It is remarked by experienced christians, that God seldom, or never, grants a revival when the state of religion in the church is low, and for the best of reasons. If the church should gain converts while religion is declining, they will only come up to the standard of the church that receives them. The higher the standard of religion is in a church, not only the more, but the purer will be her converts. So of the church universal-while she allows of slavery, war, and intemperance, her converts, what few there may be, will allow themselves in slavery, war, and intemperance. Had the primitive church allowed of polygamy, that vicious custom would have remained in the church until the present time; and if the church shall continue to allow of war, war will continue to the end of the world, and heathens will fall into endless perdition over the stumbling block which professing christians lay in their way. The heathen cannot be converted until the church renounces and denounces war. They would only be converted to a fighting christianity which would bring the millenium no nearer. But let the church of Christ renounce all the abominations of the world, and particularly war, and the heathen, seeing the peace and purity of christianity, will, of themselves, flock to her, "as clouds and as doves to their windows." The conversion of the heathen will be the effect, and not the cause, of the renunciation of war by the church. God has promised that the time shall come when nations shall learn war no more, and when christian nations shall set the example, he will crown their labors, to convert the heathen, with success.

The promises of God, therefore, ought to stimulate all christians to labor and pray for the abolition of war, as the surest means of converting the nations to christianity.

SEC. 14. Christians should labour and pray for the abolition of wAR, because God has chosen them to be the instruments of accomplishing his gracious purposes.

Christians are the salt of the earth. If the salt hath lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? Are they to look to the world for an example? Are they to expect the world to go ahead of them ia accomplishing the will of God? They are the light of the world. If that light shall be obscured or put out, are they to borrow light from morality, philanthropy, or other unbaptized virtues? No, it is in vain to expect it. An extinguished sun might as well be lighted by a taper. Let us pray, that the cloud of prejudice on the sub ject of war may be removed, and the church shine in all her original splendor, when no one was justified in rendering evil for evilwhen the church preached and practised the duty of loving enemies and overcoming evil with good.

I have endeavored to produce a few reasons why professing

christians, and all who profess to be governed by christian principles, should put their shoulders to the wheel and call on God for help. More might have been said, but if the motives I have laid before my readers have no effect, and christians will continue to fold their arms in listless apathy, and neglect the imperious duty of exerting themselves in this holy cause, I, at least, have, in some measure, cleared the skirts of my garments from the blood of souls, and pray God not to lay this sin to their charge.

But if any should ask, what are christians to do? I answer, just the same that they do for the conversion of the heathen. Let every minister of the gospel labor to undeceive his people as to the true nature of war, and show its absolute inconsistency with the religion of Christ. We have no need to send peace missionaries ten thousand miles. Their work is nearer home. Christian nations must first be converted from this sin. All its abominations should be clearly pointed out; the whited sepulchre should be laid open: and the exceeding sinfulness of war should be clearly brought to light. Next, let the churches unite in humble and hearty prayer to Almighty God, that he would remember his promise and do as he has said." Let them pray, and pray fervently, that wars may cease to the ends of the earth.

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The day for an annual concert of prayer recommended by the American Peace Society, is the 25th of December, or some convenient day near it, not from any idea of the peculiar sanctity of that day, but the associations, connected with it, by christians generally, are favorable to the object. Now, suppose that a majority of the churches in the United States should agree in observing some part of that day, perhaps the evening, with a concert of prayer for God's blessing on the cause of peace, might we not expect that the churches of England-where the peace cause has many more efficient friends than it has in this country-would imitate our example, as they have in the temperance cause? I think, from what I heard from one of the late delegation from the congregational union of England, that the churches in that country would join us. He was delighted to hear that something was doing in this country in the cause of peace, and told me that the congregational churches in England were just awakening to the subject. If the churches generally in Great Britain and the United States should engage in this concert, would it be possible for the rulers of either country to declare war against the other? When this concert of prayer has been established in the United States and Great Britain, it is reasonable to expect that the evangelical churches on the continent of Europe will join in it, and indeed all over the world, christians of every sect would be praying for deliverance from the scourge of war. Who, that has any faith in the efficacy of prayer, can doubt for a moment that these prayers would be answered, not only beeause God has promised to answer prayer, but the very fact, that

christians every where were generally engaged in a concert of prayer for the abolition of war, would cast such a damp on the spirit of war as would extinguish it. Christian rulers would not dare to declare war, when they saw the best part of their subjects engaged in prayer against it. War would begin to be considered as a sina relic of barbarism, and would be abandoned by all christian and civilized people.

I do not deny, that disputes may still be likely to arise among commercial, christian, nations; but war never was, and never will be necessary to settle them, any more than boxing and duelling are necessary to settle disputes between individuals. A love of glory has been the chief cause of war; and revenge and retaliation have been the justifying principles by which wars have been defended. As soon as nations give up the love of glory and of revenge, they can as easily find some peaceable method of settling their difficulties, as professors of religion find some way to settle difficulties in the church, without resorting to personal violence. Arbitration, or a congress of nations, might take the place of war, and christian would wonder that they had ever countenanced the diabolical cus tom. Let christians inculcate the principles of peace, and labor and pray for the abolition of war, and they may safely leave it to the men of the world to find some way to settle national difficulties. I am no advocate for an union of church and state. Let christians, as christians, show the sin and wickedness of war; and when rulers find some proper substitute for it, let them help it by their prayers and by their influence.

