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true interest required, we might have lived in as much harmony with them, as with any other people on the globe." Dr. Belknap quotes from the History of Louisiana the following testimony of Monsieur Du Prats, concerning the Indians in that region:"There needs nothing but prudence and good sense to persuade these people to what is reasonable, and to preserve their friendship without interruption."

How affecting and humiliating are these truths! How shocking to the benevolent mind are the legitimate inferences! Professing a just, humane, and pacific religion, we flee from persecution, and take refuge in a land, inhabited indeed by savage men, but men who are susceptible of being won by kindness, and with whom we might live in harmony, if we would but follow the dictates of our own religion, or even pursue our true interest. But, alas! we wage war with our red brethren, pursue them with deadly rancour, drive them from the shores of the ocean, farther and farther from their former places of residence and their means of subsistence. Becoming ourselves a great people, while their numbers are diminished by our swords, "we feel power and forget right," and multiply wars with a feeble and nearly exterminated race; and yet we have the effrontery to boast that we are a just, peaceable, and magnanimous nation!

"Then what is man? And what man seeing this, And having human feelings, does not blush And hang his head, to think himself a man!"

Cowper.

Reflections upon the Conduct of Human Life; with reference to Learning and Knowledge.

(Concluded from page 224.)

THE CONCLUSION.

To what a narrow compass, by virtue of the preceding Reflections, are these three things reduced, which use to take up so large a room, viz. Learning itself, the method of learning,

and the desire and prosecution of learning! These indeed are great retrenchments, but such as are just and necessary to the regulation of our intellectual conduct.

And now who can forbear making these two observations, 1. That this bookish humour, which every where so prevails, is one of the spiritual diseases of mankind, one of the most malignant relics of original depravation; it carrying in it the very stamp and signature of Adam's transgression, which owed its birth to an inordinate desire of knowledge. 11. That those who have eyes, may in great measure spare them; and they who have not, should not much lament the want of them, upon account of Learning.

For my own part, I am so thoroughly convinced of the certainty of the principles here laid down, that I look upon myself as not only under a particular obligation, but almost a necessity of conducting my studies by them; the last of which has left such a deep impression upon me, that I now intend to follow the advice of the Heathen (Marcus Antoninus,) as I remember, Τὴν τῶν Βιβλίων δίψαν ρίψον. Rid thyself of the thirst after books; and to study nothing at all but what serves to the advancement of piety and a good life.

I have now spent about thirteen years in the most celebrated university in the world, in pursuing both such learning as the academical standard requires, and as my private genius inclined me to. But in truth, when I think on my past intellectual conduct, I am as little satisfied with it as with my moral; being very conscious that the greatest part of my time has been employed in unconcerning curiosities, such as derive no degree of moral influence upon the soul that contemplates them.

But I have now a very different apprehension of things, and intend to spend my uncertain remainder of time in studying only what makes for the moral improvement of my mind and regulation of my life; being not

able to give an account, upon any rational and consistent principles, why I should study any thing else. More particularly, I shall apply myself to read such books as are rather persuasive than instructive; such as warm, kindle, and enlarge the affections, and awaken the divine sense in the soul, as being convinced by every day's experience, that I have more need of heat than of light.

Though were I for more light, still I think this would prove the best method of illumination, and that when all is done, the love of God is the best light of the soul. A man may indeed have knowledge without love; but he that loves, though he wants sciences humanly acquired, yet he will know more than human wisdom can teach him, because he has that Master within him who teacheth man Knowledge.

LINES ON WAR.

[Written by the Daughter of a Dissenting Minister in the last Century.]

Oh! why has War from age to age prevail'd,
Alike 'mid savage tribes and polish'd states?
Nor only where the bloody rites of Mars,
Or cruel Odin, held relentless sway

O'er countless myriads, hath the murd'ring sword
Been falsely deem'd renown:-Thy sacred cross,
Blessed Redeemer! the blood-stain'd banner
Hath assumed, and in thy lovely name

Its millions slain! scatt'ring throughout the world
Fell desolation, and unnumbered woes.

