THE

FRIEND OF PEACE.

Vol. IV.....No. XIII.

EDITORIAL NOTE.

THE following letters of Lillian Ching came unexpectedly into my possession, prior to his leaving the United Stateswith permission to destroy them or to publish them, as I should deem most proper. After examining the letters carefully and repeatedly, they appeared to me to be well adapted to promote the objects of the Friend of Peace, and to be written with as much candor and correctness as could be reasonably expected from a foreigner. The letters have therefore been assigned for the present Number in the hope that the facts and sentiments contained in them will attract the attention of christians in this country, and be extensively useful in advancing the cause of peace. EDITOR.

LETTERS OF LILLIAN CHING, TO HIS BRETHREN IN THE ISLAND OF LOO CHOO; WRITTEN DURING HIS RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES.

My dear brethren,

U. S., Mount Prospect, 7th month, 1825.

I HAVE now been in the United States of America more than five years, but neither time nor distance has weaned from my country, my brethren, and my friends. They are had my affections in daily remembrance. The people of this country generally trace their origin to Great Britain, and speak the English language, which you had opportunity to hear, when the British ships of war visited our Island. to and as I wish to improve in writing it, I shall use it in my The language is now familiar me, letters to you, not doubting that by this time some of my countrymen understand it, and will be able to interpret for others.

Vol. IV. No. 13.

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I shall say nothing of the geography of the United States; but shall endeavor to give you some account of the character, the manners and customs of this extraordinary people. As I shall have strange things to relate which might lead you to suspect me of such prejudices as naturally arise from unkind or contemptuous treatment, it may be proper for me in the outset, to assure you that I have been treated with much hospitality during my residence in this country. In many respects, I think highly of the Americans. They are far before the people of our Island as to general knowledge, and in the arts and sciences. But many of their opinions and customs are shocking to me. I may in some things misjudge, in others, I may have been misinformed; but I shall aim to be correct in all I shall communicate to you respecting them.

LILLIAN CHING.

LETTER II.

Mount Prospect, 8th month, 1825. You will remember that the Britons, who formerly surprised us by their warlike appearance, called themselves Christians-a name which was then but little understood by our people. The inhabitants of these States have assumed the same name; and I am told that it is a name common to many nations of Europe, and also of South America. By inquiry I have learned that this name was not derived from a place or country, as we derive Chinese from China; but from a wonderful personage who appeared in Palestine, as a Divine Teacher, a little more than 1800 years ago. As he was called Jesus Christ, his disciples call themselves Christians.

You will not soon forget what an unfavorable opinion we formed of Christians, when the Britons who visited our country explained to us the purposes for which their ships were built, and the use of their guns. We very naturally associated the idea of men-killers with the name of Christians; for the Britons made us understand that they were trained to the business of war and manslaughter, and that they deemed this employment just and glorious. To a people like ours, who were wholly ignorant of war, and fighting, and who had been educated to live in love and peace with all men, it could not but be shocking to see such huge ships furnished with engines of death, for the destruction of mankind, and to see them manned with many hundreds of people exulting in their profession as warriors! After my arrival in this country, I found that the Christians of these States had not only their ships of war, and men trained to fight on the ocean, but that throughout the country, the young men spend several days in each year to learn to fight on the land. It is supposed

that more than a million of men are thus trained every year. In the opinion of this people, great glory is acquired by successful deeds of manslaughter. Battles fought fifty years ago, in which many were slain, are still celebrated in praise of the actors, to excite in others what they call the martial spirit, and the love of military glory! I am also told, that this people in time of war, pray to their God to assist them in destroying their fellow-men, and that such prayers are offered up in the name of Jesus Christ, who is called their Mediator and their Savior.

From such facts, it was very natural to infer, that the Christians regard their God and their Mediator as beings who have great delight in deeds of war and bloodshed-especially when practised on a large scale. I was therefore induced to make some inquiry respecting the religion of this people. On mentioning the subject to some friends, I was referred to a book, called the Holy Bible, which they said would give me a full account of Christianity. I was also told that I should find the Christian religion far preferable to any other, as its tendency is to make men love one another, and to live in peace. How to reconcile this with what I had learned of the practice of Christians, I could not understand. But having obtained the Sacred Book, I resolved to examine it myself. I found it to be divided into two parts or Testaments-one is called the Old Testament, and the other the New Testament.

I have already examined the Old Testament. It gives a concise account of the creation of the world, and the fall of man; but a considerable part of this Testament is a history of events relating to a particular race of men, called Hebrews, Israelites, or Jews, to whom their God had shewn special favors, and who are often called his chosen people. Abraham their father, and a considerable number of his posterity were, I am inclined to think, good men ; but the nation as a people, were often reproved by their God, as a rebellious and stiff-necked people. They were, like the Christians of modern times, fond of war-a bloodyminded people. Like Christians too, they would fight and murder one another, as well as the people of other tribes.

