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THE

HERALD OF PEACE.

MARCH 1821.

Encouragement to the Friends of Peace from the success of Missionary exertions.

declaration apply to the present state of mankind!" The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few."

And what can this indicate, but the

I that we are enabled from the certain approach of the reign of the

best authority to state, that the labours
of those who are endeavouring to
propagate the gospel of Peace among
Heathen Nations, are beginning to
present a prospect of very extensive
success. We allude to no parti-
cular description of Christians thus
benevolently occupied. All, we are
led to believe, have reason to rejoice
that they have not "laboured in vain,
nor spent their strength for nought."
The deep rooted prejudices in favour
of idolatrous ceremonies and absurd
objects of worship, which have pre-
sented such insuperable barriers to
the progress of truth, are wonderfully Together, or all gambol in the shade
loosened, and promise, ere long, an
effectual eradication. Amid the va-
rious castes of Hindoostan, and the
barbarous hordes of untutored Afri-
cans, a spirit of inquiry has gone
forth, and their solicitude to receive
religious instruction greatly exceeds
the means which exist for the pur- That creeping pestilence is driv'n away;
pose. All the teachers who have gone
forth to dark and benighted regions,
bear no proportion to the extent of
ignorance and superstition which per-
vades the surface of the earth. With
what force therefore does our Lord's

Messiah? The universal diffusion of
the benign and pacific principles of
the gospel is beautifully illustrated
in the language of prophecy, under
the idea of a complete change in the
nature and dispositions of animals and
reptiles the most venemous and sa-
vage. A state of the world, which the
poet Cowper, in language little short
of inspiration, has thus sweetly sung :

Oh scenes surpassing fable, and yet true,
Scenes of accomplished bliss! which who can see,
Though but in distant prospect, and not feel
His soul refreshed with foretaste of the joy?
The lion, and the libbard, and the bear
Graze with the fearless flocks; all bask at noon

VOL. III.

Of the same grove, and drink one common stream.
Antipathies are none. No foe to man
Lurks in the serpent now: the mother sees,
And smiles to see, her infant's playful hand
Stretched forth to dally with the crested worm,
To stroke his azure neck, or to receive
The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.
All creatures worship Man, and all mankind
One Lord, one Father. Error has no place :

The breath of heaven has chas'd it. In the heart

No passion touches a discordant string,
But all is harmony and love.-----

Let this glorious and entire revolution in the principles and disposition of mankind be the great and animat

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mating object, to cheer the drooping spirits and stimulate the declining efforts of the Friends of Peace, when the monster War, rousing himself from his lair, fills their hearts with despondency by his terrific roarings. As his long possessed haunts are invaded, and his power becomes circumscribed, we may expect that his efforts to regain his domineering and cruel influence will increase. Let us be prepared for them, and be animated to yet more vigorous exertions in the great and glorious cause of Peace. Let us mark with attention, and hail with joy, the successful and steady, though gradual, march of Christianity through the world, and strive by every means in our power to aid its progress.

Auxiliary Peace Society
at Gloucester.

To the Editor of the Herald of Peace.
Feb. 8, 1821.

SIR,

of

Ir affords me the most lively pleasure to inform you, that after many preliminary efforts and applications, the long and much desired object has been accomplished. A Peace Society, auxiliary to that established in London in the year 1816, has been formed in this city, and I, having the honour of being appointed Secretary as well as Treasurer to it, feel it to be my duty to transmit you a copy the Resolutions upon which the Institution is founded, as also a list of our donors and subscribers. The most fervent thanks are due to the great Giver of all good, for enabling us to proceed thus far; and it be comes us devoutly to implore his blessing upon our exertions for the future, that under his divine auspices our numbers may increase, and the blessed time be accelerated when all mankind shall acknowledge it to be their indispensable duty to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness

and honesty.-We have fixed our subscription as low as we could with propriety, being anxious not to deter any from joining with us, that evince tant cause, and deeming it probable an inclination to promote the importhat the number of subscribers will be so much increased by it, that no pecuniary deficiency will be expe

rienced.

RESOLUTIONS.

Gittens, Mr. Francis Jackson, Mr. Charles 1. That Mr. Isaac Cooke, Mr. James Parker, jun. Mr. Richard Portlock, Mr. Herbert Williams, and the Rev. Theophilus Browne, constitute a Com. mittee; any three of whom shall form a Quorum, and be impowered to transact meeting for that purpose the last Monday the necessary business of the Society, in every month.

be appointed Secretary and Treasurer to the said Society.

