ALL human institutions are stamped with imperfection; and the best of them are capable of being improved by time and experience. Considering the circumstances under which the Massachusetts Peace Society originated, the smallness of its funds, and the powerful prepossessions it had to encounter, it was not to be expected that the first Report of its officers, would contain a list of facts either very numerous, splendid, or interesting. Such an institution, like a child in its infancy, requires time to grow up and come to matu rity. Its first efforts will naturally be feeble, and often display the want of that wisdom which experience alone can give.

Some inconvenience appears to have resulted from the want of a matured system of operation; and a

consequent delay of distributing publications according to the directions of the board.

Excepting the Circular Letter, the distribution of pamphlets was of a date so recent, that little information of their effect could be expected at this time. Still, something has been done in the course of the year; some impression has been made, and effects produced; and some information has been received favourable to the objects of the society.

Two thousand and five hundred copies of a Circular Letter were printed, and the greater part of them have been distributed in the United States. Some copies have been sent to Europe, and some to the neighbouring British Provinces. An edition of two thousand co

Vol. V. No. 1.

pies of the Sermon on War, by the Rev. Mr. Channing, has been printed at the expense of the society.

In refunding the half of the annual subscription, it was the aim of the committee to furnish each member with two copies of the Sermon on War, one copy of a Solemn Review of the Custom of War, and three numbers of the Friend of Peace, including what had been received by many of the members, of No. 4. The six pamphlets, at the wholesale price, amounted, precisely, to the half dollar to be refunded.

In compliance with the vote of the board, the committee have sent to the several Colleges in NewEngland, thirty-eight complete sets of all the publications, which have been circulated by the society; namely, the Circular Letter, the Solemn Review, six numbers of the Friend of Peace, and the Sermon on War. One set was assigned to each College Library, and one to each literary society in the several Colleges, "known to have a Library."

A set of all the publications, except the Circular Letter, has been presented to several gentlemen who had contributed to the funds of the society, without becoming members; but they are gentlemen whom the society would gladly acknowledge as members, should it be their pleasure to give their names for that purpose.

In addition to what has been done by distributing the Sermon on War, gratuitously, some copies of the Solemn Review, and of the Friend of Peace have been sent to members, as agents; and a few to gentlemen of reputation and influence, in distant places, for the purpose of procuring additional subscribers, and exciting attention to the objects of the society.

The copies sent to agents for procuring subscribers, will, doubtless, be returned, or, instead of them,

the names of subscribers to the society. Several names have already been reported, which were procured by copies thus distributed.

That impressions have been made, and effects produced, favourable to the objects of the society, may appear from the following facts:

The Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers have, by vote, and by an interesting address to the publick, approved the object of the society, and recommended, "that the members of this Convention become members of the society; and that they severally use their influence to induce others to become members, and to promote the formation of Auxiliary Peace Societies in their respective vicinities."

The General Association of Massachusetts Proper, in a Pastoral Address to the churches, have spoken of Peace Societies, in language sufficiently respectful. These are the words of the Address:-"Should Peace Societies be extended, they will be handmaids, or rather guar

dian angels, to other benevolent institutions. No means seems so likely to produce universal peace, as the influence of such societies."

The united testimony of two such respectable bodies of the Ministers of religion, communicated to the churches, must naturally make a powerful impression and lead many to reflect.

Since the formation of the society, more than one hundred and thirty respectable members, have been added. The present number of members, already reported, is one hundred and seventy-three, of which more than fifty are ministers of religion; and a considerable number are Laymen of high standing, and who would be an honour to any society:

Had no other facts come to our knowledge, those which have been mentioned might well encourage the heart of every friend of peace. But information has been received from different sections of the United States, and from foreign countries, which affords still further ground for rejoicing in hope. For it clearly appears, that the wonder-working God has been exciting his children, in various parts of the world, to reflect on the barbarous and antichristian character of war, and to exert themselves for the abolition of this tremendous scourge of man.

