The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-01-03


Csseeseaes frem shs Puspss ~ nss.
Gases Dliisy - cssszs.
In vlsu Of The many execntios<
which Save taken place b the Domin-
Ion Q. late, the sermon delivered b
Rev. Canon Nils IA Trinity Church
on Sun lay wss Of more than usual ID
terest Capital punishinent has its
advOcates and opponentS the rector
Of trinity places himself among tie
latter in no ~uncertsin terms. The
text Of his sermon last evening was:
@Dut from the beginning Il was not
sO,S Mahhsw xix- 8, end upsu 1t the
Canon preached g sesihisg condem-
nation Of capital punishment. lie
dab he said, In view Of The many un-
happy crimes conn itted Of late, been
requested to express an opinion upon
the subject and TO state whether the
Punishment VS. In accord with
Christisnifv, O request he was happy
to comply with. The unhappy events
Of the past year had been taken sd
vantage Of By 9 certain portion OF the
press to psnder to the morbid craving
Of sensatiOnalism, which was unfor-
tunately, common 10 some classes Of
the community. The Woodstock mu,-
der had been held up to the public ss
9 saint, asa martyr and rs q hend;
seeording to the Opinions Of those
who made the staiemeh-s, while the
fsc:s was that Il was HE family csE-
n~ec;ion and petition alone which had
awakened sympathy. lie (fhs preach
cry had signed the position for elem
ency In the DIrchall case, not became
be thought him innocent, but because
he firmly believed capital punishment
TO be wrong. lift was right, there
was no doubt that Dirchall had receiv-
ed the due reward Of his misdecds,
foe no other verdict would have bccn
In accordance with the evidence. II
was Chhst's prcrosatiye sione TO take
away tho life he had given, for ven
gence aud retrfbuti0n belonged to
God. The law Of capital punishmeut
was not only opposed 10 the law Of
God, but usurped Gods prercgstive.
The sensaiicuaIism Of ccrtsin writers
Of the day was denounced In unmcss-
ured terms, and the preacher then
proceeded to point to the cos Of Cain,
the hrst murderer, In support Of his
argument that capital puuishment was
wrong. Cain was o murderer Of the
deepest die, but God did not condemn
him TO the gAiI0ws. lie saved him
from his fellow men. The taking Of
q mans life for anothers was, In his
opinion, opposed 10 Gods law. Chris
family should never cease its efforts
TO reclaim the worst Of criminals. The
Church Of Christ should never abandon
O maj Orhuri him out ollie a. unit to
five; to send him TO he'll, q place not
III for man but for the devil In Eng
land in Olden days men had been con-
demned 10 death, m~utilstion and deg
radiation for petty crimes. but this had
not had the decisive effect OF deter
ring criminals, for men stole ycn un.
der the shadow Of the gailows. These
puuishnents had passed away: 80
would capital Punishment for murder.
for Christianity ives opposed to H..
Some Of iis defendants held that it
wan for the good OF society that cspi
tal puuishment should he enforced:
the preacher denied this, for IL was
not In accord with Gods teachings.
There was now q proposal before the
pubic that 9 public hsugmsn should
be appointed. Even ifespitaI pupi1h-
ment were justified, such IN APPOINT
ment was not. Il would be Q national
degradation. In Older days the hang
man used 10 do this work In trem-
bling aud disguise, now we saw 6 pitt
fuI spectacle Ofa man going up and
down ihis country asking for The Off
&c o. Iu'hie hangmsH- lie prayed
l1hat God would save the Dominion
irOn sA.xradatiou. The Law had
70 heIpto degrade any bu-
inan being y ~ssza~<ss~ hsm tc han.
his fellow man. The Jaw
its oficials carry out It, behcs.
resign; they had no right TO engage .
hifeIisE. The sermon was listened
TO thrOugho1s with much inseTesr-
NsatrsaI Gasette