American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-07-01

fore, luge one another any more"
The accountability OF man to his maker;
and to society. in some form. is universally
Acknowledged. We will proceed briefly,
70 show the reAsonablene;s of such ao-
oounlabili'y. 10th as it regards man him
self. and the Supreme Being; and the
society in which lie lives. And 6rsi: II
is obvious. thaI man can only be regard
ed as an accountable being. upon the. rec,
oknaion Of HE free agency, OF from the
right 70 the unrestricted scot his powers
of ieason; the right to chose. and the
right TO refuse his assent. wtere,his judg-
uuent is not convinced. In short, tie
right TO choose his own couIse Of conduct.
morally and civiiiv. Upon any otl or con
dlIiops, it is difficult To conceive how in'
dWiduals should oe held accountable, eth
er to Con or man, for their acts.
Let us inquire lille in tho. constitu,
tiUn Of the mental faculties OF man, and
the nsturssof bis reason, by which bis
judgement is formed; and by Which he is
able. % sePeraie the right from the wr,ng
as well as the good ir-m the bad.
The i've senses OF man. so wisely adapt
ed to the PHYSICAL world in which he lives;
are the avenues. through which. all SIMPLE
ideas reach the mind. The faculty by
W ioh the mind perceives the presence Of
Iiose ideas. is tie first act OF r.asoning.--
The second is. to compareallthe ideas re-
eeived, and perceive their relations 10 zach
other. and their agreement, or dissgree>
ment Thisis the way only, BY which the
uudersta' ding builds up knowledge
These ideas, or perceptions of things. be-
come tine exclusive property oi the mind,
into which they are rsoeiv, d; and il is the
province of su, b mind, to dispose of them,
while it is obvious, without controversy.
that no other mind can have anything to
do with them.
And whatever judgements are formed,
or whalevor convictions are produced on
the mind. when It shall have acted upon its
perceptions. thy becom the ground
work Of their fsi'h by which, each man
s. all to judged. We ignore. all 6nely drawn
theorirs itRith, and mans Tree agency;
leaving them to those who have time, ind
talent, for metaphysical eisquisit ons, that
Will end in mHking none, either wiser, or
better. Our TASK being, to argue mans ac'
countability. as predicted upon his right
TO use his reason, and his right TO interpret
ior himself, whatever is presented for his
considerati. II II were not so, 10 what
end was he created a reasonable being;
and why is life and death set tefore him.
The inevitable conclusions therefore.
which are forced upon US. are; first, that
man is nm ac ctouniable heing; and that his
accountability results from his free agency;
which implies, the uuohstIucted, and un-
limited use of his private reason, and
judgement. his thoughts, reflections, and
deductions; are private property, and can
not be suppressed, or controlled iy pu lie
authority. Many of tie most valuable dis.
covelies hat havi contributed to the pres.
eut knowledge ofiha world. have heen con-
tenn, an ! ridiculed, by the ignorance
and prejudice of Popular opinion. But
truth, which appears by human invrstiga-
ton, aided by reason. will uliim tely pre-
walk Calico was thrown into prison. and
compelled to renounce some valuable dis
coveries, which he proclaimed. in regard
to the movements OF the heavenly bodils s.
But the sci4nce OF astronomy has become
establi'hed. embracing the great truths,
which he discovered Man, therefore. has
mo- only the right 10 think lfor hims II but
it is du'y to think deeply. and TO think
much. 1t is a duty, which he owes to
himself. and his race. And the same right
Y hjch he has 10 tie unlimited RAM oI his
thougl IS. it is his duty to respect and en-.
courage in others. And to Cop for the
public. and private, and to society for the
pu. lie use which he males. Of histhougbts
shall he be held responsible.
We have said, elsewhere, that we would
argue the reasonatlrpess Of mans account
ability, with regard TO Diety. soriety. and
man himself. 1t is declaration of holy
writ. that COP created man for his own
glory. Now, in order that COP may be
glori6rd in man. It is nece ssaly that man,
should fully answer the end Of his creation,
ty living in obedience TO all the laws
which have heen given for his observance,
and thereby be enal led TO render good
a. count ol his stuartship at last. The
CLAIMS viii h society holds on each OF its
members, demands from them such duties.
rs shall harmonizs with its interests, wi h.
out compromising the private tights Of in
diyidu IL. But il man recognizes his own
accountability: it promots him 10 a virtu.
Gus. ond upright Ge: thereby couuibut-
ing to his present. and future cool.
1t will not rrquire much reflection. to
perceive this great truth; the true causes
which have retarted tho race Of man.. from
a more rapid vancs in knowledge, in AL
ages Of the world, has been the meets. and
bounds, which have ben placed around
him by rcclvsiastnal authority, and CON
ventional cast, thereby preventing, or
at 'eHst 'Iiscouraging. free energy. which
requires wide, and unfettersd range OF
ought. II is pleasant to perceive, that.
much more liberal and dem cr4tio feel.
ing, is at present pe-vadiug the nations o
the ear;h. Free exchange of honest opin
ions. are indispensable to the aduance of
knowledge, anl o moro exalted state OF
the human understanding. Error defended
by established creeds. may resist too much
free thought; but truth, the eternal truth,
fears nothing from investigation, however
close, hut rather invites it. Ii canby no
means bs coure led. that all knowledge
and truth. is imhodied in and given mum
oers OF conven'i ionally formed associations;
l. IL - -