The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1876-10-10 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

THE LATE TRAGEDT AT LIVICRIVOL.-011 Friday MN. Morris, the lady charged with the wilful murder ,f two .4 her children by shootini; at Crosby, near Liverpsd, on the 2fith ultimo, was brought up at the Kirk.hilo Putty Sessions, charged with that crime, and, in addition, with the attenipte..l murder of a third child, and with attenitted . suicide. The ease, will be remembered, is that in which the prisoner, who IN the widow of a bank clerk, and lived in very comfort, ably tircuinstanoue, became unhinged in her mind through brooding over the death '1 her husband, and gave way to distressing fancies with regard to her position and the welfare of her children. On the day etwfooeerualdmtcjakiir.''hter"shedeld'afterwwoauri:Ldiedithaor henwandlfr that) named she got up early in the morning and dbut her bead. Mrs. Morris appeared hi dock in deep mourning and wearing a .iluiceveiL She was attended by her sister, a lady resulentin Manchester. The evidence given at the Wined Was repeated, and the chartadyg;7geroommicasettedexcite% thetbe ....dcf,..t..yoninpauthenty.  THE PECULIAR There aro many good-weaning People in this world who contrive to do a good deal of harm. They are conacientoue enough, but their unreasonableness. niers ever/thin . • and the good they would do is turnol to evil. To is class the Peculiar People, who have made Plumate:id fame. he their residence in its vicinity, though the reason why ft should have been selected for this especial honour iio not appear. As our readers are aware, one of the phew. font articles of the faith of this sect, who for the mmt put we believe, inure in the humbler walks of life, is pp- Pi: shaken belief in the literal interpretation of Scripture, Hence, if any ono of their number is sick, they rail inon. of their "Elders" to anoint him with oil and prar „ew him. and then trust to Providence for his recovery , death, believing it would be • sinful interference with God's government to call in medical aid. About months ago Mr. John Robert Downes, wio himself an elder, whose child died after hens anointed and prayed for, was brought up be fore Mr. Justice Blackburn, on the charge of men. slaughter, he was warned that although he aught do ash. pleased with himselflas an adult, the law would not allow hint to neglect procuring medical aid for his children in case of serious illness. Kr. Hearne; who Mewed ignorance of the law, promised in future to abide it, sad was discharged. The other day, however, he es ed for the manslaughter of another child who, after duly anointed and prayed for, died ei scarlet fever. 80, to put a stop to this "slaughter el the innocents," he was sentenced to three wonted imprisonment, which it is to be hoped will have the desired effect of opening the eyes of these infatuated people. We quite believe in the sincerity of their convictions, but the sanctity of human life is ahove the recognition of an unreasonable doctrine. And thst It ts most unreasonable the peculiar people wield easily see if they would reflect; for if this lineal interpretation is necessary in one thing, it be wust be necessary in all. We can hardly believe that the most scrupulous of the sect would, if a man were 10 " take his coat," "give him his cloak " also. If so, and he went on acting in literal obedience to this scripture' Injunction, by the end of the year his wardrobe wow,' prove a costly one, unless he abandoned wearincupparel altogether, for he would most assuredly find plenty cd willing customers on such terms. One word more, the Peculiar People might learn a lesson from Christ's own Impressive parable of Ole Good Samaritan, who did not stop after pouring oil and wine into the wounds ot the man who fell among thieves, but afterwards took bin to an inn and left money to pay for his requisite nemsseries No one objects to the anointing, and certainly not t, the prayers, but the apostles themselves would hare been the drat to say "this ought ye to bare done, and not tun left the mime undone. Thus whilst wt: sympathise with Mr. Downes and his friends, we eaun• d say, in the interest id their families, that the sentence i.unjujt • --CArkitais Globe.