Nevada County picayune., 1890-03-26
RELIGIOUS COLUMN.
Edited by GEO. A. GARDNER.
SUICIDE.
Do thysclf no harm.


 Do myself no harm.
 It is evident that the Ethiopian taller intended to kill himself when he was arrested by the kind but em- phatic protest of the Apostle Paul A great earthquake had shaken the iail to it's foundations, thrown w.de open all the doors, unloOsed the bands of all the prisoners, and ne naturally supposed that the prisoners had made their escape. Knowing that the penalty of the Roman law in such cases was death, he determ- med to commit suicide, rather than submit to the cruel process of legal murder; but the timely interpoSi- tion of the Apostle saved him from the terrible crime, and opened up the way doubtless for his subsequent conversion and salvation. The Cos pei in all such cases lays its gentle hand upon the intended self-mur- derer, and says, Do thyself no harm.
 Thousands of people all over the world are committing suicide by slow degrees. Some are drinking themselves to death; some are smoking themselves to death; num- bers are taking the morphine route to destruction; vast multltudes are thronging the shortcut road of glut- tony and sensuality to premature death, and many are worrying them- selves to death by taking unneces- sarv trouble upon themselves, for getting that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof;" while now and then, some rash adyenturer upon un- tried scenes, borne down by the over whelming current of trouble and calamity, cuts short the brittle thread of life and rushes unbidden into the presence of his maker and his judge. All these different methods of com- hitting suicide are morally wrong, though perhaps in varying degrees. It is just as sinful to kill one $ self as it Is to kill any one else.
 The degree of criminaIity in any case varies with the circumstances, mental condition. motives, etc; but at the same time, except where ln- sanity is clearly established, the crime of murder is fastened upon the conscience, and the brand of Gain Is indelibly stamped upon the murder CT. And even ia cases of suicide from insanity, probably in nine cases out of ten the unfortunate victims were responsible for the causes which produced insanity. Drunken ness is a species of temporary insan- ity, under the influence of which many have committed acts of atrocl- ty, from which they would have shrunk with horror in their sober mo- ments; and yet in the judgment Of the civilized world drunkenness is no excuse for crime.
 Public opinion is largely responsi- ble for the prevalence of self-murder in the land because by maudlln sympathy aud faint condemnation it condones the crime, and indirectly encourages others to repeat the tragedy. The common opinion Is that no one will commit suicide eN- cept under the impulses of mental derangement. As well might mur- der, robbery, arson, etc.. be justiIicd on the same ground; for these crimes are all out of harmony with reason and law as much as the crime of suicide. All sin, all crime Is ab- normal. and to a greater or less eN- tent offers violence to right reason and sound judgment. To charge a person with being lunatic because his conduct is unreasonable would subject the majority of the human family to the same charge; for a large majority are unreasonable in their habits and the general course of their lives.
 In order to lessen the frequency of suicide, it should be made odious in popular estimation, and men should be taught that it is cowardly and unmanly to shirk the burdens and re- responsibilities of life. Doubtless trouble, disappointment and gross excesses are the chief factors of this terrible sin; but in most cases they might have been prevented, or forti- tude might have been exercised in submitting to the inevitable,
 In conclusion, Christianity re- quires us to do ourselves no harm, but rather to do all that we can to promote our health, longevity and happiness.