@:fl~uflll  S~l   2R9~t
THE RIGHT WAY;
OR,
TIlE GOSPEL APPLIED
TO
T.rlE INTERCOURSE OF INDIVIDUALS AND
NATIONS.
BY REV. JOSEPII A. COLLIER,
I'ASTOR OF THlE RE:'OR.iED DUTCHl CHURCH, GEN'EVA, N. Y.
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMrERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
15o NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK.
i 
7'X
! Ct t
.C 7
A premium of $500, offered by the late Rev.
THOMAS A. MERRILL, D. D., of Middlebury, Vt., was
awarded to the author of this work by Rev. Joseph
W. Parker, D. D., Rev. Asa D. Smith, D. D., and
Hon. WVilliam J. Hubbard, judges. Dr. Merrill also
appropriated the further sum of $600, for publishing, and perpetuating the volume in the "Evangelical Family Library" of the American Tract Society. 
CONTENTS.
PART I.
THE GOSPEL APPLIED TO THE INTERCOURSE
OF INDIVIDUALS
CHAPTER I.
LNTRODUCTORY,.............    7
CHAPTER II.
DUTIES RELATLING TO HUMAN INTERCOURSE-1. Love to our
neighbor-2. Love to enemies,........17
CHAPTER III.
DUTIES, CONTI.TED-3. Forgiveness-4. Forbearance-5.
Rendering good for evil-6. The Golden Rule,.. 29
CHAPTER IV.
OBJECTIONS AID DIFFICULTIES CONSIDEREDI. Insulted hon or-2. Aggravated cases of injury-3. Exposure to yet
greater injuries-4. Difficulties attending the practice of
the gospel method.............49
CHIIAPTER V
I
is,
I.
0
MIOTIVES TO THE RIGHT W.Y-i1. Personal policy-2. Our
own liability to offend-3. Our need of the divine for givelICSS-4. Its happy influence upon the cause of
4
_ fs*  C 
CONTENTS.
Chlrist-5. The divine example-6. The divine command.....................69
CHAPTER VI.
APPLICATION OF TIlE RIGHT WAY-1. To the family-2. To
the neighborhood-3. To the church.....  87
PART II.
THE GOSPEL APPLIED TO THE INTERCOURSE
OF NATIONS.
CtIAPTER VII.
NA.TIONAL INTERCOURSE-Its necessity-Its perversion-The
gospel applicable to nations equally with individuals, 111
CHAPTER VIII.
THiE EVILS OF WAR-1. Its waste of property-2. Its moral
effects-3. Its destruction of domestic happiness,. 122
CHAPTER IX.
EVILS OF WAR, CONTIN\UE)-t. Its personal sufferings-5. Its
loss of life-6. Its destruction of souls7. Its obstacles
to the spread of the gospel,........ 154
CHAPTER X.
PLEAS FOR WAR CONSIDERED-1. National redress-2. Dan  gers of a pacific policy-3. Self-defence-4. Custom-5.
Honor-6. Patriotism-7. Plea from the Bible,.. 189
CtIAPTER XI.
AVAR TESTED BY REASON —1. War unnecessary-2. War un  reasonable-3. War unjust-4. War  inhuman-5. War
inefficacious6. War inglorious........  212
is 
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XII
WAR TESTED BY THE GOSPEL,  OR WAR UNCHRISTIAN-Op posed to: 1. The law of love-2. Forgiveness-3. For bearance-4. Rendering good for evil-5. The Golden
Rule,................ 234
CIIHAPTER XIII.
THE SUBSTITUTE  FOR WAR.-ARBITRATION-Its principle Testimony in its favor-Its difficulties considered-Its
advantages.............247
CHAPTER XIV.
THE BLESSINGS OF PEACE, AND THE MEANS OF SECURING IT 1. Favorable to national prosperity-2. To morality and
religion-3. To domestic happiness4. To the spread of
the gospel - Practicability of peace - How to be se cured,...............260
CHAPTER XV.
TIlE FUTURE TRIUMPH OF PEACE-Inferred from promised
success of the gospel-Prophecies respecting it-Their
design-Incentives to hope-Incentives to duty,.. 275
CHAPTER XVI.
CONCLUDiNG APPEAL-1. Seek for a personal conformity to
the gospel-2. Influence others to obey it-3. Aim at
national peace-Appeal to rulers-To citizens-To phi lanthropists-To the young-To women-To ministers To Christians,..............            288
5
a, 
c 
THE RIGHT WAY.
PART I.
THiE GOSPEL APPLIED TO TIHE INTERCOURSE
OF INDIVIDUAILS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
SUPPOSE we were gifted with the power of
beholding at a glance the whole family of man,
and of penetrating into all those mysterious
relations and connections which exist between
its different members, what a wonderful spectacle would present itself. WAVe should see about
a thousand millions of human beings, all more
or less associated with and dependent upon one
another, each contributing his share to the commuon happiness or misery, and each in turn re 
THE RIGHT WAY.
ceiving a certain proportion of both from others. We should see them all connected by. those
various ties of kindred, friendship, business,
neighborhood, and country, which, perpetually
interlacing one another, are spread like network
over the whole earth. Beginning with the first
and most sacred of all social institutions, the
family, we should discover radiating from it
circle after circle of human companionship,
each extending wider than the last, until all
are bounded by that one which engirdles the
globe itself, the great brotherhood of man.
If we here suspended our gaze, and paused
to reflect upon this wonderful arrangement of
divine Providence, our thoughts might be such
as these. What an admirable display of infinite wisdom! What a merciful provision of
our good Creator for the welfare of his creatures!  But are these beings adapted to the
proper improvement and enjoyment of such a
blessing?  We see that in some respects they
are. They are endowed with fine affections
and tender sympathies, which are capable of
conferring the most exquisite pleasure, and
'which their very relations to one another are
fitted to cultivate and strengthen.   If, then,
8 
INTRODUCTORY.
they are governed by these better instincts of
their nature; if they delight in the constant
exercise of good will, and the constant interchange of kind actions, their companionship
must perpetually foster their warm affections,
and these in turn must add a charm to all their
intercourse, and they cannot be otherwise than
happy. If, on the other hand, they crush these
kindly dispositions, and habitually cherish enmity or resentment instead of love, then these
many-linked ties are converted from a blessing
into a curse; for then they must be the means
of nurturing foul passions, which grow by exercise, and greatly imbitter men's companionship
The proportion in which the one or the other of
these principles prevails, is thie measure of the good
or evil results of human intercourse.
Confining our attention for the present to the
sphere of ordinary social life, lot us ask, What
are the principles that commonly govern, and
the good or evil results that commonly attend
our intercourse as individuals?
We have only to contemplate the surface
of society, to discover that many are actuated
not by kindly and loving dispositions, but
by those that are selfish and unloving; and
9 
THE RIGHT WAY.
that thus those very relations which are desigrned for our mutual good, are frequently
turned into instruments of mutual wretchedness.  We see many yielding without shame to
the violence of angry passions.  We see friendships blighted and consumed with their fierce
heat, fond ties cruelly rent asunder, now a warm
heart broken to appease them, and now a valued life cut down as their sacrifice. They array
man against man, neighbor against neighbor,
and brother against brother in wordy battle,
and at times in fatal conflict. It is indeed frequently the case that the nearer the relation
and the stronger the tie, the more hotly burn
these flames in one or another of their forms,
scathing both the bosom that cherishes them
and those who may be their immediate objects.
This evil is almost as wide-spread as humanity itself. We often discover it in thefamily,
destroying its peace, causing alienated hearts
and estranged affections, and turning that inner
sanctuary of human love into an abode of unhappy discord. We see it in the school, which
in this respect, as in so many others, is a faithful picture of the active world. We see it in
the?eighborhood, casting its bliglt over  the
10 
INTRODUCTORY.
sweet influences of social life, and sowing broadcast the seeds of dissension.  We see it in the
more general intercourse of men, as they mingle ill the busy mart and in scenes of daily
enterprise and labor. We see it in the church,
disgracing the cause of Christ and impeding
pious effort, by arraying in opposition those
who should know only a common sympathy.
Wherever man is found, and under whatever
circumstances or relations, his companionship
is liable to be imbittered by strife.
Now why do we thus suffer?  Why do so
many hearts thus bleed and break, and so many
lives become thus saddened?  3lust we regard
this evil as a necessary element of our existence-a part of our endowment by the Creator?
No; we cannot justly charge it upon God, nor
upon any other than mtrselves. We need not
search far to discover its cause. The very existence of so dire a curse sufficiently indicates
some vast error, of which this is the necessary
fruit and penalty. If we look a little further,
we shall behold that error in the practice of
the wrong way of conducting intercourse and
settling differences. This is the secret of the
terrible wvoe in everv one o)f its form,s.  It ac
I 1 
THE RIGHT WAY.
counts for the wholesale slaughter of the battlefield, and for the petty quarrel that vexes its
two or three angry disputants; for the blow
which is murder in the sight of the law, and
for much of that secret hate which is murder
in the sight of God.
Differences must necessarily occur among
men. As long as human nature is in its present state, we cannot expect to see a perfect hliarmony of views and feelings. We are so constituted that all cannot behold a subject in the
same light, nor honestly coincide in the same
opinions.   But is it therefore necessary that
there be strife and bloodshed? M1ust men persit in blinding themselves to reason, and to
all the better feelings of their nature, because
of these differences with one another?
Let us view it candidly and dispassionately.
A man conceives himself injured by an angry
word. Immediately the hot blood boils, fierce
passions burn within him, the indignant retort quickly follows, and bitterest feelings are
aroused upon both sides. If reason, conscience,
or experience utter their voice, their appeals
are lost in the clamors of the one overmastering passion which now like a tyrant possesses
12 
INTRIODUCTORtY.
the whole souls and bodies of its victims. Each
strives to surpass the other in the harshness of
his invectives, until a wide breach is formed
between them, and they perhaps try to decide
their differences with blows. Now is this the
Riffht Way, which thus answers passion with passion, wrong with wrong, and blow with blow;
which, because the one party is beside himself,
converts the other for the moment into a vNoluntary madman, and which permits the most
endearing ties to be sundered by an inconsiderate word or casual error? Does it not rather
prove itself by all its tendencies, by its bitter
fruits, which have so filled the world with misery, and by its own very nature, to be emphatically the wrong way?
We would especially view it as a way that
is morally wrong, or as constituting not only an
evil to ourselves, but a sin against God.  In
proof of this we shall appeal to an authority that
is far above all worldly custom, or the dictates
of any merely human rule of duty-the revealed
will of God. The precepts we shall present are
the irrepealable edicts of the great Lawgiver
of the universe; and we cannot'evade them on
account of their seeming difficulties, unpopular
13 
THE RIGHT WAY.
ity, or distastefulness. The commands, " Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," "Love your
enemies," "Resist not evil," and the many others of similar import, have as strong a claim
upon our obedience as the commands, "Thou
shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not steal," etc.