Oh! why with laurels crown the brows of those
Who wade through seas of blood to fame or pow'r ?
Who hear unmov'd the widow's groans, and cause
Without remorse the helpless orphan's tears?
That frozen Scythia's sons should roam abroad
In search of happier climes,-that Goths and Huns,
Vandals and Picts, the dread of ancient days,-
Or Indians, in their native woods, scarce rais'd
Above the brutal herds,-should mark their steps
With blood, our wonder scarce excites. But, ah!
How monstrous, to behold the embattled plains
With human beings throng'd, bearing the name
Of Him who meekly bow'd his head, and died
To save the rebel man!-

Disease and death will people fast the tomb,
Nor need the aid of cruelty and war

To sweep mankind from off the stage of life,
Hurrying immortals to the awful bar

Of Him who weighs our actions and our thoughts.

TO CORRESPONDENTS:

WE have to acknowledge favours from B. W.-W.P. T.-and Moderator. The piece referred to by W. T. P. has been, we are sorry to say, mislaid; but if found, shall receive attention. We feel much obliged by the suggestions of B. W. and shall be happy to give publicity to his views of the way in which Education may be made sub

servient to the cause of Peace,

THE

HERALD OF PEACE.

SEPTEMBER 1821.

ON THE WAR BETWEEN THE TURKS AND THE GREEKS.

TOWEVER necessary it may be to the mental tranquillity and religious improvement of a Christian, that he be not involved in the wranglings of political controversy, it would demonstrate a want of true Christian philanthropy if national revolutions, and the rise and fall of empires, were regarded with indifference. It is perfectly easy, though perhaps very unusual, to observe with lively interest great political transactions, without any intermixture of those heated feelings by which political parties are too commonly agitated. In allusion to the subject which now occupies our attention, we hope carefully to keep in view that benign spirit of Christianity, by which all who name the name of Jesus ought to be actuated, and which ought to possess a more than ordinary degree of influence upon the minds of those who advocate the cause, and the principles, of absolute and universal

peace.

A short time has elapsed, since we directed the notice of our readers to the appearances of a frightful con

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test, which threatened to deluge with ruin and misery the fair and fruitful plains of Italy. Those appearances were dispersed, not by the prevalence of the spirit of Christian Peace, for neither party, it is evident, “had so learned Christ;" but by the pusillanimity of those who seem to have been as destitute of what the world calls heroism, as they are, we fear, of real Christianity. Scarcely had this feeble effort of popular-emotion (we cannot call it principle) been suppressed, than the flames of actual and bloody warfare broke out in the celebrated countries of Greece, and every succeeding post furnishes details of increasing and frightful interest.

Fierce and protracted, we may expect, will be the contest between the exasperated Greeks and their cruel oppressors, unless the neighbouring powers of Russia or Austria should interpose with the strong arm of efficient authority. The Mussulmen, though at present discomfited, will rally and maintain an obstinate struggle for that mastery which

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they have so profitably, and for so long time enjoyed. Who, in the contemplation of the sanguinary scenes which will yet be exhibited in the rich valleys of Greece, does not mourn over the wretchedness and woe, in which the widows and children of those who fall in this deadly warfare, will be involved?

From what we know of either party, there is no reason to suppose that they will be disturbed by any of those compunctions in the use of the sword, which would keenly affect the mind of an enlightened and pious Christian. War is the appropriate trade of the followers of Mahomet. By it they first established their empire, and have hitherto maintained their stand against the arts and arms of Christianized and civil

ized Europe. No antibelligerent precepts, no absolute requirements to 66 follow peace with all men," mark the pages of the Koran. If they fall, they die triumphantly. Reeking with the blood of their enemies, they anticipate a full and free admission to the regions of the blessed! It is also a well known historical fact, that in all periods of the Christian era, the professors of Christianity have found no impediment to the practice of war from the views they have entertained of their religion. If this has been the case in Protestant countries, where the circulation of the Scriptures has not been hindered, we need not wonder that the unenlightened members of the Greek church should have no objection to seek for a redress of their grievances by an appeal to the uncertain results of War. The Greeks have indeed abundant reason to seek for emancipation from the

