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——-^^—^—^—^— ^™ SERilOS BY THE REV. J. R. STEPHENS. AT ASHTON-UNDER-LX>'E, ON SUNDAY EVENING, Jung 9. S__viIU?* 13 I -Hi REV . J. R. STEPHENS.
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--.-.-.-. FEARGUS O'CONNOR, ESQ.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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WILL ADDRESS THE PEOPLE OF SUNDERLAKD , on the TOWN MOOR , on SATURDAY , June the 22 nd , at Half-Past SETKN O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING . Men of Sunderland ! On ! On ! to Liberty ! :
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J-OND 0 N WORKINO NEWSPAPERS BY RilLROAD ARRIVE DAILY MANY HOUilS BEFOKE THE LONDON EVENING MAIL . WH . SMITH , 122 , Strand , London begs to inform his numerous Customer ? , and especially tbe Postmasters a _ d Newspaper Agents ia York , Sr-arbro ' , ^ Leeds , Mai ton , **" "Wakffield , Beverley , Doncaster , Market Weighten , Bamcley , Pocklingtou , Pontefraet , Goele , Hull , . Howdea Bradford ^ . Selby , HuddeTtfield , Y . "_ t _ erbT , &c , Halifax ,
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MANNS NEWSPAPER OFFICE . THE London Morning Papers are now delivered at SEVEN o ' clock in the morning , ( instead of Ten as heretofore ) by Mrs . A . Mann . Agent , Central-Market . Leedy , June 21 , 1839 .
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REMOVAL OF THE "NEW MORAL WORLD " FROM BIRMINGHAM TO LEEDS . J HOBSON Respectfully Intimated to tb « Agents of the Northern Star , and aU Venders of Cheap Publications , that early in tbe Month of July next , the " New MoitAt World" will be removed from Birminjjhara to Leeds , and will be Published by him , at his Office , 5 , Market-street , Leeds . Orders for that Work , and for all the Works illustrative of tbe "Social Science , " will b « promptly attended to .
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VALUABLE PUBLICATIONS . This Day is Publuhei , 12 W * , Price Two Shilling * bound in Cloth , T 7 IIFTEEN LESS 0 NS ON THE . ANALOGY J _ AND SYNTAX OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE , for th _ Us « of Adah Persoas whs have neglected the Study of Grammar .
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THREE CHALLENGES , BY RICHARD CARLILE , Who undertakes to prove in Leeds , Bir-T ~ ' " ¦*»_ *»» > or elsewhere , callei the People ' s Charter does not eoauia on . single principle of Radical Reform , in rd _ tio _ n ° 2 f ° ^ ltTlti 0 n ° thtt * " * M » tar . ^ d Gorem mentof thu country ; aHd consequentl y , that its advocaey must terminate as an abortion : TO TSE- SOCIALISTS .
——-^^—^—^—^— ^™ Serilos By The Rev. J. R. Stephens. At Ashton-Under-Lx≫'E, On Sunday Evening, Jung 9. S__Viiu?* 13 I -Hi Rev . J. R. Stephens.
—— - ^^—^—^—^— ^™ SERilOS BY THE REV . J . R . STEPHENS . AT ASHTON-UNDER-LX >' E , ON SUNDAY EVENING , Jung 9 . S __ viIU ?* 13 I -Hi REV . J . R . STEPHENS .
0 _ the morning of Sunday , the 9 th inst , the R » v jlr . Stephen 1 ! intimated to hi * confr ^ farion at Stalybricee 'I 1 * 1 he intended , © a the evening of that day . ta preach a sennoo » t Aihton . specially intended for tis rroeps of the 10 th then at Dukinfield , and to th-Bridii army generally . At the use time he reqaested his hearers i _ et to follow > iim , a * the chapel Tscid be far too small as it wts , and that he shouM cot be a _ la to preach in the opan air . A i * i _ o ' clock in the evening , however , ths chapel wa 3 crowded to ex : 5 > s . and ia a few minutes afterward * the baildine ir&s literally surrounded "by peopi * , many of -whom tad talked a con * i _ « -rable distance to hear him . > ' otwithstandine the illness of Mr . Stephen * , he
rt&tcrsd to preach in the open air , and a cart was ecB ? ei ] thiBtlT procured , which vras placed at th » back of the chapel , at the head of a large square , "which vx < filled with people , gome of whom actually got on jo ihe houi » ° tops . There conld sot be less th ' an from fir ? to * i _ thousand persons present , who listened to a sermon which occupied nearly three hours in it < deiirerr . Among ike crowd we recognised several of tie 10 : * h light infantry , for whom the s * rmon wa ? Biore e «? eeially intended . The evening was exceeditEij cilm ; not a ckrod was in the sky the snn fiittfrei with all his brightness until he jr . r _ dually rcnk below the horizon , aad neemed to die away that here and there a star jais > t be s * en twinkling in the frmsjBAat , _ b 4 *_* d < l _ 2 g their faint f leams upon the iereaona ? assembly . Previous to the pr ? achia _ , a iymn ta sang by the n __ l _ t _ de with great
enthu-R 1 »_ L Mr . STEPHENS , in eoTnmeacinzMi diseoor ** , laid : —This day I have dedicated and hereby devote to the enlightenment of my fellow countrymen at large , and of the British arrny in particular , npoii oss of the most important subjects at any rime , and rithont exception at this time , by far the weightiest ' and most important ^ uVjert tfcat can engage oar attention . 1 hav * get myself to night in continnarion of what I said this moraine , to ? pea _ . from the Word of God . on the lawfulness and the rcnlawfninp »< of tikine away life . I gaall strive to find out lrem God's Word , oat of the month of that bsin * who u - die Way , the Truth , asd the Life , " when it i > right to takfl away life , and when to take away life would
be a sm against our brother maa and _ £ * i _ * t the co __ noa father of us all . To this rnd it will be uesdfai for yon and for me to go back to the begia-_ i _ s rf all tilings ; so that we may , from God ' * first _? : _ i _ g forward nnd treacinf t _ e Bt&ge of visible « c- -r ?_ ce before on' eves alcme the while line of a » a ' s mortal story , the " destiny of the great universal f * p d ; T . a ? cerU " m what those principles aie npon which , what tho » e rales are by which , what those r » rala-doag and in « titutions are afta > r which it has pleased God to make the world , to uphold the world . ta keep th « -world ever agoing until the wheels of _ s >* shall . < t ° . nd still at In&u when his holy will has been k ' . niifd , and the " new earth and the new beavins" shall tome whrr ? in righteousness alone ibali dwell . Yon will fiad , my f-llov b _ -b , th * t of ili ths beings which the Lord ' oar GM has made sia i * most of all marked with the imprint—thA
