The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-07
MINISTER TALKS FOR
LYNCH LAW,
Rev. j. D. L. Hillyer Says Lynch Law
Is Nearer to Mosaic Method
Than Never Ending Delay
Of Courts and Pardon
ing Boards.

Macon, Ga, August 31.-(Special y
| Lynch law from a Bible standpoint was
| handled in the East Macon Baptist church
by the Rev. J. d. l.. Hilyer last night in
the presence of a large congregation and
before completing his sermon the dcvine
showed that there was practically a
scriptural Endorsement OF the quick route
by which mobs have made exits for crmi-
nails out of this world.
AT this time" said Mr.. Hilyer when ne
reached that section of his text applying
particularly to lynching, "the people Of
the whole country are wrought up Oh
what is called lynch law Philosophers,
philanthropists, lawyers and ministers
are talking and writing about it daily.
Mr.. Graves, one OF Georgia 5 brightest
| orators declared in his Chautauqua adj
dress recently that lynching for rape
would continue just as long as that crime
continues, and Mr.. Graves is probably
right. Replying to Mr. Graves some very
distinguished men have denounced lynch
ing as anarchy and everything else that
is bad, but as many of you know intern
perate denunciation weakens the cause it
seeks to advocate.
In time like this we need to remem-
Der that we are servants of the Most
High God; that He has placed us here in
a free country. and that lie has commit
ted to US the making and the execution
of the laws. 1t is Impossible for us to
separate our religious and our civil uu-
ties. On the great day of account the
Lord will require us to show how we have
administered the trust of a Christian eli
zenship. 1t therefore becomes us to refer
all these questions to the word of God.
What does He say? In Duet. xix, L and -.
we find:
",'Then the elder of the city shall send
and fetch him thence, and deliver him IN
to the hand of the avenger of blood that
he may die.
Thine eye shall not pity him, but
thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent
blood from Israel, that it may go well
with thee
In the body of the sermon Mr. Hillyer
presented the Mosaic law for the punish
ment of homicide and our law and lynch
law in parallel lines as it were saying:
Mosaic Method Prompt.
"'rhe Mosaic method was prompt, GER
tain and just. Cities Of refuge were desIg
mated into which the innocent man Slayer
could flee from the aVenger and be safe.
lie was given the opportunity to show hi,
innocence and afterwards the avenger Of
blood could not kill him.
"A man, guilty of murder. found in that
city of refuge fair trial but if his guilt
was established he was delivered unto
the aVcnger of blood to be slain. The text
distinctly says there must be no pity
shown because the guilt of blood must be
removed from the land The real ground
upon which capital punishment is inflicted
under Mosaic law is expiation. 1t is not
simply to punish the offender or to de-
ter others but to wipe out the guilt that
would belong to the whole people if the
crime should be UNPUBLISHED.
our system of trial by jury was in
vented some six or seven hundred years
ago as cur forefathers We're emerging
from barbarsm. The substantial justice
was possible and sufficiently resembled
the Mosaic to be free from serious criti-
cism.
But that purity of jury trial has given
way to Migrant abuses. The unendinG IA
City for frivilous appeals wears out the
life of q case. Witnesses die off or are
bought off or move away from the scene
of the offense In one way and another
trials are delayed until justice is i'm
possible. The sympathies Of the people
gradually pass from the nereOn slain to
t,i3,,t ~ ,I1 - =; - oao,,{++aI ~,
y Iightnr n,,niehrnant Of some trivial sorr
Thus the law of God is despised, set
aside and violated. 1t is this which more
frequently follows than follows quick and
certain. to say nothing OF deserved pun
ishment as the law of God requires.
And if the courts do convict in these
days before justice can be meeted out the
star chamber court Of high commission
known as the pafdonlng board, court
that is governed by no law. q court of cX-
PR fa cow e ay ~ 1 tbe funS.