The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-23
A SERMON AGAINST MURDER.
The Characteristic Crime Of the United
States.
From the Ne,us and Courier.
States.

The following plain but thoughtful
and suggestive sermon against mur-
der, a crime now so common IN our
State and never capitally punished
where it is committed by white men,
was delivered in the Presbyterian
ehurch, at Yorkville, by the pastor,
Rev. w. S. Neville. The suggestions
Of speedy trial and no bail, in all
eases of homicide, should receive the
serious consideration of our people if
they are really in earnest in their ex-
pressed wish to put stop to the
prevalence of bloody crimes:
Moreover, ye shall take no salts
faction for the life of murderer,
which is guilty Of death; but he shall
surely be put to death. Numbers
1zxy, 81.
This text brings to our attention
the general subject Of murder.
Let US consider first the enormity
Of the crime. God teaches us in His
word that murder is one Of the most
atrocious crimes that can be commit
ted by man; and our enlightened
Judgment corroborates Gods estimate
ofthis sin. There is more involved
in this sin, perhaps, than in any
other. In order to realize. to some
extent, at least, the comprehensive
sweep Of the issues involved in this
sin, just consider, for moment, how
the man who is murdered is affected.
He lis ushered into the untried and
lawful realities Of eternity, and, as
rule, without moments warning.
His connection with this world is for
ever severed and his destiny is eter-
nally sealed.
The man who commits murder is as
suming prerogative which belongs
10 God exclusively, and one which is
especially sacred to Him. Hence the
nan who takes this prerogative and
exercises it without the direct permis-
sion of God is guilty Of a very heinous
crime in the sight of God.
Murder is sacrilege in God S sight.
sIsis infinitely different from taking
the life of dumb brute. It is not
oaly violating commandment OF
Gsd-this is bad enough-but it is
defacing the image Of God. Il is
practically an effort to put an end to
being who is made in the image OF
God. Yes, the murderer does all ne
can to .annihilate not only product
Of Gods creative power, but person
Who was made in the image of God
and who bears upon his very being the
stamp Of Deity.
Oh, how deep man has sunk into
the depths of iniquity who can commit
this crime! Human language is too
weak to depict the real character of
this sin. It is as black as hell itself.
Take as an example to illustrate the
real character Of this sin the horrible
crime committed a short time ago at
Lake City, in our own beloved State.
By looking at that crime you can have
some conception as the real character
of murder. Look at the dark picture.
Men going to the home Of an unpro-
tected family in the darkness of the
night, while the inmates Of that home
are asleep, and actually setting fire to
the house; and then shooting the poor
creatures down like rabbits as they
try to escape from the advancing
danes! See that mother, with the
true instinct of mother, carrying in
her arms her infant child, thus help
ing the helpless, and these fends in
human form actually shooting the lit
tie innocent child! Could the devil
himself have been guilty of more
atrociors crime? And just to think,
my friends, that this cowardly crime,
this devilish deed, was committed by
South Carolinians! We have been
proud Of our bravery and chivalry; and
jnstly so; but black blemish has
been placed upon our fair escutcheon.
Who would have thought that sutfi-
eient number Of South Carolinians,
even from the mountains to the sea-
beard, could have been found who
would commit such a cowardly act!
Let us hope that the number in our
beloved State who are capable of COM
mitting such a crime is very small.
In the next place let me call your
attention to the fact that this crime
is on the increase, especially in this
country. Statistics show that mur
der in the United States is increasing
With startling and alarming rapidity.
The number has been growing until
80 $1,000 kbor top thouco Il