human agency for the accomplishment of his designs, and the extension of his kingdom, for the advocacy of doctrines "pure, lovely, and of good resport;" thus blessing man by man, and, through this medium, making known his saving health unto all nations. With humiliating feelings, your Committee take a retrospective view of the occurrences of the preceding year, and witness so great a field for exertion still presenting itself; if, however, their cooperation with the Parent Society, and their dissemination of its publications, have been attended with success, they would say, "Not unto us be the glory, but unto thy name." Among the subordinate means for the establishment of permanent and universal peace, they rely on the progress of civil and religious liberty for a powerful and efficient aid; and congratulate their fellow-subjects on the accession of their beloved Monarch to the throne of his ancestors; believing it is his sincere desire to uphold the dignity of the crown by diminishing the burdens of his people. May his government continue established on the principles of peace and virtue ! The facilities for visiting other shores, the interchange of sentiment with foreigners, the general diffusion of knowledge, have also a great tendency to destroy the barriers of national prejudices. The principal causes of hostility being thus removed, it may be fairly inferred, that the effects will ultimately cease, and nations, as well as individuals, be led to adopt the precepts of the gospel as the truest policy, and as most conducive to reciprocal good. They have circulated 160 Heralds, and fifty Annual Reports, during last year, making the total number since their formation, 4,616. Proceedings of the Seventh Anniver sary of the Swansea and Neath Auxiliary Peace Society. THE Meeting of this Society, which was held in the Town-hall at Swan sea, on Tuesday, the 3d of May, was numerously and respectably attended. John Parry Wilkins, Esq., of the Branch Bank of England, having been called to the chair, J. T. Price, Esq., of Neath Abbey, read the Resubscribers and friends of the Inport; which, after congratulating the stitution on the gratifying fact that the cause of peace is making gentle, unostentatious, but certain progress in different parts of the world, and on the evident symptoms that the impediments to the introduction of a more complete system of international law, and of an authorized tribunal for appealing to public justice against any breaches of such law, are yielding to the influence of a more correct public opinion, it communicated the pleasing information that a Peace Society had been established at Geneva, chiefly by means of the Comte de Sellon, and that a National Peace Society had been formed in America, which has already numerous Auxiliaries. It stated, however, that the the attention of its friends to these Society was less desirous of calling facts, than of inviting them to the study of the subject in connexion with the Sacred Writings, from the conviction, that in them will be found will best enforce its object. an authority and an unction, which The statement of the Treasurer's account showed a balance of 321. 7s. in hand. The Rev. R. Roff, in proposing that the Report be adopted, said— deemed by many chimerical, and an The object of the Peace Society is instance of the wild enthusiasm of religious visionaries; hence arises a strong prejudice against it: whilst another class of powerful prejudices spring from education, and the early and habitual subjection of the mind suppose a necessity in the case is to overlook the existence of a special Providence in the affairs of men. This resolution having been seconded by Mr. J. Budd, and carried, The Rev. D. R. Stephens, in proposing the second resolution That the objects of the Peace Society are entitled to the approbation of all Christians, addressed the Meeting with much effect. He said,--The Society, the claims of which we are met to advocate, is formed for the promotion of peace;-peace, permanent as to its continuance, and universal as to its dissemination. It contemplates no less an object than the peace of the whole world, the distinct recogni to prevailing custom and long-established usages. The earliest lessons of youth teach them to contemplate glory in inseparable association with the exploits of military achievement, and the ensanguined laurels of victory; Poetry is made to charm in strains laudatory of war; Painting renders visible the scenes of carnage and blood; whilst Sculpture and History endeavour to give immortality to the chief actors in the work of human destruction. These meet with a congenial element in the depravity of human nature, and form a phalanx of opposition to the supporters of universal peace; and it requires no inconsiderable degree of moral courage to maintain the position and uniform adoption of pacific tion, that war, in every form, is inconsistent with Christianity. It must, however, be evident, that it is impracticable to reconcile war with the peculiarity of the christian system, displayed in the precepts, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Nor must we shun to apply those precepts to the extreme case of self-defence. Moral resistance has been often proved to be the most effectual; and until the inefficiency of such resist ance has been proved, all arguments against it must want solidity. We have also the undoubted testimony of historical fact, that the primitive Christians thus interpreted the mind of Christ. There is little force in the objection so often and so confidently made," Why, if the tendency of Christianity be so all-pacific, have Christian nations so constantly engaged in war?"