The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-08
IN THE CHURCHES sunday
4 Sermon Against Suicide by Rev.
Samuel McBurney.
The MAN Who TAKES his LIFE
Heaven IL Closed Against Him-The Eff
feet Of Suicide On the COMMUNICATES
Degrading and Demorafizing Infiu-
enoss-GsneraI Church News and Notes.

At the Asbury Memorial M. K. church
last evening the pastor. Rev. S. McBur-
ney preiched on "Suicide." The
preacher chose for his text s.. Matthew
xvii. s, "And went and hanged him
self"
Mr.. McBurney said ''Such Is the
final scene in the history of Judas, who
betrayed and sold the Saviour for thirty
d ieces Of silver who afterwards, over
come with remorse carried the silver to
the priests in the temple and cast 1T
down before them and then went forth
and hanged himself.
Suicide has become terribly frequent
of late. Within single month have
counted forty-thrce suicides in the daily
papers. 1t seems to be contagious, NOR
bi0 minds eiling on real or supposed
hardshiDs are wont to muse over the de-
tailed accounts OF these occurrences, aud
the false glare OF courage thrown over
them, until in a moment Of intense ex-
citement or temporary insanity IL seems
manly TO initiate the exampre- of the
poor deluded victims OF their own hands.
1t Is an old but true IN AKIN that self
preservation Is the first law OF nature,
and "wEat think you" said Socrafes to
Aristodomus "of this continual love OF
takes possession of us the moment we are
conscious of existencer
81 think OF it," WAS the reply. "as a
means employed by the same great and
wise artist deliberately determined to
preserve what he has made"
Man the Only Suicide.
The principal Of self preservation te-
ing so strong and universal. makes the
subject of suicide proportionately sing
ular. 1t is also deserving of notice that
no other creature OF Gods creation, save
man. is guilty OF this crime. The
wounded deer will run from its pursuer
or turn in desperation and fight To its
last breath for life; but man, endowed
with knowledge, reason and responss
bility, alone OF all Gods creation will de-
liberately take mis- own lie. Statistics
disclose the curious facts that suicide is
more common in some countries than ia
others, that II is largely confined TO ales
and that it seldom occurs la early life.
In the young days OF the Roman repub-
lie suicide was comparatively unknown
until after the battle of Pnarsalla.
England, Germany aud France ha &c slf-
Tered more from suicide than any other
nation, and France among the nations
wears the belt for suicide.
There are two reasons assign for the
rarity OF suicide among females, Gae frsG
Lciuk tuc kIedlcE kcutltIcsS OF CndiaC-
ter, and the second the more general
resignation to divine Providence.
Woman has more faith anu fortitude
under suffering, and this Is merely
another manner Of stating that in gem
eral she LAS more common sense tnan
man.
Cause OF Self Murder.
The causes OF suicide may be divided
into three departments, virtuous, vicious
aud irresponsible. The former applica-
tion Is in Qualified sense. / am not
prepared to CLASS Regulus. Codrus and
Socrates with men VINO, degraded and
imbruted by dissipation, plunge into the
uncertain future. Some contend that
all suicides are committed during "a
period of temporary insanity, but in
many cases IL will be found to proceed
from more than one cause. The history
Of suicide shows that all the
passioas OF our nature are capable
Of beiug SO arousei as to supply a
motive Cor self. estruclion. Lucretia
WAS influenced by shame, Mago aud Han
nibal Dy fear, Aorian by pain, aud Juda S
anu Plate by remorse. Suicide Is sin
against Goi, a sin against its victims,
and "A sin against society at large. God
alone is tue arbiter of human life, and
hs alone can say when and how lile snail
be given bacN TO him. st. Paul said to
the Pnillipian jailer, do thyself 10
HARM" and that is the voice Of Chris
tianity TO the world today.
This life Is one OF PROBATION and dis
cipline aud the period o. probation and
he character of the discipline are deter
mined by an infinitely wise and good
God. When, therefore. man terminates
aDruptly his own existence he rusnes un-
biddeu into an unchanging state and
cuts off all possibility of amendment or
reform. Jesus Christ has power on
earth " to forgive sins, but no wnere is il
said that he has power 10 forgive sins
elsewhere. Man who deliberately takes
his own life, shuts the door of heayen
a-ainst himself forever
Don't be suicide. Don't shorten your
DAYS and becioud your future life by
anxious care for He VINO feedeth a mul-
titude Of nghtwin4ed songsters carcth
for you
IL was the loss OF hope that led
Judas to despair. The absence of hope
is then the canker worm gnawing
at the vitals of the distressed and unfor-
tunate every y here. He ~ pibic bene-
factor who so unfolds the gospel as To re-
kindle hope on tue desolats altar of
j ded hcarc, aud shows to the world that
there is something better for mea than
to run after DEATH
Never despair or give up hope. Stand
lug in the fullness of manhood let us
smile at the difficulties aud disappoint-
ments of life even as we smile at the
passing clouds which only shadow cur
path but never hinder our progress.
Olly ia "A state of society abandoned
to heaven eau suicide become popular
and tie state has right TO demand
that the law OF natural conscience aud
the law Of God touching the sacredness
OF life shall be respected.
Enjoying the fullness of life let us
hold 1t simply and loyalty for the Giver,
to be taken back at His own time and ia
Ills own way.
baptist.
Yesterday. was the twenty-eighth ami