AN AWFUL CRIME.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 143, 17 June 1879, Page 4

AN AWFUL CRIME.

A FATHER SACRIFICES HIS CHILD. Boston, May 3. — The somewhat meagre details already published of the murder of little E<!i»h Fre<man, on Thursday morning, gava only fnint and eomewbat incoherent impressions of th 9 net. Local Authorities believfid that Chnrl*>s F. Freeman, tho father, when he raised the bed clothes ond thrust a knife to the heart of his Bleeping child, must have been irresponsible for what he did ; but the developments of today show that if Freeman were ins-one, so were bis wife and twjnty others, men and women of hitherto irreproachable character. Dr Smith, the medical examiner of the county, is inclined to think that the particular religious sect who believe wilh the Second Adventists in the immediate second coming? of Christ, and who also, aa distinguished from many ppople of that faith, believe in revelations, nnd miracles, and signs, have in tha murder of Edith Freeman, reached the cliranx towards which their views naturally developed. It is the same fanaticism, he sayp, which Wads the Hindoos to throw themselves under the car of Juggernaut, the savages to crucify the flesh, and which lead the Aztecs to make human sacrifices to their gods. THE REVELATION, Freeman has been a convert to this Bhade of Second Adventism about, a year, aud it is now certain that he has believed that be was called upon to make some great sacrifice to mark him as specially fitted to be the evangelist and prophet of his religion. He says the revelation came to him suddenly about two weeks ago that thia sacrifice was the death of a member of his family at bis bands. His family were bis wife, a tall, slender, blue-eyed woman of thirty, whom be married {en years ago — and bis two daughters, Bessie, bora 1872, and Editb two yeara later. It is admitted that be has been a kind husband and a loving father, and he has appeared almost to idolize little Editb ; yet, be tells bis wife that the revelation calls upon him to sacrifice some member of his family. They pray together ; they aek in their petition that co great a teat of their faith may not be required of them. They seem to heve talked it over as they would any matter of mutual 'concern. He says that he prayed that if any life were required bis owd might be that one. Freeman B»ys that the revelation came in the dead of the night of Wednesday. Then be suddenly awakened, and the revelation he received was that his pet baby, Editb, a blue-eyed, fair, and brown-haired girl, mint be offered up as a sacrifice. He at once awoke his wife, and told her of bis commission. The nnterpal instinct for a time was the stronger. Freeman Bays that eho begged him not to do it. Bbc pleaded with the tears streaming down her cheeks, for the life of her darling Editb. "But I talked with her," saya Freeman. " I told her that we coulJ not risk the dispfeasuro of God, and when I persuaded her that Editb would either be restored to us after three days or else would be translated, then she assented. She saw that it was a divine command." Freeman aleo says that be knelt by the bedside and prayed, while great drops of sweat etood upon his forehead, that the test of bis faitb might not be required. Then, as he expresses, his soul was filled with peace, and he prepared with bis wife to make the sacri« fice.