Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-03-31

| spawn, leaving the unsupported brood to come
! forth in due time, and prosecute the work Of
treacherous demolition. This is THE MORN
If He whose prerogative It is to uncover Sc.
cret things, were suddenly to lay bare, in the
sight Of his church, the path and the work Of all
who are thus engaged, how humbling would be
the scene Some individual, generally of a
helpless class, becomes, perhaps most uninten-
tionaly and unconscously, the object Of this
"bitter envying" in the heart of another. "Out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak.
eth" and where Satan has logged an evil treas
ure. evil things will be uttered. From the small
talk of vague dislike and depreciation, the work
goes on to the utterance of serious calumnies !;
until the slanderer so far becomes the dupe of
his own devices, that he begins to believe the
falsehoodIwhich his tongue has habitually repeat.
ed to others, or else he finds that he has ven.
tured on some charge so heavy that no resource
remains TO save his own credit, but the utter ruin
OF his victims good name. He then proceeds,
with cautious step, 10 effect this object and,
despising the solemn denuncation, "Whoso
prlvlly sandereth his neighbor, him will cut
off, whispers the tale in quarters where it is
least likely to meet the ear Of the injured per.
son, guarding it by injunctions to caution, if not
to silence; and does the very work of his proto.
type, the moth, as though the lesson had heen
deliberately taken from that covert destroyer.
The lie thus deposited may remain stationary
awhile, under the check imposed but ere long
1t breaks forth in whisper, stealing round the
little sphere of its influence, and leaving in that
particular spot, bemsh visible to the world
seal on the fair fame Of the perplexed individu-
al, who, unconscious Of the deed so darlly car
RED on, could not arrest its progress, because tbe
perpetrators were concealed from view. z is
uncomfortable to what an extent this wickedness
prevails among those who ought, while biting
and devouring one another, TO consider that the
injuries they inflict are inflicted on Christ him.
self, in the persons Of his members and that
He who sees will assuredly rcqute the trans.
gressor. .'
Although such abandoned characters are not,
it is to be hoped, very numerous; although wan.
ton malignity like this does not prevail to great
extent among those who pass for Gods people,
yet the mischief is rendered extensive by the
culPaole indifference Of more consistent Christ
ians, on this especial point. who thus ungener.
ously assist in propagating what they believe
may be truth. The wlful calumniator goes to
one OF these unguarded hearers, making out a
tale Of guilt against the absent; and enjoining
secrecy, perhaps on the ground Of dreadng to
be brought into any unpleasant publicity; per.
haps under pretence Of having received the COM
munication confdentialy: and-oh shameful
prostitution of Holy Name too often with a
hypocritical expression of unwillngness to dis
grace the cause Of CHRIST, by exposing the in.
iquity OF one who, it may be, stands we'll among
religious people, and whose public conviction
would afford triumph to the ungodly world.
1t is solemn, an awful question, that the real
disciple will put to himself. when made the de.
postory OF such dangerous counsel: "What in
this instance does the Lord require me to do ="
The word OF God will give a sure reply one
Characteristic of Him who shall abide in Gods
tabernacle is, that he taketh not up a rewoach
against his neighbor: and our Lord himself,
when appealed to in matters of difference among
brethren, distinctly said, "Tell him his fault be.
tween thee and him." Ii this proved unavail.
ing it was to be repeated before chosen witness.
es; and as last resort, "'rhey must tell it to
the Church," and openly avoid the offender.
Now, let any thinking person compare this rule,
laid down by diving authority, with the method
usually TAKEN To tell it TO the church is the
first thing done, not as matter of solemn pub
lcity, but in the whisper of secret insinuation,
conveyed TO the weak ones of the flock, who are
perhaps, charitably warned to hold no intimacy
with the accused while the slanderer, instead
ofopenly reprobating, as heather and publ
can, the supposed criminal, has the ready bow,
the smile, the outstretched hand, which stamps
the treachery of Judas on the whole proceeding.
Happy will it be for the Church when every
Christian lady resolves to guard the reputation
of her sisters no less carefully than she guards
her winter muff, from the depredatons of their
common enemy, the MORN Who can recon-
cile to "the mind which was in Christ Jesus" a
contrary line Of action against his members
Surely the dignity off the Christian name requires
Of them far different proceeding. "What
you tell me-" will the real disciple say, sis in
deed grevous that one whom we have thought
well Of as a branch Of the true vine, should
prove so utterly corrupt, is painful; but since
the law OF God and man alike demand for every
accused person the privilege of hearing and
answering charge, must communicate to this
transgressor what you have said, either person.
ally, in writing, or by some mutual friend. If
the accusation be false, the justice of God de.
mands Of us reparaton for the wrong inflicted:
II true the honor of God requires that the hyp-
ocrt be unmasked."
Against such plan and faithful dealing, Satan
will be sure to fill his peader's mouth with ar.
guments. Expedency, in all it's forms, will be
advanced to combat right principle. Such a
crushing Of his moths. and routing out of their
concealed nests, would inhIct fearful blow on
his power. Itwould glorify God, it would beau.
tify his church. it would pluck out many things
that grievously offend. 1t would deliver many
an innocent bird from the snare of the fowler !;
and at least secure to the Christian female who