Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-01-04

the everlasting Father, the Prince Of
peace. OF the increase of his govern
ment and peace, there shall be no end.
And he shall judge among the nations.
and shall rebuke many people, and they
shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks ma
ton shall not Lift up sword against nation.
neither shall they learn war any mo1e."
&" The work of righteousness shall be
peace, and the effect of righteousness, qui-
etness and assurance for ever" How
correspondent is the reclamation of the
heavenly host at the birth of Christ /
Glory to God in the highest, on earth
peace, good will toward men," The Cos
pei in Scripture is styled the gospel of
peace - the apostles, ambassadors
of peace" and they teach, that the
fruits of the spirit, are peace and love-"
Christ's life was spent in doing good to
all classes Of mankind the doctrine he
taught was love, peace, and forgiveness of
injuries and he died praying for his per-
secutors thus sanctioning his doctrine by
example. Can any man, after taking in
to view all these corroborating evidences
of the object of christianity, entertain an
idea that himself or others, distinguished
by such dispositions, can be the slaves of
passions, which lead to imbrue their
hands in human blood ? Only let con-
science do its Office, and there will be no
difficulty in deciding.
May the warrior pause, reflect, and Sc
riously consider, whether declaration of
war, made by the greatest human authori-
ty, is sufficient warrant for him, on
christian principles, to deprive his fellow
man OF life or property: and, whether It
is possible to do either, in a disposition
that harmonlzes with the spirit ofthe Cos
pei, and the precepts and example Of a
meek, self-denying Saviour The inqui-
ry is very interesting for every protesting
christian who approves of war, to make /;
seeing the consequences, both as it respects
the destruction of the lives and property
of his fellow men, and his own eternal
welI-being, are very momentuous. For
indeed it is an awful reflection, that after
few fleeing years, perhaps days, we
shall appear before him, who can neither
be awed nor bribed to receive the irrevo-
cable sentence of, come We blessed"
or so We cursed" 1t will be unavail-
ing then to plead the command of rulers,
custom or example ; the turning point
will be, whether we have, according to
the best of our understanding, done the
will of God as revealed unto us. Let thai
man who is sheltering himself under q
declaration of war, or legal authority, in
forcibly dispossess1ng men oftheir proper.
ty, or depriving them of that life God has
given them and sending them uncalled
and probably unprepared, into an awful
eternity ; soIemnly query, am l, in so do
ing, fulfilling Christ's injunctions, of do
ing good to those who hate me, loving
enemies, and forgiv1ng injuries P' Sure
ly, his heart must condemn him, and the
answer be, " | am not" Then, may he
awfully bear in mind the emphatic decla-
ration, If thine heart condemn thee, God
is greater and knoweth all things
And WILL" the Saviour has declared
reward every man according to his
works."
May those who profess to be ministers
OF the gospel, and are by many consider
ed the oracles of truth, soIemnly query
previous to giving the least countenance
to war, "have l, unbiased by education,
custom or commonly received opinion,
carefully examined, whether war and
christianity can harmonic or, in other
words, whether it is possible, that the
meek and gentle spirit ofthe gospel, can
so assImilate with the Obstructive spirit oil
war, as that man can be actuated by
both at the same time ~ 1t is subiec,
demanding special inquiry of this class Of
citizens, both as it regards themselves and
the community; lest they mislead the
people, and it be said of them, as of some
formerl y; "the leaders of the people
cause them to err, and they that are led Of
them are destroyed"