The Limitations of Human Responsibility |
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abolish slavery accomplish action annexation of Texas argument asso assume authority believe benevolence bind bound charity Christ christian church ciety citizens civil claims command consent constitution Creator decide delegate disciple of Christ disciples District of Columbia doctrine duty enjoin equal error evil exist extraneous fact feel fellow fellow men forbid FRANCIS WAYLAND free masonry granted Hence Ignatius Loyola individual infringe innocent laws laws of Christ lence liable liberty limits mand manner matter means moral obligation motives nature never obey object opinions ourselves particular church party persecution persons physical power plead pledge ples practice preach precisely present principle promote promulgate propagate Protestantism purpose question reason religious remark render respect responsible result sake sect sentiments slave slavery society spirit sponsibility suppose temper of heart temper of mind thing tion tivation true truth United unless urge usurp vidual voluntary associations whole wrong
Popular passages
Page 168 - I hold that a compact is binding, in its spirit as well as in its letter. The spirit of the compact, I suppose, imposes upon me the obligation not to do any thing for the purpose of changing the relation of master and slave, except with the consent of the master. I have no right to declare the abolition of slavery in another State ; I have conceded that this is to be left to the free choice of the citizens of that State. I have no right to do any thing to interfere with that free choice. I have,...
Page 163 - I think it evident, that, as citizens of the United States, we have no power whatever either to abolish slavery in the southern States ; or to do any thing, of which the direct intention is to abolish it.
Page 127 - He who loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how shall he love God whom he hath not seen ? You, Mr.
Page 11 - ... whilst they sustain law against this very violation ; whilst they infringe the rights of their neighbor, and whilst they defend the rights of their neighbor against infringement ; whilst the individual takes the power of society into his own hands, and whilst society punishes him for the transgression. It seems to be frequently taken for granted, that all duties belong to all men ; that matters of right recognize no distinction either of age, or sex, of civil office, or ecclesiastical function;...
Page 41 - ... responsible for the performance of an action, when it cannot be performed without using our power for other purposes than those for which it was committed to us. Our responsibility ceases, when a particular good cannot be accomplished without the presentation of wrong motives to another; and when the performance of one duty, may be limited by the more urgent claims of another duty of the same character. The author then applies these principles to persecution op account of opinions, to the propagation...
Page 170 - But it is always to be remembered, that it is one thing to say that a man has a right to do a particular act, and a very different thing to say that it is right and just for him to do that particular act.
Page 82 - This inference may bind my conscience, but it can, as my inference, bind the conscience of no one else. Every one must in such a case be left to his own judgment ; and I have no right to accuse another of disobedience to God, unless he admit that he is for himself convinced of the duty, and then disregard it.
Page 9 - ... Conscience teaches us that we are under obligations greater than we can conceive, to love, serve, and obey our Creator ; and that nothing of which we can conceive should be sufficient to interfere with the performance of every act which he has commanded. But while all this is strictly true, it is strictly true of nothing which he has not commanded. We may plead his authority for the doing of any tiling which he has .enjoined, but we can plead it for nothing else.
Page 26 - ... which God has appointed, the simple question for us to decide is, what are the means which he has appointed ? It may be safely taken for granted that the truths which he has put into our hands, and the motives which he has directed us to employ, are the truths and the motives which in their nature are best adapted to accomplish his purposes. At any rate, it would require no greater attainment in humility than falls to the lot of ordinary men, to teach us, that whether any better did or did not...
Page 88 - ... been assigned. This list, alike horrible and disgusting, haunts the imagination of the unfortunate devotee, till, reduced to a state of perpetual anxiety, she can neither think, speak, nor act, without discovering in every vital motion a sin which invalidates all her past sacrifices, and dooms her painful efforts after Christian perfection to end in everlasting misery. Absolution, which adds boldness to the resolute and profligate, becomes a fresh source of disquietude to a timid and sickly mind....