Article June 10, 1944 Issue

Don't Throw Stones

JEANNE ROE PRICE

A young man stood facing a mob of angry people. Stephen it was, one of the early Christians. Gallantly he had defended himself against the charge of blasphemy before the council, the tribunal of justice established for such a purpose, but the council had failed to heed his words or to understand his plea. So, around him on this tragic day in old judea, so long ago, the people had gathered, their hearts filled with intolerance and hate. And there, swayed by the mesmerism of mob action, they proceeded to stone him to death.

Not all actually threw the stones. Some of them, no doubt, either by their presence and lack of protest or by their active encouragement, merely consented to the cruel deed. Saul of Tarsus was one of these—he who afterwards became the great Christian apostle and himself a martyr. "When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed," he is recorded as saying, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him."

This could not possibly happen today, we say. Not literally, perhaps. But there are many kinds of stones other than the hard bits of rock we commonly call stones. There are stones of condemnation revenge, criticism, both ignorant and malicious, which are quite as efficient in their cruelty of purpose and surety of aim as were any of the stones cast at Stephen. "He is sick," we say. "He is a failure, dishonest." What cruel stones these are which we sometimes so thoughtlessly hurl at our brother, and indeed at ourselves! Or, listening to these false witnesses about man, we stand by and "consent," often justifying ourselves in the name of good, even as the men of Stephen's time probably justified their conduct.

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