should do this now, because, unhappily, in times past, the ministers of religion, of almost all descriptions, had rather increased than abated the desire for war between nations. "The drum ecclesiastic" had been often beaten by ministers of all communities, one sect happily excepted; and upon that exception he was happy to congratulate the Society of Friends, who for two centuries had been bearing testimony to the several great principles that were now recognised as valuable and important by a large section of the Church of God. He did not come there to flatter the Friends, many of whom he saw around him; but he spoke in all sincerity when he said, he trusted that, by the example of their forefathers, we might all learn, perseveringly and patiently to bear testimony to those principles which their conscience and the Divine Word enjoined, leaving the result to that God who would cause the righteousness of his people to "come forth as light, and their salvation as a lamp that burneth." He was the more anxious upon this matter, as a minister of the word of God, because he feared that war had been often promoted by an indiscreet use of the Scriptures. Aggressive wars had been justified, by a reference to the wars of Moses and Joshua against the Canaanitish nations. These wars, however, were undertaken under Divine authority, attested by Divine miracles; and when a nation could bring forth these credentials, then, and then only, might we speak of war as any thing less than a crime against that God who had made, of one blood, all the nations of men to dwell together on the face of the earth. He feared, too, that the Scripture phrase," Lord of Hosts," had been greatly misunderstood. This phrase was intended, doubtless, to celebrate the vast extent of Jehovah's dominion over angels, and archangels, and all inferior creatures, who do his will and obey his law. These were the hosts which the

God of heaven commanded, and to which that phrase referred, but which had been impiously interpreted, so as to make him presiding over the battle field, as if he delighted in the spectacle of men destroying their fellowmen. He trusted that the time had come when ministers would feel the importance of explaining these and similar things to their people, and preventing such perversions of them as he had suggested. The motion that had been intrusted to him referred to the continental nations, and he confessed that he could not but rejoice to witness the evidence of an increased aversion to war, both at home and abroad. The desolations of war had been most impressively described; and though our own country had escaped the destroying flames, and our own plains been free from the blood of armies, the effects of war were strongly and oppressively felt in this country at this hour. The trepidation and anxiety which had been felt in the mansions of our nobles, and in the palace of our king, during the last ten days, was only the consequence of a long course of war in which this country had been engaged. When he recollected that a hundred millions of money had been unsuccessfully spent in an attempt to subjugate the American colonies; when he recollected that a thousand millions had been spent in prosecuting the war against France; and when he also recollected that thirty millions of our annual expenditure were the entailed results of these wars, he saw, in the embarrassments by which we were on every hand surrounded, the punishment of our wickedness, and how God educed good out of evil, teaching men, by what they now suffer, no longer to delight in war. He trusted that they would teach their children that the political embarrassments of which the country so bitterly complained, were the consequences of war. In again adverting to the motion, the Rev. gentleman said, it was delightful to find in it a

reference to the disposition manifested by England and France in favour of pacific principles. There was a war faction in this country, however, as well as in France, who were jealous of the amicable feelings subsisting between the two countries. They were perpetually averring that we were adopting and acting upon French principles and maxims: and why should we not, so long as they were beneficial and just? There was something of cant about French infidelity and republicanism, to which certain parties continually resorted to excite the spirit of hostility between these border nations again, which was disgusting to all rightly constituted minds. They wished to rekindle the dying embers of war between the two countries; but we ought to be thankful that the sovereign was surrounded by ministers who were pledged to pacific principles. He blessed God that he had so extraordinarily preserved to this country, and to Europe at large, such counsels as these. The Rev. gentleman next noticed the advantages that would result from the preparation of juvenile books by the Committee, and suggested some im. provement in the external form of their publications for the purpose of rendering them more inviting to casual readers. He also suggested that much might be done to further the interests of the Society, and promote the objects it proposed, by the publication of a judicious selection of pieces from the poetical works of English classical writers, descriptive of the horrors and the crimes of war. He well recollected, when quite a youth, reading Southey's Battle of Blenheim. That little lyric places the folly of war in a striking light; he recollected one stanza which was the burden of the poem, and the impression it then made on him he had never forgotten:

"It was the English, Kasper cried,
That put the French to rout;
But what they kill'd each other for
I could not well make out :

But every body said, quoth he, That 'twas a famous victory." Such a selection might fix principles of just abhorrence against international war, which neither time nor custom could erase. The Rev. gentleman closed his address by expressing his best wishes for the prosperity of the Society, and for the establishment of permanent and universal peace.

