The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-04
CONCEALED
WEAPONS.
A REPROACH TO THE AGE
WORK FOR THE CHURCH.

We copy the following from a
recent issue Of the Western North
Carolina Methodist, published in
AshevilIe:
The direct influence of the teach
ings of Christianity is the incuIca,
ton of brotherly love, OF peace and
harmony, and the forgiveness of
injuries; and, in its wider relations
to human society, to substitute, as
the arbiter Of difficulties between
men, the agencies Of the law for
the exercise of the older, pOre
instructive right of private justice.
This latter right is based upon the
CLAIM to the natural justice of ven
geance inherent to the Individual,
and existing unchallenged in the
absence of the control of the divine
law, and unfortunately and unwiSely
encouraged by social habits and
traditions with such impressive
force as to have all the weight of
the authority of the unwritten law,
until each time as the voice Of the
| divine LaWgiver was heard in the
proclamation, "Vengeance is mine;
/ Will repay, saith the Lord" or in
the milder and more winning pre-
CeptS set forth with such gentle
force in the Sermon on the Mount.
And as Christianity became DIFF
fused throughout the earth, so did
the efficacy of those precepts man
! ifest themselves until, 20 large ex-
tent, men more willingly submitted
to them; and private vengeance,
or obedience to the natural law,
ceased to be among Christians, the
rule Of action; and the injury to the
Individual, or insult to the majesty
OF the public law, was punished
under that code which society, with
the divine law as It's guide and
model, had agreed to frame for It's
own protection and vlndioatiOn.
But the experience of nearly nine
| teen centuries under the ameliOra-
ting influence Of the Gospel Of
Peace has taught Us that a large
portion of mankind still harden
their hearts and cling to the Unborn
rights of revenge or retaliation, and
impatiently reject the lnterpOsition
of law as substitute for it the prompt
passionate application of original
private redress or punishment.
Hence 1t is that, in an age in
wEich we witness so many and
such substantial proof of the spread
of humanizing gospel influences,
we also witness so much tn It re-
minds us of the stubborn adherence
to the thoughts and temper of
unenIghtened, nnregenerated hu-
man temper. Vengeance by the
private hand is as prompt, resent
ment of injury as quick and deadly,
as if the Sicilan code Of the Malta
were our public law, OR as if the
assassin were commissioned like the
Malay to go forth to run amuck and
slay all in ills path. The bloody
calendar Of crime as daily presented
through the press is appalling, and
has appalling significance, because
it bespeaks a low value set on
human life, and also a contempt or
distruSt Of statutory enactments.
" hat the law does not punish is
claimed as private right to redress.
In the United States of America
this murderOus right is insisted on
with freedom which shocks the
European mind Among Euro
peans. whether from the longer
pressure Of social restraints. the
longer cultivation of peaceful social
sentiments, or careful regard for
private life as public property to be
more usefully employed or sacrificed
in military service, the public right
to punish is carefully and jealousy
guarded; infraction npOn that right
is visited with the promptest penal.
ties. Killing is called murder, and
the murderer is hung. But the
European is just whilst he is severe
He enacts the SeyereSt of laws; but.
with tender consideration for the
infirmltieS of humanity, he removes
many of the temptations and faclI
tiles to the ready commission ot
sudden deeds OF violence He
FOEBIDS THE CARRYING OF CONCEAL
ED WEAPONS. In this country Ot
freedom, we claim as right to dc
as we please. The law IN some
States does indeed forbid the carry
ing of concealed weapons. Public
sentiment does not sustain such