Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-07-05

condemn what is bad, of all that passes
before US. | believe, that, so far from a
great interest Of benevolence being best
promoted by an exclusive and bigoted re-
gard to it on the part Of its friends, there
is no surer way of promoting it, than for
these friends to extend their aid to kindred
interests. A cause is commended by such
J liberality in its advocates; for, if 1t may
not claim for itself the production Of the
liberaIity, it is, at least entitled TO the neg
alive praise Of not REFRESHING and extln-
gushing it. But far more important
reason, why the friends of one moral en-
terprise should favor every other, is found
in the fact, that, in the long rum' these en-
terprises keep pace with each other. If
one is suffered to fail in the rear, the 9TH
ers must pause to be overtaken by it; and
if one, through a disproporlonate enlist
ment Of the public interest Units behalf be
impeIIed ahead, 1t must soon fall back to
the company it had deserted-if not still
farther, under a rttrbutive re-actlon.-
There is great deal of error on this
point. For instance, there was a time,
when you and were wont to think, that
the world would soon he delivered from
intemperance, even though it should re-
main buried in every other sin. But more
reflection has convinced us, that this vice
will disappear no faster, probably than
such kindred vices, as gambling, leWdneSs,
and slavery, are sub1ued
/ The EalIacy of the principle, that man
should not openly commit himself in be-
! half of any bat his tavofite branch of
benevolent effort, is readily seen, if we
! imagine the principle to be extensively
carried out. In the providence of God,
my friends, DeIavan, and John Tappan,
and thousand others, are brought to feel
more interest in the Temperance Reform
alton, than in any other scheme of phiIan-
thropy. Suppose they argue, that, to Sc
cure most fully and certainly the public
favor to their undertaking, its patrons and
advocates should stand aloof from every
other benevolent enterprise, which encoun.
tiers hostility, and should accordingly have
nothing to do with the anti-slavery cause
with moral reform Sabbath
schooIs-or with missions-for these, and
you may add to them every other system
of means for doing good, meet with oppo-
stion and contempt, both in and out OF the
church. Suppose also, that Arthur Tap
pan, and William Jay, and multitude Of
other abolitionists, should, to save their
noble cause from losing favor with such
as hate, some one, and some another O
the other benevolent schemes, deem
polite to withhold their sanction from
these schemes. Similar views would IeaC
Mr. Wilder and a host of godly mer
with him to consult the interest of the
Tract Society by turning their backs on
every other society. By the same kind
of reasoning, our excellent friend, John Il
Norton and other muntfcentI contributors
to the work Of evangelizing the heather
would seek to promote the popularity O.
the Missionary cause by wrapping them
selves up in indifference to every othe,
plan of mercy and salvation.
Now, l ask you, my dear friend, wheth
erthat harmonious spirit and action, which
the gospel en- joins on Christians, would
be realized in such staleeOf things as |
have here supposed Would it appear
that they have the same love"-are OF
Zone accord, of one mind'-are "knit
together in love-" and " striving togeth-
er? 2 God manfestly requires his chill
dren to stand united, in support Of all that
is righteous, and in opposition to all that
is wicked But IN the supposed state Of
things, Christian would be "person
who approves Of one good object and re-
jects every olher'-''a person opposed to
one form of evil, and winking at all the
rest" How little evidence would there
here be, that Christians seek, in simplicity
and sincerity, TO learn all the will and
ways ofthe Lord How much more ev-
idence, that the spirit of the church res
embles the spirit of calculating poIltI-
clans
! You will not understand me to argue,
that person is bound to be equally inter-
ested and active in all the departments of
phi'anthropic and Christian labor. All l
claim is, that in respect to the great con-
tests which are going on in our world be-
tween light and darkness, righteousness
and sin, Christians should let it be known,
that they are on the side Of God-that
they are Followers of God, as dear chill
dren '-uncaIculating, con6ding children.
For instance, | do not wish you to take
one hour from your devoted and honora-
Bile labors in the cause of temperance, to
expend in the enterprise ofralsing up two
and a half millions Of our fellow immor-
tails, from the level of brutes, to the rank
and dignity of men. | ask you for no
more, than simpI ' to let it be known, that
you are in favor ofthis' enterprse. ask
no more ofyou, than that you suffer your
! I I e E