to regard the precepts of the gospel in their official conduct; and that as rulers they may slaughter men by thousands, and still be regarded as the followers of Christ.

But after all the Jesuitical distinctions which have been made, or can be made, will it be possible for Protestants in general to free themselves from the charge, that their "religion" has been "fraught with sanguinary tenets?" I will pass over the lamentable scenes of Protestant persecution in past ages; for these, in my opinion, are among the smaller items in the general account of blood-guiltiness. But I may solemnly ask-Has not the religion of Protestants been associated with every war in which they have engaged since the days of Luther? How constantly have Protestant rulers and generals endeavored to make the soldiers and common people believe, that their religion was one of the objects for which they were fighting! Have not Protestant rulers uniformly called on the clergy to employ their influence in exciting a war spirit? Have they not also called on them to supplicate a merciful God to grant success to their armies, in their work of MURDER AND DESOLATION?

Have not the Protestant clergy been generally submissive to these demands, and thus made their religion subservient to human butchery?

If these things cannot be denied, what but the most deplorable blindness can lead Protestants to imagine, that their religion has not been "fraught with sanguinary tenets?"

Is it not then time for warring Protestants to cease from boasting of the purity of their religion-and from reproaching the Papists for their "sanguinary tenets," till they shall have effected a more thorough reformation in their own principles and customs? It would require something more than the ingenuity of popish Jesuits to show, on principles of reason or religion, why the butcheries of war are less criminal, or less to be abhorred, than the butcheries of the Inquisition. lf Protestants can make war and "murder" men for their own honor, and for the honor of a nation, let them at least for the sake of decency forbear to reproach those who have

done the same things for the honor of God, and the honor of religion.

The "Wallet," mentioned by the heathen philosopher, has long been in use among Protestants. Their own "sanguinary tenets" they have kept in the hinder part, concealed from their own sight; but those of the Roman Catholics they have placed in the fore part, so as to be constantly visible. Is it not time to change the position of the two ends of the "Wallet," that we may have a fair view of our own sanguinary delusions?

WARS BETWEEN FRANCE AND ENGLAND.

The following account of wars between France and England, is taken from the Evangelical Magazine, printed in London Jan. 1813. The left hand column gives the year in which the several wars commenced, from the year 1110 to 1813-the right hand column gives the duration of each

From this shocking account it appears, that the number of wars was 24; that 260 years of the 700 were employed by these nations in butchering one another; that from 1161 to 1471, a term of 310 years, 186 were spent in war; that from 1368 they were at war 101 years in 103 -having a peace only of 2 years duration.

If we add to this account the years that these nations were employed in war with other nations, or in civil wars in their respective dominions, while at peace with each other, it will probably appear, that they have spent more than half the time in war during the last 700 years. How awful must have been the total amount of carnage and suffering! If the island of Great Britain and the whole territory of France, should now be sunk by an earthquake, the loss of lives would perhaps be less than what has been occasioned by the voluntary and antichristian wars of the two nations. Yet during the 700 years, the people of these nations have both called themselves Christians, and gloried in their murderous exploits!

Taking into view the great privileges they have enjoyed and the depravity and guilt which a great portion of the people must have contracted by their habit of war, we may perhaps justly apply to each of the two nations the following lines, which were addressed by Cowper to the city of London:

Ten righteous would have saved a city once,
And thou hast many righteous-Well for thee-
That salt preserves thee; more corrupted else
And therefore more obnoxious, at this hour,
Than Sodom in her day had power to be,

For whom God heard his Abraham plead in vain.

On no other account is either of the two nations so justly liable to the reproach of being antichristian, as on that of their warring character, in which they both glory. Shall the people of the United States continue to follow the bloody example of these nations in offering human sacrifices ? “God forbid !"

Adam to Michael.

"Adam was all tears and to his guide

Lamenting turned, full sad: O what are these!
Death's ministers, not men, who thus deal death

Inhumanly to men, and multiply

Ten thousand fold the sin of him who slew
His brother! For of whom such massacre

Make they but of their brethren, men of men?"

Milion.

CONSTITUTION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS PEACE SOCIETY.

Is forming a society, which it is hoped may have an extensive influence, we, the subscribers, deem it proper to make a concise declaration of our motives and objects.

We have been strongly impressed, by considering the manifold crimes and tremendous calamities of public war, and the melancholy insensibility which has been induced by education and habit, in regard to this most barbarous, destructive, and unchristian custom. Our earnest wish is, that men may be brought to view war in a just light, to see clearly its baleful influence on the political, moral, and religious condition of communities, and its opposition to the design and spirit of the gospel. Most earnestly do we desire that men may be brought to feel that a spirit of conquest is among the most atrocious of crimes; that the thirst for military glory is inbuman, delusive and ruinous, and that the true dignity and happiness of a people result from impartial justice towards all nations, and the spirit and virtues of peace.

