Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-10-11

, our own sins have been disregarded-
There is need that we first cast out tn
| beam out of our own eye, that we ma
see clearly to cast out the mote out
our brothers eye, There is much nee
that we in the North should repent {
our prolanenesS, intemperance, Sabbath
breaking, insubordination, and covetous
ness, as that our fellow citizens at tn
South should repent Of their slaveholding
duelling, perjury, rebellion, aud treason
and if to-day we repent of their sin
rather than of ours, these solemn servi
ces, SO far from being acceptable to God
will only aggravate our guilt in His sight
There is need that you and | subject our
selves individually to great searching o
heart, and be made sorry after God
ly manner" of which if we fail we ut
terly fail to derive any good from thi'
occasion. When the people of Israe
once professed repentance and humilia
tion, God rejected them for the lack OF
this individual repentance. 81 hearhen-
ed and heard, they spake not Alright; no
man repented him of his wickednesS, say
ing, what have done p
The time would fail US to speak, one
by one, of the sins that call for repent
ance, confession, and reformation. Their
name is legion, for they are many. Two,
however, which are common to the whole
country, and lie at the foundation Of our
present troubles, must receive brief con-
sderation.
(a) Disobedience to rightful authori-
ty. 1t is an all-pervading sin in our
country that there is no genuine spirit of
obedience. Foreigners who visit US uni
formIy notice this, as it manifests itself in
the relations between the pc ople and
their rulers. But it is by no means linn
tied to that relation alone it has lis root
in and is nourished by disobedience in all
the other relations of life. The senti-
ment of reverence for authority is almost
entirely b!otted out of the American ma
ton. Children do not obey parents, ser
wants do not obey masters, citizens do
not obey the laws, subjects do not obey
rulers, with that hearty and unquestion-
ing obedience which God requires of
them in these several relations. " The
powers that be are ordained of God :" all
the powers, from the power of the chief
magistrate of the Union down to the
power Of the parent over his children.
"Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the pow
er, resisteth the ordinance of God, and
they that resist shall receive to them
selves damnation." Tried by this stand.
ard, The whole land will come under con-
lemnation.
This is the sin, in its most outbreaking
orm, of the Southern States. 1t is
equally the sin, though less violent and
lemonstrative, of the northern people
Indeed, if there may be co mparison be-
ween sins, Southern disobedience is less
lespicable than ours. 1t aims at the .
highest authority, is open, pronounced,
md cheerfully accepts all the consequent
,es Of disobedience. Ours aims only at
over grades Of authority, is shy, sneak
ng, and seeks to evade the punishment it
deserves. They trample under foot the
and the statutes, and the ju-
Iicial decisions that are based upon it,
md endeavor to overthrow what they
re resolved not 10 obey; we allow the
avs to remain quietly Oh the statute
'ook, but violate them in secret places,
nd if detected, resort to all possible
hits and tricks to escape the penalty.
When we read Millions magnificent epic,
Though there be small choice between
evils, we are conscious Of a sentiment {
kin to respect for Moloch, strong, fierce, :
penly deiying the Majesty Of Heaven,
; contrasted with Belial, equally hostile
D the Most High, but full of shrewd de-
ices to escape His wrath. So the re-
ellious Southerner gains by contrast with
be insubordinate Northerner.
We have recent and sad experience of
ne universally and mischievousness OF
lis sin. 1t led the South to rebellion, it
reciptared the North into an unneces- S
lry, Sabbath breaking battle, and a dis G
strous defeat. Unwillingness TO submit, a
government, impatience under wise d
nd wholesome restraint, reckless and o
.stless passion to control those whom il II
as a duty to obey,-these it was, and o
1thing else, which occasioned the fight
Bull Run, and reduced the govern ="
ent to such straits that, had the rebels "
lly known their advantage, they could Z"
1t have been prevented from destroying "
e capital. Nothing short of total -
Iange, radical reform in this particu- "
. o,, saya ,,e frou similar disasters [ N