herein an apparent incongruity is ascribed to the Holy Scriptures, where in fact no such incongruity exists; for, the Divine Law, embracing a three-fold period of natural, spiritual, and celestial actions, provides within itself rules for each period respectively, and it is for us to exercise our rationality in this discrimination of what is suitable and proper to our actual state, either as individuals, societies, or nations. It being the nature of spiritual law to accommodate itself to the apprehension of both the wise and the simple.

If a civilized inhabitant of New-York, was to be removed into an Indian nation, and there to inhabit, he would, in that case, be without the pale of our laws, and within the pale of the Indian laws; it would consequently result, that it would be very unfair, at that, or any subsequent period, to judge him under the law of New-York, for offences; alleged, as committed under the Choctaw domicile, as all the relations which gave propriety and value to the law in the one case, were nonexistent in respect to the other; the law could no longer have any ground in justice, but becomes a mere oppressive, perplexing, irrelevant formality; that is to say, when the laws of a more perfect society as operating on certain individuals of a society less perfect than that for which such laws were made.

The precepts then of the Gospel, embracing as they do, three different states of progression, give to man an understanding and perception in due order, of what is relative to his existing condition therein, beyond which, if he attempts to soar, he quickly becomes the victim of his temerity, by lapsing into enthusiasm. Thus under the govern ment of the Penns in Pennsylvania, a majority of Quakers being found in the legislature, in order to accommodate the executive of the province with a grant of money for warlike purposes, a sufficient number were obliged to resign, and non-quakers placed in their room in order to vote the military supplies. Here was evidently an impracticable theory tested, and, as such, should have been abandoned as disorderly in its action. It may be deemed, however, a successful exhibition and refutation of spiritual enthusiasm.

There is no part of the Scriptures so much urged on the Christian at this day, and heretofore, as the example of Christ. He went about doing good. In this we should imitate him, assuredly. But, if we were, in order to do this more perfectly, to attempt the same things that were done by him, as to work miracles, walk on the sea, die on the cross; would this not be justly deemed the most ridiculous folly in us? It results, then, that our imitation of Christ is to be according to the practicable order in which we are placed, as parts of a whole, but not as distinct integers, in external things.

So, when our Lord caused the disciple to put up his sword, telling him at the same time, that legions of angels were at his command, if he chose to call them to his assistance; we are instructed, that it was agreeably to the Divine Providence that he should suffer, not resist, for in this he was the type of the celestial man, in his own future Celestial Church, when all shall submit themselves, without resistance, to His Supreme Power. At this day, submission on quaker principles, would be a direct acknowledgment of the authority of evil to govern good, force to govern wisdom, which amounts almost to an avowed allegiance to the Devil; as if the right to reign was in him, and therefore, we should unresistingly submit to his government.

A correspondent hath remarked, that the peaceful Pennsylvanians were better off than the fighting New Englanders, which may be the case, in the time of Penn, who indeed was a great and good man in in his day, and might have been so, had he continued in the church of England, which hath produced millions of men, as good, we trust, as William Penn, whose names have never been heard of, out of their own parishes he founded his community in a noble spirit of equity, and in sound policy towards the Indians, but we find through their history, that before they were well acquainted with the views of their white neighbors, an exterior frontier circle was formed around those of the Quakers, who kept near to Philadelphia, where there was commonly a few regular troops for the protection of the peaceable.

It may at the first view appear, and it still so appears in the light of enthusiasm, that a sect professing an aversion to war, and even declining to take up arms for self-defence, daily extending its influence and numbers, would eventually stop the ravages of war, and tend to introduce a millennium. Yet, it was not evident to the founders of Quakerism, that whenever good sense and sound discretion pervaded a community generally, it must have a decided aversion to war, independent of any extra authority that might be derived from its being engrafted on the religious creed of any people, or sect; for if the principle in view existed previously in the Scriptures, it gains nothing in force by being transplanted; if it did not exist therein, then it must be deemed an error in the creed, not being derived from the proper authority. So, we find, the quaker institution has not operated to prevent war; nay, it has operated the other way: for the Friends, by taking too high ground, have been less useful than they might otherwise have been as a Christian sect. It was not so with our Lord, who sat with publicans and sinners, that he might thus enjoy a fit opportunity for instructing them. Indeed, VOL. II. No. 1.

there is hardly a situation where a religious man, if he has firmness and good sense, can be more in the way of doing good, than in a camp.

Whenever an individual divulges a dogma, new to his neighbors, propriety calls on him to explain and support it by rational arguments. If he explains it, it may be presumed that he understands it, and is then entitled to credence; but if he cannot do so, he may well be supposed to be in a delusion; as a man can always clearly explain, what he clearly comprehends. Now, it is a fact, that the Friends have never done this, but in a very inconsiderable degree, by means of Scripture perverted. So little, indeed, as to have no weight in national affairs. Even in their own society, amongst their own people, many of their youth have frequently come forth, at the call of their country. They had not, perhaps, consulted the selfish spirit, which so frequently seizes men, in their more mature years, or they might have deemed it a duty to pursue a different course.

