Jump Start # 3826
1 Corinthians 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
Today, he lies in an unmarked grave in Bedford, Indiana. He was but a young man and his life was taken very early as a result of being murdered. He was only 31 years old when he died. His name is Madison Evans. He once served as a school principal in New Albany, Indiana. He taught at Northwestern University, now known as Butler University. Evans preached some, but his main profession was an attorney. He had just been appointed to the U.S. District Courts at the time of his death. Madison Evans left a very valuable piece of restoration history that is referenced and used still today. In 1863, he authored, “Biographical Sketches of the Pioneer Preachers of Indiana.” Evans researched in detail the lives of twenty-five early preachers in Indiana. Ink drawings of the preachers accompanied thorough biographical information. Evans book can be found on restoration websites.
But, a dark and evil side to Evans emerged and that led to his being shot to death. While in Bedford, Evans tutored students. One of the students he taught was Dr. Newland’s daughter, Helen. They attended the same congregation in Bedford, Indiana. Since about the age of fourteen, Helen had been sexually abused by Evans. When she was seventeen, she became pregnant. When Dr. Newland found out about this and how long it had been going on, he went looking for Evans. Spotting him one evening in Bedford, the doctor shot and killed him. Evans was 31 years old.
A massive trial was held in New Albany, Indiana. The jury took mercy on the young Newland girl and felt that Evans deserved what happened to him. Dr. Newland was acquitted. Evans was buried in Bedford’s, Green Hill cemetery with the inscription, “Judge not harshly. God judges mercifully.” Later, the tombstone was stolen and no one today really knows where his grave is located.
Such a sad and tragic story to a young and promising life. Helen Newland delivered a baby boy who lived to manhood.
Some lessons from this:
First, Christians can do very evil acts. Just about any crime and any sin one can think about, there has been some Christian who has succumbed to it. The battle internally is often not won for Christ. Some have just never fully crucified the old man. We expect better from brethren, and we should. Leaving the world of sin is easy for some. For others, it’s a life long battle. The struggle with alcohol, the addiction to drugs, the pull of pornography or gambling are not easily turned off within a person. Seeking help from the Lord and His people can help us get back to where we need to be.
Are you hiding some sins in your heart? The Lord knows. Confess them. Repent of them. As hard as that is to do, you’ll be so glad to be free from this guilt, shame and darkness.
Second, the sins of one can impact many others. There are layers of pain and hurt in this story about Evans. He was married and had children. There was the shame and heartache that followed his murder. There was reputation of the church that got tarnished. There was the emotional and spiritual issues that followed Helen for what happened. And today, a divorce, an arrest, getting fired, becoming pregnant out of wedlock, being withdrawn from are many of the consequences that follows poor choices in our lives. There are a lot of lives that are impacted by those actions. We often forget about the grandparents or the siblings or the brethren that were friends. Wise shepherds take into account those additional layers. People respond differently to troubles. For Dr. Newland, it was getting a gun and putting an end to Evans’ life. His anger and his response was wrong. One wrong often leads to more wrongs.
Third, as the passage warns, we must take heed lest we fall. It is so easy to fall. This is true physically, financially and spiritually. Daily spiritual habits are essential. Drawing near to God and resisting the devil is imperative. “I would never do anything like that,” is spoken from someone who has not witnessed horrific crimes and a boiling anger. Backseat driving is easy to do. This is what I’d do, spoken when things are going well in our lives. But, when one is eaten up with intense pain, the thoughts of ending life crosses their mind. When one is in the corner and is in trouble financially, the thought of embezzling crosses the mind. When one is lonely, the thoughts of lusts fills the mind.
There is a side of life that can be dark and very tragic. The terrible choices of some can ruin the lives of others. Through all of this, we know that the God of Heaven can heal. The God of Heaven can forgive. The Lord can forgive, when we no longer think we can. As I look back on this tragic story from 1866, I wonder what the church did to heal such wounds. I wonder what would have been preached after all of this. I wonder if any good can from any of this.
There are dark pages in our Bibles. Noah getting drunk. Lot committing incest with his daughters. David and Bathsheba. Judas betraying. Peter denying. Mark deserting Paul. God included these dark pages in the story of the Bible. These men, heroes as they were, are not perfect. Not one of them. Among them we find all kinds of dark sins. Yet, as Hebrews 11 reminds us, they gained approval through faith. God judges mercifully, a promise, a hope and a help to our stumbling ways.
I have an original copy of Madison Evans’ 1863 Sketches of Pioneer Preachers in Indiana. It is one of my treasured books.
Roger