Indeed, they are in effect the same laws; for
"whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer,"
1 John 3:15, and "love is the fulfilling of
the law." Rom. 13:10. If, then, there is any
obligation in religion -if God's revealed will,
and not our perverse inclination, is the rule of
human duty. and if we are to be judged by that
rule according to our deeds, with what solemn
weight these precepts are invested! How authoritative their every word and syllable. How
awful their binding power, how terrible their
penalties. Let us bring to their consideration
hearts humbly obedient and docile, and prepared to accept, as our plain guide to duty, the
whole of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospel of Christ is eminently practical.
While addressing itself to man as he is, it also
reveals to us man as he ought to be. Its precepts
are exactly adapted to our nature and circulmstances, and are capable of application to our
1 4 
INTRODUCTORY.
ordinary, every-day life. As we now consider
a few of those relating to human intercourse,
we shall see that they present the only practi cable method of relief from the evils that sur round us. As one by one they unfold to our
view in all their sublimity and loveliness, let
us adore the wisdom that has framed, and the
grace that has revealed them; and let us re gard them in their true character, as not only
beautiful in theory, but most divinely beautiful
in practice.
The gospel views man as sustaining relations
both to God and to his fellow-men.  It clearly
defines those relations, and points out the duties growing from them.  It applies itself, first
of all, to the regulation of our intercourse with
God. To this end, it corrects the erroneous
views of Him which are generally entertained,
condemns the false and prescribes the true mode
of worship, and while teaching the utter uselessness of every other way of seeking his favor,
reveals, in Him who is "the way, the truth, and
the life," the Right Way.  Having done this, it
proceeds to regulate our intercourse with one
another.   Here, too, it opposes itself to'the
false maxims that govern the world at large,
15 
THE RIGHT WAY.
and pointedly denounces many errors which
have become interwoven with the very texture
of society.  It shows us the glaring evils of
that wrong way which is ordinarily practised,
and reveals and inculcates the RIGHT WAY.
That RIGHT WAY it is the design of the present volume to unfold.
16 
LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.
CHAPTER II.
DUTIES RELATING TO HUMAN INTERCOURSE.
I. LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.  The one great
principle of the gospel, and one which is at the
same time, "the fulfilling of the law," is love.
This duty is variously expressed in the teach ings of Christ and his apostles. Now it is
called a love to our neighbor, now a love to
the brethren, and now a love to enemies. It
is represented under such names as "charity,"
"long-suffering," "meekness," " patience," "for bearance," "forgiveness," and "peace with all
men." These different terms go to prove its
universal character, and present some of its
.phases which might otherwise be overlooked
by us. They each form a part of that "royal
law" which embraces every duty of man to
man, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
Matt. 22: 39.
The best commentary upon this precept, is
that afforded by its Author. In his beautiful
parable of the "good Samaritan," our Lord
for ever answers the question, "Who is my
R igt Wa, Y.        2
17 
THE RIGHT WAY.
neighibor?" Luke 10: 30-37. He there teaches
us that an alien, and even an enemy, is our
neighbor; that such an olie, in distress, has a
claim upon our compassionate, self-denying
love; in short, that every human beiig, whoever
and whatever he may be, has an undoubted
right to our affection and our sympathy.
This demand may appear to some a severe
one. What, it may be asked, must our affections go out as well to the stranger as to the
intimate companion; to the inhabitant of a
distant climne as well as to the beloved ones
about us? Some may be disposed to scout
such a requirement as absurd and impracticable. Let us, however, look for a moment at
its justness.
What is it, we ask, that renders any human
being an object of regard?  It is the supposed.
existence of amiable qualities in the object, or
else the fact that there are certain natural ties
between us. Look, for instance, at the family.
All must admit that the relations subsisting
between its members afford a reason for the
exercise of mutual affection between them.
Applying this principle to mankind in general,
will it not equally hold good?  What is our
18 
LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.
race but one vast family, descended from a
common parent, occupying a common home,
similar in general character, tastes, and pur suits, and greatly dependent upon one another
for the most ordinary comforts of life? "Have
we not all one Father? bath not one God cre ated us?"'  Mal. 2:10.  It is both our fault
and our misfortune that we have sadly lost
sight of this relationship, and too frequently
look for some conventional or social bond to
regulate the outgoings of kindly feeling. As
if God had implanted within us these fine affections for blessing only a select circle of
chosen friends; or as if our hearts were incapable of embraciing any more than a certain
limited number of their fellow-hearts! MAlany
live and act as if they had been gifted with
but few and feeble affections, and were fearful
of extending them too widely, lest they should
all be lost. Yet so far from this being the
case, it will be found true of our heart's wealth,
as well as of our gold and silver, that "there is
that scattereth, and vet increasethl; and there
is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it
tendetli to poverty." Prov. 11: 24. WAVe know
not our owvn hearts, nor the powers of expan
19 
THE RIGHT WAY.
sion with which God has endowed them. If
men would but cultivate them, as they do their
minds and bodies, they would prove capable of
embracing in their large charities and sympathies, al mankind.
This required love is nowhere limited as to
its objects. The gospel makes no distinctions,
and not only does not exclude, but expressly
includes the enemy, the persecutor, and the
vile. We are to love not merely the friend,
the benefactor, or the amiable, but the fellowmortal, the member of the human family.  And
the reasons of this love are to be found not
merely in favors received, or qualities admired,
but in the divinely ordained relations of man
to man, and in plain, simple duty, as prescribed
in the gospel.  To him who takes this high,
scriptural view of his obligations, every man
is in some degree an object of love. Upon
seeing one who wears the human form in need
of kindness, he unhesitatingly bestows it, stopping not to ask his name, his country, or his
creed. He is a mant, and therefore a neighbor,
and his warm heart needs know no more to
impel him to do his utmost to relieve and cheer
him.
20 
LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.
This "royal law" stops not with prescrib ing the objects of our love: it clearly defines
its mneasure. It would be interesting to learn
the precise guide which different minds would
assign to regulate its strength.  One would
say, we must be governed by our own inclinations;. another, by the deserts of the object;
another, by his necessities. Never, in all the
hiiigest conceptions  of human  benevolence,
would any have attained to the precept afforded by our Lord, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thysel4:" He thus makes our self-love
to be our guide in loving others.  If ever
at a loss to know how much of sympathy or
regard we oulght to cherish towards a fellowman, our doubts may be removed by glancing
withiin ourselves, and estimating the strength
of that principle of self-love which we all to a
greater or less degree possess. There is no
danger that, with this for our standard, we
shall exercise too large a charity for others.
It may, however, be urged that a strict obedience to this precept is extremely difficult, if not
impossible. This sad truth should only drive
us to ttim who has for us "fulfilled all righteousness." Yet the justness and obligation of
21 
THE RIGHT WAY.
a divine command does not depend upon our
power literally to fulfil it. Are we absolved
from the duty of loving God because we cannot
love him with'"all" our " heart," and "soul,"
and " strengthl," ail "mind?"
As Christ has shown the objects and the
measure of this love, so Paul has defined its
.iatiire.  Thie word "charity," in the following
passage,  is strictly  synonymous  with  love.
Charity suffereth long,, and is kind; charity
envietli not; charity vauntethli not itself, is not
puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked,
thinketli 1no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but
rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth
all things."  1 Cor. 13: 4-7.
MWe have only to consider this LAW OF
LOVE, and trace it to its consequences, to see
that it tends inevitably to the preservation of
harmony  among men.  They  who  honestly
obey it will be linked together  by a bond
which even the widest diversities of sentiment,
or the most provoking acts of injury cannot
sever. W,here this love is in the heart, the
word. of resentment cannot linger upon the
22 
LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.
tongue, and the purpose of revenge, even if
momentarily aroused, cannot ripen into deliberate action. The bitter retort that trembles
on the lip gives place to the "soft answer,"
that "turneth away wrath;" and the flashling
eye and menacing aspect are lost in the look
of kindness and benevolence.  The quarrel is
avoided, hearts that were on the eve of sundering are knit vet more closely together, and
love achieves the triumph over hatred, and
right over wrong.  This principle transforms
the lion into the lamb, the vulture into the
dove, the brutal, the degraded, and the unloving into beings all sympathy and tenderness,
and all glowing with the noblest instincts of
humanity.  Wvhere it has been deeply implanted by God's grace-and it is only there that it
can fully and permanently abide-it assimilates
man to the angels; nay, to Christ himself, who
so loved us as to give himself for us, and to
that Spirit whose richest fruits are' love' and
'peace," and to God, who' is love."
Many theories have been invceited by men
for the world's regeneration.  One plan after
another, having for its object the perfection of
our nature, has been in turn advanced and
23 
THE RIGHT WAY.
abandoned. Upon far higher than human authority, we present as the grand means for the
elevation of our race, this LAW OF LOVE. It is
only in proportion as men are governed by it,
that they can arise to their true worth and
dignity in the scale of being. For he who is
not freed from the thraldom of angry passions,
is little else than a slave; while hlie who is subject to this law of love, which is the law of liberty, has acquired the true self-mastery, and
has attained, or is attaining the real nobility of
man. To him, life is beautiful in its varied
opportunities for kindness, and its numberless
exercises of delightful affection.   Man acquires
a new interest in his eyes, and God becomes
more than ever the object of happy contemplation; for he beholds mirrored in his own peaceful soul the loving smile of Jehovah, the author
and true end of every benevolent emotion.
Viewing this law, then, in all its length and
breadth. as requiring love to God and man —
to God first, and then through him and for him
to man-it is to do more for the advancement
of our race than all human means combined.
As it becomes more and more prevalent, it will
be found to effect, by its gradual workings, a
24 
LOVE TO ENEMIES.
thorough renovation of society.  It will conquer pride, selfishness, and passion, uproot
prejudice, disarm enmity and resentment, cause
kinid feelings and generous sympathies to animate every bosom, and conduct the world to
its millennium of peace.
Such are to be, under God, the glorious resuits of a universal obedience to this law. It
is for us to do our part towards hastening such
a consummation, first, by conforming our own
hearts and lives to it, and then by publishing it
to others, as well by the power of a beautiful
example, as by direct efforts. Every reader of
this volume may thus become, in however humble a sphere, the means of extending the triumph of the gospel of peace.
