Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

ON THE MORALS OF CHRISTIANS. 2391240. 8iucc our missions aro all intended to induce pagans and otlicrsto think freely as respects the tenets in which they have been educated,how can it be otherwise than proper for every person to think without fearof denunciation upon the tcnefs of his ancestry. Are we to deny ourselvesthe liberty of thought, which we claim for all who differ from us asto their creeds ?1250. A sectarian who is a Christian only as to observances, and istlicrefore really cijn^actical infidel,accuses a man of infidelity who is ji»-«cticalljja Christian, so far as Christianity and virtue are associated, becausethat man does not arrive at his morality by the route which his denunciatorpoints out, but never follows to any good purpose.1251. AVhilc missionaries, who ought to know all that can be learned, donot agree among themselves, wherefore do they attempt to instruct theignorant? How is the unlettered pagan to judge between the Catholic,Calvinist, Unitarian, or Deist ?Additional Remarhs respecting the Observance of the Sabbath, so called.1252. It is believed that a great majority of the people of the UnitedStates, while favourable to the observance of Sunday as a day of worship,of innocent recreation, and of moral and intellectual improvement, are adverseto the legal enforcement of restrictions introduced into Christianityby puritanism. They do not consider the Jii'st day of the week as liableto the commandment given to the Jews for the observance of the seventhday; still less that the innocent recreation cdiowed to the Jews under thatcommandment is to be denied to Christians on that day of rest. Thecommandment forbids icorh, but does not prohibit recreation. That itwas thus viewed by the Hebrews, is asserted upon the authorit}^ of alearned Jew.1253. It is conceived that the enforcement of any observance on sectarianground, is inconsistent with the freedom of consciencethe Constitution of the United States.guaranteed by1254. If God intended the Sabbath to be kept so strictly, w^herefore isit not kept holy by him ? why do not the rivers stop flowing, vegetablesgrowing, and the wind stop blowing on the day selected for the Sabbath,especially if a sparrow does not fall without his cognizance.1255. Precepts may lead, but example will draw. Aware of this, isit conceivable that God would enjoin man to keep any day holy, and yetfail to keep it holy himself? llegulatiug the blowing of the winds, aswell as the falling of sjyarrows, when creating a storm, would he not beresponsible for forcing the breach of the Sabbath upon the mariuer ?1250. Ought the farmer to lose his crops in order to avoid working onSunday? The Ilomans took advantage of the Hebrew Sabbath to maketheir advances upon Jerusalem, the tenets of the Jews restricting themfrom resistance;yet there was no divine interference to shield this chosen