Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-05-01
y ID u d e 3 a p IL
BRANDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 81, 1899.

lar Who SO base a coward as he who will abandon
truth and righteousness, al the bidding of earth or
helll
From the Portsmouth Journal.
He is the freeman whom the truth makes free,
And all slaves beside.'
How contemptuouS are the advocates of
peace regarded, how often are they spoken
of as weak enthusiasts whom wrong head
ed kindness carries to the very extreme of
utopiln folly. Non-resistance indeed
Why, the very statement of their opinions
is refutation of them mot fight for
their property, for selEpreservation, for
their wives, Tor their children; bear pa
tlentIy every insult when smitten upon
one cheek, turn the otherl II they could
carry out these absurdities, they would
overthrow human government,-let loose
the hand OF violence, break up all our
cherished institutions, aud change the
brightness of civilization 10 savage dark
ness
We are not the advocates of any party.
We would offer no apology for any sect.
Let every organization stand or fall as it
may; we wish that the truth, from what
ever source it may have shone in upon
the world, should warm and enlighten
each individual heart. 1t is the blind
leading the blind, the weak leaning upon
the weak, that has impeded the progress
OF man: it is the submission to human au-
lhorlty-,he revere nee of party-the love
OF common tone in morals that has en-
s!aVed the conscience of man. We would
that each for himself should form his own
opinions, that each for himself should
make up his own moral character. There
ismuch, very much in the direction of an
ancient writer, be We not conformed to
the world and we believe and assert that
every man is himself responsible to his
Maker alone and that no one can throw
off that responsibility upon a sect, or a
party, or even upon the world. AS the
man thinketb, so is he,
Let us then examine the subject. Is
there any danger from too much love, from
too unqualified submission to injufy2-
Have we been cautioned by Him, who
knew what is in the hearts of men lest
we should bring evil upon the world by an
excess Of meekness and humility? Is the
self-sacri6cing spirit Of the christian, pre-
ferring others good to his own, to make
him dangerous to society?
There is something noble and glorious
IN the forgiveness ofinjuries The world
may look scornfulIy, and speak scornful.
ly, but in truth it cannot despise hin who
rules his own spirit who strives each day
10 acquire more and more decided victo
ry over his sel6shness He is not tht
coward-he is not the noa-reSistant. ~Hs
contends bold with violence, tut it il
with the violence ofhis own passions.-
He strives againstthe mad impulses wnicl
act within his own bosom. He takes hi
stand against the animal instincts whicI
would look for good TO self, reckless OF thu
consequences to others, and though h.
will not answer reviling with revilng, re
turn blow for blow, take life for life, h
seeks Tor victory over his enemies within
that he may become the freeman Of tn
Lord
Such men-men who strive that the
may live without offence to others, ar,
not the cowardly non-resiStants. The ru
NOR OF war floats over the country: tn
business men leave their common pu
suits, collect together In little circles, the
hearts sinking within them; they tren
bic In fear of the war, yet they make n
resistance; their fortunes are in other;
hands, yet they do not even whisper
their right TO their own property the
dare not complain, but watch each con
ing mail in the hope that they in who
keeping they are, may relent; in the ho]
that they who rule over. them NAV ho
mercy upon their possess ions Su,
men are the nOn-resistants.
Many christian too, Yrays, bat qni,
ly accommodates himself TO war. if ne
be. No strong. united voice peryadi,
the whole land, comes from the chur
against the sin, the cruelty, the ranine. +
moral degradation of war! They, /
are the on-resistants-they submit TO
atrocities of war, permitting the relioio
character Of the nation to be at the mer
Of others.
And if war comes, the widows te;
shall fall, the orphans wall shall be hea
but the husband and father meekly 81
mlts. Thousands shall be driven to
battle, field as sheep are driven to
slaughter. and the people are merry
their bondage to death. The bread VIII
the poor man is carrying to his cbildr
saall De stricken from bis hand, but
people do not resist. The laborer and
artisan, the yeoman and the sailor 81
pour outthe blood as water. their ho,
snail float on the deep. OF their bo