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for an extra number of copies, making beside, at the same time, some small donation to the society. This would be cheaper for the auxiliaries, and would give their performances a more extended circulation. We request them also to send their annual reports either before they have been published in news-papers or afterwards.

We hope for the assistance of all the friends of peace of every party and sect. We hope no root of bitterness will spring up to trouble us, and that all who wish well to the happiness of their fellow-creatures, and the prosperity of their Redeemer's kingdom, will grant us their assistance.

W. LADD.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN PEACE SOCIETY.

THE American Peace Society celebrated its third anniversary at Clinton Hall, in New-York city, on Wednesday, May 11th.

At half past 4, P. M. S. V. S. Wilder, Esq. took the chair. The throne of grace was addressed by the Rev. Mr. Frazer.

The Secretary read the report, and also a letter from Robert Marsden, Esq., of London, and John Hancock, M. D, Liverpool, officers in the London Peace Society, accepting their appointment as honorary members of the American Peace Society.

The first resolution was moved by Lewis Tappan, Esq., and was seconded by John Griscom, LL. D., viz.

Resolved, That the report now submitted, be accepted and printed, under the direction of the Secretary.

The second resolution was moved by the Rev. Mr. Carrol, of Brooklyn, and seconded by the Rev. Mr. Baldwin, viz.

Resolved, That it is the duty of all Christians to discountenance the spirit of war, and to be known as the open and active promoters of the cause of peace. The third resolution was moved by the Rev. Mr. Thurston, of Winthrop, Maine, and seconded by the Rev. Doctor Lansing of Utica, New York, viz. Resolved, That this Society request the prayers of all Christians of every denomination, that God woul be pleased to smile on their exertions, to promote peace on earth, and good will to man.

The Foreign Corresponding Secretary, then addressed the audience, and explained the views and objects of the society. Eight new subscribers were obtained for the society, and probably many more will join, but as the meeting was protracted to nearly the time of the meeting of the American Home Missionary Society, they could not wait at that time to subscribe. Subscribers were also obtained to the Harbinger of Peace, and to the project for a congress of nations, for the prevention of war.

THIRD REPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEACE SOCIETY.

THE season has arrived, when it becomes the duty of the Board of Directors of the American Peace Society, to give an account of their labors for the year; and to call the attention of the public to those events both foreign and domestic, which have transpired since our last meeting, so far as they have a bearing on the great cause of permanent and universal peace.

These events are so numerous, that though highly important, we shall be obliged to pass over them with only a slight notice of each.

The prophecy concerning the children of Ishmael, seems to continue to be fulfilled to the present day. Their hand has been against every man, and consequently, every man's hand has been against them, and those who have taken the sword, have perished by the sword. Algiers, long as great a terror to Christians, as Malta was to Mahometans, though not altogether so ferocious and unsparing, has, at length, fallen under the attacks, of the armies of the most Christian king, and its sovereign has been obliged to seek a refuge in a Christian country, where he lives in security, as a private man. In war, however, calamities do not fall altogether on the vanquished. They but share them with the victors. Beside the killed and wounded among the Christian troops, many have fallen victims to pestilence, by which fleets are often dispeopled, and whole armies sluggishly melted away, and the loss of life has, probably, fallen heaviest on the conquerors. We certainly cannot be very sorry that a nest of pirates has been broken up, and, however we may deprecate the means, we are not disposed to repine at the end. But, could these barbarians have been civilized and Christianized, the triumphs of the cross would have been a much more happy theme for thanks to God, than the triumphs of the sword. That this could have been done in the present state of public opinion, we do not pretend to say. Christians must cease to kill and destroy each other, before they can expect to make great progress in converting pagans to the religion of the Prince of Peace.

But the Dey of Algiers is not the only sovereign who has experienced a reverse of fortune. The King who was the instrument, in the hand of God, for his chastisement, has, himself been chastised. The rod of God's anger has been broken and cast upon the ground, and Charles X. in his retirement, may sympathize with the dethroned Dey, they may teach each other how to bear the reverses of fortune, and support each other under their trials.

