The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-07

Proredings of the Mass. Peace Con-
ccntion, heid Ocean ut Groue, NJ. July
81, 1894. Under the ausI ices of the
Christian Arbitration and Peace SOcie-
ty. 80 Chestnut Street Phira.
The following is an extract from the
pamphlet of "a pages
Rev. Sidi IT. Browne Editor of the
Christian Neighbur aud President of
the South Carolina Peace Society, sent
the following letter:
Columbia, >. g., July, 1894.
Beloved Friends in Convention Assem-
bled
To my unfeigned regret circum-
stances quite be, Ond control prevent
my bodily presence with you to-day,
but being with you in spirit, the fol-
lowing on "Peace in Relation TO Con-
science" is respectfully submitted 10
the Convention by sid! H. Browne.
The aim of all moral and religious ef-
forts on the part of individuals should
be the attainment of q conscience void
of offence toward G d and toward
men,. This acme of grace in probation
life can be realized only by and through
the teaching and Spirit of Christ, on
the conditions of repentance AID faith.
Consequent upon having such COLI
science Is love and peace--great peace,
peace a. a river, peace that passes all
und rstanding. Such blessedness may
be the experience of the peacemakers
who shall be called the children of
God.
Every person has conscience Of
some sort. And most people profess 10
have much respect for the inward
monitor" 1.-THE moral sense" 1.-The
voice of Cod" which shows to them,
rs moral agents, the right and the
wrong in active life, though they may
not always obey its dictates.
Conscience may beconsldered as a
natural faculty or as rule Of conduct,
or as q judge, or as retributor. Con-
science as rule or law shows to its
possessor what is right and what is
wrong. The-wiild whether
or not any particular act Of the moral
agent shall accord withthe rule. Con-
science as judge applies the ruleto the
act, and If there be agreement between
The rule and the ac' the decision of the
judge is approval If disagreement,
the decision is condemnation. Con-
science as a retributor executes the de-
ci>ion or sentence Of the judge, excus-
ing or accusing.
As natural faculty conscience is as
blank tablet. 1t is Unborn. AS a
rule it IL the counterpart OF faith. 1t
answers to faith as the printed sheet
correspond to the type from which 1t
was struck of. Faith is the result OF
accepted teaching -precept, example,
observation. Faith and conscience are
ever in agreement. Whatever agrees
with faith agrees With conscience, and
whatever agrees with conscience is
found 10 be in agreement with faith.
To repeat :: According to accepted
teach q 80 is faith according to faith
so is conscience according to coll
science so is conduct; according to
conduct so is character, and according
to character so is destiny. The will
determines whether or not any act
shall agree with conscience.
Whether faith he right or wrong, he
who has 1t is sincere. If he be not
sincere he does not believe what he
professes. This Is true, be his faith
that of any one Of the many Pagan
religions or any one of the several
sects that are distinguished by the
name Christian. So mOnstrous is the
result Of false teaching that Jesus said
to his disciples, "Hhe time cometh that
whosoever kiIleth you will think that
he doeth God service"
Persons who ale fully persuaded to
the truth of their own religious creeds,
and who consider not that other rell-
gionists are equally sincere in their
faith, may wonder how any person
can believe anything that differs from
their faith and order. Hence the ine-
cessity of every class of religion SITS,
especially those who are called "Chris-
tian," to judge charitably their breth-
rem of different faith and order. In
essentials there should be unity, in
circulnslanlials liberty, in all things
charity.
Waiving further reference to the
faith and conscieuces of the religion
lists of heathendom, let this inquiry
be sent throughout Christendom:
Who or which is right or nearest
right among the Christian religionists
in the matter of conscience as rule
or law? The divine and hight st test
is Love. "By this shall all men know
that We are my disciples, II ye have
love one to another" "For all the law is
fulfilled in one word, even in this:
Thou shalt love thy neighhor as thy
self.'n glove ~orketh no i'll 10 his
neighbor: therefore love is the fulfill
ing of the law" BY the test OF love
let the claims of all who call themsel-
YES Christians be tried. Any person
whose faith or conscience permits him
to do i'll TO his neighbor fails to stand
the test. The heart of such one Is
not right with God, he his profession
toward God what 1t may.
"If man say, | love God ana
hateth his brother, he is liar for ne
that loveth not his brother whom he
hath seen, how can he love God whom
he hath not seen?"
The consideration of individual con-
science as presented In the foregoing IS
equally applicable to nations, for the
latter are made up of individuals
whose identity remains intact whether
they follow q multitude to do evil or to
do good.
The most astounding thing under
the sun is the sight of nations, profess
edly Christian. engaged in wholesale
slaughter of one another on the neld
of battle. They have not accepted the
teachings of Jesus, the King Of kings
and Lord of lords, or they have, in
their madness, drowned the voice OF
conscience, which was aud is the invar-
liable result of the accepted, plain, un-
perverled teachings of the Christian
Scriptures. But it is seen at the same
time that Peace societies throughout