Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-04-12
A LESSON FOR THE DAY.

Shall we never prOht from the lallure OF
attempts to rule by despotism which we have
witnessed and are witnessing in the progress
of the world ? How poorly have they learned
the lesson that God has been teaching us,
who say, in times like these, "Our strength
is in our wisdom; our safety is in our manag-
ing let US have peace through compromise;
let us have things settled; let us get back in
to the old prosperous state" Get back IT you
cam You have not been the only players
in this great game. The Lord God Almighty
has been laughing at you and he will laugh
at YOU more heartily before he is done with
you but you will not laugh so heartily. For
what is it that the Lord says? "Let him
that glorieth, glory in this, that he under
staadeth and knoweth me, that l am the
Lord which exercise loving kindness, Judg-
ment and righteousness in the earth.
There take that for your motto. And
would commend it to the new Tract Society
that is organized and is going to send usla
lecturers to show that slavery is as good to
liberty. If they would try slavery themselves
first, we should be glad to hear their opinion
of it, Let their trustees 90 on to plantation
and learn what slavery is by personal expert
ence, and then we will listen with pleasure
to what they have to say on this subject Yes
there is an organization formed, with II,
committees, and secretaries. and treasurers,
10 show that to make men slaves ls as well as
10 let them be free. These descendants to
the Puritans land they have descended Il
great way ~; these men that have been
brought UP on the food of our liberty; these
men that pretend to glory in our colonial
history-these men are obliged to revoke
their old enthusiasm in order to do new mis-
chiefs They have organized themselves into
a society. Thanks be to God for that; for
so long as the rash is in the blood 1t is dan
| gerous, but as soon as it makes its appear
ance in pimples on the surface, we feel that
we can manage it, Let them publish their
tracts and sermons, and let them 60 about
lecturing. They will not do much harm,
Mark the change that has taken place IN
the views of persons not holding anti-slavery
sentiment in respect to the extent to which
those sentiments have prevailed. Only re
Gently they had supposed them confined TO
few. Even my philosophical and respected
friend DR.. Taylor, Of Grace Church. was
pleased to say. on Fast Day, that nobody
but fanatical people held any such sentl-
ments as the South fought. Many men have
been asleep, or at any rate not more thah
half awake but they are beginning 10 come
to their senses, and say, "Why, 1t is not,
after all, a few fanaticsl people merely that
are causing all this disturbance the AIlah- II
tic ocean is coming in upon us =. lhey
are beginning to feel that it is move
ment of the age. In fact they are begin
ming to hear the thunder of God Almighty
And call YOU to witness that the cause
which, when | began my pastorate among
vou. was feeble as spark, and was ignored
and conte.nned by the great elements oi
nower in the Church and in the State, mas
grown and waxed strong until 1t has become
such n movement that men are beginning 10
organize themselves together to turn 1t back.
And will they turn it back | should Ike 70
see n man with pair of bellows try to turn
hack the tide in the Bay of Fundy when 1t was
coming in thirty feet abreast He would 90
Il sooner than these men will turn back the
work which is being carried forward IN oar
time. For the people do begin to believe that
God is q God OF loving kindness; and they
do not believe that the cat-o-nlne- -talis 2i ;
is the symbol of loving kindness. Inc
neople do begin to believe that God Is
God of Justice and they do not be,
Teye that the owning of men-women and
children. BODY and soul, rs the most eminent
method of indicating justice The people 10
berin to believe that God is God OF rignt-
eousness, and that he exercises 'heSe qu"i.
ties in the earth. And as long as there IS
such a faith among the people, you may ae-
pend upon 1t, you will not turn BACK 'his ~
work OF God-not even by the lectures u 81
newly-awakened men. Let them speed ~
their good work. 1t will think, only MAKE
it more apparent that God is the earth
When he is employing the great laws OF ma
ture, ana the stars in their courses are hSn
[ ing against Sisera, the more men resist, tne
more evident it will appear that it Is zoo
of beneyolence and justice and Righteousness
| that works, and that we are being wrought
upon Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly
W hat suffering there may be | know not.
[ What changes there may be know not
What scarilyings and plowings and harrow
ings there may be know not But am
sure of one thing that to be thrown down
, and to wallow, while the devil is being cas-
r out, IS better than to have the devil in, and
be able to stand and go about demented.-
And say, let this work go on I; have faitt
to believe it will not issue in our going back
e The shadow shall not turn backward on tht
a dial. Hath he said, and shall he not do it
4; Hath he begun, and shall he net finish it
e Let us, then, redeem ourselves from tn