Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-02-25

| vi VIC CAuICu, WIN are dDlo 10 QFiIlh lucII
wine, that will stand their ground and no
command of God, no requirement of be-
nevolence, no desire to save souls, no pity
for bleeding humanity, will move such
persons, until you can form public SEN
timent so powerful as to force them to it,
on penalty ofloss OF reputation. For they
love the praise of men.
And it is query now in my mind,
matter ofsolemn and anxious doubt, wheth-
er in the present low state of piety and de-
cline Of revivals of religion in the church,
public sentiment can be formed so pow
ertul as to do this. If not, we shall be
driven back. The Temperance Reforma-
ton, like a dam of sand, will be swept
away, the aoodgates will be opened again,
and the world will go reeling-down to
he'll And yet thousands of professors of
religion, who want to enjoy public respect
and at the same time enjoy themselves in
their own way, are crying out as if they
were in distress at the ultraism OF the
times!
Is. They are often opposed to men,
and measures, and things, while they are
unpopular and subject to reproach, and
when they become popular, fall in with
the same
Let an individual go through the
churches In any section, and wake them
up to revival of religion, and while he is
little known, these persons are not back
ward to speak against him. But let him
60 on, and gain influence, and they will
fall in and commend him and profess to be
his warnest friends. 1t was lust so with
Jesus Christ. Before his death, he had
certain degree Of popularity Multi
tudes would follow him, as he went thro:
the streets, and cry " Hosanna, Hosanna !"
But observe, they never would follow him
an atom further than his popularity follow
e1 him. AS soon as he was al rested as a
criminal they all turned round and began
to cry, "Crucify him, cruelty him! !"
This class of persons, as they set with
the tide one way, when a man is reproach-
ed, so they will set with the tide the other
way, when he comes to be Lonored.-
. There is on y one exception And that
is, when they have become so far com
mitted to the opposition, that they cannot
come round without disgrace And then
they will be silent, until another opportu
nifty comes up for letting out the burning
fires that are ranking within them.
), Very often a revival in a church, when
it first kegins is opposed by certain mem
, bers otthe church. They do no, like to
have such things carried on, they are
afraid there is too much animal excite
: ment, and the like. But the work goes
E on, and by and by they seem to fall in and
S 60 with the multitude. At length the re,
' vival is over, and the church grows cold
d again, and b. fore long you will find this
. class Of persons renewing heir OPPOSITION
il TO the Wo X, AMI as the church decline!
It thy press their opposition, and perhaps
t, IL the end, induce the church itselfto take
S ground against the very revival which
they had so much en- oyed. This is tn
{, very way in which individuals have actec
v in regard 10 revi,a ais in this county,
e There are many such cases. They Wer
J. awed by public sentiment and made t
b bow down TO the revival, while it was il
a its power, but by and by, as the reviva
n declines, they begin to let out the opposi
= ton that is in their hearts, and which wa
. suppressed for a time because the reviva
m was popular.
is 1t has been just so in regard to the caus
of missions, IN degree, and if any thin
h. should turn up, untavorabIe to missions, S
&C. as to break the present power of publ
sentiment in their favor, you would fiji
~ plenty of these fair weather supporte
IS. turning to the opposition.
n 10. If any measure is proposed to pr,
h mote religion, they are very sensitive al
on scrupuIous not to have any thing dol
ais that is unpopular.
q If they live in a city, they ask VII
We will the other churches think of such
70. measure? And if it is likely to bring r
M proach on their church or their minjse
Me in view Of the ungodly. or in view of t
ont other churches, they are distressed abo
r it No matter how much good it will {
hat or how many souls it will save, they
not want to have any thing done to inju
SIN the respects bility of their church.
cb 20. This class Of persons never aim
far forming public sentiment in favor
Ike perfect goodness.
ION, The true friends of God and man {
ow, always aiming at forming public sci
n it ment, and correcting public sentiment
and all points where it is wrong They (
to set, with all their hearts, to search out
The the evils in the world, and to reform
has world, and drive out iniquity from
the earth. The other class are ALWAYS
anv lowing public sentiment as it is, and lc
,ere ing after the course of the tide, to 60 t
,es- way, shrinking back from every tbi
ri7l that goes in the face of public sentme
Ie 10 And they are ready to brand as imp
Il to dent, or rash, any man or any thing, t
mo, goes to stem the tide of public sentim
ke1 and turn it the other way.