Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-15
Following our Principles.

had preached one of his most spiritual and
pointed sermons, he returned home and
found that female slave had been doing
something directly contrary to his COM
mands. 1t so excited him that he took her
and gave her a terrible castigation. After
retiring for the night he was unable to ban
ish from his mind that scene and his feel
ings during it; he contrasted his spirit at
the time, with the spirit which he had so
eloquently, and so short time before, held
up to his audience as the only beautiful
and acceptable spirit in the sight of God.
He could not help comparing his temper
with that he had exhorted the people to
possess. And there upon his bed he saw
in this fearful picture Of himself, that the
irresponsible possession Of one human be-
ing by another was too great temptation
for frail nature He resolved to put this
temptation forever beyond his reach, and
the next morning did so, by freeing every
slave he owned, in spite of the entreaties
and Indignation of friends.
Aside from the interest which this anec-
dote has in its connection with DIR. Nelson,
it has for Us all lesson. 1t teaches what
would be the result of candid comparison
of what are our protested principles, with
what are our real practices. 1t is not
enough for us to believe that the spirit Of
Christ is the only true rule Of the heart,
while we give loose rein to our seltshness
and irritability while in business or at
home 1t is not enough for us to profess
that Christ is our best friend, when his
name is scarcely in our hearts five consec-
utive moments from Sabbath to Sabbath
and when his most ahcctionate words to us
are read thOughtlessly and carelessly. 1t
is not enough to profess conservation to his
work, when we rarely do anything directly
for his sake, and when his business stands
waiting.in incompletion, that ours may be
emphasized. Our whole lives give the
lie to our belief and profession.
This is time when shams Will not be
tolerated The world has come of age and
will no longer amuse itself with the paint
ed figure of a great reality. The Roman
Catholic church knows this and trembles
the evangelical church should realize il
also. The clergyman is no longer revered
because he is a minister because he be
longs to the Clergy" All that halo which
surrounded his head fifty years ago, anC
which nothing but an unhealthy mist coulC
bring out, has been dissipated by the strong
breezes of the present time, and a ministe
is valued according to the real characte
which he shows in his daily intercours
with his people The members of hi
church are judged in the same way. twill
DO no good to have a beautiful ideal upor
which we look in our more quiet hour,
and which we intend sometime to striv
for, and which we would always teach GU
children and friends to initiate We ma
paint it to ourselves in the purest and mo,
beautiful colors which our spiritual chen
istry can furnish, and yet ofitself this beau
tiful ideal will always be invisible to tho>
around US, and as we are living on, admll
ing, and intending some day to be ike
the world meantime Is receiving the in
press of our real character. A proiessio
e or belief alone is nothing, and worse tina
nothing, since in such dry sand men, o
trich like, conceal their heads only, thinl
ing themselves safe from the enemy wht
: most fearfully exposed to. him.
But there Is another aspect of this i
" consistency which Is quite as. harmful
. its effects upon the world. 1t Is It's etie
! upon ourselves. To De always giving on
u selves the lie, Is the surest way to blunt Of
perceptions OF the truth. 1t IS the san
, principle which made the man, after 'e
:, ing many times the story which ne hi
spun from his own brain, come to belle
that 1t was true, and be wiling to take J.
>, oath Tor 1t. II a man processes to belle
j., that only through Christ can souls be 81
ed, and makes no effort to bring souls
MN, he Will soon cease TO recognize t
y, necessity OF their coming, or OF his ON
10 coming. II we profess 10 OeIIeVe ouf'ei'
- 10 DC 9lhIuI III 'he S'snV OIL Uod, ana
10 i've WIN mem uhnU'lole' anu nan uen"
we shaI rose IHe sense Oh our Ieat sla
anu our perception OF 'he uIHerehce
% tween oui9e',eS anu NM anu mus oro'
+s y open 'nIS l"'io" Helu Oh our hearts
~ 'Le 'o"ins .. s"0'i seeu' d. VHo'e uioP "
10 'el' Us 'La' 'nere Is no ".oneInehI heeu
'li"' our ne''I'7 are ilo' sinful III 'he 81
ol 0ou' ou' sImPl! mistaken through