New-York tribune., 1879-12-08
Tile RELIGION OF LTSTICE.

Prof ssor Fetir Ader before me Soety for Esica Culture
Professor Felix Adler addressed the Society
Ethical Culture at Chckerng Hall vest rlay
ing the Religion OF Justice" It is day to
be forgotten he said, when after reaching altitude Of
10 900 feet the Yosemite Valley. it granted
to my feastng eyes to get glance the sn0w-capped
Sierra outstretched before IN their grandeur and
yet grander feelings than these in the spirit or
man and that which Ia highest in mans ,oul tran
scends grandeur of the Hmalayas, the Alps the
snowcrowned In this grand OF tie present.
wncn HE suOlimiy OF morality appears to be fading
away men begin teach ethics they would the spell
ing book they begin to calculate moral principles
they woud the expenditures OF the market; and yet
there is subisty In moral principles and the life tha
has ITS root in these principles h grand am willing to
yield old religions he prize Of temporary but not OF
permanent happiness The time Will come when super
sOns will pass away, aud the pr ~ OF temporary hap
pincss Will belong TO the dominant creeds.
Nowhere does the sublimty OF moral ideas appear
more prominently than in the virtue Of justice. but there
theories of It's principles which degrade II 1t
Is upon the desire for retaliation The principle
Of retaliation satisfactory for the injury inflicted
Is not improved does The evldoer restore thing
There is something repulsive in taking life for lifc
Ii is commonly understood that wnen commits n
wrong he deserves punishment; and then comes the
question the In which physical pain re-
lated moral guilt AS often as this question has been
considered still fail 10 understand the connection be-
tween physical pain and the cnilt Of ones soul Does
the load uf mans wickedness lie his back that 10
be whipped n In tine ransgrcsson OF the moral law
the consequences remote That they come
tie offender. Virtue should he exalted and vice
should dcspised, and the only real justification OF
punishment improvement OF the offender. Retalia
ton the brutal instinct Of coarse human nature. The
per.ona feeling for revenge becomes AN mpersOna de-
sire Justice. The standard of utility Is broad
hign enough explain the Justice Of to-day. The de-
mnls OF Justice cannot be derived from winkng OF
nulIIy; they greater and deeper. / do not
cOncede to Christianity that high honor Of being
first 10 mat shall be used
u means end. The prophets of the
Hebrews had long before proclaimed the d)ctrne that
every human soul cOnsccraed TO the morality OF
Justice that person. life and properly should be
Every man is dedicated to the work OF moral
PERFECTION. Ii Is the cnrreut view that justice Is merely
a police rule. but the idea of Justice understand
IT, police rule leads to higher commands that
shall ailyey help OthCr rs tn their life n
dang,rcd l sometimes wonder and Shuf Ter to think
how many persons there whom ate tnrtures and
kills, not murderer would Kill his victim with one
well-directed blow. but inch by inch, pouring poison
INTO his blood lire bis brain. making quyer with
refined and exquisite pain every tender and susceptible
part. When stand by such suffering feeling OF I'M
potency apt 10 overcome u.s. feeling II wOuid
cry aloud protest against destiny, feeling OF the
deepest under 'hls awful mystery of pain IL
horrible enough that these things should occur and IL
Ia doubly and trcbly hard 10 think tnat hearts
broken families severed and homes divided by suffering.
winch a little money might help. There are limits 10
OF charity; 1t Is terrible TO think have not given
those limits and that tre waiincs Of the lost should
come to brcause we are without charity; therefore
Justice has pOiv. we'll as negative demands. jus
ana humanity are Identical. Repent. repent"
cries the Religion of Justice to-day.