token of Hod . mora especial favour aad regard . All tbi : God has made shew ? forth his wi . « dom , ~ his skill , _ Ls gT ? atne * A , his goodness , and hi * love . There is Eoiin ? mad * by him that does not , more or le < s Krikingly , more or less impresmely . more or _?•* -weedy and b « aiti nTlY , illustrate the perfect c __ - rait ? rof fio-2 , »* a B ;\_ g of i _ finVi . e wisdom , and ia .: _ e > s . aai power , aad m rcy , aad righteousaog * . tzi a-ath . Ail that God tag made u ' geod . B * hinis-1 : ca «; hi * all-searchin ? eTe npon ths world , asd ay e-rery thing that he had made . and said"Behold , it is very eo ^ d . " But of no being made by th * hand of God was it said let n < make thit or iMt in our own likenes ? , bnt of maa . The sob . the ttsor , the star * , the sea , the dry land , the fire , thsir , tn- fish , the fowl , the cattle . " the tree , ihe flower - ^ -aJ are luvely , ail are wonderful ; but none o : th ? m were made in the likeness of God—none of
tem were m-. ide as the end for which creation was ionaed—none of them were made to be vicegerent * or representatiTes of God here upon earth . Bb : a "" t >» r all the ** were fsrmed by the creaDTe power . Gcd said— " Let us mike man in our own ifieiess , after our image ; '' and in thr likenps .- ; , after tae image , of God , he made maa . ' * maie and female created be them . " Noir , wherein does this Hien * ss to God in man consist ? What i * it ? 1 ki-sw 50 a Lave be ^ n told a great deal of flummery—(^• sjc " , )—agr&atdeal of stoon * bine—a great deal of Kapirap . of hainbne . of gross delusion , of abotniiia-~ bie imposmre . ( "We have . '" ) Wherein , 1 ask ol
tee pneeihood of England—I heed not of what Caurta—I heed not to what party they may belong ; 1 ? peak as a Chrwriais . and I require tokno ^ - —1 deinaxd of them—they shall answer , or being dumb . Kail theteby acknowiecge their i ? norance and by-JWrirv at one _ aad the - tame time —( hear , hear)—J t s i ¦« herein this likeness of Gcd in man consists ? ^ hat i « it ? I * it arythitg we look at ?—is it anyiing we can handle .- —is it anythiH j we can tnrn nma *> oct , and shew to one aBo' . her . or is it—it is Bot for me to find out—1 ; is not for me to say of ffiy ewn mind . I "will only say this ranch , that a ^ e very Scripmrea in which it is said that G » d made man in hi « own likeness , after hi * own
nnage . it u adden in contmnaaon , and by way of itterprelation of God ' s meaning in that expression '" fat he shall have dominion over the fi « h of ths ¦* £ ters . CTer the fowl * as they fiy in the air , over i * cattle as it runs aloDg the meadow , over ev rr c ^ epiig thing that creepeth upon the face of thr tinh . ai . a hp ghall have dominion over all the firth , "! That is the likeness of God in man , ( 1 : is- ) And that is * cme hing we can see ; that is * 03 i » thing we can handle—to have the power to do * hat God wonid have us do with the flshe ? , with is fowls , with the cattle , with the creeping things , tod with the whole earth . That is a likeness to God worth liring for to enjoy , and worth dying for to reeoTer to ow pogteritr , if we feave not the power to enjoy it ourselm . ( Heir , hear , hear . )
No * it is mj business in few words . : n hasty Pitches , and without much order orre ? uUr . t % —it u ay bu « ine »^ to shoot fly in e , the pais * f ej ' that ? i * s before me . I want to " open blind eye *; I w * nt ts cijtop deaf ears ; 1 want—and I speak most re-* erent : y in the » e expreasioas ; and 1 speak most eorre-iy loo ; most eTangelicaily—I want to give » 2 t to the lame , aad eyes to the blind , that yon , ? 7 ieilow coantryjaen , hating got the key , may take it your ? rfTe * and nidock l-he jtorehonssF of hearrenly tu ^ That is a view of the likenex * and image of W ia man -whicfe meat of you nev ^ r had given to 7 o = before . Go to the Book of God ; read it for perceive * ; look at it yourselves ; take it not from * s on trcst ; bnt after having searched and
ran-* uked the Word of God , like men digging for and pfsncg for and panting after divine trea ^ sre . Poping for a something you have lost- go to * e Word of God for it ; and , when yoa hare ** md it . carry it to yonr priest * , carry it to yonr ^ fymen , carry it to yonr preachers , ministers , *« s leader ? , elder * , aad brethren of yonr different *^ istie * . and ask them to r » ad the W ' ord , to look £ tie Book along with you ; and , whether Stephen * te & liar or not ; ask them whether God ' s Word be ^ fer there it is . ( Aye . ) I am very happy to find that thn ? e plain and «* ae ] y words © 1 mine are beginniDg to lead the
P *? ple promi » cnon « ly who do not belong to any ^ Hiious denomination , bnt that portion of the j ^ ople of England ta&t does belong to various refcjiotiE denomination * , to enquire whether th ^ se ^ asgs are 30 , or noL I met with one C&se this aaraiig _ ind j mee ; wiib cases PTery day , and *^ osr er erj hour—I nset with one case this mera-«| , the case of a Wesleyan Methodist , in Stockrjft * who had followed the blind leading of bis fca * gnide , and had always understood that" the P ° * ers that be" were to be obeyed in every thing » -7 conimanded and insisted upon , because they ^ e oi God ; that obsdieEce , and ssbtnissioD , asd « q ^ e ^ oenc-, and parieace . and resirnatioa . and 1 wnat
