CHAPTER VIII.

FOURTH REASON FOR ABOLISHMENT.

THE BIBLE ARGUMENT.

The Death Penalty forbidden by the Christian Scriptures-Authority of the Scriptures above Human Authority-The Lex talionis of the Jews-The Law of Love the Christian Law Touching account of recent Executions All Christian Codes must Harmonize with the Law of Love-The Old Covenant not binding on Christians.

Another reason why the Punishment of Death should be abolished, especially by all CHRISTIAN governments, is, that it is positively forbidden by the Christian Scriptures.

With the writer of these pages, there is no authority superior to the authority of God. His word is our criterion. We never, knowingly, swerve from its divine requirements and teachings. Human speculations, in the presence of the plain teaching of the inspired volume, like mist before the morning sun, dissipate into airy nothingness. "Let God be true, but every man a liar," is the motto by which we are led; and, happily, with reference to the subject under consideration, He is upon the side of clemency. He "will have mercy and not sacrifice."*

"But," answers the objector, "the Bible certainly sanctions the Death Penalty. There is no plainer or more positive declaration than this: 'WHOSO SHEDDETH MAN'S BLOOD, BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED;' and all know, who know anything of the Bible, that the law * Matthew, 9: 13.

of Moses demanded the life of the offender for a multitude of sins. 'Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,' is the express declaration of God himself. How, then, can we abolish the Death Punishment, without first abolishing the law of God; and how can we disregard the law of God with any degree of safety? Ah, I fear for that community which will thus thoughtlessly or wilfully trample under foot the wise instruction of the Divine Being!"

So said our fathers, both in England and our own country, fifty years ago, when an attempt was made to abolish the stocks, the pillory and the whipping-post, all of which were regarded as divine institutions, and indispensably necessary to the safety of society. So it was thought a hundred years ago, by the most orthodox Christians in Europe and America, when hanging was the penalty for stealing forty shillings; also for idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath-breaking, abuse of parents, perjury and adultery. All these laws were devoutly believed to be founded on God's law, binding on the Christian, and could not be abolished with any degree of safety. And yet they were abolished, and with no detriment to either morals or religion, and are not now believed, by any sect of Christians living, to be required by the divine law. No well-informed, sane man, no matter what his religion, would consent, for any consideration, to go back to the middle of the last century, and institute its penal code as a substitute for our own. But if the Jewish law is still binding, how can we remit all its punishments but one; and what grounds have we to argue that this is binding, —and to the end of time-when we admit that all the rest were temporary, and only designed for a previous age? More than this: is not the question at least worthy of our careful consideration, whether, having abolishel

the entire code of Moses, with the exception of this, with no apparent injury, but with manifest improvement and with no violation of the divine precept, we cannot also give up this?

And this, we repeat, is what the Christian Scriptures actually demand. That "breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, is the express declaration of God," as the objector says, is, at least, problematical. Christ did not so understand by the demands of the Mosaic dispensation. It was not God, but "them of old time," who said this. "Ye have heard that it hath been said by them

of old time. an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." This was the lex talionis, or law of retaliation, incorporated into the code of the early Hebrews and the rule of vengeance by which they were governed. And suppose we admit that God did permit or even command the Jews, when in a rude and barbarous state, to institute laws thus sanguinary and bloody, where is the man who can make it appear that they are still binding under the Christian dispensation? On the contrary, there is no truth of the divine word more palpable than the fact, that Christ himself abrogated the very spirit and principle of that old code, and gave the world a new and better covenant in his life, teachings, sufferings and examples.

In the very first sermon he preached, behold how positively and clearly he defined the principles of his own religion, in contradistinction to those of Moses: Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an 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. man will sue thee at the law and take away

And if any thy coat, let

him have thy cloak also."* We cannot suppose that Christ

*Matthew 5: 38-40.

designed that this command should be literally obeyed; but the principle contained in this declaration he did design should be enforced as a new, a better, a more divine law; a law which should abrogate the Mosaic precept and take its place. And I ask my Christian brother or sister, who may peruse these pages, is not its rule the exact opposite of the Levitical law? "I say unto you that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also." He farther says: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy; but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth his rain on the just and on the unjust."* How can the man who professes to have been born into the spiritual kingdom of the Master-a kingdom of "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost"—and to be governed by the foregoing instruction, still uphold the killing of men, women and children by "legal strangulation?" How would the above declarations of Christ appear as written mottoes for the gallows? LOVE, THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW," inscribed on the cross-bar of the gibbet! What an inconsistency! Jesus "lived the doctrine which he taught." He returned good for evil and blessing for cursing; and finally died upon the cross, for his enemies, closing and sanctioning his labors of love by that more than mortal petition, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" Oh, blessed Being! the true guide and pattern of all Christians. Here is light communicated from heaven, to illuminate *Matthew, 5: 44-45.

our path of duty. We are not left to our own sagaciousness, but should follow our great examplar. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not; but committed himself to Him who judgeth righteously.* How divine, how beautiful this instruction; and how plain it is that, everywhere in the New Testament, LOVE is made the test of the validity of our claims to the Christian character. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love."† Again, "He that loveth, dwelleth in God and God in him." "For this, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh NO ill to its neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law."|| Above all things," says the same apostle, after enumerating various other duties, "put on CHARITY," (or love) " which is the bond of perfectness." In short, the inculcation of this divine principle as the great central element of the Christian religion, is as common in the Gospel as its practical utility is superior. So common and so plain is it, that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err. “It is the theme of all the apostolic exhortations, that with which their morality begins and ends, from which all their details and enumerations set out and into which they return."

Is it not, then, evident that if all the relative duties of the Christian are embraced in one word and that word is

* 1 Peter, 2: 21. Romans, 13: 9.