Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-30
MoNKT0N, VI. May II, 1872

MoNKrON, Vt. May II, 1879
To the Editor of the Free Press and Times
untsr the above heading an article Gp.
pears in tho FREE Pass of the 9Th inst
which cannot fail OF srousing feeling Of
deep and solemn interest, and OF agreement
with the writer when he says. Something
ought certainly to be done for the protec-
depl0res in similar language the occurrence
of this ease OF morbid piety,' and says
Not few OF the most spiritually minded
people in the churches who are sane on all
ordinary topics, are. nevertheless, in a
morbid state Of mind concerning reli zion. "
| The occasion OF the above articles was
the death Of the child Edith by the hand Of
her iathtr, CT. Freeman, while under the
impres-iOa that God. whose name is
Love, required this sacrifice.
The authors Ui those articles are ev IDENTITY
familiar with the Scriptures, including the
trial of Abraham's faith, and how the
angel OF the Lord corrected Abraham con
corning his unprecedented duty to God
Gen. xxi. Ills And turning to
E1. zI. 10, they must have found the abso
lutte prohibition Thou shalt cot kill"
Passing over long list of passages in the
Old Testament which iA7or the same Senti-
ment. We take up the New Testament, and
lad those expressions oil Jesus Christ, which
! none who claim Him a. their Lord and
Master will venture to ignOre-nOt only en-
| dOrsing the teaching OF the deca logue but
reinforcing it with blessed are the peace
makers tor they shall be called the sons OF
God" Matt. v 8
Some thirty years ago there Was Peace
Society in Vermont with the lat. Rev.
Thomas A. Merrill, ID. D., of Middlebury,
especially the New Testament as
its foundation. DE-. Merrill was SO
heartily ENGAGED N this good cause
that he uG=red premium Of $500
Tor the best essay on peace this pre-
MUM was awarded to the Rev. Joseph 4.
Collier, pastor of the Reformed Dutch
church, Geneva, n. Y. DR.. Merrill also
appropriated tbs further sum OF $500. for
publishing the volume by the American
Tract Society, with the title The Right
Way or the Gospel Applied to the Inter
course OF Individuals and Nations" (lG mo.
PIP 1903, price 80 cent-). And it seems safe
to say that no unpreiudiced Christian who
will give the book an attentive
reading. in conjunction with the New
Testament, need be at loss as TO what
may be done and what ought to be done
for the protection of individuals and society
at large. Let the public sentiment OF the
State be thoroughly imbIed with the ten
commandments and Christ'S sermon on the
mount-let the people live up to the teach
lngs OF those writings and something will
certainly spring up amongst Us. not by
compulsion but by conviction, that will
render all violent means of correction of
abuses needless
IL seems that the people Of Vermont in
the year 1901 came very near to this il they
did not fully do SO. On the 5 IN of Novem-
Der OF that year the General Assembly of
the State passed the act to punish duclling,
the second section of which reads, That
IT anv person or persons shall fight duel"
Or sanction it 10 brief Tho or
they So offending, shall, On con-
viction thereof before tho Supreme
court, pay fine. not oxceeding1. the
sum Of one thousand dollars. nor less than
fifty dollars and shall be for ever inca
pablo of holding any Office OF honor or pro-
ft or enjoying the privileges OF freeman
within this State" Not many years ago
the United States collectively TOOK another
and much longer step in the same direction
when they consented to leave their claims
on Great Britain IN the Alabama case to
independent arbitrator and who can tell
the thousands of human lives that would
have been sacrificed en- both sides on the
altar OF National Honor" if arbitration
had been rejected. Vermont took its share
OF honor in accepting arbitration. Let the
present generation Of VermOnters revive
the anti-duelling sentiment of 1901, and
the peace society OF 1910. and something
certainly will be done Tor the protection OF
society at large. provided our faith remains
Ii NJ