Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-19
SIN AND SOCIETY

The escapade Of a Chicago professor wtth a woman
not his wife leads William L. Chenery Of the Chicago
Herald to discuss irregularities Of this character in their
relation to intellectual and political leadership. There is
cited the case of Charles Stewart Parnell, the famous
Irish Nationalist leader of the early eighties. Parnell, it
will be remembered. became involved in a domestic
scandal, and through the leaders Of his party declared
that in all political matters Parnen possessed the con-
fdence of the Irish nation, Gladstone maintained that
his continued leadership would be fatal to the cause Of
Irish home rule, and he retired.
Mr.. Chenery seems to believe that had Parnel been
retained at the head Of the home rule movement the Irish
question would long since have been settled. and that the
uncharitableness Of English Liberalism is responsible
for the troubles that have befallen the party since that
time. Asking, Can Chicago forgive? % he makes a plea
for the Chicago offender, Professor Thomas. He calls at
tention to the valuable scientific work that Professor
Thomas has done, and deplores the fact Of the ability of
such a man being lost to society.
AS is usual when this particular subject is under
discussion, the changes are runs on those words of Jesus:
Neither do I condemn thee. Go now, and sin no more"
Christian England, we are told, was less forgiving then
Christ, and interest is expressed in what will be the at
titude Of Christian Chicago.
1t seems to us that the case of the women of the
New Testament has been violently distorted and sadly
overworked The narrative gives no description of the
socia! status of the woman, before or after her offerse
For the purpose of catching Jesus in a trap certain. of his
enemies hailed before him a woman unquestionably guilty
OF an offense which was punishable under the Mosaic
law by being stoned to death. These accusers asked
Jesus what should be done with the woman, being conf
dent that whatever his answer he would involve himself.
with his own followers, with the church dignitaries, Or
with the Roman authorities. The Nazarene COMPOUNDED
them with his skillful retort, and they stood not upon the
order of going. but went at once.
We fail to see what bearing this has IN the retention
at the head of a great movement Of a man who, either
weakly or defiantly, has transgressed a law which society
has found necessary for its we'll being. Nor is it appar-
ent what bearing 1t has on the case Of a man engaged
as an instructor Of youth who has been guilty of a SINH
lar teletiction. We take it that if Mr.. Chenery had been
a resident of Jerusalem at the beginning of the Christian
era, and the woman in the Bible story had been, let US
say, governess to his young daughters, while he would
probably have done all in his power to prevent her bru-
tai execution under the rigid Mosaic law, he would have
arranged to get her another job, at least until it had been
demonstrated pretty conclusively that she had experience
ed a very real repentance.
1t is one thing to deal in a spirit of sympathy and
charity with those who err. 1t is entirely another thing
to take the position that those who occupy positions of
leadership may ignore matters of personal rectitude with
inpunity.