II. LOVE TO ENEMIES.  We have seen that
the law of love applies as well to enemies
as friends. Were there no special command
upon the subject, we might still deduce from
that general duty the particular one of loving
our enemies and persecutors.   To leave no
room for doubt, however, it is urged in many
distinct precepts, and occupies a prominent
place in the religion of Jesus. In that epitome of religious duty, the sermon on the mount,
25 
THE RIGHT WAY.
our Lord says, "Ye hlave bheard that it hath
been said, Thlou shalt love thyT neighbor, and
hate thine enemy; but I say unto you. Love your
enemies," etc.  Matt. 5:43, 44.  This precept
conveys to every candid mind but one signification. It canl be understood in no other way
than as exhorting us to check all feelings of
resentment, and  to cherish instead of them
those of forbearance and good will. It stands
opposed to all malice, enmity, and even bitterness of fecli-ng,; to an irascible disposition; to
an unloving, unforgiving spirit; to the passionate retort, the hasty word of abuse or blow. the
sullen, distant demeanor, and the deliberate
persecution. It is equally plain, that to love
an enemy is to cherish a hearty affection towards him, and to desire and seek his happiness.
It is, as far as possible, to regard him with the
same feelings, and treat him with the same
kindness and consideration that we do our
firiends; to forgive his injurious conduct, and
to aim at, and if possible, effect a reconciliation
with him.
ie wheo obeys this precept will filght, not
against his adv-ersary, but against his own rebellious heart, and will try to crush, not the
26 
LOVE TO ENEMIES.
offenlder, but those emotions of hatred or aversioll wit w hich hi e is tempted to regard him.
He will studiously repress every feeling of anger, will subdue his countenance, his voice, his
eye, his gestures, and his whole manner into
the expression of tender regard, and will resolutely seal his lips against every utterance save
a blessing or a prayer. He will try to behold
in his antagonist a man, a brother, whom God
bids him love; will charitably overlook his bad
qualities, and seek out and admire his good
ones, and will strive to discover, behind all his
offences, something still deserving of his affection and sympathy.
The two precepts which we have now considered afford the fundamental principle of all
others relating to human intercourse.  As love
is "the fulfilling of the law," so it alone can
inspire an acceptable obedience to any of the
precepts of the gospel. Let this be borne in
mind as we now notice some of the required
manifestations of that love.   Let them  be
viewed as only the various streams of which
love is the fountain, or as the diverging rays
of which love is the central sun. By thus regardiang them, we shall possess the clue to their
27 
THE RIGHT WAY.
mneaning, and the secret of their fulfilment.
AWith this general law clearly before us, the
particular precepts of the gospel will develope
harmoniously to our view, and we shall be the
better fitted to comprehend aad practise them.
28 
FOP'GIVENESS.
CIIAPTER III.
DITTIES RELATING TO HUMAN INTERCOURSE                CONTINUED.
III. FORGIVENESS.   The question naturally
occurs, how is the required love to enemies to
be exhibited? WVhat are the prescribed fruits
and evidences of its existence?  TWe learn from
the teachings of Christ and his apostles, that
one of the first and most important duties towards an offender isforg}ivcness.
In that prayer which our Lord has left on
record for his disciples of every age, our forgiveness of one another is closely connected
with that which we ask of God. He teaches
us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."  In order still further to
impress our minds with its importance, hlie adds,
"For, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if
ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses."  iatt.
6:12, 14, 15.  Of a siiimilar import are the fol
29 
THE RIGHT WAY.
lowing: "If thy brother trespass against thee,
rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
And if he trespass against thee seven times in
a day, and seven times in a day turn again to
thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
Luke 17: 3, 4. "Put on, therefore, as the elect
of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving
one another, if any man have a quarrel against
any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do
ve."  Col. 3: 12, 13.  "Be ye kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgivilng one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven
you."  Eph.4:32.
To forgive an offence is to overlook or remit
it, and to regard and treat the offender as if
lie were not guilty.  Such is the meaning that
we attach to it in the petition, "Forgive us our
debts," and such no doubt we must consider it
when we add, "as we forgive our debtors." It
is, as far as possible, to cherish towards an enemy such feelings, and so to conduct ourselves
towards him as if he had not injured us.  It is
to treat him as we would have God treat  us.
Every Christian knows what is meant by for
30 
FORGIVENESS.
giveness, as displayed by God towards the sinner.  It means the same when  exercised by
man towards man, and implies the overlooking
of an offence, the withholding of punishment
from the offender, and the bestowmeut upon
him of favors of which his conduct has rec
dered him seemingl y unworthy.
This duty is not fulfilled by a merely outward reconciliation, nor by that absurd paradox with which some try to compromise betwveen their religion and their anger-" I will
forgtive, but never forget." When truly cherishled, it flows from the heart, and is a free, irrepressible manifestation of love to an enemy.
Indeed, we have scriptural authority for regarding, these two affections as identical, for
the wise maln says, "Love covereth all sins."
Prov. 10: 12.  As the example of God is held
up for our imitation in this respect, we may
reasonably consider the nature of his forgiveness to be the standard of our own.   Now
whlat Christian would be willing to regard the
divine pardon of his sins as a merely outward
and formal one, or be contented to know that
in the assurance, " Thy sins are forgiven thee,"
the words of God belie his heart?  Is it not
31 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the joy of the redeemed that God "remits,"
"blots out," "forgets," and " hides his face
from " their transgressions?  These  strong
terms are held to be synonymous with forgiveness, and in them we find a sufficient guide to
the meaning of the words, "forgiving one another, even as Godfor C/Irist's sake hath forgiven
yolt."
To forgive is not necessarily to encourage a
wVrong, nor even to pass it by in silence. Christ
commands, "If thy brother trespass against
thee, rebuke him." Every principle of virtue
and morality demand that some kinds of trespass be pointedly denounced.   This may be
done in pity, in justice, and from a clear sense
of duty, but never in anger or resentment.
Christ has clearly taught us the extent to
which our forgiveness must be exercised. Peter
once asked him, " How oft shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until
seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." He
then proceeds to illustrate this duty by the familiar parable of the forgiven and yet unforgiving debtor, who, failing to exhibit towards his
felloNw-secrvants the samoe coipassion whichl he
32 
FORGIVENESS.
]lad just received, was "delivered to the tormentor1S."  " So likewise," he adds, "shall my heavenly Fatlher do also unto you, if ye from your
hearts forg,ive not every one his brother their
trespasses."' A1att. S18 21-35. In these words
we are  tauglit that our forgiveness is to be unlii.it(d, or is to be cherished, if it were possible,
to as great a degree as God has manifested it
towards us.'We have only to attempt  the
measure of our offences against IHim, and if we
believe them all forgiven, we find before us an
examplec far transcendilng the'seventy times
seoveI. ni
He, therefore, who would be godlike will,
when siinned agailst, instead of laying hands
on the offender with the words, "Pay me that
thlou owest,"' be' moved with compassion, and
loose him, and forgive himl the debt." In order
to dispose to this, hlie will view the error as
leniently as possible, and will take into account
tlche peculiar temperament and constitutional
peculiarities of the trespassing brother, or those
misfortunes which have perlaps soured his disposition, and rendered it thus unkindly.  He
will reflect that perhaps hle was betrayed into
his wrong conduct while in the heat of passion,
Right Vay.
33 
THE RIGHT WAY.
and spokle or acted without deliberation, and
soon will be all sorrow for his fault, and cager
for forgiveness.  He will bear in mind —how
can lie possibly forget it?-thllat lie is daily
making large drafts upon the divine forgiveness in the prayer, "Forg,ive us our debts, as we
forg,,ive oz,r d&btors," and tl)e voice of Jesus will
be heard and felt w-ithin him, saying, "If ye
forg,ive not men their trespasses, neither will
your Fathler forgive your trespasses."
Tlhe following inciident, related of two Clhristions at Antioclh, illustrates the important bearings of this virtue upon our state with God.
Sapricius, who was a priest, and Niceplorus
were at enmity. The latter plead earnestly for
a reconciliation, which the formner obstinately
refused. Presently thle persecution of Valerian
beg(an, and the priest, boldly confessing himself
a Christian, was on his way to martyrdom.
Nicephorus meeting him, again sued for forgiveness, but still in vain. At length, the one
still pleading and the other refusing, they arrived together at the place of execution, where
the priest, in order to save his life, made sudden shlipwreckl of his avowed faith, and abjured
Christianity, and the other obtained the crown
34 
FORBEARANCE.
of martyrdom ill his stead.  The unforgiving
servanit was thus proved  ldetitute of the di vine pardonl  and grace, whatever may  have
been his professions to the contrary.  HIe was
not permitted to offer even the "gift" of himself upon the altar of Cliristian faith, because
he obeyed not the SaviouIr's i'njunction, "first
lbe reconciled to thy brother, and then come
and offer thy gift."  iaatt. 5: 4.  iAn unforgiving, spirit, however cdi-uised, is an uncniristiani spirit.   Thely who 1habitually chelirish it,
have cause to tremble lest they be startled from
their fancied security by thle words, " Oh, thou
wicked servant, I forgave-c thee a-, tlat dcbt because thou desiredst me: slouldest not thou
also have had compassion on tlhy fellow-servant, even as I  had pity onl thllee?"  And
inl the reward of the unforg)'iving one, who was
delivered to the tormentors," they may behold shadowed fortl their own unhappy fate.
"B lessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
merev."'  -Aatt. 5:7.  "'le shall have judgiment without mercy, that hathl slhowed no mercv."  James 2: 13.  "Forgive, and yc shall be
forgivcn."  Luke: 37.
I1V. FORBEARANCE.   Christ, in denouncing
35 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the old mnaxim, ":kn eye for an e-e, and a tooth
for a tootlh," exhorts,' Resist not evil; but whosoeveCr slhall smlite thee on tlhyv rigiht cheelk, turn
to him  tlhe other also.  And if any man will
sue tlhee at the law, and take away thy coat,
let him hlave tlhy cloak also.  And wiosoever
shall compel tlhee to go a mile, go withl him
twain.'   3Iatt. 5:39-41.   This duty is also
urgled in several other passages.  "Love as
bretllhren, )e pitiful, be courteous: not rendering' evil for evil, or railing' for railing, but
contrairiwise blP;.iln[.'  1 Peter 3: 8, 9.'See
that iione render evil for evil unto any man;
but ever follow that -whichl is good, both amiong
yourselves, and to all men."   1'Tliess. 5: 15.
"Recompenice to no  inalil evil for evil.    " Be
not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with
good."'  Rom. 1'i:17, 21.   "Say not thou, I
will recompenise evil; but wait on the Lord,
and hle shaell save thllee." Prov. O20: 22. "Walk
wortlry of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
with all lowliness and meekness, with long,-suff'erin5, forbearing one another in love."  Epli.
4:1,2o
The ordinary usage of society opposes but a
slig-ht barrier to the exercise of revenge.  Al
36 
FORBEARANCE.
thoughl the rule," An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth,"' inay not literally be practised ill
civ-ilized communn'ities, it is il sI)irit, if not inll
letter, a fair expression of the public sentimient.
