The age-herald., 1897-12-28
STRONG INK BY 0a HALE
Speaks in no Uncertain Terms Against Epidemic of Murders.
ASHFORD CASE HIS TEXT
Hurderars Have No Place in society-Peope Are Afraid b Express Themselves and
 Judges Are Like Cowards,

Rev. P. T. Hale of the South Side Bap-
 tist church, preached on Sunday last one
 of the most vigorous and outspol1en ser
 mons that has ever been heard in Blr- mingham
 Dr. Hale took for his text. the command ment, "Thou shalt not kill" He stated in the beginning that he had prepared and n- tended to preach on this Christmas Sunday
 sermon suitable to the season of the year-one of love and good will-but in view
 of the sad tragedy that had occurred day or two before, he felt duty bound to lift his voice in potent protest against one of the crying evils of the day
 He said in brief: q look at this com mand from a point of reason that homi- eide Is an injustice to man. mans busi- ness is not in condition to be left without him. He Is not ready to die, to say noth- ing of the injustice to his family mur- der or an attempted murder like that which occurred last Thursday evening Is an outrage upon the community. God has put his disapproval upon it, and our people must learn the enormity of the crime to God, and to man, which prompts the wanton taking of a human life'
 Dr. Hale gave statistics to show that there were more murders in the south than In any other section of the civilized world 'I should greatly dislike to hear a stranger to our people make this statement" said he, but I was born and raised in the south and it is because I love it so that causes me to speak the truth. painful though it be- Instead of murder and hom- icide being on the decrease, it is largely on the increase. I have far more respect" exclaimed Dr. Hale, flor a duelist, horri- ble though that custom be- than I have for man who shoots another down on a public thoroughfare in the presence of la dies.
 IT man tries to avoid difficulty, but in self-defense has to take a human life, he is justified and deserves the sympathy of the community. But a man who takes another's life without doing all an honor able man should to avoid trouble, deserves the condemnation of society e5-
 "The main difficulty is in public opinion Public opinion makes hero of him who has killed his man. Even our children have such ungodly thoughts as these. The pulpit, the press and the courts are among the chief agencies for shaping pub lie opinion. To these sources must be at tributed the laxity of public morals that now hangs like a pail over us. Our preachers do not speak out on such dis agreeable subjects as this; subjects of every day common morality; choosing rather texts that are more pleasing to hear. The press through fear of making enemies or some other cause, passes off
 crime of this kind as a mere news item, possibly makes a few condemnations and then lets the matter drop. Next to the pulpit, the press is the greatest agency
 for forming public opinion, and yet how often the editors of our country neglect
 this blessed privilege, or else use 1t in the wrong direction.
 "Then the courts do great deal to- ward forming the opinion that is now so popular in the public mind. that laws are made but to be broken. and that humAl
 justice is a mockery. They allow the most red-handed murderer to get off on a small technicality. A bond of $1.5O0 is a very small one when we are compelled to meas ure a mans life in money terms. Justice | Is delayed for years and years. simple to tire the public out and in hope that the criminal may escape through some loop hole
 "Pubhc opinion makes the law and public | opinion executes the law. The trouble fs we have ITO public opinion. Begin with tho | boy and teach him that tho taking of
 human life is 6 crime against his God and | against his fellow man. and not @ matter | of so-caIled 7ronor.'
 "While a spirit of Christian forgiveness should always be exercised. a murderer is l not entitled to the high position in society that he now nearly always holds. A mur- derer should receive the frowns rather than the smiles of society. and he should at least be given to understand that he is no better than any other criminal. "When. by the help of God, we get our standards of public opinion raised to such
 levels as these, then we will be in a position to call ourselves truly civilized"
 pr. Hales sermon was an interesting one, and at it's close he received the commen- dation of his congregation for the bold stand he had taken in defense of society and the position he maintained in reference to red-handed murderers, in protesting against their being made lords and insist | ing they should be thrown out of the ranks af r.,iaI