-since it is obvious that their wars have proceeded from the absence of the Christian spirit in conjunction with the name of Christians. Nor can we think the justification of war on the ground of expediency to be more tenable, since the essence of it is, "Let us do evil that good may come;' " and to principles by every Government,— and the contributing to the bringing about that auspicious period foreseen by the prophet Isaiah, and so beautifully described by him, as a season when "men shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning-hooks." We are told, however, that this object is hypothetical, and incapable of being reduced to practice. But has any experiment been made to bring in proof of this assertion? We lay it down as an axiom, that what God commands, man is able to perform; and as far as any attempt has been made by public men to reduce pacific principles to practice, they have suc ceeded. Besides the example of the immortal William Penn, whose community, without a single implement of offence or defence, lived amongst the savage red men of the wilds of America, in peace and harmony, we have the result of a similar experiment in the case of Roger Williams (and he felt a degree of patriotic pride in reminding the audience that Roger Williams was a Welshman), who, having been banished from the town of Boston on account of some religious differences, was obliged to take refuge, with his wife and family, amongst the Indians of the wilderness, and being an able and talented man, had eventually become the possessor of a large tract of land. Here he formed a colony and a government, on the avowed principles of religious liberty and universal peace. So far from being molested, he was considered by the Indians as their friend; and when other English settlements were engaged in disputes with them, the only way the English could procure an adjustment was, by prevailing on Roger Williams to interpose on their behalf. To this may be added, that, as individuals, the members of the Society of Friends have invariably acted on these principles. Let us suppose the case of a nation acting on the principles of universal peace. May we not expect that the natural workings of the human breast, which prove that man is not naturally the enemy of his brother man, and the complex feelings of gratitude and honour, operating even in the case of Indians, would restrain nations from molesting a sister nation, so acting, and be equally powerful in her case as in that of individuals? Elijah Waring, Esq. in seconding the resolution, felt certain that, as Christians, united by one bond of union, most expressively designated by an Apostle "the bond of peace," professing a common faith in that Saviour who was styled "the Prince of Peace," and who were commanded to live in "the unity of the Spirit,"all present must feel that it was impossible to advocate war, or to uphold opinions subversive of harmony and good-will. After the eloquent and able manner in which the resolution had been proposed to the Meeting, he would merely observe that he was struck with an observation in the Report, that a prize had been offered by the Society at Geneva for the best Essay in support of the objects of the Society; and he trusted it would operate to produce some talented developement of the subject which should bring forward the great - A body of arguments that might be adduced, and enter on a close investigation of it in all its bearings. much higher prize also awaited the successful candidate, no less than that of being the acknowledged child of heaven, when the fear of the God of peace, of the universe, and of salvation, shall have banished the evils of war; for the lip of Eternal Truth had itself pronounced his benediction, "Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God." The third Resolution, That this Meeting views with delight the cheering indications that the principles of our holy religion are making certain progress amongst mankind, it. was proposed by the Rev. Mr. Durrant, and seconded by the Rev. E. Anwyll; the latter by an energetic address in the Welsh language. Mr. Durrant's address was to the following effect:-The assertion in the resolution is abundantly borne out by facts. The improved state of public opinion in respect to war proves The olive branch of peace has been planted, and is making certain approaches to maturity. A statesman, no less remarkable for his liberal principles than for his powerful rhetoric, has said, "I abominate war as unchristian; I hold it to be the greatest of crimes, and to include all others,-every thing which deforms the character and debases the mind of man." All classes are becoming converts to the principles of a pacific policy, and the children of our Sabbath Schools are imbibing the same sentiments. Has not our Sovereign recently expressed his delight at the assurances of Peace he continues to receive; and is not the same kind of policy pursued by the king of the French? But there is a foil to this picture. The echo of war (and we must be thankful it was but an echo)-of an unjust and oppressive war,-carried on by the Autocrat of Russia, sounded in our ears. He trusted the time would soon ar rive when we should exclaim, with the newly-converted inhabitants of the South-Sea Islands, "Let our hands forget to lift the club and throw the spear; let our guns decay with rust, for we want them not: let us be wise, and sleep no more with our cartridges under our heads, our muskets by our sides, and our hearts palpitating with alarm." J. T. Price, Esq., in moving the fourth Resolution, the object of which was to call on the friends to the cause to be more on the alert for the future, recommended applications to the Secretary, Mr. H. Bath, jun., for the tracts of the Society for circulation, by whom they would be supplied gratuitously, and who would receive subscriptions, however small, in aid of the Society. He did not in the least doubt but that public opinion, founded on the Christian's principle, would continue to make such progress as would finally exhibit the fallacy of the antique system of settling international differences, by employing the peaceable inhabitants to fight and destroy each