St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-02-07

is both humane and honorable to treat
the acquitted as human being bound
for the same final judgment with our
selves. There is danger that prejudice
grow into zeal for conviction and that
zeal grow into persecution and oppres-
sIve vindictiveness. The saints ought
not to persecute even sinners fTO do
justly and love mercy" are two things
required of God for all men to practice.
They are only possible to those who
practice the third thing required -''and
to walk humbly with God"
We are taught by the Great Teacher
to forgive SHINING brother 'seventy
times seven" if he return saving re-
pent." Now Mr.. Editor, you and l
claim to have somewhat of the Christ
charity that suffereth- long and is kind,
that shows love and mercy for fallen,
sinful, wretched man. When shall we
show it? While he is yet a sinner, OF
wait till he becomes saint?
Where shall we visit him? In the
parlor on plush carpets,-or in prison
cells?
Shall we hold out our hand to him in
help and encourage him by kind words
TO reform, while he is yet sinful and
weak OF shall we scorn him and STONE
hlm till he reforms, gets strong and
shines III Christian society? Shall we
visit him in prison while untried and
uncondemed, save by prejudice, or shall
we wait till lie has been convicted of
crime, been duly punished Sin prison
for life," or chung by his neck till
dead" and then reformed and gained
a good standing in "our set" in society {?
When does sinner need sympathy.
and When shall we give him Christian
aid
Personally | have visited DR.. Stokes
in prison, pointed him to the cross and
prayed with him for his conversion.
Ia fact | have aimed to give him svm-
pathy and Christian aid |; though as vet
he has not been convicted and punished
for crime. | believe the love of God,
III its depths, goes down to the lowest.
degraded sinner and offers salvation
and sonship through the blood of the
atOnement, with this one all compre-
hensive condition-''believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be
saved" | believe that Christ is the
propitiatiOn for Stokes sins as well as
for yours and mine. And no man shall
ever hold out the hand to me, or cry
for help, or Task for bread" and stand
aloof or ''Or gire him Stone," because
he Is IA sinner of seventy times seven
offences.
The disciples of Christ are sent to
stone'cn<'trI'raff @oy'-vese'sea nd ,,.lt q
just deserts and reformed and then give
them sympathy and Christian aid.
Possibly we may sometimes find a suf-
tering, penitent prodigal in a lonely
cell, needing and longing for the Christ
comfort. Is it not proper to preach the
cross even to the criminal there7
81 was i'll prison and We came unto
me" are words from different stand
point and spirit Bro. Stone, than your
sentences concerning untried and un-
men in prison.
DR.. Stokes has not to me confessed |
every crime of which you charge him,
but he does acknowledge he has sinned |
greatly against God and his own soul |
have heard him confess his sins to his
Savior and pray for pardon. He SAYS
he Is ashamed of his life and sorry for
his sins. He promises different life.
To me he seems sincere. ''Is he truly
and thoroughly converted 2"
God knOweth. l know not. "Do |
think he is IA Christian 2" would not
even express an opinion as to his con-
version. / have heard of the sudden
of sinners in the st. Johns
bury Jail in the past-but | should not
Judge it prudent to send out Stokes as
il gospel worker under the auspices of
any Christian association the present
winter.
But l am in favor of giving him a
chance to show his sincerity and prove
his reform. He is eligible to bail, and
any man or minister has moral right
to favor his freedom under bonds, if
they conscientiOusly judge best. No
one has asked me to sign any bonds-I
have asked no one else to sign them.
[ have signitied my own opinion by
putting my name to an informal paper
approving other parties giving bail if
they think best. Of this action 1 am
not ashamed and am willing to abide
the censure or approval of this commu-
nifty. Do dare to defy public opinion
Certainly, when differ with it. And
if public opinion in this community ap-
proves of branding, stoning, beating
any man unheard and uncondemned iu |
a proper court, of whatever crime ac-
cused, then for one | differ from such
opinion. 1t is a species of lynch-law
too cannibal for practice by a Christian
public.
Whatever mistakes may make, l !
am not moral coward or a craven sat
telite, afraid of my slight shadow or
my single signature as manifest of nv
position, even though the editor of the
or the sentiment of the
does not sust.in mo