The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-03-27
March 81, ls45.
STATE OF VERMONT.
A PROCLAM A Il / o N.
nv THE GOVERNOR.

ny THE GOVERNOR.
Penilence, humiliation and prayer are
at once the duty and the privilege of gull
~. dependeut man. While the Almighty
knowelh The proud afar Of, standing to-
ward them ia The attitude OF nfexible jus
tise, he delighte,h 10 dwell with The hum>
bic end The coa,riIe, and promises 10 the
Door ia spirit the richest aud purest OF all
conceivable blessings. And with repenl>
ance and humiliation h. connects, also,
blessings to communication the turn.
ing away from them OF deserved wrath and
threatened judgments. "At what time |
shall speak concerning nation and con-
corning kingdom, to pluck up and pull
down and destroy it, if that nation against
whom have pronounced, turn from their
evil, will repent Of the evil that l lho'l
TO do unto them" By such motives are
we, rs individuals and as community,
invited and encouraged to humble our
selves before God, and seek his favor and
his blessing. through Christ our Redeem
err.
do, therefore, in accordance with the
haliowed custom derived from our puritan
fathers, and impelIed by sense OF our
need of the Divine forgiveness and bless
ing. hereby appoint FRIDAY THE ELEv'
RkTH DAY OF APRIL NEXT, 10 be observ.
ed by the people of this State, as day Of
fasting humiliation and prayer. And do
earnestly recommend 10 them suspension,
on that day, Of all labor and recreation, in,
consislen, with just sense ofthe necessi-
~, and the purpose OF its observance.
Let US, on that day, rs individuals, in
our places of retirement, as families a.
round our domestic al.ars, and Us a CON-
muni,y, in the places conaecralcd to pub
lie devotion, make confession of sin, i'm.
plore forgiveness, and promise amend
ment. Let it be made all occasion of
thorough individual self examination, and
thong htful consideration Of the public
sins, both of our own community, and Of
the nation Of which i, forms taking
as our standard Of judgment the Word of
the living God, in lis plain. dlrec! and COM
prehensive teachings. And lie! US ask
God 10 search US, and 10 search this ma
,ion; to show US our individual sins and
The nation its transgrrssions and TO lead
as, and the nation to true repenlance-the
repentance which consists in an actual
turning from evil, updoing of wrong, and
doing that which is right in the sight Of
the Lord
Let it atflict us when we survey the
desolations OF Zion when we see how
few come up to her solemn feas,s; when
we consider how lnle she possesses of the
self denying spirit of her Master and Lord;
an1 when we behold. every where, the
love OF pleasure and the lust Of gain alb
sorbing so much OF the energies demand.
cd for the high sndholy purpose OF minis
'ering TO human want, aud Mitigating hui
man wo.
And with our confessions Of sin lei thera
be mingled the charities OF the gospel
drawing out our hearts in compassion for
tho ignorap, and degraded, sympathy far
the oppressed, and efforts for the highest
good Of all. Aud let US consider that our
obations will be ,ar, and even n multi
sudc Of sacrifices to no purpose, unless We
put away The evil Of our doings, cease to
DO evil and learn 10 60 we'll. Let the ias!
be such as God hath chosen--to loose The
bands of wickedness, undo the heavy bur-
dens and break every yoke; to deal our
bread to The hungry, bring INFO our houses
,he poor that are cast out, and hide not
ourselves from our own flesh, so tha! our
light may break forth as the morning, our
health spring forth speedily, our right
eousness 60 before Us, and the glory Of
the Lord become our rere- ward
And finally, lie! US pray that through
the influence of.he D viue Spirit. efficacy
may be given 10 trulh--pure and indebted
religion be revived--men, every where,
De reclaimed from sin, and the world be
brought back TO its allegiance TO heaven,
and elevated to the dignity and blessedness
OF communion with its Creator and Lord
Given under my hand at MiddIebury
this tifeenth day Of March, in the
year of our Lord, one thousand eight
hundred and forty-ive, aud Of the In
dependence of the Uai,ed States the
sixty ninth.
WILLIAM SLADE.
Pu the Gnvarnor