Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-08-15

hatred dies out for want Of fuel A holy
calm pervades his lately troubled spirit. He
is at last satisfied and happy. The hunger of
his soul is appeased, and he is no longer COM
PEELED to admit to himself that he is prey to
the degrading and sinful passion of hatred.
Thus his moral tone is Immediately strength
ened and purified. This is Just what the
thoughtful man would have anticipated. Does
not the Mormon keep himself from adultery
by the simple expedent Of marrying as many
women as lac may fancy; and does not the
Western debtor seek TO uproot his wicked de-
sire to cheat his creditor by proposing to pay
him with n debascd currency? With these
facts in view, the slightest skill in the percep-
ton of analogies would teach us that it is by
murder that the man who hates and longs to
kill somebody can obtain peace of mind nnd
purge his soul of wicked motives
1T is while the murderer is in this happy
frame of mind that he is seized and placed in
solitary confinement Here he has every OPP
portunity for reflection. His friends and ad-
mrers bring him tobacco. fruit, and other
food for serious thought, and do all that lies
in their power to make him satisfied with him
self and with his lot Naturally, he gives
good deal of time to reflection lie reflects
that lac has attained his desire TO kill some
body and that he ought 10 feel truly grateful
for this blessing. lie remembers that his
hatred within him and to put him to the trou-
BILE Of obtaining an honorable discharge from
custody in order that he may commit murder
over again. He recalls the fact that his visit
ing clergyman pays him more attention than
he would give TO the best member of his par
ish flock, and that good ladies bring him flow
ers and tracts, and show the warmest sympathy
and admiration for him. He would he worse
than the average murdered man if his heart
was not touched by these things. He becomes
not only peaceful and happy man, but
truly grateful one, and, being at the same
time shut out from all temptation, he reaches
height of moral grandeur which few men
reach without the sweet and purifying infu-
ence of murder.
''In course of time the murderer is tried,
found guilty, and sentenced Now is the
time when he ascends from the plane Of NOR
ality 10 the higher and purer region of true
piety. He becomes penitent. There are
quantities Of shortcomings and offenses of
which he feels himself guilty, aud of which
he truly and earnestly repents lie repents
his neglect in not having killed the principal
witnesses against him, and is heartily sorry
that he cannot have a series of private inter
views in a lonely field with each Of the jury
men in succession. He repents that he was
guilty of being found out, and despises him
self for not having run away beyond the
reach Of eXtradition treaties while yet there
was time. Above ALL he repents that he can
not strangle the keepers. brain any interfer-
ing policeman break out of Jail aud fly to
Cuba. In these circumstances. it is almost
inevitable that this grateful aud penitent man
should become violently pious and thereby
aid his friends in obtaining new trial or a
commutation of his sentence.
we thus see that it is the most natural
thing III the world that the murderer should
he holy and happy being. Other men may
occasionally attain to a like degree of spiritual
elevation, but il is only after long and pcrse-
vering effort, and in most cases through sor-
row and chaStsement. The murderer leaps
at bound into the serene atmosphere Of
spiritual peace, and thence glides rapidly and
surely into true piety. The lesson is an oh
vious One--we should all go and do likewise.
Let us examine ourselves and our acquain-
tances, and decide whom we shall kill, that
we may purify and ennoble our souls. 1t is
idle to pretend that we cannot find any one
to kill. The poorest and meRnest of us can
find some barber, some plumber, some Oh
scure player on the accordeOu, who is ripe for
a sudden grave. What if it is somewhat
troublesome for q mild and inactive man to
rise up and slay his neghbor Will he not
be more than repaid when. by simple pull
ing of pistol trigger or "A slight effort with
knife, he fits himself for n rapid transit to
heaven? The piety of the murderer is with
in the reach of every man: and it would puz-
zle the most astute theologian who believes
in the piety Of Cox and his kind TO find a
valid excuse for the man who neglccts to
avail himself Of the pistol the knife. the
club and other like helps to sudden saliva
ton"