some who warmly advocate the cause; but the great mass of the people are asleep. May the Lord awake them! On the 25th of December, at 7 o'clock in the morning, we had a special prayer meeting for the peace of the world. This has been our custom for some years, but I have not seen it so well attended, nor so much interest excited by it before. Dr. Bennett, an influential minister among the Independents, delivered a discourse, I think, on new year's day, in London, to show the connection between peace societies, and the success of missionary undertakings. This, I hope, will awaken inquiry respecting the peace cause. I could never learn whether the letter you committed to the care of Dr. Reed, was ever laid before the Congregational Board. Our foreign secretary, Mr. Harry, has promised me to inquire respecting it. Extract from an old letter of the missionary Ward. Our readers will all remember this venerable and veteran missionary, the companion of Carey; and we thank Mr. Hargreaves for sending us so valuable a testimony against war, as the following extract from one of his letters,written nearly thirty years ago to an officer. Such sentiments ought to prevail among all missionaries. "Go on ardently with your studies, be much and very earnest with God, that your path may have a blessed light upon it, and that you may not be drawn aside from your purpose of leaving the work of killing, for the work of saving men. Christ says, I am come that they might have life. The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.' The glory of our Christian profession lies in our business on earth resembling the work the Father gave to Christ to do. But how unfavorable the profession of arms to this! Brother, how totally incompatible with it. Christianity says, 'Love your enemies,' the maxims of statesmen are, Kill them off. Christ says, If thine enemy smite thee on one cheek, turn to him the other also.' 'Resist not evil,'-the statesman says,Fight, and leave the reasons to me;' or he endeavors to justify war by saying, it is to revenge an insult; to obtain so many acres of dirt; to fulfil our engagements to an ally; to prevent the secret designs of our enemy; '-or anything else that comes into the head of a statesman, who, perhaps, laughs at the precepts of Christianity. "What a shocking sight to tie a handkerchief over a man's eyes, and tell him to shoot in the crowd, at persons whom he never saw; a company of fathers, sons, brothers, &c., assembled together; but more than this, a company of men, who have to live for ever, in happiness or misery, and every bullet, perhaps, sends a man to hell. Now, my dear friend, either our religion is a fable, or, if it be true, there are unanswerable arguments (urged, 'tis true, till they are stale enough) against war, and the profession of arms. "Thou shalt do no murder.' One murder makes a villain, millions a hero!'-where? at the bar of God? I trow not. Satan was a murderer from the beginning, and he is a kind of hero, reigning in hell. Enough of this, my dear M. I dare say you think that a fisherman is a far more honorable employment than a butcher, especially when all the fish caught are to be saved alive. "I remain, &c. &c., W. WARD." "Serampore, April 14, 1810." LITERARY NOTICES. Notes on the Four Gospels. By HENRY J. RIPLEY, Professor in the Newton Theological Seminary. 2 vols. Boston. 1838. It does not come within our design to give a formal and full review of such works as the one now before us; but we are glad to find in these volumes additional evidence, that the pacific precepts of the gospel are coming to be better understood and more faithfully enforced. The work needs no commendation from us; but we admire the lucid, pertinent brevity of its comments on difficult passages, and the directness with which the author enters into the spirit of the sacred page. We give an example or two bearing on the subject of peace: "Matt. 5: 38, 39. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite, &c.—An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; that is, inflict on another an injury similar to the one he has inflicted on you. This is retaliation.-Resist not evil; resist not, in the spirit of retaliation, an evil, that is, an injurious man, one who has done thee evil. Resist him not by doing him evil in return. Do not to him as he has done to you.