Against thlis wrong' principle Jesus opposes the
precept, "Rsists 10ot cvil."  Ahere love to ani
enemyv exists in the heart, obedience to this
requirement will follow as its fruit.  Thle foro-iveness of an offender imnplies a mieek endurance of the offence.  As God, whlen forgiving,
stavs his aven'ing:rm, and withholds that
punisliment with w-hich  lie millt justly crush
us, so those lwho would imitate liim mnust endure
injuries with forbearance and  long-suffering.
Those resentful thlouglhts and deeds wiich are
generallv regarded as the natural right of all,
arc not to be viewed w-ith aniy favor by those
who obey the gospel.  The very word revenge
should be blotted fi-omn their v-ocabl)ulary, as,
when tlhe gospel triumphs, thlle thing itself shall
be blotted fiomn the world.
Ile, then, whio would practise the righlt way,
will prove his love and forgiveness by resistiiig
lo! iqjUJy/. As it is the part of love to suffer,
rathler tlan cause pain to its ol-ject, lie will patiently endure wrong at the hands of another,
37 
THE RIGHT WAY.
and even rejoice in his enemy's exemption from
it.  Upon those occasions when some degree
of resistance is necessary, he will offer it with
reluctance, and instead of rejoicing at the opportunity for so doing, will deeply regret its
necessity.  As a general thing, he will meekly
yield to the hand that smites and the tongue
that reviles him, and will respond to the insult, or disprove the slander, more by his life
than his words.  Not only will he avoid the
retaliatory blow, but even the witty sarcasm or
inconsiderate jest, wNhichl would provoke a laugh
at the expense of his adversary. The only resistance he will offer, will be to the evils of his
own heart; and lhe will unite against them all
those energies with  which others are accustomed to resist an outward foe.  Desirous of
following "the thing,s that make for peace," he
will obey that voice of God, " Av-enge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for
it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay,
saith the Lord."  Rom. 12: 19.  "Blessed are
the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
'-Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called the children of God."   Alatthew
5:5, 9.
38 
RENDERING GOOD FOR EVIL.
V. REENDErING GOOD FOr  EVIL.  "Love your
encmiis, bless thc1r that cttrse yogt, do good  to
theni that hlate you, and pray for thlem which
despitefully use you and persecute you; that
y)e may be the children of your Father whichl is
in heaven: for lhe niakethl his sun to rise on the
evil anid on the good, and sendethl rain on the
just aihd on the unjust."' Matt. 5: 44, 45.  "Not
rendering evil for evil, or railiing for railino;
but contrariwise blessing."  1 Pect. 3: 9. "Bless
them  -whichl persecute vou; bless, and curse
not.' Tliereiore, if tltine enenvmy hlunger, feed
him-i   if le thirst, give iini dclrink: for in so doing thou shlalt lhecap coals of fire on his head."
"Be  not overcome of evil, but overcome evil
wvitl eood."  RPoim. 1':14, 20, 21.
The meaningii of these precepts is plain and
undeniable.  iIll must perceive that they forbid even a cold, distant demeanor towards an
Cenemy, or a disregard of his interests.  Some
think  that they have carried their kindness
quite far enough when they have allowed the
trespasser to,o utlhar,,icd.  But we are here
tau,lht that we may not even treat wvithl "silent
contempt" him whom duty forbids us to punish
in any other way; and that while enldeavoring
39 
THE RIGHT WAY.
to forcive a-ni( forbear, we are not absolved
from thec firtller obli'ation to associate with
and benefit lim.
To those w]lo acknowled,ge tlJe wisdom and
oblig(ation of this class of precepts, little need
be said as to the imannier of their flilfilment.
Circunmstanices will gecnerally determine  the
mode in -lwhich they may be the best o)beyed,
and suggecst the particular kind of good  lhiieli
it is our dtty to renider.  AVhere the ri,hit disposition exists, opl)ortunities for exCeCising- it
will not be wanting.  Paul has specified two
extreme cases-yet withl no design of excludiing
those of lesser implortance-in the exhortation,
"If thline enemy hlunrger, feed him  if he thlirst,
give him drink."  Thlle meaning of this is, that
rather than rejoice in his sufferings of any kind
whatever, we should relieve them.  In the divine examnple-whichl we sliould ever look upon
as our standard- Godl, who is infinite, blesses
those of his eniemies -wlio have a- heart to accept
his gifts, with infinite good.  He does not discriminate between the very gross and the comparatively sliglit offender, but bestows upon all
wlo will receive it in his appointed way the
same forgiveness, the same salvation, and the
40 
RENDERING GOOD FOR EVIL.
samie leavenl.  So we, in doing good to those
who hate us, are not to be governied by thlleir
deserts, but by our opportunities for benefiting
themi, and their willingness to be benefited by
uIS.
lie whlo obeys these precepts w-ill mark every
occasion of injury by the bestowvment of some
peculiar favor, so that it may be said of lhim,
as it was of Arclhbishop Cranmer, "''Thle best
way to make him vour friend is to do liiln an
ill turn."'  If he canll discover no necessity to
be supp)lied, lie will at least bestow the kind
word and exhibit in look and demeanor, and
inl thlose numberless acts of courtesy wliich it
is always in our power  to render, a sincere desire for his welfare.  Every repetition of tlhe
offence w-ill be the signal for repeated kindnesses; and even should this strife be long continued, le will be as eager to follow evcrv evil
withl good to the end, as was ever an angry
disputant to secure the "last word "' of a controversv.
He will especially deliclt in praying for lhis
eneinv. And here, after all is the noblest triunil)ll of good over evil; for -what blessing can
surpass that of earnest prayer in behalf of a
41 
THE RIGHT WAY.
fellow-creature?  By memos of it vwe not only
exercise and put in practice our ownv love to
himi, but, if our prayers are Ywhat they should
be. we enlist God in tlhe work of benefiting him,
and obtain for himi such favors as no mortal
could confer. Perihaps, in answer to our effectual prayer, a soul is saved, new joy caused in
heaven over a repenting sinner, and hle whol cursed us blessed witli "a crown of life," and "ail
eternal wei,ght of glory."  Sucli is said to have
beeni the result of a poor negro's prayer, once
offered in behalf of a cruel and ungodly master.
tIe w-as a slave, and hadl been severely vwhipped
for reading thc Biblc.   Soon afterwards, his
master ooing- near the place of punlishI1n1t, his
attention was arrested by the voice of one engagoecd in p)rayer.  As lie listened, out of mere
curiosity, lie heard the poor slave impl)loring
God to forg'ive the injustice of his master, to
touch his heart withl a sense of his sin, and to
maklo him a g,ood Christian.  Struck withli remorse, lie made an iimmediate cliange in his life,
whiChii  had beeni careless and dissipated, burnt
his profane books and cards, provided for the
liberation of all his slaves, and appeared niow to
study only how to render his wealth and talents
42 
THE GOLDEN RULE.
useful to others. WVlo could desire to bestow or
to receive a richler blessing than is hinted at in
thie words," Pray for them that despitefully use
you and persecute you?"
VI. THE GOLDEN n ULE.  It only remains that
we notice one more precept upon this subject,
namely, that commonly and justly known as
':the goldeni rule."  In his sermon upon  the
mount, Christ gives us the sum of "the law and
the prophets," with regard to the relative duties of men, in the wvords, " Tlerefore all t/lings
whatsoever ye would thal! men s/hould do to you, do
ye ev?en so to them."  Mlatt. 7:12.
This precept embraces in its meaning every
other relating to human intercourse.   It demands love to all men, including enemies, the
forgiveness of injuries, the rendering of good
for evil, and every duty of man to man whichl
is enjoined in the gospel. It is the exact counterpart of the command, "Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as tlhyself," the only difference between them being this, that while the one prescribes the disposition to be cherished, the
other points out the manner in which that disposition is to be exhibited.
This rule is equally applicable to every rela
43 
THE PIGHT WAY.
tion in life, and to every individual. Christ
makes no exception, and we can make none.
Indeed, he teaclhes us that in the word "' men,"'
as here employed, enemies are expressly included.  In Luke's account of this command,
it is immedliately followed by these words, "For
if -ye love them which love you, lwhat thank
have ye? for sinners also love those that love
them.  And if -ye do good to theni which do
good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners
also do even the same.'  " IBut love ye y(,i,r ciemies, and do good and lend, hoping for nothiing
ag(ain; and your reward shall be great, and ye
shall be the children of the Iig,hest: for lie is
kind unto the unthlankful and to the evil.  Be
ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is
merciful."  Luke 6: 32-36.
Now what is the treatment of an enemy that
is here prescribed? Suppose an injured person
is striviing honestly to act upon this rule-his
reflections will be such as these: "Placing my
soul in his soul's stead, how should I desire to
be treated by one whom I had thus injured?
Should I be made happy by his retaliation?
Should I not prefer to be met with a meek,
quiet demeanor, with words and deeds of love,
44 
THE GOLDEN RULE.
and a spirit ea-er to forgive and bless me?
As, tlhean, I should wish thus to be treated, so I
will nowv love, forgive, and bless my adversary.
,s I would that lhe should do unto me, even so,
God helping me, I will do to him."
It is easy to see what would be the necessary
results of a general obedience to this precept.
It would effectually curb the most violent dispositions.   It would banish firom the world
every form of strife, for it would nlip in their
beiginnings  all hatred  and  ill-will.   There
would thlen be no occasion for thle command,
"Resist not evil," for evil would not be inflicted l)y man upon his fellow.  Resentment
would be unknown, for there would be no injuries to resent.   The- universal ob)servance of
this rule would clothle social intercourse with
a new and holy charm, and cause all distractions, altercations, and wars, to  cease from
among men.
Such are some of tlhe precepts given in the
gospel for the government  of human  intercourse.  Beautiful in their simplicitv, wise in
their adaptations, perfect in their binding power, and glorious in their tendencies, they prove
themselves divine.  They come to us all glow
4,) 
THE RIGHT WNAY.
ingwith thle spirit of their Authlor, and clothed
with a loveliness whlich cannot but attract, and
a majesty and authority which command our
reverent lhomag,e.   Truly, "never man spake
like this man!"  And they are no merely subliinme theories, to be rather distantly admired
than obeyed, but near, living, and practical.
They imay be made the means of blessing in
every relation to which they are applied; and
while stren,gthlening and swveetening the bonds
of love, extend tlheml far and wide.  In these
precepts is clearly enough revealed the Rig/ht
Jtay. It is for us joyfully to accept and obey
them as a sufflicient rule of duty.
He who fulfils them from the heart will hlave
obtained a glorious conquest over both himself
and his adversary: over himself, because he
will have effectually resisted those passions
which most enslave us; and over his adversary, because, e-ven if lie does nbt conquer him
by kindness, lie at least obtains the mastery in
the maintenance of self-possession and manly
dignity of character.  His is the sublime consciousness of duty performed and good conferred, and not tlhe scathing remembrance of his
own sini, and its bitter fruit in another's misery.
