Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-09-29
Punishment to he Effective Must Punish,
Oih.rw iso IT, VIII Never Prohibit.

o'hrrwls 1t Will Never Prohibit.
Mere Scntlmentality Is out Of place
III dealing with crime. 70 make pets
'f rntfi;tnS. to seek to justify lawlrss-
ness because rrsortcd to in order to
right wrongs. real or imagined. or to
attach any dignity to lawless acts be-
cause ticpated in by Il great num-
Der of persons, shows a sad subservi-
:ncc to S>,atmentality on the subject Of
crime. We cannot forget that any
such sentimentalty is d.shonoring to
God Nowhere in the Bible is CRIME
lightly spoken of, or lawlessness re-
Sar.lrd as Il mere result Of unfortunate
environment.
While in the sentimental treatment OF
crime we assume an attitude antago-
niStic to the honor Of God. we assume
also an attitude opposed to the welfare
OF the community in which the crime
has been perpetrated. When God
gave Moses the Ten Commandments
and the whole law with its minutencss
OF detail and comprehensivcness of
purpose and detiniteness of principle,
he propounded law good for every
nation and every community. No com
munity in which both saints and sin
ncrs dwell can devise better to-day. In
matters Of law we build best when we
build according to the pattern which
has been shown us in the Mount. But
If laws are practically made to he
broken. or the lawless spirit is to he
ignored. then laws are an aggravation
and curse to q community. Human
nature resents law, and the very com
mand. thou shalt or thou shalt not,
rousrs the spirit Of perverseness that
dwells within the heart. The forbid
den fruit has Il bloom seemingly pos
srSSed by no other. Unless therefore.
law is to be enforced it had better not
be rntnciated. Halfway prosecution
is simply persecution. Away with the
gibbcts if no man is to be hanged.
But law is a necessity. 1t deters many
q man from the commission of wrong,
even though it may not affect his heart.
If it insurcs the punishment of the
wrongdocr. so that he does no further
wrong. or. so that others by the fear
Of punishment are restrained from like
evil deeds. the community is the gain
or. The community being on more i'm
portance than the individual by so
much as the whole is greater than its
parts. the first practical use of law Is
its benefit to the community. Law is
of the offender. because it is the child
Of innate justice. and justice is ever
a'ert to bring all creatures and all Gre
ated things up to its answering meas
ilr"s and standards.
While sentimental views of law
breaking and sentimental petting of
thieves. Anarchists. murderers and
criminals generally. are dishonorlns
to God and opposed to the best inter-
cstS of any community. they are also
contrary to the best welfare of the sin
hrr himself. Punishment to be effec-
live much punish, otherwise it will
;l"vrr prohibit. Moreover the man who
realizes that respectable people are
busy making his crime any less horri-
3c-iook;ng than 1t really is. will lose
any sense of penitence which prompt
aud sufficient punitive measures would
y" likely to produce. There seems to
b. no doubt that murtlerers who have
been enabled by somebody's weak SEN
timentality to put off their day of doom
have again and again been deluded in
to the expectation Of escaping eXecu-
ton altogether. The concern of such
has centred itself upon the escape from
punishment in this life rather than up
IN preparation for eternity. n prepara-
lion already too long delayed When
S"ntim 'ntality has done its best and
failed in rcscuing its object from death,
who will say that it has not been re-
>ponSib,e for the sinners neglect of his
opportunity for seeking and finding
pardon and life eternal through re-
pcntance towards God and faith in
nur Lord Jesus Christ? For the triple
reason. that divine righteousness may
y" honored. that the community may
% Safc=uarded and that the sinner
may know that sin is exceeding sinful,
md that i is an evil and bitter thing
:" defy law. we must dismiss weak
and mnu.ll.n sentimentality. 90 about
establishing the righteousness of the
law and give to sin of every kind its
proper name. and as far as possible. its
'luc p,miShment.-New York Observer
.Presbyter!an).