Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-05-24
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miscellaneous,
PUNISHMENT FOR BIAspHEMY
IN THE 10TH CENTURY.

OF Boston on the 7thnf April, 1898. Alb
ncr knecland appeared before. the Supreme
Court of MASSACHUSETTS on Saturday NOR
mug, tn reccive sentence upon. the cOnvic-
ton ofihe "iuiamnus crime Of publishing
ms pecuiIar heliof on matters Of religion!
+ ILis fchaikablc persecution Of an un-
! tiornnate Individual Tor opinions sake,
which has hecn persisted! in for four wears,
Will stamp another indcliblc page of shame
on Massachusetts. II will form another
chapter to he placed beside those that relate
TO the dari: workings of superstition, reli-
sloIs higotry, and Intolerance, wheif, under
sanction Law. the ministers of justice
hung four Quakors in l659, and nineteen
witches in 1902.
In Massachusetts they punish man for
denying God, though he denies that he ever
denied him. The Court and Attorney
General insists they know Knee!ands reli-
gious creed better Than he does himsclE-
! They wilt not take his word for il, that he
does believe in a God, Cor while they are
about to inlpiison him fortlepying the exis-
tence of a God. lie openly proclairns before
them and the world, that he doesbclievc in
| n God, and charges them with disappearing
his God! The sentence they constrlse into
denial OF Gnd, nc insists does NOT deny
| God, and this point Of conscience is 10 be
decided by the critical construction Of the
courr, not by the belief and intent Of tho
criminal!
The court. which is composed Of as ami
| able, learned, and excellent men us exist
any "hetr, evidently enter into this bust
ness with extreme reluctance. They arc
| unqucslo' ably, as sincere in their belief
that it is Il solemn duty TO punish Kncciand
for publishing his opinions, us he is in main
tanning these opinions, and il is as much an
anomaly in the human understanding, thai
men so enlightened and learned aud lneri-
lori"us as. are the judges of the Supreme
Court, can punish IL man for pr0claiming
his re ligioGs beliefor disbelief, as il is that
any well educated person can be found in
THIS n"c OF Christian light. to deny the evil
drnccs Of Christianity. Alas, for poor hu.
man reason; what II wavwanl child of cir
eu,nslanee, and habit, and: pFsiotice it's i
not Stay for an answer
Indeed what IS truth, and " bat is reason,
when we see IN HIS ease, on one hand, the
defendant who is evidently a. sound mind
and memory, learned we'll read, anL cupa-
bic o! discrimination, denying the truths Of
Christianity, which seems like Il man with
| his eyes open den, inc that The sun shines
| III broad day,-and on tic other hand, three
cminrnt snGcs aud judges OF The law. rs
CONSCIENTIOUS and upright, as they are pro-
found and learned, coming TO The concu-
SION, after fnur wears Of investigation. that
| the rrnvi>ion in he Constitution which pro-
tccl, sic citizen "in hi, religious rrol,.ssio ns
! aEh scn!inisn'S,' docs not project him in
any professions or sentiments which tn"
c"mi may deem rrclici0us.
| Ia The l!hh century The world is called on
I" behold the spectacle of citizen. who, if
lie Is an atheist should he piled as we
would pity Il hlind man, hauled before the
highest tribunal in the State TO be mprison-
c'i for saying that one sec, Of Christians be-
iicvcd IN God which he does not.
| am legislation. vaincr punishment
L he soul (says Barcrof) by its frcrAom'and
immortality, preserves its convictions or its
phrcnzIcS,"vcn amidst the threats of death.
This unhappy proceeding will go on
| he defendant will he sent To prison and
made Il martyr. The sentence has been
postponed from humane considerations, The
defendants wife being in delicate SITUATION
To be separated from her husband. We're
*prct the mo'ivcs that governed this DELAY,
bst' !, Is not i'll the spirit Of The law the
Court insist on executing. If II is wise il.
law GircrS e; enact, and Judges to execute,
|
II w"uI'i be wise TO prevent any more com
ine mo the world. The expected Young
inildcl III kncclamd's family, will probably
have tobc burnt at the stake by some future
Court Wien Massachusetts will have he
come enlightened enough TO rckindle the
fires of Snithlie'l. Burning or hanging
nicn ana women, is the only way TO prevent
their thinking in Dungeons, AMI as this is
cNponndcd by the law officer TO be the aim
oi The law against blasphcmy. it would GER
taIn'y he better TO destroy a young iniid.l
III his birth, than To let him grow up, and
nave 10 hang or burn him hereafter. Sure
~, thcn, II sending Knccland to prison now
! would us lie limited, have proved fatal in hi:
family TO mother and child. il would have
hceh he best possible mode of checking the
spread al lnhdc'ity in his domestic circle.
we 90 not intend to be mistaken in this
! honest expression Of the grief, and shame,
ana Illumination, with which we behc!d the
I spectacle, that struck hundreds, us il did us,
| with pity, sorrow and amaZeInepf. There
STOOD Il venerable looking man, nearly Sc
Vcnty years OF age, declaring that the only
crlinc !ic ever remembered to have commit.
'ed, was taking na apple when n hoy, (and
no man denies it,) at the same time aver
ring, that Inc did believe in God, but not
such God us the Univcrsalists believe in:
Affirming his conscientious conviction of
rlsh' III what he had done and said and his
inability TO believe otherwise,
all intention 10 offend others in the cnioy-
ment OF the freedom Of opinion he claimed
for himself, and yet about to be sent TO pri.
son Tor this simple sentence. tho meaning
Of which depends on comma.