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with the greatest gratitude, on this part of their character. They have been the constant fellow-labourers, in England, of Mr. Wilberforce and myself in this great and noble cause, from the first moment in which we ourselves embarked in it; and, in North-America they have equally supported it; indeed they have been the original instruments of effecting whatever has been done in that country, on behalf of the injured Africans and their descendants. In fact, whenever you see a Quaker you see a friend to the distressed; but more especially to those of the African race. And I cannot doubt, there fore, that every Quaker will experience your Majesty's kind protec tion and regard; but more particularly when he comes to you, not for the purposes of commerce, but as a promoter of the interests of religion. I shall only add to this account, that the Quakers are, in many respects, a singular people. They are singular in their language, dress, and customs. They have laid aside the usual ceremonies and formalities of the world, in saluting or addressing themselves to others. Some years ago I wrote their history, and if Mr. Grellet should receive this letter in time, he will probably present your Majesty with a copy.

I am your Majesty's friend,

THOMAS CLARKSON. P. S. The above is the copy of a letter, which I sent last week, enclo sed to my friend Mr. Stephen Grellet, that he might deliver it with his own hand, to your Majesty; but having just heard, that it is probable, that Mr. Grellet may have left America for Hayti before he receives it, I have thought it right to send this copy immediately to yourself, in order that it may be known to your Majes ty who he is, should he come without my first letter.

Palace of Sans Souci, Nov. 18, 1815, and 13th year of Independence. The KING, to Mr. THS. CLARKSON. SIR, MY FRIEND,

YOUR two letters of the tenth of June and sixteenth of August, have reached me. They relate to Mr. Grellet, a minister of the gospel in

connection with the religious Society of the Quakers, and also to the prin ciples of that estimable Society, with which I am perfectly well acquainted. If Mr. Grellet and his companions should visit this country, I will not fail, according to your recomm.endafion, to treat them with kindness; and to entertain for him the respect which is due to his own character, as well as to the consideration of his be ing your friend. I am delighted to hear that he is a friend to the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and to the unhappy Africans and their descendants. These sentiments, which indeed particularly distinguish the Quakers, must ever ensure them my res pect and esteem. I have received with pleasure the History of the Quakers, which you sent me by Mr. Prince Sanders, and thank you for it, with all my heart. Believe me, with the highest respect, and the most cor dial friendship, HENRY.

SENECA INDIANS,

THE Governor of the State of New York, communicated to the Legisla ture for their consideration the following petition from the principal Chiefs of the Seneca Indians. While this pathetic address awakens, our sympathy for the sufferings of our red brethren, we hope the confidence. which they express in the being and government of God will be improved by Christians, and that something will yet be done for their everlasting and spiritual improvement, that a remnant of those whose soil we possess, may yet receive some remuneration for their injuries.

To His Excellency DEWIT CLINTON, Governor of the State of N. York. Feb. 14th, 1818.

FATHER, We learn from your talk delivered at the great council fire at Albany, your opinion of the condition and prospects of your red children.

FATHER,-We feel that the hand of our God has long been heavy on his red children. For our sins he has brought us low, and caused us to melt away before our white brothers, as snow before the fire. His ways are perfect; he regardeth not the complexion of man. God is terrible in

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FATHER, We thank you that you feel anxious to do all you can to the perishing ruins of your red children. We hope, Father, you will make a fence strong and high around us, that wicked white men may not devour us at once, but let us live as long as we can. We are persuaded you will do this for us, because our field is laid waste and trodden down by every beast; we are feeble and cannot resist them.

FATHER, We are persuaded you will do this for the sake of our white brothers, lest God, who has appeared so strong in building up white men, and pulling down Indians, should turn his hand and visit our white brothers for their sins, and call them to account for all the wrongs they have done them, and all the wrongs they have not prevented that was in their power to prevent, to their poor red brothers who have no helper.

FATHER,-Would you be the father of your people, and make them good and blessed of God, and happy, let not the cries of your injured red children ascend into his ears against you.

FATHER,-We desire to let you know that wrong information hath reached your ears. Our western brethren hath given us no land.-You will learn all our mind on this subject, by a talk which we sent our great father, the President of the U. States. We send it to you, that you may see it and learn our mind.

