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Miscellany: Non-resistance

Miscellany: Non-resistance image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
May
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

[Uur rcadorsare aware there is a sect n Massachusetts who hold to this doctrine, and who heli eve it is wrong 10 collect debts by law. We fear the world is njt vet honest cnough to pay debrs without law. ihough the atrempts to collect by leg il processare often unsuccessful. The following account of the experience of a man who practised the mn-resistant system 26 years, may not be interesting.] Frorn the Liberaton No ' Gozer nmental Viulence ia Collncting Debts.' For twemy-one yeais, I followed the business of n mason. and oi'course worked for all surts of people. I niadii it tny general practiee, wherever 1 worked. to s:atj th-u I believed vhoilyin tiic Snviour's doctrine, and told ihem what I consideied the Savioui"s doctrine taught in the completest manner, witich vs- not to go to war. not to take an oatli ot nny kind either (y way of affirmation. or any oiher wav; but to let our yes signify or mean ys, and our no, no; for any tiiing more ihan these co.neih of evil ;- nut to sue at the law, or conlend any wiy in violance for debts. or sell an account to hiin who wjuld cantenJ in the law for its coüeciion; but ratlier sufier wrong than do wrong;- not even to assist in malung laws. considerinij that the truefai'hlul followers o( the Suviour were strangers nnd pilgrims here on earth. having no continuing city. but they were seeking one 10 come, which ia a Ir avenly home for the faithful slints. I have always. without any ex ception. told the above as my sincere belief: and olthough I have so publicly made known my principies, [ have nevef, to m knowledge, lost a dollar by reo8.in of not usiuti the lawj and flnally, J have never lost twenty d.illars in my life, although 1 huve at times bnd several hanls working for me at once, and my billa against my eiípíoycrj wrjuld be 1 ïrger, and at the time of working, the pros peet of pay would look dim; yetit would come. - I will mention a few circumstances. Once Í was called upon by a man I nevar siw belore. who livd at the distance of eight or ten miles, wiahing Be to do a job of wok for hitn- & mown vrorX"o n two-story dwelling-liouuc. He 8ai] pothfjijy ibout price or pay, but wantcd his work done: :nd I said nothins about price or pay. but agteed o tro and do liis work. nnd at the time appoinied, ven'; butafter gettinsr there. found hini to bea heathcn, without principie orleaming. I feit dissouraged,havmg iwo hands with me; nevertheless, I comm?nced his ork in a faith'ul manner - riothinn;said about price, not a word, by eitlier ofus. - Me usert me nnd my 'help wull. while working for him. yet havinp drcndfül broils with his farming help. ihreafening to fieht them. I drendvd my ?etllerrieni: hut nfrer finishinp his work. he wentel to know the amonnt of my bill. (it wns upwuds f eiahty riollars. ) I toldhim: he smiled nnd waid. I supnos you want your pny.' I told him that was whnt the poor laborer worked for. He did not wiit 3 moment, but paid me evcry cent - While I wis doing hisjoh. I told him mv belief ns to cnllrctinirde!)t8. &c. S:c. He said. 'You oin.Hu not to have to!d me nhotii suing until yon pot your mv of rn5, (or now you mny not gnt it.' I ënid. 'You wil! not want to cheat me. I think.' And so f proved. Anotlier clreumstance I will menfion. was colled upon again by a man wh win'P'l a chitnney huilt - a very poor man. and vprv slaok. At tint time. I wfl very rnnch hurried w th worl. I mrned him o(T. thinkinir if I worked. Í should get ntfaing: and as he turned" to o awnv. Isiw he looked very sorrowful. (for be hnd told mehe could setnoone to help him. and was oMigod to live in his house witl.out a rhimney.) I cnlled to Hm tn come back. He came. I told him on ihe whole I would try ro ïclp him, expectins: pcrliaps not to pet onc cent. Yet alter finishing his work. he wanted to know ow much he was ówiñg. I told him. not expectng any pay then, if ever. But he said, 1 vcy unexpectcdly had some money brouL:lume List nighr, nnd can pay you, and did pny .-.11 I aaked hun. - Anothcr civcurnstnnce I wil inention, wherekinií an o.'iih ome in contnct. I oncesent s mie money to piy for corn. nml before the inan who carried it cnme from the place. one five dollar bill was condetnncd. crosspd and lodged in ihe hands ofa jusiice. and tha mnn callud lor. He went and told the jusiice iheinoney wns nothis. but sent by him. anrl told hy who, and so the justice wrote me a line, that if I wanted to save the money. I mu?t cali upun him. I accordingly went, tin 1 fter naking niyself knnwn, asked him what there was for me to do about tint money. Ke 10H me. oí nnv thing. only swear it up n the person I hnd t of. if I knew who il was. I told him I knew vho T h-id it of, but should not swear it upon anv ne. as I thëuéht it wfong to swear. He siid, ïer: yo'i enn affirm. I told him I should not take n oath ofuny kind. if I lost the bill. He eaid, ou ure a very sn-ange man - I know not what to o wiih you. '■ Woll. if you know who you had ie bill of, let mchearyour story. So I told iny ory. After hearing it, he s.iid, Mister, your ory appears very straight. I tsaid. It is correct. Veil, he says. I will wri te 'o the man, ïfyou will brward the letter. I told him I would. I took ie letter, nnd carried it to the man mystlf. The nn said. I supposft you want goo'l money I ld him I did. He pnid me a good bill, in lieu of ie other. Tneabove is a broken sk"tch of my experience. I never have suifercd any inconvenionce in not usinr the law, and I think tfait the law is not made forn r2h!eoii8 nian. Yours for the truih nf the zosnel.JONATHAN WHIPPLE. Ledyard, Om . Mnrrh 9,]. 1?42. The cfile!nu;,i j„im tiunier was a man of-fllich ■vomlrful diligence, t'jit he hns oftcn told his 'rienda, tint for thirty yenrs. summer and winter. lie sun ncverfbund liirn ín l)ód. He used f(i siy. f nover h:ivo anv diííiculíies; a thing either cnn ie dne. or it cinnot Ifit can be done, I tnny 8 vvi 11 d) t ns another. f I wil! t ike etiunl piins. fit curinoi he il me ! wil! nV. Rttö'iV'ït vi do t."

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News