times, permitted to come on board, indiscriminately, and to go into the cabins, state-rooms, or wherever else they thought fit, without being watched. On shore it was the same, where the ship's stores of every kind, as well as the carpenter's and armourer's tools, were lying about; and in the observatory, the instruments, books and pencils, were merely placed under cover to shelter them from the dew, but under no lock and key, and without any guard; yet not a single article was taken away, tho many hundreds of people were daily admitted, and allowed to touch and examine whatever they pleased."

"The period of our departure being now fixed, all our stores were embarked on the evening of the 26th of October. The next morning, the Loo-Choos, as a mark of respect, arrayed themselves in their best apparel, and proceeding to the temple, offered up to their gods, a solemn sacrifice, invoking them to protect the Engelees, to avert every danger, and restore them in safety to their own land. In the manner of this adieu, there was an air of sublimity and benevolence, by far more touching to the heart than the most refined compliments of a more civilized people. It was the genuine benignity of artless nature, and of primitive innocence. Immediately following this solemnity, our particular friends crowded on board to shake hands and say-FAREWELL! whilst the tears which many of them shed, evinced the sincerity of their attachment."

"We stood out seaward, and the breeze being favorable, this happy island soon sunk from our view; but it will be long remembered by the officers and the crews; for the kindness and hospitality of its inhabitants have fixed upon every mind, a deep and lasting impression of gratitude and esteem."

REMARKS UPON THE PRECEDING.

The foregoing account presents a practical example of peace, in a people called Pagans, which is sufficient to teach professing Christians a lesson of wisdom, far superior to all the maxims in favor of the war policy, that ever were advanced by any Christian nation on earth. Indeed it affords a complete refutation of that erroneous policy which teaches that, the surest means of preserving peace is to be prepared for war." It is also an incontestible proof, that a virtuous and peaceable spirit is not only able to preserve the peace of a nation, but to disarm warriors themselves of their

accustomed feelings of hostility. If "that proud and haughty feeling of national superiority, so strongly existing among the common class of British seamen," could be "completely subdued and tamed by the gentle manners and kind behaviour" of these Pagans, why should not the same causes produce the same effects, between nations professing the mild and pacific principles of Christianity? Such a conquest over the spirits and feelings of warriors, could never be achieved by war. Here, for the first time, was found a race of people who, from time immemorial, without any warlike means, had preserved peace with all their neighbours; a people who lived in a state of peace and harmony among themselves, and enjoyed a degree of happiness and prosperity unknown to warring nations.

If we are to judge by the accounts given of these people, we must believe that they shame the professed Christian world, with all their boasted privileges, not only in maintaining the principles of peace, but in the practice of all the moral virtues taught by the gospel. Their government, it appears, was supported by the same mild and peaceable spirit, and was effective in its operations, in maintaining good order without the aid of arms; so that crimes were very unfrequent, and there was no appearance of theft or fraud found among them. These people will doubtless be called idolaters by Christian professors; because they had pagan temples among them. But to one of these temples the British were permitted to convey their sick and infirm; and there these charitable people kindly administered to their necessities. Where shall we find a nation of Christians who will do likewise?

What a striking contrast appears between this conduct and that of Christian warriors, who often pollute the temples of each other with the implements of war, and the beasts of the army; and what still more loudly proclaims the spirit of their religion, they even deposite the bloodstained trophies of the sanguinary field in their own temples, professedly dedicated to the worship of the Prince of Peace. How comes it to pass that these Pagans practice so much more of the genuine principles of Christianity, than those who assume the Christian name? The answer is plain and obvious: Because they have never been corrupted by the spirit and principles of war; and consequently know nothing of its pernicious practices. For certain it is, that wrath, contention and strife, thefts, robberies and murders, are the fruits of the spirit of war; and where that spirit is entirely

subdued in a nation, these fruits will cease to grow, as cer tainly as a tree will cease to bear fruit when it is cut down. "Mr. Ellis, the English missionary, declared that he never even suspected the inconsistency of war with Christianity, till the uncivilized islanders, to whom he was sent, came and proposed the destruction of all their weapons of war, saying, 'When we have embraced this gospel, we can never use them again.' Had christian nations been as much enlightened to their highest interests and duties, as these people whom we call savages, the promise that, 'the meek shall inherit the earth,' would long since have been literally acomplished.-One of the Chinese emperors refused to admit the missionaries into his dominions; because, said he, that wherever Christians came, wars and desolation soon followed."*

What a pity it is, that heathens and savages, so called, should be so much better able to understand the pacific nature of Christ's gospel, than those nations who have so long enjoyed the light of Divine Revelation, and made such high pretensions of superior refinement and civilization!

