Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-02-18

mon run of protesting christians. and are
satisfied with doing what is commendable
in their estimation. Theyproye to dem
onstration. that their object is not so much
to do what the Bible lays down as duty,
as to do what the great mass Of protesting
christians do--to do what ia respectable !,
rather than what is RIGHT, I = secE..
i 2 This class of persons do not trouble
themselves about sLse0ttag the Standard
OF piety around them. 2. .s-a - 4
They are not troubled at the fact, that
the general standard of piety is so low,in
the church. that it is impossible to bring
the great mass of sinners to rerentance.-
They think the STANDARD at the prest Mt
time is high enough. Whatever be the
standard at the time, it satisfies them.-
While the real fiends Of God and man
are complaining of the church, because
the standard of piety is so low. and trying
to wake up the church to elevate the tone
of religion, it all seems to this class of
persons like sensoriousness and medde-
some, uneasy disposition, and as denoting
la bad spiritin them Just as when Jesus
Christ denounced the scribes and pharises
and leading professors of his day, they
said, :" He hath devil" why, he is
denouncing our doctors Of divinity, and all
our best men, and even dares to call the
scribes and pharisees hypocrites, and he
tells US that except our righteousness shall
exceed thei s, we can in no case enter the
kingdom Of heaven. What bad spirit
! he has
A large part of the church at the pres
entday have the same spnit, AMI every ef-
fort to open the eyes ofthe church, and to
make. christians see that they live so low,
SO worldly. so much like hypocrites. that
| it is impossible that the work of The Lo.d
should GO on, only excites i'll will and oc-
casions reproach, 60" they sly, "Avhat
bad spirit he shows, so sensorious, and
so unkind. surely that is any thing butthe
meek, and kind, and lovin spirit Of the
Son OF God" They forget how Jesus
Christ poured out his anath emes, enough
to make the hills of Judea shake, against
those that had the Re, u alton Of being the
most pious people in that day, Just as if
Jesus Christ never said any thing severe
to any body, but just fawned over them,
and soothed them into his kingdom
Who does not know tn It it was the hypo-
critical spirit exhibited by professors of
religion, that reused his soul and moved
his indignation, and called forth his burn
I ing torrents Of dsnunc alton. He was al.
ways complaining Of the very people who
were set up as patterns Of piety, and call
ed, them hypocrites, and Numbered over
} their heads the terrible words, How
, CAN VE ESCAPE THE DAMNATIoN OF
HELL
1t is not wonderful, when so many love
the praise of men more than the praise Of
4, God, that there should be excitement VII IN
the truth is tod. They are very we'll sal
is6ed with the standard of piety as it is
and think that while the people are doing
so much for Sabbath schools and missions
= and tracts, that is doing pretty well, anc
they wonder what the man would have
: Alas! alas for their blininess They
: do not seem to know that with all this
; the lives Of the generality Of protesting
: christians are almost as different from thu
v standard of Jesus Christ as light is from
= darkness.
Z 3. They make a distinction between
4 those requirements of God that are strong
|, ly enforced by public sentiment and thos,
e that are not thus guarded
3 They are very scrupulous in observing
!. such requirements as public sentimen
It distinctly favors, while they easily set a
5 nought those which public sentiment doe
not enforce. You have illustrations, Q
= this on every side. l might mention tn
n Temperance Reformation. How man,
l. there are who yield to public sentiment
e this matter what they never would yiel
+ to God or man AT first they waited t
n see how it would turn. They resiste
e giving up of ardent spirits. But wheI
, that became popular, and they found thu
n they could do very we'll with other alec
IS holic' stimulants, they gave it up. b
e they are determined to yield TO furthe
ie han-public sentiment drives them. The
l. show that it is not their object, in joinin
y the Temperance Society, to CARR
or OUT the reform, so as 10 STAY the NOR
'e ster, Intemperance, but their object is
Oh maintain a good character. They lo'
O. the praise of men more than the praise
~ God.
Ut All those sins that are Reproduced ;
$ public opinion this class of persons abstaj
~, from, but they do other things just as bs
Us which are not thus frowned on. The
az do those duties which are enforced by Pu
he lie opinion, but not those that are less e
By forced. They will not stay away fro
es public worshipon the Sabbath. becau
they could not maintain any -reputatic
10. tor religion at all if they did! But th'
ID neglect things that are Just as peremptO'
sir " enioined in the word Of God Whe
ch an individual habitually disobeys any col
M mand Of God. he knowing it to be sue
"a. It IS Just as certain as his soul lives, tb