The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-22
y A AZeBR OKEYN-
IllABERNACLEJ
:r<-BIBLE-- -sTUDY.oN~ -
THE MARK OF CAIN
Genesis 4:l-15-Jan. 26.


"Whosoever hateth his brother Is q
murderer"-1 John 3:15.
The first tragedy of earth was disobe-
dience to God-the eating of the forbid
den fruit. The next generation saw the
image of God so marred that murder re-
suited from Jealousy. Since the Bible
teaches that our first parents were per-
feet, in the image of their Creator, the
question arises, how could such noble
parentage bring forth son of Cain
evil disposition?
1t is not Necessary to suppose that Cain
was degenerate" in the present day ac-
GER tance of that word. Undoubtedly, with
so noble a parentage, he must have been
a great man in many ways. But he was
blrth-marked, as we all are, with selfish
ness. After the tragedy of Eden, after
they were cut off from its DEMONSTRATING
fruits, after they began to toll with sweat
OF face Cain was born. The period of his
cessation was surely one of much mental
distress to his mother. AS she murmured
respecting the loss of her Eden home,
and selfishly coveted it, she doubtless
marked her child with discomfort and sell
fishness also
BY the time Abel was born, doubtless
orr first parents had become more recon-
ciled to their fate. Hence it is fair to
suppose that Abel was born under more
favorable conditions. We are not by this
argument justifying murder, but we are
taking a sympathetic view of the muir
derer's case, corresponding to the view
COG took Of it. as expressed in today $
study. God condemned the sinner. and
arranged for his special punishment; but
none of His messages to the murderer in
dicate bitterness or hatred on the part of
tho Great Judge.
So parents. while correcting their chill
dren with necessary severity, should al
lew no sentiments to control their hearts
contrary to the best interests and highest
welfare of their children. SO the laws of
men, in dealing with Vice and crime, in
gliding murder. should be as swift and
as severe as seem necessary in the in
| terests of society, but those laws should
neN er be vengeful. They should always
recognize the fact that mankind were
| born in sin, and hence there is none in
whom the original Divine character
| likeness peTSictS. lnt NtuScdIltt VI TIC
law against the criminal should, there
| fcre be sympathetically enforced, with a
view to warning others against evil-dong
ana for the reclamation of the culprit.
! With great satisfaction we note that
| this humane spirit is more prevalent.
Our prisons are being turned into great
reformatories. in sharp contrast with the
treatment accorded to the vicious in a
darker past. The charges of judges in
pronouncing sentence. especially against
murderers, are often fatherly and tender.
The feeling that a terrible responsibility
| is associated with the taking of human
life. even in a judicial way, is right; but
certain weakness is manifesting itself
| in opposition to capital punishment. This,
we believe is generally the result of mis-
| understanding the Divine Word
| True, in the case of Cain, God did not
require the execution of the criminal, but
specially prohibited 1t. Nevertheless the
Divine Law as given by Moses stands:
Whose sheddeth mans blood, by man
shall his blood be shed" The careful OBJ
servance OF this Law, with spirit of
Kindness and sympathy, with proper ig-
nominy, seems necessary to the preserva-
F, tior of law and order. Weakness in this
respect, encourages criminality and fur
n;shes an excuse for mob law and vio-
| lence-defiance of every principle of
Righteousness.
| Undoubtedly the general misapprehen-
sion of the Divine character and plan has
| lei up to the weakness which opposes
\ ca pital punishment. This wrong view led
us to believe that the murderer would at
death pass into endless tortures. Prop
| ery. with that thought in mind, We would
hesitate to plunge a fellow-creature into
| such misery. Bible students are now
learning that this delusion was from the
Dark Ages Our forefathers, imagining
Goo to belworse than themselves. twisted
the scriptures to support their errors.
Now we see that the Bible teaches that