The fire lighted up in France, has not been confined to her limits, but has spread over Europe. All the foundations are out of place. Ancient systems are fast breaking up. The foundations of the great deep are opening. A mighty flood is about to deluge the world; and whether salutary or deadly is yet in the womb of futurity, and we know not what may be brought forth. The waters may subside in due time, the earth may be fertilized, and bear abundant harvests of peace, liberty, and happiness, or its surface may be swept with the besom of destruction. Some master spirit, from the bottomless pit, may be permitted to ride in the tempest, and direct the storm, and the earth be doomed to be covered with barbarism, ignorance, and slavery-the sediments of war—and cursed with a long duration of sterility and wretchedness.

But the signs of the times incline us to happy anticipations. There is an evident reluctance in the powers of Europe to draw the sword. The same events which have recently taken place there, had public opinion on the subject of war been the same that it was twenty years ago, would long since have wasted Europe with fire and sword-would have covered it with blood and ashes, and have watered it with tears. There is a constraining power, which keeps back the nations, and, though the young men may sigh for military glory and distinction, the older men who remember the horrors of the last war in Europe, will neutralize that spirit, with their sober wisdom and experience-the heavy burdens, still pressing on the necks of the population, will disincline them to add to their weight, and men have become too wise, willingly, to be made counters, for kings to play with for provinces.

The example which has been set by Belgium and Holland, in endeavoring to settle their differences by the intervention of neighboring powers, giving a faint shadow of an institution, which we hope soon to see realized-a court of nations, we fondly trust, will lead to pacific results, and when the nations shall find, by experience, that difficulties, which twenty years ago it would have been thought impossible to settle, without the subjugation or annihilation of one of the parties, may be composed in a peaceable manner, by reference: the prac

tice will gain ground, until it becomes a custom which will supercede the custom of war.

The

To the affairs of Russia and Poland, we look with intense interest. prayers of Americans are unanimously in favour of the Poles, with whom we have so many sympathies, and whose conflict bears so close a resemblance to our own. If Poland be fit for liberty and independence, those blessings would be unequivocal, and would be worth great sacrifices. But, if she is not fit, a revolution would be but a change of masters, by which the few would profit, but, in which the many would find no advantage commensurate with the enormous sacrifices which they must make. Independence and liberty are accidents, or qualities, which are good or bad, according to circumstances. If a people he deficient in virtue and knowledge, revolution becomes rebellion, independence derision, liberty licentiousness, and government anarchy.

For an exemplification of these sentiments, we need only turn our eyes to South America, certainly no man in his senses can consider their present circumstances desirable, or can prefer a state of anarchy, bloodshed, and confusion, with the constant accompaniments of insecurity of life, property, and liberty, preferable to a well-regulated and peaceful monarchy, by which-though every man must sacrifice a greater degree of political liberty than Americans think advisable-each individual would enjoy a degree of personal liberty and security, so much greater than he can under present circumstances, as fully to compensate for his sacrifices.

In returning to our own happy country, we find much for which to be grateful. Situated as we are, far from the great scene which is about to be opened in Europe, we look as calm spectators, on the great events which are soon to be acted, and, though a tragedy might interest us more, we are certainly too good-natured to wish any thing more serious than a farce.

Here, thank God, the arts of peace, are substituted for the arts of war. While the Europeans are digging trenches, we are digging canals; while they are building forts, we are raising embankments; while they are thinking about cutting through the enemy's line, we think only of cutting through mountains; they are sharpening their swords, we our ploughshares. Happy country, did we but know our happiness! Yet how much more happy should we be, and what floods of glory would be showered down on our beloved country, could we act as mediators between our brethren on the other side the Atlantic, and if our ambassadors, planted in the different states of Europe now threatened with an impending storm, should, like the rod of the immortal Franklin, draw off the electric fluid, and conduct it harmless to the ground.

