DEATH PUNISHMENT INDEFENSIBLE: MAN FORBIDDEN BY GOD TO TAKE MAN'S MY DEAR FELLOW CHRISTIANS, It has been with considerable hesitation, and yet in much haste, that I have decided on addressing you on the subject to which I now solicit your attention. Its importance has almost deterred me from its discussion; though from this fact the obligation is increased that it should be considered. It is a subject which deeply affects humanity—its highest interests-its peace-its prosperity-its durable, even by injury, its unweaned love. You will not perceive my subject at once from my text; yet have I chosen it, as, for its words, leading by peculiar import, I conceive, to a thorough investigation, of What is the Gospel principle ?-what is its truth ?-to what will it lead ?-what conduct is it calculated in earth to establish? Again, I hesitate: but.I pray the Author of our being, whom we believe to have revealed Himself as our Father who is in Heaven, to guide me in my desire for a sincerity of speech in what I say-that so * This Discourse was formerly published as a pamphlet, but being now out of print, is added to this volume. An edition, also as a pamphlet, is again now published, the Author being especially desirous for a wide circulation of this discourse. my enunciation may be an honest expression of my conviction; and, that, in Christian light, we may have a communion of mind with mind; and may be strengthened in bearing witness to our opinions, and may sustain them, though to all persons they may not be acceptable. I quote my text-the history of the Gospel by Matthew, 10th chap., 14th verse,-" And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." I have no doubt, that these words, have always, till there has been of them and of the Gospel a due consideration, to you all appeared as inexplicable; indeed, as incompatible with the generally received opinion of the charity, the forbearance, the tolerance, love and truth, of the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. I admit, that till within the last few years, my own mind was obtuse to the admission of the kind of instruction which they convey: the light of which came to me in a manner which shall hereafter appear. Yet, perhaps, here, it is necessary to inform you of the application which I put upon the words of my text, or, of the injunction that I consider they convey. The ancient mode of teaching was, very generally, by parable, by allegory, by proverb. You may trace the cause of this to have been in the uneducated state of the people; figures, or comparisons, or trite expressions, or personifications of inanimate objects, or even circumlocutions, being much more likely to be remembered by them, or to have made an impression on their minds, than tamer language; or less bold illustration; or mere preceptoral teaching. You have instances of this in all the oriental nations, or in the patriarchal days, as they are considered. "And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked." 'And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept." In the recording of the Sermon of Jesus, on the Mount "And he opened his mouth, and taught them." It is needless" multiplying these examples. Such modes of expression would now be considered as superfluous in language. It would be simply-he looked-he wepthe taught. But how valuable an illustration, we thus derive, in the consideration of the habits of the ancients, of their mode of teaching, &c.; a light in regard to much in Christ's teaching which would otherwise be dark to us, and calculated to mislead our judgments. Thus, all well-informed minds now know, that possessed with devils, with demons, was a language according to the opinions or expression of the times; but which conveys to us, only, that the persons of whom it was spoken were insane, or disordered in their minds. I merely of these things remark, further, that, to understand the Old or the New Testament-to read either or both with advantage-you must read them as you would any other book-as you would read the History of England, of Greece, of Rome-the records of science in former days-of the progress in astronomy, geography, to inform yourselves of the knowledge then existing, and by the idioms and condition of each, that thus they may be to you intelligible. The words of my text, then, I consider to have been, a mode of conveying to the disciples, and which they well understood, and of which they would rightfully apply the meaning, that they should not allow the adverse opinions, and the hostile conduct of those who would not listen to their teaching, to influence them to the wavering of their own judgment; but that they should even more scrupulously be exact in themselves, nor because of persecution, weakly show an appearance of becoming one, in a modified conduct, with their opponents. It was an inculcating to them, that, in the most trying circumstances, even to their privation of the means of subsistence, they should endure in their integrity: and emerge, free from the trial, unscathed, the livers of truth. I have thus, too lengthily, spoken in introduction of my subject, which is, by Christianity, to advocate an important principle to man-the inviolability, by man, of human life. Having, then, prepared you, I hope, to the rational consideration of the opinions I shall advance, I beseech you to accompany me, lucidly in your judgments, in the exposition which I shall give of the anti-christian, even on common grounds, I shall contend, the refragable institute, Death Punishment. I have said, that, even on common grounds, I shall contend, that a refragable institute is Death Punishment. First, then, we will go to the earliest records which we have of man; and thence pursue our examination through the advances of society, or the subsequent periods of the world's history. So far as we have documentary evidence, Cain was the first murderer. And let me inform you, there is also various traditionary and local evidence, so far as the names of the sites of countries are concerned, of the truth of this record. The history says-"And Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him." It is further related, that God interposed to make known to Cain his great crime; and, in pronouncing on it the highest malediction, informed him, that he should be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth. And," that, "Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth: and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore* whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, * Is there not in this word, "Therefore," an implication of a reason for not taking the life of Cain? THEREFORE, i. e. for this reason, it being seen in Cain, the enormity of the act in taking the life of Abel-the destroying of a human being— whosoever killeth the destroyer, who has rendered apparent the enormity of the act, shail be guilty sevenfold. A translation by the Rev. Dr. Raphall renders it thus: "Verily "-viz. truly -"Whosoever slayeth Cain, it shall be avenged sevenfold." Demonstratively, however we may argue, however ingenious in cavil we may be, here is a reason, an injunction, given by God, against the taking of the life of a human creature, even of the one who has aggressed or sinned in so high a degree as to have sacrificed this sacred trust-the wickedness being thus rendered palpable before you and apparent. M |