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SEVENTH

ANNUAL REPORT

OF

THE MASSACHUSETTS PEACE SOCIETY.

WHILE reflecting on the duty of forming their Seventh Annual Report, the Executive Committee have perceived much cause for acknowledging the agency of God in what has been done. The march of Peace Societies is not accompanied with the roar of the Tornado, the Earthquake, or the Artillery of belligerent armies. They proceed with the "still small voice" of love and peace. But God is in that voice, giving effect to benevolent enterprises. He gradually removes the obstacles which at first impeded their progress. He dispels delusions, corrects misapprehensions, and diminishes the power of preju dice. Besides, he has implanted in the hearts of all good people a disposition which renders them accessible to the voice of peace, and which prepares them to regard with horror the injustice and barbarity of war, when fairly presented to their minds. Whereever the Peace Tracts are circulated, good people are found to admit the importance of the principles, however doubtful they may be of their success. To the extent, therefore, that good people exist in the various countries of the world, God has done something preparatory to the general diffusion of the principles of peace.

As the successes of Peace Societies consist in overcoming evil with good, their Keports will have little resemblance to the bulle. tins of a hostile army. They will contain no boastings of thousands slain or wounded in "a glorious battle ;" nor of the ravaging and desolation of provinces the storming of castles, or the sacking and conflagration of towns or cities. The victo ries of Peace Societies are of a different nature; and their Reports must be expected to contain an exhibition of pacific means and results.

been distributed in the last year

Of the Numbers of the Friend of Peace,

Of smaller Tracts,

In the same year there have been sold-
Of the Friend of Peace,
Of other Tracts,

In all

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In the gratuitous distributions, besides the many copies which have been circulated in the United States, some have been sent to each of the British provinces in America-some to France, Holland and Russia on the continent of Europe-to Calcutta, Ceylon and Serampore in Asia-to New Holland, Otaheite and the Sandwich islands, and some to South America. A greater number have been sent to Great Britain than to any other foreign country; but these have chiefly been in exchange for the Herald of Peace. Including these, there have been sent to foreign states 771 copies of the Friend of Peace, and nearly the same number of other Tracts.

Here it may be proper to enumerate some important facts relating to the diffusion of pacific principles. The Hingham Branch of this Society caused to be published a very valuable Address, delivered to them by the Rev. Charles Brooks. The East Haddam Branch have had an Address delivered to them on each return of their Anniversary. In Ohio the Moral Advo cate is published monthly-a work avowedly in favor of the principles of peace, and which has an extensive circulation. Several newspapers in different states have, in the course of the year, published many important articles, favorable to the objects of Peace Societies. The Rev. Dr. Holcombe of Philadelphia has published a volume of Lectures, three of which are on this question" Is carnal warfare consistent with primitive christianity?" This volume is likely to have an extensive circulation, a second edition being in the press if not already published. The work has been highly recommended in the Georgia Advertiser, by the Rev. W. T. Brantly of Augusta. The sentiments on war were decidedly approved, and said to be such as "must accord with the heart if not the head of every Christian." In Augusta and its vicinity alone, this advertisement, in a few weeks, procured for the volume 500 subscribers. These facts are stated with pleasure, as they afford ground to hope that pacific sentiments are about to be extensively diffused in the Southern States; and that people are becoming more inclined to examine the subject of war.

Were the progress of the principles of peace to be inferred merely from the additions made to our Society, it would appear perhaps less rapid in the last year than in some of the preceding.

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But from facts already mentioned, with others yet to be stated, may be evident that more has been effected in the last year, than in any other since the existence of Peace Societies.

Since our last Anniversary, intelligence has been received of a Peace Society formed in Reading, of this state; and another in Oxford county in the state of Maine.

A gentleman by the name of Matthew Simpson, residing at Ballston Spa, in New York, on reading some of the Peace Tracts, became impressed with the importance of their object, and traveled through several counties in that state and a few towns in Vermont, and procured 1950 subscribers for a book to be composed of the Solemn Review and seven Numbers of the Friend of Peace He then procured the copies to be printed, and dis tributed them himself.

Captain Isaac Metcalf, President of Royalston Branch, has recently been employed in behalf of our Society to distribute Tracts, procure subscribers, and encourage the formation of Soci eties. In consequence of his faithful exertions, two Reading Peace Societies have been formed in New Hampshire, one at Gilsum, the other at Surry; and in this state subscribers have been procured for four Branch Societies: one at Greenfield, 23 members; one at Warwick, 51 members; one at New Salem, 7 members; and one at Winchendon of 8 members. In several other towns, encouragement was obtained that Societies would soon be formed. Captain Metcalf reports, that he was uniformly well received; and that ministers and other respectable gentlemen of the many towns he visited, were cordially disposed to encourage the objects of Peace Societies.

