Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-02-07
JUDAS INDICATED.

rounds OF Lne press charging Ouudo
with having on one occasion signed
a petition to establish saloon i'll Je-
rusalem. | don't know where the
author Of this charge got his infor-
nation, | think | have seen every
thing in the Bible, and | don't re-
member to have seen any statement
there to Harrant the allegation. So
4 rise in behalf Of the much abused
Judas. For centuries this man has .
been handled severely fer the dark
sin Of betraying the Son Of God,
which was most terrible mistake,
no one will deny. And now, after
more than eighteen hundred years,
fraught with anathemas on his name
for betraylng innocent blood, a
worse charge is brought against the
miserable man. A worse charge.
Yes, for the following reasons!
l. In betraying Prince Emanuel,
Judas likely felt sure that no harm
would come oft, knowing that the
incarnate God possessed the power
to deliver himself out Of the hands
of those who would cruelty him.
Judas thought, possibly, to simply
furnish the Jews an opportunity to
contribute to the common fund,"
without injury to the Lords Christ
or any one else. That he hung
himself when he saw the Savior
would be put to death, serves to
show. the betrayal didn't terminate
as he expected. The idea that in
nocent blood would would flow from
his act overwhelmed unfortunate
and mistaken Judas, and through
deepest remorse he took his own
life. Now if Judas had signed a
whisky petition, he would have done
so. knowing that shedding of blood
and death would ensue. He could
have looked at the results of liquor
selling and discovered this fact. lie
would have known that TO assist n
establishing saloon in which men
were to drink and die, would have
made him a murderer. This respon-
sibility he could not assume. /
don't believe Judas was mean
enough to sign ! whisky petition.
2. Judas was cash man. He dld
not do business on a credit, or take
chances on anything. When he did
any piece of work, he knew just
what he would be paid for it: Judas
was a man of sound mental faculties,
and. therefore, knew that a saloon
would add nothing to the legitimate
business of Jerusalem. He knew
furthermore that the business pros
perity of his town was just IN pro-
portion to the efficient productive
Industry of every one who traded IN
the city, and he knew that whisky
lessened every mans capacity, who
drinks, to produce wealth. He
knew every time man spent hfteen
cents for drink, his chances for
that amount would have been good,
if there had been no saloon in town.
He knew that saloon meant higher
taxation and danger to life and prop
erty. All these things being true,
to charge Judas with having signed
a whisky petition is equal to calling
him fcoi, and | don't believe he
was. There is nothing in the record
to indicate it. :.
3. The results of the liquor busl-
ness are want, poverty, beggaFy,
tears. heartaches, widowhood, or
phanage, crime, bloodShed, jails,
penitentiaries, hangings, eternal
damnation. can't believe that Ju-
das was mean enough and lunatIc
enough to have petftiored Tor all
these horrible results to come upon
The neopls with whom he lived anu
fTa0ed. Is well as himself. Only
men who love whisky, and men Who
want to sell it, are so lost to sels-re-
spes.st ae "a st whisky . -
! tia but 81 increasing trim %
any community morally, soclaaly
and financially. The man whe says
that saloons build up town, lies n
: the face of all facts and records. M
man can prove that Judas was
liar. t
In conclusion, I say it cannot b
: proved that Judas signed . whIsk.
na4;t;on He was above such
thing. Ifhe had helped to estab
lish q saloon, he could not hav'
summoned up courage enough t
have looked into the- faces of thu
women and children of Jerusalem
I insist that dead men shall not b
charged with infamous deeds tina
they would have scOrned to stoOp .
JUSTICE.
; ; COpiah county, Jan, 1885.
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