Red Jacket, his mark-Young Ring, his mark-Captain Billey, his mark-Captain Polland, his mark-Twenty Canoes, his mark --James Stephenson, his markChief Warrior, his mark-John Snow, his mark-Stride Town,

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I have for several years wept over the vast sufferings of an afflicted world; I have wept to see rational beings so blind as to pursue a path as one that would certainly lead to liberty and happiness, when, at the same time, it is the very path that leads to slave ry and misery. Had the custom of war never obtained, liberty and hap piness had never been endangered. All the nations of the earth would have lived in peace and harmony, and the interest of one would have been the interest of all. Indeed and in truth now the interest of one is the interest of all; but it appears that men have become so blind that they cannot see their real interest; or if they do see it, they are no longer desirous to cultivate it. Unhappily for the world a false idea of glory and honour has entered it. This idea has ever been the great spring of motion to the ambitious. To crown themselves with such glory and honour they have not hesitated to plunge nations into all the horrors of war ;—by such men the plains of every nation on earth have at different times been crimsoned with human blood. What floods of tears have in all ages been shed by the number of disconsolate widows and helpless orphans, which have been made by this barbarous custom! How often have they been exposed to the keen blasts of pierc ing cold, and heavy torrents of chilling rain! How often have they been clothed in rags and pinched with

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bunger! Mankind have suffered more By this custom than the imagination can possibly paint.

I have, from observation, become perfectly convinced that education has more influence over the human mind than every thing else. Though this assertion to some may appear too bold, I believe that every person who has thought on it, will readily acquiesce in the opinion. From the birth of war to the present day, men have been taught to applaud the bloody custom as the guardian of liberty and happiness; thus it has gone on till a large portion of mankind think it absolutely necessary.

All that is necessary is to turn the channel of education. Had a hundredth part of the labour and money been expended to render the custom odious in the eyes of mankind that has been expended to prosecute and applaud it, it would long ago have been blown out of existence.

I have been much pleased to learn that Missionaries were preachingand Bible societies spreading the Scriptures, through the Heathen and

Mahometan nations of the earth. But when I have taken a second consideration on the subject, I have wept, believing the labour to be spent always for nought.-And Why! Because of the great inconsistency in the language and conduct of christian nations. The missionaries preach and the Scriptures declaré universal love; yet how often do we see christians plunging their weapons of death into each others bowels! Hence Pagan's and Mahometans are led to believe that their religion is better founded than ours.

Let the christian nations of the earth unite 'as one great band of brothers, joined by all the ties of interest and love, and under the immediate guidance and direction of our great, wise and good Parent: then they may with success spread the christian religion among Pagans and Mahometans. This done, they may follow on with the olive branch of peace, and spread it from pole to pole.

For the first seventeen years of my life I was as far as my abilities extended-a warm advocate for war; and it was not until near the close of

the late war with England, that I became convinced.

I have been much pleased to learn that so many eminent characters in the union have felt so much interested in the welfare of mankind, as to.. spend a portion of their time and labour in endeavouring to forward the glorious cause of universal peace. Not long since I called a meeting of the citizens of this vicinity for forming or endeavouring to form a Peace Society-before which I read an address, I had drawn up, and several other persons spoke on the occasion. After which I was pleased to see nearly fifty persons give their names.

As the foregoing letter was probably written without any expectation that it would appear in print, liberty has been taken to omit some words, and, in a very few instances, to change the phraseology, but with strict regard to the meaning of the writer. He appears to have been a man of a serious and reflecting mind. The strong language which he has used respecting the influence of education, and the inconsistency of Christians, deserves particular attention. A very great part of the present depravity in all nations may perhaps justly be denominated educational depravity. This is true of the nations of Christendom as well as of other nations. The modes of education among Christians have not only been defective, but in many respects absolutely pernicious-much more adapted to make disciples of Odin or Mahomet, than genuine followers of the Prince of peace. Nor may we expect that a thorough and. general reformation of morals will ever be effected, until there shall have been a radical change in the modes of education. The maxim of the apostle "That which a man soweth that shall he also reap" is as applicable to education as to any other thing. Were the husbandman to be at ever so much expense in ploughing and manuring his field, still he would have no reason to expect a plentiful harvest of clear wheat, if the seed sown were a mixture of tares and cockle, with a small portion of the precious grain. As little reason have we to expect в

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harvest of Christian virtues from modes of education by which we implant a mixture of Gothic, Mahometan and Christian principles-the two former being regarded as supreme, the latter as subordinate.

