Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1849-12-18
Infdelity leads to Crime.

The confession of Manning, lately ex:
ecuted in London as accessory to the muir
der of O'Connor, has originated a wide
discussion as to the general relation be-
tween in6delity and crime. Manning,
who was believer in the Supreme. Being,
was an unwilling participator in the crime
for which he lost his life; but his wife,
the real perpetrator of the murder, was an
avowed atheist. Manning relates that,
when he asked her what would become Of
her soul if she committed an act ofmurder,
she replied. "W'e hare no soul; after
zoe are dead zee are like lump Of clay,
undtAere is no more thought of man"
1t is difficult to believe that an intelligent
moral being can 60 so far as to deny the
existence of God, and eternal laws or
principles in His government in the uni
verse but it is not difficult 10 believe that
If such persons do exist; and how can
we doubt, from the revelations, time has
made their denial or unrecOgnltion OF
God and Divine Government, above
and beyond all human governments, re-
moves the most powerful restraint against
the indulgence of evil passions and the
commission OF crime.
France, in her past history, reveals
how far nation denying God, and rldi-
culing religion, can plunge Itself into the
excess and abandonment OF vice ana
crime. And upon the same principle that
nation cut loose from all authority save
its own impulses, becomes worker OF
depravity and horror, an individual IN the
sphere of his capacity pursues similar
end. France, repenting over her eSPer'-
ment of rejecting God, has become TO ac-
knowledge that faith in Supreme Being
and government, before whom the acts OF
nations and men pass in perpetual revisw,
and from whose judgment no human deed
can escape, is vital to the strength, pros
perity, and happiness of nations and men;
Lamartine says, that for the safety and
welfare of society, belief in God must moi
be merely conception, conviction a
manifest truth, but lar, an eternal law
a government. Without this kind OF re-
cognition of Supreme Father and TO
yernor, people will be absorbed IN sci,
fshpess. and can have no sense OF mutual
duties, nor any social or national virtue
Infdelity, which Destroys God, destroys
also humanity.
An examination of the records of crime,
and of the characters and sentiments OF
criminals, lead inevitably TO the conviction
that vast amount of crime, in It's worst
forms. results from the inGdellty Of ITS
perpetrstors from their want OF convlc-
non that there is God, and Divine
Government, and that the soul immortal
will be subject to that government IN tu-
ture states of being. Mrs. Manning, dis
believing in God, and in the Immortality
of the soul, or life, thought anly, and
sous,nt only to commit the murder, so as
10 escape the penalty of human laws, The
eve of Eternal Justice she perceived no:
her care was to escape the punishment OF
man this side the grave. Who cannot
see that the greatest of moral restraints
was thus lost to her mind, and also, that
in regarding life as but brief, eXnngulsii'
able spark, set little value on that OF ".
Connor, compared with what it woulG
have assumed, had she beheid 1t destined
TO immortality, and watched by the un
sleeping eve of just God; its Father
This is a matter that cannot be too vel
considered, the more it is examined, the
stronger reason every moral and inelligen
being will find, for having profound con
vict;on of the existence of God, the I'm
mortality of the soul, and paramount ID
vine Government, as the best sureties o
individual and 4ational visiUe,~sN, !
Sun,