Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-10-13
CHRIST AS A REFoRMER. !

CHRIST AS A REF0RMER.
Jesus Christ was, in the highest sense of the
words, q moral and religious reformer, the most
open and uncompromising, exposed to all the ha-
tired which may ever attach to this Character
The Jewish religion had become grossly corrupt.
1t was us other forms of superstition have been,
little moro than a religion Of substitutions for
holiness and virtue; not leading men to goodness
but furnishing them with some other imaginary
means of obtaining the favor of God. Now when,
in any case, a reformer exhibits the true character
of such substitutions, and presents to view the re-
al requirements of religion, the natural effect will
be that those who have founded their pride upon
the former, will regard him as profanely endeav-
oring to destroy mems reverence for what is sa-
cred. lie will be viewed by them as an enemy to
religion; for he is an enemy to what they have
thought religion. They will regard him with deep
felt hostility; for he is destroying the support of
their dissatisfaction. and of their estimation
among men. Their worst passions will be array
ed by their bigotry in the disguise of religious
zeal. This was eminently true as regards the
Jews. With what feelings must the pharisees
have heard q teacher, who assuming the most de-
cisive tone of authority, announced TO them that
they were hypocrites and sinners decoiving them
selves and their followers How must they have
listened to one who called upon them to acquire
that holiness which they had no doubt of already
possessing, through the hard way of humility, re-
pcntance, and entire change of character? How
many of them could be expected to become the
disciples of such a teacher? And what must have
been the bitterness and evaporation of those who
did not?
In what state of mind were they to estimate
fairly the evidence of his divine mission ? Their
strongest passions were exasperated; their most
deep-rooted prcjudices were assailed; and the whole
force of these were turned against him. Even
their wavering apprehensions, if any such were
felt, that his cllims might be well founded, only
served to increase their alarm and agitation, and
consequently to give new strength to the feelings
which they had no power to subdue. The state
of mind which existed in the Pharisees must have
been common in some degree to most of the Jews.
The system of doctrines and duties taught by
Christ was at variance with the inveterate errors
of his countrymen. The alternative was whether
becoming as children they should surrender these
errors, having implicit faith in Christ as teaching
by the authority of God; or whether they should
cling to and defend them, regarding him as an i'm
pious innovator. The latter was the character
which many of the Jews ascribed to Christ. The
fact is evident from his own discourses. 1t ac-
counts for the frequency and force with which he
insisted on his connection with God us his messen-
ger and representative, and for the variety of forms
in which he presented this truth. 1t is clear that
his enemies were under such q strong delusion as
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cause Of God and Of Gods people. Their feelings
of hostility broke out repeatedly with particular
violence, when by an intentional disregard of those
ceremonies which they thought of high impor-
lance, particularly a superstitious observance of
the Sabbath, he showed of how little account he
esteemed them. An enemy of their faith, a des-
piser of their traditions, one who made no account
of that scrupulousness of conscience which paid
tithes even Of mint and eummin, but who denoun.
ced as hypocrites those holy men whose authority
, had been most respected; a teacher who taught not
rs those who had made the law their study; a con-
a temner Of religious ceremonies; a breaker of the
a Sabbath; a companion of tax-gatherers and sin,
. lners; a pretended Messiah who came not to deliy
I err Gods chosen people, but as a prophet of evil
q denouncing the destruction even of Jerusalem and
> the temple-it was thus that q bigoted Jew mus,
. have regarded Christ; and what strength of evil
dence could prove to him that such a one was a
messenger from Godf "He casts out the demons
through the prince OF the demons" This was ne
a nero timid solution of the difficulty which hi
miracles presented; it was the strong expression o.
the feelings which possessed those by whom it wal
%uttered.-Norton on the Evidences. 81
RUM's DoINcs. The Manchester Alliance i
Q giving a weekly register of the terrible doings o
q lstrann drink In ENGLAND In the nnmher for Sant