The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-02-05
From the Christian Citizen.
LETTER FROM REV. JOHN ANGEL
JAMES.

| CUNNINGHAM, NOV. IA, lS45.
ELIHU BuRRIrT.
My Dear Friend and Brother in
Christ:
The subject of your last letter is no.
bic one, universal peace perpetunl peace:
an echo OF the angels song at the nativity
of the Prince of peace. You are devo,ing
your talents 10 a glorious cause, and liv,
ing for an end which must give you an
ionermost place in the heart OF in6nite
love. War is one of humaGity's direst
curses; one OF the most horrd demons
that ever escaped from hell to desoate our
earth and vet there is a fascination and a
spell in it which all lis blood, and groaus,
and unutterabIe misery are not yet strong
enough to break. The military passion,
which one would imagine TO be the first
that Christianity would subdue, will be
found TO be among the last to yield to its
power; and the glory Of arms, as it is so
called, will be, perhaps, the latest to be-
eclirsed ard lost amid the mid radiance
! Of the Sun of righteousness. But assured
y even this shall BE- accomplished, if there
be any truth in revelation, or any power
in God How is it that the pacific princi
Piles of the New Testament make way so
slowly in the aoOrtd? Just because they
make so itre way IN the Church. The
Church Of Christ does not seem 10 know
her vocation. as "A mirror 10 reflect trnlh
upon The world. But she has committed
inouher mistake; aid that is in not rig t>
Y approaching what the Truth is. She
has confined her attention 100 exclusively
TO creeds and formularIts Of doctrines, and
has held up TO the world ooIv a portion of
truth. Things that ought 10 be done are
truths, rs wei! as those which ought TO De
believed. Love is d great glorious and
fundamental truth, for God, the first ruth,
is love The Church oneh 10 shine forth
10 the |uslre of all practical trulh. She as
little knows her poWer as she does her vc-
cation. She UNDERTAKES her Dffuencc, for,
getting that she is the habilalion, the body,
the organ OF the living God. The Lord
her God in The midst Of her is mighty
And then il must be confessed and lament.
ed, that what right principles, either the
oretca or praclica she does hold and ex
hibl, lose their efftc, and for wan, of Wig
or and consistency in her own spiritual
state and Conduct. Her voice is no, heard,
her couuses are not followed, her exam
pie is not initiated. her power is not fel',
for want OF more thal is divine and heav-
enly about her. She is too i;ketLe world,
10 lead H. She does not appear as the
Tabernacle Of The Lord Let the Church
be what she ought TO be, what she might
be, and what she one day wall b., aud ste
would commend the a.teution, secure the
reverence, and obtain The SUBMISSION OF
The world 90 all points OF truth aud NOR
ais Slavery and wars, al he. bidding,
would come out of the bUdies they have
possessed, troubled and tormented, lust as
the demons did, which, at the voice Of
Christ, left the men who dweIt among the
tombs, and catering into the swine, LEFT
their former victims in liberty and peace.
Men DO not see the sin of Slavery and
War, however clearly they perceive and
willingly acknowledge their erals. And
why do they cot see it? Because their
splritual vision is weakened by the feeble.
ness OF their piely. The sense Of the spir-
nuSl eye is in the heat; and it that be
dull aud obtuse, moral truth is not, and
cannot be clearly dscerned,
"The nniaat man dlscerneh not the
things of The Spirit OF God. neither can he
know Them, because they are spiritually
discerued :" end this effect must be lelt
Just in proportion as tine animal nature
gains power even 10 those who are renew.
ed. Our great aia,, therefore, must be to
bring up the tone and vigor of practical
godiuess 10 the Church TO prenare her
clearly to see the sin of War and Slavery,
and, at the sime time, TO give tenderness
TO the conscience and resolueness 10 the
will, for the destruction Of these enormous
crimes.
And who ought 10 be foremost in The
Church, but lis pastors2 If the Church
is the light Of the wo4G, they are the light
of the Church. Insread of sinking to the
teveI of The people, they should draw up
the people 10 their own; instead Of a tim
ID, shrinking, time>serviug spirit, and act
lag upo0 the law of expediency, let them
In the spirit Of mauyrdon and what else,
or less, is the spirit OF the gospel, -.-pro-
claim from The pulpit and, if need BE-,
from the prison and the stake, the sin OF
whatever oppoeeth itself to the kingdom
OF God. When the Church IS wha, il
ought TO be, the world will be converted
and the Church will be whnt it should be,
when its ministers are A hetter Church