Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-12-30
The PnInit ON the Tragedy.

| Sith happy feelings. For this purpose
| The Church has been trimmed and adorn-
ID as YOU see; had expected to preach
Today on a subject in keeping with the
| season and with these surrounding. But
the events of the last twenty-four
hours have changed my purpose. After
the blood of the murdered man had been
washed from my pavement yesterday
afternoon, l felt that another theme
would be more appropriate, and there
| fore have chosen the following text:
Ezekiel 9:4. go through the midst
of the city, through the midst of Jerusa-
lem and set mark upon the foreheads
Of the men that sigh and that cry for all
the denominations that be done in the
midst thereof"
We have indicated the proper spirit
Of good men in the midst of prevailing
iniquity. They should be those who
sigh and cry for the denominations around
them. The hearts OF pious people should
be moved by the presence of sin. They
should not be listless or Indifferent but
have true and honest distress of soul
over abounding iniquity. What are
true symptoms of such distress?
l. They who sigh and cry over the
| denominations around them are those
who lament and repent of their o'Cn sins.
2. They are those who lament the sins
of others.
8. They carry the case to God in pray
cr.
4. They labor to restrain sinners by
moral suasion, by removing temptation
and by the enforcement OF law.
5. They will stand up for the right at
every risk.
These are characteristics of those who
sincerely gIieve over abounding sin.
In the application of this subject, af-
ter discussing the above points, he said:
We have reached point in the hisGo-
~ of this community when we are bound
to pause and consider our situation. For
months past a reign of terror has been
over us. When we slept at night we did
not know when burglar might be upon
US, or at what hour we might be aroused
by the glare of burning buildings, and
thus things have gone on from bad to
worse, till citizen has been slain in
cold blood by the hand of an assassin On
the public streets i'll broad daylight.
Such a deliberate crime has probably
county. Where are we living? Is it in
the State of Ohio or in Colorado or Ne
vada? l have had the impression that
| was living in st. ClairsVille, Ohio, for
the last fourteen years, but 1t must be a
delusion. A state of things exists here
that we would look for only among des-
peradOes on the frontier. Never has
this community been so stirred in the
presence of an enormous crime. l am
very much mistaken if that thrOng gath
cred on the street with cleaning eyes
and clenched teeth, had not the feeling
of men in the West, when they take the
punishment of crime into their own
hands, without the expense of Judge or
jury. We are overwhelmed with shame,
that such crime should take place
among US.
AS the news goes around over this
continent we blush for our reputation as
people. In view of all this what
should we do?
l. We should demand the full eXecu-
tion of the laws under which we live.
We have right to protection for our
property and our lives. Il justice had
Ueen done two weeks ago it Is safe to
been committed. But honorable coun-
sci urged the court to postpone the trial
of another offence on IL miserable pre-
text. 1t WAS done against the earnest
protest of the Prosecutor, and almost tie
protest of the Court himself. 1t is due
to this community that those legal gen
tlemen should explain their course in
this matter. l know that attorneys
have taken a solemn oath to be faithful
and true to their clients. But call on
those of the legal profession to distin-
guish between defending the rights of
criminals and shielding them from JUS
tice The people have rights and they
are in no disposition to be tritied with.
They should demand the honest eXecu-
ton of laws and support those who en-
force them.
We should have more care for our
youth. There are others in training
now for such deeds as have been COM
mitted. We have seven schools of train
ing in vice; six of them drinking sa-
looms and one billiard saloon. In these,
young men are in daily training for
such scenes as we witnessed yesterday.
Can nothing be done to close these
Against them we have one
public school and three Sabbath schools,
but what are these against seven schools
of vice? Let parents increase their oil
igence in guarding their children. The
session has addressed questions to heads
of families of this church: one of them
is, What are you doing to restrain your
children from Sabbath breaking, intem-
perance and other vices, and to lead
them to Christ? Shall we not have hon
est and full answers from every family;
not to crafty our curiosity, but because
we desire your welfare and seek the
highest interests of your children? Make
the home influence felt Take the pistol
from that boy. 1t is unlawful for him
to carry it and ruinous to his life. Can
we not have the law enforced regarding
concealed weapons? If not on the boys,
on their parents who tolerate it. o,
may this thunder voice of God in his
providence be needed to the reformation
of society and the casting out of sin,
lest severer judgments burst forth upon
us.
AT THE NJ. f. CHURCH.
Rev. j. H. Conkle, of the NJ E. Church,
in prelude to Christmas sermon, on
last Sabbath morning. said:
The joyous worship of this Christmas
Sabbath has been darkened by a fearful |
tragedy. Crime, no longer shame-faced, |
walks boldly into our presence. The |
quiet joy of our Christmas day was bro
ion hv n cool and daliharat,a rnurdar