making men happy." Thus he not only quieted the dissensions that previously existed among the Romans, and disarmed them of their hostile principles; but by his pacific policy, he also subdued the hostile spirit of the neighboring nations, and by this means greatly increased the power and influence of the state and nation. It appears that he did not merely conquer the hostile power of his enemies; but effected a conquest over their minds, and made them his friends. This is a conquest which war could never obtain. "A wonderful change of manners also prevailed in the neighboring cities; as if Numa's wisdom had been a plentiful fountain, from which the streams of virtue and justice had flowed into the minds of the people. Instead of martial ardor, an eager desire to live in peace, to cultivate their lands, and thus to bring up their children, infused into their minds the same tranquillity which reigned in his own. He became the arbiter of all the differences among the neighboring nations; and as to the Romans themselves, it might be literally said, that the weapons of war were changed into instruments of husbandry. No intestine seditions, no ambitious desires for the throne, nor so much as any murmurs against the person or administration of the king, appeared among them."

Thus it appears that Numa effected a far greater conquest, solely by the principles of peace and justice, than Romulus ever had done by the force of arms; and he also proved a much more powerful protector to the Roman people than Romulus ever was, with all his bravery, military talents and power. It appears also that Numa's wisdom and pacific principles wrought a wonderful change among his neighbors, who, instead of displaying a martial ambition, and seeking foreign conquests, showed a greater desire of cultivating peace and managing their affairs at home. Such effects as these could never be produced by war; on the contrary, war is the very source of all the evils which Numa here remedied or prevented, by a pacific policy, and the wise and powerful principles and practice of justice, equity and peace.

Romulus, at his death, left many dissensions among his people, having many enemies at home, and all the neighboring nations and cities at enmity with him, and with the Romans. Numa, it appears, died without an enemy at home or abroad. The Romans "lamented him as sincerely as if every man had lost his own father; and the concourse of strangers at Rome, to celebrate his obsequies, was exceed

ingly great." Romulus lived in perils and dangers, surrounded by enemies at home and abroad, and at his death, many of his own people, and doubtless most of his neighbors, rejoiced. Numa enjoyed peace and happiness in his own dominions, was beloved and respected by all his people, to whom he gave law without violence, dispensing justice to all around him. In this manner he gained the respect and admiration of the neighboring nations, who were all conquered, by his pacific and upright conduct, into a lasting friendship with him. He began his reign about 715 years before the birth of Christ, and reigned forty-three years.

Who can view, with an impartial eye, the opposite characters of these two ancient kings of Rome, without giving the latter a decided preference, both as to the exalted dignity of his character, and the superior wisdom of his government? Can any man, under the free exercise of his rational faculties, hesitate, for a moment, which of these two characters he would prefer as a model for imitation ?

ANTONINUS PIUS.

After the Roman empire had passed through ages of dissension, war and violence, and had but just passed the zenith of her military glory, the same happy effects that had been produced in the early period of, her history, under the wise and pacific administration of Numa Pompilius, were again produced by the same means, under the administration of the emperor Titus Antoninus, commonly called Antoninus Pius. The goodness of this emperor was so great, that it was said he had outdone all example. He had no war during his reign, which continued nearly twenty-three years. "He is compared to Numa on account of his virtues, his love of religion and peace, his justice and clemency. It was his favorite maxim, that he would rather save the life of one citizen, than put to death a thousand enemies.' And it is stated as a remarkable fact, that princes referred their controversies to his decision."* He began his reign about 138 years after Christ, and reigned twenty-two years and eight months.

Thus it appears, that after the Romans had considered themselves the conquerors and masters of the world; and after ages of war and violence had raised the ambition of the nation to aspire after military fame, as the greatest glo

* Clarkson.

ry of the empire, and the most honorable pursuit of its citizens; one virtuous and pacific ruler, by the powerful influence of the principles of peace and justice, had the good fortune to turn the current of national prejudice to the side of peace, and quell the hostile spirit of war, which had been so long nourished and strengthened as the great protecting deity of the nation. And yet the peace and safety of the nation were so far from being endangered, or its power and influence lessened by these means, that the latter were more increased, and the former better secured, than they possibly could have been by war. For the pacific principles and conduct of Antoninus produced their natural effects, and caused him to be so highly respected by the surrounding nations, that he became the judge and arbiter of their controversies. Thus he effected a greater conquest, and obtained greater power, than was ever obtained by war.

