“Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the Grand Jury: You have been selected by the people of Lenoir County to perform the highest duty the State can confer. You cannot give the State and county the best of your ability with divided allegiance—forgetting all else, you are sworn to perform a solen and sacred duty. You are the guardians of good order, the peace and security of Lenoir County. The eyes of the good people of your community are on you. The faithfulness with which you perform your duty will be reflected to your credit as good citizens. We of North Carolina live under a system of law. We make our own laws and execute them. We have the kind of laws we want because we can change them or our constitution, provided we go about it in the right way. Frequent recurrence to the fundamental principles is necessary to maintain the laws. Many confuse liberty with license. There is no such thing as independence. My liberty ends where yours begins.
“We are confronted with that great word ‘duty,’ which the illustrious Robert E. Lee declared to be the most sublime in the universe. Duty to perform is a solemn pledge and a feeling of sadness and apprehension comes over us when we look about us in witness to the many errors of dereliction along this line. Be you governor of this great State, grand juryman or plain citizen, you are answerable to your State and to the Great God in Heaven for the manner in which you perform your duty to yourself, to your fellow-man and to the glorious republic in which you reside.
“The constitution of the great state of North Carolina is founded on the sovereignty of Almighty God. An American statesman, visiting officials in one of the South American countries—the Argentine Republic—was amazed at the slight progress made there in contrast with the United States, and commented thereon to the president of the Republic, who replied: ‘When the Spaniards came to South America they were in search of gold; when the Puritans came to North America they were seeking God.’ Progress and civilization accompany Christianity. Rome and Greece forgot God and they disintegrated and are now but shadows of their temporary triumphs. So will the United States and North Carolina and Lenoir County perish if their people abandon the message of the Great Book. In these days of peril and unrest, it is well that we all ‘take stock;’ get back to the simple things that combined to make us great. Belief in the Bible, and remembrance of the teachings received in childhood at mother’s knee are necessary to maintain a high standard of morality. There can be no morality without religion, and the safety of our State lives in the good morals of its citizens. Anything that affects the home life of your community deserves your attention, gentlemen of the grand jury.
“Your attention is also called to the fact that all men are equal under the law. When the humblest citizen cannot obtain justice in open court, well may your Governor in his mansion at Raleigh tremble for the welfare of the State. Even-handed justice to all, administered by officials with untrembling hands, is what the constitution of your State guarantees.”
Judge Cranmer next called attention to trial by jury, and explained that the jurymen should be good men, law-abiding citizens of good moral character who had paid their taxes.
The judge then explained that section of the constitution which grants to every man freedom of conscience, and freedom from molestation in the exercise of his religious beliefs. He continued, “There is in some cases more churchanity than Christianity, and I urge upon you, officers of the court and gentlemen of the grand jury, to heed the message of the Man of Galilee in the performance of your duty.”
The importance of Christian education was emphasized, and the judge declared that without education Christianity is futile. “In educating our children we should be sure that they get a Christian education. I have two children who will enter college this year, but I do not want them to go where the teachers are agnostic and too often put a question mark alongside the teachings of the Good Book. Christian education will make good citizens of your children. It took 250 years to get $28,600,000 in church and school buildings, and only 10 years to accumulate $10,000,000 in automobiles, the judge stated, and expressed as his opinion, that many would be better off without the automobiles.
Attention of the grand jury was called to methods to alleviate the condition of the poor and needy, and explained that the welfare of its citizens was one of the first duties of the State. Judge Cranmer told of “hearing a lot about taxes” and explained that we get back 86 cents on the dollar—seven cents going for interest on the bonds and seven cents for administration. He expressed hearty approval for the health work being done in the county.
“Citizens of North who are not in favor of prohibition are not good citizens. Some say that the prohibition laws do not prohibit Neither do the laws against murder and larceny. We are trying such cases every day.
Enforcement of the law against carrying concealed weapons was urged, the judge explaining that only the fool or coward carried a gun. “The righteous man stands squarely and faces each issue, but a man with a gun is a menace to the community.”
The grand jury named for the term were: Eddie Stroud, foreman; S.H. Phillips, W.E. Stroud, George Spence, W.E. Johnson, K.M. Ervin, J.C. Kennedy, T.W. Stroud, Claude Bright, Charles R. Stroud, E.S. Russell, Robert I. Dunn, B.F. Grady, J.R. Jones, Cleveland Turner, J.E. Rouse, Burrell Holland and Zeph. Kilpatrick.
From The Kinston Free Press, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 1922.
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