Notwithstanding the signs of war, the symptoms of a pacific spirit are daily appearing. The kind and respectful language which is held, by the President of the United States towards the courts Europe, charm us as much by their novelty, as they do by their justice, and we are delighted to see them fully reciprocated by the courts of Europe, and that the literature and oratory in both hemispheres are decidedly pacific. This is certainly the era of good feelings, in which it becomes the friends of peace to set every sail to the breeze, and gain the haven of permanent and universal peace, ere the storm, which now lowers over Europe, burst upon it, and extend, as the last did, to our own happy shores.

Almost the only remaining difficulty betwixt us and the land which we shall always be proud to own as our mother country, has been, we trust, for ever settled, by arbitration, or, rather, perhaps, by compromise, to the mutual advantage of both parties; giving to each all that was wanted, and taking from each only what will never be missed. It is true, that both parties complain, as is often the case in disputes settled by arbitration, and both put on that external appearance of dissatisfaction, which is exhibited by artful dealers, before a bargain is fully ratified, in which each party thinks he has the advantage, and fears that the other will fly the contract. It may be also the policy of Maine.

we have seen, we believe, that nearly nine tenths of our fellow-citizens would sign them, if properly presented and explained.

In our labours, we have received decided marks of approbation from all the great ecclesiastical bodies of the congregational order in New England, and from some other denominations, but the convention of congregational ministers in Massachusetts, has passed a specific resolve, approving the exertions in favour of a congress of nations in particular.

Since our last anniversary, three new Peace Societies have been organized, viz. one in Lowell, Massachusetts; one at Concord, the capital of New Hampshire; and one at Hanover, in the same State, the seat of Dartmouth college. The ladies of one religious society in Lowell, have made their minister a life member. The Peace Society of Concord promises to be efficient, but to the Peace Society of Dartmouth college and vicinity, we look with peculiar interest. The president and all the officers of that ancient and celebrated college, are officers or members of the Peace Society, and most of the students are members, and appear to take a deep interest in the good and great cause; and, radiating from this point, we may expect, that they will reflect light and knowledge through our country, and far abroad, when they shall be called to be missionaries of the cross, in the benighted regions of paganism. The institututions of Andover, Waterville, and Bangor, have not been inactive, but it would swell our report too much to notice every particular. An individual of our society, has given two hundred dollars to Waterville college, on condition that a prize Essay on Peace and War, with a premium to the amount of the interest of the money, be adjudged and read, on or near the commencement day of each year. This offer has been thankfully received by the faculty, and a similar offer has been made to Dartmouth College, which will, doubtless, be accepted, at the next meeting of the board of overseers and trustees of that seminary. Four or five new members will be added to the list of our life members.

During the past year, some of our auxiliaries have been much engaged in the cause. Sixty-six members have been added to the Massachusetts Peace Society. The Hartford, Connecticut, Peace Society has been very active. It has sent to clergymen, residing in the state of Connecticut, 409 copies of the Solemn Review, and one each, of the same, to the president and vice president of the United States, and all the officers of state, except that of war, and to all the senators and representatives in congress, to all the judges of the United States courts, and district courts, to all the governors of the States, to twelve presidents of colleges, and to ten Bishops.-Total number of copies 809, and they have put in circulation 400 copies of Mr. Mead's Address.

The Rev. Noah Worcester, D. D., the venerable founder of the Massachusetts Peace Society, has, very liberally, given five hundred numbers of his Friend of Peace, to that society, and a few gentlemen in Boston have subscribed about one hundred dollars, to purchase the remaining numbers, and present them to the American Peace Society, many of which have been already distributed, and the remainder wait your orders,

The usual numbers of the Harbinger of Peace, viz. about 18,500, have been printed and mostly circulated, beside 8,500 extra copies of the third number, making in all, about 27,000. A proposition has been laid before the board, to remove the location of our periodical to Boston, which is the earnest desire of some of the friends of peace in that city, and to publish it in a larger form, with a new title, which proposition the board have under consideration.