2. That the Rev. Theophilus Browne

3. That each member contribute five shillings annually towards defraying the necessary expenses at home, and aiding the London Society. Also, that each member pay his subscription by two halfyearly instalments, and have, in the course of the year, an equal share of the Tracts published by the London Society. Persons thinking 5s. too much, shall be admitted for a less sum, but not less than half-a-crown annually.

4. That the members circulate the

tracts among their friends and acquaint

ance with the most punctual and unwearied diligence.

5. That the monthly publication called The Herald of Peace, and also The British Magazine, as far as it has proceeded, shall be taken in, and circulated amongst the members, in the alphabetical order

of their names.

6. That though the presence of any member at the monthly meeting will be highly welcome and acceptable, yet a general meeting, at which all shall be specially requested to attend, shall be holden annually, when a report of the affairs and transactions of the Society At the same shall be read before them. time, whatever improvements shall be suggested by any of the members, and approved by the majority, shall be adopted.

7. Political discussions, written or oral, having no connexion with the subjects of Peace and War, shall be scrupulously and constantly avoided. 8. No tracts or publications shall be circulated by the Society, except such

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Fourth Annual Report of the Massa

chusetts Peace Society.

On occasions like this, religion de mands a grateful recognition of human dependence on Divine power and benignity. Jehovah is to be acknowledged as the prime mover and founder, as well as the gracious protector and benefactor, of all beneficent institutions. Impressed with these sentiments, the executive committee of the Massachusetts Peace Society proceed to make their Annual Report. In performing this duty they propose to take a brief retrospect of the origin of the Society, and its annual progress; and then exhibit some facts and considerations adapted to invigorate the hopes and the zeal of all who desire the peace of the world. It is now four years since twentytwo brethren of different denominations gave their signatures to the constitution of this Society. Many of them will long remember the appalling obstacles which were then presented to their minds, and the concern with which they resolved to encounter the host of prejudices in favour of war as a necessary and irremediable evil. But before the close of the year they had distributed 4820 tracts, and the number of members had increased to 173. In 1817, they distributed 5370

tracts, and at the close of the year, the Society comprised 304 members. In 1818, the third year of the Society, 8298 tracts were distributed—of which 4785 were copies of the Friend of Peace. The same year six auxiliary or Branch Societies were formed and reported: including these, the whole number of members at the end of the year was upwards of 550. In the course of 1819, the distribution of tracts has amounted to 16,149-of which 7360 have been copies of the Friend of Peace. The distribution has extended to nearly all the United States, and the British provinces in America-to Great Britain, France, and Russia in Europe,-to India, and to the Sandwich Islands. Besides the tracts which have been circulated at the immediate expense of the Society, an edition of 2000 copies of the last Annual Address, was published for sale by Messrs. Wells and Lilly. This measure was proposed by the committee, on account of the deficiency of funds at the commencement of the year, and on the presumption that the address would in this way extensively circulated. It may also be remarked with gratitude, that since the first edition of the Sermon on War, at the expence of this Society, the New England Tract Society have published three editions of that work, 6000 copies each, in the form of a tract, and the greater part of the last edition has been sold or distributed. To these items may be added, that, besides several hundred smaller tracts, 5900 copies of the Friend of Peace have been sold to Peace Societies in other states, and to individuals who were disposed to disseminate pacific principles.

be

The Society has been increased in the last year by eighty-three individual members, and six additional auxiliary Societies. The whole number of subscribers to the original Society is 547; to the twelve branches 335; making a total of 882. Of the twelve Auxiliaries, three are in New Hampshire, eight in Massachusetts,

and one in Connecticut. Several of
them have held their annual meetings.
It is presumed that there are also
a considerable number of subscribers,
whose names have not been reported
to the committee. But the Society
has to lament the death of more than
twenty valuable members. One of
whom, justly respected, led in our
devotional exercises on the last anni-
versary. [Rev. Joshua Huntingdon.]
Another, still more recently called,
had for many years occupied the
chair of the first magistrate in this
commonwealth-and from whom a
letter, approving the objects of the
Society, was received but a few weeks
before his decease. [Hon. Caleb
Strong.] We have also to condole
with the Peace Society of Maine, in
the loss of their worthy president, the
Rev. Dr. Appleton. Similar occur-
rences are still to be expected, and
these admonitory events should con-
duce to the greater activity of surviv-
ing members.

in this country, and in Great Britain. They can only state that, from the information received, there are now in this country, besides the Massachusetts Peace Society, and its twelve auxiliaries, fifteen Peace Societies in the United States: one in Maine, one in Rhode Island, five in New York, one in North Carolina, five in Ohio, and two in Indiana.

