Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-04-25
R eEtgtOMs S.
KEEP, ON CoNGREGATIONAL1sM.

work on Congregationasm. We have>not seen
it, but the following excellent statement of prn-
cipes is said to constitute the first chapter, which
we wish could be incorporated into every christ
ian sect on earth. That would be an suspicious
day for religion.
1. What ought to be done, can be done.
2. Demand only what is right: and in duty
to God submit to nothing which is wrong
3. A generation of boosters is never a gener-
alton of thinkers, still less of doors.
4. Moral Reform always begins with those
least needing it.
5. Whatever goes to deny moral obligation
and to confound moral distinctions, is of fatal
bearing upon character, and proves an elGectual
check upon the reformation.
g. To reform in the real and just sense, is to-
restore original order,-to bring man back to
his primitive model,-to induce him to become
what his Maker intended him to be, and to act in
conformity with the great principles or laws upon
which his moral constitution was framed: and
that the reform may be genuine, and the Refor-
mer retain his hold on the public mind, he must
admit Of no compromise; and discard the plea
that the least of two evils is to be chosen, and
that the end sanctifes the means
T. Reformatons live only by aggressive and
onward movements.
s. A say and do-nothing philanthropy has too
long deceived the hopes and Knocked the miser-
les of men.
O. Men will not always stultify themselves by
pretending to believe and dsbelieve the same
thing in the same breath
10. To hold the doctrine Of human rights, or
the fundamental principles of justice in the alb
stract, and not carry them out in practice, is, in
fact, to apostatize from them.
IL. We are not permitted to seek the good
even of the universe, at the expense Of any right
of any being in it. Rather than do this, even
Jehovah would take down the framework of the
Kingdoms he has created, and retire as ncompe-
tent to the station he occupies.
IL. Take away a mars right to worship,
vherc, and under what religious teaching he
thinks proper, and you take away his right to
worship according to the dictates of his own
conscience.
10. To deny human rights from considera-
tions of State policy, and to enforce this denial
by the bayonet, is but one step higher in the
scale of despotism, than when such denial is ell
forced by church censurc, founded on supposed
but mistaken principles of church organization.
IA. Whatever is in accordance with and de-
manded by the nature and relations of moral be-
ings, is obligatory on them-is moral law, and
no power in the universe can set it aside.
Is. Every human right is understandable; you
may infringe it, you may bruise and mange it
but there it is, in frowns or in smiles, weeping
tears of Joy or sorrow deathless witness agaips
the wrong-doer.
l6. To do right, is the highest possible expo
: diency
II. That which is contrary to reason anC
natural justice never was and never can be law
= and no enactment whatever, which does not de
clare and apply the law of God, is morally OBJ
ligaory.
Is. To will right, to do right, for Its owl
, sake, is benevocnce, is religion, is Christianity
$ 10. No Christian community which toleratc
: fragrant crimes can maintain high moral stand
ard.
20, Conscience is that power of the mint
that alirms and eniorces moral obligation: as
Judge, it smiles upon Obedience, and lrowns up
; on disobedence.
81. All human events move in revolving cir
Giles, each successive age but reproducing aspect
-, of the past and that age which best sustains in
alienable rights, and best revolves the changeles
principles of morality, bears most of the mag
of Divinity.
e %, But revolving cycles, though similar, ar
+ not identical. Each has, in ITSELF some charac
n teristcs of peculiar nature, and to that exten
: part of its characteristics may terminate in it
y own period, part may revive and expand into tn
|, new revolving movement.
a %. When the light shines upon any mora
question, to plead ignorance of your duty is
proclaim your purpose to do wrong.
"a. The gospel demands that we be not pal
n takers of others sins--that we abstain from tn
n appearance of evil-that the thoughts and desire
J. be pure-the total abstinence of all that is wrong
and is therefore system of the most absolut
and perfect reformation, and the Saviour himse
was Reformer without even the semblance {
a compromise.