Information has been received, that the Peace Society in NewYork is in a growing state; that a Peace Society has been formed in Ohio; and that the principles of peace are rapidly gaining ground in different parts of the country.

Nor is it in America alone that the God of peace has been opening the eyes of his children, on this interesting subject. Even prior to the formation of our society, he had shown that the hearts of kings and

emperours were in his hand, by exciting three powerful sovereigns to unite in a holy league. Four other powers have since been added, and now, seven of the European governments have bound themselves by a solemn covenant, to make the precepts of the gospel their guide, both in governing their respective subjects, and in their treatment of each other. And the preservation of peace is the avowed object of the alliance.

In Great Britain, also, the eyes of many have been opened. A society for the abolition of war has been founded; and the subject of war has been discussed with great freedom and ability.

It has also been recently announced, that the Prince Regent has signified to the allied sovereigns, that although the form of the British constitution prevents his signing the treaty, called the Holy League, yet they "have his entire concurrence in the principles they expressed, and in the declaration they have made."

Admitting the possibility, and even the probability, that the Alliance for the preservation of peace will be violated, and that there will again be wars in Europe prior to the happy day, when the nations shall learn war no more,-still the Holy League may be of vast advantage. It is calculated to call the attention of people, of all classes, to the destructive character of war. It opens a door for a free discussion of its nature and principles, both from the pulpit and the press. Of course, the number of the friends of peace will be continually increasing, till their combined influence shall put an end to the game of blood.

Intelligence of all the foregoing facts has been received since the origin of the Massachusetts Peace

Society; and there are still other facts which demand our notice. In Massachusetts, Rhode-Island, NewYork, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, the leading characters in the Society of Friends have displayed a benevolent and persevering spirit, by circulating extensively, publications in favour of peace, without any partial regard to the denomination from which they originated. They rejoice in the existence of Peace Societies among Christians of other denominations; and they have both the ability and the disposition to afford important aid.

It should be added, that in the course of the past year, a surprising number of benevolent institutions have been founded, of various names, and for various purposes. Each of which may be regarded as an auxiliary to Peace Societies, and Peace Societies as auxiliaries to each of them.

It may now be asked, what institution was ever founded for a nobler object, than the abolition of war and the preservation of peace? If by diffusing the peaceful principles and spirit of the gospel we effect the abolition of war, we abolish the "school of vice" and depravity, and establish in its room the school of Christian virtue and benevolence; we dry up the sources of desolating ambition, and open a new channel for the display of heroism, and the attainment of glory; nay, we obstruct the road to perdition, and lay open and illuminate the path of life.

We may further ask, what institution, which had the custom of ages, the habits of education, the ambition of the aspiring, and the prejudices of a world to encounter, was ever blessed with brighter pros

pects of success, at its first anniversary, than the Massachusetts Peace Society? When this society was formed, with what a gloom was it surrounded! except when it looked up to the Father of lights, or into the gospel of his Son. Those who first conversed on the subject, hardly knew whom it would be proper to consúlt, or where to look for a sufficient number of members to be called a society. Not a syllable bad reached our country respecting the pacifick League of the three sovereigns; and nothing, perhaps, was more remote from expectation than such a phenomenon. It was, indeed, a formidable objection in the minds of many against joining the society, that nothing of the kind was known to exist in Europe. But now this objection is obviated; the gloom which accompanied the dawn is dispelled, and the SUN OF PEACE is above the horizon. It may be occasionally eclipsed, or its light may be partially obstructed by intervening clouds; yet it will pursue its course, till it shall shine with meridian splendour.

It is also a fact, which demands our gratitude, that notwithstanding the general prepossession, that wars are as inevitable as earthquakes and tempests, and that an effort to abolish them would be both useless and dangerous, and little less than fighting against the Almighty; yet these prepossessions have been gradually subsiding, or at least they have not been suffered to display themselves in acts of hostility against the society. Some things have indeed been written, from a misapprehension of the objects of the society, but much less than might naturally have been anticipated, and proba bly very little, compared with what