^ 0 * beside , was the duty of every Christian . - ^ t tyranny , aad oppression , and injustice , anc ^ g was the privilege of every monster who r * at happen to « t upon a throne . Bat that Wes-^ J * - ^ the secoEd of my sermons which 1 g « hed oq Primrose Hill , the other day , in Loo-«* , trom that Tery text - " Let eTery ssul be subject «* higher powers , - ' aad he aays he has gotten a ^ J « at ( hear , hear ) ; and now he has found that umierence interpretation of that chapter is an ^ -Dnsn&n and damnable interpretation of it £ » f ); aad tha ? it is nm the duty of every Chris-* y ° ° ^ T tbo law when lnwfaLy used ; but , se-^ ta " " D 0 les 3 tbe dnty of a Chrij * - w KRit , eien uzto blood—1 » resist , even
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to the cannon ' s month—to resigt , eren to the point of the bayonet—to resist , even to ten thousand deaths every law which is not stamped with the rignatnre and the seal of God ' n own authority . Let ns Bpyer forget that the first law and institution of heaven has never been repealed . No partition of property caa repeal it : no unrighteous and illegal division of lands in a country can . repeal it ; no Act of Parliament can repeal it : . no act ef any Government caa repeal it : it i * trne . to-night , in the year 1839 , of Chnxt's coming into the world , and some six tboo . 8 « id yean , according to tlw common chrotiolejiy , since God made the world—it is true to-nieht tha ' God has jriven to the human family—lar , when tO the r _ nnon '» mrmfh—tn r a tint e »_ n + « *\>*
h « gave it to Adam and Eve , he gave it to all tkeir offspring that should come out of their loins io f . e end ef time—it ii true ta-aight that God has ) UTea to nx men , and to our children tha whole earth for our imheritanee . Can you find one—if you can , Dutyour finger npon it , and point it out . Can you find me chapter , verse , or word in that book that fives to me more land , more ( told , more silver , more m ? at , more drink , more clothes , more houses shan 1 a id those who belong to me can reasonably require ? Is ihere any such grant ? Is there any unch endowment , any nuck bequest ? Is there any * mch charter for any individual , or for any family any separata family—ia the great human family ? There l « no such grant given to any man . God h ' a =
given ev <> ry man the title , the right to ha \ e enough aad to spare ; bat he has giten to no man a rici t wrl a title id have more . Keep that in rn ' nd ; write it on the palms of yonr hand- ; Mick ii before your eyes ; set it before the eyes of your neighbour ? , always and ettrywhere , th ' at God * has given to mankind , to you , to yonr wive < . to your children , to your neighbours , to the Irish poer , to the Welch poor , to the Scotch poor , and the English poor , te t ^ e people in eTery part of this empire , and in every part of God ' * universe—Gjd his gm-n tu von enough i « r all your reasonable wnnf « , and a little to i-pare , that you may give to those tha . t for 3 time may require your more especial charity . observe ithe xt
I n n-place—for I mnst go step by step tery lei < uroly to- ^ ight , although we are out o ' door * , and there may bs a great expense of rxertion on my part , and of patience « n yours ; 1 must cox hurry tbe « c > pnot- < over—I observe in the n ^ xt place ih » t after God had so made all things for ma' ) , and havimg made man in hi * own hkenen * , acd be » tawed all these tbingg Bpon him , giving him the whole eirti for hi ? inheritance , « nd tae iaheritaace of hi . « children—it is said that after God Lad d » nc thi * . he Wf 84 ed man , and said to him—to them—~ Be ye fruitful and multiply , and repleuwh the esrth , and subdue it . " Has that law ever b » en repealed ? Kas that coaamaDdmeHt of the Old Testament been s ? t aside by acy commandment or privilege of the
Xew Te » t * ment : —for they have a new-fangled blisphemy in modern times of telling me . and : lliog you , when yon set before them standard , absriirinal , everlasting , immutable , laws of Godtaey haw a new-fangled bJa « pnemoas way of turning tokuo . npan yon aDd saying , ' That is only in the Old Testament— ( aye)—but Christ has come ; Chris : has come ; Christ ha * come ; and all those old thiH ?! i are done away with . " Wnat ! did Christ come ta make things worse ? Did Christ come to teach th-a doctrine * of Malthus and of Marcus ? Did Christ came to whipthe hnm ^ n family with the lash of seorpioa * , after vhey had be ; n ft jgged wjih the whip of lesser tyrannies & » d cruelties by their fellow men before ' him ? Gad forbid an '
iadaljrence , exen lor a moment , of unch a thcus ' it . O ^ . No ! That law . —tkat commaodiDent- ' -Bfruitful and mairipiy . aod r ^ pleni ^ h ihe earth nn >[ subdue ir . " is mill iu torc < s ia lorce to-night ; aud we have—we who are here siandiRg befort > ~ Go 4 on th > ear ' . ' a that be gav » to u > , uater the heavens that he drew a * a screen aud ciirtaic over ui—we who » tand here have a right to fultil that koly law ; we hive a right to « nbdue the earth ; we have « rigat to take—sye , and to take if need * be l . y forcf froBi tLo « e w ' bo would unV-iirfully and wickedly withhold ic trom n % —we have a right to tako those portion ? of the earth—aye and in Enslaad tooihuie portions of the earth which God has given to bs for our subsistence in orrier thatwemieht have
the wants of the body constantly and abundantly f Dpplit'd , and ** bless the Lord for hi * goodness , and (• rlhis mercy which encureth for ever . My friends , do you in the New Testament to which the * - wicked reprobates are everlastingly referring yondo von in the New Testament reai anything about a restriction being placed opontbislaw of marriagethi ? comrnacdint-n ; tojno ' . tipiy—this Cimmnndmect to s ' . bdne the earth . ¦ 1 * ihwre any restriction—any Malinsian prohibition—any . Mnlthu » ian restriction crHmitput upon it ? Dors Jfsus Christ ever talk with mawkuh mordlLsiug—with fikhy philosophising , a » ihey wanld ejw dignify their na . « ty and obscure rubbish UDdcr the name of philosophy ? Doe * Jesuf . Christ ever fiithil y philosophise about the impropriety of ear-y mam . ! g ? s ? J * there
