Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-07-26

SueS ~. suites IL, incarccrateS IL, tries
to destroy II. You know as well as [
that society becomes lenient in proper
ton as impurity becomes aftiuent or is
In elevated circles. and finally society
is silent or disposed TO pallla,e. Where
is the judge. The jury. the police officer.
that dare arraign the wealthy libertine?
He walks the streets; he rides the
parks: he aaunts his iniquity in the
eyes of the pure. The bag of unclean-
ness looks out OF the tapestried win
dow Where is the law that dares take
the brazen wretches aud put their
faces in an iron frame Of q state prison
window?
Sometimes IL seems TO me as IL So
ciety were going back TO the state OF
morals Of Herculaueum. when IL sculp-
tured It's vHeness on pillars and temple
wall and nothing but the lava OF q
burning mountain could hide the i'm
.mensity OF crime. At what time God
will rise up and extirpate these evils
upon society 1 know not nor whether
be will do II by fire or hurricane or
earthquake. but a holy God. do not
think, Will stand IL much longer. be-
lieve the thunderbolts are kissing hot
and that when God comes TO chastisc
the community for these sins. against
which he has uttered himself more bit
terly tfan against any other. the fate
of Sodom and Gomorrah win be toler-
able as compared with the fate Of our
modern society, which knew better, bat
| did worse.
We want about 10000 pulpits In
America TO thunder. "Al adulterers
and whoremongers shall have their
place In the hell that burDeth with fire
| and birthstone, which is the second
death" 1t is hell on earth and hell
forever. We have got to understand
that inlquity on Columbia heights or
Fifth avenue or Beacon hill is as DAM
nable in the sight OF God as II is in the
slums. Whether ithas canopied couch
or eiderdowp or dwells amid the pu-
tridity OF low tenement house, God
Is after It In his vengeance. Yet the
pulpit OF the Christian church has been
80 cowed down on this subject that 1t
hardly dares speak, and men are al
most .apologetic when they read the
Ten Commandments.
Then look ct the destinations thrown
around assassination. There are In oil
communities men who have taken the
lives OF others unlawfully, not as exc
cuuoners of the law, and they go scot
free. You say they had their provoca-
tions. God gave life. and he alone has
n right to take it, and he may take it
by visitation of Providence or by an
eXecutioner of the law, who is his mes
senger. But when n man assumes that
divine prerogative he touches the low
est depth Of crime
Society is alert for certain kinds of
murder. IL citizen going along the
road at night is waylaid and slain by
a robber, we all want the villain ar
rested and executed. For all garroting.
for all beating out OF life by club or
an AK or slungshot. the law has quick
spring and heavy stroke. but you know
that when men get afliuerft and high
position and they avenge their Wrongs
by taking the lives of others great SYM
pathy is excited. Lawyers plead. la
dies weep judge halts, jury is bribed,
and the man goes free. IL the verdict
happen to be against him. new trial
Is called on through some tcchnicality,
and they adjourn for witnesses that
never come and adjourn and adjourn
until the community has forgotten all
about ii. and then the prison door
opens. and the murderer goes free.
Now, IL capital punishment be right
i say let the life OF the polished muir
| dercr go with the life of the vulgar as
sassin. Let us have no partially of
gallows, no aristocracy OF electrocution
chair. DO not let us float back TO bar
barism, when every man was his own
| judge. jury and cxecutioner and that
man had the supremacy who had tho
sharpcst knife and the strongest arm
and the quickest step and the stealth
lest revenge. He who willfully and in
hatred takes the life OF another is a
murderer. care not what the provoca-
ton or the circumstances. He may be
cleared by an enthusiastic courtroom.
he may be sent by the government of
the United States us minister 10 some
Foreign court or modern literature may
polish the crime until Ii looks like hero
ism. but In tho sight OF God murder is
murder, and the judgment day will so
reveal IL.
Now. do not be fascinated by the CLAM
our thrown over crime of whatever
sort. Because others have habits that
seem brilliant, but yet ut the same
time are wicked, do not choose such
faults. Stand independent OF all such
influences. Put your confidence in the
Lord God He win be your strength.
Vengeance is mine. / will repay.
saith the Lord" Cultivate old fash
Toned honesty. This book is full of IL.
Old fashioned honesty such as was spo-
ken or by DR.. Livingstone, the famous
explorer. You may not know he was
descended from the highlanders. DIR.
Livingstone said that one day one of
the old highlanders called his children
around him and said: Now, my lads.
l'have looked all through our family
iine- have gone back as far as I can,
and / find that all our ancestors were
honest people. There doesn't seem TO
be one rogue among them, and you
have good blood. Now. my lads, be
honest"
Four Plain Questions.
, There are hundreds OF young men
who have good blood. Shall / ask three
or four plain questions? Are your hab-
Its as good as when you left your IA
theirs house? Have you a pool ticket
In your pocket? Have you a fraudu-
lent document? Have you been expert
menting to see how accurate an imita-
ton you could make OF your employers
signature? oh, you have good blood.
Remember your fathers prayers. Re
member your mothers example. Turn
not In an evil way. Have you been go
ing astray? Come back. Have you
ventured out too far?
AS stand in pulpits looking over
audiences sometimes my heart fails
me. There are so many tragedies pres
ent. SO many who have sacrificed their
integrity. so many far away from God.
Why. my brother, there have been too
many prayers offered for you to have
you go overheard. Andthere are those
venturing down into sin, and my heart