The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-07-06
Stra wberries and Conscience.

Our old friend VIM. Waring, in his letter
which we published in The wig last week,
after correcting the statement of our Port
Deposit correspondent about his refusing to
furnish strawberries for the festival at West
Nottingham, after he had contracted to do
50, goes on to explain the reasons for his
refusal.
And, although we fully agree with Mr.
Waring that " the Accomplishments of many
Of these festivals are not good, we can not
ground Of wishing TO bear testimony against
paid ministry would he be acting the part
of wisdom to refuse to sell his berries to be
used at festival to raise money to pay
its legitimate results, where would it not
lead him2 Let us look at it a moment -
Onr old friend is opposed to war, under any
and all circumstances; but why did he
not refuse to sell his wheat or corn or
fruit or berries, during the war, lest
some portion OF the property thus sold
should be used to feed the soldiers and
horses engaged directly or indirectly in car,
rying on the WARP He did not know posi-
lively that any OF it was to be thus used !;
bnt did he not have good reasons for think,
ing it would? If Mr.. Warng, for con
science sake, and that he might bear testi-
mony against festivals and paid ministry,
acted wisely in refusing to sell strawberries
for the West Nottingham festival, he acted
unwsely during the war, and continues TO
act unwisely in selling his produce to Mr..
first obtaining security from them that ne
portion thereof shall be used in any pursuit
OF employment against which he teols bound
to bear testimony. And when we say he
acted unwisely, we use the term in its mos,
comprehensive sense, and mean thereby that
he acted in q manner detrimental to the in
terests Of humanity and of pure, peacea-
BILE and undefled religion. In the FIRST place
his course is calculated to bring upon him
self and the society of which he is n con
sistent and devoted member, the charge O,
Inconsistency by those who do not know
him as well as we do. And in the nov,
place we think his doctrine followed TO the
bitter end would cause such retroprade
movement in the world as in short time 10
entirely overthrow and destroy society,"
Whatever kind of produce 1t is morally
right for man to raise, it is morally right
for him to sell; and he is, in no wise respon.
sible for the improper use of it afierward.-
Does friend WariHg pretend 10 say that he
is any more bound, as an Orthodox Friend,
to bear testimony against festivals and a
paid ministry, than he is against all "the
pomps and vanities " of the world? not,
why does he act illogically? Why does he
not go back to the primitive method of grow
ing no more wheat, corn, fruit, berries or
produce of any kind than his family con-
sumo, and of raising his own wool, weaving
his own cloth, ETC., etc? A man who is
member of society can do properly, only
that which advances the welfare and adds
to the highest good Off his fellow men. And
when he for conscience sake refuses to do
anything that adds to the general good, or
aids in developing the material and spiritual
happiness of man, his conscience leads him
astray, and compels him to err most griey.
ously.