Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-07-22

1CEpO ,Hel cAF An Interesting Instructive
- - Timely Sermon by Rev.
Map~~r4 nas - - w. q. Neville Text:
= A|A%~@ 49, - ~ l.Thou Shalt Do
[From the Yorkvile Enquirer, July 18TH

sSSa
July 15th.1
causes which are at work in produc-
ing so much evil. Sometimes by dis
gushing the causes of malady an
eflicacious remedy can be found and
prescribed.
I What are the causes for 80 much
bloodshedp
OF course, the fundamental cause
of murder is the depravity of the
human heart. God says: aTbe
heart is deceitfnl above all things,
and desperately wicked" While
the deprayity of the human heart is
the fountain head of this deadly
stream of murder and iniquity, it is
not the cause that demands our atten-
ton just now; for this cause has been
in existence ever since the first mur-
der was committed, and it will con-
tinue to exist as long as there is a
human heart that remains in state
of total depravity.
Let us notice some of the causes
which have been instrumental in in
creasing the number of homicides in
our land.
l. The sentimentalism of the age
is one cause. Many people think
that it is barbarous to punish even
the most notorious scoundrel who
has committed an atrocious crime
except in the mildest manner. This
idea has so taken hold of people in
some quarters that they have prac-
tically anuihilated in their wicked
and distorted imaginations the reality
of sin and the doctrines of retributive
Justice. This new and dangerous
theology has gone into some churches
and even into some pulpits. You
can hear of men even in the pulpit
hooting at the doctrine of future
punishment-yes, men who profess
to he ministers of that Christ whose
preaching had so much of this doc
trine in it. They are too sentimental,
falsely 80 called, and too cowardly,
rightly so-called, to preach what
Christ preached. They have so
magnifed the love Of God that they
have completely destroyed the justice
of God.
AS long as the tendency continues
in this direction you may expect an
increase in crime, not only of
murder, but of every species of
crime. If the sin of murder is
to be arrested in its bloody and
hellward march, there must be
a return in our believing and in our
practicing to the doctrines taught by
Christ and Paul and Augustine and
Knox and Spurgeon. You teach
men that God is all love, and only
love, that the doctrine of future
punishment is freak of the be-
wildered Imagination, then you open
up the flood gates of iniquity, and
our country will be swept by a de-
luge of moral destruction. Men
may think that they are in this way
destroying hell in the future world;
but they are, in reality, laying the
foundation for a hell in this world,
as well as in the world to come.
2. Lack of home training is an
other cause of the increase of crime.
[ think that any man of serious
thought who takes calm and intel
ligent view of the situation along
this line will certainly hehold a
scene which is, in the highest degree,
distressing and alarming. When
ever authority in the home is not
exercised by the parents and is ig-
nored by the children, and it is to-
day, takes no man of broad intelli.
gence to explain the prevalence of
80 much crime in our country. The
home is tho fountain-head of So
ciety and the stream can't rise
above its source. You SOW the wind
in the home and you will reap the
whirlwind in society. If good,
healthy government is ignored in
the home, it will be ignored in 80
ciety and in the State.
In many cases the child is permit
ted to do as he pleases in the home.
Some parents think it is cruel and
barbarous to chastise their children.
Here come in the deleterious effects
of that insidious and sickly senti-