The Old Testament also contains many extraordinary predictions of future events, some of which are not yet accomplished. There is a prediction, which is often repeated, of the coming of an extraordinary prophet or messenger among the Jews, who was to effect great changes in the world. The Christians affirm that this wonder-working person was their Christ or Messiah. But the same prophets who foretold the appearance of such a personage, also predicted that under his reign, there would be a time of universal peace, and that the nations would learn war no more. Yet more than eighteen centuries have elapsed since the birth of Jesus Christ, and the time of peace has not arrived. It is true, that the prophets did not very dis

tinctly say at what period of the Messiah's reign the state of peace would begin; but 1800 years is a long time to wait for the fulfilment of such a prediction. Besides, it seems reasonable to suppose, that the promised peace will be, if it ever occurs, effected by the instrumentality of the disciples of Christ, that, by their pacific dispositions and conduct, they will lead the way to universal peace. But there is surely nothing in the present warring character of Christian nations, which affords any encouragement that such a blessed period will ever come. No people on earth are more addicted to war than Christians, none who are at more expense to "learn war" and to be always ready to fight. Perhaps, however, the present nations of Christendom are to exterminate one another by their wars, and that in this way, wars are to cease. If this be the way that peace is to be brought about, the present policy of Christian nations is well adapted to the end. They indeed learn war" and make preparations for war, under the pretext that these are the means of preserving peace. But with equal consistency, the people of a city might continually pile fuel upon live coals and employ the bellows, to prevent a conflagration. So far as I can learn, the Christians employ the same means for making war and for preserving peace! By this I mean, that in both cases they cultivate the spirit of war, praise the deeds of war, and prepare for conflict!

L. C.

LETTER III.

Mount Discovery, 9th month, 1825. You will be amazed on learning how early the military spirit, the spirit of violence and murder, is infused into the minds of children by christian parents-and how continually this spirit is cultivated, throughout the land. No sooner are little boys able to go alone, than many of them are furnished with miniature swords or guns, and taught their use. They are also taught to look forward to the time, when, by weapons of death, they will acquire renown! For boys of larger size, Military Academies or Fencing Schools, are provided, in which various modes of manslaughter are scientifically taught, and the young imbued with a thirst for fighting glory. Indeed, no exertions, no expense, and no applause, are spared to keep alive the love of military fame. I have sometimes attended their public trainings, and reviews, and have witnessed what are called Sham fights, designed to familiarize the minds of the young, to the idea of killing one another.

Can you believe that an intelligent people are so bewildered as to suppose that these are the surest means of preventing war? Such, however, is the fact. At least, so it is said, and I believe

truly; for it is asserted by some of the most eminent men in the country.

But from such an education, I should suppose that wars would very naturally result; and that murder, in various forms, would abound in the land. Nor am I surprised to see the weekly and daily newspapers of this country, much occupied with horrid accounts of murders. They appear to me to be the genuine fruits of the seed so industriously sown. Besides, there is in this country, a privileged class of people denominated "Gentlemen of Honor," who for trivial offences, will fight one another, according to established rules-generally with pistols, but sometimes with muskets or swords. Such murderous combats, by way of eminence, are called "affairs of honor." In this way, many lose their lives, and bring great distress on their families. As barbarous and abominable as this practice is, there is not virtue enough in the land to effect its abolition. Nor is it probable that it ever will be abolished while the more atrocious custom of public war shall retain its popularity.

Within thirty years, all the nations of Christendom have been at war with each other, and in some of their battles, from ten thousand to eighty thousand men have been found dead at the close of a conflict, and it is probable that the number of wounded was greater than that of the slain! Surely, if the God of the Christians is delighted with such scenes of violence and horror among his children, he must be more malignant than any evil being known to the people of Loo Choo. I may add, if the Christian Messiah is a promoter of such strife, or if his religion authorizes and encourages such deeds, the people of our Island have great reason to be thankful for their ignorance of Christianity.

It is however possible that the majority of Christians have been under a mistake in respect to the character of their God, their Messiah, and the religion he came to establish. I have already seen some Christians, who are, like our Islanders, of a pacific disposition. These peaceful men assure me that I cannot with any propriety, judge of the nature of their religion from the warring character of Christian nations. They also affirm, that if the precepts of Jesus Christ, had been duly regarded by all who have assumed the name of Christians, I should never have heard of fighting Christians. When I shall have thoroughly examined their New Testament, I may be better able to inform you respecting the correctness of this opinion. On disputed points, I have often observed the minority to have the right of the question. I hope it will be found so in this case; for to me, it is shocking to think of a God who can be pleased with hatred and war, robbery, murder, and devastation among his rational offspring.

I believe it to be a fact, that men are much influenced by the views they entertain of their God, whether correct or false.