Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-06-21

Whatever "natura! and revealed religion
is, It is analogous to the consti,ution an
course Of nature. But the stion i.
what IS natural and revealed religion
am not familiar with the Bishops wri,
ings But if he is like other sectaria,
dogmatists. he begins his work by takin
it for granted, and requiring others to tai
it for granted. that his religion is the natu
raj and revealed religion. Whether h
begins thus or not, I reject his church
anc-state religion as annatural. I den
that it is a revelation from the Divin
Mind, and that it has eny anology to tn
constitution and course of nature. TIL
fact that j. has no such analogy is the
ground on which | deny that it has an,
such origin or is any such thing as is as
sumed. But 10 the extract.
| deny the existence of any such analo.
Igy between the Divine and human gov
ernments as he asserts. The former is a
harmonious working of causes and ef-
fects. The latter is an arbitrary use oil
assumed power. The former has It's ORR
gin in perfect wisdom and goodness.
The latter in imperfect experience and
perverted selfshness. am now affirm.
ing of things as they are. I speak ofthe
Divine government as it as not as the
vain imaginations of men have set i: forth
to be. And of human government as it
as-not as it ought to be. The facts as
they exist are the things under considera-
lion. AS it pertains to the violent, arbi-
trary, despotic doings of men, in their at
tempted control Of human actions, the as.
sertlon that" annexing pleasure to some
actions and pain to others in our power to
do or forbear, and giving notice before
hand to those whom it concerns, is the
proper formal bottom Of government
would be true enough perhaps with the
word, proper, omitted. 1t may be true,
and no doubt is 10 great extent, that such
is the notion Of government And it may
be equally true that such is believed TO be
he proper notion. But that it IS the prop.
er notion. deny, and call for proof which
has not been brought, and which diIigent
search has not enabled me to find. The
history of human governments presents
an endless array OF facts against the as
OF Joseph Butler, endorsed by
Eli Ballou, when these individuals aver
in behalf ofthose governments, that "an-
nexing pleasure to some actions, and pain
% others, in our power to do OF forbear,
and giving notice Of this appointmea. be-
forehand TO those whom it concerns, is
he proper formal notion Of government"
These governments. in their operations,
have always exhibited perfect contradic.
ions and antagonisms at the very point
now under consideration. Take, for If
ustration, their doings pertaining to a
Sabbath. The Jews stoned to death for
picking up sticks enough on the seventh
day of their week to make fire for cook
ing. At the same time they were annex
ing such terrible pains 10 such frivolous
acts, their cotemporaries, not more en-.
ightened than they, annexed, in their
government, all the pleasure that could
attach to the same acts. That is, they al
owed themselves the same freedom to en-.
oy the benefits of fire, on tina. day, as on
any other. Al the present time, the gov
srnment of the United States annexes the
pain Of hanging by the neck till death
ensues, to the acts Of such as transport
slaves across the high seas from Liberia
o New-Or!eans, while at The same time
ne same government annexes all The
pleasure the case will admit. to the act of
slaves to New-Orleans from
Washington city. There is no need OF
illustrations. They are abun-
daut at all times and in all directions.
There is no other way for Joseph But
Ter and Eli BaIlou TO sustain themselves
in their position but to prove that possess.
ing the power conf-rs the rig bit to act ar
When they have done this,
they will have sustained every act of
plumber and piracy committed by CON-
and individuals. Then the in.
evitable result will be, the arrival at the
that all human action, as well