Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-12-07
For the Teiegraph.
ON on DINA NC 4 d.

aa Sir,-May another mind make few
suggestions on subject which appears.io
interest many Of your readers, viz: that Of
ordinances7 Not that wish 10 enter into
ihe discussion Of ,be pefpetuiiy or RATIONAL
i,y Of them but merely 10 express ? tho'l
or two that occur 10 me by The way, on
perusipg lhe controversy in your pspeE q ) I
Ia very land inrwhich there is nOniually
|or virtually an established form Of religion,
|ereat Efforts are made, both BY the state and
priesthood, 70 have all its habiIants trained
|u5 IN its disciplines and forms. In Turkey,
TAriary, Arabia and lhe mountain districts
of the Monsols, the Mosque and the Min
bret, the bell, the bath and CALCULATIONS 10
Allah, are essentials 10 the estimation Of
khe faithful worshippers Of the one God and
Mlhomet It's Prophet And here in the far
'Wss', the followers OF the Christ profsss-
'agto relipquish very greatly the exlerpal
forms, are careful 10 inculcate upon their.
offspring veneralion for the steeple and
Me vesiry room, the pries', The sermon, the
book, and the day. One section Of there
yious denominations holds seven sacra-
henis as asmost important part Of Christian
discipline, If moi as essential 10 salvation !;
while the majority curiail The number down
D two. The belief 10 these ceremonies is.
% early insiiIled into The minds 1t children
and they grow up with examples Of the
generation for forms so constantly before
heir eyes, that, unless Divinity has in a
fecuiiarly vivid manner, unfoided Itself in
hem al some momen; of their lives, down
b tbeir g,aves will they 60 unquesliQ1ing
be lailh OF their fofefathers. ~ 8nisey
Deeper than. merely acircumsiantizl reii-
ion, however, there is ever anoat iasthe
uman sonl making itself more and more
learlY recognized and appreciated, a life to
be lived - sanciity 10 betingeneraed "a
owe TO be incarnated, which all religions
ecognize as the spiritual substance TO which
outward forms are clearly related, and Of
which they sand as perpetual testimony 10
be eye Of The body. To this spirit or real
v, whatever il be, the ceremonialist is
Dnstsn,ly driven back, whenever the forms
me under discussion. Few maintain that
ere is any efficacy in baptism "Per SCI
allhooeh some rigid church Of England
en- do stil aver their belief in baptismal
generation, and plead tbe authority Of The
look. Tor their belief; yet most admit thai
.be outward washing is only sign Of thai
Fhich takes place in the human soul, when
.ivinily comesNpon il like food Of ratel
gsnce, ILLUMINATING, enlivening, andse1loy
.nin1- iya slls tN
Thank Heaven, then, that there is in al
ases perpetual reference TO The mystic
bril-, which IS engendered OF God within
be Man, as a motive. Will, a clarifedlns
aence, superual Life - and which miss
bns its recipiepls al all times, in all places
re-an hounce its eternal, unborn veriiies
through certain symbols, mosi Of which, J
OF all, have the same relation 10 the cor
oreal wants,ras the spirit has 10 the want
soul. The spirit We say is Of all time
is omuipresent. Il is that whichsanciion
j our sacred acts (which qualities rs f
De deeds Of virtue. Bot is sensible pres
nce is in ell cases according 10 the cond
ons. In the sincere soul itrevesis use
sincerity = 10 The pure soul, as purity, |
be divine soul, as divinity. 10 coheeptio
pd in birth, il the parents be regenerate
their essential natures, il 6ads room f
most intense prolific energy. In th
luca,ion, IL the teacher breathe around biz
atmosphere Of love and. virtue, agsi
es the spirit lear forth in the chiid'shear
e babe in the processes Of rat,uritio
I'd when he arrives at manhood and b
culties blossom forth 10 all varying form
ben does The spiri, irradiaie them with
wn beauties, and 50 intonate all he w
css, that the central feelings of even q
Dos, dull shall acknowledge the spiri'
rssence- ~ ~ s''' Z
Thanks be to Heaven, then, az ain, .th
here is and. must ever be so constant q
renee 10 The spiri, - and that no, as IA
history, bul Of personal cOnscioosne'
Dfl times in the story Of this world do J
larn ,,hat the Holy One has assumed
self some fair form Of incarnNiion, a
established the proofs Of its glory. IT'S
able = that Of the divine conception ol
abe. Plato, Hercules and Christ were
esulis Of pure marriages, sane.i6oed .
.aIloN<d by Divinity. They were not be
b SIM; and their lives were great. q
apciioned unions are TO be'--'and biz
hall be oil divine. ] prOphesy.> Who d
ot thatbas faithful intuition Of spirit
orsciousness Of its in-opefa,ion4 Ave
ng religion thus as a history = afIiunin