It is not improbable that the professed Christian world, in their zeal for foreign missions, will ere long think of sending missionaries to teach the inhabitants of the Loo-Choo islands their system of religion, according to the creeds of the sect to which these missionaries may happen to belong. But we think it would be much better for them to send to Loo-Choo, for missionaries to teach the principles and practice of peace, which are the genuine fruits of that gospel which warring Christians know only by name. If Christian nations, in a Christian land, are so destitute of the knowledge of the peaceable principles of the gospel, as not to know how to live in peace, we would advise them to send their ministers of religion, together with those whom they design for statesmen and rulers, to Loo-Choo, to be taught the principles of peace, and to learn by example how to practice them. And if a high-sounding profession of the name of Christianity, which is destitute of the spirit of Christ, has not sunk them far below Pagans, and common British seamen, and blinded their eyes to all increasing light, they will undoubtedly learn, that the principles and practice of peace can exist, and be fully maintained among mankind, notwithstanding they have been so long taught an opposite doctrine in a Christian land. Could this be done, we might indulge a hope that wars would soon cease: for when once * Address of E. B. Perkins-see Harbinger of Peace, No. 7. p. 151.

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the rulers and leading characters of nations shall be governed by the spirit of honesty, peace and good will, wars will cease, and there will then be no more necessity of wars among nations so governed, than there is now among the Loo-Choo Islanders.

In this account of a people, so honorable to human nature, we have a full proof of these important facts: 1st. That the principles of war are not inherent in the constitution of man. 2d. That warlike principles and preparations are wholly unnecessary for the protection of any people. 3d. That the principles of peace operate far more powerfully, for the benefit of states and nations, than those of war, and, when properly exercised, will disarm the most powerful warriors of their hostile spirit, and bring them into subjection where actual hostilities cannot do it. Hence it is clearly evident, that the spirit of peace affords a far greater protection, and is infinitely more beneficial to a nation, than the spirit of war, with all its multiplied and costly preparations and means of defence.

CONCLUSION.

In the well authenticated facts contained in the preceding pages, concerning the protection and preservation of nations and people, who have been ruled and governed by the principles of peace, we have a fair view of the extraordinary effects of those principles, even under the government of Pagan rulers. And whether our readers have any belief or confidence in the miraculous interposition of Divine Providence in the affairs of men, or not, it is certain that the spirit of peace has always been the same, whenever and wherever it has been properly exercised: for it has ever produced the same effects, and doubtless ever will, to the end of time.

Let the candid reader examine, with an unbiassed mind, the historical facts which we have brought to view, and candidly reflect on the subject, and he will undoubtedly be convinced that wars, unless positively known to be authorized by Divine Providence, have ultimately failed of their professed object; that they have never operated for the real benefit of any nation; but on the contrary, have always been attended with destruction and misery in proportion to their extent; and that they have also been the prolific source of all manner of crimes, and have caused the most extensive depravity of morals to nations; and finally, have brought the most signal judgments of God upon mankind. And if, in some instances, the ambitious chief who waged the war,

has obtained the object of his ambition, it has been at the expense of the lives of his subjects, and the corruption of their moral principles, and perhaps the infinite loss of numerous innocent families of his own subjects, as well as those of his enemy, for which all the objects of his ambition could never compensate. On the contrary, the reader will find that the spirit of peace, when fairly put in practice, has never failed of its object; but has proved the best security of nations, the surest preservation of their honor and interests, and the greatest source of national happiness and prosperity.

Had the wise policy of Numa and Antoninus been adopted and pursued by the rulers of nations, from that period to this, wars would long since have ceased throughout the civilized world. And had the wise and pacific conduct of William Penn been practiced by the people of America, from the first settlement of this country, wars would never have been known between them and the natives of this land; and yet they might have obtained an ample supply of lands, without the expense of war, or the sacrifice of life, and have proved a real blessing instead of a curse to the natives. Such are the just and powerful reasons which present themselves to the view of mankind, in favor of the principles and practice of peace, and against those of war. And yet such is the blind devotion of nations and governments to the spirit and principles of war, even in countries professing Christianity, that many millions are annually expended, even in times of peace, to promote this object. From this blind devotion to the god of war, the constituted authorities of this land of liberal principles are by no means exempt. Notwithstanding all their claims to Christianity, and all their pro- . fessions of religious toleration, they still demand the services of the conscientious subjects of the Prince of peace; and treat their claims to religious freedom, and exemption from the principles of war and bloodshed, as the effects of fanaticism, or the foolish chimeras of a disordered mind.

But let the candid reader take an impartial view of the facts contained in these pages, and carefully examine the authorities on which they are founded; and then let him decide whose conduct savors the most of fanaticism, and mental disorder, that of the advocates of peace, or those of war. Will he not be ready to conclude, that he who still continues the advocate of war, after a full investigation of these indisputable facts, must be infatuated with something worse than maniac madness?