Nevada County picayune., 1889-11-27
THOU SHALT NOT KILL.
Exodus XN: l3.

on Mount Sinai amid the most lfn- pressive surroundings-amid smoke and fire and thunder and the loud sounding of trumpet. Doubtless the deslgn of these solemn and awful accompaniments connected with the giving of the law was Co impress the children of Israel with the monen- tous importance of the occasion and the code of law. there delivered for their government. This brief and vet comprehensive code, thus for the first time promulgated to the world through Gods chosen people, has never been repealed, and will remain the supreme rule for the government of human conduct until the end of | time.
 If is remarkable fact that the most of this law is expressed in neg atives, thereby showing that large part of human life consists in refrain ing from doing wrong. One Of the most emphatic negative command ments is embodied in the short sen- tence heading this article, Thou shalt not kill. The violation of this con- mandment has brought more trouble and misery in the world than that of any other one in the series. From the day that Cain killed his brother Abel, down to the present moment, the records of humanity are stained with blood, and to this source may be traced the most of the sorrow and misery that spread their black pail over the pages of history.
 In the development of this subject the first thing to be settled is, to whom is it applicable: It is clear that it does not apply to the properly constituted authorities of the coun- try. for we find that in the admins tration of the law by those to whom it was first delivered that the penalty of death was inflicted for various of- fences all through their subsequent career as a nation. It was not ap- plicable to organized governments. The powers that be are ordained of God, and they are His ministers to execute vengeance upon evil-doers, so says the great apostle of the Gen tiles. thus affirming the authority of human governments to inillct pun ishment upon violators of law, just as it was done under the Mosaic dis pensation.
 We draw tbe conclusion, there fore. from the divine interpretation of the law, that it is applicable to private individuals, or to any aggre- gation of persons not invested with authority by the government under which they live. Under this divine law no single person, and no mob or unauthorized body of men has the right to take human life, for any real or fancied grievance. According to human law, homicide is justiliable in self defense, but the divine law makes no exceptions in favor Of the man-slayer even in such extreme ca. ses. On the contrary, the general principle is that we shall return good for evil. Not only is killing forbid den, but malice or resentment, or anything that leads to murder IS also forbidden. Murder, as well as adultery, may be committed in the heart. If person harbors malice against another, to all lntents he is guilty of murder in his heart.
 Human life is too sacred to be put at the caprice, or impulse, or passion of irresponsible parties. It IS strange that any rational being should so far forget himself, or his obligations to God and his country, as to perpe- trate the awful crime Ofmurder. That assassins, cut-throats, desperadoes, robbers and burglars should commit such heinous crimes against the peace and good order of society, is not a matter of much surprise, but that decent, respectable, and even honorable men should stoop to such barbarous and haethen practices, Is indeed a matter of profound aston- ishment. Just the other day the newspapers published accounts of a terrible tragedy in Louisville, Ky, in which two prominent citizens butchered each other in the most barbarous and iiendish manner. Our daily papers are full of the recitals of the violations of this law, from justi- fable homicide under human law to the most atrocious murders known in the annals of crime.
 With all the restraints of Christi anity, backed up by the power of government, the crime of murder continues to darken the records of history, and produce its harvest of grief and suffering. When will men learn that the divine law, Thou shalt