Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-11-20
The following is an extract of a letter, writ

Ic iOilOWlIIH al SAhuSs VI q 'SeeSIs WV
ten by minister Of the gospel in America, to
one of his feow.laborers in England, bear
ing date, Boston, October, 1885, The instruc'
ion which it affords is too valuable to be lost.--
The writer is now probably among those who
shave finished their course."--Zion's Herald
81 remember, in the congregation where
once labored, one Of my hearers told me story
of another, but begged would say nothing
about it. gave full credit to the report, feel
ing much hurt on the occasion, and expressed
my feelings with some degree of asperity. This
was soon carried to the offender, and lost no.
thing of the aspery in its passage. Reports
which tend to mischief are like snow.balls, the
farther they roll the more they gather. The
offender was in his turn offended-he spoke
also with anger-sad he would not be so treat
ed-he would be no mans slave, he was not
accountable TO any man, and would no longer
attend the meeting. Soon, all he said was COM
muncatcd to me. I was assuredly right, and
resolved to let him sec that | would call no man
master on earth. This gentleman was one Of
the first characters in my congregation but he
did not attend the next Sunday. ] was not sor-
ry-I secretly hoped he would never be there
again. The storm began to thicken-parties
began to form; some thought he was very cen.
surable ; and others thought was as much So
AT length, however, found that was wrong !;
but the difficulty then was, TO get right; not to
kno,c what was right but to do it. should have
gone TO see him in the first instance, and talked
,rih him--not of him.
"iou must know that when entered upon
my present mode Of life, my master provided
me with tutor, who was to accompany me as
monitor. | could no. see him but could very
scnsibly feel his reproofs. He advised me to
retire with him awhile. felt my face glow at
the thought; knew what it was for ldread-
ed the fc,cre account which was to give bu,
it was not TO be avoided and with trembling
retired Come said my monitor, sit down."
began; "hc certainly was wrong" STOP
said my monitor, at is you have to deal with /;
you have done wrong-you who by prccept and
example ought to lead in the way Of peace" Blu,
| ought TO exhort, and rcprove, and rebuke."
stop, SIR said my monitor "and call TO mind
that the shutters OH the altar should be Of pure
gold. Reproois and rebukes come with very
| i'll grace from an offender" "An offender :"
"les an offender, and one of the worst cas, an
offence in you, and of this nature, is peculiarly
offensive. Suppose any of your hearers in like
circumstances, what advice would you give them!
Suppose them offended by brother-you would
advise them 20 lie calm, to suspend their iudg-
ncn;, to seek an opportunity alone with the sup
posed offender, address him in the language Of
charity, hope it was not SO bad as was expected :;
at least You should hope the intention was not
SO bad. But this you have not done. You have,
by your conduct in this instance, injured Your
masters Cause ard perhaps made wounds tla,
may never be healed. You know not, at this
moment, what your once kind friend is suffering ::
what his dear wife, his venerable parent, each
of when, have a regard fer both, can say moth
ing, but must suffer in silence. Certainly YOU
have done wrong" The tears gushed into my
| eyes-l thought of praying. "No," said my
monitor, "not yet; You should first 10 right
Go and and acknowledge your fault" But
cannot eo--hc will treat me roughly" "You
deserve it, and must bear it patiently. You will
at least have the pleasure of knowing you have
done all you could to repair the wrong; and if
you should rot meet forgiveness and reconcilia-
ton from your injured ncighbor, you may apply
to your offended master, and obtain reconcilia-
ton with him. went out with heavy heart,
feeling, on my way, the force of that truth 1.-THE
way OF the transgressoris hard" Iarrivcd at his
dwelling, and entered the door; but, with what
different sensations, than when unconscious OF
offence. O, how painful is a guilty conscience
found him reading-he did not speak, I could
not. His com anon blushed, she tremhled, and
spoke however he read on. attempted once
and again to bring out what my monitor charged
me to do. failed. At length, for must come
to ii, sad with laltcring voice, you are jusi.
fled sir, in your conduct on this occasion de-
serve it all and all this, yea more, | can bear,
with much more case than can the rcproaches
of my own heart. am come to give this tronb.
led heart some relief sir, by acknowledging my
carer have done wrong, in taking up a re-
port Of you, or sayng any thing about you to
any but yourself. lave come to ask your for
giveness." ! was going to add bu, he arose
his countenance surused with tears and, be-.
ing unable to speak, he gave me his hand, with
az warm heart ever beat in friends bosom.
Nor has that heart yet become cold, though this
was many years ago. On my return, was con-
graduated by my kind monitor, and poured out
my soul 10 my heavenly Father, whose conso-
ling language was: "Nciiher do | condcmn
thee: 60 and sin no more"
|
MAXIMS.