Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-11-30


had the curiosity 10 examine the statute.
touching ihe poin:, and have been thinking
recently that perhaps few moments could
not be better employed than in calling the
attention IF John Ide and otlers toihe sub
iect. Peradven.ure il may benefit them.
now deny altogether that there Is one
line, word or letter, in the statutes OF Yer
mont, that can be tortured hy mereenary
lawyers, or mercenary and jesullicaipriests,
into tie least possible conflict with single
ac. Of my life in any religious meeting. On
this broad ground take my stand, and hurl
the ganllet al sectarian intolerance and
prieslIy tyranny. Lttthe champions cisco
tarianism, and gagism, and Lynchism, and
despotism, and demonism, now come for
ward. / tell them they have got TODD one
OK three things. They may psfjere
themselves and t1cist the resent statute IN
Ito treterffr Lynching. Or they may
90 10 cerk with their church Influences and
get The state to. frame them special and
specific statue, to aid them IN their mfr
nal acork cf making iaQuisition FIR me
blood Of htretics.. Or they may gi0e up
their tyranny, and submit to the 10crkings
of tolerafioal and religious Iibtfiy They
may have their choice in these three things.
AS for their lording it over Gods herstlge,
as in Zines past, il will mol be submitted TO
any longer. THY have cloven down truth
in the streets, and kept out equity already
quite TO long. They have hitherto auda-
ciously placed themselves in Gods stead 10
the people, and have ruled with rod Il
Iron. Their power must and shall be-brok-
en-. Their chains throwa-of. The people
must be free. Conscience must no longer
be fettered and ssbjugat-d TO the satanic dom
inalion Of priestcrsf.
But TO the examination Of the existing
statute. II reads thus:
4 "lf any person, on the first day Of the
week, or on any other day or time, shall
wilfully disturb or interrupt any assembly
Of people, met together FOR religious worship
or religious instruction, by noisy, rude Ur
indecent behavior, or by proiane discourse,
either within or about the place, where such
assembly shall be collected for religious
worship or instruction, so near as TO disturb
9 the order and solemnily OF such assembly
he shall be punished by fine not exceed
ing forty dollars, nor less than Eve dollars,
TO the use Of the town in which The said
meeting shall be heidi Revised Statutes
Chap. 49, Sec. s.
4 Now who will say ever "iUiyutiy dis
turbed any assembly ofpeople, met together
lfor religious worship OF religious instruction
By noisy. rude or indecent 6ehaoior, or b5
, prefune DISCOURSE? | ask what conSii
4 tuies scilfit disturbance or interruL tion
!. And what constitutes noisy, rude or inde
cent behavior, or prt5ane discourse2 i
! appeal to the conscience Of every Twins
. human being, present at any meeting il
which have spoken, where the clergy AMI
their sectarisna followers have been opposes
: TO my speaking, and ask what there ha
been in the tone or manner Of my commu
nicalions, on these occasions, that woul,
have subjected me TO censure. if Ihad bee
at l0ork for the party? SoNeil do know
lwhat spirl; has possessed nie'on all thes
9 occasions, / say without fear Of contraGic
y ton or dissent, that if had been helpin;
on the sect, with the same spirit and yea
that actuaied me in behalf of pure Chris
tianity, there would have been general sal
isfaction. | believe every honest and can
did mind, acquainted with the case, viii
assent at once TO the correctness Of ihi
view. ] ask again, then, what is wilfu
s. disturbance anu nierruolion7 Is il 10 ex
$, press with kindness and Christian fidelity
e, 10 a meeting professedly Christian, view
ID of Christianity different from other view
ID held and expressed 10 the meetng2 An
= has it come to this Is the violence {
= human law to be invoked, il Vermont, i
the middle of the 18th century, TO compe
one protesting Christian to think and sa
~ what other protesting Christians rreuir
5, him 10 think and say or stop lhiniiin,
as and saying. in a Irofesseely Chris,ia
ly meetingae Is this the boosted religion
liberty and liberation OF the present age
~ Liberty for protesting Christians to thin
fanc speak. in professedly Christian NEE
: ings. schen and aokat the taos of ehurs
and stale permit Sarh liberty of tho
in AMI speech is worthy only Of the darke
IN ages and the most barharous nations.
II is the refinement of religious despotisa
en- All these protesting Christians will sa
as if you will aid US in propagating Of
on peculiar views, and the orthodox view
4 |