The Coconino sun., February 17, 1900, Image 9

About The Coconino sun. (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1898-1978

Image provided by: Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ

                
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THE COCONINO SUN
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day. Mr. Whiiteraore wan largely
instrumental in seem Ing tlie $20,000
for Mirvi-js and preliminary work, and
had pledge- fi)in senatots for
further appropriations. He is well
posted on the Indian question, Is tire
less, petslstent and enthusiastic. No
better man eould be went to present
the matter. Florence Tribune.
RASH JUDGMENT.
Clergjmen who attend condemned
mutdereis during their last dajs on
earth, are ft equently crit leisod for that
act of mercy. Such criticism is gen
erally thoughtless. The foundation on
which it rests is ustt illy both flippant
and un-Chrlstiau. The Arizona
Graphic, for exp.imple, taker, to task a
priest, who recently baptised a con
victt'd tuiiideier a fewd.ijs befote ex
ecution at llollitook in that slate. Tlie
only leason which the editor advances
for this is liis personal beliuf that the
diHiiiicd wietch ''us no tnoie a Christ
inn when he died than lie li.nl been at
uny pievious perliKl of his life." No
proof or argument is offered in sup
iot t of this hast, judgment.
"To baptize such a man on the eve
of execution and pi oclaim him a eon
veit was but making a mockeiyof
religion, and the priest who baptized
him but desecrated his holy lobes."
This bounds uilser.ill Pharisaical, to
say the least. Though baptism was
administeied only at the hist moment,
we happen to know that the convict,
who was bi ought up a Piotestant, had
been under constant instruction bv the
priest for fully thirty days before he
received the sacrament.
Father Dillj, of Flagstaff, the priest,
who was obliged to travel one bundled
and fortv miles every time he visited
the prisoner, and to pay his own ex
penses, cannot be suspected of having
any unworthy ulterior end in view in
the practice of such zeal. The peni
tent, was poor and friendless. The
atrocious character of the crime for
which he finally paid the forfeit of his
lire, deprived hitu of the smallest
measure of public sympathy in the
community. . He was literally an
outcast, when he came under the
priest's notice. It Is certainly not
reasonable to suppose that the latter
acted without sutllcieni ground for his
belier In the sincerity of the man's
penitence.
Chii-t Himself created the prece
dents for the chailty exhibited by His
minister in this case, which does not
differ from tliatdisplajed by all priests
under similar circumstances. Father
Dilly would have been faithless to his
sacred trust had he acted otherwise
than he did. To hae turned his back
upon tlie sinner in his extremity
would have been, indeed, to make a
mockery of his holy calling and prove
himself unworthy of his sacred robes.
No pi lest guaiantees the eternal sal
vation of any sinner professing
eleventh-hour repentance. That is a
matter which lies exclusively within
the province of God's powerund mercj.
Hut to refuse to minister to the spirit
ual needs of even the most grievous
ti angressor, on the brink of eternity,
would be an act of unspeakable recre
ancy to an awful trust, an act for
which no true priest would dare to
assume tlie responsibility. The Monitor.
John Dirr, Poseyville, Ind., says,
"I never used anything as good as One
Minute Cough Cure. We are never
without It." Quickly breaks up
coughs and colds. Cures all throat and
lung troubles. Its use will prevent
consumption. Pleasant to take. Pio
neer Drug Store.