THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE, a quarterly of 200 pages a year, devoted, 1. To discussions of subjects connected with the cause of peace; 2. To notices of current publications involving its principles or interests; 3. To intelligence concerning its progress, and the general state of the world as affecting this cause. TERMS. One dollar payable on delivery of the first number. Seven copies for $5, and fifteen for $10, sent to one address. A liberal discount to auxiliary societies. Friends of the cause are earnestly desired to take it themselves, and procure other subscribers. To Ministers of the Gospel.-As their residence is frequently changed, as some are occasionally removed by death, and others may possibly grow weary in this department of well-doing, it becomes necessary to request, that all ministers, desirous of having the Advocate continued after the current year, on condition of their preaching annually to their people on the subject of peace, should inform us within a year from this date; such information being indispensable to prevent any waste or misapplication of the funds devoted to this cause. Communications relative to the concerns of the Advocate or the Society, may be addressed to Rev. GEO. C. BECKWITH, Corresponding Secretary, or to JAMES K. WHIPPLE, Treasurer; in either case, directed to the care of Whipple & Damrell, No. 9 Cornhill, Boston, Mass. PEACE PUBLICATIONS, FOR SALE AT THE SOCIETY'S GENERAL DEPOSITORY, NO. 9 CORNHILL. DYMOND'S ESSAYS ON WAR, with or without Grimké's Notes, and other writings on Peace,-the ablest work in the English language on the question, whether the gospel condemns all war. DISSERTATION ON A CONGRESS OF NATIONS. Peace. By a Friend of AMERICAN ADVOCATE OF PEACE, back nos. bound or otherwise. UPHAM'S MANUAL OF PEACE; a very able and interesting work. Mr. LADD'S four vols. for Sabbath Schools. ADDRESS TO LADIES ON PEACE-what they can and should do in its behalf. OBSTACLES AND OBJECTIONS TO THE CAUSE OF PEACE. By a Layman. PEACE STORIES FOR CHILDREN. TRACTS of the Am. Peace Society, first and second series. TRACTS of the London Peace Society, thirteen numbers. 1. PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST WAR, Its power as an instrument of reform, and the means of II. CONCESSIONS OF WARRIORS,.. III. PREJUDICES IN FAVOR OF War,. 1. President Allen's Letter to William Ladd, Esq. 2. Mr. Trask's Farewell Discourse at Framingham. ADVOCATE OF PEACE. No. II. SEPTEMBER, 1837. ARTICLE I. PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST WAR. ITS POWER AS AN INSTRUMENT OF REFORM, AND THE MEANS OF HASTENING ITS FORMATION. THE power of public opinion has become proverbial. It is the lever of the moral world, and does more to control the intercourse of civilized nations, than all their fleets and armies. Its influence is omnipresent, and its authority supreme and universal. It legislates for all Christendom; and monarchs the most powerful and arbitrary, are able to contravene its decisions only at their peril. It is the high court of the civilized world; a power intermediate between the rulers of earth, and the sovereign of the universe; the last human tribunal, from which there is no appeal except to the bar of Jehovah. But what is this public opinion? It is only an expression of the views generally prevalent in society, or avowed by men whose character, standing and influence entitle them to be regarded as representatives of the community to which they belong. It is the voices of individual thousands or millions harmonized into the utterance of sentiments common to them all. Such an utterance must come sooner or later; but it may be easily and advantageously hastened. It has been so in a multitude of instances; it may be so in others; and the formation, development, and universal extension of a thoroughly Christianized public sentiment, constitute the great work of reform needed to deliver our world from every species of error, sin and misery. The history of human improvement is only a series of changes thus wrought in public opinion. Its voice once called aloud for gladiatorial combats and bull-fights; but its frowns long ago drove those savage and disgusting barbarities from the civilized world. For ages it applauded alchemy, and knight-errantry, and trials by ordeal, and a host of kindred practices; but all these have now fallen under its strong displeasure, and ceased from every part of Christendom. Once public opinion tolerated the slave-trade; but the smiles of heaven upon the efforts of such men as Clarkson and Wilberforce, turned an overwhelming tide of indignation against that infernal traffic in the bodies and the souls of men. Once public sentiment in England upheld slavery in most of her dependences; but the voice of her sons and daughters, poured upon the ear of her parliament, caused it at length to be put under the ban of the whole British empire, as an atrocious, intolerable compound of injustice, oppression and misery. Private wars, once equally dreadful with the conflict of nations, were common for ages all over Europe; but emperors and popes, rulers and subjects, combined against the practice, and swept it at length from the world. All these are instances of public opinion hastened in its formation and development by special efforts; but the rapid and triumphant progress of temperance is an example still more in point. This cause is a sort of hot-house plant. It is almost entirely the result of special efforts. Public opinion on the whole subject has been created for the occasion. The very principles of the reform have been established by procuring and publishing examples of entire abstinence from intoxicating drinks. The ark has floated on the current of a public opinion formed by the joint efforts of patriots, philanthropists and Christians to rid the land of this wide and fearful curse. Public opinion has been the main-spring; this main-spring has been made expressly for the purpose; and the history of this reform shows what may and should be done to remove similar evils. Such an evil is war; and I see not why public sentiment may not be arrayed against this custom with equal success. It is exclusively a public affair; it cannot be sustained by the countenance of isolated individuals; the general favor of mankind is the very aliment of its being; it has lived for nearly six thousand years upon the smiles of a deluded world; and, could these smiles be turned into frowns of universal and unmingled displeasure, such a change would ere-long banish from Chris |