him:-"God is love. He
sees the end from the beginning. His
wisdom is infinite. And that affected be.
which would seek to amend his
law, is insolent presumption. Who art
thou, o man, that replest against Godi
Shall the clay say TO him that fashioned it,
Why makest thou me so? Woe unto him
that striyeth with his Maker" Now if it
were fixed fact that Mr.. C.'s views Of the
law of God were correct beyond doubt,
then his dogmatical adherence to them
might be tolerated; but as tits, his frequent
repetition OF what he assumes to be such,
is but absurd presumption. The pertina.
city with which he adheres to his notions
Of Gods law, reminds US of what history
records of controversy, mainly between
Luther and Zuingle, upon the subject Of
The real presence of the body of Christ in
The sacrament of the Lords Supper. Lu-
her affirms the presence of the body Of
Christ, and Zuingle denies. In the outset
ot the debate. Luther wrote on the desk at
which he sat during the discussion, in large
etters with chalk-"This is my body"
To which he would on all occasions point,
with an air Of triumph, whenever he found
himself likely to be foiled, for the want Of
other and better proof, to maintain the po.
'ition he had taken. "This is my body"
repeated Luther, being hard pressed by
luingle, pointing to the words written be.
ore him, "This is my body" "The devil
himself shall not drive me from that. To
seek to understand ii. is to fall away from
he taith." Luther relied mainly upon
single passage of scripture to prove the
presence of the body Of Christ in the sac
'ament, although contrary to common rea.
son, and against the evidence of mans
senses. Mr.. G. relies upon few passages
If scripture to prove the law Of capital
punishment of God, which is equally as
erroneous as the position assumed by Lu-
her. Here it is shown that great men
nay be guilty of rery foolish things.
TO BE CONTINUED