Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-06-24
VERMONT TELEGRAPH

consistent with themselves, to uphold mis-
sionaries in marching upon the heather
around them and destroying their towns"
But is it christian? This is the ques-
ton. Did the Great Teacher do, or COM
mand, or permit, any such thing? Did the
Apostles, or any of the primitive christians?
On the contrary, did they not teach, by pre-
cept and example, to Glove your enemes"-
TO "pray for them which despitefully use
you"-to "resist not evil ito "overcome
evil with good "-to "avenge not your
selves "-that vengeance belongeth alone
unto the Lord? What constitutes the great
line of demarkation between Christianity
and heathenism, drawn by the Author Of
Christianity himself-observed by him in
every act Of his life, and enjoined to be
observed by all his followers What was
it but PEACE and LOVE, in opposition to all
war and violence Hear him -" Ye have
heard that it hath been said, an eye for an
eye, and tooth for tooth but say unto
you that We resist not evil: but whatsoever
shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn 10
him the other also" eye have heard that
it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neigh
Dor and hate thine enemy. But l say unto
you, love your enemies, bless them that
curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you; that We may be
the children of your Father which is in
heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on
the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain
on The just and on the unjust. For if We
love them which love you, what reward
have yep This lesson of peace and love,
which was exemplifed by the whole life of
Him who gave it, In practical non-resist-
ance, suffering himself to be killed by his
enemies, when he could easily have taken
summary vengeance on them at his discre-
ton, was understood by. all his followers,
for near 300 years, to be equally obligatory
on them as or their great Leader. II was
not until that impious corrupter of Chris
tianity, Pontifex Maximus Constantine,
hoisled his "labarum," ingratiated himself
into the favor of Christians by restoring to
them the property which had been taken
from them during the prosecutions, putting
swords into their hands and making them
eligible to public officers, that the followers
of the Prince of Peace ever felt at liberty
to imbrue their hands in human blood, or
punish their enemies with violence. So
that they who have done these anti Chris
tan things, and now do them, or advocate
them, are thus far the followers of cor
rupt worldly monarch, and not of Him
whose "kingdom is not of this world" the
" officers" of which are g Peace "-,he eek
actors Righteousness '-the ''walls Saliva
tion," and the "gates Praise"
have said that the distinguishing char
acterislics of the Christian religion are
Peace and Love. This sentiment is sus-
tanned, not only by the scriptures which |
have quoted, and other scriptures, and also
by the historical facts which | have cited.
but by feeling very generally entertained
by those who hold to resistance. Even
these have feeling that they who profess
to be nearest like Christie be bis minis
ters-ought not to fight and kill. | know
not but even Harvey Curtis himself, the
staunch advocate of defensive war, and the
Editor of the Chronicle who tacitly endors-
es his sentiments, may be Mortified at the
horrible and bloody transaction at Liberia.
in view of its having been performed by
They have not, however as
yet, that have seen or heard, expressed |
anything Of the kind. If they should un-
dertake the expression of such a feeling or
sentiment, they will do themselves credit.
and me favor, to show wherein the New
Testament allows any protesting christian
to DO anything of this kind, which it pro-
nlDlts to missionary. Is a protested min
ster of the gospel at liberty to teach others
10 do that which it is unlawful for him TO
10! When will there be "peace on eartb.n
I they who set themselves up, and are
looked up TO, as religious guides and teach
FRS, continue TO advocate the lawfulness
and christianity Of thanksgiving under GER
AIN circumstances !? Never-never.
For the Telegraph.
THE WOMAN QUESTIONS