The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-07-11 00:00:00

has elevated
condition. They
equal in th
oonaideratios
principles have
has flukes pewoodon
would obey God
which teethe, the
Nord in widish
should the
In which we sa..
solemn of'

Meal dirtily
_
he is held
demands we by
feeling mill
* the pestling . It ineukates
by the maai ..__ lemons, and by the
-• of examples; but it would have each man
he is possessed of an immortal nature,
If only he considers his destiny and
it, for an inheritance beyond the skies.
__ _amid feel that of helreVir little worth be
in the eyes of bis fellows, yet in the eyes of
ef enelkaorth that Cbxla was willin:ritnopt
inn of this si
obvious. No man
I the mere tool of
a, with all firmness,
owing °bedlam*
4 work for which they att '
they ere free to think and
- on their part should
dependente, an their
1.,,. them free to set
sad patriot* se well as
and

74;riii;

prowie—bbieelf et-
as slam. be may
*•-•-• of truth which
...airier who strives by
_ workpeople, and frighten them
with his views, deserves the odious
and shows little effect seriptand
bad ea I. The franchise is a
is.. the peace and welfare
so use it for the appoint.
ca, in his ' 111304

What aelf-rcts 'eel can such • man foci! Flow son he
sak 0 d to direct him in the discharge of his civic
duties? We cm understand bow men who reject, or
openly contemn the teaching of Christianity, mu sot
thus But what shall we sty of the man who, prof, so•
Log to love the truth, Aloes himself to be bought, to
be gelded, in the die-barge of a most important
duty, by the lewi et possible corsiderstions ? Love
of countty. mere patriotism, not ti say love for
t 'heist, shooll prom pt to a milder exercise of civic rights.
Ti,. mei who prepoeed to follow Christ should be pr--
p-red to sacrtfioa p esent interests and to stand by the
right whatever may 14 ti. 00SE to himself and his family.
By PO doing he cii be seeking the peaoe of his country,
for he will thus maintain It's ~elf-respect and be able—
though poor and despised, perhaps—to stand forth in
his conscious dignity of manhood, and wth the con-
viction that by his independent and upright 000 duct be
has *ought to serve his country and his God. I corns
now to the SICOND point involved in export of the text.
A maw who seeks the welfare of his count ,p will respect
its laws and its constitutes authorities. The duty of sub-
mission to the civil magistrate and cons quently to the
Laws wi.ich he makes is frequtntly enjo:ned in the
word of Ged. This point is so various as scarcely to
require illustration or enforcement. Society °tenet
ext‘t except its its members Testilys to uphold its laws
and institotions. Every member of society is bound by
moral obligations to abide by the laws hiinaelf, and to
promote their authority as far as lies In his power. He
who steeds by and sees the laws of his country set at
nought without raising his voice in protest is almost
equally guilty with the man who seta them at nought.
The Christian man will be particularly anxious to abide
by the example of he Master,who, though Bing of kings
and Lord of lords, yet, in his state of humiliation payed
tribute to Cesar and conformed to tbe laws of his country.
The Christian will further remember the language used
by the word of God respecting those sins into which
men as members of society are apt to falL Thus, to
mention only one—the one which as I have been in-
formed has. often been committed here in connection
with electoral contests—Massie of bribery. God's word
is clear and outspoken on this point. It condemns the
in in no measured terma, and although the kind of
.bribery practise now differs from that of olden times,
oft the principle involved is the mime in both cases.
'Thou shalt take no gtft: for the gift blindeth the
wise, tied perverteth the words of the righteous," Ex-
, odes xxiii. 8. The wicked is 'spoken of as having his
right hand full of bribes, Psalm reel. 10. "Fire,"
Eliphaz tells Job "shall consume the tabernacles of
bribery," Job xv. 24, while Isaiah says, ixcin. 15, 16,
"He that walketh righteously and shaketh his hands
from holding of bribes, he shall dwell on high, him place
of defense shall be the munitions of rocks ; bread shall
be given him; his waters shall be wine." These two
passages form a striking contrast, the one showing
the stolid punishment that may corns upon those who
try to protuote their interests by means of bribes, and
the other the sure position of him who, making God
his trust and walking in the integrity of his heart, re-
fuses to receive the bribes that maybe offered him. In
harmony with Isaiah's exclamation are the words of the
wise man, "He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own
house; bat he that hateth gifts shall live," Prov. xv. 27.
Bribery therefore is to be regarded in the light of • sin,
• en againit one's country, whose peace and prosperity
wears to seek, and • sin against God. And be it re-
membered that bribes may be offered in other forms I
than in that of money. The promise of place, position,
or influence is &bribe. He therefore who allows himself
to be iothienced in giving his vote by the offers that are
made him, or who waits until the gift is in his posses-
sion, forfeits all title to our respect, basely betrays the
trust reposed in him by the law which allows him the
exercise of the franchise, increases the evils that still
corms society, disregards the spirit, if not the letter, I
of his country's institutions, and lays himself open to
the charge of disrtgarding the plain teachings of
Scripture, and of forge'ting that God in whose hand his
breath is, to whom in all ways he ought to glorify. Let
us now pass to the THIRD point implied in the exhortation
of the text. Efforts should be made for our country's good.
This point opens up • wide field of remark'. I must
content myself with enforcing the principle and studying
Its application in our present circumstances. If •
ohristian acts on the truth laid down by the Apostle
that all who belong to Christ are "not their own," then
I as a citizen he will feel it to be his duty to further the
interests of meaty. Nor will he be satisfied with
leading a blameless life and maintaining an upright con-
versation. He will feel that his country calls for
strenuous efforts to promote its well-being. And those
who do not accept this high christian principle of not
being their own should bear in mind that as members of
society, they are bound to do what in them lies to re-
more its evils, and establish it on a firm basis of order,
truth and righteousness. Duties of this kind did not
admit of delegation. No man can my with truth that
the rulers of society are the only persons who should
promote its welfare. This is their special province, but
the people are not on this account released from all
obligation. They have at least the duty to perform of
peeking to appoint the most fitting men to represent
them in the councils of the nation—men who will be
I most likely to promote the development of the country's
I resources, and the maintenance of peace and order
I among ourselves and with other nations. Of course on
I this point opinions will differ. Let every man be fully
I persuaded in his own mind, and take that course which
his judgment and conscience alike approve." The rev.
I gentleman then proceeded to indicate what he con-
sidered to be the duties of Protestant Dissenters in the
, present crisis in relation to the advocacy of civil and
religious equality. The last portion of the discourse was
devoted to an exposition of the concluding exhortation
of the tezt—" Pray unto the Lord for it," but under
this head we have not space to follow the preacher.

