Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-01-10

but in shifting It's eternal relation from
him to me- But when l take my neigh
Dor himself, and first make him property,
and then my property, the latter act, which
was the sole crime in the former case,
dwindles to mere appendage. The sin
in stealing a man does not consist in trans
ferring, from its owner to another, that
which is already property, but in turning
personality into property: True, the at
tributes of man still remain, but the rights
and immunities which grow out Of them
are annibilGted. 1t is the first law of
reason and revelation 10 regard things and
beings as they are and the sum of reli-
gfon, to feel and act toward them accord
ing to their nature and va ne. Knowing
ly to treat them otherwise, is SIN =; and
the degree of violence done to their nature,
relations, and value, measures its guilt.
When things are sundered which God
has indissolubly joined, or COMPOUNDED in
one, which he has separated by infinite
extremes when sacred and eternal dis
t;nctions, which he has garnished with
glory, are derjded and set at nought, then,
if ever, sin reddens in its "scaEet d ye."
The sin specified in the passage, is that of
doing violence to the nature Of man
his intrinsic valuc and relations as a IA
tional being, and blotting out the exalted
distinction stamped upon him by his Max
er. In the verse preceding, and in that
which follows, the same principle is laid
down. Verse Is, He that smiteth has
father or his mother shall surely be put to
deaM." Verse II, HE that curseth
his father or his mother, shall surely be
put to DEATH" If Jew smote his neigh
Dor, the law merely smote him in return.
But if that same blow were given to a
parent, the law struck the smiter Dead
Why this difference in the punishment of
the same act, inflicted on different persons?
Answer-God guards the parental reia-
ton with peculiar care. 1t is the centre
of human relations. To violate that, is to
violate all. Whoever trampled on that,
showed that no relation had any sacred
ness in his eyes-that he was unfit TO
move among human relations who had
violated one so sacred and tender. There
fore, the Mosaic law uplifted his bleeding
corpse, and brandished the CHASTITY terror
around the parental relation to guard it
from impious inroads.
But why the difference in the penalty
since the act was the same? The sin
had diverse aggravat:ons
l. The relation violated was Obvious
the distinction between parents and others,
manifest, dictated by natural affection
law Of the constitution.
2. The act was violence to nature-a
suicide on constitutional capabilities.
8. The parental relation then, as now
was the centre of the social system, and
required powerful safeguards. Honor
thy father and thy MOTHER" stands at the
head of those commands which prescribe
the duties of man to man and, through
out the Bible, the parental relation is
Gods favorte illustration, ofh own re.
lations to the whole family of man. Ir
this case death is inflicted not at all fol-
, the act of smiling, nor for shifting a man
but pGrent-for violating vital and 50
cred reIation-a distinction cherished By
. God, and around which, both in the mora
and ceremonial law, He threw up bul
wark of defence. In the next verse. HE
that s,eaIeth a man." &C., the SAME PR1N.
CIPLE is ought out in still stronger
relief The crime here punished with
death, is not the mere act Of taking proper
ty from its owner, but the disre9arding OF
, fundamental relations, doing violence to
an immortal nature, making war on a
, sacred distinction of priceless WORTH
That distinction which is cast headIong
by the principle of American slavery
which makes MEN "chattetS.'
The incessant pains-taking throughout
the Old Testament. in the separation OF
human beings from brutes and things,
shows Gods regard for the sacredness OF
his own distinction.
SIN the beginning" the Lord uttered
it in heaven, and proclaimed it to the
, universe as 1t rose into being. He array
ed creation at the instant of It's birth, to do
, it reverent homage 1t paused in ado
ration while He ushered forth its crown.
, ing work. Why that dread pause, and
, that creating arm held back in mid career
and that high conference in the godhead ?
. " Let as make man IN OUR IMAGE, afe9
OUR LIKENESS, AND LET HIM HAVE DO
N1N1oN orer the fish Of the sea, and oUe'
the fonl of the an, and o0er the cattle, and
0rer all the earth, and orer eUery iving
thing that naoeeth upon TIE earth'
Then while every living thing, with
land, and sea, and armament and mar
shalIed worlds, waited to catch and swell
, the shout Of morning stars-THEN "Go1
CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE. In
? THE IMAGE OF GoD CREATED HE HIM
This solves the problem, IN THE I'M
2 AGE OF GOD CREATED HE HIM
We'll might the sons of God cry altogeth
er, "Alnen, alleluia ." Thou art qoor
t thy, O Lord, to receiOe blessing ana
5 honor" -"For tAow hast made him {