The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-11
qHE CRIME OF Suicide.
Rev. Mr.. Heisig,' in a Sermon.
Referred to Miss Aggie
Scots Sad Act.

When the startling news that Miss Aggie
Scott, OF Greenvills, had attempted to com
init suicide, was flashed throughout the city
there were many who said, ut was the only
way open to the poor girl,'' and many de-
ciared hat her course was justified. Last
night Rev, Theodore Heisig of the First
Baptist Church, whose attention had been
attracted by the sad affair, preached an ex-
ceilent sermon on SIS suicide ever justif-
able" and made reference to Miss SCOTS
atDempt to take her own life. He said:-
n CRIME OF SUICIDE.
line crime OF suicide is very prevalent,
ana seems to be increasing. It Is impossible
TO pick up any newspaper without being
snocKed at the number of persons, men,
women and even children who have taken
Their own life Or have attempted to do SO.
HISTORY records the suicide Of many noted
persons. Cleopatra, Egypts beautiful but IL
centlous queen. Nero, Rome's bloody en-
peror, and Cato, the philosopher. God creates
us, and De alone has the power to call us
hence. His church saws tDo thvself no
harm
The way to escape the pain Of illness is
not to commit suicide, but to live and be-
llevs in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Episco-
pal service for the dead cannot be read over
the body OF a suicide. The Catholic Church
refuses the burial of q suicide in consecratsd
ground. In England, during the reign of
George ~, a suicide was buried at dead of
night and a stake driven through his body.
All his property was confiscated. At the
present time, in England, a sui
eide is always buried at night.
between the hours Of nine and twelve
o'clock. But do not intend to preach q
sermon on the sin Of suicide. The suicide of
body and soul is never justiiable is never
excusable. If committed in the funp presence
OF reason we are compelledt to believe in a sin
objectionable.
A JUsT1FIABLE SUICIDE.
but there is q suicide that is iustifabls,
necessary, and frequently commanded. That
Is the suicide Of our carnal nature. Repeat
ediy we are commanded to cruelty, to put
to death the flesh. That lis, the desh,
or, as it is sometimes call
ed, our carnal nature. I say
this because in times past very few have I'M
derstood by flesh or carnal nature the human
body. The body has been made the Scape-
goat of mems sins. The old idea was that
SIN has Its origin in the body, which is not
true. The body is not in itself sinful. The
soul is good or bad. The body is simply the
instrument Of our souls.
In every man there are two natures, q
good and a sinful nature. The Qood is
called spirit and the evil flesh, or carnal
nature. We are all conscious of these two
natures. We feel an impulse within us to be
holy. That is the spirit of God. When we
feel an impulse towards all Kinds Of sim
envy, strife, murder that is flesh. One OF
these two natures must die. Neither will
give quarter to the other. Flesh must die or
the spirit must die. Which shall it bea
What is it that takes men and women
into the saloon and gambling hslls What is
it that leads men and women to envy wrath,
pride, Sabbath breakinga 1t is the flesh.
This feshly nature is a usurper. God did not
create it. We are made in the image of God,
and this flesh was not in our maker. Hence
we find that he never sinned, though severely
tempted. Self preservation is the first law
Of nature. Self preservation demands that
we numerically slay our flesh. But why
must we cruelty flesh! Because it never
dies a natural death. Everything has
within itself germs Of decay and death, ex-
cept our carnal nature. That is immortal
Flowers wither, decay and die. Birds and
beasts die, but flesh our evil nature lives on
and on. 0, young man you feel within you,
impulses to evil. You indulge in them. You
say after a while those impulses will grow
strong even when body dies. No one viii
ever or can ever stay your carnal nature. It
must be a clear case Of suicide. Others can
only STAY your body.
MISS SCOTS SAD ACT.
MANY reasons are given for suicide. Let
us note a few Of them. I pick up q news
paper and read Of one who has ATTEMPTED to
take her life because she is disappointed in
love. She had set her affections upon a GER
tain young mar who did not reciprocate her
love. Now the world looks empty. There
is nothing, she says, to live for and then she
attempts to kill herself as though death
would unite her to her loved one. II it
could, there might be some reason in her
act. As long as your flesh is living you are
disappointed in love, though you do not
know it. Do you know why you have so
many restless hoursa Do you know why
more cheerful? 1t is because you are q re-
jected lover. Your inmost soul longs for
companionship, but he cannot take you as
his bride until you have slain your old
nati1ra y