One of the difficulties that appears to arise in this discussion, is, that we appear to combat the principle of peace itself, whilst in fact, we are only combating the enthusiastic delusions which men have fallen into by misconception of the sense and meaning of the Gospel. Peace, internal and external, is the ultimate point to which the Christian church will come; but it will come, first by a sweet sense of rational feeling on the mind, derived from a thorough knowledge of genuine truth, and so will find its way into our political bodies, who actuated thereby, will obey its guidance in the sphere of politics. Such men will not be under the influence of enthusiasm, which assumes credit for ideal virtues, which cannot be practised. They will be men on a proper level with the business of the world in which they live, and therefore, Christians truly sane and efficient.

The mode that is proposed to test a man who professes to be a disciple of peace, and who perhaps in order not to be mistaken by the world on this point, hath assumed the peculiar garb, is this: have you peace in your inward man? Does Jesus dwell there? Does he rule over principalities and powers, over sectarian politics, and selfish interests? Do you feel a conviction that he can make every thing work for good to those of his kingdom? Per contra. Do you consider yourself a being, who, independent of the divine revelation spread abroad in the world, art indulged, by means of secret interior way, to the light of truth; a way, peculiar to your own sect only? Do you indulge your unbridled prejudices in the political contests around you, your bosom burning like a fiery furnace, with every malignant, furious passion, that is common to a base populace? Do you

tell lies openly, or do you use an equivocation, which is a lie in disguise? Have you any dependance for salvation on the cut of your coat, the nicety of your grammar, the peculiarity of your callendar, or any other such childish oddities? Friend-if thou canst answer the first questions affirmatively, and the last negatively, you are indeed a man of peace, a true follower of the Lamb, a true Christian in the soul, We hail you as a brother, whether your coat be drab or scarlet color, whether you have conscientiously taken up, or conscientiously refused to take up arms. But if not, ah! what avail appearances before God? What do they avail even on earth? Where the outer man speaks the language of Heaven, whilst the inner man speaks the language of Hell: for, the latter, being the real man, will be always bent on accomplishing its ends. Whilst the former, being intended for deception only, remains quiescent, as to all good purposes. To such we would say, assume the military uniform of your country; in that character you may perform acceptable uses; let your furious passions, your subtle, selfish cunning, operate against the open enemies of your country, rather than expend their malignant influence on your neighbors and fellow citizens: ye are cut throats internally, you may as well be so externally. Your damnation would not be more certain.

But, the true state of the case is, that when the necessity for war ceases, war will cease, and not before; for the Laws of the Divine Providence, being laws of necessity; whilst there are bad men to commit aggressions, the best of men must defend themselves, and that by carnal weapons too, if necessary; for if the Lord Jehovah had to assume the humanity, in order to enter externally into the state of those with whom he was to contend, how much more the best of men, when contending with the most wicked; and that reformation is to take place by any other means, than a new power given through Divine Truth, we do not think possible. Perhaps it is because we have seen a glimpse of this power, that we say so.

It may perhaps be objected, that our opinions are contradictory; that we equally approve of those who take up, and those who refuse to take up arms. This will lead us to the explanation of a nice point. The creed, or discipline, that gives no latitude for the exercise of private judgment, is a wrong creed; for the soul that is panting for war, should no more be restrained by the discipline of his sect from taking the field, than one of a contrary description should be compelled to go into it. The reason of this follows.

It hath pleased God in the order of his Providence to appoint men, some to celestial uses, some to spiritual uses, and some to natural uses ; thus, forming of the parts a perfect whole, a body. Now, when the

creed of a sect goes to demolish, derange, and counteract, this order of Providence, as is the case when a portion of citizens are thereby withheld from rendering military service to the state, when requisite, disorder must inevitably ensue somewhere; for, the laws of Providence, not being counteractable by the laws of man, we see persons of this sect break off, and engage in military business, as well as others. It is true, the sect saves its own credit apparently, by turning off those disobedient members from its bosom. But still, this is of little avail, since it is but cleansing the outside of the platter: the inside remains as it was.

It is very flattering to a sect, to be thought by others, or even by itself, as by far the wisest and best, and invested with peculiar graces, denied to others. This is a delusion, though a very pleasing one; for, though it is admitted that one may have some degree of precedence in point of time, yet being of the same social body, the parts must consequently adhere together in conjunction, and although one part may be more susceptible of good impressions than another, yet those impressions, when once received, will pervade, very rapidly, the other members of the same body, each in its due degree of recipiency.

By closely attending to the last ideas mentioned, it may be perceived, as the case actually is, that the salvation of man, being a measure of simultaneous operation, wherever the Church is established, it is contrary to Divine Order, that any sect particularly, by an ordinance of its own, in direct contradiction to the general laws of the land they live in, and of course, in contradiction to the general sentiment of mankind, should, under color of conscience, contravene the constitutional and legal will of society.

A natural consequence flowing from such a position is, that where no defence is deemed necessary against invasion, the transfer of national independence, and sovereignty itself, must be accounted as a matter of no importance. It would be ridiculous, therefore, for such persons to talk of foreign influence. A person so professing could not or should not hold any office under our government, the dicta of which he must swear or affirm to obey; the employment of military force being a part of the legal means authorised thereby for coercion of the enemy in the interior or exterior.

How are these difficulties to be done away so that we may arrive at the ultimate end-Peace?

That end is to be obtained by the universal diffusion of the truth, of revelation through all religious societies, not by its partial application to any sect. This Truth must be open, candid, calculated for use more than for parade; it must be powerful, it must be penetrating,