Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-16


brotheri And be said, know not, am / my brothers
AID iIe ,ad, What bas thou donci The voice Of thy
bfvihert blood cfleth unto mo ffum The ground"
II is fearful thought that The frat human
death pf which we have any record was "a death
by violence death by murder and that by a
brother's hnnd SO quickly did sin run ~ ts
height The irsi recorded crime after the fal OF
our hft parents being the greatest 0f crimes
howulleu ~ the subsequent history Of the race
lile has thus been taken, God only knows. There
VIII be ON awful revealing Of wellkept secrets
when the blaze Of the judgment throne throws It's
light upon human history. There will be no OBJ
hyiou there; no evasion there. When God max
eth lnqusiton for blood, there will be no sup
preston, no Withholding Of evidence nay, 1t will
not need the testimony even Of the Omuiscient
witness to disclose the whole truth Conscience
though u now may be scared as with hot iron, or
stupeiied as with deadly opiate, will then speak;
and The voice Of selfaccusng tongues will be
louder than that of ten thousand upbraiding
witnesses
Woe then, woe now, to the murderer. His
lelow-man may never suspect his secret; but he
knows it, aud that is misery enough, Il con
fronts him when he is alone, and Il makes him
tremble IL goes with him into the crowd, and
there IL fills him With terror. II goads him with
remorse, or mcnnces him as with an appariton
OF evil He may seek In mirth, and revelry aud
carousal to drown his consciousness Of crime,
but he can drain no cup in which he finds not a
stIpeuN ne ueals echolng ulsOWu uiau luuButet
the mocking Of the hends who were his tsmpteys
and who--uuless he shall repent and seek mercy
will be his tormentors.
Only in confession and in penitenoe can the
Murderer ever find peace; cloaking his sin he
"Bears with him black curse
That makes his being an enduring DEATH
II. | remark again, as suggested by the text,
that God holds society 70 account for the blood Of
man shed by violence. In this case we find that
He himself dealt directly with the murderer; but
after the universal deluge, when lie gave 10 the
head Of the future family the fundamental law
for all ages He set forth the principle, Whose
sheddeth mau's blood by man shall bis blood be
she'd In dealings with His own people Israel,
God established fully and perfectly the law con.
corning the punishment OF the murderer, and lie
taught what | believe to be still a rule bearing
upon all the communities Of men, that lie
would hold each community responsible for dill
genco aud fidelity IN the administration Of JUS
tice in this respect (See Deut. 81, ~
III. But IL is not the mere inhction Of the
penalty which God demands Of society. He holds
men in their social and their individual capacity
10 guardianship of each other.
From no mouth could the question 80 htly come
as from that Of the drst murderer, Am lmy broth.
er's keeperP You and /, beloved friends, hear
q voice to-day which says Every man Is the keep
er Of his fellow man. lie is bound to consider
his neghbor's welfare in all his own acts lie il
habits and customs Of his family, and Of the
community in which he dwells; aud, in land like
ours where each mans voice and vote has is
part, is he bound to shape all the laws and insti
tutons of the city, Of the commonwealth, OF
the nation, so as to guard not only himself and
his but others also, from the dangers which
threaten happiness, and liberty, and virtue and
most Of all, which imperil LIFa. With the trans
actions of the past week before us, not one Of us
dare ask concerning the departod-as Cain ask
| ed concerning Abel, cam [ my brothers keep
err" 1t is for melt is for YOU, each and all
the mos. solemn " questions to-day, How,
when God maketh inquisitiou for the blood o
the slain shall answerfor what have doue, -
or have left undone, that might have saved oui
| brother1
But cannot dwell on this thought Yet does on,
| ask me whether | 90 not OYerstop the bounds o
propricty, whether do not trench on the pre-
negatives Of the civil tribunals, when | even inte
| concerning our departed brother that his was
death Of violence, inflicted by another's handy
do not accuse, here, any man of the wilful mur
der of this my friend I have my own opinion a
/ to the probable agency that Immediately causet
his death. But as Gods messenger | cite to an
/ swer at GoD's tribunal every mau who, KNOWN,
| ing the weaknesses of the departed, acted othe
than a brothers part towards himl
Beloved friends, it would be u false charity
| u tenderness which would indeed be weakness
not to say chargeable with untaithiulness to Goo
| and to man, were | to seek to cover up the past
! Had the history of the deceased during the pas
| few months been hitherto concealed, itWould no
be my part to give it publicity. Gladly would |
| if | dared initiate those reyerent loving son
who with garment laid on both their shoulders
walked backwards, and covered up their faith
er's shame. No man in this community save
possibly, those nearest Of KIM loved Il. I. Ster
hing more than loved him. None admired NOR
his noble qualities, None, perhaps, was uude
| greater obligations to his generosity than my
gn n
household, his brothorly sympathy offered m
not only consolation but resting place for TIA
remains Of my own loved dead. by the grave
Of my own children in his o"n beri"l place,
stood, on Thursday last, to deposit his remain
Can ! speak otherwise than tenderly cOncerniu
IhimY will speak as he (iOr / knew well hi
heurt) would have wished me to speak God Civ
me grace TO be faithful.
