UNDER the heading “Church or Jail,” a contemporary publishes the following unusual facts regarding the action of a Rockford (Ill.) judge:—
Police Magistrate Morrison has adopted a unique method of inflicting punishment on offenders. Two prisoners, one convicted of drunkenness and one of beating his wife, were sentenced Tuesday morning and the court suspended their sentences so long as they attend church regularly.
One is in doubt as to the object the judge had in view in this extraordinary proceeding. Does he regard church-going as a punishment, or as a means of reformation, or both? Such proceedings, however, are quite in harmony with the decisions of State and Federal judges that Christianity is a part of the common law, and that “this is a Christian nation.” The judges evaded a very important question in not designating what church the culprits should attend. It is now in order to decide who are the Christians, and then judges can order convicts to attend the “legitimate and most holy” church. [99]