Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-08-10
THE ORDINANCES.


What am led to say more, by brother
Baldwin's question in regard to the or
|dinances of baptism and the supper, has
been delayed longer than | intended it
should be, when was broken off. There
is no need of any apology, however, to
those who have noticed the multiplicity of
things crowded upon my hands, as indi-
Gated by what has appeared in the Tele.
graph. @.<
The readers of The Telegraph know
that hold to progression - onwardness
after truth and duty, practical godliness,
and assimilation to the character of Him
who brought US, and continues to bring
US, truth, light and life from the Father.
Holding to this view, [ use the liberty to
Examine all the doctrines, dogmas & prac-
tees of protested religionists, that come
up for examination, and inquire to know,
whether the things preached are true, and
the things practised, those which God re-
quires. ~.-. .>.-<..
Since my former remarks in reply to
brother Baldwin's question, the subject Of
the ordinances has at different intervals
occupied my attention. In the course of
the investigation, which has gone on in
my mind, independent, very much, of hu-
man aid - but not, trust, without much
communion with the Father of Lights
my mind has been isresistibly drawn 10
conclusions which, will appear from the
following paragraphs.
| If any think l have fallen into error,
let suca be kind and faithful enough to
tpoint out the error, instead of taking
fright, stopping their eyes and ears, and
calling on others 70 do the same unbecom-
ing thing with them. Our eyes were made
for seeing - our ears for hearing - our
hands for handling-our minds for inves-
| tigation, reception and communication
They who refuse or neglect TO exercise
Their powers given for acquisition and
distribution, wrong their own souls and
hurt and hinder human salvation.
In my former remarks, took the
ground that the ordinances were not based
on eternal lGws-that they had their orr
gan IN circumstances, and therefore that
{their eontinu aWce must depend on circum-
stances. The same is true of all the out
ward fofms and ceremonies of religion.
the Ian of God is nothing more or less
the mind and soiL of Cod. This is as
eternal and Interchangeable as his own ma
ture - his power, his wisdom and his
| goodness. Genuine religion Is obedience
to this eternal Laao-the mind and aeill of
God. The requirements of this law are
eternally the same-practieab love TO God
I and man. .-.~,- ..~e
/ Let us now inquire for the circumstane-
es in which all the appendages, the forms
and ceremonies, the rites and ordinances
tof religion, in all ages, have had their
origin. They have originated in the pro-
Ipensities Of perverted minds, the blindness
| of darkened souls, and the lusts of de-
PRAYED hearts. They have come from the
wan. of the true light which makes known
our relations and duties 10 God and man
l..
kind. Angels have no use for them
/ Men would have had no use for them, il
they had not rebelled against God Ill
lthey had continued in the light of his
/ glorious coanlenance, and not turned away
into sin and darkness These rites and
4 ceremonies are things in which God can
have no delight. He only suffers them
to be. Can any one suppose that God
ever bad pleasure in the bloody, burden
Some. heathenish rite of circumcision
No - it was a fragrant outrage upon ma
ture. He suffered it, on account of their
blindness. 1t was thing he never re-
lquired at the hands of his creatures, any
more than be required them to have a
king, or to eat flesh. They iusted for flesh
and would have il. So he suffered it.
But the use of it was a blighting curse
I to them, and ever has been to all who
| have used it, and ever will be. It in
| flames passions, aindles Iusts, makes men
sensual and british, and shortens life. So
of their king. They had refused to be
governed by God. and lusted to be gov