Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-01-29


defence, 1t the author. and finisber and
P!iern OF our hnh would not have beeng
l suomli, whether The fact, that Jesus did
no, oefend himself. nonallow himself 70
- &c oeiehaea' does not settle the question
OF non-res'stance2 No cause. however
Just and good. no life, however dear and
vaiuao Die, may on christian principles n
defended by violence This
IS hard saying. Few, perhans can hsa,.
1t. But ]: is the true saving. nnIees 4,
can be shown, that o!her lives are move
valuable than was the life of the Som of
God; or unless il can be made TO bnpear
| that christians are allowed bg their master
10 ACT in two opposite characters. 10 fight
lor the Kingdoms of this world and suffer
Tor the kingdom of Heaven, i. 2. TO serre
Christ and BeliaI. God and Mammon
unless IT can be shown. that they can ficbt
for the body and not harm the soul: or
that they can love an enemy while Kill.
ing him.
| Were it not for the Illustration of the
! spirit OF non-resistance given US in the
NE OF Jesus, II might De difficult to deter.
NINE the precise meaning of bis preceuls.
[! can not be denied that the words used
IN this, as well as in several other in
stances require some limitations and Quail
lhcations. And, were it not for what we
know OF his conduct, we might be at a
loss to determine precisely what he In
tended by these words-sresist not evil
love your enemies But what he did
is the best commentary we could have
upon what he said If could be proved
that Jesus ever did, or if there were suf-
flclent reason to believe he ever would,
Kill, or MAIN, or imprison a man for anv
lcause, then might we safely infer, that d
follower of Jesus may 90 likewise for
similar cause. How would the beloved
Son of God act in any supposable. case of
insult injury or perii7 The answer to
this question decides how his disciples
should act. And must not the same re-
Spouse to this question come from the
depths of every soul, that has ever read
his biography? never saw the person.
nor heard of him, do not believe there
ever was one. who did not perceive Mt a
glance the garing incongruity between
the character of Jesus and the act of kill
ing man in seif.defence, or knockinr
him down, or calling upon others 10 hind
MIN and cast him into prison. We can
coLcelve OF Jesus only as rebukinc the
wrong doer faithfully and af1rctionateIy.
and meekly enduring all things from
him, that he might overcome his evil
passions and reconcile him to his Heav-
en.y Father
of course those only. who have risen
with Christ from the death of sin IN the
lite OF lghteousness-those who are not
concerned to this word, bnt are trans
formed by the renewing of their minds
can know what is the good, and arcepo-
bic and perfect VIII OF God. Those onIv
can ne ready 10 present their bodies a hv-
ing sacrifice in his service. Those only
will be willing or able to act on The prin-
ciple of non-resistancc. This principle
/ is rejected, desplsed. hated BIZ worldly
minded men. and ever must be. Those
only whose affections are set on things IN
Heaven, and not on things on the earth,
can be raised above the tepntations ~
wrath, revenge and murder. Those on
ly, who are persuaded that TO die in nd.
heIehce to principle would give new
and higher life TO the soul, can act al r.
they believed that ii were infiditeiv better
for them 10 be killed under anys circun,-
stances than to kill Those only. who
realize what ruin the indulgence of un-
hallowed passions, envy, haired, wrath,
works in the human soul. can leel such
compassion, such love forany enemy as
to lay down their own life for him.
1t is idle therefore to expect that r1en
OF the world, those who are living for
wealth, for honor, for the pride Of lifesor
the lusts Of the flesh. will embrace the
principle of non-fesistance. Such men
must be converted, and become as lille
children. before they can enter the king
dom of Heaven. @To use the s:rong LAM
guage ofJesus, they must be rrgenerated.
born again. beflre they will be so Christ
! like as to feel no desire to harm those.
who harm them. -
, Non-resistance IS the pTipiiiiye doctrine
Of the Cross. Blessed be Cod, that Il has
been so earnestly re-pubIished i'm our iay.
. But let no one hastily profess il. The
) disciple Of the master who incu.cated this
, doctrine, must DENY himself daily, take
+ up the cross and follow him. Until the
| condition and character of mankind is
| essentially changed, they may have to
suffer much, ay, endure all things, !, who
/, are steadfast in their adherence 10 the
, principle of the Gospel. But the condi-
E ton and character of mankind never will
] be- essentially changed, unless christians
: will be christians indeed, unless the disci-
!. Piles will be like their Muster The
church has been overlaid with professions
At best these are hnI leaves. We have
. had too many 81 thssn. we want more