Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-08-20
Peace OBl HlapGh.'
/ P!ea EOg Peace.


But why TUX forever What shall VIC no? In re-
gard to this present war can refuse to take any part
i'll it, encourage others to do the same; we Gun
aid men, ifnecd be- who suffer because they refuse
Men will call traitors, What then? That hurt no.
body in 7G We are rcbellious nation; our whole
history is treason; our blood was attainted before
VIC were born our creeds are inidelity to the
mother church, our constitution treason to our father
land. What of that? Though all the governors in
the worldbid us commit treason against man, and set
the example, let us never submit. Let God only be
Master to control our conscences.
We can hold public meetings in favor of
Peace, in which what is wrong shall be exposed
and condemned. 1t is proof of our cowardice
that this has not been done before now, We
can show in what the ,niamy of nation con-
sists; in what It's real glory. One of your own
men, the last summer, startled the churches ont
of their sleep, 10y his manly trumpet, talking
with us, and telling that the true granduer of
"A nation was Justice, not glory; Peace, not
War
We can work now for future times, by taking
pains to spread abroad the Sentiments of Peace,
the Ideas of Pence, among the people in schools,
churches every where At length we can d.
minish the power of the National Government;
so that the people alone shall have the power to
declare war, by direct vote-the Congress on
ly to recommend it. We can take from the
Government the means of war by raising only
revenue enough for the nations actual wants,
and raising that directly SO that each man knows
what he pays, and when he pays it, and then he
will take care that it is not paid to make him
poor and keep him so We can difluse real
practical Christianity among the people, till the
mass of men have courage enough to overcome
evil with good, and look at war as the worst of
treason and the foulest infdelty.
Now is the time to push and be active War
itself gives weight to words Of peace. There
will never be a better time, till we make the
times betel 1t is not day for cowardce, but
for herosm. Fear not that the "honor of the
nation" will suffer from Christian movements
for Peace What if your men of low degree
are vanity, and your men of high are lie?
That is no new thing Let true men do their
duty, and the lie and the vanity will pass each
to its reward Wait not for the Churches to
move, or the State to become Christian. Let lis
bear our testimony like men, not fearing to be
called Traitors, Infdels; fearing only to BE
such
| would call on Americans, by their love OF
our country, its great IDEAS, its real grandeur
its hopes, and the memory of its fathers-t(
come and help save that country from infamy
and ruin would call on Christians who be-
eye that Christianity is Truth, to lift up THEN
voice, public and private, against the loulest vi
oation Of Gods law, this blasphemy OF the Ho
, Iy Spirit Of Christ this worst form Of infdelih
to Man and God. would call on all men, b,
: the one nature that is in you, by the great hu
man heart beating alike in all your bosoms, t,
+ protest manfnlly against this dissertation of thu
earth, this high treason against both Man anc
! God Teach your rulers that you are Ameri
cans, not Slaves Christians, not Heather; Men
5 not murderers, to kill for hire. You NAV efec
little in this generation, for its head seems era
t zed and its heart rotten. But there will be
: day after to-day. 1t is for you and me to MAKE
t it better; day Of peace when nation shall NJ
5 longer lift up sword against nation; when al
shall indeed be brothers, and all best Do thi
, You shall be worthy to dwell in this beautiful
land; Christ will be near you; God work will
,you-and bless you forever-Rev r. Parker
Sermon.