Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-05-11
DOES MAN DIE
Precisely at the Time God Appointed.

OF the Gospel, many eminent writer's
and by Sturm in his reflections on
the Works of God,n that "Man dies
precisely at the time that God, in
His eternal wisdom has decreed." If
this be true, being infinitely wise,
and can do nothing without motives
worthy of His Divine nature, He
must have some just cause Tor de-
termining that o particular individ
ual should leave this world at that
particular time, rather than at an
other-even If it required suicide or
assassination to terminate existence.
One man dies of contagious dis
ease, another by sudden, or unseen
accident, another by fire, another by
drunkenness. A mother dies, leav-
ing her babe at The time it is not
prepared for the change; another
executed on the gallows for crime.
A father, whose mind proved to be
sane, burnt his infant to death on
stove, having no excuse, only II was
angry with my wife,"
Lastly, president is assassinated.
l say president, as he is generally
one who is empowered officially, that
the assassin choose for his victim.
Though I desire not to confute the
assertion of Sturm, or writing of en-
inent men, yet fear they have re-
fected too specifically, for God said,
"Thou shalt not kill" And, as he
particularly forbade it, by having
declared positively, that "the muir
derer shall not enter the Kingdom
of God" / shall take my opinion
from the assassination of Presidents
Lincoln, by Booth, aud Garfield by
Guiteau, and ask, did God appoint
that particular time, method and
particular persons to fulfill His de-
cree? II so, His wisdom found means
to direct their death to the most
useful purpose or He foresaw that
longer life, in the particular circum.
stances in which those two eminent
persons were placed, could neither
be of advantage to Him, nor to the
nation over whom they presided.
But God said "Thou shalt not kill :"
therefore He did-according to
Sturm's writing-beeome accessory
to their crime, both spiritually and
temporarily. God forbid that write
in opposition to His divine will, but
how-without His aid-could they
have accomplished their intention
If it be true they were to "die pre-
cisely at the time He, in His wisdom
had decreed," He must have APP
pointed the particular person to as
sassinate each. In either murder
that commandment (Thou shalt not
kilD was repealed to hasten their
death, and the assassins pardoned
for having fulfilled Gods decree, or
He compelled them to do the muir
der, for which He punished, or will
punish them hereatter-who can ex-
plain otherwise
As there can be no reason for the
assassination of Lincoln by Booth,
and Garfield by Guiteau, according
to "Sturm's reflection" except "the
precise time OF their death had come
and could really never be changed
i quote his words literally-he
certainly meant that God does APP
point one man to Kill another, be-
cause "the precise time Of his death
had come" and could not be avertcd.
How does that agree with "Thou
shalt not XIII -
am not particularly DESTROYS to
quote Scripture, yet, to refute tho
idea of God tempting Booth and
Guiteau, it is written "Let no man
say, when he is tempted, / am tempt
ed of God, for God cannot be tempt
ed with evil, neither tempttthHe any
man." st. James 1:I3.
The truth is, God created man,
gave him Free viii, Memory and
Understanding. Free will TO act as
he desires. Having told him to
"Choose whom he will serve" and
with the fearful warning, "My Spirit
shall not always strive with man,"
left him 10 act.
With his free viii, man, forgetiul
Of the warning, can sin the "Sin,
which is unto death Y John sic.
The Spirit Of God, having ceased to
"striye with man." be is ready to
rob or murder; and to that fact ]
attribute the dreadful crimes which
are perpetrated without the sanction
Of God. / hold that no man (not in
Guiding the demenled) can commit
suicide or murder unless the Grace
of God bad left him, | care not
whether lie was minister, Jew or
Greek. He may have been minis.
Ter, and preached the Gospel, yet, if
he committed suicide or murder,
there was something wrong he was
hypocrite--a Judas. God saw that
and left him to set on his own re-
sponsibility.
The Scripture informs US that
MANS days shall be three score and
ten years, if by reason Of the law
Gods law. That IL, If man complies
with Gods commandments, spirit