The herald., 1896-07-01
Concerning Suicide


Editor Herald: / have read with in
terest the articles which have lately ap-
peared in The Herald. Each of the
writers has evidently given the sub
ject some consideration But with all
that has ever been written upon this
subject, it is still an unsolved problem
which ali the wisdom of the world"
cannot work out. Reading between the
lines, l see that there are other mysteries
crop up, such as The Origin of Evil, The
Mystery of Satan, Why Evil Is Per-
mitted? etc But as to suicide.
Some years ago in England when
body was found lifeless or inanimate
an inquest was held, and If it could be
demonstrated that the body deliberate
ly took it's own life" (please don't larf)
the very intelligent shopkeepers who
comprised the jury, being instructed by
the coroner, brought in verdict of
Felo-de-se, and as a punishment for it's
crime the body was buried at cross
roads at midnight and a stake driven
through it. This curious ceremony was
finally abolished by "act of parlia-
ment."
Webster defines Felo- desc as zone
who deliberately puts an end to his own
existence" and his definition of suicide
is equally false and nonsenscal. Here
is the point. The body is not the man.
The mind is the man, and the sooner
this simple fact is wrongfully
comprehended by the masses the
sooner will suicide cease. The
body is merely the material envelope, or
house, or habitaton in which the man
dwells. The invisible is made manifest
in the material and the mind should
control the body but the very reverse
OF this obtains in this most ungodly,
anti-Chrstian time of the end
The man has the power to go in and
out of his house. He is repeatedly
pl h,o T
guarded, for Satan is ever on the watch
TO enter in and destroy the temple. The
familiar term absent minded" is cor
rect. Paul tells US that for him to be
absent from the body was to be pres
ent or In close communion with his Lord
and Master, and in no sense does he
refer here to death. The destruction
Of the house does not imply the destruc-
tlon or Its occupant. The man being
absent, Satan enters, and either keeps
possession of the body or destroys it,
which ever Will best suit his purpose
The man, returning, finds his house de-
molished: he is both homeless and naked
or, If he finds his house occupied by
the strong man, he is still naked before
God. Another has taken his habita-
ton. In the first case it is called suicide:
in the other insanity Life in neither
case is destroyed. The destruction of
the body does not alter the mind. The
man who. either through ignorance or
disobedience, finds himself thrust out is
in a most deplorable condition. In the
14th chapter of Johns Gospel we have
it clearly set forth. 27th verse: And
after the sop Satan entered into him
(Judas), and Judas went out as Satan
entered in. .I1d it was now dark; and
after Satan had used the body of Judas
to accomplish his own ends, he (Satan)
destroyed it. The great truth con-
tanned in the communication of J. w.
Carpenter that "All evil doors are either
ignorant or insane" should be kept al
ways in the mind of every person who
reads ii.
Shall be pleased to receive any COM
munication upon this or other kindred
subjects from any person whose mind
is obscured by the contradictory teach
ings of ecclesiasticism.
ED MURRELL.
536 Sand street, Los Angeles.