Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-06-15

! for man Human law Is literal abro-
CATION Of Divine law, article by article.
Now let US look at the result of strict
obedience to each. Mark their practical
bearings. Suppose all mankind loved
their neighbors as themselves, or even
better;-suppose each sought the good of.
Ea1l the others. heapsd their laps with bless
Iings, and stretched his invention for new
modes Of making them happy; dwelling
not in his own heart. but throwing it
open, as goodly free port, 10 all whosare
tossing and careering on the ocean of
existence other hearts as free to him
The sees no want which hesdoes not Ay
to reliese-he feelsnone which others are
not swift to anticipate in buying and
selling, and in all his intercourse with his
(neighbors infinitely more careful Of wrong
/ ing them, than jealous of being wronged
J by them, while they feel the same in re-
spect 10 him. What evil could arise from
this2 Nay, what sin and woe would it
not forestall2 We are often answered,
that such course is beautiful in the alb
|stract but not adapted to the presen: state
Of society The principle is good, but
you must not carry your practice too far;
j. e. up to the principle. As if there could
be too much right action. We have often
heard it said, that too much of good
thing is worse than no good. This might
be true, were it possibleto get the 200
much" We never believed this philoso-
ply, especially when applied to moral
conduct. Not adapted to the present state
/ of society v hat an absurditvl AS Fl.
/ G. Wright observes. that is its recommend
iation. Il IS not adapted to lying, cheat
ing, fighting, slave. holding. man killing
state of society. But this is not what the
objec:or means to assert. He means to
4 say the practice of Christianity, in the
present state Of society, would subject him
to seIf-Genial, self-sacrifce and suffering.
Therefore he must lie, cheat, steal, fight,
rob, hold slaves, and murder ia self.
Z defence. He says my neighbor lies and
deceives in trade, and must lie and de-
ceive TO keep up with him. Hemeans
to cheat me SO, I'll cheat him if | can.
J, He has just as good a right to lie and
steal because his neighbor does, as to fight,
go to law and murder, because his neigh.
Dor does. What should we think TO hear
a follower of Christ say, now that fellow
. steals from me, and I'll steal from him to
make itup2' But this is precisely the
conduct of the great majority of his pro-
, fessed followers, in respect to going to
. law, fighting, learning and practising the
science of human government; and To-
deed in regard to nearly all Christian
duties. These reflections struck US, and
we put them down as we have. though
perhaps it would have been better to have
inserted them after what Immediately fol-
lows. .-~8s. =
Let US now look al case, in which
the opposite principle enters. Take the
case of the man who always insists upon
his rights. It his reighbor trench upon
: them. he demands reparation, nay. en- fore
es it. Instead of seeking the good of the
!. whole, he first seeks his own good, and
requires all others to regard has Interests
. as paramount to everything else. If he
make bargain with his neighbor, he
endeavors to get as good trade as he
can If his properly is defectiye or dam.
: aged. he endeavors to conceal its blem.
ishes. In all he does, he looks out toa
: No. T. It is easy to see that such prin-
ciple of intercourse would introduce strife
! and confusion, and thus mar the peace Of
society. But this. is the very principle
which regulates the policy of nations. =
Hence the imposition of tariffs by one
nation upon others. Il is the affection o.
other nations with injury for the benefit o.
the one which imposes it. Hence, too,
all suits at law, all robberies. piracies
: man-killing, slavery, and the direful con-
fiict of nations. The foregoing crimes
: constitute the essential element of all hu.
man governments. The following anec.
doe beautifully illustrates the principles
) of which we have been speaking