The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-24

ment were endured IN the contest between
two worthless priests, and their respective
followers were engaged in deeds of blood
and rapine that they might demonstrate
which one of these priests was the rigntiul
head of the church, and whose cursing and
reviling and ban of accommodation of the
other had the divine authority supposed to
be welded by the successor of st. Peter.
In the name and for the glory of God, the
Catholics and Protestants carried on the
contest for the spiritual supremacy OF
Great Britain For His name and glory,
with the temporary success of either, the
prisons were filled with non-conformists,
churches and religious houses were despoil-
ed of their riches, and given to the torch,
the scaffold was dyed with blood rendered
ever fadeless by fresh blood from new vic
tins. Literally were both Catholics and
Protestants, as one or the other became
possessed of the despotic power, STONED. "
"They were sawn asunder, were tempted,
were slain with the sword they wandered
about in shcepskins and goatskins being
destitute afflicted and tormented they
wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and
in dens and caves of the earth
In 1920, we find hardy band Of Protes-
iants fleeing to the wild and inhospitable
shores of New England to escape the bitter
prosecutions of their fellow Protestants of
the church of England. Here they were
to found church without bishop, n
country without a king. Here should arise
a proud commonwealth, where religious
persecution should be unknown, and " here
every man should enjoy the perfect free
dom of worshipping God according to the
dictates of his own conscience. How diff
fercnt the reality from the promise.
Hardly had they obtained foothold than
they took sweet revenge on their persecu-
tors by becoming prosecutors IN turn. They
fired, imprisoned, put in irons, or ban
ished Episcopalians, and searched their
houses and destroyed the papers found
therein. The "Baptists and other here
tics - meaning all who did not agree with
the religious opinions and forms of worship
adopted by the Congregationalsts-were
treated in a like manner. The Quakers
were, Also fined, imprisoned, banished or
whipped with twenty stripes; while
those who, moved by humanity, gave shell
ter to a Quaker were, also, fined, and sub
jected to the further punishment of having
their ears cut off, and their tongues bored
with n hot iron. Irish and Scotch immi-
grants were sold into slavery. Indeed, if
there was any form of persecution to which
so-called "heretics" were not subjected to
in New England. it was because history
had failed to record either their use or dis
covery.
| 1t IL idle to ascribe all this solely to the
spirit of the times although that had much
to do with it, Blu, the same spirit of in
tolerance exists to-day, perhaps in differ
ent form-but it exists all the same. Says
a Boston historian, writing only twenty
| years ago of these prosecutions, "they did
no more than has Deen done in the present
age in Boston, making but partial allowance
for the distance of the periods of the trans
actions" AS witness of the truth of this,
although it did not take religious form,
witness the anti-slavery mob in Boston and
the scourging and imprisonment of the
abolitionists. Let the broken windows of
Baptist church in Rutland witness the
existence Of this intolerance of opinion IN
Vermont. Men are now living who have
suffered "cruel mockings" and have been
"stoned' here in Rutland because they be-
lieved not that human slavery was taught
by the word of God. Men of every re-
liglous denomination wed, one with
another, to see which should 90 the greatest
length in these prosecutions, and these
mobs were led by professed followers OF
Christ. But even religious persecution is
not dead We see it all around. 1t some
times breaks out in deeds of violence, as II
did thirty years ago, in the burning of tho
Usurline convent in Charlestown, or in pc
litical prescription as 1t did in the Know
Nothing furore. 1t may take the form Of
social ostracism or, again, show Itself il
blood as was the case at Acapulco. Few
sects indeed have arisen, where none of thu
members have been fanatics. Who car
say that universal charity prevails, even a
this day, among religious sects'
But the picture is not all dark SOM
there are, some there always have been
who could be reviled and revie not again
Some there are, and were, who could en-
dure bonds and Imprisonment withoNsre
pining, and all for the glory of God. Their
are fanatics in all sects, but every sect con
tains, also, some whose pilgrimage to re
form the world has been as romantic a
that of the pure minded Quakeress, th
gentle maiden Mary Fisher who, bein
''moved of the Lord" went to Constant
nople to warn the Turks to ''flee from tn
wrath to come.'' Every denomination ha
its Roger Williams, who cheerfully accen
Punishment for conscience sake. Ever
> sect has its Ridleys and Latimers ready /
go to the stake for truths sake. Many ar
they, to-day, like the early French Jesuit
, of this country, who willingly sacrifc
; home, friends, wealth and every earthl
; comfort, ready, if needs be, to lay dow
life itself, that they may carry the gla
= tidings of Savior's love to benighte
races. Mistaken, as our fathers were, i
their zeal, causing humanity to shudder q
their excuses, at their deeds of blood, hav
not their very acts led mankind onward !
, the knowledge and practice of christia
D mercy and charity The blood of tn
martyrs is the seed of the church, and q
i they sowed in blood so we reap in peaC
) and more benefcent liberation We al
not altogether tolerant now. we nevt
shall be, for human nature is ever Ii
: same. But that it is tempered and in
s proved, by the teachings of better chri
t tianity, is shown by the horror with whic