Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-04-12
Farm and Fzresade.


What are we going TO do with other mems
consciences? Thrown together as we are
having come from very different points I;
having been differently educated being
endowed with different sensibilities being
under different influences that are changing
all the time, men ale subject to a varying
conscience. 1t is not probable, if you
could accurately and sharply analyze and
bring out the moral judgments of men,
that there are any two persons in this con-
gresation who, on any single point, would
agree, so that the judgment of one would
cover just exactly that of the other, both of
them together looking like one. You will
find projection here and a swelling out
there. They would be essentially different
1t is not possible that any two men should
form just the same opinion respecting any
one thing. For the most part, men form
such variable judgments about things. that
their consciences iange more or less And
the question is, what are you going to do
with consciences that differ from yours?
The old-fashionod answer was, 1--WE will
tread on them. We will knead them until
they take the same shape" 1t has been
thought to be the business of priests TO
take the consciences of men and knead
them Ike so much dough into so much
church biscuit. The old idea of salvation
was that men were crackers all cut of a GER
tain size, and baked TO certain dryness.
and packed in church boxes and kept there.
The old idea was that when men were taken
in to church they were like so MANY pack-
ages taken by an express company. who
are bound to see that they are sent over the
road, and safely delivered at the other end
OF the route. If that were the true notion
OF things, it would be right tina. we.should
sometimes take care of the consciences of
men but II men are seeds, and if il is the
dlVine intention, as it is declared to be. that
they should grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ" this being the very charter and
prime direction of life, then deal with mems
cohsciences in this way. II is useless to
make all men grow just alike.
grow hundred kinds of flowers everv
su miner, but / never undertake to lepis-
late Tor them. l am contented that INV
giadiolas shall grow like gladiolas. Iet
my lilies grow as lilies should grow.
Ihey both drink the sun, but they do IT in
inherent way. l let my violets grow as
'ioie's are intended to grow. let nv
oAaiis grow as the wood .sorrel wants to
grow. TO the daisies on my lawn. and TO
'he very weeds in my fields, say, "Take
Sou' morning light and drink it, and your
nights dew and mbibe it ; and each of vou
grow by the root as YOU want to groyv ..na
ny the stem as God meant that Won shonla
on'y oe GowerS." And they do
e,o"' ana some are fiat, and some are
sioou'af' and some are tubular. Some
gro" on spikes, some on wide branches
some In one way and some in another. but
ali Oh them are flowers, and thew answer
the END which they were designed to sub-
serve. And do not know but NV pardon
~ as good as II would be If there were only
one species or flowers, all growing The
same way, and on the same kind of stall,
or stem.
AS 1t is in nature according to this illus.
tration (for ii Is an illustration rather than
an ahaiogue,) so 1t is in life. 1t is not to
make men specifically alike that we are 10
work. 1t is not to make them, as it were.
so many threads, each of the same calibro
and all about of the same strength. in order
that society may be like piece of cloth
whose texture is the same all fine way
through. Our business is to make men
every one Of whom is an empire. We are
to use society, but We are TO use ii as gar
den. We are to use II as a means of bring
ing out the individuality of men. There are
certain social influences which are essen.
tial to mans Wholesome growth. Men
cannot develop without some opportunity
for expansion and society is vast train
ing ground. The ten thousand forces in
the family and outside of the family which
go TO develop human life are all educating
influences, which are to be brought to bear
upon the individual and every man is to
be stimulated to develop thought and feel
ing and moral sense according to the ma
ture God has given him. Men are to be
put forward so as to cohere by great gen.
cries but so as to branch out in specific
directions, differentiation being sign and
token of life.
There Is, therefore, to be some provision
for men who are as conscientious as you
are, but whose consciences differ from
yours, and sometimes oppose yours. So,
what shall be done with the variable con-
sciences of men?
According TO the injunction of the Apos-
tie, am bound 10 pursue certain courses
not on account of my own conscience, but
on account of other peoples consciences.