_
- learned that they L
Christitmity, therefore, \
of men, and the equal
God, des ', that #
beaming k
humility
most *riling L
remember that h.
and destined if t.
pr i epare for t, for a.
Every men should feel
may be in the
God lie is of ruch
down His lifs for him. The appliestios of tide
to OUT present oircumatemees is or
should allow himself to be made
another. Servants should maintain,
mbyeoss.sy, that while •
their mailers in reprd to the wet
hired, yet Is ether matters they
eel for theneeelees. Hostess c
regard their lesekpeople and
equals in tbe dgbt of Got% Isof b.
in the Meth** af Aria and yes—
_ -- --
religions duties, Psi as their conseiseseand j
may direst. ll* serves* who willisigy wing=
dictatioe or Oriels al bie mealier, modulo b.! "Ifinidem
to his 0.1711i10a, pro
worthy of whisk
_as ei
enjoy, and that heritage
Christianity has . The master
threats to overawe his -
Into eeemplianss wt"
name of tyrant, # ..es bow -
principle* have his mind.
solems trust, and who seeks #
of his esantry will endeavour to .--
mint of suit legislators as, in hi- opinion, mai
likely to promote Hie happiness and prosperity. Even
voter should, therefore, tender his rots in the
fear of God, and on behalf of that policy which In his
conecienae, be believes to be most oondueive to his
country's well-being. He who compels mother to
submit to his dictation and he who submits to nob
ahliallollmn alike unworthy. of the trust reposed in
them. Again: He who is gelded by self•interest, who
mak* his vote depend on the advantage—the Immediate
advantage—be may derive from it, is filthiest to his
trust, and unworthyso stand aeons hit fellows in full
enjoyment cf his rights. He deal not seek the pesos
0 the city,' bet ply his own persOnal interest&