The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-14

community's best life; the danger of
visiting the penalty for murder upon
one who has accidentally caused
death; the danger of the perversion of
justice by the rich and powerful. thru
the payment of ..blood-money."
In the construction of an organized
social life, the Hebrews were bound to
have some better method of justice
ization and the gradual evolution of
the state, the duty of safeguarding the
rights of the community kasses to the
state So Joshua was instructed,
after the law given to Moses, to APP
point '.cities of refuge" in the new
land now being settled Six of these
were named at the six most favora bly,
situated points in Canaan, and to them
the highways were to be made and
Kept free. SO that naught might hind
er the man seeking asylum from the
blood-avenger Along the way We're
signs bearing the words. Refuge!
Refugee to guide the unhappy fugi-
tive. If any one refused to flee to
these cities OF refuge, his blood was
upon his own head.
tenn was not designed to make MUIR
.derS safe.V The cities of refuge We're
for those who had taken life unwit-
tingly or without criminal intent. The
murderer yielded himself to the elders
of the city of@refuge. declaring his
case fully to them; in other words,
standing open and fair trial for his
deed. If guilty, he died at the hands
of the avenger. If not found guilty
of wilful murder. the man was safe
So long as he remained in the city of
refuge. This detention from home
and virtual exile. until the death of
the high priest, was in itself in the ma
ture of punishment; for men must suf-
fer for their mistakes as well as for
their crimes. "
Where Shall We Now Flee?
This right of sanctuary is an old
one: England'ss famous churches
were prior to the Reformation, sane
mans had similar provisions in con-
nection with their temples. The prin
ciple is one that runs thru all of life:
the threatened, fleeing heart of man
seeks an asylum of safety. In all
ages, religion has been regarded as
the great refuge of mankind. This is
a function of religion which is impor
tant to bear in mind.
A present day aspect of this truth is
indicated in an ordinary editorial in
The Wall Street Journal:
What America needs more than
railway extension, and western irriga-
ton, and a low tariff, and a bigger
wheat crop, and merchant marine,
and new navy, is a revival of piety,
the kind father and mother used to
have-piety that counted it good bust
ness to stop for daily family prayers
before breakfast right in the middle
of the harvest; that quit work half
hour earlier Thursday night, SO as to
get the chores done and go to prayer
meeting; that borrowed money to pay
the preachers salary and prayed fer>
vently in secret for the salvation of
the rich man who looked with scorn
on such unbusinesslike behavior
That's what we need now to clean this
country of the filth of graft, and of
greed, petty and big; of. worship of
fine houses and big lands and high Of
fees and grand social fur lions. What
is this thing which we are worship
ing but a vain repetition of what de-
cayed nations fell down and worshiped
just before their light went out? Read
the history of Rome in decay and
you'll find luxury there that could lay
a big dollar over our little doughnut
that looks so large to US. Great
wealth never made a nation substan-
tial nor honorable. There is nothing
on earth that looks good that is so
dangerous for a man or a nation to
handle as quick, easy, money. If
you do resist it's deadly influence the
chances are that it will get your son.
1t takes greater and finer heroism to
dare to be poor in America than to
charge an earthworks.'
Pushed a step farther. the COM
monest application of this whole tory
of the Cities of Refuge is thatsa mans
sin inevitably has an avenger-is Je-
sus Christ 1T is not the church, it
is not the altar; it is Christ Himself
who is the one and only sacrifice for
sin. and therefore the one and only
hiding place to which the sinner can