The following editorial from Word and Way is given, not because, in itself, the one case is more striking than others that might be given, but because it is indicative of the condition of things in the world at the present time; and, further, because the Word of God has pointed out these conditions as heralds of the approaching end:— The judge of the criminal court of Jackson County, this state [Missouri], sentenced, the other day, a self-confessed criminal to a term in the state prison, and then paroled him. It was nominally a parole, but practically a pardon. Judging from his record the young man is a moral pervert. He was charged with highway robbery. After committing the crime he eluded the officers of the law, and after a long and expensive search he was found in a distant state and arrested. After much delay and difficulty he was brought to Kansas City. Then followed months of dilly-dallying in the courts. Just a few days ago the case came to trial. As the sequel shows, there was an understanding among the court, the state's attorney and the defendant's counsel, that the defendant should plead guilty, receive sentence, and then be paroled. The court gave as a reason for the parole the youth of the criminal and the respectability of his family. The indictment was for highway robbery, but the statute law of the state expressly provides that this particular crime is not parolable. So, in order to save the criminal from the penalty of his crime, the charge of highway robbery was changed by the consent of the court to a parolable misdemeanor. It is no wonder this arbitrary and unreasonable action of the court has been the subject of much comment and adverse criticism. For one thing there was nothing extenuating in the age of the offender. He is no child. He is 23 years old, has a divorced wife and two children. As to the respectability of his family, his father is respectable if wealth constitutes respectability. Being wealthy, the father is influential, for money is power. A while back he was indicted for the crime of bribery. He was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to a term in the penitentiary. The case was appealed and reversed on a point not affecting the nature and fact of his crime. So he is only technically out of the penitentiary. And this is what our honorable court would hold up before the world as an example of respectability, and make a partial reason for turning loose a self-confessed criminal on society. And then there is the precedent. The court is under solemn obligation to be impartial. Is the public to expect that hereafter our honorable criminal court is going to parole, on the score of youth and respectable (?) connection, all criminals who happen not to be grayhaired and infirm with age? There are few things more discouraging in the work of dealing with the criminal aspects of society than the dilatory and capricious conduct of the courts. This condition is faithfully portrayed in the prophetic Word (See Micah 7: 2-7, and other scriptures), and the context shows that these are last-day conditions.