The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-12-22

the most heautliui and we'll formed Virgins IN
the East, were made TO contribute their charms
by IruXis, and yet the picture lacked peffec-
tion. We can conceive In both mind and ho-
dy, the possibility Of much greater excellence,
aad have, therefore, no superior reason 10 be
proud of either. The kind of fChFisianitv which
is OF any value, is that OF practlca{ character.
1t may BE- fashionable to indulge in that sort,
which seeks to acquire money By every kind OF
rapine, in order TO sGuander It IN every species
of revelry but when the balance is strack, the
| latter will be found by far the most unnrohta-
bic. We can all understand the coaducf o!
rRen mach better than their creed, and have
clearer knowledge ot The depFavles 0f the DIS
| cipl4, than of the teachings of the pFecePor.
The Almighty IS as n,erciiul IN his restric-
tioRS as he is in his bounies aud has pre-
Scrsbed unto himself one eternal and mmutable
! principle Of action-that Of producing the high
est ultimate happiness by the best means PoSsi-
! bic. And It may be, that the wonderful aud
complicated microcoSfr-tbp- heart of man--iS
| governed hy single prlnciple-the pursuit OF
/ apparent good--but the means reSotted TO ia,
ors.er 10 arrive at that benrtictnt point is often
| the most Perncious and rcprehensIble. When
! the idea seZeS upon the mind OF the Zeaiot that
he is called upon to do God service, all COM
/ rnoa modes CT reasoning are perverted and ali
g'ueral principles destroyed. One who knew
/ human nature well, has said that the victim OF
| the ianatical prosecutor viii 6nd, that the
stronger the motives for mercy are be can urge,
! the weaker will be- his chance Of obtainIhg it.
| tos the merit of his destruction viii ae supposed
! 10 rise in value, ~ proportion as IS effected at
! the expense of every feeling, both ot justice and
/ humanity. The truth of this proposition is
spread broadcast over every page OF religious
persecution.
/ This xiii be found to be the case as far hack
as history runs. and Il We take the Bible for our
guide, up 10 the earliest period Of the formation
! of communities. This fact would indicate. that
a!lhou5t customs arr as various as the tntS OF
complexion, and systems of religion as opposite
as We can imagine, STILL nan In all climates, 10
all countries, and IN al! ages. is essentially the
same CREATURE and prone 10 persecute his fellow
for Hon-contorntr with the prevailing doctrine
Of conscience. This fact will also prove
| that there is something radically wrong IN our
system of religious education--tor ii cannot lie
in government which leaves the question OF
conscience between Tran and his biaker-nor
in our lay school instruciion-ior here every
scholar meets, should ta,.et, apon common
| ground, to be instructed from books which are
not seciarian in character.
Even Abraham, although he left his country
and kinsmrn, in order to worship the true God,
and establish a pure religion, IN accordance
with The dictates OF his own concence and the
light he had received. smote with the sword,
the diverse nations around bin, as much Tor
their difference OF creed as for their capture OF
his brother. The nation that be founded not
outstanding that they possessed boiler re!igion
and lotiirr precepts than the world beside, split
into multitude Of sects, and prosecuted each
other to the death. The PhariseeS condemned
the Saducees, and the latter the former, while
both assailed the Essences, and the three war
red against the Herodans and the GauioniteS.
The Samaritan and the proper Jew, though ac-
knoWledging the same God, and having similar
ceremonies, We're raGcnrouS IN their hatred Of
each other, for the most trivial cause, and gIoat-
ed with savage ferocty over every opportunity
for vengeance. The aItals ol each, consecrated
10 the same living God, were frequently GeSecra-
ted and often DESTROYED 10 their RELENTLESS tends,
while thousands Of both srcs were swept 10
death at the hand ofthe other-and all, as they
believed, for the glory ofthe Almighty. Their
own evil passions and mistaken judg mtnts or the
selfish motives Of their Priests and Rulers, madr
acts which would disgrace MoIoch, precede
IN popular respect, tie spdlmity Of that holy
doctrine which required US 'tto do unto others
as we would they should 90 unto us:' bot
these erroneous views were seldom matter Of
question Many of The Prophets are remem-
bered more for their prosecuting spirits than for
the GodIikp qualities of their characters. AS
early as this age ofthe world, religious instruc-
ton, was strongly tinctured- with the bigotry
and intolerance Of the present day.
Bot the Christian era arose, and the meek
and lowlv author Of our religion, condemned in
all the glowing fervor Truth, the prevailing
errors Of his fines The short and simple sem
fence spoken to the woman taken in adultery,
conveys Ioftipr moral to the mind than all the
precppts that Sage or Prophet ever conceived.
It stamp~d the character Of the religion be-
taught with the pure essencp OF Divinity, and
installed an age OF liberainy, charity and bene-
violence, among the children Of men. $50 and
sin no nore,'' was a holy conclusion to the char
table requirement of .tIet him who is without
sin throw the first stone" With these land
marks continually before the eyes Of coGtending
Isecis, and proper observance Of their bearing,
The bitterness of sectarian strife would soon
cease to exist, and We should rapidly becom" a
: band of brothers, conscious of each others de-
frcts, bat struggling 10 correct apparent er-
rors, by the gentle and suasive power of Truth
: and Reason.
We all turn with horror from the ten gener-
al prosecutions Of Nero, Domitan, Traian, An
toninus, Seyprus, Maximian, Decius: Ealeian,
,, Aurtliau and DiocIetan, and read with saddrn-
ed hearts the story of those bloody butcheries,
With mournfnl pleasure We trace sufrrings Of
the two young Christian mothers, Perpetna and
Fplicities, and 60 with them to their martyrdon