Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-05-16
AS AN ORGAN OF Pun
ISHMEMT.

How rarely do mon take the only sure way
TO escape sclr-reproach and remorse Real in.
tegrity of heart, sincere obedience 10 the COM
mauls Of Heaven in all things, would no, only
shield he soul from the stings Of remorse, bu,
ill it with enduring peace end JOY. And ye, no
"hseryPr # lnwan life i ynoran' Of the eyer
varying devices and pleasures which are form.
ed to prevent the coudemninr sentence Of con-
science, or to soften down her reprnofs. With
what lallacious rcasonings is the unda rslandng
often dupcd! What frivolous pretexs does the
Judgment frequently admit as adequate excuses !
How promptly is memory summoned to recount
every pal.iating circumstance in abatement Of
guilt; and how strangely is memory also some-
times prralyzed, so as TO commit to Temporary
Oblivion the agIravaiions Of wrong! With wha,
amazing fertility will Imagination bring forth
specious apo'oges--urging self.juslilcaton, BY
glowing pictures OF human irailty and Deepen
deuce, the ress;est force OF temp alton, or 9th.
er partial and distorted representations Of fact,
or iahrica,ions or hlsehood. II half the ability
and ingenuity, often wasted in efforts to set as dc
The condemning verdi Of conscience, after
wrong has been done, were employed in seeking
ont truth and pursuing the path Of duty, tie
mind, instead of having only the imperfect ca m
o: a s'j1ei conscience, or 'h9 frapchorouz guild
ance of perverted conscience, would find thai
peace which is like river, and that joy which j,
like the overA1wug stream. Here, as in other
things, "the way of transgressors is hard
They toll much more 10 secure from conscience
mere silence while they continue eslranged
from duty, than would be uecdrul to obtain a pos,
tive and sweet approval by walking in the way
of wisdom
And after all, the silence, if it is ever eflec
ted, is but temporary. Conscience cannot be
long stliled, or cheated cut of its preroga,ive.--
She may be fllttered, or brbed, or deceived, per.
haPs for the present moment: but no nan car
bind her in coyenent for the future. she NAV
sleep to-day; but can give no guarantee thai
she will sleep Tomorrow. She is the servant
Of the Almighty and is fully commissioned as
| his minister OF vengeance to inhct upon the
Irdnsgressor the pangs Of self-reproach and re.
morse. Ii is true, no eloquence, no human pow
or, can with absolute certainty call forth her ter
rible uterances in the soul of man. but it /,
equally true, that no huran power can hnde
those utleranccs when God bids her condemn
How agonlzing the infection thus sometime,
brought upon the soul through conscience as
the organ Of punishment! Alter continued self
Justification, effected by seli-deceii, or after pro
tracied SAUNDERS of conscience under the en-
crossing pleasures OF sense, or the equally en-
crossing cares of business, the work of convic
ton unexpectedly begins. Conscience, strip
ping the heart of its DISCUSSES, pours in the evi
dence of guilt as with blaze of sunbeams
| flashes condemnation as with darts OF lightning
aud let's loose all the terrors of remorse like
tempest floods OF desolaion. What suffering
what punishment, can equal this ! Who vii
here speak OF the acutest pains of dsease--u
bodily lacerallon--or even Of the agony Of grad
ual burning in the flames These are but fam
emblems Of the rendngs, the knawings Of thu
wounded spirit. "The spirit Of a man will sus
tain his infirmities, but rounded spirit who cal
bear !" Be wise now, lherelore--iesl thol
mourn at the last, aud say" How have ha
ted instruction, and my heart despised reproof! =
Q -ProE. Fske.