Various facts and considerations have conspired in exciting a hope, that a change may be effected in public sentiment, and a more happy state of society introduced. It is evidently the design and tendency of the gospel, to subdue the lusts and passions, from which wars and fightings originate; and encouragement is given that a time will come, when the nations will learn war no more. We believe that a great majority of the people in every civilized country, when free from the delusions of party passions and prejudices, have such an aversion to public hostilities, that they would rejoice if any plan could be devised, which would both secure their rights and absolve them from the burdens and sufferings of war. A late Treaty of Peace has suggested the practicability of such a plan, and given us an admirable lesson on the subject. We now see, that when two governments are inclined to peace, they can make some friendly power the umpire and last resort, for settling points of controversy. For this ray of pacific light we are grateful, and we hope that it will be like "the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." This hope is strengthened by reflecting on the animating fact, that the horrid custom of private wars, which for ages desolated Europe, was finally abolished by a similar project.

Besides, it is clear that every popular custom must depend on public opinion; and we also know, from history, that many customs and usages which were formerly considered as honorable, useful, and even necessary, have since ben abolished, as inhuman and barbarous, and are now regarded with detestation and horror,

To the list of encouraging facts we may add, that by their late dreadful sufferings, the attention of the European nations is unusually excited to the guilt and miseries of war; and with joy we have learned, that Peace Societies have been proposed, if not already established, on the other side of the Atlantic. These things not only encourage our hearts, and strengthen our hands, but preclude the objection which might arise, that it is dangerous to cultivate the spirit of peace in one nation, whilst others retain the spirit of war. A cooperation in different countries is joyfully anticipated, in this great work of promoting peace on earth and good will among men.

But above all other sources of encouragement, we contemplate the benevolent character of our heavenly Father, as displayed in the gospel of his beloved Son. We there behold him as "the God of peace," and we have a cheering hope, that he will own and prosper a society of peacemakers.

It is well known that a diversity of sentiment has existed among Christians on the question, whether war be not in all cases prohibited by the gospel. But we intend that this society shall be established on principles so broad, as to embrace the friends of peace who differ on this as well as on other subjects. We wish to promote the cause of peace by methods which all Christians must approve,-by exhibiting with all clearness and distinctness the pacific nature of the gospel and by turning the attention of the community to the nature, spirit, causes and effects of war. We hope that by the concurrence of the friends of peace in all nations, and by the gradual illumination of the Christian world, a pacific spirit may be communicated to governments,-and that, in this way, the occasions of war, and the belief of its necessity, will be constantly diminishing, till it shall be regarded by all Christians with the same horror with which we now look back on the exploded and barbarous customs of former ages.

On these principles, and with these hopes, we adopt the following

ARTICLES.

I. The name of this society shall be THE MASSACHUSETTS PEACE SO

GIETY.

II. The government of this society shall consist of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, and six Trustees, who shall be annually chosen, three of whom shall constitute a quorum.

III. The funds of the society shall be under the direction of the offi cers, to be employed for the diffusion of light on the subject of war, and in cultivating the principles and spirit of peace. The officers shall have power to appoint an Executive Committee, and Counsellors to advise with the Corresponding Secretary, and to make regulations for the despatch of business.

IV. Each subscriber of one dollar annually shall be a member.

V. Each subscriber of twenty-five dollars shall be a member for life. VI. All donations to the society shall be recorded; and every donor of fifty dollars or upwards, shall be an honorary member of the society and of the Board of Trustees.

VII. Each member of the society may receive one half his annual subscription in such books or tracts as the officers shall approve, and at the lowest prices of the society.

VIII. The annual meeting of the society shall be on the last Thursday in every year; at which time reports shall be made by the Trustees and the Treasurer.

IX. This society will encourage the forming of similar societies in this country and in foreign countries, by the dispersion of tracts, by corThey will also encourage respondence, and by other suitable means mutual aid and cooperation among all the friends of peace of every denomination.

X. Should any person become a member of this society, whose residence is remote from Boston, it shall be regarded as honorable for him to encourage the establishment of a similar society in his own vicinity,

XI. No change in the objects of the society shall ever be made; but the articles may be amended, and new articles may be added, as occasion shall require; provided that no alteration be made except at the annual meeting, and by the consent of two thirds of the members who may then be present.