The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-11-11

XXX, l3, THE boar of the wood doth
waste it, and the wild beast of the
field doth devour 1t.
By this homely but expressive figure
David sets forth the bad influences
which in olden time broke in upon
Gods heritage, as with swines foot
tramping and as with swine's snout
uprooting the vineyards of prosperity
What was true then is true now. There
have been enough trees of righteous
ness planted to overshadow the whole
earth had it not been for the axmen
who hewed them down. The temple
OF truth would long ago have been
completed had it not been for the icon
oclasts who defaced the walls and bat
tered down the pillars. The whole
earth would have been an Eschol OF
ripened clusters had it not been that
''the boar has wasted it and the wild
beast Of the field devoured it."
] propose to point out to you those
whom | consider to be the destructive
classes of society. First, the public
criminals. You ought not to be sur
priscd that these people make up a
large proportion OF many communities.
In 1869 Of the $4,000 people who were
incarcerated in the prisons of the
country 32,JOO were of foreign birth.
Many Of them were the very despera-
does OF society, OoZing into the slums
of our cities, waiting for an opportun-
ity to riot and steal and debauch, join
Ing the large gang of American thugs
and cutthroats. There are in oar cities
people whose entire business in life 10
to commit crime. That is as much
their business as Jurisprudence or
medicine or merchandise is your busi-
ness. To 1t they bring all their en-
ergies of body, mind and soul, and
they look upon the interregnums which
they spend in prison as so much un.
fortunate loss of time, just as you look
upon an attack of influenza or rheu.
matsm which fastens you in the house
for few days. 1t is their lifetime
business to pick pockets, and blow up
safes, and shoplift, and ply the panel
game, and they have as much pride OF
skill in their business as you have in
yours when you upset the argument OF
an opposing counsel, or cure gunshot
fracture which other surgeons have
given up, or foresee a turn in the
market just before they go up 20 per
cent. 1t is their business to commit
crime, and do not suppose that once
in year the thought of the immoral.
ity strikes them. Added to these, pro-.
fessional criminals, American and for
eign, there is large class OF men who
are more or less industrious in crime
Drunkenness is responsible for much
of the theft, since It confuses a mans
ideas of property, and he gets his
hands on things that do not belong tc
him. Rum is responsible for much OF
the assault and battery, inspiring mer
to sudden bravery, which they must
demonstrate, though 1t be on the face
of the next gentleman.
You help to pay the board of every
criminal, from the sneak thief who
suatches spool of cotton up to some
man who enacts a BLACK Friday
More than that, 1t touches your heart
in the moral depression of the com.
annuity, You might as well think &c
'trG in a closely confined room whe,t
g.. 90 are 80 people and yet not breathe
The y.t!dted air as to stand in a com.
i.Hligr where there are so many OF
tie dnpraved without somewhat beins
contaminated. What is the fire thai
lU.us your store down compared with
t-a congregation which consumes youi
morals! What is the theft of the golt
and silver from your money safe com
pared with the theft of your children!
virtue? We are all ready to arraigI
criminals We shout at the top of oul
voice, Stop thief" and when the po
lice get on the track we come out hat
less and in our slippers and assist ir
the arrest. We come round the bawl
i"g rUi!ian and hustle him off to JUS
tee, and when he gets in prison wha
do we do for him? With great gustt
we put on the handouts and the hop
pies, but what preparation are we max
ing for the day when the handcuffi
ard hopples come off? Society seems
to say TO these criminals, Villain, &c
In there and rot" when ii ought tc
say: You are an offender against tn,
law, but we mean to give you an Op
rortrnity to repent; we mean to helI
you. Here are Bibles and tracts anc
Christian influences. Christ died fol
VOL Look and live" Vast improve
uelts have been made by INTRODUCING
industry into the prison. but we wanl
sOr n,h!ug more than hammers anc
shoe lasts to reclaim these people. Aye
we want more than sermons on tht
Sabbath day. Society must impress
these men with the fact that it does
not enjoy their suffering and that it il
attempting to reform and elevate them
The majority OF criminals suppose tha
society has grudge against them, ant
l.. L at.aF.t