The Rev. J. Hargraves, the Home Secretary of the Society, seconded the resolution. After some apologetic remarks for obtruding himself on the meeting, when the platform contained so many other persons of superior ability, and who were comparative strangers also; the Rev. gentleman observed, that it might, however, be expected that he should say something of the journeys he had undertaken on behalf of the Society. He had, with humility and gratitude, to declare that he had been every where received as a messenger of peace, and in every place the principles he had feebly advocated had been hailed, in assemblies both large and respectable. Were he to give vent to the feelings of his heart, he should express his warm and grateful acknowledgments personally, to those individuals with whom he came in contact, during his journey, both in the autumn and the spring; but he trusted they would take the will for the deed. He had already stated that the principles of the Society were every where hailed with delight; but, he must not omit to notice that there was one peculiar objection urged by all classes the learned, and the illiterate; indeed, it seemed to lie level to all minds; it grew out of the notion, commonly entertained upon the duty of self-defence, and it was this-" What should we do if met by a highwayman, or if assailed in our bedchamber, by the midnight robber, who threatened to take away life-what should we do should we be passive, and make no resistance ? Surely, if we saw the hand of the assassin raised to take away the life of

a wife or a child, it would be our duty to prevent it, if we could, by taking away his ?" In his opinion, however, there was less danger in yielding than resisting, and more true courage evinced by passive submission, than by the exercise of brute force. He was reminded of a conversation which took place between two excellent men, upon the subject: as they were now met in the world of peace, he would mention their names, the late Andrew Fuller, and Dr. Williams, of Rotherham. Mr. Fuller inquired, if in certain circumstances the Doctor would not, to preserve his wife, take away the life of an assassin. The Doctor mildly replied, "I think I ought not." "Then," said Mr. Fuller," you are unworthy of a good wife.' This language amounts to this, that he who would not, according to our views, offend God, to save his wife, is undeserving of her. Let it be remembered, that Adam, being not deceived, is supposed to have sinned, and, consequently, fallen for the sake of his wife. Flesh and blood should not be consulted. The rule of duty, however painful and self-denying, ought to be regarded. But people, generally, were unwilling to put Jehovah to the trial, whether he would defend them; they will take the matter into their own hands, and employ unjustifiable measures to preserve property and life, instead of looking up to heaven for help. Those who had confided in God, had been preserved, even in circumstances of the most imminent danger; witness Jacob when Esau met him-David when hunted by Saul-Elijah when he met the infuriated Ahab, and Elisha when surrounded by a hostile force. Aggressors have often been subdued by non-resistance. The speaker then related an anecdote respecting two gentlemen in the county of Devon, who had unhappily differed. They subsequently happened to meet in a narrow lane, when the gentleman who conceived himself to have been injured, threatened to give the other, who was

The

a member of the Peace Society, a good horse-whipping. His reply, was, Do as you please, I shall make no resistance." "Then," said he, " you will take law against me, I suppose." To that he answered "No, I shall not do that either; I am in your hands, do whatever seemeth good unto you." Now, did the enraged gentleman put his threat into execution? Far from it, the speaker believed they parted perfectly reconciled. The speaker then stated that a gentleman of the name of Denton, now deceased, was, along with his daughter, stopped on Epping Forest, by a person who placed a pistol to the breast of the young lady, and demanded their property. gentleman, having a good share of self-command, remonstrated, telling him, that from his appearance, he might have expected better thingswarned him of his danger-he might give him some money, but intreated him first to remove that dangerous weapon from his daughter's breast. "Do you not see," said he "that you have nearly frightened her to death," &c. &c. The highwayman, abashed, and ashamed of his conduct, removed the pistol, and, upon receiving what Mr. Denton pleased to give him, promised to abandon that line of life. This promise, however, he violated, and Mr. Denton was afterwards subpoenaed to bear witness against him. The man was capitally convicted, but by the exertions of Mr. Denton in his behalf, his life was spared. With the permission of the audience, he would just mention another case, in which the person attacked, adopted another method to discomfit the assailant, A local preacher among the Wesleyans, in the vicinity of London, being attacked on his return one evening from his labours, had recourse to singing. He was noted for a strong voice, which he employed to its fullest extent in singing

"Guide me, O thou great Jehovah ! Pilgrim through this barren land," &c. The footpad, frightened with the words

or the sound, took to his heels, and ran away as fast as his legs could carry him. Violent resistance in many of these cases, might have occasioned bloodshed, or murder, on one side, or both. If fear of injury, as Dr. Paley asserts, will justify hostilities, there can be no rational ground to hope for the termination of war. The phrase, "Defensive war,” says Dr. Williams, " is a solecism in language. All parties, Buonaparte not excepted, profess to act on the defensive." The Rev. gentleman then inquired how it was that the spirit of war should still be indulged in the world? It was because deeply rooted prejudices could not be soon eradicated. In the first ages of the church, Christians did not and could not engage in war; it was not till the period when Constantine united the cross and the sword, that persons professing Christianity could be brought to engage in sanguinary contests. A false glory, too, had been thrown around men occupied in the affairs of war; and this had been one of the great means by which its spirit had been so long kept alive in the world. The laurels by which the brow of the warrior was adorned, had become an object of high ambition; but what had become of the greatest warriors whom the world had seen? Where were Hannibal, and Pompey, and Cæsar, and Buonaparte? Alas! that they should ever have supposed that the destruction of their fellowmen could crown them with glory and honour! Another source of the evil was to be found in the books usually employed in the education of the young. The pictures, too, with which many of our walls were covered, were calculated to excite the same ideas, and nurture the same principles. It became us, therefore, to examine into these things with care, lest we should, through our negligence, instil into the youthful mind, those principles which we deplored and condemned. Nominal Christianity was also a great obstruction to the progress of pacific prin

