Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-09-11
Religious Generalization
RETALIATION.

ClrlStlanlty CONDEMNS reIaudtlOu lie
| ground of human punishment ls justice. In the
individual aggreved, this sense OF justice takes
the form of revenge; in the public mind 1t takei
the form ofindignatiOn. Persona! reVen &c
is transmitted into religious virtue and pubic
indignation not only justifies but approves the
act ** 1t is entirely incorrect to suppose
that the object of punishment is to reform the
criminal, or to make an example OF HIM to deter
others from crime These only the incidents.
r The idea of punishment, then, is the idea
of retaliation 1t is just and right to retaiate; it
is more it is often expedient, not unfrequently
essaIy.-Stdnddrd
It has been said, and truly said, that the
times are out of joint. From whatever
standpoint we may take, we can see no.
thing before us but confusion, disorder
and corruption. Our country is still suf-
fering the tbroes OF mighty revolution,
political, financial and religious. The eff
fects of the condition of the political and
financial worlds press themselves upon us
so urgently, SO sorely and so UNFORTUNATELY
that we have, perhaps, lost sight some
what of the radical changes going on in
religious matters. The continuance Of our
present political State Government is
fraught with so many ills for us and our
children, and the pecuniary embarrass-
ments that surround us all are so pressing
that it is not unnatural for us to overlook,
in some degree, the tendency of modern
Radical civilization (so-called) to democrat
ize and debauch public sentiment upon
everything pure and holy, and sacred
Religion is despised and scoffed at, and
Christianity condemned and Knocked at
The inspired Apostles and followers Of
Christ himself are called carpet -baggers.
It is blasphemously suggested that the Pc
titiols of that sacred prayer, vouchsafed to
mortal men by the Son of God, be sand
wiched' In word, everything that men
have hitherto regarded as worthy of rever-
ence, respect and veneration, is held up to
ridicule Nothing is too holy or too pure to
escape the sneers and jeers of this corrupt
age. The Bible, withits teachings, is regard
ed as one Of the fossil remains of former
and ignorant age. The doctrine of the
present day is, that man is q progressive
animal. capable of attaining perfection by
his own exertion that Divine mediation,
if not myth, is at least entirely unneces-
sary Under such teachings, all notions
of honor and virtue become obliterated.-
Murder and larceny, and perjury, and all
the other crimes forbidden by the Deca-
lcgue, cease to be crimes and become
"matters of minor Importance and ere
long it will be openly avowed in North
Carolina, as elsewhere, that the gallows of
John Brown shines out more glorious than
the Cross of Christ. We seem to be fast
appro aching the condition Of that people
who solemnly decreea that there was no
God.
The extract which heads this article is a
mild specimen of the contempt with which
Christianity and its precepts are treated by
the Radicals of this day. Christianity
condemns retaliation" and still "it is just
and right to retaliate." We cannot believe
that our people are willing to accept a
civilization that teaches men shamelessly
and publicly to disavow the binding obi
cations of the Christian Religion.