bdvthing abaut early carriages in the New Testament—anything a ^ aiast tnem ? Doe s tLe N » - w Teg'Ament of our Lord and Savieur Jesus ChriB ' . his disciples , apostles , the evangelists , and preache ' rs ia . ti ; e * e limes , and the writer * of thosj books wnLin the caros—do they ever condemn early marriages ? No ruch thing , God has made us , laying deeply in our bosom * the seeds of love , the springing , the continuation and the propagation of oar owq species after his will and his coram * Bd again and again repeated , incessantly reiterated , as though God were afraid lest we shonld be cnirnitfu ] and disobedient , lest there should b » a want of faiih in his truths , he continually repeats tbe commandment "be ye Iruitful and mufuplr an-J
repleuijh the earlh and subdue it , for behold I have given all thinrs into yocr ha ^ ds . " Now , yoa will see that the life whick God had thus give . u ' to man was dear to God . His likeness in man—his image raflect >» d npon man wa * something too precioustoo valuable for the God that made it to disregard and to leave it to take its chance without i > revi » ion being especially made for their protection se-I iw perpetuation . You will , therefore , find that thi * great gift was dea : to God aad became proportionately dear to man likewise . Ali the powers of body bs well as of mind when healthy , the organ * of the body wheu inasiateof health , aad the power * of ths mind srhea reasonably exercised—those organs and those
powers will eoatribnte in the exercise of them to the pleaicre of man who is possessed of them , to eat , to drink , to taste , to handle , to see , to enjoy swtet sounds , sweet smells , sweet tasre * , sweet * nd soft tauche ? , everything \ rithin , as everything around cs , allihatGed meant v $ to do commumcat ^ s a p leasurable sensation to Ban , and therefore lile is sweet . Skin for skin ; what vriU not a mna give for hi * lik : - Why even in sickness , in disease , when death yawns and gapes to take us in , there is a feeling that we can yet battle with the monster—there is a feeling that we can yet ofercoms our enemythere is a fe .-ling that we can yet grapple with the adversary that is wrestling with u « forour owe existence and we fight it to the la » t gasp ; wa hope after
all to live -j and such is oar love to live that a mail will live on though hi * arms be gone , thongh his iegs be gone , though his fac ? be mutilated , thougk his whole person may be chopped , and hacked , and crushed , and pre&aed to a mummy , yet man will still live beeaupe there is enjoyment after all , aad there i * hope beyond it . Now God provided that this life which he had bestowed upon man should be coatimied . In order t © secure this , as I hare already shown to you , God gave to man every green herb bearing geed , aad every tree yielding fruit ; < Jod g-ave the herb with its seed , and the tree witc its frtit to maa for meat to fill tip his daily wautf , and to ward off the diseases to which etherwise he might , haee been liable . The beasts which God had madp , though many of them were of greator bulk and of greater strength than man , were kept nnder . God , it is « aid , put npen the brute creation a dread of man . There is something in man ,
whether it be in the look , or is the brow , thera is something in man , so lovely , so majestic , * o tfivice , that the beasts crouch and q ^ ail before him . The horse , the trail , the tiger , the lion , —there is not an animal however wild , however fierce , however jtroBg—thete is not an animal ia the whole creation but what will crouf h and quail even before a child that has b > en made in the likeness aad after the image of God . This was a wise and kind provision ef oar Father to give U us the whole creation , and . at the satae time , prevent any portion of that creation from rising up in iuccfstful rebellion against th his representative , his vicegerent here upon ea-th . The only creators then from wkich any harm to life , any svil to mw could arise , was fr ^ ru his fellow man . The snn » w made to shice upon ^ by day ; the meon and the stars by Eigl-t . The mi - was sclit to water the fields that the corn and the gr& *<
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might grow . All Nature , animate and inanimate , was made te shew forth God ' s glory , and to be subservient toman ' s true welfare and * happiness . Man cannot be uyared , then , nnlpgs it were by his fellow-Kan , and how did God provide againBt that ? What were the nrrangemente—th e provision * which the all-wise Maker ol man , from the beginning , !; asmade to prevent one ijidividnal ef the human family committing an injury upon another individual of the human family ? Why this ; he took woman out of man , no that the first husband , when looking upon the tirat bride of tie hunmn race , exclaimed in wender , in love , and in thankfulness , "Thi * i « . now bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesa ; she shall be called weman , because she was taken out of miaht o-rrtw . AH V-fTi »_ ani-nBt ,. _ -j : : » -
man . Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother , und shall cleave uato his wife , and they « hall be one flesh . " Can any man hate hi « own flesh ? See you not how wisely God has doce it ? See von not how well , how kindly , how mercifully G ^ d has arranged this—that women should b « bone of our bones , and flesh of oar flesh ; that she should be called woman because she was taken out of -m , and that for her sake we should leave the fatl / at bf gat us , the mother that bare ns , all friena » iaat otherwise have been dear to nt—should leave them all , and cleave unto our wife , aad we twain shall be bo longer two bnt one . God has dore all this , that we » ight love our wives even aa Christ has loved the Chntcb , and gave kiytt ««»^ f for it . ( Hear .
