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THE CITY OF TYRE.

This famous city, by her industry and commercial enterprise, rose to great wealth and power, and became, in her day, the commercial metropolis of the world; "whose merchants were princes, and whose traffickers were the honorable of the earth."* She extended her commercial intercourse to all the known world, and was celebrated as the common mart of nations. Her walls and fortifications were considered impregnable; and her naval and military power was so great, that she was called "the renowned city, which was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it." Her armies were composed of the warriors of many nations; her naval power was superior to that of any nation.

But what did her great naval power, her mighty military defences, her valiant warriors, and all her immense riches avail her? Were they able to defend her from the power of her enemies, or to save her from destruction, in the day of trial? The event proved that they were not. By her great riches and power, "the midst of her became filled with violence." As like causes produce like effects; so the principles of violence, when indulged and practiced in a nation, without restraint, have ever been the harbingers of destruction to that nation. This was the case with ancient Tyre.

"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." The immense riches and extensive power of Tyre, so exalted the pride of her king, that he fancied himself a god, and said, "I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas." But when the time of her visitation came, according to the predictions of the inspired prophets; when the cup of her iniquities and her violence had come to the full, then did she look in vain to her impregnable walls and mighty ramparts, her vast armies and powerful navies; they could not save her, nor prevent her destruction. For notwithstanding all that her military power and strength could do for her defence, she was twice taken; first by Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards by Alexander the Great.

Her powerful military defences, and long resistance in the last siege, gave her enemies so much trouble, that after having succeeded against her, they committed the most horrid scenes

*Isa. xxiii. 8. † Ezek. xxvi. 17.

Ezek. xxviii. 2.

of barbarity and cruelty. So that her great military strength, instead of proving her protection, served only to increase the cup of her calamities, and make her downfall the greater. Nor has this "renowned city" ever been able to rise again; but the prediction of the prophet Ezekiel was fulfilled upon her. "They shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers; it shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea; and it shall become a spoil to the nations."*

These predictions have been literally accomplished, in all respects; so that this once renowned emporium of the world, this great mart of nations, is now inhabited by a few poor and wretched fishermen, who are often seen drying their nets on the barren rocks where this great commercial metropolis once stood.

Here let the advocates of war pause and reflect; and instead of making a few dry comments on the truth of ancient prophecy, let them learn this serious lesson of instruction for themselves;-That all the arts of war, with all the strength and power of military violence, within the reach of human capacity, are powerless and futile in protecting a nation, when compared with the principles of peace, equity, justice and good will to mankind, which alone can ensure the safety of a nation without bloodshed.

THE CITY OF CARTHAGE.

This city was first founded by a colony of emigrants from Tyre, and rose also by commercial industry, to a great height of prosperity. In process of time it became not only a great and powerful city, but rose also to a mighty and warlike empire, which extended over a great portion of Africa, including many isles of the Mediterranean sea. Her commerce extended throughout almost all the known world, by which she became immensely rich.

But as her commerce and riches increased her pride and ambition; so violence and war succeeded. And such was her riches and warlike power, that no nation appeared to be a match for her. She was, for ages, the powerful rival of the Roman empire. Hannibal, her celebrated hero, "a mighty man of renown," once nearly succeeded in conquering the Roman capital itself. At length, however, after having displayed the greatest military skill and enterprise

* Ezek. xxvi. 4, 5,

perhaps ever known, he failed in his purpose, in consequence of the adverse operation of the war-spirit in his own country.

The ambitious principles of war and violence, which were so much cultivated by the Carthagenians, produced their natural fruits, and became the prolific source of envy, emulation and strife among themselves. In consequence of this, notwithstanding the great skill and enterprising spirit of their general, and the vast military strength and resources of the nation, their armies were overthrown. And the mighty Hannibal, who had butchered many ten thousands of his fellow men, and spread devastation and misery through the neighboring nations, became his own executioner, and ended his days by a dose of poison. The powerful city of Carthage was sacked, and at length totally destroyed by war, and the empire dissolved; so that for many ages, that once rich, powerful and warlike people, have not existed as

a nation.

Thus the mighty Carthage, whose riches and power exalted her pride and ambition, and led her into war, whose treasures were increased by the spoils of nations, and whose people gloried in their military prowess and their mighty conquests, fell by the same means: another awful warning to the advocates of war and warring nations, who trust in the sword for protection and defence.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

It will doubtless be granted that, in the rise and progress of the Roman empire, the principles, practice and natural effects of the art of war, were carried to their utmost extent; and it is generally believed that the greatness and glory of their military power have never had a parallel. If, therefore, the principles of war ever produced any real benefit to a nation, or if the art of war ever employed the noble faculties of man to any useful purpose, it may be fairly tested in the history of that nation.

