The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-29
Is Human Life Sacred?

To the Editor: If we consider its
origin, it's nature and it's design, we are
compelled to say it is. If We look at tie
wreckless manner in which it is destroy
ed we are forced to say it is not. Life
Is mans most valuable and sacred pos
session. "Skin for skin. yea, all that
man hath will be give for his life" Job
"a
God is the hottest and most sacred
being in the universe. He made man in
His own image Gen. 1925; thereby in
vesting him with God like qualities that
belong to no other created beings. God
breathed into man the breath of life, and
he became a living soul. Gen. 81. The
soul is the life of man, and is a part
of God himself, and must therefore be
sacred. Human life is so sacred that
God has said-Gen 90: Whose shedest
mans blood, by man shall his blood be
shed" Again God has positively said
Deut. SIT: Thou shalt not kill" No
human rights, or laws, can annul Gods
law. 1t stands, and by it all must be
judged. If men kill one another here and
human courts fail to inflict the punish
ment Gods law demands. there will be
a great final judgment day, where justice
will be strictly meeted out
"Self-defence" is the only justifable
cause for one man to kill another. If you
know another has determined to kill
you, and has sought and found an OPP
portunity to do it, then you have right
to kill him first, if you can.
Here was a case of justifable killing:
Two men were boon companions. They
associated, drank gambled and caroused
together. One got drunk, and was getting
himself into trouble by violating law.
The other, as a friend, ipterered to
try to keep him out of trouble. The
drunken man flew into a passion and
shot the other, inflicting almost a mortal
wound, and was trying to fire again. The
other drew his pistol, and instantly
killed his assailant. He did it to save
his own life. He was justifable. The
grand jury so declared. This was a real
case of self-defense. 1t is but seldom
that men are obliged to kill in self
defence. But in nearly every case OF
killing, self-defence is now the plea. But
the qualification of hatred, malice, re-
venge, and brutal passions are the prime
causes that move men to kill others.
This wholesale destruction of human
life shocks the sensibilities of all good
people. 1t is a dark blotch on the civili-
cation of the ninteenth century. 1t is
a heaven daring, and God dishonoring
crime. 1t ought to be stopped. Execute
Gods law against murder, and the crime
will be abated.
The carrying of concealed, deadly
weapons is a fearful and fruitful source
of crime. Perhaps nearly half of the
men and boys of the country are con-
slant violators of law, in carrying con-
cealed weapons. A man becomes in
volyed in trouble with another He does
not think of settling it by reason or
arbitration or law. He thinks only of his
pistol as a means of settlement. The
law against carrying concealed weapons
ought to be made ten times more severe, |
and then it should be strictly enforced. |
Any one violating the law ought to be
heavily fined and imprisoned.
But if men feel they must inflict bodily |
punishment on each other, let them fight |
it out with their fists. But even this |
would be beneath the dignity of man, Gre |
ated in the Image of God" Leave the
fighting to the brute creation. They /
know no other way to settle their diff
ficulties. But men, endowed with moral
and intellectual powers, should settle |
differences by reason, and law
]. A STRADLEY.
oxford. N. c.