Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-15
SHALT NOT KILL.
Last Evenings Sermon in Rev +
W. Merrell's Series.
A discourse Which in the Regular
Order Was ID, 4. FRED. Preached
at the F1rryt Chur:h.

The Sixth Comm andment, which was
deferred at the time for which it was an =
was presented at the First
Methodist Episcopal church last evening
by the pastor. Rev. F. W. Merrell. Rev.
DR.. Rhes, pastor of the First church 20
years ago. was present and addressed the
in touching words of greet
ing at the close of the discourse: The text
was from Exodus 2013:
Thou Shalt Not Kill"
This commandment. said the speaker,
touches upon the sacredness of human
life. It's sense may be better given by
the words, Thou shalt do no murder"
Scripture should be interpreted by scrip
ture. The expression, ito KILL" refers
to all life, whether of man or the lower
animals. Whereas we are expressly told
in Genesis that every moving thing that
liveth shall be meat for you" There
are these who regard this commandment
as q prohibition of animal food for man.
They 60 by the name of vegetarians
Such sn Interpretation of this passage
ransgresses the canon of Interpretation
above referred to. Animals were later
divided into clean and uuclean, and near
" the same distinction prevails now with
respect to those fit anG unfit for food.
But authority is nowhere given to man
waDtonly to destroy animal life, to kill
for mere sport or 20 crafty the brutal
element in his nature. or to satisfy the
heartless behests of fashion. To take
life for any purpose except for mans we'll
fare is certainly against the spirit of this
commandment.
Webster defines murder thus, ito kill
with premeditsted malice" Hence all
taking of human lie is not murder, as
human law speaks of degrees of guilt, so
the, bible recognizes exceptions to the gen.
,rsl law.
Law. human ans divine, permits the
il Fiction OF death in the e1, cution of
justice, "Whosoever sheddeth mans
OloCd, BY man shall his blood be shed. -
The svenger of justice is thus recognized
as shsying powers that the or
binary il d vidual does not have.
Much has been urged against the iDfiic-
ton of capital punishment and no doubt
with good reason. At the beginning of
this century in England nothing was
cheaper than human life, In the eye of
English law q rabbits life was worth
more than mans, for an attempt on the
former cost the latter his life. There
were 223 capital effenses. Among these
were such misdeme6uors as injuring
Westminster bridge stealing five shill
ings. cutting young rees. etc. There has
been a great reaction from this extre me.
The progress of society is nowhere seen
more than in the estimate it places on hu>
man Ire. This much~mooied question
will sCme day be settled by the total Grad
ication of the vicious classes. Till then
society possesses the right to remove by
the death penalty the dangerous elements
and will probably continue to do so
According to the word of God there is
such thing as just and Law full war.
some good people haye tcruples against
war for any reason, even in self defense
We are fast approaching a time when all
swords shall be broken into plowshsres
and pruning hooks. When England aud
America repeatedly arbritste their differ
eDces, certainly the lime is not far away
when q universal peace congress shall
arbitrate all differences, and war will be
at an end. Till then the bible recognizes
the rights of nations to guard their own
interests The doctrine Of Tolstui are
not base upon any fair Interpretation of
Gods word. Bloooshed in self>defense
is permitted in the " ord of God. Acct
dental bloodsheding did not mean incur
ring of guilt from biblical standpoint.
The cities of refuge were appointed for
| the safety and protection OF those who
had unevoidedly By accident taken life.
Turning from these exceptions We find
that murder is OF two kinds, self-murder
or suicide and murder of another. The
former sin was exceedingly common
among the aucients. Many eminent
heather philosophers regarded suicide
as a gallant and heroic way of ending
ones career. Brutus AID Cassius when
defeated by Pompey, Hannibal, Cato and
Cleopatra all persisted by their own hand.
But Aristotle called it mere cowardice. !"
The bible goes beyond and stamps it
as fearful crime. 1t sweeps away the
possibility of repentance. 1t is directly
opposed TO The fundamental principles of
religion, that this life is probation. 1t
is contrary to faith il God. The begin
ming of this sin can often be traced to
dependency and despair. We can mark
the rock on which many q soul has
stranded. We may in all charity believe
that most who take their own lives have
ceased to he responslble. But with
many the beginnings Of the sin lie in lack
of confidence in God. The first preven-
ton is intelligent faith in God. 1t is
hardly to be wondered at that an intidel
should under depress sing circumstances
take his own life. l. would seem but
ma; ural result Such deed is impossi-
BILE TO him who trusts God.
Turning to that sin which is specially
the object of this commandment, we gee
its Nervousness in the following particu
lars. 1t is an interference with the pre-
negative of God, who is the author and
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