THE

HERALD OF PEACE.

.

MARCH 1821.

success.

Encouragement to the Friends of declaration apply to the present state

Peace from the success of Mis- of mankind ! *“ The harvest truly is sionary exertions.

great, but the labourers are few." IT

is with the greatest pleasure And what can this indicate, but the

that we are enabled from the certain approach of the reign of the best authority to state, that the labours Messiah? The universal diffusion of of those who are endeavouring to the benign and pacific principles of propagate the gospel of Peace among the gospel is beautifully illustrated Heathen Nations, are beginning to in the language of prophecy, under present a prospect of very extensive the idea of a complete change in the

We allude to no parti- nature and dispositions of animals and cular description of Christians thus reptiles the most venemous and sabenevolently occupied. All, we are rage. A state of the world, which the led to believe, have reason to rejoice poet Cowper, in language little short that they have not “ laboured in vain, of inspiration, has thus sweetly sung: nor spent their strength for nought."

Oh scenes surpassing fable, and yet true, The deep rooted prejudices in favour

Scenes of accomplished bliss! whieh who can see, of idolatrous ceremonies and absurd Though but in distant prospect, and not feel objects of worship, which have pre

His soul refreshed with foretaste of the joy ?

The lion, and the libbard, and the bear sented such insuperable barriers to

Graze with the fearless flocks; all bask at noon the progress

of truth, are wonderfully Together, or all gambol in the shade loosened, and promise, ere long, an Of the same grove, and drink one common stream. effectual eradication. Amid the va- Antipathies are none. No fue to man

Lurks in the serpent now: the mother sees, rious castes of Hindoostan, and the

And smiles to see, her infant's playfal hand barbarous hordes of untutored Afri

Stretched forth to dally with the crested worm, cans, a spirit of inquiry has gone To stroke his azure neck, or to receive forth, and their solicitude to receive

The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.

All creatures worship Man, and all mankind religious instruction greatly exceeds

One Lord, one Father. Error has no place : the means which exist for the pur

That creeping pestilence is driv'n away; pose. All the teachers who have gone The breath of heaven has chas'd it. In the heart forth to dark and benighted regions, No passion totiches a discordant string,

rmony and love. bear no proportion to the extent of But all is ignorance and superstition which per- Let this glorious and entire revoluvades the surface of the earth. With tion in the principles and disposition what force therefore does our Lord's of mankind be the great and animat

K

VOL. III.

RESOLUTIONS.

mating object, to cheer the drooping and honesty.-We have fixed our spirits and stimulate the declining subscription as low as we could with efforts of the Friends of Peace, when propriety, being anxious not to deter the monster War, rousing himself from any from joining with us, that evince his lair, fills their hearts with despon- tant cause, and deeming it probable

an inclination to promote the impordency by his terrific roarings. As his that the number of subscribers will long possessed haunts are invaded, be so much increased by it, that no and his power becomes circumscribed, pecuniary deficiency will be expewe may expect that his efforts to re- rienced. gain his domineering and cruel influence will increase. Let us be pre- Gittens, Mr. Francis Jackson, Mr. Charles

1. That Mr. Isaac Cooke, Mr. James pared for them, and be animated to Parker, jun. Mr. Richard Portlock, yet more vigorous exertions in the Mr. Herbert Williams, and the Rev. great and glorious cause of Peace. mittee ; any three of whom shall form a

Theophilus Browne, constitute a Com. Let us mark with attention, and hail Quorum, and be impowered to transact with joy, the successful and steady, meeting for that purpose the last Monday

the necessary business of the Society, though gradual, march of Christianity in every month. through the world, and strive by every

2. That the Rev. Theophilus Browne means in our power to aid its pro- the said Society.

be appointed Secretary and Treasurer to gress.

3. That each member contribute five shillings annually towards defraying the

necessary expenses at home, and aiding Auxiliary Peace Society

the London Society. Also, that each at Gloucester.

member pay his subscription by two half

yearly instalments, and have, in the To the Editor of the Herald of Peace. course of the year, an equal share of

the Tracts published by the London So. SIR,

Feb. 8, 1821. ciety. Persons thinking 5s. too much, Ir affords me the most lively plea- shall be admitted for a less sam, but not sure to inform you, that after many less than half-a-crown annually. preliminary efforts and applications,

4. That the members circulate the the long and much desired object tracts among their friends and acquainthas been accomplished.

