The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-03
MAN AS A FREE AGENT.

We print elsewhere q communication
from an esteemed correspondent, our
friend Mr. b M. Parham, in which he
discusses the question Of free agency.
The Times said some time ago that the
Creator made man a free agent. with
duct" Our correspondent thinks that this
statement is too broad and not Justified
by the facts of history and cff observation.
..When Adam was created and placed III
The Garden of Eden,'' says he, ''he was
told that of the tree OF knowledge OF
good and evil thou shalt not cat OF II, Tor
in the day thou eatest thereof thou shait
surely die iM1-. Parham argues that
this was plainly d limitation to his free
will. Quite the contrary. The mere fact
that Adam and Eye did eat of this fruit
is proof conclusive that they were free
gents 1t is true that they were com
mandcd not to eat, but the Creator did
not restrain them. He gave the command
and warned both the man and the woman
that il they disobeyed they would have
to suffer the penalty of their disobedlencc
But he did not shut them up in q pen
nor shut out the tree from them, but lett
our first parents absolutely free to do as
.ney- should elect. They elected TO dis
obey and they suffered the Gull penaltS
of the law. But they were none the less
free agents, and they did exactly as they
pleased At any rate, the woman DID
The same condition exists in this age,
and has existed in all ages since nan was
driven from Paradise. The law is very
plain and the penalty is sure, but man is
absolutely free. so far as any interference
ON the part of the Creator is concerned,
tn do right or wrong, &c obey the law, or
to violate it as he may elect Otherwise
there would be no such thing as cfarac-
ter building We are, in this world, IN
a state of prohibition and We are by the
exercise of Christian graces to build up
our character and to tit ourselves dor the
better world which is reseved for the
faithful But this, We say, implies Tree
agency for we could not be held respon'
sibIc fer the sins that We commit under
co,npulsion If the Creator regulated our
conduct then He and not We would be
responsible for the results. The Scrip
lures teach everywhere that life is full
of temptations, but that we must do
right il we would wear Il crown in spite
of them There is a broad road that leads
TO destruction and there is a straight
and narrow path that leads to life ever
lasting, but man is absolutely free 10
choose his ctwn Way. lie may so to his
doom or TO his salvation according as he
may elect. Every man is conscious OF
this free agency and in vain Will he plead
that he MAS compelled against his will
20 do evil rather than good.
In the conclusion OF this communica-
ton our correspondent touches on the re-
straint of human laws. That is another
question Fer the protection Of society
men agree to be governed by certain laws
which are framed by their representa-
fires in Congress or the Legislatures OF
the several States, as in this country. 1t
is necessary Lior the protection OF ne
and liberty and property rights that such
laws shall be and thnt they shall be
oneyed, but it much be remembered that
all human law is the creature of human
beings. Every nation is a law unto itself
and may regulate its own conduct. There
are restraining laws because the people
make them, and these laws ARE upheld by
public sentiment. or they become dead
letter. The people may have code of
laws and govern themselves accordingly.
or they may discard al lnws and the
principles oa law and cider. and live like
savages under the good old PLAN" Let
him take who has the power and let
him keep who can
But all that is without the discussion
and wholly apart from the srcnt princi-