The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-07
TREATMENT OF CRIMINALS
SUGG ESTI0NS DRAWN BY PASTOR M,LANE FROM THE LIFE OF CAIN.

The Reason of Cain Building u City Punishment for Drunkenness, SO- briety; for likeness, Work; for Theft, Labor, Etc.-The Self Restraint of Cities.
 At the Plymouth church last even- ing the pastor, Rev. Dr. McLane, preached an able sermon, of which an extract is given below on the subject:
 ''The building of city, or the pro- cess of civilizing mankind" from the text, And Cain builded a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch," Genesis iv, 17.
 He said that by the providence of God. if not by his command, Cain was set to the building of city. May there not be a suggestion here as to the treatment of criminals? The aboli- tion of the death penalty for murder in several states has not tended to the suppression of this crime and the fact of so many lynchings is in part, due to the fear of man that by the laws de- lay and the skill of lawyers, criminals may escape just punishment. But despite these facts of recent exper- fence may there not be suggestion here for the general treatment of first offenders? Most criminals who appear in our courts are young, uneducated, unskilled men. The principal of pun ishment in the past has been the grati- fieation of the feeling of vengeance in the minds of men and the infliction of such punishment as might deter others from committing like offense through fear. But no man can determine just what punishment ought justly to be in- ficted in given case. And the object of punishment ought to be the protec- tion of society and if possible the ref ormation of the offender. The most fitting punishment for drunkenness would be enforced sobriety, for idle ness, work; for theft, labor. etc.
 Now God proceeded to civilize Cain by having him build city. Every man begins life with more or less selflshness and disregard of the feelings and rights of others. The family, the tribe, and more perfectly the city civilized man. A city is wonderful state of human fellowship. The man living largely alone in the country may have individ- uality. independence, original thought, etc. but the man in the city will have more regard for the feelings and possi- bly, for the rights of others. This is shown even in our words, for the civil man is citizen and the polite or pol ished man is a member of a city pol ished by contact with men, and the courteous man is man of the royal court.
 A city demands salf-restraint, regard for the property and rights and feel ings of others and the cultivation of a certain public spirit. It has been said that cities are the plague spots of so ciety. But this is due rather to the bringing together and combining in certain associations of bad people rather than to the actual increase of their number And it is better in some ways to have them thus brought to- gether and located and guarded rather than to have them more diffused through society. Life should be view ed always with reference to it's moral meaning and opportunities. The citi- zens of modern cities should appreciate the opportunity of public spirit, of fraternity or personal improvement and public service which are afforded them in a city. It has been said that accord- ing to the record in the Bible human life began in a garden and according to Revelation is culininated in city Whatever the final form of human so- ciety may be certain it is that men are always to be social beings who are to love each other and who are to live together in mutual regard and service. Toward this end the building of cities serves largely to contribute.