ページの画像
PDF
ePub

of such laudable conflicts, to employ their influence, and the gracious promises of the gospel, in exciting the soldiers to fight manfully the battles of the Lord; and also to implore the God of peace and love, that he would be graciously pleased to grant success to one party of his children in their attempts to murder another: And if any minister of religion shall refuse or neglect to perform these duties, he shall be stigmatized in the public Newspapers, as destituté of patriotism, and an enemy to his country-Any former law to the contrary, whether of God or man, notwithstanding.

However savage or unjust such a law would be in its nature-however ill-adapted to prevent acts of injusticeor however horrible in its consequences; it is a fair coun terpart of what are called the laws and usages of civilized warfare !

The only semblance of equity or impartiality in making war on account of national disputes, is to be seen in this remarkable circumstance-When the rulers of a nation resolve on the ruin of a multitude of people of another state or country, they involve perhaps an equal or greater number of their own people in the same condemnation. They are so impartial as to adopt measures which destroy at home as well as abroad. A war manifesto is a sweeping Death Warrant, which involves the innocent with the guilty, and friends with foes, in one indiscriminate doom.

Shall Christians then any longer be contented to lie under such a reproach as this-That there is not intelligence and virtue enough in Christendom, to abolish the most unjust and fatal of all savage customs! Let us rouse, my brethren, place our hope in God, and see what can be done.

PREPARATIONS FOR PEACE.

THE following article, which has been circulated in the News-papers deserves a place in the Friend of Peace.

"Naval force on the Lakes.

"Albany, Aug. 5. It has been published that the British are dismantling their vessels upon the lakes. This we learn from good authority is in pursuance of a mutual understanding between the American and British governments; that neither power shail retain more than two revenue cutters, of two guns each, on either lake, in service; and that six months notice shall be given by either of an intention to augment this force.

"In this arrangement the interests of the two governments are mutually promoted--and many occasions of col lision and jealousy are avoided. It saves a great expense to both; and is besides an evidence of confidence and good will which it is the interest of both to promote."

Remarks.

The arrangement stated in this article is of an important character, and the remarks of the Editor of the Argus open a field for reflection, inquiry and hope. The whole together is a good text for a discourse on the means of prolonging the peace of nations, and abolishing war.

Both in the arrangement and in the reasoning, a principle is adopted directly opposed to the maxim that "preparations for war are the best means of preserving peace." Had the two governments acted, conformably to the spirit of this delusive maxim, instead of dismantling so great a part of their vessels of war, they would have augmented the number-have kept them well manned and in constant readiness for actual hostilities. They would also have increased the number of regular troops on each side of the line, and thus the "two nations during peace would have been preparing for war; and, like two gladiators, impatiently burning to employ the swords they were sharpening." In this way the peace between the two nations might soon have terminated, and before this day they might have been again involved in all the horrors of war.

But in one department at least, the two governments

have adopted a wiser course; and the philanthropist will pray that such an arrangement may be properly extended, so as to embrace the armed vessels on the ocean as well as on the lakes, and the ships of war of all nations, as well as those of Great Britain and the United States,—and that the time of giving notice beforehand of an "intention to augment this force" should be extended from "six months” to sixty years. This is not too long for governments to reflect before they resolve on making war.

"In this arrangement the interests of all nations would be promoted, and many occasions of collision and jealousy avoided. It would save a great expense to all, and would besides be an evidence of confidence and good will, which it is the interest of all to promote."

The saving principle, which was adopted in the late arrangement, is capable of being gradually extended to the disbanding of regular troops, and to every species of preparation for war. All these are expensive establishments, and the "occasions of many collisions and jealousies." Preparing for war is sowing the seeds of war, and the more these seeds are sown, cultivated and nourished, the more frequent and the more abundant will be the horrible har

vests.

On the contrary, the more cordially and the more extensively the principle is adopted, by which the vessels on the lakes have been dismantled, the more the "occasions of collision and jealousy will be avoided," and the less frequently the peace of nations will be interrupted.

Now, we may ask, what person of intelligence and candour will not approve the conduct of the two governments in the saving arrangement? And what man of common discernment can fail of seeing, that this benevolent princi ple may be gradually and safely extended to the entire abolition of all preparation for war? And that by abolishing preparations, war itself will be abolished, and the peace of nations become as durable as their existence?

It is time for Christians to reflect on the past effects of preparing for war, and to ask themselves such questions as these,-Would not half the expense of these preparations, judiciously appropriated for pacific purposes, have been sufficient to preserve uninterrupted peace? Does it not clearly appear from history that the immense sums which nations have expended in preparations for war, have in fact generally proved, so much paid in advance, to procure calam» ity to themselves ?

Let the principles and the love of peace be cultivated in every nation; let it be understood that preparations for war are incentives to war and the direct means for bringing the dreadful scourge upon a nation; let it also be understood that to avoid war, the rulers of nations have nothing more to do than by mutual confidence and good understanding to lay aside their menacing preparations, and to act in relation to each other on the christian principles of honesty, meekness and benevolence. Then the people of each nation may safely beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, and learn the art of

war no more.

REVIEW OF THE HOLY ALLIANCE, AND IMPERIAL MANIFESTO.

"In the name of the most Holy and Indivisible Trinity, their Majesties the emperor of Austria, the king of Prussia, and the emperor of Russia, having, in consequence of the great events which have marked the course of the last three years in Europe, and especially of the blessings which it has pleased Divine Providence to shower down upon those states which place their confidence and hope on it alone, acquired the intimate conviction of the necessity of founding the conduct to be observed by the powers in their reciprocal relations upon the sublime truths which the holy religion of our Saviour teaches :

"They solemnly declare, that the present act has no other object than to publish, in the face of the whole world, their fixed resolution, both in the administration of their respective states, and in their political relations with every other government, to take for their sole guide the precepts of that holy religion, namely, the precepts of justice, christian charity, and peace, which, far from being applicable only to private concerns, must have an immediate influence on the counsels of princes and guide all their steps, as being the only means of consolidating human in❤ stitutions and remedying their imperfections. In conse quence Their Majesties have agreed on the following articles :

"Art. I. Conformably to the words of the Holy Scriptures, which command all men to consider each other as brethren, the three contracting monarchs will remain united by the bonds of a true and indissoluble fraternity; and considering each other as fellow countrymen, they will, on all occasions, and in all places, lend each other aid and assistance and regarding themselves towards their subjects and armies as fathers of families, they will lead them, in the same spirit of fraternity with which they are animated, to protect religion, peace and justice.

"Art. II. In consequence, the sole principle in force, whether between the said governments or between their subjects, shall be that of doing each reciprocal service, and⚫ of testifying by unalterable good will, the mutual affection with which they ought to be animated, to consider themselves all as members of one and the same christian nation -the three allied princes looking on themselves as merely delegated by Providence to govern three branches of the one family, namely, Austria, Prussia, and Russia; thus confessing that the christian world, of which they and their people form a part, has in reality no other sovereign than HIM to whom alone power really belongs, because in HIM alone are found all the treasures of love, science and infi

« 前へ次へ »