The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-29
LYNCHING IS MURDER.
"Thou Shalt do no Murder"--TlmeIy Text
for all the Preachers In The State.
Aiken Journal and Review, MarcA4.

Aiken Journal and Review, March4.
Sunday night at the Baptist Church
the Rev. E. E. Bomar preached a SER
mon on lynching, of which we give
below an abstract. The fine audi
ence present listened with close atten-
tion to the words of the preacher. His
text was from Exodus, n of the
Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt
do no murder" The preacher said :
Some think that this not a proper
theme for a preacher in his pulpit.
Such would divide all the world into
men, women and preachers. But q
preacher is not a man apart from all
the world ; a hermit is, a priest is, or
may be, but a preacher, never. He
must be one of the people, and
while not of the world, not world
ly-minded, he must yet be in the
world.
If it is objected that the theme is
sensational, the reply is, so is crime.
That sentiment is faulty which makes
pets of preachers and insists that they
should always dress in the latest style,
and preach only tender, hortatory SER
mons. Sin is a dirty thing, and he
who really deals with it., meets it
and fights it, must throw away his
gloves and his dress suit and meet it
as it is.
We have precedent for denuncia-
tory sermons. Before Jesus was John
the Baptist; before the Gospel Sinai
and the law. The apostle Paul in his
letter to Titus says: "Put them in
mind to be subject to rulers and again
in writing to the Romans, "Let every
soul be subject to the higher powers.
For there is no power but Of God; the
powers that be are ordained of God"
And yet again "These things speak
and exhort and rebuke with all author
ity."
Therefore I think it my duty to
preach on this theme, and I advance
as the distinct topic of the discourse
this proposition: Lynchine is never
justifable, not even in the most ag-
gravated cases. I know what it is to
feel the indignation which animates a
mob against a mar guilty Of a terrible
crime, for I have witnessed (both times
by Echance) two lynchings. I know
that this may be brought home even
to me at some time, but for all that |
say that lynching is never justifable
in a we'll governed State like South
Carolina. Plausible excuse are Civ
en-, but none that justiies. Some say
there's no use in talking about it, but
I say there is use, and I will talk.
There is need of enlightening public
sentiment, and it is for hat I plead,
for the sentiment which stands on
principle and refuses to justify lynch
ing, no matter how aggravated the
crime. I know that lynching is a sort
of wild tribute to justice. If men did
not care for purity and sobriety they
would never lynch men for rape and
murder. | know also that the state
of our society is different from that Of
our sister States. I am not here to
SANDER my own State and uncover her
shame. I love her too well for that.
But certainly she is guilty. Her
own people have trampled on her laws
and in the name Of justice have over
turned the throne of justice. The
simple truth is that in the name of
righteousness they have done UPRIGHT
eousness; in the name of sobriety they
have been guilty of lawlessness; in the
name Of safety, murder.
The preacher then went oa to show
why lynching is wrong. He gave five
reasons, some low and some as high
as heaven, which all can remember
and think on. Lynching is wrong be-
cause it is a costly thing, a dangerous
thing, a foolish thing. 1t sets at de-
Gance the laws of the country, insults
sobriety and, in the eyes o.: God, is
nothing more or less than murder.
/. This lynching is apt to prove
costly. A part of Section 6, Article
6, of the Constitution reads as follows:
SIN all cases of lynching when death
ensues the county where such lynch
ing takes place shall, without regard
to the conduct of the officers, be liza.
Bile IN exemplary damages of not less
than two thousand dollars to the legal
representative of the person lynched."
This is a very practical and sordid
consideration, but necessary in view
of the assertion sometimes made
that lynching is the easiest and cheap,
est way to get rid Of notorious crimi-
nails.
2. It is a dangerous thing. 1t is
not always true thatmobs get the right
man. Frequently it becomes known
in after years that they got tae wrong
man. How can a frenzied mob do
Justice =? The state of mind which
renders l%ynching possible makes true
iuIomant imnossihla whore there is