46 
THE GOLDEN RULE.
Hiis is the true hlonor, and whetlher acknowledged by mcen or not, a glory far surpassing
that wlicili encircles the names of many whom
the world calls hleroes.  His is the highest wisdom, for "hlie that is slow to wrath is of great
understanding," Prov. 14: 29, and "the wisdom
that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, and easy to be entreated."  Jas. 3:17.
lie al)lpproves himiself a maii ill thle hig'ilest and
truest sense of tlhe term, for lie exlhi)its somnething, of that imagec of God in whliclh man was
first created, and Awhlichl it is the design of the
gospel to restore.   By the very  exercise of
these kindly feelings, and by the grace whlichl
prompts them, lie rises to a hilgher sphere of
existence, where lie brcathes a purer air, and
basks more fully in thle ravs of the divine sun
of life and blessedness.  lie lives the true life
of hulinanitv. and in his obedience to the "royal
law" of love, walks a king among his fellows.
The tyrants IHate, Envy, 3lalice, and Reivenge,
lwho keep so many  millions groaning under
their servitude, lie humbled  at his feet, their
power weakened, if not wholly brolken, and lie
who was once their degradecld victim  is made
their master; vlwhile the mild virtues, Love, For
47 
THE RIGHT WAY.
gi-vencs, Patience. and Good-will, habitually
sway llis tlioouglits and actions, and gild his
Nliolo outer and inner life with  their holy
lutstre.
48 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
CHAPTER IV.
OBJECTIONS AND DIFFICULTIES CONSIDERED.
IT is to be expected that precepts such as
we have now considered, will encounter much
opposition. As they directly conflict wvithl the
commonly received maxims of society, as well
as with the principles of our depraved nature,
it is not to be wondered at that men raise many
objections to them, and shrink from the real or
imagined difficulties of their practice.
I. It may be objected to the gospel method
of intercourse, that I,onor r(quires th/at every instlt or injury be resented.  It may be urged that
he who obeys thie gospel will be branded by
many as cowardly and mean-sp)irited.
There have been different notions of honor
amolng, different nations; and every age has
had its peculiar ideas upon the subject. In
ancient Sparta, successful theft was considered
honorable. In parts of India, it is at this day
thoughit disgraceful for a widow to survive her
husband. It is said of the Japanese, that uponi
occasion of gross insult the offended person is
R ight Way.          4
49 
THE RIGHT WAY.
bound in honor to commit suicide by disembow-elling' liiniself -itli his sword.  Iin modern
tiesiC, Fashionl has, in some places, dlemanded
that men deliberately slhoot one anotlher, as the
only honorable imode of settling tlicir disputes.
lappl)ily this relic of barbarism is fast disappearing from civilized communities, and in most
portions of them the duellist is justly regarded
as brutal, deg,raded, and murderous.   Still, it
is very generally considered an essential qualification of a brave man that hle in some way
resent injuries.  Hle whlo meekly yields to them,
or repay-s tlhem w,ithl blessings, is apt to be suspeected of cowardice;  -vliile le h whose blood
boils w-ithl  indignation against an adversary,
and  lho retorts his scurrilous abu se, or passionately elastises him, is admired as " a man
of sl)irit."  E-ven if, in an uncontrollal)le outburst of wratl, hle klills his foe, many are dlisposedl to look leniently uponI tlhe criminal, and
insteadcl of punishlingo his crime, IIerely to commiierate his misforftue.
Thlese ideas of hlonor aire as false and unwlorthy as those we  have just noticed.  lIe wllho
pleads tlhem, proceeds  onl precisely the same
principle that demands the Hindoo suttee, or
50 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDE-RED.
the Japanese suicide: namely, that popular
opinion is the true standard of glory.   But
what is its true standard? It is afforded only
in the word of God, and the example of Christ.
Our Aakcer, ill revealing to us his w-ill and his
,glory, has also revealed both our happiness and
our crory, for thev coincide.  The divine word
teaches us that'-it is an honor for a man to
cease from strife,"' Prov. 20: 3; that "hlie that
is slow to angoer is better than the mig'hty; and
hie that ruleth his spirit, than lie that takethl a
city," Prov. 16: 32; that "the discretion of a
man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to
pass over a transgression."  Prov. 19: 11.
Ahlat is it that constitutes honior?   Is it
victory?  Then the more arduous the conquest,
the higiher the honor.  If a surmounting, of the
greatest obstacles, and an achieving of victory
in the face of the most violent opposition, be
glory, then that term is not so applicable to
the conqueror of men as to the conqueror of
Itinmsc:  The fiery duellist and the successful
general are esteemed courageous; yet many a
meek and lowly Christian, who is called meanspiritecld by those whom he forgives, and who is
now unknown to human fame, but whose name
51 
THE RIGHT WAY.
shines brightly in the book of life, far surpasses them in the splendor of his achievements.
Again, is honor the supremacy of mind or matter, of soul or body? That brute is a distinguished one who is the terror of his fellows,
and so is that man; but is his an enviable distinction?  Is that a worthy vindication of personal honor which consists in the exhibition of
base, )brutal qualities; or that which shows a
triumph of reason and good sense?  Surely
none need hesitate as to whether he will aim at
the honor of a brute, or that of an intelligent,
reasoning man.
They who are accustomed to stand punctiliously upon this imaginary point of honor, are
so far firom being honorable, that they are little
else than abject slaves. The spirit which will
not yield to an outward injury marks plainly a
state of inward servitude.  The "soft answer"
and the forbearing and forgiving conduct mark
those noble beings who  have struggled into
manly liberty, and who, fearless of custom, popular opinion, and false hionor-those scourges
with which our passions lash us to obediencestand up erect in their lofty heroism, their own
masters, and servants only to their Mlaker.
52 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
Everv consideration of honor and self-respect,
tlien. so far from affording any objection to the
rilght iway, furnishes the most powerful motives
to its practice. Thus, we are authorized to
hope, it shall vet be considered by the world
at large.  The timce is coming,-all prophecy,
and all the current of human progress alike
point to it-when the false judgments of byg,one rgenerations shall be reversed; when the
bloody deeds of heroes shall be stripped of their
fictitious splendor; whlen public opinion, moulded bv tile sweet influences of thle gospel of
peace, shall firown upon all exhibitions of resentmentit; when tle nichlle in Fame's temple,
which only slaves to passion are now allowed
to ill. shall be occupied by thle most meek, most
lovinii, and most forgiving of men; and when
the peaceful -irtues shall render their possessors golorious.' Towards this change of public
sentiment events are rapidly tending.  We appeal to tle reader whether he will retard it l-y'
conforningo to v-iews which all reason and scriptlie pronounce erroneous; or vwhetlier lie will
hasten it, by- seekinig, in inolle independence of
the  world's false notions, trite( gory.
11. It may be obljected to the gospel method,
53 
THE RIGHT WAY.
that thlere aire  a,gr(tvat(d cases of injury, to
which it is not applicable.  Adimitting its justness witli reference to the ordinary and lesser
occasions of strife, is there not "'a point, beyond which forbearance ceases to be a virtue?"
It may be said, I aim  willing to forigive sligaht
injuries; but there ae thIose of a graver chlaracter, wlhic im,ust not be overlooked.  Suclh, for
instance, are deliberate persecutions, long, persisted in, and marked with constant efforts for
mv  ruin.   Thie  sum   of the ol.)jection would
amount to this  "Tlhe principle of the right
way is good-it is divine; but the extent to
which it is to be practised is in aet iiwv(se ratio
to the elorminity of the of Tnce.  The greater the
inijury, the less it is to be forgiven.  If an enemy hate me but little, I am to love hiimn; if a
great deal, I am justified inli hatinig him."
Those -who make use of this objection, cither
widely mnistake the chllaracter of the gospel pCrecel)ts, or do not obey them at all; for they
lave-c a direct reference to the grosser and more
aglrav-ated kinds of trespas-s; and in this fact
lies their chief value.  l'eter says, "For this is
tllanlkworthy, if a man for conscience towiard
God  endure grief, sufferi?g, wro?g,fuliy.  For
5-L 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
what glorv is it, if. whlien ye be buffeted for
your ftults, ye shall take it patiently? bIut if,
when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye talke it
patiently, this is acceptable w-itli God."  1 pct.
2: 19, 20.  If love, meekness, and forg,iveness
be duties, the fact that the injury is severe and
undeserved, so far from ablsolving us fi.om them,
only demands that they be the more thorougl]y
and earnestly dislcharged.
This objection is put at rest by the examnple of
those who are held up in the Scriptures for our
imitation.  The case of the martyr Stephen was
surely a an agravatedl one, for his enemies were
stoning him to death.  Yet lhe did not deer
this a sufficient reason for cherishing one bitter
feeling towards them, but prayed.wvithl his last
breath', "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."
Acets 7  60.  Wvhat grosser indigonities can be
imagined than those that were heaped upon
Christ?  Betrayed, scourgedl, spit upon, crucified-not all this accumulation of injuries could
extort from  himn a w,isper of resentment, or
prevent his firm, hleartv utterance of the prayer,
"Fatherl, forgive tlhem i' "Who can estimate the
enormity of every silnner's offences against God?
Are they not a thousand-fold more aggravated
55 
THE PIGHT WAY.
than anv we- can commit against one another?
Yet hear God saying, "Thlou,lgh your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; thoulgh
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."'
Isa. 1:18.  Here is our standard.  When we
are required to exercise a forgiveness and long suffering greater than these, it will be time
enough to hesitate; but let not those who are
daily the objects of a forbearance so great that
only God could exercise it, attempt nicely to
assign the limit beyond which'-forbearance
ceases to be a virtue," and hate to be a crime.
We are not warranted in the belief that there
is any such limit.  The maxim just quoted was
never derived from God's word, nor from the
example of God or Christ.
III. Another and plausible objection to the
right way is, that its practice would only subject
us to yet greater injuries.
W hether this is true or not, the fact that it
is our duty sufficiently answers this, as indeed
it does every objection.  AiTe have no right to
make the real or supposed results of a divine
obligation the criterion of our obedience.  If
the way which we have presented is the right
way, it is our plain duty to follow it, whatever
56 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
be the cmseq~cncCs.   The  objection, however,
has not the sanction of either reason or revela
tion.  Obedience to the gospel must necessarily
lessen strife, and" turn awav wrathl."  I-le who
cointrols his own passions, acquires thereby a
mlestrv over those of his adversary, and by his
verv forbearance disarms the other's cnmity,
and recalls himi to reflection.  I-e does indeed
outwardly yield, in refraining from  physical
resistance, yet he subdues himi by a moral power lwhich is far more effective than that of the
strongest armn, or the deadliest weapon.
