Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-11-01
For the phpnix.


Nh RYTBER:--Desr Sr,-The following
extracts are from a letter OF distinguished
clergyman in this county, 10 answer 10 several
interrUgatories sent him by third party parish
ioner, and although not written for publication,
still il you should consider them worthy, or
calculated TO promote the cause Of truth, you
are at liberty to give them an insertion in your
paper. Yours, AN OBSERVER.
"To your interrogatory-'Is the practice Of
slavery a sin!'--l answer: the system of slave
~ as il exists in this country is great moral
evil, and those who knowingly and wl'lully sus-
tain that relation 10 another, for their own self
sh ends, are undoubtedly, in Gods view, sim
ners.
Cd Interroga tory--'Is the practice of duelling
sin!' Ans. find nothing in the word Of
God TO Justify the practice, but much to con-
denim it. The duellist is an open violaier OF
the law Of God, and would as soon attempt
to justify idolatry, Sabbath-breakng. theft, or
murder, as dueng.
3d. You ask--'Is il the will Of God that ru-
lers should be men fearing God and working
righteousness Ans. In the Bible read
He that ruleth over men, must be inst, ruling
in the fear OF God.' The same book says
''rake your ,rise men and understanding and
known among your tribes and ] will make
them rulers over you.' But what does that Ian
guage mean, ruling in the fear Of Godr The
fear of God is sometimes put Tor the whole cf
religion, including reverence, confidence, love
and obedience to God; thus, 'the fear of the
Lord that is wisdom, '--'what doth the Lord
require Of thee, but TO fear the Lord Thy God,
&c. To rule in the fear of God, does il neces-
sarily imply that the man must be christian
indeed? and is il the will Of God that those on
! " should be .ec:ed 10 office who are truly
christians, perfect christians? for as the fear oil
God includes the whole of religion, and the
whole Of religion is true and perfect obedi-
ence 10 the law of God. Then to be all that
the term implies, The candidate must be perfect.
According TO this definition, man may be oil
n sound mind, of good morals and an imper-
feet christian even, and yet not qualified to be
a ruler. You, presume do not understand
the text in this sense. Ruling in The fear oil
God refers, ! think, to men deeply impressed
with the conviction that there is a God above
them to whom they are accountable; men who,
because they are controlled by an awe of Heav-
en-, would refrain from doing that which is un-
just and wrong. Ia the text | have quoted
God requires us 10 elect men who are Impress
ed with sense of their accountability, and who
will seek, in the administration Of Government
TO act according TO the principles oljuSice, leg.
| islaling not for their own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, bul
for the good of the people.
4lh. You ask--'Can God regard those as hi.
true followers and co-workers who vote fol
such rulers, as they have reason 10 believe
E possess characters entirely different from wha
he requires' Ans. With my understanding
of The qualifications God requires in ruler,
can, without sin, vote for man though he b,
not a christian; for | do not believe He makes
true piely an essential qualification for Office
Fl II piety is the qualification, it must he peTiec
holiness, for all the Divine requirements are
perfect, and then see not how we can have |
; civil government, for all men are sinners. Bu
If may vote for man who, though not
, christian, is still so impressed with his account
, ability to God that he will faithfully and impair
tally administer the government, am not do
ing the will of Godi If men, not christians
are not Scripturally disqualified from being ~
ers, what particular sin is mentioned as dis
, qualifying theml Is 1t said that slaveholdinl
disquali6es for officer or that Sabbath-break
ing doesi ! acknowledge they are sins, but j
} not unbelief sin, and worldly-mindedness