Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-01-17

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members and great body of public profess
ors, and few, very few, of the ministers of
the churches will be valiant or bold enough
to tell them the truth" Compare this with
page 219, where you say, "No one can de-
ny but that since the revolution in France
sealing time has passed: many have been
born into the spiritual kingdom of Christ,
more than have ever been known in the
same period!oftime since the apostles days"
Again, page 1876, you say, ais it not
general complaint with all of our churches
of coldness, of want of spiritual life and a
great failure in active spiritual duties
Yes. Has not a spirit of slOth and supine-
ness seized upon people generdIty2 Do
not many thinkif they have hired servant
to talk religion, and visit the widow and
fatherless, and keep themselves unspotted
from the world for them, it is enough
Yes. And does not all this and much
more that might with truth be said on this
point, declare loudly that professors of
Christianity generally are in backward
state ? Yes, we must respond yes" Let
US see how the church, with all its cold
ness, sloth, supineness, and IukeDarmncss
has been blest. Page 178, you say, "And
it is very evident my dear friends, that the
church is now out of the wilderness, that is,
if she ever was, for there has never been a
time since the days of the apostles, no nor
eren henb that the church in all her seve-
raj branches has enjoyed greater privileges
than for nearly forty years past. She has
spead her wings over every land, and car
!, ried the news of salvation into every Ian
guage in the known world. Her reapers
have followed the sewers of seed, and there
T is, fare handsfull of corn in the tops of all
the mountains"
Take another example, where you say,
page 1O9, "During this age, TPergamos
| age as you call it, the church became very
) earthly, having her worldly policy, and
) like the church at the present day, attend
~ Oul"dIu CUuCGTuS anu TIE
; worldly part of religion, than to inward
) piety and graces of the spirit, looking more
for forms and ceremonies than for life,
poicer and spirit of The religion of Jesus,
spending much of their time in building
elegant chapels, gorgeous temples, high
places to educate their ministry, and adorn-
ing them with pictures and pleasant things,
: and filling the hearts of their worshippers
; with high, popular and naughty notions. u
Now let US see how the church at the pres
2 ent day" appears to you, when you look
: from another promontoy Of your theory
- page SO, speaking of Michael standing up
e for the children of the people, you say
f "blessed be his holy name-he has accom-
g plished his purpose; for in the year 1916
e 17-19, more people were converted to the
e faith of Jesus, than had been for thirty year:
t before. Almost, and I know not but ever,
S town in these States was visited with {
d shower of mercy, and hundreds and thou
D sands, yea, tens of thousands were born int
the invisible kingdom of the dear Redeem
y er, and their names recorded among tht
O members of the church Of the first born
n This has lasted, in great measure, 5o1
$ 20 gears, and has spread over large shar,
r. of the christian world; even the islands O
O the sea have lifted up their voices to God
y and the wilderness has bloomed like tn,
Is rose, and the heather have seen of his saliva
# ton. The grace Of God has distilled upol
h us like the morning dew and like shower
,e upon thirsty soil"
- I might 60 on and fill columns with sucE
contradictions. But these are enough t
4 show your want either ofjudgment or can
;, dor in selecting your proof; and that whe
;, your subject requires it, the church is bIach
- and then again it needs to be qphite. Some
'0 times it makes better proof to have tn
y church all asleep, cold, and lukewarm-
g then again, the same church, at the sam
ID time, is all in motion, sending the gospel t
s, the ends Of the earth. Sometimes tn
of members Of the church get their servants
lie talk religion for them, being too cold to d
ID any thing themselves, then again they al
ly all engaged in a revival. Sometimes til
re world and church are boarding up the
es money into monopolies, see pages 125 & 81
IN and then the same world and church al
O. laVishing out their money to spread tt
in gospel. And all as it seems to suit yo'
ad theory best.
,e- ] know, brother Miller, this is plain laI
to guage; and would gladly have found
cause to use it. But there is cause, or Il
W. want of Judgment and candor" is on n
mart. If the quotations shnYe do not be