Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-12-26
GREEN MOUNTAIN

nlent which the world has passed on these three
cases. But 1t is innocent" TO try However,
there is another ancient case, mentioned in the
Bible in which the laws commanded one thing
and conscience just the opposite. Here is the
record of the laws :--"Now both the chief
presrs and the Pharisees had given command
ment that if any one knew where he Jesus
were, he should show ii that they might take
him." OF course it became the official and le-
gal business ofeach disciple who knew where
Christ was, to make it known to tho authorities.
No doubt James and John could leave all and
follow him, with others of the people who knew
not the law OF Moses, and were accused nav
the women, Martha and Mary, could minister
unto him of their substance, could wash his
feet with tears, and wipe them with the hairs
of their head. They did it gladly, of ther own
free will, and took pleasure therein, make no
doubt. There was no merit in that-"any man
can perform any agreeable duty" But there
was found one disciple who could "perfolm
dsagroeable duty" He went, perhaps with
alacrity," and betrayed his Savior to the mar.
shall of the district of jerusalem who was called
centurion. Had he no affection for Jesus p
no doubt, but he conld conquer his preudces,
while Mary and John could not.
Judas Iscarlot has rather bad name in the
Christian world he is called "lhe son Of perdi.
tion," in the New Testiment, and his conduct
is reckoncd "transgression !" nay, 1t is said the
devil "entered into him." to cause this hideous
SIN. But ali this II seems was mistake; GER
tainly, if we are to believe our "Republican"
lawyers and statesmen, Iscario only fulfilled
his constitutional Obligat ms" 1t was only
on that point, of betraying his Saviour, that the
constitutional law required him to have any
thing to do with Jesus. He took his ''thirty
pieces OF silver about fifteen dol|ars Yankee
is to do it for ten, having fewer preiud ces to
conquer-it was his legal fee, for value receVeu
True the Christians thought it was the ''wages
of nquity," and even the Pharisees who com
monty made the commandment of God of none
effect by their trad ions-daTed moi defiie the
temple with this "prlce of blood !" but it was
honest money; it was as honest fee as any
American commissioner or deputy will ever get
for similar service. How mistaken we are |!
Judas lscariot is not traitor, he was a great
patriot, he conqured his "preudlces," per.
formed "a diiagreeable duty" as an office Of
singh morals and high principle" he kept the
'law" and the constitution" a0d did all he
could to save the "Union;" nay, he was saint,
i" not whit behind the very chefest apostles.
"The law of God never commands US to DISC
hey the law of man." Sdn1ie Lscartote ora pro
obs.
1t is little strange to hear this talk in Bos-
ton, and hear the doctrine of passive obedience
to law which sets Christianity at defiance,
taught here in the face of the Adamses, and
Hancock and Washington! 1t is amazing to
hearthis talk, respecting such law, amongst
merchants. Do they keep the usury laws?
never heard but Ole mOney-tender who kept them
and he has been long time dead, and | think
he left no kith nor kin The temperance law
is that kept? The 6fteen-gallon law,--were mer
so very passive in thar obedience to that tina
they could not even "agitate !" yet it violated ne
law Of God was not unchristian. When the
government interferes with the rumsellers' proper
ty, the law must be trod under foot, but wher
the law insists that man shall be made slave
must give up conscience in my act of prayer
-. and stoop 10 the vile law men have made in thei
act of passion
Il II is curious to hear men talk of law and orde
e in Boston, when tho other day one or two nun
l. dered smooth-faced boys, youths beardless
:. girls, could disturb meeting OF three or lou
thousand men, for two hours long ana ,ne Sn no
n, of the Police, and the Mayor of the city stoo
and looked on, when single word from thei
Inns might have stilled the tumut and given me
Talk Ct Keeping the Fugitive Slave Law
ty Come, come we know better. Men in Ne
o. England know better than this. We knOO III
= ,Oe must not keep Wicked Ia0, and that 1t shOu
u not be kept ,ohen the lao of God lorbidS
ur But the effect of law which men cam
keep without violating conscience is always d
ed molalizing. There are men who know no hlg
=. e, law than the statute Of the State VIII
tat good men cannot keep law that is base, sor
M bad ones will say, "et us keep no law at all,
Try then where does the blame lie? On him til
nd enacts the outrageous law.
But the idea that statute of man frees
- from obligation to the law of GSd, is dread
ng thing. When that becomes the deliberate &C
nd viction of the great mass OF the people, North
40 South, then shall despair of human natur
, then shall despair of justice, and despair
le- God. But iL will never come.
ss, One ofthe most awful spectacles ever 81
,it- was this "a vast multitude attempting, at
Tho orators suggestion, to howl down the "hlgl
law" and when he said, will you have this
'ox rule over YOU? they answered, "never" q
aid treated the "higher law" to a laugh and no
lat. It was done in Fanuei Hall; under the eyes
,od the three Adamses' Hancock, and Washingt
and the howl rung round the venerable arc
Ign of that hall, and one could not but ask, "why
the the heather rage, and the people imagine v
thing, and the rulers of the earth set hemsely
rlv and kings take counsel against the Lord and s
." 'let us break his bands asunder, and off his "
an from u.s." and could not but remember Il
yer it was written, ale that stitch in the Hcav
lille shall laugh the Lord shall have them in
v,s rision He taketh up the isle, as a very Ii
w. thing, and the Inhabitants of the earth
OIL as grusshoppers before Him" Howl down
we law Of God at n magistrates command
1er, this in Boston Let us remember this but "
we charity.
CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.
Such is our condition. such Its causes 81
our Dangers. Now, for the lesson, look a
ment elsewhere. Look at continental Euro
oo at Rome, Austria, Prussia, and the other GER
10 States-at Fraace. How uncertain is ev
government France-the sabest of them
1av Remember the revolution which two years
;o, shook those States so terribly, when all the
atty of France was wheeled out of Paris
IL street cab Why are those States so totteriI
'ish Whence those revolutions? They tried to m
iniqulty their law, and would not give over
attempt Why are the armies of France
600 strong, though that nation is at peace '
Ior all the world? Because they tried to make
so justice Law Why do the Austrian and
les. man monarchs fear az earthquake of the
cas- pfc P Because they tread the people down '
,as- wicked laws Whence came the crushing d
and of France, Austria, England From the 81
alb cause; from the injuatice of men who n
we mischief by law
, it. 1t is not for men long to hinder the marc
OTIS human freedom. | have no fear for that
ono mately none at ellis iH,nly for this reas