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

WAR.
On account of my absence, brother Curtis favors
me this week, with discourse, on war, which
he delivered to his own and the Baptist congrega-
lions, assembled in the Baptist meeting house, in
this village, last Thanksgiving. Brother Curtis al
lows the discourse to be published, at the request
of large number of those who heard it.
Thanksgiving Sermon, Dec. 6, 1898.
IsA. ii, 4. sand they shall beat their swords !
into plough and their spears into pruning
hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against ma
ton, neither shall they learn war any more"
The time to which this prophecy refers is
the gospel dispensation, as the context evil
IDENTIFY indicates. "And it shall come to
pass in the last days" The period after
the coming of Christ is often designated in
the Bible by such expressions as "last
ddys"-"ta times" &c.;* and the pro-
pliety Of such designation will be mani
fest after moments consideration. -Four
thousand years had passed before the COM
ing OF Christ, and 1t is not yet two thou
sand years since that event. So that, ad-
hitting what many believe, that the present
and next centuries will pass away before
the Millennium will commence-and thus
SIX thousand years Of turmoil and confusion
and strife precede the Sabbath Of the
world-adnltting this, and probably long
er period will not intervene-still the Cos
pei dispensation constituting but the last
third of the worlds duration before the
Millennium might very properly be describ-
ed as the 'last days." &c. "And it shall
t come to pass in the last days that the noun
J tain Of the Lords house"-a igurative ex
preston for Zion-"shall be established in
) the top of the mountains, and shall be ex-
, halted above the hills"-i. e. shall be raised
above all competitors, and the interests OF
/ Chrisrs kingdom be acknowledged para
2 mount to all olher interests" and all ma
tons shall flow unto it." Christianity shall
! become the religion of all nations, "and
. many people shall go and say, come We and
# let US go up to the mountain Of the Lord
Il to the house of the God of Jacob, and he
: will teach US Of his ways, and we will
e walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall &C
n forth the law, and the word of the Lore
E from Jerusalen."> In this language We
r have beautiful delineation of the universe
II spread and prevalence of the Gospel. II
q the next verse we have its results depicted
"He, Jehovah, "shall Judge among the
Il nations, and shall rebuke many people,
and under his reign "they," "the nations O
: the earth,n "shall beat their swords int
IS plough shares, and their spears into pruning
# hooks: nation shall na lift up sword agains
: nation, neither shall they learn war any
. more.' -
# The sentiment of the text is this tn,
: general prevalence of christianity amone
!, the nations of the earth piH cause al
e tcdrs to cease. This is mentioned in the
Y text as the great and most obvious effec
$ upon society, of the spread and triumph o
e the Gospel. And it is not one of the leas
Il important temporal blessings which man
t KIND are TO experience, as the fruit of chris
: tlanlty Probably no one 2ractce-the frui
/ OF human depravity-has been productiv,
h oil more moral and physical evil than this
W attempting to settle national disputes by tn,
L arbltrement of the sword. The highes
efforts OF genius have been enlisted to be
>, deck and emblazen the warrior and hi
St profession. The bravery of military heroe
lie and their feats OF arms. have been tho e,
y vorlte themes of poets and orators. Tn,
,r glowing enthusiasm Of the writer has bee,
l. caught by the readers and from admirin,
'e the description we easily come to admir-
= the things described. But the view, q
L. war derived from such sources are incorr.c
al and deceptive. From the brow Of menn
- tain we might look down upon battle-fe
1t and see many things to admire-the beau,i
l. ful array OF columns-the different costum
|, and equipment OF the troops-the order an,
j. promptitude of the evolutions. We mich
e, listen with delight TO the roar of artiller,
y and the rattle of musketry; and in tn
~ intervals catch the faint notes of the fife
IS the drum and the bugle. And as the battl
Re progressed, We might still gaze on, charme,
/ to see ever and anon through the openin,
clouds of smoke, here wavering line. O
IS broken columns retreating-there the furi
"a Gus onset of cavalry-here line of bris,
10 ling bayone1s, there Of waving plumes wit
D, banners floating above them; and here an
7 7 there dashing overthe field the proud wa,
n horse richly csprisoned. Oh how sublime
OF how enchanting the spectacle! All, it i
Is by jus; such superficial views and descriE
re lions that we have been cheated iu,o him