Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-04-20
For the Telegrap .
THE s. B b A T H.
NV Brother Murray:

MY Brotnef murray
l had heard, few weeks since, that
an attempt had been made to bring you be-
fore the grand-iury for trial for breach OF
the Sabbath aud my instant reply was,
that did not believe a iuryman could be
found in the County OF Rutland, who would
bestow one moments notice upon such
complaint. If there is such a law In Yer
mont, it can be vieweu in 40 other light
than as the relic oil 6y-gone days, and total
ly unworthy The nollce Of. christian magIs-
trates and people Of the nineteenth century.
The precept which enjons the recognl-
ton of one day in seven, or one seventh
part Of the time as set apart from secular
to sacred use, | view TO be as obligatory
upon christian people now, as it was upon
the people of Israel at the time of It's pro-
Eulg CATION. The precept is found In the
law of the Ten Compartments. 1t was
delivered TO Moses under the same solemn
and awful sanctions; and was engraVen
with them upon tables of stone, denoting
lis equal importance and perpetuty Of obi
CATION. The reasons upon which the law
was founded still exist, and the law itself
must therefore still exist, and be obey ed
equally with all The other moral precepts of
God IL man, by all religious people,.
But there is another view wish 10 take
Of this subJec: in connection with the late
attempt TO punish you for violation OF this
command. 1t is found in the first table, as
divines have termed it, and relates exclu-
| sively TO our duly TO God our Maker. HUI
! man legis la;ion, therefore, can have nothing
to do about it. CiU,t society may as we'll
enact laws 10 compel me TO the observance
of any other religious duty as 10 compel me
! TO "remember the Sabbath day 10 keep II
| holy" ] may perform all The duties OF re-
ligion and morality, or not, and in the man
her may choose, and no human being may
say TO me, What doesl lhou2 so long as | i'll
jure not him 10 his person, his estate or his
good name. | may even set up craven
images in my house and worship Them: for
my idolatry | am accountable 10 God only.
He that regardeth the Sabbath day, re-
eardeth il unto the Lord. Aud he that re-
gardeth not the Sabbath day, to The Lord
| he doth not regardu.' 1t is she Lords day.
Time has been in New England when
! church and state" levened and ruled eve
rything. A church could not be gathered,
nor a minister settled but il must be done
according TO la,D. And il Quaker refuse
10 veil his hat in the time of public worship,
or poor anabaptist happened to smile or
depart during the inpo1t dnt transaction OF
christening an infant, the sword Of tine civil
magistrate punished the transgression. One
was fined thirty pounds, and on refusing &c
pay it received thirty stripes upon his naked
back, "wett laid on" Others were i'm
prisoned, and Roger Williams, "who had
less light taan fire in him." was baLished
fol holding that "every one should have
liberty 10 worship God according TO the die
laes of his own conscience" But ever
in those days OF superstition and intolerance
there were some among the "godly ortho
dox" themselves, who saw and demonstrated
against so ungracious an interference of the
civil power IN matters purely religious. Bu
a sermon, preached in Boston, from the tex
concerning Moses and Aaron "kissing eaCl
other in The mount" put the subject to resi-
and clerical usurpation and Orthodoxy
went on as before. 49,.
I was truly glad to learn by the Tele
graph, that your alleged trespass upon the
Sabbath was not so reckless as had beer
represented. You have need TO watch very
circum<pec'ly, for the tongue of opposition
TO call it by nc harder name - is out wide
against you. And after all, it may We
prove that you are "a man more sinnet
against than SHINING" think it will. Blu
in closing your remarks, il understand you
| KIM OIL cn3llehge seems 10 oe throWn on
for discussion of the ''principte," &C.
Do you then hold that the precept enjoinin!
the observance of the Sabbath, has been
abrogated, detached from the inspired code
and no longer binding upon man? Ate
what has taken place, as public man, ant
1 a conductor Of the religious press, you
friends and subscribers TO the Telegraph
are entitled to know what ground in lh
respect, you stand upon, or mean in futur
10 occupy. Permit me 10 express my hope
that you will do thus much, but thai NJ
i e.rtended discussion of the subject, one way
or the other, will ever appear IN the columns
Of The Telegraph, or be in any other wa,
promoted by you. SAML CorrING.
) Rutland, March 30, 1912. -.
/ REMARKS.
Twas not my design,to challenge. ha,