The effect of the abolition of war would be great and glorious; vtrtue would flourish; learning and religion would go hand in bann; the chain of the slave would be broken; intemperance would hide her blushing head; the Sabbath would be observed; moral reform would advance; swearing and duelling would go out of fashion; and theft, robbery, and murder would seldom be heard of. The mouths of infidels would be stopped, for the prophecies would be fulfilled and the precepts of Christ would universally prevail. The truth of the Christian religion would be universally acknowledged, and every one would be anxious to spread its benign influence all over the world. All objections of the Jews against the christian religion, drawn from the belligerent character of professing christians, would be removed. They would see that the Prince of Peace has already appeared in the world, and it is in vain for them to look for another. Mahomedans would admire the wondrous change and open their hearts to receive the Gospel, and heathens would send to us for missionaries and the bible. And when the vast expenses of war should be turned into the treasury of the Lord, missionaries and bibles could be ealy furnished for the whole world.

But how is this great change to be effected? The means are simple-as simple as those of the temperance cause. It is so simple, that it is difficult to make men believe that so great a cure can be performed by so simple means. They are like the Syrian general, who could not believe that bare obedience to the direction of the prophet, "wash and be clean," could

cure his leprosy. He looked for some great thing. Let every christian wash in the fountain of peace, and the leprosy of war would soon leave the world. It is only necessary that those christians who believe war to be a heaven-daring, soul-destroying sin, and that God is able and willing to perform his promise when his children shall require it of him, to pray for its abolition, and to send publications, tracts, and agents, to lay these views before their sister churches all over the world, and the work would speedily be accomplished.

But how are these tracts to be distributed, and these messengers to be sent? Just in the same way as other religious tracts are now distributed and messengers are sent-by the alms and contributions of christians.— Let every church that observes the peace-prayer-meeting take up a contribution for that purpose. The peace cause asks but little; and because it asks but little, that little is refused. Did christians contribute but barely each one cent a year, the cause would be supported. If it had but one stationary agent, to publish an able periodical, distribute tracts, and act as corresponding secretary, and one travelling agent, that would be enough for the present. But, alas, such is the apathy and want of faith in christians, that they fear to venture even their cents in this cause, and many of those who give their prayers grudge their farthings! Hitherto the expense has been borne by a few individuals, and a great proportion of them have become weary in well doing, for the coldness and indifference of the church bas damped their ardor, and they have given up the cause in despair. A few still cling to the wreck in hopes of aid, and I think they will not be wholly disappointed. The year before last, we had three prayer meetings, two in Maine and one in New-Hampshire. Last year the prayer meetings were pretty generally observed in Maine, though but few churches gave us any substantial evidence of their meeting. There were twenty-three contributions-twelve in Maine, two in New-Hampshire, seven in Massachusetts, one in Rhode Island and one in New York. The increase was seven fold in one year. There is reason to hope that the increase this year will be in the same ratio. If this should generally be the case for a few years, the cause of peace will be second to none of the benevolent operations of the day, and the present generation will see a wonderful change in the world.

In the first origin of the Peace Society, it leaned mainly on philanthropy, worldly prudence and common sense. But these had not strength enough to support it. They made our expectations vain and disappointed our trust. We turn from the world to the church of Christ, the Prince of Peace. Other benevolent causes, such as temperance and anti-slavery, may be carried on, in a great degree, by the influence of philanthropy; but the cause of l'eace requires higher motives, more self-denial, and more moral courage, than philanthropy affords. God will honor his Church, by making it the instrument of abolishing war. He will not give that glory to the world.

More than two hundred and fifty ministers are now pledged to preach annually on the subject of peace and war. Several of the great ecclesiastical bodies in New England have rcommended that an onnual concert of prayer for the success of the peace cause, should be observed on the 25th ef December. Will their recommendations be unavailing? Do Christians believe that the soul is immortal? Do they believe that a vast majority of those who perish in battle go down to endless derdition? Do they believe that war is the mother of all abominations, and the greatest

obstacle to the spread of vital piety, both at home and abroad? and will they refuse to offer a prayer or a cent for its abolition? I will not believe it. As long as God shall give me strength I will not cease to call upon them. I have in these remarks touched upon but a few of the motives which should induce a Christian to labor and pray for the abolition of war. If what I have said does not move them, I will not despair of God's promise, but at some future time, will try other motives.

Philanthropos.

We commend the preceding remarks to the serious and candid attention of all who believe in the divine mission of the Prince of Peace, and particularly to those who have made an open profession of their faith in Him; and still more particularly, to those who enjoy the high honor and distinction of being His representatives and ambassadors to the ruined race of man. It is indeed a solemn appeal, and we have great reason to fear that, as far as the American Peace Society is concerned, it may be a last appeal. For six years the society has been struggling for existence, and while many, both of ministers and laymen, have bestowed their blessing, few, very few, have bestowed their alms.-The burthen has fallen on a small number of persons. Mead, Cook, Grimke, and many others, who aided the cause by their labors, their prayers and their alms, have gone to their reward, and their places have not been supplied. The funds of our treasury are exhausted, and the society is in debt. In her distress she looks to the Church of Christ for support. A very small sum, contributed by each church, would be sufficient for carrying on our operations. Will that support be refused? It is allowed by all, that the principles of peace have rapidly advanced since the formation of the American Peace Society; but so many and urgent have been the claims of more popular societies, that Should the Solemn Appeal the "still small voice" of Peace has been but little heeded.

produce no effect on the churches, this must be the last number of the Calumet. Should the appeal meet with any acceptance and any funds be contributed to advance the cause, or at least to keep it alive until more favorable times, they may be remitted to any of the agents named on the cover of this number.

Before the Solemn Appeal was set up in type, it was difficult to tell what space of the present number would remain, or notes would have been appended illustrating certain positions taken by the author. We shali supply the deficiency, by adding a lew extracts from newspapers, and other periodical publications, which may be applied, by the reader, to their proper places. We shall place them in nearly the same order, in which they would stand, if they were notes.