The committee anxiously look for information from the Society in London for Promoting Permanent and Universal Peace. The latest intelligence from this important institution was by The Herald of Peace for April 1819. But from their second annual Report, June 1818, we are assured that this Society was then in a prosperous state; that it had several auxiliaries in different parts of the kingdom; and that, besides the annual subscriptions, they had received donations amounting to more than 950 dollars. And according to a statement in The Herald of Peace for During the past year many inte- March 1819, the receipts of the Soresting letters have been received-ciety, for eight months subsequent to from which it is evident that the tracts the second Report, had amounted to of the Society have not been distri- upwards of 900 dollars. buted in vain,-that the friends of peace are multiplying in the United States, and in other countries. The letters from Ceylon, which were published in the sixteenth number of the Friend of Peace, evince that the objects of the Society have able and ardent advocates in India. These letters were accompanied with a donation from J. N. Mooyaart, esq. a worthy magistrate and distinguish ed philanthropist. Presuming that the measure would be approved by the Society, the executive committee returned to India, in tracts, the whole amount of the donation-one half to the disposal of the donor, the other to the disposal of the American missionaries.

It would be gratifying to the committee were they able to give a more full account of other Peace Societies • All formed in the course of nineteen months.-ED.

An excellent address of the Glasgow Peace Society, bearing date March 12, 1819, has been received, and republished in the Columbian Sentinel. This address was accompanied by the constitution of the Society, and the names of forty-two officers, including a committee of thirtysix members. From what is known of the character as well as the number of the officers, it may reasonably be expected that this Society will make a powerful impression in Scotland.

The

In October 1818, a monthly work was established at Glasgow, entitled the British Magazine and Periodical Gleaner. This is devoted to objects of philanthropy, and takes a deep interest in the cause of Peace. Herald of Peace, devoted particularly to the objects of Peace Societies, commenced its course in London last January. These publications will do much to diffuse pacific sentiments in

the dominions of Great Britain, and in other countries.

Considering the recent date of the first Peace Societies, and the obstacles which stood in their way, their progress has been greater than could have been reasonably anticipated. It must however be acknowledged, that very little has yet been effected, when compared with what remains to be done. Should it be asked, why has so little been accomplished? a satisfactory answer may be given in the words of Dr. Chalmers. In reply to an objection against the expense of Bible Societies in Great Britain, he observes" It may suffice to state, that the income of all the Bible and Missionary Societies in this island, would not do more than defray the annual maintenance of one ship of the line. When put by the side of the millions, which are lavished without a sigh in the enterprises of war, it is nothing." -What then, we may ask, is the income of all the Peace Societies on earth? Not enough perhaps to "defray the maintenance" of one majorgeneral of a regular army. Yet something has been effected with this trifling income; a change of opinion has been produced in the minds of many thousands of people in different countries, not only as to the character and necessity of war, but the possibility of its abolition. What then might have been done with an income sufficient to "defray the annual maintenance of one ship of the line?" And what will be effected when governments shall bestow their "millions as liberally to render war infamous and abhorrent, as they have done to render it popular and alluring! Such a change in the state of society, and the manner of appropriating national revenues, is probably implied in those predictions which relate to the pacific reign of the Messiah.

has been

War, for many ages, supported and encouraged with a profusion which might induce a belief that nations have regarded it as the chief end of man, the glory of human nature,

a good to be ardently sought, rather than an evil to be abhorred and avoided. The passions of avarice, ambition, envy, and revenge, are the steam which moves the machinery of war. When this is raised to a certain ex tent, hostilities become necessary, and commence of course. Yet to keep these passions alive and active, has too commonly been the fatal policy of men in power-the principal object of national pursuits and national expenditures. To divert the attention of men from the deleterious effects of this policy-EDUCATION, folly, and custom, have conspired to surround the atrocities and horrors of war with an astonishing and deceptive halo of glory. Deeds of rapine and violence, as unjust as private robbery and murder, and a thousandfold more calamitous, have often been celebrated as brilliant exploits of gallantry and patriotism. The principal agents in the worst of crimes have been deified by Pagans; and men, whose tempers and lives were a perfect contrast to those of the Prince of Peace, have rivalled him in the esteem of his professed disciples. But these delusions must pass away when the predicted period arrives, that wars shall cease to the ends of the earth. To hasten that event, God is now employing perhaps millions of human agents. The many thousands of beneficent institutions of various names in different countries, are so many auxiliaries to the CELESTIAL PEACE SOCIETY, over which God himself presides. These institutions have a happy tendency to enlighten the minds, and expand the hearts of men-to eradicate unfriendly prejudices, to dispel the mists of defusion, to harmonize and bless the world.

*The unprecedented exertions of

* If any of our readers should question for a moment the propriety of devoting a part of The Herald of Peace to EDUCATION, and to subjects connected with it, alone on the concluding part of this most we might confidently rest our justification interesting article.-ED.

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