Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-04-21


congrni,ies, who sin e take forth thepre-
cious fiom the Wis whocan Distinguish !
between shadow and Substance Between
empty. appearance and solid reality -
Nothing has any proper existence-any
specific chafacter-any Ineligible de-
scription. The church becomes a very
Babel. where light aud darkness-good
and evil are blended iogether-where ut
ter confusion of tongues battles and rdenss
the listening ear--lhe inquiring mlnd.-
Proselytes are thrown intoa hot-bed, wnere
they are rapidly ripened for Hell. And
the openly vicious can see no essen.,al
difference between themselves ana the
professed Christians around them. Sucn
iucongruities--c they be other than
trouble to Jehovah
III. The thing, which this discourse
aims to expose and condemns moreover,
iarOlrss a percersion Of ths,means of bn-
man SALVATION. -'Phe arFangements, usa-
ges, and institutions, which the prophet
charged the Hebrews with prolaning.
were Heaven-appointed-G God given -
The end, to which they looked, was sub
lime and glorious. In the midst of abonn-
ding iniquity-of widespread and fiery
rebellion, they were designed to assert
and support the divine authority. Atthe
appointed feast, in the solemn meeting,
the laws Of the spiritual world in their APP
plication TO the relations OF the Earth were
to be defined, expounded, and insisted on.
Here the will Of God, enshrined in the
active obedience. and commended by the
sincere lips Of His people, was to be con-
tinually held up as the model of character
1.-The standard Of action. Here, the pre-
negatives and acquisitions of God-the
rights and duties of man were to be pre-
scented in clear and certain light-in
beautiful consistency and delightful har-
mony with each other. Piety God-ward
was to animate philanthropy man-ward
and philanthropy was TO nourish piety.
The church was to be Heaven upon Earth
transforming Earth to Heaven. All
its influences common and special all its
exertions ordinary or extraordinary were
to look directly and effectively to the
spread of inward purity expressed in out
ward morality. Such was the design o.
the positive institutions of Christianity
Where this design has not been overlook
ed. these institutions have been wha
Heaven intended they should be. bless
ing to mankind. They have greatly pro
NOTED human improvement and the gen
eral welfare. They have been the admit
ted source OF the most substantial benefits
Without them, little has been effected o
attempted to make man worthy of his re
lations and prospects. 1t is not to be won
dered at, that they should be regards
with respect, little short of veneration :
thai in the eyes of almost all, they shouIc
be invested with an air of sacredness.- -
Wherever and whenever these institution
are held subservienl to their proper ends
this feeling must be healthful-openinl
the wayfor good results.
But this feeling may be taken advan
iage Of in making meeting the home {
iniquity. Bad men may seek a refuge i
sacred places doing evil under the cove
of hallowed relations. They may. as the
often do, assume the character and clair
the honors. of Gods anointed servants. =
Seizing on the high places of the church
they may affect zeal for its enlargener
and prosperity. They suck her breas'
Of consolation-appro her honor
and her revenues, why should they n,
deprecatc with jealous eye whateve
might threaten to reduce her supplies an
drive her to leanness From her strengt
and authority they derive their wealth an
splendor. Why should they not labor /
extend the one and increase the other p
Hence their eagerness to call assemblies
70 hold meetings-to multiply prayers
10 employ church increasing expedient
Amidst these very ihings, they are cur
ningly. busy ia the work of inquiry
That, they never intermit day or nigh
The verv temple of Jehovah they conve
into bulwark of evil doing. Tempe
sance -aCise, the church must. not be urge
10 exert her powers She is too sacre
to be spoken to- Of, We profane; and i
her quaff the cup Of devilsat the table
her Lordlie The breath of rebuke fro
your uncrcumcised lips would soil h
white robes The nsgropeO-that hat
= fulsofspring of murderous prejudice,
mean as it is wicked-that consecrats
monument of respect of persons-th
cage of scorpions singing souls TO ceatl
you must not expose the absurdity and ST
in which il had its.origin. Though it
toad breathing venom into the ear Off
ETY., you must not touch it with Ithurie
spear. The devil thus incarnate must n
be exposed. Because forsooth he has 0
truded himself upon the grounds of par
disc The negro-pew is one of The CO
dilions on which alone well-bred sor
can consent to be saved and so. cunnin
noisy quacks in dispensing their balm
GIlead give the negro.pew a place amor