But it may be said, vhlile this is in general
true, it is not always the case.  WV\hen assailed
lby one of violent temper, will not our forbearance be abused? Are there not those who will
basely take advantage of it, and i,mprove the
opportunity thus afforded themi, by new injuries?
It is the misfortune of the Christian world that
this has been so generally taken for granted,
that few have fairly tested the question in their
own experience.  AlIea have so believed tlheir
fears upon this subject, that they have rarely
,,'irve  themselves  the  opportunity  to  learn
-whethller those fears are just, or groundless.
Even the best of Christians have been slow to
57 
THE RIGHT WAY.
believe that Tie who commands is able to pro tect his children in their obedience.  But is he
not the God of providence? How easy it would
be for him to avert the blow that is aimed at a
faithlful disciple, to withler the arm that is lifted
against him, and instantly to suldue the fero cious ti,er to the disposition of the lamb! Alc
are accustomed, in reg,ard to othler duties, to
expect that God will sustain and defend us in
their discharcge.  It is a sad wannt of faitlt whlich
preIve nts us fi'om thus relying uponl him in the
fulfilmenit of these.  Wllen that faithl shall be
more strongly cherished, it will be found to
fulfil our highest expectations; and it will be
seen that by the operation of natural laws, and
the ordinary course of divine Providence, the
right way results only in good to those lwho
practise it.  This, the known character of God,
and tlhec very constitution of ]his moral government, lead us confiden.tly to believe.
Owing to the general distrust upOll this subject, and to the few efforts made to obey these
precepts, we cannot point to as many proofs of
the secur,ity of the right way as mig(hlt be desired.  There have been instances, however, in
which its fearless practice has been rewarded
58 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
by exemption from imminent peril.  One of the
most beautiful and affecting of these is related
of David, 1 Sam. chlap. 24.  Hle had been for
a longT time pursued by Saul, who was eager
to takle his life.  From place to place his enemy
had hunted him lilke a wild beast, but without
success.  At leng,th, having been informed that
lie was in the wilderness of Engedi, lie went
there with three thousand men, intent upon his
capture and destruction.  -While upon this miission of ]late, he providentially turned aside into
a ca-ve iii whliclh David a-l    his men had concealed themselves, and there slept.  Here was
an excellent opportunity for David to rid himself of his foe.  He mighlt have reasoned thus:
"Sty life is in peril.  If I now slay him, I shall
tlereby save myself.  If I permit him to live,
will lhe not employ the life wlichii I spare in
compassing, my destruction?  Will not my forbearance  expose me to yet greater injuries?"
His sense of duty, however, prevailed over his
fears, and lie contented himself with cuttin'r off
the slkirt of Saul's goarment, for an evidence tlhat
lie had b)cen w   ithlin his pow-er; altlioull even
for this his heart afterwards  " smote him."
lWhen Saul had arisen and departed, David
59 
THE RIGHT WAY.
followed him, presented iimiself before him, and
assured( him of his kind feeliings and desire for
his welfare.  AWhat was the result?  Did that
bitterest of foes seize tliis opportunity to gratify
his hatred?  No; tlhe fiery enemy suddenly became the humble suppliant.  3eclted wvithl contrition,'Saul lifted up his voice and wept," and
said to David, "thou art more rigliteous thlan I,
for thlou hlast rewarded me  good, whlereas I
have rewarded thee evil;....wherefore the
Lord  reward  thee good( for thlat thou hast
done unto me this day.'  Hle then predicted
David's future triumph  aid royalty, implored
his mercy towards himself and his seed, and
went home without so much as lifting a finger
against hirn for whose blood hlie had so long
tlirsted.
There have been many othler instances in
wlichli a simnilar treatment of enemies hlas resulted in a like manner.  These have principally
occurred amiong a class who lave been the most
conspicuous, ini modern times, for their obedience to tlhese precepts-tlhe Friends, or Quakers.
3Iost nol)ly have they exemplified and -vindicated
thecm. Embodying them as a distinct and prominent feature of their creed, and  accepting
60 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
their most literal interpretation, tlhecy have
boldly put them in practice upon0  the most tryin,' occasions.  Tile remarkable success which
has attended their efforts, is a sufficient answver
to tlle objection under consideration.  W ell
will it l)c for the clhurell and thle world, when
all Cliristians shall heed the lesson which has
thlus, for two centuries, been practically unfolding before thlem.
During tlhe Irishl rebellion of 179S, the peace
principles of thle Quaklers  were put to  the
severest test.  Viewed witlh  suspicion by both
parties, and threatened and insulted upon all
sides, tlhey yet had the courage publicly to destroy every weapon among tllhem, and firmly adliered to their resolution to do good to both
parties, and hlarm to neithler.  It is a remarkable circumstance thllat thlrou(ghout that fierce
anid bloody struggle, these peacemakers were
generally uninjured.  However wild and reckless imay have been the fury of either party
lwhenI  victorious, their cry  was,  "Spare  the
Quakers; they have done good to all, and harm
to none."  Their peace principles afforded them
an equal protection in thlleir intercourse with
the savage tribes of North America.  It is a
61 
THE RIGHT WAY.
well-knovwn and signiicant fact, that during the
early settlement of this country, theyi were generally exempted from the hostile attacks of the
Indians.  Of this the history of the colony of
Pennsvlvanaia affords a strikling example.
It is related of Robert Barclay, that he was
once attacked by a highwayman, a pistol levelled at him, and a demand made for his purse.
Calm and self-possessed, he looked the robber
in the face, and mildly assured him that he was
his and every mian's friend, and willing to relieve his wants; but being free from the fear
of death, hlie was not to be jntimidted -by a
deadly  -weapon.   lte then  app'e,led' to  him
whether he could have the heart to shed the
blood of one whvlo had no other feelilig or purpose but to do him good.  "The robber wvas
confounded; his eve suffused with tears; his
)brawny arm trembled; his pistol fell to his
side; and he fled, abashed, from the presence of
the hero who had dared to'resist not evil.'"
D)uring a violent persecution of Christians in
France, in the early part of the last century,
Al. de St. Claude, a man of eminent piety, was
imprisoned in the Bastile. At the same time
a man was confined there who was such a mnon
62 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
ster of ferocity that no one dared to approach
himi.  Ile seldom spoke wvithout tlle most liorrid
blasphemies, and violently striuck all whlo caine
near hiim. After exhausting every expedient
to ov-ercomie this brutal disposition, tlle governor of thle prison persuaded Claude to un(dertalke the task.  Ile wvas shlut up with tlhe inliuman wretchl, whllo at first abated none of his
v-ioleice, b)Lt  constantly assailed  him  with
ai),rv reviling ad savag,c blovws.  The humble
Chlristian responded to them with mild, forgivinglo words, and patient endurance, and prayers.
Suchl  a warfare could not long, be sustained.
The monoster was conquered.  Lookirng in the
face of his companion, lhe cast himself at his
feet, and iembracing themn, burst into a flood of
tears.  IHe implored Claude's forgiveness, and
e:treated him to teach him that religion which
liad influenced ilim to such noble conduct.  He
becaime from that tinme a meek, peaceable, and
p)ious maii; and eveii wlilcil restored to liberty,
it was with difficulty that lhe was persuaded to
leave lhis Chlristian friend.
Ae do not affirm that such would be tlhe invariable result of obveying tlle gospel precepts.
It is, however, the general tczdency of that obedi
63 
THE RIGHT WAY.
cnce. Instances have occurred in which forbearance has been attended with consequences
precisely opposite. The lives of the Christian
martyrs, and especially that of the divinely
forg,iving, anld yet crucified Jesus, show that
love will not alwavs disarm an enemy.   But
that such will be its ordinary effect seems rcasonable, and is confirmed by human experience.
At all events, those who make  use of this
objection should  try the experiment of the
prescribed course of conduct, before positively
asserting its insecurity.  It has never yet been
sufficiently tested, nor will it be, until Christians shall awake from their long indifference,
and in the exercise of a simple faith in God,
try to discharge plain duty.  They will then
discover that in this, as in every other respect,
duty is interest, and that the Riight Way is
the only safe way of conducting social intercourse. "W ho is he that will harm you, if ye
be followers of that which is good?"   1 Peter,
3:13.  "W hen a man's ways please the Lord,
he mniaketh even his enemies to be at peace with
him."  Prov. 16: 7.  "Say not thou, I will
recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and
he shall save thee." Prov. 20: 22.
64 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
IV.  Perhaps  the most formidable  obljection
to tlhe gose)cl method, is tlhe dficilties whzc/  aft(id il's p])actice.
Some of these lhave been alluded to.  T'le
c]ief one, hovwever, and that which lies at the
foundation of all the rest, is the opposition it
encounters in our owin bosoms.  It miay be said
withl  truthl, "The duties uirged  upoli us run
directly  counter to our natural dispositions.
AWhetller it be our fault or our misfortune, we
are 1orni into the  worlld with certain 1propensities rliiceh  elamor earnestly for gratifileation.
Suchl are anger, resentment, aid the desire of
resisting, evil; and to act contrary to themn
wAould  be to rev-olutioiiize every iiistinct and
illnpulsc of our iiature."'  But consider,
1. Of w/hat religiouis ditty mcty  0ot th/e same
t/l,iiog be said?  The impenitent miay object, withl
equal justness, that repentance is very hard
and tlhe ulnbeliev-er, that faitli in- Christ is uniiatural to Ilim, anid exceedingly difficult of attaiicnment. Every sinnier miay urge, with truth,
that his heart is strongly, averse to loving' and
servilig God(l.   Of what patt of revealed duty
(.do not timidil pilgrims say,'"There are lions in
the vway?I  Hle who stops to count tle cost of
Rigtit NWay. 
65 
THE RIGHT WAY.
a religious life, will find many a "hill Difficulty' intervening between him and the celestial city.  Yet thousands of Christians have
bravely surmounted them all; and the whole
churclh militant is made up of those who are
grappling with and conquering difficulties as
vast as any that oppose our obedience to these
precepts. Let us place them upon a level
with many other duties, such as love to God,
repentance, faith, holiness; and ask, will not
the objection apply equally to them?   Must
not the obljector, to be consistent, give up all
religion, and refuse to obey any of the divine
precepts?
2. Great as may be the difficulties in the
way, experience has showni that tiwy may be overcome.  Every reader can probably call to mind
some trophy of divine grace, in whom the most
resentful dispositions have been rooted out,
and a heart of love and forgiveness implanted
in their  stead.   Saul, the fierce, impetuous
persecutor,'"breathiing out thlreatening,s and
slaughIiter against the disciples of the Lord,"
was afterwards enabled to say, " Being reviled,
we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being
defamed, we entreat."  Compare Acts 9:1, and
66 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
1 Cor. 4:12, 1,.  The cl-ying prayer of Christlike Stephlen was, "Lord, lay not this sin to
their clharge."  A.cts 7:60O.  It is said that
James the less, who suffered a martyrdom siimilar to that of Stephen, prayed for his murder
ers amid a shlower of stones vwhichl tlhey cast at
him, until one of them beat out his brains with
a fiillcr's club.  The history of the church of
God, and especially that of the Christian martyrs, furnislhes numberless other instances of
the practical fulfilment of the precepts, "Love
your enemies, bless them that curse you," etc.
