The Sun. — 1840-12-26 (London, England)

PUNISHMENT OF DEATH.  The fact that Christ never referred to capital punishment es an institute for good, ought of itseif to be a reason for setting it aside. But the fact that, both by direct precept and example he did set it aside, makes it altogether a matter of astonishment that it ever was adopted by the Christain world. Under the ministration of death, or Old Covenant, the magistrate's porser, in principle and practice, was extended to minor offences. Under the ministration of life, Christ denies its first admission, and the last is impossible ; when a principle is not admitted in its first application, it cannot be extended to higher degrees. Its first admission was, " Thou hest heard it aforetime said, An eye for eye, and a tooth for a tooth ;' but I say unto you that ye resist not evil ; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also ; be not overcome of evil, bus overcome evil with good, that ye may be the children of your Father in heaven ; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust ; he ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." The crime of fornication and adultery were sins which came directly under the denomination of capital offences under the former dispensation. Our Lord reversed that order by specific precept and example. The Scribes and Pharisees we are informed brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, and said, " Master, Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned, what sayest thou ?" The reply was, " Him that is without fault let him first cast a stone at her." The whole penalty enjoined was, "Go and sin no more." Had it been nteuded to admit the principle of Capital Punishment into the present dispensation, our Saviour would not have substituted divorce for Capital Punishment. It is true, that no direct precept is given in regard to murder ; but murder is certainly included under the diffe• rent degrees of crime which it is the will of heaven to pardon—a fact which affords a more summary way of settling the dispute in the universal adaptation of the Gospel to all and every crime, " Verily, I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men," murder and every subordinate crime included. We could not possibly conceive a case of more aggravated murder than that of the Saviour himself ; the majesty of his person, the innocence of his character, the purity of his principles, the meekness of his deportment, indeed the perfect exhibition of every moral attribute which he displayed, placed him transcendently beyond the possibility of evil. I et, in defiance of all moral consideration, and every natural impulse which humanity or justice could prompt, they gave him over to an ignominious condemnation. Instead of that proving a motive to vindictive feeling, it formed the plea for the highest commiseration. Accordingly, he instructed his disciples, in the proclamation of the glad tidings, to begin first at Jerusalem ; and we know the result was that many of the principal actors in the horrid drama became obedient to the faith. Thus 1 conceive that Capital Punishment formed no element of the Christian system. It is ahhorent to the whole tenor of Christianity, and to every sanctified feeling of the human mind.—Lecture on Capital Punishments, by James M' Ewan.