The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-05-04

ITO make an end Of my preaching,
then, I will advise the individual as |
have advised the whole society pres
ent. Let each man, as l have done,
study out his own heritage. Let him
analyzc his birth and birthright and
weigh the necessity OF his leading i
criminal life. Some will find the her
itage so slight that it will be not dilii-
cult to effect 4 cure in themselves and
to live honestly. These owe it to them
selves, to society ut large, but more
particularly to their children. to strive
toward that end.
THE other extreme will he tho man
whose heritage and whose youthful as
soclations have been such that crime
Is inevitable. lie is the moral lrprr
Let him remember that not the laH:.
rctto, but the hanCman, will lie h:S
fate if society should discover his CON
dition.
There is law. however, that every
man has the inherent right of sell pres.
crvation. The rule applies to the rloral
lepcr as well rs to the SpOtlrSS virgin.
The right being his. let lim obtaiu
the means. Let him first acquire lnowl.
edge, the wisdom of the world, the
learning OF books ana. above all. the
knowledge of himself. Let him he
ware how lie commits Il crime. II he
must defy the law, and it will 10 in
evitabc that he must let him plot and
plan, be patient and cautious. cunning
and wary, so that, havn" yielded to
the impulse of crime when he can no
longer resist, he may yet defy detection
and that punishment which hlinI jus.
ticc will mctc out to him. Let him. in
short. live as live, Il criminal hy force
OF heritage and diseased moral crlturS
born criminal yet committing crime
SO seldom, so carefully anh SO cunning
ly that he may escape not al0n" pun.
ishmcnt, but even suspicion. .hhuvc nj
things, let him obey the enc greatest
duty OF his being. Let him not become
the father of other criminals. Let his
vice Jic with him. And may God pity
such men. as men do not"
lie ceased. and there was profound
silence. There was no applause. yet it
was evident that those present were
much moved. They wore thoughtful
countcnanccs and seemed obliViouS of
their companions, as though all were
Drcoccupicd with retrospective Spccu.
lntionS.
Mr.. Mitchell himself was deeply stir.
red. lie had never met or heard of
such man as this. \ born criminal he
called himself, yet from all outward
appearances L man of culture and re.
flncment lie was Il paradox. If he
was truly the terrible criminal that he
described himself to be. how wonder,
fully well he had benefited by the ad.
vice he had just given to others. He
had truly acquired knowledge of the
world and Of himself. and in his great
battle with the world he had armed
himself with the best weapons with
which to defend himself against sus-
picion.
Yet IL criminal, guilty Of crimes yet
unsuspccted, what Il problem to dis.
cover in what he had offended! On the
other hand, if his prutcnSc of crimnali.
~ was merely aSsumcd-if his assoca-
tion with the prison chaplain had made
him in some sort fanatcal crank
who preached for love Of preaching
and went among criminals because it
pleased him to be one OF themselves
then how skillfuly lie played his part
and how well he dcludcd these men.
all Of whom undoubtedly would have
scoffcd at the idea that any man could
dupe them.
From either point OF view Mr.
Mitchell thought that Preacher Jim
would be n most interesting study,
when lie noticed that the man was ap-
parcntly coming toward himself. lie
was very much aStoniShcd, however,
Hhcn presently Preacher Jim stood be-
fore him and, extending his hand
cordially, remarked quietly:
'Well. Mr.. Mitchell, how did you en-
Joy the lecturer"
CHAPTER VI