34 WORCESTER COUNTY HOKTICULTDRAL SOCIETY. [1882. 



tnre. They granted your fathers a Charter tha;t they might the 

 better advance and promote it. The local Assessors set aside the 

 judgment of the Legislature ; overrule your plea that you 

 advance and promote the Science and Practice of Horticulture, 

 and should therefore be exempted from Taxation in common with 

 other Agricultural and Scientific Associations; and doom you, as 

 ever, to contribute one-fifth of your substance for the support 

 of those who toil not, neither do they spin. Even in the Jewish 

 Theocracy, Jehovah insisted upon hut one-tenth ; and He, 

 according to Moses, was pretty tenacious of His own. 



" What shall the harvest be ? " is a conundrum often pro- 

 pounded by the shearers of the sheep ? But they, — if it chances 

 to be the odd-year for a crop of afifrighted souls, have at least, 

 the unshared luxury of exemption from taxation for the support 

 of tlie common burden. We sustain the load that should be 

 lightened by a partial shift to their shoulders — the middle-men 

 of religion. Thus assured of an easy time in this world at 

 our expense, why should they not arrogate to themselves a 

 monopoly of Heaven, all the more selfish that it can view the 

 sentence of those very tax-paying townsfolk and kinsmen, 

 throughout a hopeless eternity, with a complacency foreordained 

 and devout. 



Not much should be anticipated from Universalism. Its faith 

 would not make Wachusett budge an inch ; while, as for works, 

 like all the rest, it teaches that one fist should not be too 

 inquisitive when the other is shut tight. So that if it sings of 

 " The Flower Girl," " Here in Cool Grot ; " and loses memory of 

 " Tlie King's Champion " in " The Sailor's Grave ; " we simply 

 recognize a peculiar school of divinity and wonder not that it too 

 should enjoy immunity from taxation. 



"And it came to pass, in those days, that there went out a decree 

 from Cajsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed."' 

 "And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city." 



Not even the Pharisees l)eing exempt, — " who were the most 

 straitest sect." How much better are we than the Jews ! Who, 

 at least, never pleaded m abatement of assessments upon the 

 Temple, that its foundations were laid deep in mortgages. 



Still, there is some compensation in return for this immunity ; 