hear . ) Well , tteD , with this love to the wife , God shaJl add love to ofrpring . Did Cod make yon in his » wn likcnem ?— then tber »' n your b * be ia your likeness . Can you hate it ? ( Ne . no . ) There it lies , a poor little helpless thing , butiti * yom »; there is your ^ likeness stamped upon it : there it it—it « mother ' s image , and perhaps its mo'her died to give it birth . And can yon hate it ? ( No , no . ) Well , then , thesa Hula on *** spring from your loins : they hre brethren and Meters ; they dance the irreen together ; they twist the flowers together ; they twine them in their hn : r ; they make chftins and put them aroucd each other ' s necks , and girdlen around each other ' * waists . ; they gambol » t your feet upon the rioor together ; they are pluymates together , they bedielk
are -ws together , and they are schoolfellows together . They rise into life . The sister and the brother , c ? . « thry hate earh other ? God has made of one blood , all the nation * of the earth : we are all brethren ; and Le made us m this way , arraugiDg and constituting the process of the propagation of the humaa family in the mannrr I navo just described , in order " that man shonld know nothing to bit fellow-man , brei the nothing to his fellow-man , but triesd ^ v , and brotherly kindnets , and charity . ( Hear , hour . ) Thus you see how wisely all wns arranged . Wi-o fn * t broke this law ? Cain , who elew his brother . What said God to it ? No sooner was the Wood of Abel » hed than the ? meke of it rose to heaven , and went into the nostrils of Jehovah . The voice of it ro $ " tohea » en . aud went in'o the
ears ofGod . and Gad came down . Ho went t » Cain , and said nut j him , " Cain where is thy brotht r ' : " 1 see bim not ; h « wtu bere this , morniue ; where is hetunuht ? Where is thy brother ? There ' s his house ; there ' s h-s weeping wife ; there ' s hi . < weeping chil . dren ; but wht re u be ? Aud Cain answered , "Am I my brother ' s keeper ? " And God demanded of him an account ; and God il . mands of every mnrdsrer an account to this diy . God Bays to ev .-ry murderer , whether it be ta . j murderer of an individual or the innrder « "r of a community ; God sa y s , ' Where is thy brother ! " God is ^ aykg that ia A-nton to-night . ( ' -He is . ") God says it to yonr Magisrrates . G 01 J says it to every one of thus * millowners . who havt ? s . anghtered Xuadreis , if not ihonsaiid *—( iod sa \ s to them , ' Where is thy brother ? " ( H-ar . ' he . ir . ) And God will be ttns * er «» d . ( , ' He w-. ll .
Then OoJ added , Tbe voice of thy brother ' s blood crieth unto me . " J wish you never to for / et this in all your surrows—in all your sniferinffg . Not a drop of your sweat , not a drop of yonr milk , not n drop of your blood—and all three have flawednot a drop of sweat , or milk , or blood has been . t > hed on thti naul fl © or , but trumpet-tougued—aye , with the tongue of ten thousand trumpet *—it hm sounded a blast clear and load , aari long , shaking the earth , a ? . d moving the heavens ; and God has heard it ; and ( Jot is no * - looking down to see whether the cup is full , and then he will pour it out in anger and righteous indication upon their heads . " Where in no * thy brother ? " Oh , bear in mind this , heart broken men !—and tVere ' s hardlv a man in thi *
dUtrict that is not heart brok-n ; you don ' t look like men ; there's hardly one in a tnearaad that looks like a mau ; you kauw it yourselves ; when you look ia Ihe gia «> , aud when any strnuger comesby chance intj your town from more healthy aud less cursed parts of the cuuttrj than yours ; or when yeu look lnio a book , and tee a picturj in it of what a maa ootht to be . you can see for yourselves that there ' s hardly a man in a thousand of you that look * like -1 mna . 'i our bodies an ; broken , and yonr hearts are broken . The pith has been scooped oot of you . \ ) u are low ; you are shrunken ; you are shrivelled ; yon are dried up . Your poor booy and mind , like tne leaf of a tree ih which unkindly blasts and bitter biting win-jg , wiikout warmth , do blow , tries t » thrust itself forward , here a knotch and there a j * mt , and there a spring , until yon assume all
shapes , without comeliness , aud all appearances sate the majesty and the dignity of hum-in natnre . But , nsvertheless , broken-bodied and broken-hearted men !—weeping women 1—forlorn aad friendless children !—nevertheless take heart ; be of jfood cheer ; your blood is not sunk iuto the ground like into a sand ; your mother earth , hath opened wider arm * , more merciful than your murderer * , to tak * in your biood , to take back your life ; and your mother eirth , from her kindly bosom , has handed over your liven , and the blood of your live * , onto the God that jrave it ; and God is abeut to corae down to the murdering Cain of this district—of this couatryaud to suy , " Where is thy brother ? for the voice of tby brother ' s blood crieth uato heaven , and cursed , cursed cursed shah then be . "
1 ins was the first act of violence committed in thi * world of which we have any account . You have read hew it was committed , and what was the pnnishment inflicted upon the criminal . God set a mark npon Caia ; told him that the very earth should curse him ; that the earth should Khoot out arrows of vengeaace i * to hi * guilty breast ; that he shoulJ go forth a wanderer into all la ads as a book , a living book—Uio brow a living opea book wherein wrs written God * * curse against marder , God ' s curse againstvio ! ence , God ' s curse against blood-guilti&ejs . Has that enrse ever b .-en repealed ? ( No . ) Very » ell then , if G ^ d ' s law la its blessings and in its cur > es be the Bime yesterday , to-day , and forever , it is true to-night that no laud can flourish , that no
coun'ry caa prosper in which the rulers and the princes are men whose hands are filled with violence , men who are men of blood ; m ? n who murder their fellow- creatures by laws , and acts , and institutions of cruelty , injustice , oppression , and wrong . This * as a dreadful doom for Cain ; and dreadfal will be the doom of the Cains of our time . Wait awhile ; posse »» your aeuls in patience ; and the God who camo dowa from hsaveu to avenge the death of Abel on the head of Cain , his mnrierer , will coma down to avenge the death of slaughtered thousands , murdered millions 1 may say , in finglani—God will c-jme down ajid will mighiiiy avenge yon of your adversaries . ( Aye . ) Is there any one short-sighted enong ! , narrow-minded eno «^ h , blind and bigoted
enough , to suppose that murder in God ' s sight only means knocking a man ' s brains out ? What says Jesus Christ—they lova t » go to the New Testament , and so do I—what says Jesas Christ on tbi * question «| onurder when he was expounding the c ^ mmaudmSts , and rescuing those ordinances of heaven from tke bewildering traditions of men ? What gays JesuK Christ ? He says— " It is written thou shall not kill ; but I tay unto you that whosoever is angry with his brotner , without a cause , hath killed him already in his heart . " Now if it be killing , if it be murder , if it be blood gniltiHe ** , to aate oar brother , let ns ask what hating means ? We are told in the Word of God , that hating meang not to love our neighbour as we ought to love him ;
