Page images
PDF
EPUB

feel disposed to take some Tracts along with me, either to sell or give. For this purpose I wish to have about a dozen sets from No. 1 to 7 or 8-or so many Nos. as you may think advisable-other promiscuous Tracts-also two or three dozen of Friend of Youth.--The few copies I had before of Friend of Youth were presented to particular families. They were much admired as school books.

"In addition to the Auxiliary Society formed in Orange county-I have the pleasure to announce another in Randolph county. I here give you an extract from a letter I lately received from their Secretary, Moses Swaim. I delayed answering yours of the 20th Oct. by our worthy friend R. T. Daniel-to see if we might not communicate intelligence of the formation of an Auxiliary to the Raleigh P. S. I now have the pleasure to say that on the 25th of December the New Salem Branch of the R. P. S. was organized.-We have to regret that at the formation we had but eleven members,-the major part of whom are of the society of Friends. They are of morals irreproachable, and some of them are conspicuous members in the church. We hope the period is not distant when we shall embrace some of the ministry. The Peace Tracts you forwarded were a seasonable supply-by their circulation and the active exertions of some of our members, it is hoped the principles will become popular in this vicinity.""

N. B. The worthy Dr. Battle, since writing the letter from which the extracts were taken, has closed his labors on earth, as will appear from the following.

From Raleigh Peace Society.

"Raleigh, N. C. March 4, 1825. "The Christian should bow in pious submission to the doings of Almighty wisdom and goodness. In the sudden and lamented death of our beloved brother, Dr. Jeremiah Battle, Corresponding Secretary to the Raleigh Peace Society, I fear the little association has met with a loss that cannot soon be repaired. He was the main pillar with us; and how the society will succeed without him is a subject of foreboding with me."

SIR,

Signed-WILLIAM PECK."

From an eminent Member of Congress.

Washington, March 5, 1825.

I thank you very sincerely for the pleasure and improvement I have derived from the perusal of the pamphlets you did me the favor to inclose to me. Every man of philanthropy and religion must pray heartily for your success, in convincing nations of the folly as well as of the wickedness of war. You have gone further to show that it is feasible than I before thought it possible for argument to do. But yet I fear that so great a change in the

disposition, as well as the understanding of men, will never be accomplished. But this fear ought not to discourage. We live in an age of astonishing improvements, and that one of such importance to our morals and happiness should be made, ought not perhaps to astonish us more than the great discoveries in sciences and the arts which we have witnessed."

SIR,

Letter from a distant Gentleman.

By this day's post I received your 39th No. of the Friend of Peace. Some of our Quaker friends remarked to me some years back, that they feared that the subject would become exhaustedthat much more could not be said with propriety, but that you appeared to find new matter as yet. I told them that the subject was inexhaustible, and you continue to verify that observation.

I have labored with very little help from others here, by loaning the Solemn Review, bound with the seven first Nos-to almost every man in this place and find but few who do not acknowledge the truths inculcated. But alas! our great impediment here is, every clergyman is opposed to us :-some say it is well, and a desirable thing to have peace, but God will do all in his good time.

How astonishing is it that those who profess to devote themselves to Christ, and call themselves his vicegerents, teaching his flock in his stead, should be so blind as not to see that peace was the corner stone on which he built!-The force of education, even in this boasted day of science, bears down the greatest truth, and shuts out the most brilliant light. How it is possible for a rational man to read the Gospels and believe them, and not understand this peace as the indispensable requisite to future happiness, is more than I can understand. Is it the force of education only? Is it not also the loaves and fishes ?-If you can say something to open the eyes of that class, we may progress; but if not, I fear our labors here will be without a harvest. It is remarkable that nine tenths of the people I converse with in all quarters accede to our views-so that the fields are truly white, ready to harvest; but here the laborers are not even a few. If some newspaper should be devoted to the subject it would spread widely.— God prolong your life in these useful labors."

It is awful to think of a "clergyman" as an "impediment" to the progress of pacific principles. There is nothing surely pertaining to the office of a gospel minister, more important than inculcating and illustrating the precepts and spirit of the Prince of Peace. Those who neglect to do this omit the "weightier matters" both of the law and the Gospel. But it is said, "God will do all in his good time." Very true; but how will he "do all" if not by giving efficacy and success to

the faithful preaching of his word and the benevolent exertions of his friends? The doctrine, that "God will do all in his good time," is both comforting and animating, considered as a motive to diligence and fidelity in the use of proper or appointed means for effecting the desirable object. But, like other truths, this doctrine may be perverted; and it always is perverted when understood to imply that we have nothing to do; or when adopted to justify us in continuing or countenancing a custom which violates the precepts of the Gospel, or as an excuse for our unfaithfulness, or neglect of those means and exertions which tend to abolish the custom. With equal propriety, a minister might excuse himself from preaching or doing any thing for the good of mankind, or even his own good, either for time or eternity. For in respect to all these cases the doctrine is applicable-" God will do all in his good time !"

HIBERNIAN PEACE SOCIETY, OR GOOD NEWS FROM IRELAND.

