Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-26
NO MORE LYNChlNG.
nu. HAWTHORNE SPEAKS To
YOUNG MEN ON THIS THEME.
MUST UPHOLD TEE CIVIL LAW
This the Duty of Every Christian
and Pntriof-"Thc Man Who Nio-
Intes His Country's Laws Traitor
to His Country's Flag"

Rev. Or. J. b. Hawthorne strongly con
demned lynchlng and disregard for the
law of our land I'm an address made al
the mems meeting at the Young Mems
Christian Association Hall Sunday after
noon. His theme was THE obligation OF
Every Christian and Patriot 10 Uphold
civil Law and Authority" and the adj
dress was highly interesting. The attend
ance was very large. Or. Hawthorne be-
gan:
In compliance with the request Of the
secretary Of this association l am here
this afternoon to yspeak briefly Of the
obligation Of every Christian and patriot
TO uphold civil law and authority 1 am
sure that you will agree with me when
i say that there Is a condition Of things
in our country which renders the discus
sion Of this subject timely and important.
The most vital interests Of society de-
mand that We shall accentuate more than
! ever respect for law. reverence for au-
thority obedience to "the powers that
be-" ON the hastings on tho lyceum plat
! form, in the halls OF learning, and from
! the pulpit this question should be exalted
and magnihed. There Is a great educa-
| tional work 10 be done along this line,
! and IL should be done speedily and we'll
TO those who cherish a love Of personal
| freedom. no word Us more offensive than
| slave. with that word is associated all
| that is most revolving in tyranny and
/ cruel in torture But this fact did not
deter the apostles from the use Of IL IN
expressing the Christians relation TO God
/ and his Christ.
APOSTLES. SLAVES OF GOD.
Why did the apostles rejoice in calling
themselves the slaves of God? They did
it for the very obvious reason that no
other word i'm the Greek language would
SO well serve their purpose IN emphasizing
the absoluteness of Christs authority.
Such language startes the generality Of
men. and 10 Is for this reason that we use
it, IL was for this purpose that the spirit
OF God inspired the apostles To use II.
Most OF men must be startled before they
viii seriously consider who Christ IS;
what lie offers to do Tor them, and what
lie demands they shall DO for Him.
Christ and Ills apostles were reformers.
and all great and successful ref0rmers are
given to intensity of speech. Such inten-
sity indicates cl-arncss of conception
depth Of conviction, and honesty and sim
gleness OF purpose
We call Christ Lord and Master. but 40
we know and realize the fun significance
TO confess that he owns MS, ana that it
is his right to rule us everywhere. at an
times, and jan all things.
The most Of men would accept Christ
as "a Saviour if they could do 10 without
submitting Co Him as a Master. They
would take Him as their Divine Deliverer
from The wrath 90 come if they could bee
allowed TO substitute The customs. c0n-
ventionalisms. and madms OF the world
for His holy viii.
But in the everlasting Gospel salvation
and submis sion are divinoiy linked to-
gether and what Gpd has Joined to-
gether let 100 man attempt 20 put asunder.
no unspirtuaL uurOgenerate men ono
of The most offensive features Of the Cos
pei is the law which requires us TO "suD-
nit 90 every ordnance Of man" In this
commandment God seems 90 Identify him
self with AN human government even %
the extent of supporting what is despotc
and wrong.
SUBMIT TO MANS ORDINANCES.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance
OF man." Is that TO Doe taken literally?
Yes. If the State of Virginia should re-
Quire me TO paint my house red, or 10
wear a square hat and striped coat or
To- limit myself to a certain article OF diet /
would Christian obligation require me TO
submit TO such a law? Yes. If the State .
of Virginia should require me to keep SO
many cats and dogs upon my premises /
would the obligations imposed upon me
by the Christian religion bind me TO SUBJ /
init to such legislation? Verify il would. /
Submit yourselves TO every ordinance /
of man"
But in teaching US to obey all civil /
legislation, God does not mean that al /
such legislation is wise and just; nor I
does ne mean 10 forbid us to make every
reasonable endeavor TO abolish what is /
wrong i'm IT, Christianity recognizes the /
fallibiity of all human government It's |
divine author knew that TO the end of /
the world. there would be corruptions in /
civil government Fidelity 10 Him re-
quiros his subjects 90 protest against I'M
justice, and to DO their utmost 10 eradi-
cate all that is corrupt and wrong either
i'm the legislation on the administration Of
their cOunty's government
DOWN OK MOE LAW
After discussing the evil OF the saloon
and emphasizing the fact that while his /
religion forbade any physical Interference
with il, IL required him 20 use The moral
means at his command for its overthrow
and destruction, Dr. Hawthorne contn-
ued:
The organic law OF every State of our
Federal Union guarantees To- every person
charged with the commission of crime the
right of trial by jury. 10 deprive amy
man OF that right is not only injustice 90
him and disloyalty to the State. but a
crime against God. i'm any community
where civil government is established /
there can be no valid excuse for mOb-vio-
lence in any form. and the man who viii
not support the state in suppressing and
puhlshlhs those who are guilty OF mob
violence is wiltully and diseracefullv dis
oDedlent TO the divine command which
requires him TO submit 10 every ordi-
nance of man."
NO Virtue-lOving man would offer q
word of apology for the atrocious cfimcs
upon which recent mobs have visited their
Indignation and wrath. There never came
anything worse from the womb of hell. IL
is impossible Tor us 10 coin epithets too
severe for the man who would suggest IA
milder punishment than death for the in-
leinal Nlilalnes perpetrated By some Of
the men VINO have been executed Iv
southern mobs. IL is the unwise principle
which underlles mob law, and The revolu-
tondry spirit OF mOb-yi0lence that we
condemn This method OF puuishing
criminals tends TO anarchy imperils the
property ana lives OF orderly and law
abiding citizens, and renders our country
oespicable IN the eyes of the whole civil
lied world While il is in vogue no one is
secure.
NO NEED TO RESORT TO IT
What need have We to resort To mob
law? Have our courts ever refused 10 i'm
nlct the death penalty upon any pcrpe-
traitor of the diaboical crime against
which public sentiment is SD yrhnnenfl,