The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1919-08-05
The Bible in Schools.

shall not fail nor be discouraged until He
have set judgement in the earth, and the
isles shall wait for His law."-Isaiah AZ. We
are celebrating a good many things and pre-
pairing to celebrate more. Why not with the
ending of the war celebrate the greatest hap
penings of the ages-the PRONUNCIATION by
Alfred the great of the Mosaic moral code
as the common law of England, and of the
founding the same year 872 A D. of Oxford
University, to teach that law? Next year is
about the 21st jubilee year since its founda-
ton and PRONUNCIATION. We have Travelled
far since that day; English law has girdled
the globe, and there is no better time than
now for the English speaking people to cele-
brate ga little leaven," says Christ, Twill
leaven the whole lump" England has never
departed from her first love, except by usur
patton, as in Johns day, and the people
forced him to extend it by accepting Magma
Charta; later Charles tried it and lost his
head next his son James tried it and lost
his crown. Since then wherever English law
and arms have gone English Bible and pray
err book have gone as companions.
! The established church of England is the
bulwark to the Bible, hence even the dis
senters don't want disestablishment. England
is able to enforce her criminal statutes be-
cause in her common schools throughout the
empire the Bible is the one text book which
goes through every grade. Her people know
of truth that God relgns and rules, hence
fearing God she fears nothing else; her
problems arise ard solve themselves, because
the men and women of England know God
in all things. We have gone in and the lions
breed has made God feared, and justice to
be desired by the whole world. Let US live
up to the old common law, made part of ev-
cry American state settled by the English,
and part of the constitution of the United
States, and put the Bible back into our pub
lie schools as a text book, and open and close
all of our public functions, including our
schools, with the reading of the Bible and
prayer, as is done in the British empire.
We don't need any new laws. Just let our
state school commission put it into the cur
riculum and it is done. AS Rabbi said to
a minister some years back: You Protest
ants being in a majority are responsible
for the government of the country, yet you
are too afraid of the Jews and Catholics to
enforce your common law by insisting that
the bedrock of our law be taught IN our
schools" He added, eve might object, but
would respect you more if you had the nerve
to enforce the common law on this subject.
The result would be far reaching. The aver
age life of one who takes the life of his
fellow man in Great Britain and throughout
the colonial possessions is seven days from
the commission of the crime. The common
law makes it treason, capital ofense, for a
! sheriff's officer to allow a capital felon or
one accused of a capital felony to escape or
be unlawfully killed. Hence there are more
men loose in Randolph county whose hands
have slain their fellows than in the island of
Great Britain, including Wales and Scot
land. With the gallows in front and sworn
officials who cast out technicalities and exec
ute law the temptation to kill is held IN
allegiance. In one respect our statutes should
be amended; make it mandatory on The pros
ecuting attorney employed by the state to-
gether with the sheriff's office when a crime
is committed to personally see that the Grim
inal is apprehended, and pay them adequate
wages for so doing, and the judges to
convene special grand juries, find bills and
try all capital felonies with nothing to stay
execution beyond a week after conviction
except the hand of the executive, and if he
does it without a clear case is made out
impeach him. This prevents murder in Eng
land, and would prevent it here. The old
plea of Southern chivalry in protecting the
name, person and reputation of ones family |
by Staying another would suddenly come to
an end. Let the law that Christ came to es-
tablish and restore be supreme. If life is |
threatened man brave enough to be a man
will swear out a peace warrant. One or two
DULLES in Jail without bail in each county |
in Georgia would cure threats of either bodi-
ly injury to persons or property of ones
family.
Let it not be said any more that Georgia
values a chmerical chivalry more than she
does the law enforced against all law break
ers, high or low. We have said through our
plenipotentiaries to Germany: eve punish
you for disregarding law" Now let US show
by our acts that we are worthy to say it by
keeping our hands clean, by Furnishing those
among US who disregard law.
ANDREW P. RIVES