other; that international law would be resorted to, and a tribunal of justice be established on a system of arbitration adopted universally, as has already been done in numerous cases with the happiest effect. The Rev. Andrew Campbell, from Dublin, in seconding the resolution, said, the first Society for the promotion of universal peace was that which was established nearly 2,000 years ago, viz. the Society of the Apostles of our Saviour; and as a member of that Church which addressed God as the author of peace and lover of concord, he had no difficulty in giving his cordial assent to the objects of the Society, and of expressing his belief that the effectual tendency of Christianity is to establish peace and banish war. The fifth resolution was proposed and seconded by William Bevan, Esq. and the Rev. J. W. Massie. The latter said he might well be expected to feel a deep interest in the exertions of the Peace Society, for he had been a pupil and had sat at the feet of that venerable man, Dr. Bogue; one of the first who, by a sermon he preached, countenanced the establishment of Peace Societies. The usual vote of thanks to the Chairman having been unanimously passed, the Meeting separated. Proceedings of the Anniversary and Report of the Hibernian Peace Society. THE Anniversary Meeting of this Society was held at Tims's, Graftonstreet, on Thursday evening, June 2, Mr. William Robinson in the chair. Mr. Joshua Abell, the Secretary, opened the proceedings by reading the following Report, viz. : REPORT. Notwithstanding the divine song of the heavenly multitude, who, at the annunciation of the birth of the Redeemer of mankind, proclaimed "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good-will to men," yet the carnal nature of man, which the solemn voice of revelation declares to be enmity with God, has opposed the gracious intentions of an over-ruling Providence. It is an historic fact, that, since the introduction of Chris tianity into the world, the mind and energies of man have been more directed to the destruction of his fellow-man, than they were before the announcement of these blessed tidings, when the darkness of paganism overspread the earth, and the knowledge of the true God was almost entirely obscured.* Yet it *This is not the first time that we have seen this statement, but we much doubt whether it will be borne out by the page of history. Though Christianity has not yet succeeded in driving the demon of war from the earth, we believe it would be found upon investigation, that wars have not been carried on with the same destructiveness of human life, since the prevalence of Christianity in the world, as when the cannot be for a moment admitted that this state of destruction was a necessary consequence of a knowledge so transcendent to a benighted world. Though the infidel has called for proofs of the efficacy of our most holy religion, and the still wandering and ungathered tribes of the once favoured children of Abraham may ask for the evidence of Him who was emphatically styled "The Prince of Peace," yet whilst the divine anthem of the celestial multitude remains written in the visible characters of revelation, the prophecies of peace and good-will must retain all their significance, and will stand out, like the hand-writing before the Assyrian Belshazzar, proclaiming to every nation, whose power is built upon war and destruction, that it will also "be weighed in the balance, and be found wanting." We search in vain for the evidence of the existence of many once powerful and populous nations, whose armies are described in Scripture to "have been like the locusts in num→ ber, and whose place is for ever blotted out under heaven, save that the owl and the wild beast of the desert make their abode there;" except in the volume of revelation, or in the page of history, their names are forgotten or unknown. Nor is there a more striking proof of the truth of that important portion of Scripture, "There is no king saved by the multitude of an host," (Ps. xxxiii. 16), than in the protection afforded to the Jews whilst faithful, or to the certain punishment which awaited them whilst they disobeyed the commands of the Almighty, and depended upon their own strength. "Low lies Byzantium, and in ruins spread, Rome's stern colossus bows the haughty head; Dark o'er her towers the Moslem banners wave, And her proud eagle slumbers in the grave: heroic mania of heathenism reigned unop posed and unrivalled in the heart of man. -EDITOR. Who bade the altars of your glory rise From o'er the storm, and triumph to the skies, Now own, whilst weeping o'er the wrecks of power, Man's but the passing monarch of an hour. The proud Assyrian's boast is heard no more, And Zion's race their wandering fate deplore; While o'er the palace of the Persian kings The pale moon listens as the owlet singsCarthage is fall'n, and Desolation low'rs On the lone ruin of Palmyra's towersWhere, thron'd in night, a solitary form Bows to the whirlwind, and the sweeping storm, That tell, as round her desert halls they rave, The star of triumph sets- to light the grave." But surely there is no reason to recur to the history of ancient times. for a proof of the awful conse→ quences of war. Let us read in the page of this world's history, which is now unfolded to our view, the useful lesson which painful experience teaches. "Experience is a dear school; but fools will be taught in no other," says a late writer on this very subject. And nothing more clearly points out, not only the wickedness of war, but its insufficiency to procure its object, than the present state of Europe. There is not a single nation which has not been loaded with taxes, in some instances nearly intolerable-there is not one in which the laws of God have not been publicly dishonoured and disobeyed-there is not one in which the principles of right and wrong have not been substituted for one another-there is not one, in which, |