In former years, Tracts were sent into all the neighbouring British provinces. The seeds thus sown have taken root, and pleasing fruits have already appeared. In Nova Scotia, we have an active Agent in Walter Bromley Esq. formerly an officer in the British army. Through his exertions, aided by respectable gentlemen of different denominations, a Society has been organized at Rawdon in that province, as large as ours was at its formation. By a letter from one of its officers, récently received, we are assured that considerable effect has been produced on the minds of many people; that articles have been admitted into newspapers to excite attention to the subject,-and that gentlemen high in office and truly respectable, have approved the Peace Tracts, and the exertions to render war the abhorrence of man. In Quebec, a number of gentlemen subscribed and forwarded twenty dollars, wishing to obtain copies of all the Tracts which had been published by the Societies in this country and in Britain.

By the exertions of Rev. Thaddeus Osgood, one of our members, a subscription of twenty dollars was also obtained at Kingston, Upper Canada. Since which, two gentlemen of the

who are shocked at the exertions for abolishing the practice of war, which has so long been regarded as the highway to glory! Peace Societies have abundant cause of thankfulness to the Great Disposer of events, that their lot has been cast in an age so favorable to the progress of truth and the principles of peace; that their exertions commenced at a period when the nations of Christendom had been wearied and exhausted by the burdens and ravages of war, and that so many men of distinguished rank, talents and influence, were prepared to approve the object of such associations.

The success of former exertions to change public opinion, and to abolish barbarous laws and customs, should stimulate the friends of peace to rise superior to all intimidation from the obstacles they may be called to encounter. What would now be thought in Massachusetts, of hanging Quakers or banishing Baptists, for their religious opinions! With what horror would our legislature regard a proposition to revive the ancient laws relating to witchcraft! What indeed is at present thought of the traffic in slaves! It is now piracy by the laws of the land. Yet it is not half a century since this same traffic was deemed laudable commerce, both in Europe and in America! What then, at the close of this century, will our children or our children's children think of public war, as a Tribunal for settling differences between Christian Rulers or civilized nations! -A Tribunal whose decisions are not even expected to be gov erned either by reason or justice, but by brute force, or skill and success in doing mischief!-A Tribunal, in fact, which tramples under foot the laws of Jehovah-which combines and multiplies indefinitely the injustice, the folly, the barbarity and the horrors of the Slave trade-the witchcraft laws, and the most bloody persecutions! Nay, a Tribunal which sanctions and applauds precisely such deeds as those for which pirates are hanged in time of peace!

Perhaps future generations of men will find nothing in the history of their ancestors more astonishing to them than these facts that so late as the nineteenth century, the exertions of Peace Societies were found necessary to abolish the most horrible of all Tribunals; and that after their object had been fairly stated to the public, there were many bearing the name of Christians, who regarded the enterprise as either inexpedient, or hopeless, or as having been commenced too early by a hundred years!

In the dark ages, when men were so profoundly ignorant as to imagine that the Duel, or Judicial Combat, was a wise and safe appeal to Heaven for the decision of a controversy, and that the result was always in favor of the innocent; there was some ex cuse for duelling and war. But since the progress of light has abolished the sentiment on which such sanguinary appeals were

tribunals which are known to have originated a se pse barism, and to have no respect to justice in her rex ai

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In concluding this Report, it may be proper s DICO DE of Providence, by which we are anday remmiet, or cap. the Society may be destined to live at prister, Jan bers must successively be numbered with me teat last year, no less than nine bave seen rempses state exempt from war and the love of mai Čas 197number, one was a highly respected Procese of Ervas n. versity; one, a Life Subscriber, known to man? 19 beste f 16nevolence; one, an exemplary and eminent Priscan of A DIT: and one, the venerable Minister of the gee. win at the or tude to be the first subscriber to our Class 71258 The Viet were all gentlemen who had occupied respectate staalinen society. It would be well, if in view of these events the fir viving members should severally adopt the angtage of tier L I must do the works of him that seat me, vile IA 12 night cometh when no man can work.”

N. B. The deceased members referred to in the Bears Professor Levi Frisbie, David Hyslop, Let Ian Laut M Rev. David Osgood, D. D. Hon. Samiel Alans, are from of Dunmer Academy, Dr. Abijah Richardson, Deprem Zala Deacon Samuel Withington, and Jusepe cove, Loy

OFFICERS OF THE M. P. S. FOR 184

His Honor William Phillips. Present
Hon. Thomas Dawes, Vice Pressent.

Mr. David Reed, Treasurer.

Rev. T. M. Harris D. D. Receding Herdery,
Rev. Noah Worcester D. D. Currerpenlaz bord
Rev. John Foster D. D. 24 Carterpang Mercari

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