Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-07-12

Gardner Block, Grand Rapids, Wis.
From THE WAUsAU CENTRAL we
copy small portion of very able
sermon delivered in the Presbyterian
church there June II by Rev. VIM.
r. Stewart, the pastor. The text is
taken from 2 Sam. XIV-14. We
wsuld be glad to publish the whole
but cur space forbids He says
And my friends there are agitations
at large in the country to-day, strong
intimations that we have fallen upon
just such times as these, that at least
demand a respectful consideration
from those who value our present sys-
tenn of government, and who are
mindful of those blessings which have
been transmitted to us at such a cost
of blood and treasure. There are
discontents, dissatisfactions somewhat
RGHCldl, oOuuuo IlkG ILS lOW muGU6E-
.ings Of distant thunder born to the
ears of those who watch and listen
who are not intoxicated with the
grand accomplishments, nor absorbed
with the personal plans, of the present
which every patriot is interested in
studying, and which should cause
every christian to investigate his per-
sonal neglects in the past and his
duty in the future. There are in
society, large bodies Of unorganized,
but lawless and yicio men, and also
unthinking and irresponsible ones
ready to attach themselves
to any popular commotion.
These vicious and lawless as recent
events have shown, as the war of
the rebellion evidenced are not all
petty thieves nor little Williams, nor
always low in the scale of social stand
ing; sowing dissatisfaction and
complaints, UNDECIDED, often pre-
eipitate revolutionary acts, which
though premature, involve the
community in disaster, and cause an
unhealthy and unsettled condition of
things for some time subsequent.
Wrongs and grievances unrebuked Or
passively endured, become the habit
rather than the exception, their per-
petrators claiming the fallacious right
of precedent and resisting with
indignant scorn an intermedling with
their prerogatiyes, made bold by success.
Men are now in groups, through the
papers, on the rostrum, all over this
country speaking against the existing
order of things, claiming that as at
present administered justice is lame as
well as blind, while her sense of feeling
Is unduly sensitive That crime to 90
unpublished must only be brilliant in
scheme, and magnificent in scope
and that if criminal be popular and
attractive as an AbsaIom, or able to
command funds to defray the expense
there will be no difficulty in procuring
the service Of some wise woman from
Tokoan," who shall invent scheme,
to befog the jury and defraud the
people-These mutterings as the
honest expressions of a sense Of
injustice have tendency to encourage
bad men, to look to opportune
moments, for the qualification of their
unholy desires, and they impel others
who have real or fancied wrongs, to
become their own avengers either in
person, or by improvised courts
Such an unstable state of the public
mind, soon lapses into anarchy twin
sister of governmental despotism. A
notable instance condrmatory of this
statement has occurred in a hitherto
quiet and orderly town in Pennsylvania,
where noted politician deceived a
young woman, and when the father
seeks an interview with her betrayer,
he is shot down. In the trial the
man is cleared and this last week
returns to the scene of his former
crimes, only to be slain by the hand
of the sen and BROTHER of his victims.