ind the degree of tae crime it the degree of the lov * which we oaght to bear to him , aad sXow to him , but which we wroDgfully and wickedly hold from him . If I take advantage of yonr ignorance , or of your Beees « ity , or of your helplessness , to defraud you . to get the npperhand of yon , te over-reach yoa , to cheat you , 10 make yoa sell your work for less wages than 1 oujtbt to give yon for it , then 1 am your mHrdvrer and hate you in my heart ; that i » to say , I do not Jove yoo , my neighboHr , &x 1 lofe nsy « elf ; I do not treat you , my neighbour , as 1 would ttat you rtiould treat me , yonr n ^ ighojur ; Ibav-thus kept back , or withheld the l ^ ve which 1 ought to jiela to ) eu and to make known to you , or in other w ^ rds 1 hav ' a ha * ed you , 1 have coveted
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yonr substance in order to make my own substance all the greater , aud 1 hav « therefore become guilty of your blood , and am a murderer in the sight of God , and am as guilty in your case for what 1 have don * to yon—1 am n » guilty as Cain wan when be shed the blood of his brother Abel ; and God will como down tome one day or other , and hi will s * y where is Abel thy brother ? Where ar « those little children that worked in thy mill , thou greedy , ( ertwping , grinding , over-reaching , all-down-swallowing tyrant , despot , hard task-master over thy poor brethren ? Where are the babes , and the mothers of the babes , and wher « are the fathers ef the babes that -worked in thy mill , becaoHu thou wouldst be rich—because thou wonldst _ . __ .. _ . » _ ..-. „ __ * .
add house to house , field to field , factory to factory , to become lord of the manor—matter oi the earthbecause thou wooldst be a giant in thy day and generation , though con nt lew thousands had to mourn—had to pine ^—had to perish ? But I have seen ; lhavebekeld ; and now I come tocalltbe . * t » the solemn reckoning ; "Where is Abel thy brother ? " My brethren , I know that this way of interpreting the Scriptures in orthodox . I see by yonr eye , I see by your waole look and bearing that you are begiimiD ? to understand the Word of God ; that you are beuiEniB ? to read it foryosrselve *; to sec that the Word of the Lord is pure , entighteaisK the simple , making them wide . 1 see that yoo are beginning to understand that the Word of God
haidB tme in » llU 3 portions the one With the other , » m to become at last one perfect whole . Aad * o it is . There is beauty , symmetry , and perfection in the Wordef God—lik » God himself , all lovely , all beanteous , all powerful , the sam » unchanging word ; find this ia the Word which by the Gospel is prepched nnto you . Follow , for the Knke of this great argument , the sitrenna ol Sacred History as it glides you over the billows of the flood , and lands you upon the still and peaceful shores of the new world which God brought up out of the waters alt » r he had said to the grent deep , ? ' hitherto shalt thon come bnt no further , and here nhnlt thy proud waves be stayed . " Y « u will find that God was the mine after the flood rb before it ; you will find that the reason whv he
brought that flood wpon the earth was because of the wickedness of man to his brother man on account " of the violence" with which it says "die earth wa * tilled . " But God having on account of this violence destroyed the earth , after the flood came forward again to Noah and hw family , the representatives of the future family of man ; and God renewed the covenant with Ibem—which he at first had jnven to Adam . The same bleiwiaps you will find , are bentowod upon the human race , out enlarged and mo ? general an < l more comprehensive . For instance ; after the fall of man it is said that " G » d cursed the ground for man ' s sake ; " but after th * flood it is said that God cane forward and said to Noah and his family , 4 i i will not again curse
the ground any more for man ' s sake . While the earth remaineth , seed time and harvest , and cold and heat , ani summer and winter , and day night shall not cease . " And God set his bow in the heaven * , a token of tbe truth of his word , and that he would keep his w » rd to the ead of time . This seenw to be overlooked or forgot , or wilfully cast into the shade by such men as Melbourne , and Russell , and Hhddington , and FitzwiUum , and Matthew * , and Brougham , who come » nd tell u « that by the appointment and decree of God , vne human racn are doomed to labour and to poverty . This seems to be overlooked , or lost sight of , er thrown into the shade by those who would fain persuade us that the bulk of the human
race are still under the curse , tke malediction ol heaven . Now , I have shown At other timee , and 1 shall not stop to show it again here , that the first curse was a very grent blessing ; such a one as you and I would be tbankfal to be cursed with to-night , to have it in our pdwer to eat bread by the sweat of our brow . ( Hear , hear ) Oh , how gladly would we leap from eur couch to-morrow morning ; bow gladly would we cUp our hands ; how our feet would danco like the hart upon the hills ; oh , how we should merrily , merrily carol on our way to the field to-morrow , if we knew that after working from son up to snn down , we should have , fur every stroke we struck , for every blow we gave to the earth , corn and wine , and oil back again in return for our
labour . ( Aye , aye , that ' s all we want . ) God Almighty ! of thy great mercy be pleased again to cunsE the human family as at first taou didst curse it , aad put it ont of tb * power of men and devils to stop the coming of that curte iuto oar bands , ( Amen , from the whole meeting . ) But if the first curse was really a curse , tho » blasphemers overlook the fact that after the fleod , God said , " I will not again curse the ground any more for man ' s sake . " While the earth remaineth seed time and harvest , cold and heat , summer and winter , and day and night shall not cease . " New ,-will these men tell bb what seed time was for , or what the harvest was for , or what th » summer , « td the winter , the cold and the heat , the day and the nigkt were for ,
if the seed time were not to give man ths chance , the opportunity of putting the corn into the ground , and tbe harvest to give man tae opportunity of reaping the corn off the erouud , first of all taking the seed out of his seed-baske t aud putting it into the ground , and then taking the seed off the field and putting it into bis barn ? What is it for ? What did God make seed time and harvest for ? What did he swear ? Why all this trouble ; why all this unnecessary display ; why all this coming forward of God , this majestic exhibition on the part of Jehovah ? why all this title-deed giving , and thought-taking on the part of God , if God only inteHded to give Hrougbam and Russell , and Bedford , and FitzwiUiara , and my Lord Stanley , and the rest of the