A Peace wearied diligence.

ance with the most punctual and unSociety, auxiliary to that established

5. That the monthly publication called in London in the year 1816, has been The Herald of Peace, and also The British formed in this city, and I, having the Magazine, as far as it has proceeded, honour of being appointed Secretary the members, in the alphabetical order

shall be taken in, and circulated amongst as well as Treasurer to it, feel it to of their names. be my duty to transmit

you a copy

of 6. That though the presence of any the Resolutions upon which the In- member at the monthly meeting will be stitution is founded, as also a list of highly welcome and acceptable, yet a our donors and subscribers. The

general meeting, at which all shall be most fervent thanks are due to the holden annually, when a report of the

specially requested to attend, shall be great Giver of all good, for enabling affairs and transactions of the Society us to proceed thus far; and it be shall be read before them. At the same comes us devoutly to implore his time, whatever improvements shall be blessing upon our exertions for the suggested by any of the members, and

approved by the majority, shall be future, that under his divine auspices adopted. our numbers may increase, and the 7. Political discussions, written or oral, blessed time be accelerated when all having no connexion with the subjects of mankind shall acknowledge it to be

Peace and War, shall be scrupulously

and constantly avoided. their indispensable duty to lead quiet

8. No tracts or publications shall be and peaceable lives in all godliness circulated by the Society, except sucli

?

as shall be approved by the Committees tracts, and at the close of the year, the in London and at home.

9. That an account of the formation of Society comprised 304 members. In the Society be drawn up by the Secretary,

1818, the third year of the Society, and inserted, by permission, in The

8298 tracts were distributed—of which Herald of Peace.

4785 were copies of the Friend of 10. That an address to the inhabitants Peace. The same year six auxiliary of the city of Gloucester, distinctly

or Branch Societies were formed and stating the design, intention, and views of the Society, be printed on a sheet of reported: including these, the whole paper, and carefully circulated.

number of members at the end of the SUBSCRIBERS.

year was upwards of 550. In the

course of 1819, the distribution of R. W. Bemman, W. Kimber, H. R. Williams, J. N. Usher,

tracts has amounted to 16,149_of Mrs. Browne, C. Cooke,

which 7360 have been copies of the Rev. Theoph. Browne, H. P. Buckler, Ann Sankey, James Gittens,

Friend of Peace. The distribution C. Parker, jun. John Lacey,

has extended to nearly all the United Isaac Cooke,

Daniel Thomas, Richard Portlock, Mr. Collier,

States, and the British provinces in B. Bonnor, A Female Friend.

America-to Great Britain, France, Donors-Two Male Friends.

and Russia in Europe,-to India, and

to the Sandwich Islands. Besides Fourth Annual Report of the Massa- the tracts which have been circulated chusetts Peace Society.

at the immediate expense of the So

ciety, an edition of 2000 copies of the On occasions like this, religion de- last Annual Address, was published mands a grateful recognition of hu- for sale by Messrs. Wells and Lilly. man dependence on Divine power and This measure was proposed by the benignity. Jehovah is to be ac- committee, on account of the defiknowledged as the prime mover and ciency of funds at the commencement founder, as well as the gracious pro- of the year, and on the presumption tector and benefactor, of all benefi- that the address would in this way

be cent institutions. Impressed with these extensively circulated. It may also sentiments, the executive committee be remarked with gratitude, that since of the Massachusetts Peace Society the first edition of the Sermon on proceed to make their Annual Re- War, at the expence of this Society, port. In performing this duty they the New England Tract Society have propose to take a brief retrospect of published three editions of that work, the origin of the Society, and its an- 6000 copies each, in the form of a nual

progress; and then exhibit some tract, and the greater part of the last facts and considerations adapted to edition has been sold or distributed. invigorate the hopes and the zeal of To these items may be added, that, all who desire the peace of the world. besides several hundred smaller tracts,

It is now four years since twenty- 5900 copies of the Friend of Peace two brethren of different denomina- have been sold to Peace Societies in tions gave their signatures to the con- other states, and to individuals who stitution of this Society. Many of were disposed to disseminate pacific them will long remember the appal- principles. ling obstacles which were then pre- The Society has been increased in sented to their minds, and the concern ' the last year by eighty-three indiviwith which they resolved to encounter dual members, and six additional the host of prejudices in favour of war auxiliary Societies. The whole numas a necessary and irremediable evil. ber of subscribers to the original SoBut before the close of the year they ciety is 547 ; to the twelve branches had distributed 4820 tracts, and the 335; making a total of 882. Of the number of members had increased to · twelve Auxiliaries, three are in New 173. In 1817, they distributed 5370 Hampshire, eight in Massachusetts,

and one in Connecticut.* Several of in this country, and in Great Britain. them have held their annual meetings. They can only state that, from the

It is presumed that there are also information received, there are now a considerable number of subscribers, in this country, besides the Massawhose names have not been reported chusetts Peace Society, and its twelve to the committee. But the Society auxiliaries, fifteen Peace Societies in has to lament the death of more than the United States: one in Maine, twenty valuable members. One of one in Rhode Island, five in New whom, justly respected, led in our York, one in North Carolina, five in devotional exercises on the last anni- Ohio, and two in Indiana. versary. [Rev. Joshua Huntingdon.) The committee anxiously look for Another, still more recently called, information from the Society in Lonhad for many years occupied the don for Promoting Permanent and chair of the first magistrate in this Universal Peace. The latest intellicommonwealth—and from whom a gence from this important institution letter, approving the objects of the was by The Herald of Peace for April Society, was received but a few weeks 1819. But from their second annual before his decease. [Hon. Caleb Report, June 1818, we are assured Strong.) We have also to condole that this Society was then in a proswith the Peace Society of Maine, in perous state; that it had several auxi. the loss of their worthy president, the fiaries in different parts of the king; Rev. Dr. Appleton. Similar occur- dom; and that, besides the annual rences are still to be expected, and subscriptions, they had received dothese admonitory events should con- nations amounting to more than 950 duce to the greater activity of surviv- dollars. And according to a stateing members.