ADDRESS

Of the Peace Society of Rhode-Island

and Providence Plantations. AGREEABLY to public notice, a respectable number of the citizens of this State assembled in this town, on the 20th inst. to take into consideration the propriety of forming a Peace Society in the State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations. After a free discussion of this important subject, it was resolved, as the sense of the meeting, that it is highly expedient that such a Society be established. The Constitution shows the principles upon which it is founded, and the benevolent object it contemplates. The design of this address is to invite the serious and candid attention of the public to this subject, and to obtain their patronage and co-operation in promoting peace on Restearth and good will to men.

ing our faith upon the immutable promises of the divine word, we entertain no doubt of the ultimate success of the exertions of the friends of peace.

The prophetic page presents the cheering and animating truth, that wars must cease to the ends of the earth; and the precepts of the Prince of Peace, illustrated and enforced by His own conduct, show in what manner this desirable object may be effected. When men shall be influenced by His spirit, precepts and example, their lusts and passions, whence proceed wars and fightings, will be subdued, and it will be their desire

to do unto others, as they would others should do unto them." Various events of a recent date inspire a hope that this auspicious era will soon commence. The establishment of Bible Societies in different parts of Christendom, and their activity in diffusing the Scriptures among all the families of the earth, will have a happy tendency in illuminating the minds of men upon the awful subject of war. From the inspired volume, the aged

and the youth will learn the origin, the nature and the enormity of this desolating and wide-spreading custom; and their faith, if it be operative, will iufluence their tempers and their lives, "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God."

But our hearts are still further encouraged by the establishment of Peace Societies, both in Europe and America. The exertions of those infant institutions have been attended with beneficial effects, and the minds of Christians and Christian Ministers have been more powerfully impressed with the enormity and inconsistency of war, and more actively engaged in disseminating the principles of peace. Animated by these events, we are disposed to use our influence and ability in promoting the welfare and the happiness of our brethren of the human race; and humbly trust, that the blessings of the God of Peace will attend our feeble exertions. We indulge the pleasing hope, that we shall have the best wishes, aid, and support of every pious Christian, of every philanthropick and benevolent mind, of whatever religious or political denomination.

Providence, March 26, 1818.

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THE

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE.

No. 6.

JUNE, 1818.

WHAT IS RELIGION?

We may answer in general, that religion consists in a moral resemblance of God; in a willing, a chosen, a conscientious and habitual conformity to His commands, as our supreme rule of life, and our highest happiness; in su. preme love of God; in doing to others as we would that others should do to us; and in keeping ourselves unspot ted from the world. The seat of religion, is the heart; and this emphatically is the will of God, even our sanctifica

tion;

a separation of our hearts our wills and affec tions, to His service. All be side this, which belongs to religion, comes under the denomination either of means, or of motives. Let us endeavour clearly to understand this disanction, that we may ever use the means and motives of religion, with a steady view to its infinitely important end; and in that end seek, where a lone we can find it, the true and eternal good of our souls.

The Pharisees, we know, were rigorously exact in the payment of tythes, in their observance of the Sabbath, in their daily prayers, in fasting twice in the week, in displaying their broad phylacteries, Vol. VI.-No. 6.

Vol. VI.

in washing their hands as often as they ate, and in the observance of every festival required either by the law, or by the traditions of their fathers, But it is worthy of remark that, the heaviest woes which our Lord pronounced, were a gainst the Pharisees. Why? Because they fasted and prayed to be seen of men. Because they made clean the out-side, while within they were full of extortion and excess. Because, while they paid tythe of mint, and anise, and cummin, they omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and fidelity. 'These weightier matters of the law,' said Jesus, ought ye to have done. They are the end of the institutions God has given to you and to your fathers. Your ceremonial observances, and all the rites which Moses commanded, important as they may be, are not religion. They are but means, of which religion is intended to be the end; and one is as distinct from the other, as are the fruits of the earth from the in struments, with which men labour to obtain them.' These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.'

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