ciples, in connection with the low tone of religion among those who are real Christians. Churchmen, and Dissenters, and, even the Friends themselves, may, under this head, stand reproved. Christianity is not practically exhibited in all its glorious amiability. Above all, the neglect of the ministration of the principles of peace by the ministers of the Gospel, leaves the warlike spirit unmolested. The tendency of the Gospel to promote peace in the widest sense of the word, is rarely pressed from the pulpit. Some ministers tell us our object is good, but not attainable; some laugh, and represent us as persons of weak intellect; and others, have actually been opponents to our views. This is almost sufficient to make Angels weep. What! ministers of the Prince of peace be advocates for the lawfulness of war! What then can they have to do with the Gospel of peace? Philip de Dreux, Bishop of Beauvais, and cousin-german of the king of France, being in battle, was taken prisoner by Richard I., King of England. The quality and character of the prisoner, but chiefly some injurious expressions he had used when speaking of Richard, occasioned his ransom to be set at so high a rate, that he applied to the pope for his protection. His holiness strongly interceded for his dearly be loved son, as he called him, in a letter to the king in his behalf. Richard in answer, sent the bishop's armour, all bloody as it was, and asked him if he knew his son's coat? This clear evidence of the warlike temper of the bishop, caused the pope to desist from his solicitations, and to say, since he had quitted the warfare of Christ for that of the world, it was but just, he should suffer the consequences of so ill a choice. The speaker said he had been frequently asked, in relation to his late journies, what success he had had, meaning what money he had collected. His reply had invariably been; his object was not to obtain money, but minds.

We seek not yours, but you. However, he would not conceal that money was wanted. The expenditure in paper, printing, postage, carriage, freight, wharfage, rent, &c. was considerable; and the exertions of the Society were greatly cramped for want of pecuniary support, and he must urge it upon the assembly to come forward with liberal aid. The importance of the object demands and deserves it. No Society had an object wider, more permanent, heavenly, and beneficial, than that of the Peace Society. Its extending success creates inquiry and correspondence, and of course, increasing expense. And let us remember the shortness of our time, and the certainty of death, and work while it is called today. The Rev. I. Mann is gone, he will not appear on these boards any more, to advocate the cause of peace. Your long-tried friend of the pacific principle, J. Scott, Esq., the esteemed Treasurer of your Society, is also removed to an eternal world. Daniel Sykes, Esq., to whom we looked with pleasing anticipations of an influential coadjutor, has likewise been taken away. By these strokes, we are loudly called upon to do with our might what our hand finds to do. Now is the accepted time. Consecrate your gains to the Lord of the whole earth; to the God of peace. The Rev. gentleman concluded by congratulating the meeting on the hold that the principles of the Society were taking on the public mind, not only in England, but also in France, in Holland, and in America. He trusted they would spread and prevail, until they covered the earth, as the waters covered the face of the

sea.

He was this evening reminded of a remark, made by an attentive observer of God's providence, that the bane and antidote were easily to be found together; this was perceivable in the rise of this Peace Society, in what he must call this pugnacious island of Britain; for verily our country was guilty. Europe and the world at large had a great charge to lay against it. In travelling on the continent, he always found the character of the English was that of a desire to mingle with quarrels, and obstinately persisting in them; for our country had verified the truth of the Scripture maxim-" He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears." Foreigners said to us, "You skulk behind that channel which separates you from the rest of the world, and boast of your wooden walls, while you fling the firebrands of war across the waters, and comfort yourselves by thinking that you have no war at home, though you deluge other countries with blood." What a melancholy reflection this was on our country; and, alas! that it should be said, and cannot be denied. The effects of war, though they had not reached us hitherto, might reach us before we imagined. He had seen the

The Rev. Dr. Bennett, on being announced, came forward and said, as they were met to abjure false principles, he would be heartily glad to get rid of the term reverend, which was attached to his name; a term which, at all events,

VOL. VIII. NEW SERIES.

the destruction of towns and the spoliation of their suburbs; the trees cut down in the beautiful walks, where soldiers had bivouacked, in places similar to our St. James's and Hyde parks; and had thought, "Alas! my country, thou knowest not what the miseries of 2 Y