ment 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 An excellent address of the Glaspeace are multiplying in the United gow Peace Society, bearing date States, and in other countries. The March 12, 1819, has been received, letters from Ceylon, which were pub- and republished in the Columbian lished in the sixteenth number of the Sentinel. This address was accomFriend of Peace, evince that the ob- panied by the constitution of the Sojects of the Society have able and ciety, and the names of forty-two offiardent advocates in India. These cers, including a committee of thirtyletters were accompanied with a six members. From what is known donation from J. N. Mooyaart, esq. of the character as well as the number a worthy magistrate and distinguish of the officers, it may reasonably be ed philanthropist. Presuming that expected that this Society will make the measure would be approved by a powerful impression in Scotland. the Society, the executive commit- In October 1818, a monthly work tee returned to India, in tracts, the was established at Glasgow, entitled whole amount of the donation-one the British Magazine and Periodical half to the disposal of the donor, Gleaner. This is devoted to objects the other to the disposal of the Ame- of philanthropy, and takes a deep rican missionaries.

interest in the cause of Peace. The It would be gratifying to the com- Herald of Peace, devoted particumittee were they able to give a more larly to the objects of Peace Societies

, full account of other Peace Societies commenced its course in London last

• All formed in the course of gineteen January. These publications will do months,-Ep.

much to diffuse pacific sentiments in

serves

the dominions of Great Britain, and a good to be ardently sought, rather in other countries.

than an evil to be abhorred and avoidConsidering the recent date of the ed. The passions of avarice, ambifirst Peace Societies, and the obsta- tion, envy, and revenge, are the steam cles which stood in their way, their which moves the machinery of war. progress has been greater than could When this is raised to a certain exhave been reasonably anticipated. It tent, hostilities become necessary, and must however be acknowledged, that commence of course. Yet to keep very little has yet been effected, when these passions alive and active, has conipared with what remains to be too commonly been the fatal policy of done. Should it be asked, why has so men in power—the principal object little been accomplished ? a satisfac- of national pursuits and national extory answer may be given in the words penditures. To divert the attention of Dr. Chalmers. In reply to an of men from the deleterious effects of objection against the expense of Bible this policy- EDUCATION, folly, and Societies in Great Britain, he ob- custom, have conspired to surround

“ It

may suffice to state, that the atrocities and horrors of war with the income of all the Bible and Mis- an astonishing and deceptive halo of sionary Societies in this island, would glory. Deeds of rapine and violence, not do more than defray the annual as unjust as private robbery and murmaintenance of one ship of the line. der, and a thousandfold more calaWhen put by the side of the millions, mitous, have often been celebrated as which are lavished without a sigh in brilliant exploits of gallantry and pathe enterprises of war, it is nothing." triotism. The principal agents in the

- What then, we may ask, is the in- worst of crimes have been deified by come of all the Peace Societies on Pagans; and men, whose tempers earth ? Not enough perhaps to “de- and lives were a perfect contrast to fray the maintenance” of one major- those of the Prince of Peace, have general of a regular army. Yet rivalled him in the esteem of his

prosomething has been effected with this fessed disciples. But these delusions trifling income; a change of opinion must pass away when the predicted has been produced in the minds of period arrives, that wars shall cease many thousands of people in different to the ends of the earth. To hasten countries.---not only as to the cha- that event, God is now employing racter and necessity of war, but the perhaps millions of human agents. possibility of its abolition. What then The many thousands of beneficent inmight have been done with an income stitutions of various names in different sufficient to“ defray the annual main- countries, are so many auxiliaries to tenance of one ship of the line?” And the CELESTIAL PEACE Society, over what will be effected when govern- which God himself presides. These ments shall bestow their 6 millions institutions have a happy tendency to as liberally to render war infamous enlighten the minds, and expand the and abhorrent, as they have done to hearts of men---to eradicate unfriendly render it popular and alluring! Such prejudices, to dispel the mists of dea change in the state of society, and fusion, to harmonize and bless the the manner of appropriating national world. revenues, is probably implied in those * The unprecedented exertions of predictions which relate to the pacific reign of the Messiah.

. If any of our readers should question War, for many ages, has been

sup- for a moment the propriety of devoting a ported and encouraged with a profu- part of The Herald of Peace to EDUCAsion which might induce a belief that TION, and to subjects connected with it, nations have regarded it as the chief alone on the concluding part of this most

we might confidently rest our justification end of man, the glory of human nature, interesting article.-Ev.