public robber * ot this nation , their thousands , and their tens of thousands , and their hundreds of thousands of pound * every year of their lives from the harvest of the field , whilst the men that reaps it down , live on lumpers and sea weed , and eccasionally a dish of boiled grass ? Is that seed time and harvest ? Can anymaumake bo believe that God Almighty took all this trouble to set that rainbow in thd heavens , having stopped tbe water floods , aad made the dry land come up again , and then came himself down from heaven , aud talked with our forefathers , and with our grandfather , Noah , and told him that he would not cursa the ground again any more for man ' s sake , bat as long as the earth lasted , seed time , and harvest , and day , and night , should not cease so long as the world endured ? Can any man make m » beli « v that God did it . to make
a title to giva a right to Brougham , to Russell , to Stanley , ' to rob millions and to starve millions r Ob , nc , my Lord *; there ' s one who is Lord of all ; there s one wkoi * Kiagof Kings ; there is one that is a FatheT of those who now hear ma ; an « l yon worship Him ; your hearts are lifted up to Him and yoa are saying to Hun , "Fatheri shaw tby face ; Father , make known thy power ; lay bare thine arm ; Father ! draw thy glittering sword from thy thigk ; Father ! God ! King of heaven and Lord of hosts ! come down , come down , and avenge us of our foe . Amen , the Lord grant it . . ( Amen , amen . ) I say , come , Lord Jesus , and come " *"
quickly . ' ~ It is tery remarkable , toe , that after the flood you have another repetition of tbe original commandmeat— " be fruitful , and multiply , and replenish the earth ; " and after that comes a new gift from God of something which be had never bestowed upon the human race before ; and that was the gift of flesh . "And every moving thine that hveth shall be meat for you . ' Now , when ! read that , and fiad it said that " erenr moviair thing chatliveth shall be meat" for me , am I to understand , that it means meat for somebody else ? Are those poor Irishmen that have been scrap id and swppt « ut of the piga of Ireland , and enlisted in the l
um regiment , and sent bare in the hope that they will cot yoar throats , or blow out your brains , mt the bidding of aa unconstitutional and treasonable Home Secretary ; are these poor half-starved boys , ( for they look as if theyhad ' nt had a full belly for months , for years , hardly ODe in their lives— [ hope yeu will give them some , if yon have any to spar *}—• but are due poor tnys-w . will begin to read the Word of God to them , those of thorn that never heard it before ; and as soon as this sermon is put iuto their hands—and I will put it into their hands if they remain in the town , fOne of tV . « « nl ^ J ««
" We re going away on Thursday , Sir . " ) Goin ^ away , on Thursday , are you ? Well ; SWtep Hobjons shaves ol my penny sermons ; go to Heywood , of Manchester , and get him to s * ll you them as cieapas Be can ; tell him What they arft for , and five to tho men of the 10 tb , with my heart ' s beat love , taosj sermons , and tiny other good litd « books you can lay your h-. nds npon ; that is » ll i have to give thena ; * o would give them wore if »( had it ; v ? 3 vill give vhem more by and bje . ( Ay <»
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aye . ) Aye , aye ; and we and they together—— I mlist not nod my head , or they will put that into the indictment , and say—* Here tbe speaker nodded bis bead , and meant thereby that he would cut our head * of . " ( Hear , hear . ) However , I will not nod my head this time . But are these poor men . half-starved , eenfchere last week , and going robe sent away next week—and that is the trick they will keep playing naiad yon ; therefore loose no time ; « very fresh set that comes give them three hearty cheer * for the Queen , three for the army , three for the constitution , and no New Poor Law : you may stick Stephen * in somewhere if thera is room . welcome th > m as brothers ; got them to you houses give them a dish of tea with your wives and families ; invite two or three of your neighbour * , and if you . . . ... . .. .
cannot afford to give your neighbours a bagging , let them bring their b » ggiug aloDg with them , old fashion ; old fashion is the beat in this as well as in every thing else ; it is no joke to invite 20 or 30 people to a begging : tret th ^ n * in this way round a our fire side , or round the tuble ^ tell tht m all about it ; empty your bead and heart into theirs ; read to them the books of the law , and then ask them whether they think as you think ; whether their heart is a ? your heart ; 8 nd then get them to kneel down with yon , and pray God to send down fire and brimstone iroxn teaven to burn up every bastile in the country . The * get them , after they have risen from their kn <>« s with yon to # wear in their heart * that tbey will never draw a sword , or pull a trietrer in defence
of a law that would separate the husband from tbe wife , the parent from the child : that would imprison , that would degrade , that would dts ' . rey tbe unprotected and the meritorious poer of this country . ( Aye that ' s the Way . ) I have been charged with seducii : gthe military ; I have seduced them , I am am guilty . ( Hear , hear . ) I glory in the guilt ; I wish I were ten thousand fold more guilty than I am ; I try to' be * o before the awizfls come . I will tell soldiers as well as civilians , and I will tell Lord John Russell in a parenthesis that , in tbe eye of thelnw , ev » ry soldier is a civilian , and every civilian is a soldier ; I will tell Lord J . Russell , by way of parenthesis , that he , and such like a * he , are guilty of treason te the constitution in having a standing army at all , either forme or anybody else to seduce . The constitution ot England forbids a standing
army ; and if tan spirit of the constitution wera acted upon , it would be oat of my power , or the power of any body ebe to seduce the soldiers , for then would be no soldiers to commit seduction upon . But I have done my best , and I will do my best to tell every man , whe ther he wear a red coat , or a black coat , or a fustian jacket , or whether he be barebacked , whether he have a belrnet on his brow , or be shock-headed like a dog ; I will do my best to tell every rean in the land , instead of drawing his sword for that law , to draw his sword against it ; instead of firing his masket for that law , to fire his musket against it . Oh yes , my Lord Russell , it is too late , it is too late , it is too late ; thank God it is too late . Put
me where you like , and keep mo there as long as you like—as long as God aud my poor body will allow you—you msy 60 jn » t what you like with me ; it is too late , it is too late , it is too late , the blood is up . Aye , it tingles in your fingers ; it is ready to spirt out at your finger ends and to blow the scull c «» p off ; your fathers' blood is np ; y > mr motbersi' milk i * flowing round , and round , and round ; you are beginning to be men ; you are beginning to be wouoen ; you are beginning to b « the offspring of men and women . Thank God for it ; he has poured a new language npon the people . It ii too late ; it is too late . ( Here a man in the crowd * aid Oy it is to lat ; a tummeled a watchmon out o' aur hause this moanin that com a harkenin .
