The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-02-22
NO. SIS.
D. S. MURRAY, PRINTER.
From the Christian Citizen.
THE NEIGHBoRs:
Or short Lag Sermon 10 People about
H1me-TuEe v %

Home.-Luke x. 20.
and aOho IS my neighbor? This cues.
ton was one OF intense importance to the
Lawyer; for our Savior had accepted the
conditions which he conceived would en-
title him to eternal life. This do ami
thou shalt Hue, was the brief response to
his recapltnation OF the requirements of
the law. But he, wilIiug to JUSTIFY him.
sey-jastify himself for what? who had
accused him a? His conscience, probably.
Notwithstanding his evident insinceritv,
his first question, what shall 1 do 10 anher-
it eternal lJe? indicated that, in his own
eyes, what he had done had not secured
him title 10 the desired inherilance.-
What shall do then, was the question.
With regard 10 loving God with all his
heart, soul and stleugth-lhat was part
OF the condition which apparently gave
him but little concern. He probably took
the same view of this requirement as
Paul did, before his conversion; believ-
ing it to consist essentially in the minute
ADD punctilious discharge of all the ordin.
ances and lradnlonary ceremonies of the
Jewish church. But willing to justify
bmself-that is, TO inherit eternal life bv
dong Just what he had done he seemed
half disconnected at such an intimate asso-
citation of the love Of God with the love of
his neig hbor. This latter requisition was
an entirely different mater. Timing
mint and cummin, or any thing liz that
line, would not do here; nor could it be
done periodically or by proxy. He had
disagreeable presenliment that it might
be an every day business involving the
performance of Il long series of difficult.
unpleasant, and oneTo1s duties. 1t might
bring him into disrepulabe intimacy
with a low sort of folk, for ought he
knew; and admit within his nelg bor-
hood, some dozen or more of destitute
families. with lean. hungry groups of or
phan children, and men and women who
could not trace back their genealogy be.
You'd years of bitter houscIess provertv.
Let as understand the difficulties in the
case, as they were understood by both
parties in this serious coIIoquy
In the first place. Jerusalem, at that
time - like all other GILES within the
jurisdiction of the Roman empre-was
distinguished for a very heterogeneous
population. lis streets were filled dailv
with people from all quarters ofthe globe.
The confused din of all languages and
dialects from the Bay of Biscay to 1.-The
EXTREMIST lnde" mingled with the noise of
the multitude. The armed bands of Rome
trod heavily over the payemenls and the
naughty parthian, the voluptuous Egvp-
llan, Modes, Cretes, Arabans and Lv-
bans displayed their national Costume In
every thoToughfure of the city. What
wonder, then, being Jew of the strait
est secL-tha. he was anxious to know
who was his neighbor, whom he was to
love as himself Surely, these uncir-
cumcised inhdels could not be his neigh
bors; barbarlans, whose presence would
have deflIed the temple; aliens from God,
and the commonwealth of Israel.
But there was another class of men
more lntolerabIe still whom he regarded
with an aversion strengthened by every
element of hatred. These were the Sa-
marltans; who were an abominaion to
the Jews. All the prejudice that ever
grew out Of caste, color, name or nation,
combined into one intense sentiment of
repugnance. were nothing 10 the inherent,
irreconcilabe hatred which the Jews en-
tertalned towards this unfortunate people.
For it was hatred set on fire of religious
zeal and Jewish intolerance; pursuing
the poor Samaritan with curse that
burned down into his grave. His pres.
ence was pollution no religious Jew
would enter his habitation; or drink from
his well, or eat from his table; or touch
any thug that belonged to him. He
would exchange with him no sautation
or expression of cviIity. Every avenue
OF reconciliation was closed the priviI-
eye of repentance was denied him; the
hope of pardon was cut off; for he was
the on y being on earth who could not at.
tain to the communion Of the Jews by a
conversion TO their faith. These bigols
could not stop here they would fam, con-
sign his sou to annihilation, and sink his
grave beneath the hearing of the archan-
gels voice. Presumptuous profanity! J.
they launched an anathema against his
sleeping dust, and accommodated his
body from the resurrection of!he dead
What wonder, then, that the Pharisai.
cal lawyer was anxious to know who was
his neighbor, whom he was to love as
himself, as an evidence, or rather conse-
q1ence, OF his loving God with all his
heart, sou and strength? It was an i'm
portant question: the very one that would
be proposed in every future age and gen.
Grafton of men. Every human being who
was to become a worshipper of the only
true God would have "a vital interest ia
that question. And our Saviour, know
ing what was in man, and what would be
in him until the expiration of humanity
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