Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-09-16

annctloning the violence OF human iuioiS' =
We do not believe that the spread ofprln- Il
ciples opposed 70 all violence among men, y
and recurring all 10 net on the principles u
oil seE.sacrifcing benevolence, will prove Il
disoreanizing or dangerous in the LEAST 7
4th. We protest, however, against con- c
founding civil order and society with hu- It
man government, as administered by coer-
cion for we consider them either directly,
or approximately oppostes; the one being
simply mutual agreement with social reg
nations among equals, which are the life
springs of society, and will exist when
strife is known no more; the other placing
compulsory and judicial power in the
hands Of faIlible men thereby destroying I
the free agency ofthe governed. and requ-
ring allegiance 10 man, where God alone
hasa Just claim 10 the homage. We know
that God has so constituted men, that when
they revolt from Him, and refuse to be
governed and protected by the principles
Of beneyolence, they will seek dominion
over one another, and protection from each
other; so that the only alternative left TO
man, il, the choice between divine govern
menl and protection, and human govern
ment and protection. The choice is not
between human government, and anarchy,
bat between the laws OF God and man the
one enslaving free agents to the caprice OF
MORALS the other setting the soul free in
the glorious liberty of the sons Of God
Which shall we prefer2
9Th. We protest against multiplying or
restricting Christ's laws in their applica-
ton to men many condition or circum-
stance life, whether they be in private
or public stations whether they be kings,
presidents judges, lawmakers, $50 called)
oTprivatec citizens because Christ's precepts
are given without personal or conditional
restrictions, and hence must be universal
inther application. We wish not to dstort
these precepts, nor to apply them different
" from their legitimate bearings, as the
Llwgiver himself designed but we find
them nowhere contradicted or qualified in
the New Testament, nor DO we find any
thing there implying that any such distnc
responsibilities rest upon one class of soci
ETY., as will justify that class in evadine
any oil those precepts, however much som,
men may lay claim to such pre-emption
Hence we protest against mems giving o
receiving authority TO violate that yer.
plain and unrestricted precept. g Resis
not evil" Before men will be justified il
doing this, God must give US another Dis
pensation, reversing the tenor of the lay
delivered on Mount Olivet.
9th. We protest against those contra
dictory interpretations of scripture b
which men are justified in acting, IN Gel
tain circumstances, as positive precep
forbid. One plain precept cannot be al
initiated by differences drawn from other
nor by admissions of facts, or cognizanc
ofrelations, while the language common
ly construed TO justify sucha course, is n
necessarily so construed as (e g. the pa
sage requiring subsection 10 higherpowe
which some regard as justifyng The Vi
ofthe sword but which we understar
as requiring simple non-resistance
them, because christians may not 6gE
and these powers are only to be allow,
to inAict Gods vengeance on eyil-doel
as did the king of Assyria. So in rega
to those requiring the payment of tribu
which some regard as sanctionjng the e
tortion, and the power that demands
but which we regard as simply teachir
us to "give up the cloak" and all y
have, rather than resist even naked a.
erosion.
9TH We protest against confoundil
soroag principles with the abuse of rigl
whereby men are justified in course
continued disobedlence 10 God, and
perpetual injury 10 each other. TT
tree Is known by its fruit;'' and as {
claiming Of the right to govern men
II L. rala
coed, is really positive evil, since {
WIS govern men could be engaged in
better cause; and as the claiming of Il
RIGHT has led to all the anarchy al
bloodshed the earth has ever witnesses
while seiEdefsmce or protection of rigl
has ever been the ostensible motive (
resolving to violence in controlling mel
and since we know Of no human rul
since theylays Of Christ, who has real
"Yeigaed IN Righteousness" we thereto
conclude that the governing power ov
men ia the hands of men, instead OF beir
an abuse of right principle, las il is sa
TO be when it results in extreme wicke
ness il. in all cases and circumstanc
wrongful sustained by violence, unle
especially enjoined by God himself. L
human rulers, then, show their commits
ion.
9Th. We protest against christia
seeking authority over men, as thong
they were competent to rule them bett
than others; since all such authority is
great snare to its possessor; and all asI
rants after power, think that they can
better than others and all the mea
necessary TO attain such power are earn
and selfish. (witness our election seen,
and the frequent bloody revolutions VIII