Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-06-25
For the Freeman.
AnluselnentS.


characteristic Of the tone of large propor-
ion of the Christian Church ,of the Eastern
States that it deserves notice. For recrea-
ton, he says, let the modern clergyman take
1ls staff in hand and walk Eve or SIX miles to-
make pastoral visits, etc. or he can
chop or saw his frewood, etc.
Speaking of those g long-faced g:im-visaged
Minister'S he says :.s we
search in vain the annals of the world for
class OF men that can equal the clergy of New
England of the past century. They welded
an influence which gave tone to society and
did more to shape the institutions OF the
whole country than all other causes COM
blned. , He says, moreover, that " the cloud
capped Granite hills is the most lovely spot
in the wide world,' and '' Vermont is the
very garden of the EARTH
So, we love our native land; and some of
us will never be able to look upon the beau
ties of any other. The Greenlander living
in perpetual snow and ice is just as confident
as our friend CT the Old School that the
world contains no such happy CLINE as his
An equal confidence possesses the man who
Is born in the deserts of Abysinia. The Dig
ger Indians upon the bank of the Colorado
regarded the music Of full brass band Tar
inferior to their bone rattle. And so it is,
the world over. The natives shut their ewes
to facts and sing,
"No other land hath skies so bright,
Nor streams so broad and clear.'
Vermont " the garden of the world !" She
has little Or no commerce; IN manufactures
she has less than almost any other State; her
agricultural products are less than they were
thirty years ago; her population has hardly
increased 10 the same time, and yet she is
the garden of the world ~ No doubt if
the people would make laws to encourage
manufacturing she might develop her re-
sources and keep pace with other States
We surely ought to honor and respect the
fathers. We give them all due credit for
honesty and sincerity of purpose, but their
teachings we should closely critcse, and re-
tain only such as bring forth good fruit.
Now | would like to know what did the fa-
theirs OF New England do to shape the in
titutons of the country:'' We hear this SO
often repeated that it has become like
broad maxim, and is in the mouths Of babes
and sucklings. Yet who can point to a sin
gle institution which they established that
remains to this time Such declarations
make well rounded periods in a spread-eagle
oratlon; they help to fill UP Thanksgiving
sermon, but are they really true?
Foremost among their institutions was
their utmost Efforts to tasten the doctrine Of
eternal decreas, which can no more stand the
light of this generation than the shadows OF
dawn can stand the light of MONDAY There
may be few cracks and corners where the
sLade remains, but hardly now is there
man 20 defend it openly.
Next We find intolerance, and the most
heartless persecution of everybody who differ
ed with them in belief. w hle the Dutch at
New York allowed other denominations free
ly to occupy their churches, the sanity
fathers OF New England drove them into exile,
and made 1t a penal offense for any one to
give food or drink to one who was found
guilty Of being a Baptist, Quaker, or OF
other heresy. And it was long time be-
fore even the groves and barns were allowed
10 preachers of other denominations.
Next, they fought for the slave trade, and
established slavery, which did indeed become
an institution, but like foul cancer it was
removed by the sword and deluge Cf blood
What other institution did they establish :?
The Church? That was estab ished eighteen
hundred years ago. The district school ?
That originated 10 Prussia, and was brought
by the Germans into New York, New Jersey
Maryland and Pennsylvania, as well as into
New England. Was it free institutions
Roger Williams was driven by these expo
neDts of Christian charity into the wilderness
of Rhode Island in the winter time, because
he differed from them In belief. He was a
Baptist, and it would seem that he must have
died, only for the direct interposition of
Providence, and Roger Williams established
the first colony in New England where free
dom Of conscience wos tolerated. We are
confident that this writer, Old School, would
not endorse a single one of the doctrines
which these men fought for, nor can he
name single institution which they estab-
llshed ors' shaped - that now remains. What
creed Of theirs remains in the Christian church
to-day? What plank OF theirs is in the ma
tional constitution? Not one.
What was the fruit of their teachings !?
First, an army of skeptics, ranging all the
the way from Unitarlanism to Unlversaiism
and open iniielity. Second, solemn, gloomy,
ridged; their homes joyless, cherries, cold,
like a charnel house; stripped of innocent
amusements, their children left such homes
for amusements such as the world offered
them. Says Talmage, :" | believe the church
Of God has made a tremendous mistake in
trying to suppress the sportfulness of youth,
and drive out from men their love of amuse-
ments. If God ever implanted anything In
us, he implanted this desire. But instead Of
providing for this demand Of our nature, the
church OF God has for the main part Ignored
it. AS in riot, the mayor plants battery
at the end of the street and has it fired Oft so
that eve ything is cut down that happens to
stand in range. the good as well as the bad,
SO there are men in the Church who plant
their batteries of condemnation and fire away
indscriminately. Everything is condemned.
There are great many who denounce ball
! playing. Tney hate puzzles. They despise
charades. They say Away with all par
ior games = They talk as if they would like
to have our children and youth dressed in a
blue uniform, like the children of an orphan
ASYLUM, and march down the path of life to
the tune of the Dead March in Saul. Let
the Church direct, rather than attempt tC
suppress the desire for amusements. The
pest men that the world ever knew have had
their sports Show me man who never
lights up with sportfulness, and has no sym.
pathy with the recreations OF others, and
will show you man who Is a stumbling
block in the way to the kingdom OF God
Such men are caricatures of religion. They
lead young people to think that man L
good IN proportion as he groans and frown
and looks sallow. | would trade off hv
hundred such men, for one bright-faced, "a
diant Christian on whose face are the words
Rejoice. evermore Go forth, 0 people
to vour lawful amusements. God means yo'
to be happy" GEo. W. hKNNEDY'
Waterbury, June 4th, 1873.