Thus have we given a short sketch of the pacific administration of two rulers of ancient Rome, and of the effects they produced on the Roman people and the neighboring nations. By displaying the principles of peace and justice, and putting these principles into successful operation, they obtained a far greater and more glorious conquest than was ever obtained by all the fighting emperors, kings and heroes that Rome ever produced. And let it be ever remembered, that the government of these pacific rulers afforded a greater security against invasion, and a more effectual protection to the lives of their subjects, than all the military preparations that ever were made by that nation. Let it also be remembered, that altho more than eight hundred years distant, as to time; yet the same principles produced the same effects.

Here we would seriously and respectfully invite the rulers of nations to look at these two sovereigns of ancient Rome, and let them talk no more about the impossibility of maintaining peace, or of defending a nation without arms; let them consider that any nation, under the administration of just and peaceable rulers, may not only be protected from their enemies, but may secure the favor and friendship of all other nations. Let them no longer cast the blame of war upon any principle inherent in human nature, but upon their own mis-improvement of those rational faculties which God has given them. Let every civil government, and every national ruler follow the wise and pacific examples of Numa and Antoninus, and national wars, and hostile fleets and armies, will no longer be known upon the earth.

What a disgrace to the Christian name, that those ancient sovereigns, who by Christian professors are called pagans, should set an example of peace more worthy of the religion of Christ, who is the Prince of peace, than was ever recorded of any Christian prince or sovereign on earth! Is it not high time for those who name the name of Christ, to wipe off this foul stain from their religion, or talk no more about a benign gospel?

The powerful influence of the divine spirit of peace, in restraining and subduing the ferocious passions of man, in securing the blessings of peace, in promoting the happiness and prosperity of nations, and preserving the rights and privileges of societies and individuals, is far more efficacious than all the formidable preparations, and refined arts of hostility, that the spirit and policy of war ever did, or ever can produce. This is fully confirmed by actual experiments, made by pacific rulers and eminent philanthropists, in different states and nations, in various ages of the world, and in various grades of society, both in civilized and savage life.

If the divine influence of pacific principles could quell the horrid monster of war, in the fighting legions of ancient Rome, in its almost barbarous state of society, and produce a period of happiness and prosperity under Numa Pompilius; and if the same divine influence could prevail over that mighty empire, under Antoninus Pius, when in its highest state of refinement in arts and arms, when martial skill and ambition were counted the highest honor and glory, when the nation was proud and jealous of its rights, and when its gigantic power and military fame were extensively known and dreaded; why should not the same influence produce the same effects at this day? That it can, has already been sufficiently proved. The same pacific spirit has manifested, in these latter ages, its superior influence over the savage tribes of this western world, and produced the same happy effects under the just and equitable administration of the celebrated William Penn.

WILLIAM PENN.*

This justly renowned Friend and philanthropist, the first lawgiver of Pennsylvania, and founder of Philadelphia, was the son and only child of Admiral Penn, of the royal navy

*The substance of the following account is mostly taken from Weems's Life of William Penn, and Clarkson's Portraiture of Quakerism.

of Great Britain. At the admiral's decease he left his estate to his son William, together with a debt due from the crown of England, to the amount of 16,000 pounds sterling. After many fruitless endeavors to obtain this money, William Penn applied to Charles II. for a grant of land in North America, in payment of the debt. His object in making this request was, to provide an asylum for his persecuted friends the Quakers, who were, at that time, suffering for their religion, under the ruthless hand of ecclesiastical tyranny.

Charles, who highly respected the old admiral, had promised him, on his death-bed, to be a friend to William, and having (like Herod of old towards John the Baptist) a great liking towards William, was induced to grant his request. Accordingly he had the instrument drawn up in due form, and endorsed, "A deed of a certain new Province in North America, for my beloved subject and friend, William Penn." The king, on presenting him with the deed, jocosely said, "Well, friend William, you'll see in this paper that I have done something handsome for you. Yes, man, I have given you there a territory in North America, as large as my own island of Great Britain. And knowing what a fighting family you are sprung from, I have made you governor and captain-general of all its coasts, and seas, and bays, and rivers, and mountains, and forests, and population."

When William informed the king of his determination to remove to his new province, Charles expressed great surprise that he should venture himself, unarmed, among the savages of North America, and said, "I have no idea of any security against these cannibals, but in a regiment of good soldiers, with their muskets and bayonets. And mind, I tell you beforehand, that with all my good will for you and your family, to whom I am under obligations, I'll not send a single soldier with you."

66

"I want none of thy soldiers," answered William, pleasantly. "I depend upon something better than thy soldiers." The king wanted to know what that was. " Why I depend on themselves; on their own moral sense, replied William ; even on that grace of God which bringeth salvation, and which hath appeared unto all men. "I fear, friend William," said the king, "that that grace has never appeared to the Indians of North America. Why not to them, as well as to all others?" asked Penn. "If it had appeared to them," said Charles, "they