Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-25
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

Il gentleman "a few days since, in reference to the
man under sentence Of death. now IN our county
Jail, remarked that would not he the execu-
toner for the whole state OF Missouri in fee sim
pie. The gentleman replied that the opinion had
been expressed by ALL or nearly all. of the min
listers OF the city of Lexington. that the sheriff
would be doing right. and simply discharging
his duty 10 execute the criminal. The gentleman
named the preachers who hud thus expressed
their opinions. Now, would remark that hay e
the pleasure of personal acquaintance with
nearly ull of those whose names were mentioned,
and would farther say that regard them as
gentlemen worthy of the high esteem and con-
ntence which they enjoy where they are known.
and IN the community in which they live.
Hence. when the weight OF their influence is on
the wrong side of any practical question, it must
have an evil tendency. though not SO designed.
And this regard as being the case, In reference
| to the aforementioned opinions. as expressed
by those ministers. l would not be understood
as calling IN question the opinion OF those gem
| tlemen in regard to the right of ntiicting cap
| ital punishment upon the murderer, for t is
| believe To be- not only right given to man the |
| only rightiul sovereign and law-giver o. the |
universe. but an imperative duty and Obligation |
which cannot be met without demanding LII. LIE |
Of the murderer in expiation of his crime. 1neIe
| fore. In my opinion, the Jail must sanG the
peni-Etiary must stand, anu neither the gaIIows
| nor the hanginan' Office must be abolished, for
l regard these various modes OF inflicting pun
lshnient upon e"ii-do-rs is ordained of God, and
| therefore Is right. But the question is, whose
duty, right privilege is it innict the penalty
due the transgressor2 Has God appoInied those
| who profess to be and should be, the inOhensive
| pilgrims and strangers in "A foreign land, and
followers ot the meek and lowly Nazarene, TO
1 a
! does not teach; but oil the contrary, when
| writing to the church at Thessalonica he says.
God hath not appointed you unto wrath - But
the objector may say if it is right to ntIct pun
| ishiu.nt upon the trunsSIessor. whose duty Is it
| tlen, to nhict the punishment due his crimes
| Well. If the Bible Is silent in reference to tins
question: ii behooves us. AS Christians. IL be si-
| lent also. But such conclude is not the case
for, in the 18th oi Rom, the apostle says the
civil ruler Is God's minister, "a rcvenger to
eX. cute wrath upon him that doeth evil" This
Is just what the apostle Gays the church 1T Thes-
stlonica WAS not appointed unto. But surely,
if the church at Rome could execute wrath upon
hun that doeth evil. there is no good reason Why
| that ut ThessaiOnica might not. deny that the
| individual members of church have IL divine
right to do that which the church collectively
may not do. But again, the apostle says, when
|
ell, avcnSc not yourselves; vengeance is mine
will repay saith the Lord. For this cause
We. us Christians. required to pay tribute
or taxes, to the civil. authorities, for they al,
Gods ministers attending continually upoi
this very thing What thing? The very thin,
that we. as Christians, may not do viz: tax,
vengeance, and execute wrath upon evil-dOers
The Bible gives II reason why We, As Christians
Should pay taxes, and also why the civil magis
trate should wear the sword, and execute Yer.
seance and wrath upon the transgressOr. Th'
reason assigned is that We, different class o
people, may live peaceable and quiet lives i'll al
golliuess. Tie Lord saw the necessity of or.
daining the civil ruler. and putting the swolC
Into his hand. IN order TO the repression of wee
| or ME and lawlessness for the good of His reo
pie. and the Chastise cement of those who will no
submit to Hi, laws and authority. They mus
| be governed in some way. and il they Ill no
be governed by the laws of the Lord, We ca,
easily see the prUpriety and necessity OF govern
ing them by some other law. There is this dit
| ference, however, in the two forms of govern
ment. That form of government and code o
| laws to which the Christian has taken the vov
| of allegiance, knows no greater punishment 10
| wrong doing among Its subjects or citizens thai
to 'wi;hdraw from those who walk disorder
ly-' 1t Is true they are engaged in war, in al
| irrepressiblc conflict with the antagunisms q
tnis "ofi"' ou' II Il ais" true mat Inc weapon
u 'ne'F warfare are not csrhai. "hlie, on IN
o'hef manu. 'he weapons useu by the civil ruler
are chrhai' anu only cafhai. Tor 'hey rec"gniz
'' ''"s' ii'"'' ny "n''h " s"pu''e s'h' GRIM
"' '''' '' "e i"''o"trs Vi 'he i'ofu ''s"
' 40 '"s os ms "u''ioi''S' i's"''
' n' "eipon' - "''' 'S VIM 'i'''e o' ft'
Va :" 'N'A''"'' an II "e SHOWN ''''
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.'A' no I". a'e '''''''aiaed |" Que
ts p"e'' 'i't "s- A"i' W Sno'''u uo' LOT IL
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'ne nv VI MS e"'"'S' 'h"i '''e we OF 'ie ch'
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~ a"'"ti' nu' II ihaS oe uSth thnt 'he s'at
al" "o' '"e sh''i"' Is fcspohsio'e ier the eNec'
''o' Vi 'he ''''h''a ihle IS true Win fesara
Tue hhe''n or DINERS VINO acknowledge only Il
authority oi the ciSil rulers; but can the Chrl
tan 80 merge MS individuality into the kingdo
ana government oil this world as to lose his ide
'ity' anu make theh responsible ior his action:
lhere Is people. believe. who CLAIM the rig
10 grant indulgence lot sin, assunlnK-the r
op"h'ioHiues themselves. ANA Just as 500
would accept this theory as that which prop
ses 'hat Inc wicked ana ieoeii'ous powers ;f