The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-01-10
Baptized.
Marshal! Progress, Dec. 20,

Marshall Progress, Dec. 20,
John A. Phelps Was taken from the lail
this morning by Sheriff CasOn assisted BY
officers, Messrs- Aulgur and Hiney, to the
Christian church where, the ordinance OF
baptism wa, administered to him by Elder
Il. VI. N.,sick. The church was iull oi
witnesses OF the sacred rite, and the in,eres,
though hushei and quiet, was intense
Everyone was watching the face of the
chief character in one of the bloOdiest and
most terrible tragedies that has taken place
on this part OF the worlds surface since
the red man roamed these prairies. On
course the question that was In everybOdy's
mind was: us he sincere? Has this man
really found hope that recOnciles him to
what is to take place in less than two
weeks, and is his sudden conversion the
work Of desperate fear Of the unk
future, or neal gssping truth of christ
ianity, and that tremendous faith that
gives the whole heart to the Redeemer OF
the world, and longs to meet Him in the
bright realm of the christians future home,
and be At peace where there are no evil
passions, no violence, no murder, and no
pain ?"
How was one to find q reply " this
question? We know of none better than
the assurance given by the worthy and
truthful pastor, who said that he
sincerely believed that the man
had cOnscientiously and wholly given his
heart to God, and frankly and fully ac-
cepted the sacred promises of Holy Writ
From the young mans face you would
gather nothing but q quiet passive sub
mission to what he had come to receive
His conduct as q candidate for baptism
was admirable Apparently self-pOssessed
and even dig ni6ed, he rose from the water.
aud returned to his prison like one who
has performed sacred duty and feels re-
signed to all future consequences. But
there was nothing in his demeanOr, moth
ing in his glance, nothing in his expires
sion that would have afforded stranger
ignorant of the fact, clue TO the terrible,
fearful truth that he had not two weeks
longer to live, and that before this day two
weeks he would suffer the penalty of bOr-
ribie crime, and his lifeless corpse would
dangle from the public gallows.
Shut off from all hope and alone with
the shadow OF his swiftly approaching
doom, day after day as he has been, his
lack of singularity or difference from
other men while sitting quietly in church
ls-day WAS something wonderful.
No channels traced in his young cheeks
by the bitter tears OF despair, no haggard
look of unutterable woe, no drawn and
features marked the effects OF
,py mental agony or deadly soul struggle
with the awful fate before him. Hut for
Inc officers near him, no one would have
singled him out as the man whose head
hung suspended by thread that every
minute Was wearing IN two, the sword Of
Justice and the shadow Of q violent death
" the ignominious means purposely pre-
cribed by human law for the worst crime
Known to man.
The Ceremony was opened by the old
ong, There is Fountain Filled with
Blood" and then an excellent and appro-
,riate prayer was offered by Elder Charles
jheuse, aud then the pastor Of the church
ed the candidate into the water and with
he fitting and formal words of holy re-
igion buried him in the sacred symbol of
hat power which washes away all sin.
The dripping figure of John A. Phelps
ras led back to the Jail by the officers in
barge, and when he next emerges int
he bright sunlight of the outer world it
ill be the hour for him 10 look his last
{ sun and sky, and human faces and al,
he familiar objects of life before those
rowu eyes of his are sealed in eternal
LOOM May he be borne up by the hope
nat is fixed on future world on that
wful day, and may he suffer as little as
ian can suffer in swapping the link that
inds to life, for the law does not seek to
tie its revenge on the criminal, but for
he protection OF human life by the ex-
mple of the execution of the criminal,
nd to show all men that the sacred jewel
human life will ever be defended by the
yord of Justice.