Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1915-02-25

resist not evil"
Duke Z. Bowers. Matt. $3.50
He further said, "They that are
whole need not a physician, but they
that are sick. | come not to call the
righteous. but sianers to repentance"
Right here let me cite a case, told
to me by Mr.. George Porter of Union
City, Tennessee.
A man by the name of Cunningham
killed man in Kentucky to rob him OF
thirty dollars. He was caught, tried
and convicted through the testimony
of two gentlemen; was sentenced to
hang, but by the use of influence and
money succeeded in getting his sen
tence committed to life imprisonment.
When the authorities were departing
with him to take him to prison he
said, you had better keep me there
for life, for if / ever get out, / am 60
ing to kill Kruz Watson and Henry
Winters"-the two men who were re-
sponsible for his conviction.
After serving a number Of years In
the Eddyville penitentiary, Cunning
ham became converted to the Chris
tian religion and began to talk and
preach Christ to his fellow prisoners.
In a short while after Cunningham's
profession of religion, there was plot
made among the prisoners to kill the
guards and break for liberty. Gun
niDgham reported this to the prison au.
thorities. The break was made and
one guard was killed, but the officials,
by being forewarned, were prepared
for the break and failure to secure
their liberty was the result to the prts-
oners who made the break. The Gov
ernor, as a mark Of appreciation to
Cunningham, pardoned him.
Cunningham returned to his home
town. One of the men whom he said
he would kill IL he ever got out was
dead. He went to the other man, Mr..
Kruz Watson, and begged his pardon
for ever having had such a feeling IN
his heart toward him.
Now, according to Christ's teachings
Cunningham needed physician-he
was a sinner, no doubt, but If he had
been hanged, then he would have been
deprived of his chance to repent ano
would have been sent into eternity a
murderer instead of righteous man.
AS it was he lived to repent and to be
of great benefit to his state.
Apostle Paul said, "And when the
blood of thy Martyr Stephen was he'd,
| also was standing by and consenting
unto his DEATH" thereby making him
self murderer, yet thinking he was
doing a righteous cause. Suppose he
had been hanged, then the world would
have lost its greatest missionary and
apostle.
II we were still living under the old
Jewish doctrine, we would even be de-
prived of eating and enjoying back
bone, spareribs, hog sausage and good
old country ham, for the Old Tesla
ment's teachings are against eating
hog meat Of any kind. Ueviticus Z:
and 80
If Christ had not shed his blood on
the Cross for the remission OF our sins
and if the law of revenge had remained
in the hands of the human beings,
then we would have to be hanged II
we committed even the smallest Of
tense, for it is written, For whatsoever
shall keep the whole law, and yet Of
fend in one point, he is guilty of ALL
I think the Christ-like law Of love,
of mercy and of forgiveness takes
away from man the right Of the law OF
vengeance, retribution and punish
ment.
Therefore from o Scriptural stand
point | consider It wrong for the state
to take life.
The question at ali times, In regard
20 crime, should be-what and how 10
the best way to handle II, In order that
society shall be protected and the
criminal made betterf
Is the death penalty deterrent OF
crime? Judge w. C. Cherry Of Nash
Vile writes: AT one time England
tried to discourage piracy by hanging
and allowing to remain strung up, the
bodies of the pirates at the mouth OF
the Thames. In six months piracy had
Increased ten-fold."
Brand Whitlock states that, "1n the
debate in the House Of Lords on the
bill to abolish the death penalty for
stealing from a dwelling house to the
amount of fifty shillings, Lord Chief
Justice of Elleuborough declared that