Arizona republican., 1914-11-03


 ty, that governments have no right method of punishment is contrary to the spirit of the present age.
 Scriptural Teaching on the Death
 Penalty
 This part of my argument pre- sumes that those who quote from the Bible to prove their opinions believe it to be the word of God. Otherwise their quotations would count for nothing It has been sad that God did not take the life of Cain for killing his brother Abel The punishment of this first mur- dercr was unlike that of any who followed him. Why he was con demned to become fugitive and bear mark instead of to suffer death, the writer of Genesis does not tell us. JchoVah's method of dealin, with men is not a debatable ques : ton with us. After the deluge the divine command given to Noah was: "Whoso sheddeth mans blood. by man shall his blood be shed" Gen 9:61
 The statement made by a certain public speaker not long ago, that God never destroyed a human life, i- contrary to the biblical record. It is the Creator who gives life and IT, has the right to take it again. Ai the time of the deluce He destroyed all the people on earth except eight souls. It was the Lord who over threw the cities of Sodom and Go n:orrah with birthstone and fire from Heaven. destroying all the inhabit- ants but Lot and his two daughters Centuries later many of the Egyp- tians met death through plaques sent upon them by Jehovah because they { refused to let His people go to their own land.
 During the wandering of the chil- drcn of Israel in the wilderness, God destroyed Nadab and Abihu. the sons of Aaron the high priest, for offer ing strange fire before the Lord. Because of q rebellion, Korah, Pa than and Abiram. with their fami lies. were swallowed up by the earth l gagged in the rebellion And tn nrc came out fire from the Lord, ano consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense"
 Those who are opposed to tlf death penalty for crime, quote the commandment given at Mount Sinai Thou shalt not kill" But thi. 11,,oo ie. rot against the punishment fri murder. For the taking of human i life, the Mosaic law prescri5es tn, 1 death penalty. He that killeth ans man shall surely be put to death 1 Lev. 17:17. This law could not b, set aside by the clemency of : judge or a governor. Moreover V shall take no satisfaction for the life of murderer, which is guilty O death. but he shall surely be put tt death:" (Num. 35:31) So the OlC Testament affords no argument fo the person who is opposed to capi tai punishment
 But" says someone "New Testa ment teaching is different" Mel who employ quotations from th' Bible should first know what i written in the Scriptures. We mus remember that Jesus Christ live under the Mosaic dispensation, ano cid not change the teachings of tn great lawgiver. Think not that
 am come to destroy the law. or tn prophets: ] am not come to destroy but to fulfil" (Matt. 5:17) Jesu did set aside many Jewish traditions and false interpretations of the law but He obeyed and upheld all tn precepts of Moses. For veriIy
 say unto you, Till heaven and cart pass, one jot or one little shall il no wise pass from the law, till al be fulfilled.' (Matt. 5:1S.) An ey for an eye, and tooth for a tooth referred to in the sermon on tn mount, does not touch the question under discussion. When Pete struck the servant of the high pries with his sword in the garden O Gethsemane, Jesus said, Put u again thy sword into it's place: fo all that take the sword shall perisi with the sword" Here our Lor' goes even back of the Mosaic law and reaffirms the command given t Noah by God after the deluge
 Has the State a Right to Take ~~~>->~~~~~~~>~~->~~~>~