Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-04-25
TIL Il FIR Z L VI A N .
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, FRIDAY, APRIL IS, 1916.
THE TRUE STANDARD OF REFORM.

Nothing can be more important, in this day of
appearances and distractions, than to elevate
correct standard-one that wo can resort to in our
death struggle for truth and liberty, cling to
in the darkest hour of adversely, and yield up only
with our dying breath. Since the apostacy of Ad-
am two standards have existed, by which human
actions have been tested and pronounced good or
bad. One has been founded upon reason, judy
ment and conscience, mans highest nature the
other has been based upon the passions, appetes,
and selfish affections. Man, as reasonable being
has ever been variance with man rs influence
Ell by passion and appetite. Hence the opposition
and persecution which those have had to encoun-
ter who have dared to raise the standard Of truth
aud reason against the standard which the slaves
Of appetite and passion have erected. Hence the
smaness of the number of those who have at first
raised the standard Of all the moral reforms that
that have blessed the world aud preserved it from
utter ruin, since the great mass of mankind are
Influenced much more by passion than by reason.
1t has come to this, that if any one wishes to
procure the honors Of the world and obtain COM
Portable subsistence, he must bring down his stan
dard so as to conform to the cnprces and wishes
of the multitude. He may be permitted to en-
force almost any truth, as an abstract idea, or
present any correct principle if he will not insist
upon its being, only in certain circumstances,
where will affect men's interests, reduced to
practice. He may be over Jealous in any good
cause which docs not clash with the popular opin-
ion, or is not at variance with the general sentl-
ment, and poets will proclaim his greatness and
orators speak Of his worth. But let him make the
Word of God his study and Standardized him
unite with his creed, opposition to inquity in all
its forms and to error of every kind-Ict him
walk in the light Of reason and be inHeXbe and
determined in insisting upon mems obedience to
the law of rectitude and of carrying out into
I practice as well precept, the principles OF
righteousness humanity and liberty, and his fan
cied greatness vanishes, the calm Of which he has
fgloried becomes tempest, his warmcst friends
become his deadliest enemies, he is cast out among
the rubbish despised, if not forgotten. 1t is the
fear of this that has closed the mouths and fro
zen the hearts Of most of our ministers, editors
and all others who dare not go one inch beyond
pubic OplHlOuSNSHlnSl tu6 ClttUlS vi 0HSl"'SR
ions in our land of republican liberty. 1t is the
same lullaby song of peace, of opposition to re-
forms, and of conformity to the standard of The
world, that has rocked the church to sleep, deprv
ed her of nearly all her moral power, and thrown
over the whole land the pail Of death.
l. There can be but one correct standard, and tina
is the one set up by the Saviour. That was no
, popular sentiment, the worlds applause, or con
formty to the maxims and opinions of the aspirin!
I demagogue-such as to choose the least of two e
2 wills: Or 90 with the multitude to do wrong, be
cause there are not enough to carry out the right
ffbut his standard was, to do the will OF God-to d.
lust right, regardless Of numbers-to oppose op
nression and sin, and to love our neighbors as our
selves. The Liberty party has raised this stan
: dard and for doing it, and maintaining our nteg
rity, we have been despsod, and every effort ha
been made to destroy us. Our greatest DANCE
onsists in lowering he standard to the level of tn
other parties TO gain proselytes. So long as WI
keep the standard of freedom, of opposition Il
tyrants, and firm trust in God, erect, there is nj
danger; our increase may be slow, but our triumph
. is certain,