QUES. 4.-Kindly state in "Help and Food" the teaching of the New Testament regarding capital punishment.

ANS. First of all, "There is no power but of God:the powers that be are ordained of God" (Rom. 13:1). But for what purpose are they ordained of God? "He beareth not the sword in vain:for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" (Rom. 13:4).

The expression "the sword" used here is quite sufficient to establish capital punishment, for the sword is for death and nothing else.

The cross of Christ itself establishes it, for while it is the place where the repenting sinner finds salvation, he finds salvation there because it is the place where the just punishment of sin was executed upon our adorable Redeemer. The just government of God is perfectly upheld by the cross, and therefore the grace to all that repent and believe the gospel.

But to seek to set aside the power and the duty of the government to execute murderers, which is now being done by many under the plea of Christianity, is utterly to confound the differing characters and purposes of both government and Christianity, and to destroy both.

Let the government faithfully execute all murderers; punish, and terrify every evil-doer, and let Christians, in the love of Christ, seek the souls of all men alike, to bring them at the feet of Jesus, and all will be in its proper place.

Having now answered your question as to the New Testament, we would remind you that government is no more of New Testament origin than creation, marriage, sin, death, etc., etc. are, though the New Testament affirms all. Its origin is in Gen. 9:5, 6, where "capita! punishment" is clearly ordained of God. We are not aware of one line in Scripture where He has ever revoked this.

We were astonished beyond measure lately in reading the report of an interview between a Mr. Sweitzer and the governor of Pennsylvania concerning a Mrs. Kate Edwards condemned to death for murder. The governor, who is opposed to capital punishment, is reported to have said, "If it is wrong for one man to kill another, it is wrong for one thousand to kill one person."

We take his meaning to be that "one thousand" means the government. If such doctrine be true, then has each man the right to avenge himself against his neighbor for all individual wrong and is in no need to appeal to the government. The awful results of this no thoughtful man can fail to see. What a mercy of God therefore is government, even in its lowest forms! The sense of this excites the Christian to prayer for all who compose it, as the New Testament bids us.

QUES. 5.-Is there any scripture proof that the Rahab of Josh, 2:1 and Matt. 1:5 are the same?

ANS. -According to Usher's chronology there were about 150 years between the taking of Jericho and the marriage of Boaz with Ruth. Though Boaz was then an old man(Ruth 3:10) and Rahab probably a young woman at the taking of Jericho, 150 years is rather a long time for Rahab to have been the mother of Boaz. Yet, we cannot understand why an unknown woman (we know of no reference in Scripture to any other Rahab) should be introduced in such a place as Matt. 1:5; and considering the spiritual fitness here for the Rahab of Josh. 2:1, we believe she is that. If the accepted chronology be right, the difficulty in the matter of age is yet no harder for God to overcome in Rahab and Boaz than in Sarah and Abraham. If God could specially strengthen Abraham to manifest faith, how much more Boaz to illustrate the great "kinsman," our Lord Jesus Christ.

QUES. 6.-Is it scriptural, to say the Lord Jesus is not Lord of the Church, but Lord of individuals?

ANS.-Yes. We are not aware of any instance in Scripture which teaches otherwise.