The Massachusetts Peace Society have published their last address, by Bradford Sumner, Esq.; Exeter Peace Society theirs, by Oliver W. B. Peabody, Esq.; Hartford, Conn. Peace Society theirs, by the Rev. Mr. Mead. The Windham, Conn. Peace Society have published the sermon of the Rev. Ezra B. Kellog, of the Episcopal church, which was preached before them at their anniversary in February, 1830. The Barnstable Peace Society have published the address delivered at their last anniversary, by the Rev. Ezra S. Goodwin.

1851.]

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The Minot Peace Society, in connexion with the Minot Tract Society, have printed and circulated 1500 of a tract entitled, "Reflections on War, by a Layman." A sermon by the Rev. I. May, on congenial subjects, has also been published. All these have been in the pamphlet form, and probably, there are many others of which we have not yet heard, for there is not yet that union of action, among the friends of peace, that there ought to be. There has also just come to hand, a pamphlet of 112 pages, entitled "A Brief Illustration of War and Peace," published at Albany, by Philanthropos, a person to us unknown. We have not yet had time to read it, but from a slight perusal of some passages, it appears to be well written.

Beside pamphlets, there have been published in news papers during the past year, an unusual number of essays on peace and war, too numerous to particularize, among which we cannot refrain from noticing a series in the Boston Centinel by Philanthropist, and another in the Christian Mirror, just commenced, as it is supposed, by the eloquent author of "Sermons on War."

In addition to the former, Sunday school books, favourable to the cause of peace, viz. "Charles Ashton, Esq." "The Sword, or Christmas Presents;" one new one, entitled, "Howard and Napoleon Contrasted," has been published, and another entitled. "The Adventures of a French Sergeant," has been put to press, and a third, entitled, "Christ and Mahomet," by a highly talented Baptist clergyman, is in progress. These exertions to give the tender plants, which are rising in society, a right direction, we consider to be highly auspicious to our

cause.

The essays of Philanthropos, have been very ably, and very favourably reviewed in the Christian Spectator, and a general view is given of the cause of peace. We mention this circumstance, because our religious reviews have thought it prudent to keep at a respectful distance from the subject of peace and war, and we hope this example, in one of the first religious publications of the age, will have an effect upon the others.

We have appointed no travelling agent this year, and all that has been done, in that way, has been without charge to the society, except the remainder of the Rev. Mr. Mead's appointment, which had not expired at the last anniversary, and was necessarily continued until his return home, during which time, we have reason to believe, he was not unuseful to a cause, in which he had been so ardently engaged, and continues to be eminently useful.

There remains one more solemn and painful duty to be performed. Death has again admonished us that our time of usefulness is short. Doctor Natha niel A. Haven, a worthy member of our board of directors, conspicuous for his philanthropy, benevolence, and wisdom, has paid the debt of nature, and left "The memory of the just is us to deplore his loss, and follow his example.

blessed."

There are some other topics, which we should like to touch upon, but are admonished by the already protracted length of our report, to desist.

On the whole, it appears, that more has been done in the cause of peace, in this country, this year, than in any former year. There has been a greater mass of matter thrown into circulation, by the friends of peace,-a greater action of mind upon mind, and of opinion upon opinion. But there has been, we think, too great a disposition, in the societies which have voted, to become auxiliary to the national society, to act independently of it. This may suit their convenience, but we doubt, whether it is best for the cause, for union is strength.

The unusual extent of our matter-of-fact, favourable to the cause of peace, for which we ought to be devoutly grateful, precludes the opportunity for many reflections on them. We can say, that the cause of peace is steadily advancing, and the tide is rising, notwithstanding the waves on the surface; and the tu mults which are expected in some parts of Christendom. We trust and hope, there will be but a transitory indispostion, such as often takes place with invalids, before they can be pronounceddecidedly convalescent, or their health perVOL. I-2