Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-05-28
That Awfui Tragedy, aud That Ave
fui Man, and That Awfui Peopie

fui Man, and That Awfui People
90 whom u IL said he belonged.
RpIToR AGRi-i suppose ] do mol
need 10 rehearse the circumstances OF
the Pocasset murder but suffice II IA
say, had this man, instead Of being q
kind and tender husband aud father,
spent his days In idleness and hi'
nights In tho dram shops, aud IT after
soaring, beating and halt starving his
family, he had In n drunken frenzy
slain his child, there would probably
have been much less said about II,
from the tact that such an occurrence
would be neither rare nor surprising
We should have heard, no doubt,
many cxclamations Of regret and some
severe words, but a great many people
would probably have gone on drink
Ing their drams, and on election day
would have voted Tor the renewal OF
licences to liquor sellers aud the con-
tinuance Of the traffic in strong dlink
for the public good. But as this man
was not drunkard or q wife beater,
but so Ear as is known, n sober, indus
trious, pcaccablc man, the impression
produced upon the public mind was
much more intense. But il Is said no
was an Adventist, 50 of course IL is
thousand times worse for that. But
Mrs. Walthrey could drown her six
weeks old child in Franklin Lake and
herself also, but there is not much
said about that; it is possible she was
not an Adventist, Some years ago a
Mr.. Moses Davis, Of Grafton, W.,
who was IL very devoted member Of
tho Baptist church, got it into his
mind that he must sacrifice all his
children, and was about to plunge the
dagger into their hearts, but strong
men arrived just in time to save then
lives not much said about It. Good
for his pate that he was not an Ad'
ventist. Did this wicked attempt
prove that the Baptist church taught
such things, or that they were all Of
the same stamp? probably no one oI
good sense thought so. Then think
of the hundreds, il not thousands of'sc
called christian mothers of all demon.
nations who murder outright thei'
ofsprugs at and before their birth, ye;
and their neighbors and friends con-
gratulate them with terms like this
"You were lucky" at the same time
violating the law of God, of nature
and of the land. Now, Mr.. Editor
we do not wish you to understand
that we approve of that awful act O.
Freeman's-no, never; neither is II
in any degree approved of by the
main body of Adventis's in the whole
world, but with one voice and one
heart we denoupce it, in the language
of the Worlds Crisis IA paper which
represents the faith of Adventlsts gen.
erally) as an act of red-handed wick
edness, diabolical bigotry and inexcus
able religious frenzy.
There is no church in Pocasset, moi
never has been, that belong to the
main body of Adveptists, nor individ'
uals that have ever placed themselves
under the protection of this denomin
alton.
1t has been almost amusing-if ii
was not too sad a topic tor amuse-
ment-to read the comments Of some
who have stated that this act was re-
suit of interpreting the scriptures lit
orally. As the scriptures literally say,
ssThou shalt not kill the pertinence
Of this suggestion is hardly percepti-
be. We think this act came more
as the result of abandoning the plain
teachings of Scripture, and giving
loose rein to fancy, and claiming to be
endowed with a special inspiration ir-
respective of the teachings Of the
word OF God. wonder what chris
tian church there is in the world but
what some of their devotees have
proved to be fools and knaves. Sup
pose a picture OF the hearts and deeds
of all denominations be hung up to the
public gaze, which would look best !?
Let some of the wise men Of the East
answer A. D.
EDITOR AGE:-I see by a late issue
, A.. AL, 90 IJool.,v, oro