Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-09-30
STEALING idADE EASY.
How a Dunkard Farmer Lived
Up to His Creed.
RELIGION THAT COSTS MONEY.
Pcnnsylvaninn Refuses to Take
Back Horse which Had Been StO-
len From Him-LOsses Borne With
ont m Murmur.

The refusal of a Dunkard farmer to
receive back n horse that had been
stolen from him has created a great
deal of discussion in this valley, where
ligious sect, says a Churchtown pa.)
correspondent of the New York Sun.
The farmer whose horse was stolen
made no effort at all to recover the
beast. He did not make his loss
known to his neighbors until they had
inquired what had become of his big
roam. Then he said that one night
somebody broke open his stable door
and took the horse, but nothing else.
The news soon spread, and township
constable captured the animal on the
Welsh mountain, but the thief escaped.
When the constable took the horse
back to the owner, the farmer said
II do not want the horse. The man
who took it must have had more use
for the animal than had, or he would
not have been driven to steal. Give it
back to him. If he wants my harness
and wagon, let him have them also"
The farmer was man of his word.
and the horse was led away and is still
in possession of the constable. Strange
ly enough nearly every man belonging
to his special sect hereabouts approves
his action. They refer to the Bible as
their authority. One passage cited is
Matthew V, 40, And if any man will
sue you at the law and take away thy
coat let him have thy cloak also" AS
these SectS never so to law, they sim
ply believe that if any man takes their
coat they should also freely give their
cloak, or if any one takes their horse
they should also let him have their
wagon. Once thing is stolen from
them they will never receive 1t back as
their property.
The same thing holds good with the
women folks. They would not think
Of receiving back again any property
stolen from them, nor do they want
any one to pursue n thief or to have
any hand in his punishment No mat
ter how much farmer may owe on
his land, he will bear his losses by
theft without murmur. The farmers
of these sects sometimes go into debt
when buying land. In almost every
thing else they pay as they go.
The question as to receiving back a
stolen horse has created division in
some of the other sects, however. The
people who favor receiving back the
stolen animal argue that the Bible does
not say that where thief steals your
property you shall not receive it back;
that not to take back stolen goods and
not to punish thieves is simply encour-
aging and inviting such crime, and that
it is wrong for a man in debt not to
take back stolen property which he
cannot afford to lose and which may
interfere with him in the payment Of
his interest money.
a recent sermon by one of the bish-
ops sets forth the belief of those who
would not receive back stolen proper
~. He said: Our Saviour always
likcns his people to sheep. He is the
Good Shepherd. Now, the Lord had
a purpose in view in picking out sheep
as type of submissive character that
thoroughly informed on the subject.
OF all the animals that represent the
true Christian character the sheep
stands first. | don't mean the bucks.
| have referred to the lambs and the
young sheep. You farmers who are
sheep growers, you understand this.
Did you ever handle an animal that re-
sisted less? When you catch a sheep,
does it not Immediately give in? 1t
never fights you, never ressts you.
Even the little rabbit will try to bite
you and escape. Not so the sheep. AS
quickly as the sheep finds itself over
come il Is docile. See how it lies still
to be SHARED Ask the butcher. He
will tell you that the lamb or sheep
will never resist the knife at its throat,
but will die. oh. so peacefully, without
struggle There is not bit of re-
sentiment or bitterness in the soft calm
eyes as It looks at you and bleeds to
death.
THAT Is the true type of submissive
ness, Of humanity. of inoffensiveness,
and IL fully illustrates what our Saw
iour means 10y saying II man smites
you upon your cheek turn to him the
other in submission and humility If
man wrong you. bear IT, If man
speak i'll of you. love him. If man
steal from you. let him have that
which is stolen and more. too. if he has
need Of it, DO not follow after him to
punish him. Bear your losses in love.
In merkncsS and in humility. Return
good for evil Re kind and merciful,
and true happiness will come to you.
and the Lord will sustain you. You
will never lose 10y II. but always he
the gamer even in death. DO not resist
the man who persecutes you. or beats
you. or steals from you. or does you
wrong. Rather love him and help him
and he kind and mcrciful to him."
Several who heard the sermon shook
their heads and said they could not he
Christian like that. or the world
would run over them and that thieves