The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1868-01-30
For the Standard.
SIGNS OF TIE TIMES, No. ..

SOTt are Oh Tue lnCTeaSe, LnlDk no man
Of observation, will deny. Coummu-
mites are struck with horror every day,
by the foulest deeds, revealing desper-
ate wickednesS, and a most vitiated
state of society. Wiekedness raises its
head in high places and low places.
Multitudes are to be found in every
town who "neither fear God nor regard
man." And there is but little secresy
or modeGty in the actors. Crime puts
on brazen front and knows no shame.
A catalogue of all the crimes in our be-
loved country, would occupy a large
space. / tremble for her, when l think
of them, because they forbode the COM
ing judgments Of righteous God. If
you look into the business world, it is
full of crime and deception. Defalca-
tions and swindling in some form swell
the records of the daily chronicle.
Adulteration of articles of commerce
and manufacture and every conceivable
method are used to get money and ar
ticles, without giving an equivalent.
Hence the general lack of confidence
between buyers and sellers. All are on
the lookout for lying and cheating. A
general system oflying set upand no.
body to believe it. Crimes fearful and
unmentionable are committed in city
and country. Gambling, drunkenness,
robberieS, theftS, bribery, assassina-
tons, manSlaughter, poisoning, infant
icide and crimes that cannot be named,
abouUding in all their varied forms.
The Gland also mourneth because of
swearing" False swearing in our
courts and profane swearing in our
streets. 1t is almost impossible to walk
the streets, enter . shop, hotel, steam
boat or car, without hearing the vilest
oaths and cursings Rank, age or char
acter, will secure no man against hear
ing this disgusting profanity. The age
is so depraved and vicious that vile
men walk on every side unchecked and
unrebuked. Profane swearing is one
ofthe silliest, wickedest and most dis
gusting sins among men and eVinces
the deepest depravity, for it shows that
the transgressor has no fear OF God and
when a man has cut loose from him
who is the source of all good, he has
got from under all moral restraint and
there is nothing left to bind him to
morality and virtue. He is ready for any
crime when the temptation presents
itself. Ought society to tolerate such
a course ofmoral pestilence? We have
laws to check other immoralities. We
have anti-liquor laws and societies,
why not have anti-swearing societiesi
For all this sin strikes a blow at all
Society ought to have pow
er to protect itself against crime and
I do not say that it would
be expsdient to attempt suppress every
kind of vice by law and force. But is
profane swearing included in liberty of
speech7 Does not the swearer intrude
on my rights as a citizen, when he ut
ters oaths on the street in the presence
of my children' Has he right to put
arsenic into their mouths? Has be any
better right to pour spiritual death into
souls from bis venemous tongue3
Shame on you, young man, and great
er shame on you, hoary headed sinner,
10 let the vilest oaths fall from your
tongue in the presence of children!
Repent and be men, be gentlemen, if
never christians, for no gentleman
,wears. It's vulgar as well as criminal.
A gentleman is man of refined man
ners. He always regards the feelings
Of others. Agentleman minds his own
business, is respectful and kind to every
body and keeps constantly on hand q
good stock of common sense. But we
Sannot in short article go into details
IN this fruitful theme, but in q few
words more, may inquire into the caus-
Is of fthis destroying food that is sweep
ng over our land. The radical cause
s the deprsvity ofhumau natare; mans
native antagonism to virtue and truth.
The "heart is deceitful above all things
Ind desperately wicked" But there
ire more immediate causes or occasions
or crime in our country for the last few
vears. / believe that the late rebellion
las had something to do with the in
,rease of crime. Such q rebellion show
ID the existence Of great moral degra-
lation. The nation was in a morbid
tate or it would never have occurred.
I stirred up the worst passions of bad
men and no doubt corrupted the NOR
lie of many a young man that entered
he army, so that some who went to the
var respectable, came home the centerS
# moral pestllence. This was not gen.
rally the case but too often But there
ire many other causes, such as the i'm
morality Of our public men and legisla-
ors. "When vile men are exalted,
he wicked walk on every side" The
corruption of our courts has some in
Iuence in the same direction. The
aw, in q measure, has ceased to be
error to evil doers, because the crimi-
lal expects to escape justice in some
way; by bribery, false swearing or in
rigue in some form or if condemned
hat his punishment will be light. Sew
IN dollars and costs, whether a man
las stolen a pin or broken q skull
o some degree is the style.