The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-09-09

ness OF nOrfOr IN Scufcn OF sOltuue anu icse'
Far up that winding valley, away from strife
and noise, in the shadow of great rock and
among groups Of trees, shepherd leads his
flock. Scattered on the green slope they lie,
or crop the grateful hcrbage or drink OF the
cool water. Opposite husbandman is peace.
fully gathering his early fruits. Beyond
them are the sweet groves of Paradise. On
either hand smiles plenty and content. They
approach each other with signals of fratcrnal
affection; the one bearing in his bosom a
spotless lamb, the other laden with the choc-
est products Of his garden. Will they ex-
change these MS tokens Of loye9 No! that
were pleasant thing; but, better still, these
are an offering to the blessed God, the Au-
thor Of ali their joys. With united strength
they rear an altar of stones, and place upon
it their gifts. With tear Of sorrow and re-
pentanco the lamb is slain. With compla-
cent thanksgiving, the fruits are offered -
A fragrant cloud goes up to God, bearing on
its wings the testimony of these hearts; and
see! from heaven there breaks radiance
which gilds the head of the shepard in token
of acceptance. The other worshipper OBJ
serves it, but looks in vain for his own ap-
proval. What now! Was that gesture OF
wrath? Why is the stalwart arm Of the
husbandman stretched forth? He seizes the
ready weapon, and fells his brother to the
earth: heeds not his cry of anguish; but re-
pcats the murderous blows till life is extinct,
then fees in terror. What gloom has fallen
on that lovely scence! How rash and cruel
the act Shall the guilty one escape? Will
God look on with Indifference? No! With
the swollen torrent he thwarts his course in
one direction, and when he takes refuge in
the pathless woods, his lightning descends
and scathes with an ineffaceable brand his
forehead. God frowns upon him with an ev-
erlasting frown, and writes murderer on bis
guilty SOUL till he wrings from him those de-
spairing words, "my punishment is greater
than can bear" Can any witness of this
scene be found bold enough to dare the ven
geance of Almighty God again, and wicked
enough to repeat such violence? Let us see.
Passing over the familiar names of multi
tudes Of servants, Of masters, of princes and
kings and popes, who have thought this
deed worthy of imitation, and have expert
cnced still greater judgments in consequence,
direct your eye to these two men of modern
times at whom so many millions are like
wise gazing. The age Of burnt sacrifices and
bloody rites has passed away. God is now
worshipped with offerings of the heart, and
with the conservation of the entire mind and
being to his service. These two 90 up to-
gether TO the high places of the earth to Of
fer sacrifice. At the shrine erected by their
united efforts. with many profession Of Pnro
patriotism and universal bereyoence, the es-
sence of al tho godlike virtues, the one
pours out his soul into the ears of men and
Jehovah, and demands acceptance. The
othcr, meek spirit, but with divine energy
in hs soul, then presents his Offering. The
incense goes up to heaven, and the Lord God
smells sweet SAVIOR and has respect TO him.
He gives him the conscience Of every listen
or, and sheds the radience Of peace, like
sunshine on his soul. Sec now the first wor-
shipper. He and his fellows stand rebuked
before God, and malice kindles in his soul.
He seeks his brother in the field, but finds
him not he watches for him at the gate; he
| lies in wait at the very altar Of liberty, and
mt nm unexpected moment darts upon him
with the weapon of the savage. He shows
no mercy; he gnashcs with his teeth; blow
after blow desccnds till the voice of his
brothers blood cries to God from the ground.
| And "whercforc slew he him! Because his
own works were evil and his brothers righte-
ous" Precisely the reason that can be given
for every martyrs death since Abel. Verify,
upon this wretch shall come all the blood
that has been shed from the foundation of
the world. Nor does he alone lie under this
dark mountain of guilt, for if sinners of this
generation are accessories to the crimes OF
men of past age, much more do they up
| hold each other in the wickedness of the
present There are wealthy men living who
would have given bail for Cain. There arc
Judges who would have cleared him; Scna-
tors who would not have thought his crime
worth investigating: States that would have
pronounced his act chivalr-us; Presidents end
presidential candidates who would have wash
cd his forehead and tried TO cfface his mark
to get his vote; and there are theologians,
excellent metaphysicians they, who would
have asccrtainrd that killing was not sin per
Sc, and therefore nothing should be said n
bout that. On the other hand that Abcl''
offering by implication charged Cain with
guilt, and was calculated to wound his feel
ings and consequently he Dos really Mt
GUILTY PARTY. Yet these arc all convcrsant
with the history; they do not forget Gods
testimony regarding it; the charge of mur
der lies at their door, murder of the limo
cent. Alas for them when God shall make
inquisition for blood Let it be distinctly un
dcrstood. God holds multitudcs in this ma
ton guilty of the murder Of Senator to
day, murder in the first degree, for though
the cowardly assassin failed Of his purpose
his intent was clear; not ono man in ten coult
have survived such an infliction; he may yet
die. Hence. every one who speaks approval
of the act, is murderer; every one wh'
openly or covcrtly shields the criminal, is I
murderer. and the curse o. Cain is on him
The land is full of blood.
But It is not Of one murder only, or 0
ten, that sinners Of this day and Of thi
land, from the President down to his loves
drunken supporters, are guilty. The bloo'
of every man who has suffered violent dcatl
in Kansas. is on their heads, for the cry o
the pershinc was in their ear, and they