Newark post., 1911-04-12

Forty-six years ago, on Good Fri
day. one whom we call a mad Man
deliberately took the lie OF great
mani
Love and admiration lor Abraham
Lincoln was not then so widespread
as it is now.
Many hated him with hatred that
would have blasted. In all probability
the act which seems to us most afro
cious was to Edwin Boon necessity
he hated SO.
His thinking so did net make it SC,
but it kept him still in line with hu-
man beings.
Society is responsible for The might
it produces. a soul is full OF dark
ness, and sin is committed but the
guilty person is not the man who com
mts The sin, but he who produces the
darkness"
1t is very hard to feel any pity for
the man who takes the life OF another,
and it is probable thac such feeling
would, in most cases, profit nothing.
But il it were wrong for one man
to take the life OF ano .ner man to re-
move from earth one whom he thought
harmful, is it no wrong for a body OF
men deliberately to depu.ize certain
man, at an appointed time to end the
life of man whom they consider de-
trimental 10 the social state.
When jury is drawn to decide upon
such case each juror is questioned
whether he is opposed to capital pun
ishment Il he should be, he is not
qualified to serve, because that would
not allow for fulfiment OF man law.
The introduction OF bi to abolish
capital punishment does not create a
ripple in The Assembly.
Yet it might be that ii each man
who held in his power the right TO as
sist in abolishing the law. were com
PEELED al certain times to perform the
grim office instead OF deputfzlng, more
thought and real human feeling might
be given to the subject Because a
brother-and in our pious moments
we are APT to say al! men are broth
ers--is perhaps more rash more ig-
norant than we and commits the crime
OF murder, what God-given right have
we to say: The earth shall be rid OF
such,-he must die!'
In many instances he dies horribly,
in torture as great as fiends can con-
ceive, the dark soul is sent from this
world with curses, no time Tor prayer,
by men who consider their swift acts
righteous.
But The law OF the land is more de-
liberate. 1t essays to judge.
Who is the Judge?
We care tendery for the sick and
weak in mind and body, but we set a
limit, 20 which the sou. may fall We
do not guard it in helpful, restraining
bounds until its Keepers call, but
take upon ourselves the power 70
Judge whe. .her the offender shall live
or die. responsibility OF conduct
shall have a powerful warning, we say.
Think you that your morality is oi
-. your own making? Do you by power
OF will abstain or perform thus and so!
Then who bestowed within you tha,
wi.l--was it not a tiny seed nourished
and strengthened by thousands Of
guardian angels?
All. it is all a circle. We cxpecl
mercy and light and gentleness from
those whom we feel are higher than
we; compassion, charity and forgive
ness from the Highest So it must be
a part of the circle that we give the
best OF ourselves to those who seem
to err and transgress beyond the laS
For the law is not o. our designing
and each man must have his own mean
ing, and we cannot take from another
the right to live out his natural days
without ourselves transgressing.
Death belongs 10 God alone By
what right do men NEEDLE with that
unknown thing"