Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-12-01

,iiterW Indsmuch as his theme was lore,
was sorry he did not once touch upon, nor
lint al the great and vital command TO
o1e oar enenies-especially as the inter
,retation and application of this fundament-
il law of lbe New Testament was a
great Distinguishing feature Of our meetings.
This, | suppose, after all, was the place
where he was unsettled. A strange place,
il appeared to me, fora "teacher in Israeli"
a follower Of Christ, to be halting.
In the afternoon, brother Thomas read
the 18th chapter Of Isl Corinthians. My
impression is, that it is not bis usual prae
tiee TO read chapter in the afternoon
Whether this impression be correct or not,
all the circumstances made it appear 10 me
and TO many others that the reading OF 1T
was designed to have particular bearing.
Against this there could be no ground OF
complaint, unless the Intended bearing pro-
eeeded on a wrong Interpretation Of the
most considerable word in the chapter. On
this point, | will only ask brother Thomas
whether his purpose would have been equal
" we'll answered if the word translated,
charitu had been translated, loUe? He
prayed that there might not be fault-find-
ing spirit indalged. !, struck me that there
might be some propriety in his being joined
in that prayer by others, He prayed that
things which remain obscure, and are now
only known in part, might be left to the
time when we shall know even as we are
known. This, TO me, in its connection,
sayOred little too much Of begging to be
excused from investigation. His next petit
ton was, that every thing contrary to Chris
tianity may be put away from this nation
and The world. The questions which ran
through my mind at once, were something
like the following How can these sins be
put away until they be pointed out, exposed
and rebuked !? Suppose it be the sin Of
man killing. And who shall expose and
rebuke this sin, unless it. be the religious
guides and teachers And what shall be
done if they remain in o5seurity on this
subject, begging for tine TO settle 1t in their
minds, or putting it over to the future aoorld?
He selected for his text the l1th verse OF
the chapter read &c When was child, !
spake as a child, I understood as child, ]
thought as a child: but when became a
man, put away childish things" He in
CURED to know what the apostle was alludn :
to in the language of the text. And an
| swered that he was speaking of the ignor-
ance Of man, and the imperfeetion of his
know ledge and attainments in this life, as
compared with those of the future life. II
the most eminent saints are in their child
hood in this life, how much more the hum.
bier and weaker Men are created for a
better state than the present - otherwise
how shall Gods justice be made to appear
There is great obscurify resting on the
whole matter. This world is only the pur
sery, or the cradle in which man is rocked
in his swaddling etotbes. notice his treat
ment Of this part Of his subject for the sake
uf expressing my fear that the tendency
will be to prevent investigation. suppose
the design Of brother Thomas was to kseI
his hearers co7aseFudfire Does he thmf
any Of them are going too fast or too far
Ii he does, let him point out TO them thei
errors. lf he can not do this, let him re
ceive instruction from them. II any are
getting before him, fer him run after them
rather than call them back. do not say
that he designed 10 stay the progress Of any
lieve The tendency TO be far better to poin
!, men onward and upward, than to keep then
poring over the imbeeilities, and difficulties
and obseurities Of the present state. Mer
will be groyeIiing enough, the best you cal
do with them. Instead, then, Of doing any
thing lha, will incline them 10 proneness
can see ne possible good TO come from
inelinIng them TO creep, or to be satisfied
, with creeping. see DO need of any suet
thing. On the contrary, see great need o
dignifying our fallen race, and exerting our
selves to lift them TO that noble elevation
! for which they were designed, but it'll,
lower than The angels, where there ar
, crowns of glory and honor for them. H
termed TO worldly men, who take an outsid
view of things, aud exhorled them to pu
away their childish things, and become men
! This was we'll. Il struck me that witba
they ought 10 have better examples set then
by protesting christians. He closed will
an exhortation to professors 10 go forward
10 drive on. Ii he had himself taken ,