The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-05-02
J. HOLCOMB, EDITOR q PUBLISHER

vi d ldWU Sldln, cVeh lIoili tu0 iouhu"''o"
of the world: why, should more than
sixteen centuries be expended in Shaving
forth the extreme depravity Of his fallen
state! Why after the calling of Abraham
should the delayed promise SO long test
his faith and that Of the patriarchs2 Or
why should the lesson of kindness to
strangers and the defenceless be impress
ed on the incipient church by lengthy
and severe bondage in Egypt! Yet such
are the ways of God to man. And tho
much ofmystery, much Of wise design may
be seen ,hro' the whole. So in the destruc'
ton ofthe Canaanites by the sword of Is
rael. Ia it God gave both to Israel, and TO
all surrounding nations demonstration,
perhaps the most clear and conclusive
| their circumstances and habits of thinking
would admit, of his exclusive claim 10 the
worship and alteration of the whole hu-
man race. For at this time the nations
had each its own patron god, TO whom ii
rendered imae mary obedience and serv-
ice, and from whom, it expected favor in
return. But what favor, what patronage,
so desirable rs dellverance from the enc
mics sword3 Thus the eminence oftheir
deities was reckoned according to their
ability to grant success in war. Under
these circumstances God saw fit by spec
ia command to his people, Israel, to en-
counter the Canaanites in war, and by
giving signal success in the dreadful
work, to triumph over their vain depend
ances; TO show the utter fallacy of their
idols, establish his own infinite super iorl-
tv, punish their fragrant wickedness by
its legitimate fruits, and thus by these
means to prepare the way for the mani
festation of His moral projections also.-
And thus in after times, by granting to
his people signal success for their obedi-
ence, and awarding signal defeat and pun
ishment for disobedience TO His righteous
will, He made public manifestation Of
himself: see Kings Xxx, %: because
the Syrians have said the Lord is God of
the hills, but he is not God of the valleys,
therefore will l deliver this great multi
tude into thy hand, aud we shall know
hat am the Lord" And Deut. xxx,
"a and Is: Even all nations shall say,
lin view of the judgments of God on Is
rae II wherefore hath the Lord done this
unto his Iand,' sc. Then men shall say
because they have forsakeu the covenant
of the Lord, SC.
I But, now we may in our turn inquire,
could a special command 10 Israel to en-
gage in wars of conquest and extirmina.
ton, givelcense 10 the present mode ofin'
Iternalional warfare al discretiona If we
take i. as an example, are we not bound
to follow out the example But it is by nc
means safe 10 infer a general rule from @
concrete case, unless we can comprehend
the whole design with all its bearings.
, Abraham was called 10 prove his devo.
ton to God as the heather proved their:
to their idols, by offering his son burn
sacrifice; and was highly commended fol
his obedience. But who ever plead thi;
example, to justify Israel in after times.
in causing their sons and their daughters
10 pass through the fire to Mooch o.
And vet the one example may be plead
with as much proprety as the other
But should it be thought that lsrae wa:
allowed in the days of the Judges anC
! Kings to 60 to war at discretion thi;
may need proof. They were often re-
+ CURED TO ask counsel oil God, and direc
f ton was often given for or against thei
= contemplated expeditions. But however
e they were laid under restraints very dit
= ferent from wha! characterized the pagan
S wars OF the age. See Deut. Xxx, 10
f when thou contest to a city to 6gh
= against it, first proclaim peace unto it, &c
if But why should we 60 back to this ag
o Of the world for examples. We ought t.
e be aware that 10 Israel in their half-civil
d lied state, many regulations were given
If not as rules of right, but rather as re
=; straints on the barbarous customs of tn
o age. Such was the law of divorce ''sul
q fered because oflhe hardness ofthe heart