Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-10-19

all are told to lie faithful in that which is
least, else, if there be truth in our text,
they incur the guilt Of beng unfaithfui in
much. 1t may be thought, that because
such dishonesties as these are scarcely'no-
ticeabse. they are therefore not worthy Of
notice. But ii is just in the proportion Of
their being unuoticeable by the human
eye, that it is religious to refrain from
them. These are the cases in which it
will be seen, whether the control of the
omniscience Of God makes up for the con-
troll of human observation-in which the
sentiment, that thou God seest me, should
carry &. preponderance through all the Sc
cret places Of mans history-in which,
when e1efy earthly. check of an earthly
HeralHY IS withdrawn, il Should be felt,
thar they've Of God is u pom him, and that
the Judgment Of God is in reserve for him.
To him who is gifted with true discern
ment OF these matters, will it appear, that
often, in proportion to the smallness OF the
doings, is the sacrcdncss of that principle
which causes them to be done with integ-
ri;y; that honesty, in little transactions,
bears upon it more Of the aspect of hoIl-
ness than honesty lii great ones; that the
man Of deepest sensibility to the obliga-
tons ofthe law, is he who feels the quick
ening Of moral alarm at its slightest viola
tions; that, in the morality of grains and
of scruples, there may be a greater tender
ness of conscience, and more heaven
born sanctity, than in that larger morality
which flashes broadly and obscrvedly up
on the world and that thus, in the faith
fitness ofthe household maid, or ofthe ap-
prentice boy, there may be the presence of
a truer principle than there is in the more
conspicuous transactions of human bust
ness--what they do, being done, not with
eye-seryice-what they do, being done
onto the Lord
And here we may remark, that noble
ness of condition is not essential as a
school for nobleness Of character nor
does man require to be high in Office, ere
he can gather around his person the worth
and tho Iussre of high minded integrity.
1t is delightful to think, that humble life
may be just as rich in moral grace, and
moral grandeur, as the lofler places of So
eiay; that as true dignity Of principle
may be~earned by him who in the homIi-
est drudgury, plies his conscientious task.
as bY him WHO stand $ entrusted with the
fortunes Of an empire; that the poorest
mental in The land, who can lift hand
unsoiled BY the pi.ferments that are with
in his reach, tuay have achieved victory
over temptation, to the full as honorable
as the proudest patriot can boast, who has
spurned the bribery of courts away from
him. 1t is cheering to know, from the
heavenly Judge himself, that he who is
faithful in sthe least, is faithful also in
much; aud that thus, among the labors
ofthe field and ofthe workshop, it is pos
sble for the peasant to be as bright in
honor as The peer, and have the chivalry
of as much truth and Virtue to adorn him.
And, as this lesson is not little in re-
spect Of principle, so neither is it little in
respect of influence on the order and we'll
being Of human society. H. who is un-
Just in the least, is, in respect Of guilt, un-
iusha also in much. And to reverse this
proposition, as it is done in the first clause
of our text-he who is faithful in that
which is least, is, in respect both Of right
eous principle and of actual observation
faithful also in much. Who is the man
to whom would most readily confide the
whole Of my property? He who would
most disdain TO put forth an injurious
hand on a single tarthing of it. Who is
the man from whom | would have the
least dread Of any unrighteous encrolch
lnent! He, all the delicacies Of whose
principle are awakened, when he come:
:, within sight of the limit which separate:
the region ofjustice from the region fin
Justice. Who is the man whom we shaI
never find among the greater degrees O
tiniquity2 He who shrinks with sacrec
labhorrence from the lesser degrees of it
1t is a true, though homel y maxim 0
Feconomy, that if We take care of our small
sums, our great sums will take care {
themselves. And, to pass from our ow
things to he things Of others, it is no les
true, that if principle should lead us all t
maintain the care of strictest honesty owe
! our neighbours pennies, then will hi
I pounds lie se:ure from the grasp Of nus
tice, behind the barrier Of moral impo:
sibility. This lesson, if carried into c
feet among yoc. would so strengthen a
the ramparts Of security between man an
man, as TO make them utterly impossible
and therefore, while, in the matter OF it,
may look, in one view, as one Of the lea
> ofthe commandments, Ii, in regard 10,
of principle and effect, is, in another vie,
: of it, one of the greatest OF the comman
6 ments. And we therefore conclude wit
assuring you. that nothing vii! spread tn
principle of this commandment to an
a great extent throughout the mass Of socle
; ty, but.the principle Of goodness. Noti
l ing will secure the general observation
z justice amongst US. in its punctualty an
e in its preciseness. but such precise Chris
L. =. L,