The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-11-01
Specially Prepared for This Paper

4.
TiME.-The latter part OF Joshta,s
II Is uncertain how long he nNca I,
sephus says that his administrator a.t
ed - years
PLACE.-The administration rapta
seems 10 have been transferred IRON, Ms
military headquarters az G,lga 10 Ge
religious center at shiloh. town Tan
miles north northeast OF Bethel Jo.h
ISL. 1851; 2l:2)
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
In order To understand the ordnan.
ces concerning the Cities OF Refuge
which are referred TO in four OF the
first six books of the Bible. II is nee
essary to realize two great facts
First. That there are some crimes
that must be removed If a nation
would exist and prosper. Such are
treason. which strikes at the life ~
the nation. and murder, which strikes
at the existence of the family as wen
as the individual. Breaking the sixth
commandment wrongs not merely the
individual. Vi is a threefold crime
l. Against the individual Ii takes
away his most precious possession.
everything so far as this world is
concerned.
?. Against the family and the nation.
for II takes away a member often the
support. of the family, and one Of the
essential members and defenders Of
the nation
3. Against God, the giver of life
Hence the severest punishment pos
sible is melted out TO whoever per
petrates this crime, and ought TO be,
in order TO prevent as many as posi-
bic from committing the crime No
other punishment is adequate We
pity the murderer for his suffering
We ought to have still more pity for
the innocent victims Murder would
be almost entirely expiated from the
list of crimes If every wilful murder
er was Immediately punished
Second. In the early days when
nations were small and weak. when
there were mutitudes OF small SEMI
Independent tribes. there was no
general government TO enforce the
law and exact justice when the men
Of one tribe committed a crime
ARdilAsN AhpAlANis AlfHNf AANAt rAtN w
the custom Of blood revenge. accord
ing to which the tribes, or the rela-
tives of the murdered person, were
compelled themselves to punish the
murderer, who was naturally. in most
cases, the member of another tribe.
There was no one else to do h. IL
was very much like lynch law. where
H.. 60 ,.G .flfs
ment for safety's sake. and fear the
delays Of the usual processes Of
criminal law. with the advance Of
civilization and the gradual evolution
OF the state, the duty OF safeguarding
the rights of the community passes
to the state"
The Cities of Refuge and Their
Courts VS.. 10. There was a scheme
for overcoming the dangers of blood
revenge, and dealing out exact and
merciful justice TO all, and saving the
innocent, or partially innocent, from
indiscriminate injustice.
First A Just Discrimination VS..
1-3. V. 2. Appoint out for you. r v.
Assign you the" "cities of refuge
the law for which had been given
through Moses, but which could not
be selected till the Israelites had set.
tied down in their new home. See
Mum. 35: 9-34; Deut. 1918. where
may be found more detailed account
Second The Right of Asylum
VS.. 4, Z, S. The necessity for some
inviolable place of refuge has been
recognized in the lawless ages OF the
past These refugees have usually
been religious places, as groves, al
tars. and temples These have been
the safest. because to attack them
was to defy the gods to whom they
were dedicated, and to array against
the invaders the unseen forces sup
posed to be at their command.
Third The Preliminary or Grand
Jury Trial. V. 4. shall stand at ne
entering Of the gate of the city e.
not outside of the gate Of the city
but in the forum, or public square,
which was near the city gates, ana
used as a place for public meetings
and trials Comp. Ruth Al, 81.
Fourth. The Right to a Regular
Trial before a Competent COURTS.
5, 6, 9. 5. IL the avenger of the bIoon
pursue after him, as it was his duty
TO do II he believed the man TO be
murderer. they shall not deliver me
slayer up into his hand, because on
the face OF 1t he smote his neighbor
unwittngly. and should have iair
trial before the avenger OF blood couid
punish him.
Sixth. The Punishment Of the less
Guilty. All this did not save the CUR
ty from just punishment mum ~
1920. There was no opportunity TOT
the Cities of Refuge to become NOT
beds of crime and breeders of criIni
nails. Unpublished crime is, equally
with injustice the means OF increas
ing crime and the danger that threat
ems our country.
Christ Is the City Of Refuge.
1T is not the church, II is not me
altar: II is Christ himself who is me
one and only sacrifice for sin ana