Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-03-03

Luke. In this chapter, Christ being
charged with the heinous crime ofreceiv-
ing sinners and eating with them, replied
to his accusers in parallels. The man
who had lost only one Of hundred sheep,
left the ninety, and nine and gave his
whole attention 10 searching for the one
until he found it; and when he had laid it
on his shoulder and returned with it, he
called together his friends and neighbors,
saying to them, rejoice with me, for
have found my sheep which was lost. -
1t was only one, yet who would not COM
mend him for allowing it to occupy his at
tention until he found it, See that father
and mother bent over sick child. Thew
have FIVE others, but they are we'll. Why
should they not be solicitous about the one,
and give it their attention until it RECEIVERS!
What could be more proper-what more
natural, than for the father to run and en-
brace the individual prodigal son, and,
leaving out of mind all the others for the
time, to kill the fatted calf and rejoice at
the recovery of this one from degradation
and wretchedness
What did the Savior mean bv these
parallels, They were spoken in reply
to murmurings against his receiving
sinners and eating with them. He
meant that we should care for the
lost sheep-that we should visit the
tatherless and widows-that we should
remember the aflicted-that we should
give the most attention to those who have
the most suferings, and of course the
strongest claims to our attention. If this
Is not Christianity, what is Christianity?
know, said the speaker, that it is not the
Christianity Of the priest and the Levite-
that 1t Is not a popular, iron hearted
Christianity-that it is not the Christian
lty which tramples down Gods poor with
iron hoofs-but it is the Christianity which
Jesus Taught is the Christianity which
makes men better-it is the Christianity
of heaven Read the 25th chapter of
Matthew. Among all objects in heaven,
earth and hell, there was one on which the
Saviour fixed his eye, and to which he
would turn our attention, as the object of
his peculiar regard. And what was it?
1t was a stranger, afflicted and oppressed.
He selected the lowest, most degraded
among the children of men, as his repre-
sentative-hungry, naked, visited with
sickness, too loathsome for human sym
pathy. He then declares, inasmuch as
We have done 1t, or have not done it, unto
one ofthe least Of these, We have done it,
or have not done it unto me. But when
saw we thee2" When turned we away
from theel When you turned away from
that loathsome wretched being who was
my representative, you turned away from
me
This subject furnishes test Of the state
OF religion in any community. 1t was the
object Of the apostle, IN the text, to furnish
such test. Show me community where
the tcastand degraded are trodden down
forgotten and despised, and | will show
you where there is spurious Christianity
il there be any. However jealous the
priest and the Levite might have been fol
souls, their religion had not made then
men. human beings What then was i
worth On the other hand, show me
community where every man meets, il
his fellow, friend and brother-wher,
the rights Of the poor are regarded-wher'
the outcast are brought in, and the dowr
trodden are lifted up-where the law O
love is the rule of life-and will show
you a community with a sound heart
walking in the light of Gods counten1nc,
Ia people that shall stand in the Judg
ment. Much is said of American Rsri
uals. But with all our boast, the Britisl
accuse US that we have not religion G
nough to make US humane. The Ian
guage of the American church in relation
to millions of suffering, perishing souls il
-FOUR own land is, leave them to the polit
cians-let them perish. To plead tn
; cause Ofhumanity.-to open our mouth
r for the dumb-is too secular a matter 70
: US We have too much piety to be mec
ding with such an affair We care 70
: souls But who shall care tor them
: the church shall not2 Their cause
4 spurned from the halls of Congress
. II III. -l.--- .-,.,Ek e