Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-30
PASTOR APPROVES
CAPITAL PENALTY
Rev. 0. A. Sauer Declares
Death Sentence Only Check
on Criminals.
SOCIETY TO. BIZ A vi f
Says When Guilty Set Free,
People Become Partner
TO Crime.

Rev. .. 4. Saucr the pastor. dur
ing brilliant sermon on criminoiogy
last night In Bethlehem Evangelical
Lutheran Church. declared that he
approved capital punishment as tho
most effective check on criminals
who recognize no law but their own
angry passions.
He emphasized that where II IL
clear beyond doubt that man is
guilty OF premediiatcd murder. tho
s"ciety that sets him free makes IT,
t"lf partner In that crime and no
Less so In future crimes he may com
init. He urged that IL men are not
10 be adequately punished for muir
der. why not apply the same princi-
pile I" the thief and every other law
breaker.
MIR. Shucr declared statistic. com
piled by noted crimlnologists in this
country show the number OF murders
IN proportion to tn. population has
been increasing steadily This. he
Haid. emphasizes that for the proper
safeguarding OF human life the in
,u!cation of merely humanitarian
considerations VIII not suffice.
He pointed out that America liz un-
dcrgOing an era ~ criminal deeds
altogether unparalleled. strcssinI the
iact that in Chicago in 1920 more
murders were pcrpctrat"h than in all
England ard Wales. Including Lon
don. which has thrice the population
uf Chicago.
Very Few Executions.
The speaker said there arc many
who consider the death penalty pun
ish'ncnt FOR murder as contrary 10
III" spirit OF tn. AK. and III Chris
'ianiiy, but hr urged that men be
!nprcrnat-d win the sacrcdneSs OF
human life rs Gods Word presents
this truth. He declared that out OF
7.GG7 muricrcrs in the United States
In 1913, only cirhty.hv" were exc
Gated. and h- declared the uncallcd-
f"r cutlery against tho death penalty
had much to do in bringing abou,
this condition" only ON. murderer
Roy. Saucr said further:
Everywhere the declaration Is
made that there mus, he no more
war. W. pray that II may be SO But
We entertain no sanSuinc cNpecta-
TONS OF any radical changes. Uni
Icrsal peace Will not come as the re-
suit Of disarmament conferences and
international treaties They may
help. but the only guarantee oi a real
brotherhood - 10 get all the nations
10 hois; 10 the very pinnacle OF their
faSstans the pcnnant OF the King of
Kings. and maze subordinate TO that
the .mhlems Of all parties and inter
csis But to hiring this about. the
majority OF the people everywhere.
especially the leaders, must be chill
drcn 81 God. not only In name bu, In
reality.
Warfare Not Murder.
The contention Is not Biblically
correct that all warfare is necessarily
wholesale murder. AS the State is
bound TO defend society against n
muracrous person. so the nation is
bound To defend its people when an
other nation rises aSains, it. OF
course. every peaccablc means of Sc
curing justice should first be ex-
haustcd. but sclf-defense is "A RICH,
Of nations as we'll as Of individuals
The centurion. SO highly praised by
Christ. was soldier. yet he received
no censurcs.
There is but one agent who can
cleanse the heart and the hand
stained with blood. II is the blood OF
Christ, the crucIficd, received in re-
pcntance and faith. Though your
sins be rs scarlet, they shall lie as
white as snow"