The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-07-11

them. how far are we different, morally
from them? H
Often, it occurs to me,--and yet dcsir
to have it still again and more deeply IN I'M
presscd,-I would it Glirays might be- II
connection with every inward experience o
wrong, "this is the spirit that erue.t'ed N
Sdrior."
When heard of the recent outrageous
lawlessness and brutalitics that have beer
alluded to, us soon as the first tumuit o
emotion had subsidized, one of the hrs
thoughts that came to me was, "in these i
picture of sin - of the sin that is IN me
I recognize the portraiture. Let me con
demn it not there only, but here. God for
give thm,-and me-"
LAwlcss, brutal, cowardly, murdcrous.-
Is ii not, ask you, brethren, to look and
sec, is il not tho nature Of sin, to be all
this-lawlcss, and brutal, and cowardly
and murdcrOus? Is it not all this, even in
our own bOsoms? Have we been habitual'
ly sinners, without trampling upon the laws
of God, our Maker? Is not sin, in the very
definition of it, "transgrcssion of the law?'
Again, when appetitcs and passion and
worldly lusts have prevailed over reason
and conscience, was it not of the nature o
brutality? Was it not brute force over
riding moral law, and violating the " tenn
pie Of God, which," the apostle says to the
disciples, "ye arc" "Whilc you are di
vidod amongst yourselves by jealousy and
strife and iactious parties, are ye not, ask;
the apostle, "carnai?"
Once more, il we have been prevented by
weak timidity or irresolution, from choOs
ing and pursuing the Christian course =
if we have conformcd ourselves to the opin
ions and fashions orthis world, because o
the inconvenience and uncomfOrablcness oI
declaring and obcying conscientiously oul
own convictions Of truth and duty, was il
not eorardly?
And finally, if VIC have deliberately sci
ASIDE and ignored moral principle, IF VIZ
have for the sake of u temporal advantage
or to crafty strong desire, planned anC
perpetrated an act of lisobcdicncc to com
mandment of God, and in resistance to thC
promptings Of our higher nature, was it not
in its nature, destructive Of our spiritual
lifc-of the life of God in us, and around
us? ''IIc was murlcrcr," says Christ
"from the beginning"
Sin in the thoughts, Christ condemns, n
we'll US in the palpablc and overt act.
For a band Of armed men to carry, by
lawleSs violence, an election, i. a different
thing, doubtless, US regards the nation--ai
rcgards the extent and magnitude of the
evil, from single net OF private and indi
vidual injustice. But us iHdiriduaLs, thOs,
banditti must bo judged in the great ac'
cOunt-each bearing his o,oa burden and
receiving the things he himself individually
hath done. The great seriousness Of that
sin against the nation and against humane
ty, US well as against tho immediate suffer,
crs thoroby,-thc gralt seriousness Of it,
say, as respects the guilty authors Of it, and
in the eve Of God, is as an iRdiriGuai irrOng
doing.
For man 70 enter the Senate chamber oI
the United States, and strike down, assis-
iu-likc and tig9r-likc, Senator, because he
did not approve his speech, or because his
speech condemned him, or his, is, in some
FITS features, u crime Of peculiar dye and
enormity. Ifthcro cannot be freedom OF
opinion, and freedom of speech, according
to tho guaranty of the Constitution, in the
Senate chamber OF the United States, then
the cause Of civil liberty has gaspcd its last
gasp, and the darkness of tyranny cnfolds
us hCnceforth forever. But ! dwell not up,
ON this now. As sacred rs those walls are
of our national council chamber, to every
true lover of his country, are they, / ask
you now to consider, are they more sacred
than hs ehGmbers Of he soal? Is SIN
against the people of tho UnitcdStatcs mora
hcinOus than a sin against God? DO we
cry, "punish the guilty pcrpctrator Of that
atrocity -expcl him from the House, b.
meath whose roof he has insultcl his State
and nation?" What shall the cry he
against as, ,rho hare sianed against Hodren,
aud against His goodness Who sent us into
the world to bc recipients of His grace, i'm
itators of His wisdom, and representatives
of His love to man? Is there not serious
thought for us here? Do we not well TO
look little more than we have done, in
upon ourselycs,-in upon our privileged
condition as moral and immortal beings, to
see how FAR we are living up 70 the demands
of that condition? Is there not u persona!
campaign it bOhoyes us to give attention to,
as well as political one ?r Is thcr, not
an election to be thought of, and free
state also to be thought of, irithin us? Is
this an important question as respects the
future of our Country, and is it not also an
inquiry that concerns our individual hearts,
in view of the future of our souls Shall
we wait for the falling of the leaf, before
that question shall bo decided as regards
ourselves? Nay, the elm shall not have
cast, nor the maple have changed, j, may
bc, its leaf, before our souls +" shall ba re-
quired of us, and the great spiritual return
be rendered in. 49,.
Whosoever committcth sin Is the ser
want OF sin. Sin is, In its nature, ensidr-
ng. 1t sinks the man in the animal. Ii
will admit to certain d,gpec, ~ Gar as 1t
can s,fily, our re'soain, iacultis into its
service,--and 50 dc.i,cs US. But rcaspn
tntts. fOil,w MIR 1ii.t,t, 4, ,y;il i.t ma saa