In examining into causes, he would readily perceive, that these things were undertaken and carried on, not only in the will of man, but often by the most corrupt members of the community. The profligate priesthood of England, has been the great champion of bible societies;-and those dissenters, who in other times raised their voices against man-made ministers, have now become so far levelled into their nature, as cordially to cooperate with them; and for what? but to lead people from a dependence upon the principle truth in their own minds, to a reliance upon outward things?

Missionary societies seem even yet more incorrect: they send out their members to preach the peaceable principles of the gospel, and they quarrel among themselves.* And individuals undertake to establish peace societies, with their hands stained with the blood of their fellow men.

But however little our natural wisdom may be able to accomplish, there is yet a path to be trodden, that is hid from the vulture's eye,

* Witness the disturbances among them, both in India and Canada.

which will completely eradicate war; and in it, every accountable individual has his allotted station. It is a path of simple obedience to the voice of God, manifested in the secret of the soul. However desirous some may be, of exerting themselves in so good a work, as the promotion of peace on earth; yet, assuredly, every deviation which they make, from the dictates of divine truth, is promoting war rather than peace.

There is a refined kind of selfishness, which makes us pursue virtue for the hopes of the joys of a life to come; this too must die, before pure and perfect peace can be entirely established. We must stand naked and bare before the Almighty, in a state of humble redemption; which, while it sets us free from the bondage of every society, and every man, from every hope and every fear,-makes each action and affection centre in God, and in a holy and ineffable union and communion unites the soul to him.

The views which have been offered in these pages, however singular some of them may appear, have been mostly confirmed by that clear evidence of truth, which sets vir

I

tue and vice open before us; and in which the fallacy of every profession hath been seen, that hath peace for its object. Man must wholly cease from his own activity, before"the mountain of the Lord's house can be established;" every affection which has its end in the creature, must terminate; "they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passeth away.”*

Since this essay was written, a volume of periodical papers, entitled, "The Reformer," has been placed in my hands by one of the editors. It is worthy of an attentive perusal, as well on account of the matter it contains, as for the facts which the editors have collected. It seems to me like a looking-glass, in which some of the societies which are supported by priest-craft, may see their own deformity.

* 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30, 31.

THE END.

NOTE A.

Referred to in Page 43.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear-because fear hath torments, he that feareth is not made perfect in love." 1st John iv. 18.

That state of perfect love, which alone is a state of perfect peace, which is alluded to in page 43, was strikingly exemplified in Armelle Nicolas, a French servant girl, of Britany in France. The following are extracts from a journal of her daily manner of life.

Often she said "If heaven and earth should be dissolved, I should not be afraid : and if all men and devils too, conspired to my destruction, I should have no fear; knowing I have God for me, who will defend and keep me. I am so well assured of his goodness, that nothing will befal me but what will tend to his glory; which is the only thing I desire, both in this world and the next."

She even thanked God that she could not read, when some expressed their wishes that she had learned it, as it would be a great means of advancement toward perfection. But she had recourse to the Lord, and said to Him; " Oh my Love, my All, to thee I offer the book of my con

science. Thou knowest that I cannot read in any other book than that. Vouchsafe to take it, turn over its leaves, examine it fully, efface whatever is not pleasing to thee, and inscribe all that is agreeable to thy holy will."

She said, "I could not forbear presenting to Him the book of my conscience and He, on his side, presented himself to the eyes of my soul as a great book, in which I saw and learned, as in the twinkling of an eye, more sublime and truly profitable learning, than I could have done all my life long, by the very best instructions of all the best qualified men in the world.” “So I often said to my teacher, oh! how well hast thou known how to supply all the defects of my ignorance. For not being able to read in books, thou hast made thyself my book, my lesson and my master. In this book I met with all I needed; I read in it (and delighted so to do) by night as well as by day. Was it needful for me to suffer, to deny myself, to conquer and subdue myself, to be humble in mortification or active in duty? In that book I read intelligibly the best way and manner how to do it to such a degree, that I could not but execute what was so divinely taught me in it. And I saw clearly that this was infinitely the best of knowledge, all other sciences being of little value compared with this."