A t i ! d im to cum ageaa an I wad mak im so as he wad want carryin out . —Hear , hear , and laughter . ) Aye ! he came into your house did he ! He came into your house unlawfully ; you did quite right under these circumstances . If any watchman , any policeman lift up yonr latch , you have a right to lift the pistol ofl tho shelf ; if he draw your boh , you have a right to draw the trigger . Watchmen beware ! and Lord John Russell ! beware of sending policemen here t » sbeot the legs of my little piecers . So surely as they shoot the leg * ef my little piecers , as they have done at Bury , so surely will we try whether we can ' t take a better aim somewhere else . They told the magistrates , that they shot over the people ' s heade , and hit one of the boys in tke leg . ( Hear , hear ^ Very bad
marksmen indeed I I have something here which I will read for my fellow-countrymen of the 30 th . Mr . Stephens then road th « following account of the cruelties inflicted by the tools of the Poor Law Commiartoner * , which made a deep impression upon the congregation : ' A discharged soldier , named Hearsey , returned to the home of his father , a cottnge ana fruit garden , in 1816 , after having stood a nine years' campaign . The cottage had been built , and the garden planted in 1 / 74 , by his father , on South AmbesUara Common , in Hants , and up tiJl 1836 was occupied by lather and son , without any rent being demanded by the vultures who have seized alT God ' s earth to themselves—this being , in fact , iPpiece ( about a 01
r » o «; tnose common grounds which belonged to the people at large . In 1836 , the cut-throat Guardians , by order of the Poor Law Commissioner * , put up this cottage , with three others adjoining , for sals by auction ; and the chairman , Mr . Holiest , being the only bidder , was declared the purchaser at £ 82 , and took on himself the duty of ejecting Hearsey ; he proceeded under the Act which enables two Justices summarily to eject all persons whihave either intruded themselves into , or been permitted to occupy , any parish house * , on proof of a month ' s notice to quit ; and tha warrant being granted , Jenuer , the churchwarden , with sevvu assistants , forced open the door—turned plaintiff , his wife , and four children , out upon the common tne
snow tnen tailing fast—and placed a padlock upon the door . The wife , being enceinte , miscarried from ( right , and her health was destroyed in all probabiity for ever ; and fortunate it was that Mrs . Osborne , the widow , and an occupier of the adjoining cottage , invited her and her infant to share her bed , otherwise tbe consequences might have proved serious , for poor Hoarsey and the three other children ware obliged to sleep for months under a tent which he pitched on the common . This happened in March , and she felt extremely weak at the ensuing harvest , although compelled by necessity to work . To bring Heareey to , they tried the starving system ; for South Ambemham being ia tbe bauds of three or four farmer * , it was agreed that farmer should
Lee discharge plaintiff' ( who had been in his service nine years ) from his employ , and that no other individual should give him work—and then he was obliged to apply to tha Guardians for relief ; but the purchaser sitting an chairman , deridingly observed to him , he was a man of property , but if he and bis family wished to come into the Workhouse , they shonld have an order . Mr . Wood , of Midhorst , a gentleman of property , interfered in behalf of poor Hearsey , and in conjunction with Mr . bamael Roberts , caused a petUiea in bis favour to be presented to the House of Lords . The hereditary immacnlates ordered the poor wretch Hearsey to seek redress in a court of law , which even the Bishop of Exater remarked at '• ¦ the time was a bitter mockery to a manse situated . Hearsey , however , finding hw cottage doer open in last autumn , and believing it was left so for the purpose of admitting him , hetrnndled in with his little family , but was
quickly visited by the parish hell-hounds , his door broken open , the doors and windows carried away , and the roof stri pped from his cabin , leaving him aad his helpless family once more outcasts without shelter . Mr . Roberts seeing the illegality a < well a * the nandish brutality of the Poor Law authorities commenced aa action aeainst them , which is to be tried * t the next Winchester assizes . The Poor Law hell-hounds , however , made a motion in court the other day to stay proceeding , unless Mr . Rodger * would give security for the costs . Mr . Rodgers snowed canse , and discharged the rule , but the court refused to allow him the cost of this step ( a step urged upon him by the Gvaraiam !) Mr R has been victimised £ 122 at the very outset , through his humanity in endeavenring to protect the broken soldier from the fangs of thesa inhuman Poor Law robbers . Soldiers ! will you kill yonr brotheis in order to keep up such an atrocious , such a savage state of society ? " ^* Our readers may cxpact the remainder of this nermon next week . * un > l
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—^ Meetino of the Fkie . vds ok Pound— A V *™ ssrstfifssi ' saa- " - *** * &
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' « YOL . II . Nc 84 . , : SATURDAY , JUKE 22 , 1839 . ^^ TJZT j t ——
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—^^*^—^^^—^^——^_ M __»_»__ a _______________ . ————————_—__ _ _ _ .. _ . . __ . .
--.-.-.-. Feargus O'Connor, Esq.
--.-.-.-. FEARGUS O'CONNOR , ESQ .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), June 22, 1839, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1062/page/1/
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