They therefore have been obeyed; and what
should prevent their fulfilment by every ChristianI?
This  objection, howev-er plausible in  the
moutlt of tle ung(odly, coimes witlh an ill grace
from the Christian. For. does it not argue a
sad want of confidence in that almioghty Power
from whence he professes to derive all his sufficiency?  It reveals, too, a glaring(r inconsistncyi of religious practice; for it virtually assumtes that while divine grace can strengthenl
for some kinds of duty, there are others for
lwhichl it is inadequate; or that while it can
enable us to repent and believe, it cannot ena
67 
THE RIGHT WAY.
ble us to love our enemies, and forgive injiuries.
WVhiat w-onder is it, if those who  thus practically distrust the,ir Alaker, should be left to
feel their weakness, and be overcome by those
difficulties whichl  they do not righ'ltly seek to
subdue?  Let thlem, however, lean upon that
arm wihicl is stretched out for their assistance,
aind tlhe obstacles will v-aniisl from thlis, as they
do from every other path of duty.
68 
!IOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
CHAPTERP V.
IIOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
'WIITLE there are no objections which can
reasonal)ly be urged against the righlt way of
conductiing intercourse, there are matny strong
qiotives to its practice.
I. One of the least of these is, that personal
poliWy demaids it.  This, of itself, were an unworthly motive to the discharge of any duty;
yet it is perhaps proper to notice it in connection with others which we shall present.
zll must have observed, in tlhe ordinary
dealings of men, the power that resides in a
I)bland, courteous demeanor.   Whlatev-er be the
ol)ject to be gained, whether firiends, pleasures,
lhonors, or riches, those are the most successful
who are uniformly polite, and considerate of
others' happiness.  A  snile, or a kind  word,
will often accomplish more in a person's favor
than the most masterly strolke of cunning,.  In
business transactions, the man -who controls
his passions has by far the advantage of him
who d(oes not.  A resentful disposition excites
69 
THE RIGHT WAY.
distrust, wherever it is klnown. Prudent men
avoid those whlo exhibit it, and in all their
dealings give the preference to those of mild
temper, and accustomed to self-command.  Alexander the Great, amid all his bloody conquests, recognized the importance of a kind
treatment of both friends. and enemies, as the
best means of furthering his ambitious schemes.
Being asked lhowv he had been able at so early
an age and in so short a period to conquer such
vast regions, and establish so great a name, he
replied, "I used my enemies so well that I
compelled them to become my friends, and I
treated my friends witlh such constant regard
that they became unalterably attached to me."
Were  there no other and loftier aim  in life
than success, every consideration of sound policy would demand the cultivation of a kind,
forbearing, and  forgiving  disposition.   We
may add to this the motive of personal safety.
The conduct required of us, so far from exposing to yet greater injury, is our best safeguard
against it.  Resistance  to  wrong  generally
provokes to its repetition. The irritable and
impetuous are of all men the most liable to be
trespassed against; while they who return good
70 
]1OTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
for evil convert their enemies into friends, and
makle them  minister to their happiness.  So
far, then, as regards the accomplishment of the
mlost selfish ends, such as our own aggrandizemenit, and personal security, the ri,ght  avay is
"the best policy."
II.'We urge as another motive, our own liabilily to offC?id, ard ozir frieqtent i?eed of forgive?Icssfi'o,;t others.
Ahlo is there that is not sometimes off his
guard, and liable to be surprised into anl offence
against a fellow-man?  W hat tongue is so bridled as not, at times, unjustly to assail and
injure others?  They  who  inake the hilghest
attainments in the religious life are forced to
conifess, of their relations bothl  to God  and
man,  "In manyv things we offend all."
This  undeniable fact  should  have  great
weig,ht with us in our dealings w-ithl mankind.
lie whlo allows it its proper influence, will,
upon  every occasion of injury from  aiother,
reflect that he may yet need the kiid forbearanco of that verv individual.  EIe will reason
w-ith hihnself thus  " AlWhat am I, that I should
resent an offence. or withhold forgiveness from
a brother? AWlhen I lhave done lihating, it will
71 
THIE RIGHT WVAY.
be time enounh to refuse to love; when I have
done sinning, time enoulgh to be unforgivinrg;
when I do no evil, time enough to resist evil;
and when I need not the kind deeds and prayers of others, time enough to withhold them
from anv.  Until then, I will be consistent
with nmyself, and forgive, as I would be forgiven either of God or man." Such is a reasonable view of the subject, and such are the
thoughts and resolutions which best become us.
The resentful man, while of all others the most
likely to give offence, is the very last who
ou,ght to do so.  For he cannot reasonably exact a treatment which he refuses to render;
and he has no ri,ght to comiplain if all his injiirious words and actions are promptly retaliated. On the other hand, lie vlwho, conscious of
his frailtv, cherishes a spirit of meekness and
lolng-suffering, may with greater reasonl hope to
be met with the same spirit.  Our own interests therefore, no less than a manly consistency
of conduct, demand that we extend to those
injuring us that forgiveness vwhlliclh we ourselves
mnay require.
III. Another motive may be drawn from the
close connection?'clih exi.st, betwee?n o?,r forg,ivr
72 
MOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
hecSS of one aniothcr, aid that whIic   ce tcc(d froG?n
God.
Our Lord, after teachling his disciples to
pray,' Forgive us our debts as wev forgTive our
debtors," adds as the reason of tlhat petition,
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if
ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will
your Fathler forgive your trespasses."  Matt.
6: 14, 15.  A-lhile we are not to understand by
tlhese words that the exercise of forgiveness is
of itself a procuring cause of the divine pardon, yet they clearly teachl us that it is one of
those hlloly dispositions which are essential to
savbi,g pi(,]y.  It is one of the most beautiful
fruits of Chlristian faith and love, and an indispensable part of true relioion.  So closely is it
connected w-ith every other Christian grace,
that its absence argues the absence of other
characteristics of genuine piety.  Those whlo
lal)itually fail to cherish it are still under the
divine condemnation.  They may loudly protest their faithl in Christ, but their claims to religion are proved groundless by the fact that it
does not inspire a forgiveness of the errin,g.
What a solemn thou,lit, and how full of su,g
73 
THE RIGHT WAY.
gestion to the professed follower of Christ!
No earthly blessiing can be compared, in the
believer's estimation, with the divine forgiveness, neither canl any thing compensate for its
loss. It is the broad, firm basis upon vlwhichl is
built the whole edifice of his Christian hopes
and consolations. To be destitute of this is to
be destitute of them  all, and be left to perish
under the burden of unpardoned guilt, and the
crushing weight of the "wrath to come." They
who are aware of a titlie of the blessings for
vwhlich they ask in the prayer, "Forgive us our
debts," will perceive that it is no ordinary motive to forgiveness that is here held out.
A  fellow-passeng,er of John Wesley in his
voyage to America, after relating to him a
provocation w-hicli he had just received from
his servant, said, "I will be revenged onl him.
The rascal should have taken care how he used
me so, for I?never forgive." "Then I hope, sir,"
replied Wesley,'"you never sin." The rebuke
was a just one, and will apply with equal force
to all who cherish a similar spirit.  lIe whose
heart is closed in frequent resentment against
his fellow-men, must expect that the heart of
God will be closed against his entreaties; while
74 
MIOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
hlie whose heart expands with love to all men,
and who receives his trespassing brother to its
cordial embrace, and then prays,'"Forgive us
our debts as we forgive our d(btors," may hopefully listen for the voice of his pardoning Fatlier, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sials be for,givei thee."   "With the merciful,  thou wilt
show thyself merciful."  Psa. 18: 25.  "Witlh
-what jucldgment ye judge, ye shall be judged;
and with what measure ye mete, it shall be
measured to you again."  Mlatt. 7: 2.
IV. Anotlier motive to the right way may
be drawn firom its happy influence upon the cause
of Ciriis'iai,ity.
To tlhose who are acquainted with thle requlreicents of the gospel, the frequent practice
of  Christians  appears  grossly  inconsistent.
Thle infidel narrowly scans the conduct of the
church with reference to her acknlowledged
duties, and pronounces her professions sincere
or otherwise in the proportion ini which she
discharges them.  He reads the divine code
by which we say that we are guided, and turiningc from it to our actual conduct, defies us to
point to its fulfilment. HIe eagerly adopts the
maxim of holy writ, "By their fruits ye shall
75 
THE RIGHT WAY.
know them," and arguing from evident discrepancies between profession and practice, impresses his fiendish principles upon  many a
doubting mind.  How shall such arg'uments be
met and refuted?  Only by a practical co?fornmily to ou?r' ac/;,owledged stai)dard, t/he word of God.
Let Christians be consistent with their professios0, be actuated  by  the enlarged charity
Wlhich is required of them, and exhibit on
every occasion the spirit of love and forbearance, and their simple discelarge of klnownl duty
will be the means of rearing such a bulwark
of defence that "the gates of liell shall not prevail against" them.   So doing, they will wipe
away a reproach  which has long adhleredl to
them, and remove many a stumbling-block froiii
the path of the ungodly.
Such a course of conduct would also advanlce the interests of Christianity, by its cx/Iibition to others of the most beautf~il traits of true
reli.,io?I.  As a miissionary was once preaching
in a chapel to a crowd of ITindoos, a strong
native aimed a blow at him from behind the
desk, intending to knockl him down.  IIalppily,
it fell on his shoulders, and didcl him but little
injury.  Thle liearers, however, enraged at tlILe
76 
MOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
offender, seized him, and secured his person.
"Now-, -what slall I do wvithl him?"'  asked the
ilissicnary.  " Give him a good beating," said
SomleC.'Se,-id him to tlhe judge," cried others,
"land hl e will receive two years' hard labor on
the load(s.'  "I cannot follow- your advice,"
he rep,lied.'"Ay religion commands  me to
love my enemies, and to do good to those who
treat me injuriously."  Then  addressing' the
ctllp)rit, lie said,  I forigive you from my heart;
but never forget that -ou onw0 e your escape from
punishment to that Jesus whlom you persecuted
in me."  The effect of this scelne upon the Itindoos is descrilbed as lhav-ing' been most iltpressive.  " They saw it and marvelled; and unable
longer to keep silelle, they sprang( on their
feet and shouted,'Victory to Jesus Christ!
