The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-18
THINKS TRADEGv
IS NOT IN Vain
BLOOD OF MARTYRED JURIyr 10
NE SEED OF BETTER DAY,
MINISTER HOPES.
OPEN PEOPLES EYES
SEVER WAS rHERE BETTER or.
PORTUNITY TO TEACH MA
JEsTY OF LAW, BE-
LIEvEs DIR. YOUNG. =.

From the pulpit OF Centenary Meth
odist church last night, the Rev. DR..
W. J. Young discussed the Hillsville
courthouse tragedy. declaring that Nir-
Einia owes u debt of gratitude to
Judge Massie for his manifestation OF
courage. and devotion to duty which
can never repay. He hoped that
tne blood OF this martyr will be seed
OF better coming day" and as
result THE eyes of our people viii be
~ last open 10 conditions at their very
doors so that they may see the need
Tor something more than has yet done
in the missionary work
Taking for his text John vii, 40, But
.tnis people that knoweth not the law
are cursed" DIR. Young said that. while
THESE words were used by some OF the
leaders in our Lords day with wrong
application, they are nevertheless true
Tor every ags and every cline.
These mountaineers of Virginia and
some other Southern States" he con-
unued. have very largely been a law
10 themselves, regulating their own
AFFAIRS In their own way. They have
violated internal revenue laws and
laws against person and property
largely with impunity partly because
of the peculiar difficulties in the way
OF their arrest and conviction, part
~ because Of the fears OF vengeance.
ana partly because shut up In the
seelIfsfon of their mountain homes,
they did not disturb the great peace
and progress OF the world beyond Not
infre1uently from their own number
officers OF the law have been selected.
ana Themselves haYe been heard to
boast OF the attainment of their license
TO do as they please In Illicit distiiiing
and other crimes. through some sort
OF compact with men whose duty ii
was TO enforce the law.
Sees Better Day.
rho State OF Virginia owes a debt
of gratitude 10 Judge Masslc which IL
can never fully pay for such mani
hesitation of courage and devotion TO
duty as VIII biing forcibly home to
these iawlcss elements in our civiliza-
ton. and 10 the good citizenship of
the State. lessons that perhaps would
never have been learned In any other
way. The blood of this martyr vii be
the seed of a better coming day, iet
VS. hope. The eyes of our people will
he Ut last oper to conditions at their
very doors. and will see the need for
something nlare than has yet been
done. For the present II is Obvious
that there must be an unreienting APP
plication of all the powers OF the law.
no matter how much IL may cost, in
money. time. and patience, There are
times when tl4a largest mercy liz In
severity, and when TO withhold pun
ishnlept Is the greatest of crimes.
Never before has there been such au
opportunity for teaching the majesty
and the ineyItibleness OF all law. But
let good people everywhere let the
example OF reverence TOR Law and for
courts OF Just, g. We she uld be care
fui TO see to II that We select the
right men to make our laws. and our
selves take nm interest In the enact
ment of these laws: but. when once
they are "a cur staunts books. we
should obey thSni ourselves ard in
sist on obedience to them by others.
We should .!o what wa can t. have
Judges of ability and Of unquesfioned
integrity. an., when TINS is done. In
sist upon the sancttty of those halls
Of Justice where they preside. 1t is
evident that In all these things there
Is an impa rdonabie looseness on the
part Of our American people. And let
us not forget that not only in the
mountains, but In the cities as well.
there are lawless elements which for
every reason need not only to be held
IN check by the iron hand OF the law.
but also need the training which
comes both by precept and example.
Must Send Gospel.
Surely our duty will not stop with
this. The church. with Its new mis-
siorary conscience. must send the gos-
pel---the pure gospel for the present
aye--to these mountaineers They are
worth all the money and effort which
may be spent on them. both because
they are human beings. with immor-
tai souls, and because they are a stur.
siy' pure Americna stock, with large
promise of strong manhood and useful
ness, II only we shall give them n
\ al. ,rssH As. VrfS
work, not In the spirit OF denoInina-
tional pride and rivalry. but in the
broader spirit of true Christian SER
vice A certain type of so-called
Christianity, 1t Is true. prevails quite
largely in these mountains. 1t de-
Z cr!ex- edncat inn. opposes Sunday
schools for the religious education Of
the youth. condemns all missionary
y. es1sfeatnr.S both inrsnu and f,ruasfr; and
ridivules evangelistic movements for
the conversion OF the masses, and
paralyzes all human activity i'll things.
moral and religious by peculiar
theology which lands Its advocates In
fatalism. The church must send her
best men, men OF prudence, men of
self-denial. men Of courage. men who
have the Masters spirit. The task
49, !. Is. nrick Much Mhisksy. !.
~ IN donG with t4se~religieus work eH,ust
70 the educational. The education
must be OF the broadcast sort looking
v 10 the liberation OF the mind. the
widening Of the horizon. the revelation
u Of what il going on In the world OUT
sido the hills. in the centres OF pro
4 eress II must be Of social kind.
& including the appreciation Of citiscn-
4 chin In our great nation. 1t must be
= syerrnI education with Il view es-
recialIv 10 tire uplift OF the home.
and the deliverance from habits which
must always hiring DEGRADATION. Prom-
trent among these habits II the con-
stAnt use Of whsrkev, one MIGHT al-
most saw from infancy to the grrva.
The Illicit stil. 1t has been said Il
20 be found .lnder every nine tree. and
I. we read the other day that the Hisls-
vllle murder~rs prenared them-elvas
for their deadly work nv hllin~ them-
\ selves with their favorite beverage"