Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-07-14
From John WOolman'S Journal.
Conscience and Charity.

Fourth Of Fourth month, 1853. Orders
came to some officers in Mount Holly, about
one hundred soldiers. An officer and two
other men, all inhabitants of our town, came
10 our house. The officer told me, that he
came to desire me TO provide lodging and en-
tertainment for two soldiers, and that six shil-
lings a week per man would be allowed as
pay for il. The case being new and uneX-
pected, | made no answer suddenly; but sat
a time silent, my mind being inward. was
fully convinced that the proceedings in wars
are inconsistent with the purity of the Chris
tan religion; and TO entertain men, who were
then under pay as soldiers, was a difficulty.
| expected they had legal authority for what
they did and after a short time | said TO the
otilcer-lf the men are sent here for enter
tainment, | believe | shall not refuse to admit
them into my house but / cannot keep them
on hire: one of the men intimated, that he
thought might do it consistently with my
religious principles. 10 which / made no
reply; believing silence, at the time, best for
me. Though they spake of two, there came
only one, who taTried at my house about two
weeks, and behaved himself %civilly. When
the officer came TO pay me, | told him | could
not take pay, having admitted him into my
house in passive obedience TO authority. l
was on horseback when he spoke to me and
as | turned from him he said he was obliged
to me to which | said nothing; but think
ing on the expression, | grew uneasy and
afterwards, being near where he lived, | went
and told him on what grounds | refused taxi
ing pay for keeping the soldier.
| have been informed that Thomas a Kem-
pis lived and died in the profession of the
Roman Catholic religion and in reading his
writings, | have believed him TO be a man of
a true Christian spirit; as fully so as many
who died martyrs because they could not join
with some superstitions in that Church. All
true Christians are of the SAINT spirit, but
their gifts are diverse; Jesus Christ appoint
ing to each one his peculiar office, agreeably
in his infinite wisdom.
John Huss coniended against the errors
which had crept into the Church, in opposi.
ton TO the council of Constance, which the
historian reports to have consisted of some
thousand persons. He modestly indicated
the cause which he believed was right and
though his language and conduct towards his
judges appear to have been respectful, yet hi
never could be moved from the principles set
tied in his mind. To use his own words
"This most humbly require and desire o
you all, even for his sake who is the God o
US dll, tndt i De HOt CoHpelleu 10 tne lnlnE
which my conscience doth repugn or striv'
against" And again, in his answer to thu
Emperor: 81 refuse nothing, most nobl,
Emperor, whatsoever the council shall decree
or determine upon me, only this one thing
except, that do not offend God and my con
SCIENCE" LFoX's Acts and Monuments, p
233. At length, rather than act contrary t
that which he believed the Lord required O
: him, he chose to suffer death by fire. Tho
mas a kempis, without disputing against tn
f articles then generally agreed to, appears t
= have labored, by a pious example as well a
by preaching and writing. to promote virtue
, and the inward spiritual religion; and | be
a lieve they were both sincere-hearted follow
ers Of Christ. True charity is an e~xceller
, virtue; and sincerely to labor for their gooC
r whose belief in all points doth not agree wit
r ours, is a happy state.