Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-12-02


that which l found. 1t was the superior
power and glory of our Protestant Churches
as developing the free will and intelligence
of the immortal soul, as tending to make
man worthy of all respect whom God has
commanded us to honor. The uplifting
power of Christian civilization is in the
Anglo Saxon Protestant Church. And it is
because it breaches that truth which is for
the healing of the nations. 1t is because
without forgetting the care of the poor, she
the moro cares that there shall be no helpless
poverty. She infuses vigor into the arms,
courage into the hearts and wisdom into the
brains of men, and so she honors all men by
the special and peculiar honor she gives to
the son of man.
Honor all men," This is the true rule
also for social intercourse. 1t indeed, our
intercourse with each other were pervaded
by the recollection of what men really are,
and what is due to the sanctities of the souls
life, how different, how fine it woald be.
Not less bright and genial, but more earnest,
more loving, moro full of meaning and
power. Then Christian courtesy would reach
its best estate. The Lord from heaven would
seem to be present to us in every man. Be
hind this all other titles of distinction would
vanish. If only we could see in all with
whom we act. beings who like ourselves are
for a brief while on trial, and whO share
with us the awfulness and blessedncss of i'm
mortality, how vivid, how keen, how tender,
how full of respect and honor would be not
Only our outward manner, but our Utmost
feelings toward them.
Nor can | refrain from saying that in the
days that are coming upon us, we shall find
this social spirit eninently Christian and
ever binding, as 1t Is, nothing less than u
political necessity. IT in the new distri-
G,,r;,, &c ,.,yo- -, ,rr n,.,Dtru in g., 4.
come, we are t. escape the collisions Of class
with class. of race with race, of religion
with re igion, leading on it may be to revo-
luton try yttlenc., 1t must he under God, IL
must be by an earnest etfJrt u cultivate and
practice II deeper, IN IRE earnest respect 'r
human beings is such. Nothing That l.
human must he foreign tt any Of us. We
must d op the fatal distinction of class or
purity which divide AMI embitter US, and
work together for the honor OF all men. i
say Of :. al men, Wilh the Increase OF
that spirit, with the de re lse of old aHi-
mositits, We have everything t. hop,. Chris
tian charity refuses to DIAL with human
beings in masses. She works on thc basis OF
respect for man. She relieves poverty not
as comforting a favor, but Is satisfying Il
right. She refuses 10 acqlfesce IN the IN
human dogma thIt men or states. or nations
or races are iucurahIy bad aud degr ,ded
She treats the lowest and wicked, st. the
weakest and strongest as su'l barring within
the stamp of a Divine Likeness, a. still capa-
bic of every good aad blessing She bends
To cleanse the tOI est wounds. She kneeis
upon the pavement side by SIDE with the
eternal CrI-t. that 5 c my wash tie fert
that have been soilod On the dusty and
bloody highways OF time. She bows herseli
to the earth that she may take the sinner
out Of the dust and lit the b,ggar from TIN
dunyhiiI - and then set him on high with
the princes of Israel" Everywhere she
stands before humanity, not as a patroness,
but as u loving and faithful servant who II
too loyal, too enamOred of her master
name and blrthright to be other than kind
and r,verent in the presence of each and
every child of Adam.
If have wearied your patience, my theme
must be my justiti alton. | could MT well
say less upon a sIhject that deman Is 50 much
more. An /, at Least, it You have not been
thankful at its progress, yoa will be grateful
for its close.
For myself. it is with peculiar feelings
that | approached this annual Thanksgiving.
Since our last festival. [ have, in 4 larger OBJ
seryation than is permitted t. m st, learned
better to honor all men. | have had some
signal experiences of Gods @ ,dness and
truth and love, that Will never be forgotten
that VIII strengthen forever my hold OF
Christ, and deepen forever my honor and
love for all souls. We have shared together
his unusual bounties. y few blessed names
he has transferred to the roll of heaven.
We praise him for the honor which, for
Christ 5 sake, he has done them, nor ask any
greater honor for ourselves. lie has given
us this beautiful church, in which to worship
Him whose advent has exalted our humanity,
who would lead US all t. glory, virtue
and immortality in the heavens. May His
be praised for this. He has heightened
out our time of probation. For this we give
Him glory. He has put into our hands more
agencies of Christian service. Let
US use them. Let us sharpen our swords for
a more earnest warfare, and open our hearts
to a more generous activity. So, gratefully
using Gods gifts, we shall become men and
worthy of honor, and Heaven will
by and by hear our Thanksgivings, and adj
us to its unbroken fcasts. Which may
God grant for His dear Sons sake.