The Vermont freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1842-1843, 1842-12-10
THE RIGHTS OF CHURCH MEMBERS.

In previous number, the rights that may be
exercised in the church, and the rights of with
drawal from it were briefly considered.
There are others not less important. The
univeral equality in the rights of men is doc
trine that can never be subverted by the organ
ization of church, on the principles OF the
gospel. Each individual member, then, retains
all his natural rights unimpaiied. The right 10
lfe liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Is nat
ural and inalienabIe. This right to liberty may
be exercised in any manner person is disposed,
if there is not interference with the rights of
Others
Any member Of church may connect him
self with any society, whose objects do not i'll
terfere with his Christian duties. and whose reg
ulations do not encroach upon the rules of the
gospel and all attempts on the part of churches,
general conferences, synods, assemblies, &c, to
prevent the free action Of those in their connec-
ton is usurpation Of power, whose very dawn
ings should be crushed by the free spirit of
Christianity. A member Of a church may
engage in any pursuit, enlist in any enterprise,
that he suppnses will promote his own happiness
or conduce to the happiness of the human race,
provided that, in doing this, he does not violate
his Christian obligation.
He may do this single-handed. or he may as
sociate with others for the more speedy accom-
plishment of his designs.
If this bel SO, all the resolutions, edcts or
I bulls that fave proceeded from churches or
bishops, are nn-Chris,an, and have no lie.
| gimate force upon those whose conduct they
| have been intended to control
| Quakers may excommunicate the venerable
Hopper for his philanthropy, but he is Quaker
still, aud scrutinizing Judge will APPRECIATE hi:
conduct and condemn theirs.
| Baptists, by shameful trckery can eject Ga
lusha from his office, but he remains unchanged
and his disinterested lahors in the o
human rg hts will meet the approval of God ant
of good men, when the chcanery of "the lead
ing brethren" will bring down upon their owl
heads a due measure of deserved contempt.
These are instances in which private right
have been assalIed or, perhaps, more properly
in which kind of punishment has been infiict
ed for the exercise Of these rights. That thi
ally doubt Such proceedings never originate
in hearts that were, at the time, under the infu
ence of Christian principle
81 Frequent attempts have been made to abridg
these rights of private individuals Those mos
frequent and most successful have been aimed a
the reputation Of the person.
The time was when Christians reputatio
6 suffered essentially, in the estimation of man
. churches, if he advocated those principles whic
. generally endorsed by the friends
. temperance.
''FIe is an uItraist-a fanatic-he alwa,
4 carries things too far were common remark
). Such is the fact to great extent. in r.
. lation to such remember those in bonds
bound with them" If one prays for the sla,
i'll the social prayer-meeting or monthly -concer
or alludes to his wrongs in the conference,
at once falls several degrees in the estimation
# the brotherhood.
,r " He is a man of one idea" says one" he
too ultra,'' says another-'I don't think a,
n the better of him for his abolitionisln," says
,e third.
J. Such remarks, whether it is designed or nc
ID seldom fail to III nre the reputation of the perst
N concerning whom they are made.
RI But has ChriSt:Ssi r;sh ut ,p>it
J. suffering, aud give earnest vent to his feel'l
pity in earnest prayer to God! And has he n
h right to excite similar feelings in others,
re portrayng the sorrows of his fellow mortal
s. who are doomed to intellectual and moral dar
ness by Christian slorfry? Is it not, also, h
c right, that his reputation should remain unnju
ed in the estimation of his brethren!
N But If these the rights of the members
v churches then certainly, some profess
/, Christian churches guilty Of most grevo
wrong, for which they ought to make immedia
repentance-Ihe Truth.