The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-02-01
M | s C E L L A N Y.
ORDINATION CHARGE.

pont Jr to the work of the Ministry, the
charge was given by his father, ]. Pier
pont. The following is an extract
How full Of soul and humanity and re.
forml Such are the men to breast the
tide of sin, sweeping over this fair world
We wish we could give you the whole of
it. The Ministers of Christ must here
afer be set apart to battle for grooming
world
The present is emphaticalIy an age of
excitement; especially of excitement up
on moral subjects, and in relation to the
bearing of great moral principles, and
moral reforms, upon social relations and
political interests. | rejoice that it is so.
Our master came, indeed, to give peace
to the world. But he we'll knew that be-
fore the world could enjoy the peace
which he came 10 bring to it, it must be
moved, must be shaken, to its deepest
foundations. To bring peace, he knew
that he must first bring DIVISION" and
"a sword" His first apostles were
charged with turning the world upside
down" They meant to do so; for they
found the world wrong side up. To a
great extent, it is so still; for the work of
the apostles of Jesus, and of his gospel, is
no: yet finished. Even yet is heard the
confused noise of the battle and the war;
rlor, and garments are seen, rolled in
blood. Even yet The kings of the earth
sci themselves, and the rulers take coun-
sci together, against the Lord, and against
his anointed." Legislators, who are not
yet throughly imbued with the love of
God and OF man, and have not yet learn
ed that the laws Of God are paramount to
their own, yet make laws, licensing
wrongs. States confederate with states
10 uphold by the strength of their consi-
tullonal compacts the grossest and foul
est oppression, under which man ever
groaned, or over which pity ever wept;
and, under this oppression, millions are
sinking down,-even while [ speak to
you, are sinking down in this our own
land, in chains, in healhenish ignorance
and sin, huddled tog her in life, into how
els, in which are no bibles, and in death,
into graves, over which are no prayers
Men are poisoned 10 death,-to d slow,
lingering and most lamentable DEATH
by thousands, every year, and under our
owl ey82, yea by our own nei9 hbors.-~
Graves yawn all around US; and our fell
low men, our brothers, our ia aers, our
children are pushed into them by the
hands that no the poisonous cup, or,
under lis influence, are thrown in by their
own suicidal hands, and yet, against
these hlgh'handed sins. it has been undel-
stood, that the Christian Minister NAV not
Ii up his voice, even in a plea or
prayer, lest, peradventure, the gains Of
those who plant cotton or ship it, who
raise sugar or eat it, who make the poi
son or who mix it, should BIZ diminished,
in other words, lest mammon s. ould be
dethroned in our land, the kingdom of
heaven come, and God be served in spirit
and in truth.
And you know, my son, that the re-
proach has been cast upon the Christian
Ministry throug bout our country; say
not how deservedly, though | fear, with
too much truth, that it has not done i
part, in the war that the philanthropy of
our age, especially in our own land, has
been wa9ing against the sins of slavery
and lntemperance: that the clergy, in.
stead of helping on the great moral re-
forms OF the day, have held them back;
and that they who from their office should
have been leaders, in the armies of the
Living God, have been either towards
and laggards, or what is worse, traitors
to the cause Of tempted, bleeding humani-
ty, and have struck hands, as confeder-
ates, with the oppressor. | will not
trench upon your liberty, my son, by an
attempt TO dictate to you aObat you shall
do, but charge you TO do something
nay, by the Living God, [ adjure you to
do what in you lies, to keep this reproach
from falling upon yOur name, and to wipe
1t OFT from your profession.
WONDERFUL CAVE IN IowA.-Tn the
Lead District within few miles of the