The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-08
MANS RESPONSIBILITY.
''Let us Speak of a Man as we Find
Him."
For THE HERALD

/. Mankind recognize themselves as re-
sponsible beings, and human laws hold
all equally accountable for any overt
act. But some are more responsible
than others, while a few have no re-
sponsibility whatever. Some men have
no desire for strong drinks while the
appetites of Others are almost unquench-
able. If one of the first class should
get drunk he would be much more to
blame than one of the latter class, for he
5 the more responsible of the two.
Therefore, responsibility differs as the
character of the individuals differ.
Man did not make himself, and there
fore is not to blame for the failings that
were born in him. Children inherit the
traits Of their parents. If child in
herits bad temper you cannot place it
on the same plane of responsibility as
the child born with a sweet temper J
know men and wife who were fond OF
liquor and they always kept it. Three
of their children died in the ditch and
the remaining two are not likely to die
SODCI. Vic lOlO 1AC llldO IL W dS lluDOo-
sible for him to leave it alone. These
children were born drunkards, and it is
preposterous to make them as response
BILE as the children of responsible
parents. A woman in want stole things
in order to keep from suffering, and her
children born under these circumstances
were natural born thieves. Who will
claim that these children are as account
able as children born with an honest
character? The fact is that man is
creature of circumstances and must be
judged according to the light he has.
Where much is given much is requir
ed"
One great error made by theologians
is that of making all men equally re-
sponsible for all their actions They
thunder out Believe the gospel and be
baptized or be damned!" The ignorant,
credulous person who obeys this in
order to escape damnation is to be car
ried to the skies on flowery beds of
roses, while the person who dares to
think for himself and asks the reasons
for these things or who is not religious
and believes not, must be consigned to
the never-ending flames of hell. where
the worm dieth not and the fire is not
quenched." Some go farther than this
: and condemn the sucking babe to end
! less torment because it did not gel
baptized. Oh, to God, that one ray of
reason could penetrate such benighted
: min DIS!
Man is responsible as far as his
character and surroundings make him
so; but no farther. a man cannot be
Justly condemned for disbelieving a
thing when to the best of his knowledge
and reason it is not true. Condemning
J a man for disbelieving something he
cannot believe is an insult to justice anC
! libel on common sense, yet such is the
case every day, especially in religious
) affairs.
.. Let the leaders of religious sects take
into consideration the circumstances
> binding on individuals and they will not
be so ready to condemn. Let them con
: slider that one is more favored than an
. other because circumstances ordain it
> Let them remember that one is natural
ly good and the other is naturally bad
! not of their own will but as the result o.
! preceding causes. Let them read
their Bible and see that Samuel was g
prophet, because his mother was filled
with religious thoughts and feelings
; prior to his birth. Let them look at the
, parental history of Jesus. They will
! see that his mother dweit in the temple
E and the mountains, rejoicing, singing
5 praises, glorifying Ged all the time pre-
/ vious to his birth. Let them understand
: that if, instead, she had been a lying
: theiving, drunken, skulking harlot, she
t would never have been the mother of sc
; good person. In short, let them oper
> the portals of thought and make way
/ for the sun of reason to dispel the dark
ness of their narrow minds. Then, anc
) not till then, will they be able to APP
E proach righteous judgment.
e Man is responsible as far as he under
stands and has power of control, bu
there it ends. He is to be blamed wher
/ he sins wilfully, but when he sins
- through weakness he is to be pitied
Shining willfully is SHINING against
i knowledge by warping nature; but sin.
ming through nature is an already warp
ed nature overcoming knowledge. The
e first is to be censured; but the latter
3 must be excused, because it is beyond
the control of the individual.
l PHoEZo.