Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-07-05

pears 10 DC quAee % StSos SuoioASS VI tuS
relations existing in man, between the diff
ferent parts Of himself as out of him, be-
tween him and other things. And the for
mer is not less disastrous than the latter.
The relations between body and mind, their
influence and bearings upon each other, es-
pecially the effect which the treatment ofihe
former has upon the latter, have been over
looked, or at least disregarded. Spiritual
regeneration is looked for and professed, in
connection with the grossest physical de-
pravity and corruption. Another consistent
piece of the system is, the separation 1t
makes between religion and morality. The
tendency Of this is, to make men too relig-
ious TO be humane or honest. The results
are everywhere apparent. Every enterprise
for the promotion of morality and humanity
has been met and opposed at the threshold,
by leading religionists, lest something be de-
tracted from the glory or the greatness of
their Diana. Too much has been made Of
greatness, and too little of goodness. Thus
the idea of true greatness has been lost sight
of. Among the religious bodies which
claim 10 have the standards and 10 be the
true teachers Of morality and goodness, ii is
less disreputable TO be considered wanting
in honesty and fidelity than to be considered
wanting in power to plan and execute for
the promotion of party interests. Here fuel
is furnished for the fire Of ambition. There
is not more ambitious set Of men living
than the propagators and supporters of pres
ent popular religions. Greatness is the
thing with them-not goodness. To be
seen Of men-not to redeem men from sin.
This is proved from all their acts. They
Cypress The hireiing in their power, to get
money with which TO show themselves mu-
ni6cent. They deGraud their neighbofs and
devour widows houses for the same purpo3-
es. They enslave and brutalze at home,
to obtain the means for making a show Of
benevolence abroad. They subjugate, rob
and exterminate tribes and nations, TO ag-
grandze themselves and gather proselytes
TO their religion. All religionists think
themselves to be the people, and that wis
dom is to dwell and die with them. In
everything else there may be inquiry, exam
| nation and improvement. But in religion,
which its deyotees make to be the most i'm
portant of all matters, innovation is sacrilege.
Ignorance, tradition and superstition must
be left to bear sway undislurbed. The light
Of investigation must be shut out. ltcauses
too much pain TO eyes that have been so long
1 accustomed to darkness. Thus they make
their pseudo salt not only unfit for the land
or the dunghill, but loathsome fetor in the
noslrils Of the wise, and miasma and
plague at the door Of the good. The church.
and-slate systems Of the world, as they have
hitherto been controlled and conducted, have
been utter hindrances 10 human progress
ion. Fetters they are upon the feet, mill
stones about the necks, and Nightmares up
on the breasts of mankind. Their creeds
and constitutions have kept men looking
backward, when they ought to have been
looking forward. Time and labor have
been wasted in Juggling along these works
of the past to periods and places they were
never designed nor fitted 10 occupy. In
their veneration for the dead, men have for
gotten and neglected their duties TO the liv-
ing. At the same time they have. ignorant.
ly done the dead an unkindness, by keeping
up a constant bowling over their slunbers
Why should it not be considered more re,
Il spec;Gul towards the things that are past
to leave them occupying their true position
in connection with their own tunes and cir
cumstances Let ii be said and believed
that our predecessors were in everything a:
honest as we are. But why need it be con
sidered dsrespectful to them that we eyer
else our powers formed for discovery and
improvement And if one matter be con
sidered greater than another, most certainly
we ought TO examine and know for our
selves in the greater, quite as much as il
!, the smaller. How are we to be assured
that those who had wrong notions of astron
omy had right notions Of religion? Espe
cially in view of the fact that there were al
ways as many and as conflicting notion;
! about the latter as about the former? Bu
: more especially in view of the fact that the
former is now reduced to. a mathematical
. demonstration, whereas the latter remains
matter Of opinion, on which men have al
, ways been divided in every possible direc
ton and degree2 One of the most unreas-
: enable things on the part of relgionists is
: that on the subject Of religion, which con.
fesssdly cannot be scientifically demons,ra,
}. ed, and must therefore be left to the tests O
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