The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-07-07
Moral and Religious.
CONSCIENCE AS AN ORGAN OF PUNISH
MENT

MENT.
How rarely do men take the only sure way TO es-
cupe serreproueh and remorse Real integrity OF
heart sincere obedience to the commands Of Heaven
in all things would not only shield the soul from the
stings of remorse but ill il with enduring peace and
10Y. And yet no observer Of human life is Ignorant
or the varying devices and pleas which are form
cd to prevent the CONCERNING OF conscience,
or to soften down her reproofs With what lalacous
reasonings is the understanding often duped! What
frivolous pretexs does the judgment frequently adj
nit as adequate excuses How promtly is memory
summoded TO recount every pnlaiing circumstance
in abatement Of guilt; and how strangely is memory
also sometimes puruyzed, so as TO commit to tempo
vary oblivion the agravaons Of wrong. With what
amazing fertility will Imagination bring forth specous
apologies, urging self Justification, by glowing pic
Of human lrailty and dependence, the resstess
force of tenptationor other partial and distorted rep
RESERVATIONS Of fact fabricalions Of fasehood If
half the ability and ingenuity, often wasted in ellorts
10 aside the condemning verdict of conscience af
ter wrong has been done, employed in seeking
on. truth and pursuing the path Of duty, the mind in
stead of having only the imperfect calm of sttfed
conscience the treacherous guidance Of perverted
conscience, would End that peace which is like riv-
err and that JOY which is like the OVERLOOKING stream
Hero, in other things, the way Of tansgressors is
hard They toll much to from consc-
ence mere silence while they continue estrnnged
from duty, than would be needfu to obtain positive
and sweet approval by walking in the way of wisdom
And after all the silence, if is ever effected is bu,
temporary Conscience cannot be s,hed, or cheated
out Of its prerogative. She may be hatteed or brib
cd, deceived, perhaps for the present moment; but
bind her in covenant for the future
She may sleep to day; but give guaranty that
she will sleep She i, the servant Of the
Almighty, and is fully commissioned his minister
Of vengeance to nct upon the ansgressor the pnngs
OF seIf-reproach and remorse. 1t is true, no eo-
quence, no human power, can with absolute certainty
call forth her terrible utterances in the soul of man;
but it is equally true, that no human power can him
der those utterances when God bids her condemn.
How agonizng the infection thus sometimes brought
upon the soul through conscience the organ Of
punishment After continued self Justification ef-
fec,ed by sefdecet, after protracted sumbcrs Of
conscience under the engossing pleasures of sense,
or the equally engrossing Of business, the work
Of conviction Unexpectedly begins. Conscience,
stripping the heart Of its DISCUSSES, pours in the evil
dence of guilt with blaze of sunbeams flashes
condemnation as with darts Of lightning, and lets
loose all the errors Of like tempest floods of
desoation. What suffering, wha, punishment, can
equal this3 Who will hero speak of the acu,est
pains Of dseaseof bodily laceration - or even Of the
agony fgrudual burning in the flames These are
but faint emblems Of the rendings, the Cravings of
the wounded spirit. The spirit of a man will sustain
his in6rmes, but rounded spirit who can bear7'
Be wise now, therefore, lest thou at the last
and say-'How have hated instruction, and my
heart despised reprooCr-Prof. FIske.