The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-05-29

not of the States making. The prin-
ciple of capital punishment Is as vic
ious at bottom as is private murder
by the individual, and Is unwhole-
some in that 1t ~disregards the very
law Of ~inalienable right to life that
1t essays to protect. Thou shalt not
KILL" says. the State, "for If you do,
and we can prove the case against
you, we will STAY you" The incon-
sistency of the situation should ap-
peal to everyone, but queerly enough
the very disciples Of that Christ who
said, Father, forgive" are among
the loudest clamorers for the life Of
the murderer.
But the greatest example Of the
violation Of this commandment Is to
be found in the actions of the Chris
tian nations of to-day. theoretically
Christian, we are, as segregated peo-
pies, largely pagan. Praising God
as individuals and despising, most of,
us, in our private lives un-Christian
conduct and un-Christlike acts, we
stand ready as members Of a great
social body to sustain and to serve
measures that are wholly corrupt and
corrupting. Processing a love for
peacefulness and for the Prince Of
Peace, we pay without a grumble our
military tithes. Indeed, we may often
see the spectacle of two mighty peo-
pies, each paying homage to the same
God, clutching each at the others
throat, the meanwhile each is asking
God to give the enemy defeat. All
too often we may see the armies and
the navies Of a wealthy Christian
nation full of power, menacing a
weaker sister to collect a money debt.
The nations of this day descend to
the decision by. f1sticufs which all
worthy men deny to be manly, or to
be of value to decide an ISSUE.
The situation would ne ludicrous
were it not 10 lamentable.
Christian men and Christian ma
lions have no communion with dis
loyalty to the Father. The individ-
ual, the church, the peoples have no
call to kill. God gave us brains with
which to settle our difficulties in
sober thoughtfulness. He gave us
our hands to help ourselves, not to
harm each other. The more money
you may possess, the more must you
care for the men below and about
you. Financiering that makes its
chief profits through the exploitation
of the man with small means, or
through the financial wrecking OF the
moneyed man, has no place IN q
Christian economy, for it's fruit Is all
too often death. Many are the vic
Tins Of INSCRIPTIONS Napoleons OF
finance. The easier you make the
task Of the toiIer in your shop, or
mine, or mill, or field, the more do
you serve your God. The oftener we.
settle disputes between, individuals
or among nations, by the courts OF
arbitration, the more do we glorify
our Lord and manifest u manhood.
Immense ornaments merely prove
national weakness Of will and lack
of mental poise. Wars often bring
victory to those who are in the right,
and they should. But no war has
ever proven the validity OF the case
Of any victor no matter how well
founded the argument OF that win
ming party may have been.
The crushing Of little children at
mems tasks Is a 'short-sighted policy
to score it very little. The system
which wrecks and destroys the youth
of a land, prepares a heritage OF
wrecked humanity for the worriment
of future generations. Gain at any
price is a poor business proposition,
and Is morally unjustifable.
My friends, the need Of the hour
in this matter is for an honest recog:
milton, by individuals and nations, OF
the force which the words OF Jesus
Christ add to the command III
shalt not kill" We need a quick
ened conscience that shall always
counsel for the right. We need a
holy manhood that shall insist that
no form of murder, be it brutal or
refined, shall soil the private or the
public record. The call Is for Christ
men who dare to do good and to be
upright, no matter how much the.
dividends may suffer, no matter how
much humanity may remain unap,,
preciative of kindness, charity and
love. The call Is for men of high and
men of low estate who shall ever rec
ognize that war is hell, and that God
is honored, not by the smoke and din
of battle, but by the exercise OF hu-
man s~elf-control.
Let us, then, be men, and be sure
TO keep our hands from blood-gu1ltl-
ness. Let not the death Of our broth
ers be upon US. Let us live n let
live. Let us serve and save. Let US
not destroy.