Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-06-01
nup soLEmNrrY OF Az OATH.

MI r.oet noteut engine of the demagogues who
berd together in secret conspiracy, at least over
weak minds, ia the impressive obligation OF an
oath. But there are two kinds of OATH There is
the oath sacred taken in the eye OF Goo, for just
purpose-the oath that Blackstone calls illegal
OATH" there is, again, the false oath-the oath ia
ken TO betray ones Countrywide oath of an
ArGold or Catalina. The great weapon of the
latter was the hideous and shameless oaths he con-
ferred upon his confederates. Robbers take oaths
for their mutual protection but there is no law,
human or divine that can censure the violation OF
these oaths. The crime is in taking them.
70 take oath 10 betray friend as, IN the high
est sense of the acord MORAL PERJURY How can
such an oath outweigh sacred obligation, recog-
nized as sacred by the law? A secret oath, for
personal orparty, corrupt purposes cannot sever
the tie that commands US be faithful to God, our
country, to the truth, to family or our friends.
To attempt this is to contemplate perjury.
Says Blackstone:
"The crime of wilfu and corrupt perjury is de-
fined by Edward Coke TO be crime committed
,ehen laagful cath is administered IN some judicial
proceeding, to person a0ho s,oedrs winy absolutely
and falsely IN matter material to the issue point
in question"
We leave il to conscientious men to say how far
an oath, sworn in the sight of the living God, but
in midnight conclave, to make religious differ
ence, or the nativity of neighbor or friend, a
cause of persecution can be maintained without
moral perjury. 1t is simply choice of obliga-
tions-whether we will abide by the obligations
recognized as binding and as just or whether we
will annul these by accepting those which are un-
Just and cruel.
Sacred history tells US of one of the most cher
ished disciples of our Saviour who denied his Mas
ter! three times We ask the attention of those
who believe in the system of secret betrayals to
this instructive passage:
Matt SO Now Peter sat without in the palace;
and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also
vert with Jesus of Galee.
80 But he denied before them all, saying, KNOW
NOT WHAT THOU SAFEST.
al. And when he was gone out into the porch,
another maid saw him, and said unto them that
were there: This fellow was also with Jesus oil
Nazareth.
"72. And again he denied sOiA an oath, DO NOT
KNOW TIE MAN.
"73. And after awhile came unto him they that
stood BY and said to Peter, Surely thou art one Of
them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.
"74 Then began he to curse and to saOear, saying
INNOW NOT the man."
The commentator upon this impressive passage
of Scripture speaks of Peters conduct $50 amply
atoned Immediately afterwards) in the following
manner
" Peter denies has master NTH oathS and curses
There is nothing more important for US to learn
than our own weakness. Who that saw Peter
Wanting but the day before though all men for
sake Thee, yet will not P-could have supposed
that in short time he could haze forgotten, al
least haze broken, all has promises ?" Here, it will
worldly oath \ "Whati an apostle prevaricate
and lie YEA and curse, and swear that he knew
not the man to whom he had professed so strong
an attachment; for whom, in fact he had fought,
and nearly committed murder2 Alas, how weak
is mani The question of silly damsel confused
and terrified Peter, and the fear of being taken
for one of the followers ofJesus led him TO prevar
ication, lying, and PERJURY"
Now, although Peter had taken no solemn oath
to support his great Master yet he owed an obi
cation which hez could not, as it seems, violate
without being accused of perjury. This recalls us
to the point that there is obligation due to the
State, and to friendship, and to good morals, i'm
pressed upon all men, which cannot be set aside by
any worldly obligation, and least of all by mid
night oath wrung from the fears and the prejudices
of men, without staining those who resort to this
oath with the guilt of moral perjury. To betray
benefactor as Peter did-to persecute a neghbor
after professions of kindness-al these belong to
the science which plots in secret, and strikes
down the wisest and the brightest without notice
or charity.
But Peter repented his false oath-repented it
in tears and in sorrow. He never denied his mas
ter after that He never allowed his fears TO mis-
lead him. He stood fast to his holy friendship.
He scorned the secret oath and the midnight caba
He became a light and leader and manifested
his faith in the midst of dangers and doubts. He
never afterwards said, =" I know not TIE man."
Let those who have taken the oaths at the pres
ent day which defy the law, and instgate persecu-
ton, and encourage hypocrisy, and finally lead to
perjury-let them remember that no obligation
can be binding which is in itself an insult to God
and wrong to man. Washington Union