The Monroe journal., 1922-02-07
Mr.. HUGGINS REPLIES TO
MR.. INGALLS, ARGUMENT
Saws That David and Moses and Paul
We're Not Ordinary Murderers at
all-MeCalls OF the Track
By Rev. T. ]. Huggins

There seems to be a strong and
growing sentiment IN favor Of abol-
ishing capital punishment. but in their
enthusiasm nearly all Of our aboli-
tionists make some very absurd and
ridiculous statements. For instance,
Mr.. J. ID. Mccall of Charlotte, un-
dertakes to prove that murderers
sometimes make great men, and cites
some very prominent Bible charac-
ters who, he claims. were vile mur-
derers. But he either forgets, or ig-
nores the fact that not one except
Cain of them were the type Of muir
derers that our state laws would ex-
ecute. We execute only cold blooded
murdcrers whose plans were pre-
meditated Now David did not desire
to take the life of Uriah, and called
him hcme from the battlefield for
the express purpose of preserving the
honor Of Bath-she-ba. but he refused
20 cbey King David, and there was
no way of covering his own sin and
preserving the woman's honor, but
10 get uriah out of the way. So he
had him sent to the front of the bat
David did wrong and suffered great
rerlorse of conscience. When brought
face TO face with his sin he bitterly
resented and lived a good life. There
is no comparison, whatever, between
David and the type of murder who
goes armed, robs banks, and shoots
to death the cashier, or whoever may
come in his way.
But Mr.. Mccall gets still further off
the track when he brands Moses as
cold-blooded murdered. should
think a lawyer, if he has ever read
the facts in the case. would certainly
know better than that. OF course,
he slew the Egyptian, but the pro-
vocation was very great, indeed. One
of his own brethren was being beaten
most cruelty by the Egyptian task
master, and Moses in a passion of
righteous Indignation, slew him. And
yet Mr.. Mccall says he was a cold
blooded murderer. 1t seems to me
that his blood must have been pretty
warm about that time.
Next he refers to Saul Of Tarsus
who later became Paul, the great
apostle to the Gentiles, as another
who became great and
useful man. But he seems to forge.
that he, Toe, was no ordinary muir
derer. He was actuated by deep
sense Of religious duty and was act
ing under the authority of the law.
He thought that the sect calling them
selves christians, if let alone, would
pervert and finally destroy the Jewish
religion. But Just as soon as he was
made to realize his mistake, he re-
pented and became a great and USE
full man. After his conversion, he
says that he verify thought that he
was doing service for God while per-
scouting the church. Now, such men
cannot be consistently classed with
the ordinary cold -blooded murderer,
who kills to rob and steal, and whose
scientific skill and ingenuity enable
him often to escape from the peni-
tentiary and begin his nefarious work
again. 1t seems after all that the
best way to bring the average mur-
ierer to repentance is to- let him face
the electric chair, for they usually
make a profession of religion before
they die.
However, | am not arguing the
question of capital punishment now.
am Just calling attention to some
of the inconsistencies and fallacious
of the abolitionists. This
S a debatable question with good ar
.pment on both sides, but you cannot
convince thinking people by some of
he methods that are being used.