Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-06-07

WHY MOTT
A correspondent OF the Vermont Observ-
er affects at first to feel mortified 10 find
the Observer acting as corporal for the
Rife company" II seems that warning
bad appeared in the Observer "to this ef-
fect"-" The commissioned and non com
missioned officers, musicians and privates
of the Rife company are hereby a0urned to
appear with arms and equipments at The
Hotel in Middlebury," &c. Now why
should not this religious organ be at the
same time military organ? If the relig-
ious and the military systems ofthis country
are not one thing they are inseparable
They are perfectly reciprocal and sympa-
lhelic in what they are and in what they do
In fact they are only two parts of one sys-
tenn. The army receives recruits from the
churches, and the churches receive recruits
from the army. The two help and build up
each other, and so on together. They are
alike destructive Of peace and good will.
They are both devoted TO fighting.
3 This view, as it pertains to the religion
isttiahas recently been most admirably il.
Illustrated in war between the Baptists and
Method;sts Of Mddle5ury, in dividing be-
tween them the spoils Of prodigious pros
elyting conquest 1t was the most fitting
thing that could be, then, that a military
warning should appear in religious paper.
The correspondent of the Observer to
whose communication am now allud ing,
take 10 be Generap' Ryland Fletcher,
judging from The initials. After saving
what have alluded to above, he happens TO
bethink himself--goes to work to frame an
apology for the Observer, and finally the
better TO justify the Observer before its read
ers he says" il also occurred that rebuke
might come with rather al Ill grace from
one who had long been feaihered hero and
"struned his brief day" of bravery" 1t is
homely adage from some quarter, that
There is many true word spoken in JEST"
Those who are acquainted with this " Gem
! eral" will not doubt that he has spoken
much truth Of himself once.
He goes on TO say" was ready to be-
lieve that you would make such an applica-
lion Of the gospel 10 this subject as would
revolutionizeihe war-seu,iments Of christ
ians and fill them with abhorrence of this
wicked CUSTOM" The uor-sentiments Of
christians" is just as consistent use Of
language, as to talk of the rum sentiments
OF temperance men - the thieUing SEMI
nents Of honest men-the numbering SEMI
ments OF humane men-or the achoriRg sen
timents Of pure men. The writer himself
has, in the same sentence fixed his own
condemnation on the practice of The church
in this matter Of military violence, by call
ing il wicked custom" proceeding from
sentiment 10 be revolu,ionizedn by
the application Ct the gospel" Here is a
virtual concession TO the truth OF everything
l have ever charged against the church in
this matter. / have pronounced its pro.
ceedings in these things 10 be anli-christian
and inhuman. This has been the head
and front Of my offending. The strongest
thing have called for was revolution.
And what less has this writer now done :?
He calls for "rerotutioniziag Of the qcar-
sentiments of christians" and the abhor-
renee of this loicked custom" Il is vet 10
be seen whether this language thus used 10
this religious organ is TO be taken as mean
| ing anything-or whether il is 10 pass for
equal worth with the confessions Of sin thai
are constantly made in conference meetings
and church meetings by those who GO out
straightway under cloke with which they
have thus covered themselves for the pur-
pose gilmore successfully committing dep
relations on the rights of their neighbors.
! close for the present with calling auen.
lion TO The fact that the qoarRing put forth
10 this religions organ for the gathering oil
the church-and state host 10 be drilled in
the ar, of man-killing, calls them together
at rum house This is certainly most
consistent piece of the proceeding. No mat.
ter about the Editor and publisher of the
Observer being at the same time an editor
and publisher Of Temperance paper
What Of ihai2 Is not his religion para
mount 10 his temperance Is the larteI
, any part of the forner2 Isit most distant
ly related to il 2 Has it anything 10 dc
: with it2 Certainly not It is not the bus
mess Of the popular religion of these tine
5 to save mems lives, bat to destroy them
: IL teaches that woe, wre,chedness an,
: death are the destiny Of man in tile preseu
state of existence. Why then should no
n riHoe r,,rx, 81