We have just received from the Peace Society in London copies of the Herald of Peace for the two last quarters of 1824, which, besides many other interesting articles, contain an account from the "Dublin Morning Post for Nov. 11th," of the organization of the Hibernian Peace Society. The meeting was held at the Friends' meeting-house, Eustace Street. "Robert Fayle, Esq. was in the chair." Mr. Joshua Abell, the Secretary, delivered an animating address, in which he exhibited the object of the meeting, the importance of Peace Societies, the probability of their ultimate success, and the futility of the objections which had been made against them. Near the close of

the address he states the prospects in Ireland-" that correspondents and subscribers for this society have been obtained in Belfast, Moyallen, Dungannon, Rostrevor, Rathangan, Mountmellick, Ballitone, Carlow, Ross, Waterford, Youghall, Clonmell, Cork, and Limerick-all which branches will start into existence on the formation of this Society." The orator then observes,

"I have thus endeavoured, without dazzling you with the splendors of eloquence or bewildering you in the mazes of sophistry, to lay before you the outlines of a plan, which, considering its projection, its success, and its anticipated results, would demand all the eloquence of a Demosthenes, and all the zeal of an Apostle. I have not endeavoured to hold it up to your view in any other light, than as a Society, which every man, no matter what his rank, his religious profession, or his opinions, may join, Vol. IV. No. 4.

4

without compromising his character, either as a good citizen, or a friend to the laws."

He then alludes to "the prophecies of the Old Testament, which speak of the establishment of a general peace upon earth," and observes-" I see no reason to doubt that the Peace Societies, as at present constituted, are the harbingers of this glorious epoch--at least let us hope so; and according to our ability, let us endeavour to persuade mankind to pursue that line of conduct which our duty, as men and as Christians, points out to us; which reason recommends, religion authorizes, and God approves."

At the close of the address ten resolutions were proposed, discussed, and adopted, forming a Constitution for the Society, and appointing nine men as a Committee to manage its concerns.

DUELLING AND PUGILISTIC GAMBLING.

THE two last numbers of the Herald of Peace for 1824 contain melancholy accounts of the prevalence of duelling and pugilistic "prize fighting." In one of them the Editor says, "Not fewer than fourteen challenges and consequent meetings of the parties have come under our notice since the last Number of our work went to the press. Of these, three of the combats were prevented-three terminated without blood-shed-four, although not fatal, one of the combatants in each was severely wounded, and three were fatal on one side." One of the fatal duels was fought by a military officer and a man who fought instead of a clergyman! He who fought as proxy for a minister of religion, was the one who lost his life by the combat.

In the other Number there is an account of four duels, one of which was fatal to one of the combatants; in the other three, one of each was wounded. The same Number records three instances of "prize-fighting," in the pugilistic form. In two of these cases one of the combatants was killed; in the other both were so nearly killed, that one of them was "not less than two hours in a state of insensibility, and the winner was obliged to be carried off the stage."

Besides the instances of prize fighting, two other pugilistic combats are recorded. "Two lads, one seventeen the other eighteen years of age," fought upwards of an hour; one of them was then knocked down by a blow about the temple and died the same evening; the winner was so injured that he was obliged to be carried off the stage." In the other combat a man by the name of Clarke killed another by the name of Young. Clarke was indicted, found guilty, and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labor. Two other persons were indicted as accessaries to the death of Young; one of them was

sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labor-the other to six.

"Mr. Justice Burrough, in summing up the case to the jury," made a distinction between this kind of combat and that of prize fighting On the latter he animadverted with more severity, and expressed his sorrow "to observe men pitted against each other to fight for a purse, in the presence of thousands of spectators, amongst whom were persons whose stations, fortunes, and education, he would have supposed would incline them to more honourable and gentlemanly amusements."

"Prize fighting," attended by thousands for "amusement!" What is this better than the gladiatorial combats of Rome? Is it possible that a practice, so much worse than brutal, can be popular in a country so enlightened as England! But why should we wonder at this? The public wars of Christendom have been "prize fightings," on a larger scale as a thousand to one in respect to injustice, cruelty, and mischief; yet how many, even of the ministers of the gospel, are found advocates for this enormous curse of nations-this foulest reproach of the human species!

ANECDOTES AND FRAGMENTS.

WHEN the Moravians applied to Bonaparte, for his protection against the insults of his soldiers, he cheerfully granted their request, assigning as his reason," that they were, like himself, friends of peace!"

MR. BURTON, a Baptist Missionary, read the commandments to the Battas. A rajah or priest, who was present, exclaimed, "Well, but if the white people, and Chinese, and Hindoos, and Achines, and Neas, and Battak people, should with one heart adopt all these commandments, spears, swords, guns, would be of no further use; we might throw them away, or make hoes of them."

[ocr errors]

"REVENGE is barbarous and inhuman, and though it be commonly accounted lawful, yet it differs nothing from an injury, but in order of time only. He that retaliates his grievance upon others, only offends with a better excuse." Seneca. "To meditate how we may bite him who has bitten us, and injure him that has injured us, is the part of a beast, and not of a man." Musonius.

"REVENGE is indeed looked upon to be more just than an injury in the eye of the law; but in the eye of right reason they both proceed from the same disease or weakness of mind."

Plutarch.

« PreviousContinue »