power of their oppressors; and it is probable that, in the allwise providence of God, they may be the intended instruments by which the overthrow of Mahometanism is to commence. Too long have the ig norant and barbarous adherents of the Prophet of Mecca formed an insurmountable barrier to the progress of science and Christianity, at the grand pass between Europe and Asia! Too long have they held the descendants of the ancient and polished Grecians in a state of servile bondage and degrading ignorance. Yet, as Christians, as peaceful Christians, we feel it to be our duty to deprecate the change from bondage to freedom-from darkness to light, by means of the sanguinary and desolating operations of the sword. And we cannot but wish that it might have been effected through the gradual diffusion of the cheering and benign beams of Knowledge and Revelation. Great cause for regret and censure belongs to the nations and Governments of Christian Europe, who have suffered year after year and century after century to pass, without strenuous but wise and peaceful endeavours to enlighten and reform the dark and deluded Mahometans. Had such attempts been sincerely and zealously made, and had they been supported by consistency of national and political character and conduct, we might have hoped that the cross of Christ would, long ere this, have enjoyed a bloodless, a glorious triumph, over the direful standard of the crescent; "And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

For the present we fear it is impossible to accomplish much good,

by attempting to diffuse among the Turks the peaceful principles of Christianity. The name of a Christian, which from a child they are taught to abominate, is becoming more and more obnoxious to them; and they will reply to the labours of the Christian missionary by the prompt operations of their murderous sabres. Let us not however cease to pray for them as our fellowmen, as children of the same Heavenly Parent, earnestly desiring that their misguided fanaticism may be removed; the cruel habits in which they have been long nurtured may be completely changed; and that the fierce lion maybecome the gentle lamb. In fine, let the contemplation of these distressing scenes of war, and rapine, and bloodshed, ever excite in us an abhorrence of the systematic slaughter of man by his fellow-man. Let it produce in our minds an increasing devotedness of soul to that lovely system of religious and moral duty, which teaches us to be "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."

Remarks on the Paper from the Adventurer, inserted in the last Number of the Herald.

SIR,-I read with pleasure, mingled with painful emotions, the paper from the Adventurer inserted in your last Number for August-With pleasure, because it is calculated to promote the design of your valuable Miscellany, by shewing that the arbitrary distinction made by men between legal and illegal robbery and murder, is not sanctioned by the immutable laws of morality-With painful emotions, through reflecting on the increase and aggravation of

the miseries incident to this state of mutability, produced by a distrust in the protecting providence of our Heavenly Father, without whose the ground. permission a sparrow does not fall to

None of your readers could but have sympathised with the agonizing feelings of the two ladies at the sight when one was anticipating the pleaof the bloody corpse, at the moment sure of embracing an only son, after an absence of six years, the other, a beloved husband, and at the same time, the thrilling delight of presenting him with "a pledge of his

love which he had never seen." But how painful must be our feelings, when we reflect that the very means adopted by the gentlemen for the security of their persons and property were the cause of the fatal catas

trophe! Had they adopted and acted bearance, which will patiently suffer upon the Christian principle of forinjury rather than retaliate, much less embrue the hands in blood to secure a little pelf, they might indeed have lost their property, and which, with all their precaution they have been secure from harm, and did not save, but their persons would the subsequent distressing and agonizing scene have been prevented.

This affecting event is a practical illustration of the argument of the Friends of Peace, that men (and the by presenting themselves in an atargument may be extended to nations) titude of defiance, shewing that they are prepared to revenge any insult or injury, often bring upon themselves that very injury against which they thought to have effectually secured themselves. May the moral lesson inculcated by this anecdote sink deep into our bosoms; that it is neither enthusiasm nor fanaticism, but an act of the highest reason to confide in our Heavenly Father for protection from whatever danger we may be exposed to, in consequence of obedience to the divine precepts.

AMICUS.

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