Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-01-30
January 80, 1889.

;a.;,r ;pcaleulable suffering, must De
exceedingly painful to pious heart Inc
Ch,i,,;,n has begun tocherish, and TO take
,a,;oh, il the exercise Of "love, JOY, peace,
loDa,suaerng, gentleness, goodness fal.n'
n,ekness, temperance" Bot ne hnds the
.oldier,s life passed amid turmoil and con-
fusion, and strife and blood, but i'll adapted
% oourish these graces. The laws o. war
80, tho laws Of Christ Patriotic hate IS
exoec,ed to take the place Of universal good
Ill Keep resentment and terrible retaila-
ton mus, supplant meekness, gentleness'
and long-suffering: Christians therefore
in oroporlion as their hearts are lmoued win
the spirit Of Christ will become avefse &c
warlike scenes and employments, and this
aversion will become general as Christian
iv is more widely spread. In the last war
with England, It is believed that very few
christians voluntarily enlistedin the service.
And as the religion Of Christ becomes more
generally received into the hearts of men,
governments will hesitate TO declare war for
any Of the ordinary causes of national striles
knowing that they will drag reluctant peo-
pie into H. Every conversion to christian
ity disarms soldier or quells the war-spirit
in another breast, and we shall have no war
making rules when we have no war-loving
people.
8. The prevalence of christianity aDiU
cause rrars TO cease by elerating the priu-
ate citizen and causing new Importance to
be attached to his life and aoeLfare. Chris
tianity puts new honor upon man, and in
vests human lille with a sacredness before
unappreciated. If the soul were but tap
er blaze lit up here to, burn for little sea-
son and then go on, in utter darkness, it
would matter little whether it were left to
die away Of itself, or were snufed out be-
fore its time. Hence wherever in6delity or
any system of false religion has prevailed,
the soJl has beer degraded and human life
proportionably cheapened. The Bible by
teaching the Immortality Of the soul, and the
accountability Of man, and by disclosing to
view something Of the re,ributions of a flu
lure state, has attached an importance to
Lille which forbids its unnecessary sacrifice
christian government will not for any
slight considerations stake the lives of its
subjects. Again, Christianity diminishes
very much the distinctions which exist in
society. ltleads US to regard the differences
OF wealth and station as trifiing things
while common origin and joint hershjp
10 Immortality bring men near to each other
as to the value Of their several interests and
their importance in the scale of beipg-ex-
cept where the Bible has shed its light the
great mass of the people have been gener-
ally regarded and treated as mere instru-
ments for the use Of rulers. The welfare
Of the people was thought to be very tri.
fling concern and their interests were sell
dom consulted. Some little pique of king
or emperor must be gratifed though the ma
sion have to bleed at every pore and groal
for half century under the pecuniary bur
den thus imposed. A little glory to eneirci
the soyereign's head or to emblazon som
few noble names was thought to be cheapl
purchased with the sacrifice of thousand
of lives, and the bereavement Of tens {
thousands with ap expenditure Of million
of the peoples money. But when unde
the ameliorating influence Of Christianit,
the mass Of the people shall become eleva
ed and improved in mind and heart, due re
gard will be paid to their interests as we
as TO the renown Of their rulers. Alread
is this beginning TO take effect. The M
mortal and remonstrance of the manufa
turers Of Lyons was not the least anon
the causes which hushed the notes CT pre-
aration and compelled Louis Philippe
think Of peace, in the late controversy b
tween FraLce and this country. And whe
the people better understand their true int
esls wars must cease among christian n
tons. To the people war is always lc
ing game. II they gain they lose; and
they lose, tLey lose Immensely.
most instances ofnational disputes either
uon had better yield TO all the demands Of t
other than to fight even if sure Of victor
4. Christianity will suppress war
throwing new light upon the moral char;
Ter of these public contests. The gospel
nsprogress is designed to pervade and leav
the whole lump. All the institutions Q
practices of society must pass through
IRE not to be burned up indiscriminat ely,
10 be purified, and surely system can
stand The test which involves the innoc
with the guilty punishment, which clot
analion in mourning and wrings with