As a nation, it is generally admitted that the Romans excelled all others, not only in the science of war, and military power, but also in their public improvements, and national policy, in men of genius and literary talents, in the arts and sciences, and in all the improvements of civilization. The power of Rome, and the greatness of her glory, were considered as established upon a firm and immoveable foundation, and, all things considered, the strongest that had

ever existed; so that her strength, in the language of prophecy, was compared to iron, the strongest of metals. But where is she now?

In tracing the history of Rome, we find that the first rise of that nation was from a banditti of lawless robbers, headed by Romulus, her first king, from whom the Romans took their name. These, favored by fortunate circumstances, gradually increased in numbers and power; and by pursuing war and violence as a professional calling, they subdued the surrounding nations, spreading havoc and destruction far and wide, and in process of time, extended their power and authority over the fairest portions of the earth. In fact, they became at length the masters of the then known world: for those who were not conquered by their arms, were compelled to acknowledge their power. They promoted the principles and cultivated the practice of war, to the utmost extent of their power, and placed their greatest glory in military fame. They considered the highest happiness and glory of a future state, as the reward of great military exploits; and viewed a violent death in war, as a sure passport to Heaven.†

Our modern warriors have evidently adopted these pagan principles into their religious creed: for we find that whenever a great military butcher dies, or falls in battle, tho his crimes should be sufficient to disgrace the character of a common highwayman; yet his fame is extolled to the skies, by the orators of war, and his soul is wafted to Heaven, by the pompous prayers of the high-blooded ministers (professedly) of the Prince of peace. But what are such prayers but the sacrilegious offerings of blind guides, which tend merely to flatter and deceive the friends and connections of these blood-stained chiefs, who go out of the world reeking with their own blood and the blood of their brethren, which has been shed in transgressing the laws of God?

But what were the benefits of this war policy to the Roman empire? and what did the people gain by it? It doubtless gratified their pride and ambitition, and created a few mighty men of renown among them. But this sort of fame was acquired by the sacrifice of millions of the lives of their fellow men, as good by nature as themselves; and attended

*Expositors generally admit the Roman empire to be prefigured by the legs of the great image, in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which were of iron.

† See Titus's speech to his soldiers, at the seige of Jerusalem, as related by Josephus, b. vi. ch. 1.

with destruction and rapine, misery and starvation, to many millions more. And thus the earth must be filled with blood and carnage, desolation and misery, that a few individual mortals may, for a little period, become men of great renown among their deceived and mistaken fellow mortals, who delight in the horrid din of war.

By constantly cultivating the principles, and promoting the spirit of war, in the nation, the Romans became haughty, jealous and irritable; their military pride and vengeful passions made them a contentious people; so that when they were not engaged in foreign wars, they were distracting their own country with their domestic broils, conspiracies and civil wars, in which they exercised the most inhuman cruelties towards each other. Murders and assassinations were frequent among all classes; violence and robbery were common crimes; and there was no security for person nor property.

Julius Cæsar, the most famous of the Roman emperors, after having ravaged and conquered many powerful nations, and slain more than a million of his fellow men, and after having put to death multitudes of his own nation, became, in his turn, the victim of domestic conspiracy, and was assassinated in the Roman Senate, by his own senators, and by those, too, whom he had considered his best friends.Many of the Roman emperors shared a similar fate.

Yet Rome was a famous and powerful empire, greatly skilled in the science of war, and highly distinguished for her brave and skilful commanders, and valiant warriors; therefore, she must be held up as a model of pride and emulation for modern warriors. And doubtless the war policy of that ancient nation has had a great effect in perpetuating wars, and animating warring nations, and blood-valiant chieftains, to emulate their bravery and ambition.

It is certain that pride and ambition, and a thirst for military fame, are the principal and most stimulating causes of war among nations claiming the honors and benefits of civilization; yet it appears that the Romans, like our modern advocates for war, considered it absolutely necessary for the defence and protection of their empire. Hence Celsus, a Roman philosopher, in his writings against Christianity, censured the Christians because "they would not bear arms in defence of the empire, when their services were needed, and would have been accepted." And speaking of the principle upon which they acted, namely, that wars were unlawful and unchristian, he says, "If all the nation

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