4. H. Sterling was one Of the founders Of thi
Church. He was, pecunarily, its largest benz
factor He gave not only his money, but hi
time, his thoughts, his watchful care to its well
being. Twelve years ago, under the ministry
the first Rector of ST. Paul's he protessed,i in llo
ly Baptism to be Christs discpei and tho tungu
would deserve to be forever palsod which shoul
charge him with having made that profession j
willul hypocrisy. When first knew him, Almol
seven years ago, thought had seldom seen hi
equal in all that makes the high minded, lbora
Christian gentleman. He was Warden Of thi
Church; a regular and faithful Teacher in tn
ant on all the services Of tho Sanctuary. Iii
hand was ever open to the cause Of Christ, an
to the relief Of His poor.
found him Just what the venerable Bishop ,
this Diocese, who had known him for twenty
seven years described him to be--"a most pc
fectly confidential and large hearted, energet
man; rs stauuch friend as ever was" A maj
wrote the Bishop, "whose mind Is" Que Sc,
great influence" And on Friday last receive
from this eminent Christian minister a lamei
, from which must read a few Words:-"l have !
heart TO write-but to be dumb except 10 81
1T is the Lord ia reference to this most aWi
death of our poor friend. What blow to 20
= as his Pastor. For nearly tWenty-SeYen yea
/ has his house been my kind and ailectiOna
e home, and never anything but the most generol
, and aiiectouate Hospitality did | receive fro
, him. and never did see anything IN him incO
. sistent with his profession us Christian,'
- need say no more in his praise. Many Of u
knew him well; if any knew him better than m
self he knew more Of She nobleness Of his u
y ture. Yet this is the man whose name has for
n week past been in every mouili whose sad, d
y end we can never cease to depOre.
Is More than two years ago, as his Pastor | cou
: not but see and lament the beginning Of q chan
% u the aspect Of bis Chriatian character, Blu
ness troubles annoyed him, aud called him Oft
r from bis home, | feared that he was fOrm
IA new and injurious associations. Soon his atten
% ance at the Communion Table became irregul
20 and ere long Il ceased. Al last the fearful tru
Of was made too apparent that there were tempt,
OF about his steps, luripg him to his ruin, sh
lr not recte what took place IN the repSated int
of views between the Pastor and this, his erri
Nv brother Ho ever took kindly my admontiC
- and my counsels. lie ingenuOusly, and "
"a self loathing acknowledged his faults. lie we
W. he prayed; he resolved; he struggled; he prom
" ed he tried But the Arch Tempter had ma
~, willing helpers watching, laying snares for
. destruction of body and Of soul
Where were the men who ought TO have b'
this our brothers keeper
God only knows how far he was responsil
so God only knows, whether by a miracle Of gru
le. lin the last hours after the fatal injury was
.er osiYod; when, perhaps seemingly uuOopscil
Of he go sought Gods mercy in Christ-so bell
ce ed-and tbs work of Gods Spirit WAS
Z. wrought as 10 rescae his precious sou
Il 1 mIut .nnl NJ nnr Nm the hnnda of Lhn Lnln