Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-01-10
For the Green Mountain Freeman.
"MOral Principle"

uuVlul lluCIplCI
MEssRs. EDIToRs:--I was happy to see the
Freeman enterupon the new year with The above
caption My object in noticing it at the present
time is not to compliment the writer for the manly
and truly Christian attitude assumed for no such
commentator of mine is needed. But seeing the
various improvements in the Freeman, in size, ap-
pearance, &C., as well as this thrilling, soul re-
vving note in its moral tone, as it came with the
welcome sautatou of the Happy New Year, l
could not well resist the promptings of my heart to
give you a cheering I" God speed" as you enter
upon the trials, conflicts and sacrifices of another
eventful year. say euentful year, for such have
no doubt it will be shown to have been by the fu-
ture records of our country, and the worlds histo
ny. The adage was always true, that B." coming
events cast their shadows before;" but it was not
always as it is now true, that events and shad-
olos strike almost simultaneously 1t is true,
indeed, in this wonderful day of rapid march of
mind aud events, that in relation to the grandest
revolution of which our world has ever been The
theatre, we " know not what day may bring
forth" Our country is a moral spectacle to an
gels and to men, If Paul were, at the present
time, going through the length and breadth of our
land Strengthening the churches" in their present
position, he would no longer make the inquiry
&c what communion hath light with darkness? and
What communion hath Christ with Belial? 20 for he
would see the answer to these inquiries at every
step he advanced, as clear as if written in a sun
beam. And let us not hatter ourselves that this
state of things is confined to the churches in the
southern slavehoding portion OF our country.
The same spirit reigns in the church at the north;
and it is my settled opinion, that the reason of the
existence of slavery in our country, in its present
dreadful form and extent is to be found in the
universal corruption of the Christian religion a
mong US. What man of sane mind could assume
the character aud appearance, and adopt the style
of preaching Of the Savior of the world, if he were
seeking an important situation among our church
es aud the honorable distinction of d. d? How
often is Christ sent to the poor house by his pro-
| tessed Disciples? How common an occurrence is
it among Us to see him LEGALLY puudered of
his last shilling, [if not Of his seamless garment,]
by those who hope " through his poverty (D to
| be rich?" How often ii he passed by in the per
son Of the widow and the fatheress, the orphan
and the stranger, the poor and the needy of every
class, by those who would " compass sea and land
to make one proselyte," with the same Indifference
as him who " fell among thieves by the
priest and Lovito? Our religious teachers often
present to us Tand expatiate largely and eloquent
" upon it, Fear not, little flock for it is your
Fathers good pleasure TO give you the kingdom"
But where is the man who, at the same time, with
an increased ow of eloquence, puts the chace of
heaven to the lips of his cha med hearers, by read
ing the two verses Immediately following, and in
seperably connected with, his favorte text? "Sel
that ye have, and give aims provide yourselves
with bags that wax not old-a treasure in the heav-
ems that faileth not, where no thief approached,
neither moth corrupteh. For where your treas
ure is, there will your heart be also" Where is
the man that labors successfully in convincing the
people that the Saviour was right when he said,
sit is more blessed to give than to receiver" o
where is the man that breaches Christ and follows
Christ in this behalf? Tell me, Messrs. editors
and will start at once in search of him, and at
the same time join in the chorus of heaven sang on
the plains of Bethlehem at the birth of the Re-
deemer, &c Glory to God in the highest-on earth
peace, good will towards man." who believes
that the Saviour, in the 25th of Matthew, gave a
true representation of the thrilling scene of that
day when call nations" shall stand before him,
and that the grand dividing principle shall be as
there stated? " Come ye blessed of my father, in-
hert the kingdom prepared for you from the foun-
dation of the world:-Depart from me, We cursed,
into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his
angels" And why this infinite, this nconceivabIe
difference in the eternal aIlotments of the two class
es? Do the churches know? Alas! they have
forgotten or they do not believe. Let but this
doctrine be faithfully preached and cordially re-
: ceived by our churhes, and our brother Torey,
and all of kindred spirit, under like circumstances,
will instantly come forth to the light from their
prisons, and join the angelic choir of Bethlehem's
plains; yea, and this year could roll the black tide
of slavery from our land into the guph of eternal
oblivion. Surely the christian needs the whole
armor, well bucked on, and the shield of faith to
f be nothing short of the faith Of assurance to be
prepared to resist the assaults of infdelty at such
d time as this. But did not take up my pen to
f write sermon, hut only to give you hearty God
speed, and will close by repeating to you the fol-
J. lowing appropriate commission: =" Son of man,
send thee to the children of Israel--to rebeous
ii nation that hath rebelled against me, even unto
this day for they impudent children, and stiff
Il heartfelt | do send thee unto them; and thou shalt