-Turn to him the other also. So far from resisting an injurious man by doing him a similar injury, submit to still further injury. If he has smitten one cheek, revenge not the insult, or the injury, by returning the blow; but rather, in meekness, not in a provoking spirit, turn to him your other cheek. Rather suffer repeated wrong, than do wrong." Here we find the strongest principles of peace; and we desire only a legitimate application of them to the intercourse of individuals and nations. Retaliation is returning injury for injury, blow for blow; and, if we may not strike a man after he has struck us, we certainly may not before. We must not, on the principle here explained, do to another the injury which he has done or designed to do to us. It is the act, not the time of returning blow for blow, that constitutes retaliation. On the passage which contains the answer of John to the soldiers who came to him for instruction (Luke 3: 13, 14), our author remarks:-"The question is sometimes raised, whether or not John forbade the military profession, and the practice of war. The truth is, he expressed no opinion on that point, it not being pertinent to the occasion. He enjoined on all the general duty of repentance, and explained what would be the appropriate fruits of repentance in the different classes of his hearers. If any of them should be convinced that their employment necessarily involved feelings and practices utterly at variance with his directions, the path of duty was then plain to those persons. They must on no account violate the great principles which he had enjoined. If they could not be soldiers without doing violence, &c. [a pretty clear case, we should think, that they could not], let conscience then be heard as suggesting a change in their occupation.' Receipts from July 15th to August 4, 1838, for the American Peace Society. $10 37 1 00 1.00 21 00 20 00 18 31 New London, Conn., individuals to constitute Rev. Abel McEwen a life-member, 26 50 66 Hon. Elias Perkins, life-member,....... 20 00 individuals to constitute Rev. J. McDonald a life-member,.. 30 00 A monthly publication of about 300 pages a year, and the organ of the American Peace Society, is devoted to discussions, notices, and intelligence relative to the cause of peace, and the application of Christianity to the intercourse of nations. Terms. One dollar in advance, with an increase of 50 cts, if not paid before the close of the year. Six copies for $5; twenty for $15; thirty for $21; fifty for $30; one hundred for $50. Subscribers may commence with any number. No subscriptions received for less than a year, or discontinued till arrearages are paid, except at our discretion. Any person sending us two new subscribers with pay for one year, shall receive a copy gratis for one year. RECOMMENDATIONS. The ablest writers are expected to contribute to the work, and no pains will be spared to render it useful and interesting to all classes, and worthy of such recommendations as the following: "An interesting periodical :-containing much important matter which is well adapted to interest, &c." Chr. Register. "It deserves, and, sustaining its presont elevated character, will find an extended circulation." Boston Recorder. "It is a work conducted, in our judgment, with more ability than any thing of the kind we have ever seen. Our acquaintance with its present editor, and some of the expected contributors to its pages, confirms our confidence that it will be a sound, useful and inter. esting work." Signed by WILLIAM JENKS, D. D., Boston, Hon. SIDNEY WILlard, Cambridge, Mass., and thirteen others. CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIETY. Object-to illustrate the inconsistency of war with Christianity, to show its baleful influence on all the great interests of mankind, and to devise means for insuring universal and permanent peace.-Condition of membership. Persons of every denomination, whatever their views concerning wars called defensive, may become members by paying $2 a year, Life-members by $20, and Life-directors by $50. Ministers preaching and taking up a collection for the Society, entitled to the Advocate. One half of all contributions returned, if requested during the year, in peace publications. SUGGESTIONS IN FORMING AUXILIARIES. 1. That their object be to promote the cause by cooperating with the parent Society. No other pledge recommended. 2. That every member pay something, receiving, if sufficient, the Advocate, but, if not, one half in other peacepublications. 3. That the officers be few, and the main reliance placed on a small Executive Committee, with power to fill all vacancies. Time and place of annual meeting left with them. Communications, post paid, to GEO, C. BECKWITH, Cor. Secretary, and JAMES K. WHIPPLE, Treasurer, in either case, to the care of Whipple & Damrell, No. 9 Cornhill, Boston. AGENTS. Boston, WHIpfle & DamRELL. Philadelphia, N. KITE, 50 North Fourth St. PEACE PUBLICATIONS, FOR SALE AT THE SOCIETY'S GENERAL DEPOSITORY, DISSERTATION ON A CONGRESS OF NATIONS, 12mo. UPHAM'S MANUAL OF PEACE, 8vo. STONE'S SERMONS ON WAR, 18mo. OBSTACLES AND OBJECTIONS TO THE CAUSE OF PEACE. By a Layman. |