Victory to Jenus Chlrist!'"   The general cxhlibitionl of suchl  a spirit would do much towards
placing' relig;ion in its true liglit before the
wvorl(l, as in everry way lovely and attractive,
and as eminently practical, and adapted to the
wants of societv.  It would go  far towards
aclhieving tlirouoliout tlhe earth  the  -ictory
whichl it accomplished in the Indian mission
chapel, " ectory to Jesuts Christ!"'
77 
THE RIGHT WAY.
V. Another powerful  motive to these duties
is afforded by t/inc divine exarmple.
T]is is made use of by our Saviour in his sernon upon the mount.  After exhorting, "Love
your enemies," etc., he adds as the reason of
his exhortation, "That ye may be the children
of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
MIatt. 5: 45.  In closing this branch of his precepts, he says, " Be ye therefore perfect, even as
your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
Watt. 5:48.  In several other passages, God is
thus held up as our pattern: "Ce ye therefore
merciful. as your Father  also is merciful."
Luke 6: 36.  "Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving, one another, even as God
for Christ's sake hliath forgiven you." Eph.
4: 32.  "Be ye therefore followers of God as
dear children."  Eph. 5: 1.
In this, as in every other respect, God is the
example of his people.  It is the part of his
children to study carefully his spirit and conduct, and aim at tlie closest conformity to it.
-Vl. at is that spirit and conduct?  Let tie experi.r.nce of akll thce?ongodly arswer.  They abuse his
78 
MOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
mercies, spurn his offers of forgiveness, and
despise, reject, and crucify his Son.  Ilow does
the insultcd Jellovah respond  to such treat ment?  Does he whet his "glittering sword,"
and his "hand take hold on judgment?"  Thus
liLe might justly do; but, instead of it, he for bears  and  entreats,  and  "all  day  long"
stretches forth h1s hands "unto a disobedient
and gainsaying, people;" still calls, althlough
men. refuse, still stretches out his hand, although no man regards it.  See Riom. 10:21,
and Prov. 1: 24.  "tie hath not dealt with us
after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our
iniquities."  Psa. 103: 10.  "It is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed, because
his compassions fail not.,'  Lam. 3: 22.  What
spirit does God manifest? Lc(t the experience of
the forgiveni sinizcr answer.  With the cry of
David, "MAine iniquities are gone over  my
head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy
for me;" and with the prayer, "God be merciful to mc a sinner," hle has bowed before his
,Alaker, and obtained the frec pardon of his
crimes, and the blessing of eternal lifec.  The
lwhole tenor of God's dealings withl our race exIhibits a forbearance so great, and a long-suffer
79 
80
THE RIGHT WAY.
inig so protracted, that no words can adequately
express it.  Aec can only say of it, it is diviine.
Vll experience concurs in the testimony of revelation, that he is " the Lord God, merciful and
gracious, long-suffering, and abundant i,n goodlie-s and truthl, keeping mercy for tlhousands,
fO'rgivillng' iniquity-, and transgression, and sill."'
Exod. 3'4: 6, 7.
If, then, thlere be any force in tlhe divine examiple-if Godl be tlhe pattern of hiS children,
and it be our duty to resemble him —and if tlere
be any virtue, any happiness, any glory ill beiiig
godlike, vwhat a motive to the right way is
here afforded!  It is t!c divine way; and we
appeal to all those vlwho aimi  at any degree of
coniforiiiity to their  Iakler, to imitate him  in
these respects.  "Be ye therefore followers of
God, as dear children."
AWe would draw  another motive from  the
diviice (xaml)k as displayed ini the personl (f Chirist.
This niotive is made use of by our Lord himself.  Ile says, "   new commandment I givec
unto you, That ye love one another; as I hlave
loved  you, that ye also love one another."
Jolnl 13: 34.  Paul exlhorts,'"EvNen as Cliist
forgave- you, so also do ve."   Colos. 3: 13. 
MOTIVES TO THE EIGHT WAY.
"Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us."
Eph. 5: 2.  Another apostle says, " Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example that
ye should follow in his steps: who when he
was reviled, reviled not again; when hlie suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." 1 Pet.
2: 21, 23.
The life of Christ was a practical fulfilmcnt
of his own precepts. lie faithfully trod that
p)ath which he marked out for others, and consecrated every step with his own toils and suffcringrs, and finally with his blood. His whole
recorded history is a proof of the practical purport of his teachings, and of their applicability
to every-day life. His very entrance into the
world under a human form was an act of love
to enemies. All his toils and trials were undergone with a direct view to the procuring of
blessings for those who hated him.  His walk
through life was a perpetual exhibition of longsuffering; for even when not assailed in person, he was, as God, constantly blasphemed and
disobeyed. Besides, however, this general display of kind dispositions, the treatment to
which he was subjected while on earth afforded
Pi. I., 
81 
THE RIGHT WAY.
many particular occasions for their exercise.
"He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet
he opened not his mouth: he is brotught as a
lamb to the slaulghter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so he openied not his
mouth."  Isa. 53: 7.  Patiently he submitted
to every indignity that the furious rabble chose
to hleap upon him-offering no resistance to the
cross, the thorns, the nails, the spear-praying
at the last, "Father, forgive them," and then
pouring out his life's blood for the sake of those
who murdered him.  Never was there so sublime a fulfilment of the precept, "Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you and persecute you."
"He that saith lie abidethli in him, oug,ht himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John,
2: 6. Let the view of his brig,ht example impel every Christian to its imitation.  With our
eyes fixed upon our glorious pattern, so lovely
in his meek endurance, let us "consider him that
endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself, lest we be wearied and faint in our
minds."  Helb. 12:3.  Did lie who mighit have
called down fh-e from heaven to consurie his
82 
MOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
persecutors, choose rather to weep, and pray,
and   bleed for them?  So, when the blood boils
under an aggravated insult or injury, and the
harsh reply hovers upon the lip, let the thought
of Jesus change the bitter murmur into a for giving prayer.   Let us press forward in his
sacred footsteps, rejoicing that our path to
glory is so much like his.  So doing, we shall
not grope in the dark, for his every step has
left its impression, distinct and ineffaceable;
and the clear strong light of inspiration shines
always upon them, and in revealing his pathway is "a lamp to our feet, and a light to our
path."  It is the height of the believer's aspirations, and will be the consummation of his
glory, to be "like hItim." Let us, by the cultivation of those affections and dispositions which
he manifested,  -walk even as he walked;" and
at length, our hearts rid of all anger, malice,
and resentment, and glowing with ardent, universal love to God and man,'"wI(cn he shall
apca(r iwe s/all be lice Aim for we shall see him
as lie is."
VI. The strongest motive of all to the practice of the right way, is the fact that God has
com7tmanded it.
83 
THE RIGHT WAY.
The precepts before us form a prominent part
of God's revealed will. That will is the law
of the universe, and the only correct rule of
human duty. Its demands, whether admitted
or denied by men-nay, even if opposed by a
world in arms-God will in no instance repeal
or modify. They come to us clothed with the
sanction of the divine authority, and command
our absolute, uncompromising obedience. Almighty power stands ready to enforce them,
and the whole character of God assures us that
lie will not permit them to be v-iolated with
impunity. In dealing with our Maker, it is not
our part to question, but implicitly to obey. It
is a sufficient reason for these precepts, and for
our obedience to them, that God is their author.
AWhen weighed against his command, every
consideration of difficulty, danger, or irksomeness is of no account whatever. A simple
"thus saith the Lord" answers every objection,
solves every myistery, and leaves us nothing to
do but to hear and obey.
The duty of love, when viewed in its largest
sense, comprehends the whole of the divine law.
'-Love is the fulfilling of the law." Rom. 13: 10.
The various preceplts growing, out of it occupy,
84 
MOTIVES TO THE RIGHT WAY.
as we havec seen, a very prominent place in the
gospel, where their frequent and emphatic utter ance characterizes them as important features
of the Christian religion.  Like bright, golden
threads, they are inwrought witli the whole systein of revealed truth, and we cannot remove
them from it without marring almost every page.
They force themselves upon the attention of
even the most careless reader of the Bible, and
arrest our gaze far more frequently than many
other truths to which the church has assigned
a more prominent place in its creeds and practice.  They are uttered, too, in language which
we cannot misunderstand, and clothed with an
authority whichi we must not disregard.  And
they have lost none of their binding power in
the lapse of centuries.  Though so much neg
lected, and by many despised, they yet stand
forth to the eye of every Bible reader, their
penalties unrevoked, a silent but powerful reproof to all who disobey them. Thus they shall
stand for ever, occupying a place in the system
of religion from which they cannot be wrested,
and however overlooked or kept in the background, addressing men as authoritatively as
any other of God's commands.
85 
THE RIGIHT WAY.
Neccl we say mnore to commend them to tle
C/Iris[ian?  WVhat higher motive to their practice can be desired?  Even were our obedience
to them encompassed with tenfold greater difficulties; nay, were it to subject us to death
itself, the fact that God commands it should outweigh all other considerations, and impel us to
that obedience. WAVe therefore urge this as of
itself a sufficient motive. If we have presented others, it is not because we thought them
necessary, but because  they might influence
some minds which do not sufficiently recognize
the divinie authlority.  The true disciple should
require no other incentive to duty than the revealed will of God.  This incentive we unquestionably have with regard to the duties of the
RigItt IVay.
86 
THE FAMILY.
CHAPTER VI.
APPLICATION OF THE RIGHT WAY.
IT has been the misfortune of many, that
while accepting these precepts as divine, thev
have at the same time regarded them rather as
general expressions of duty than as specific
commands.   For this reason they have failed
to apply them to all the ordinary circumstances
and connections of social life. Yet they were
formed with reference to them all, and are designed to be our cguide in every relation of man
to man.  Ae shlall now exhibit the mode of
applying- them to the intercourse of individuals,
in the family, the neighborhood, and the church.
The mode of their application to the intercourse
of nations, will be considered in the second part
of this work.
I. TIIE FAMILY.  If there be any bond in
life which ought to be sacredly guarded from
every thing that can put it in peril, it is that
which unites the members of a family.  If
there be a spot upon earth from which discord
and strife should be banished, it is the fireside.
87 
THE RIGHT WAY.
Thlere centre the fondest hopes and the most
tender affections. It is the heart's lower home,
where, more than in any other place, it is to be
fitted for the upper mansions of our Father's
house. Of all the different kinds of human in tercourse, none is capable of conferring so much
enjoyment when rightly improved, nor can any
be made so great a source of wretchedness when
perverted. Its members being thrown into perpetual contact, and to a great degree mutually
dependent, it is in the power of each to promote or destroy the peace of all the others.
For this and other reasons which will readily
suggest themselves, there is no relation in life
which so imperatively demands the practice of
the right way.
1. It is of the first importance that the gospel method regulate the intercourse of husband
and wife. How often is this most hallowed and
endearing of human relationships imbittered by
the practice of the wrong way on the part of
one or both of them.  A slight misunderstandincg is perhaps allowed to go unexplained, or an
offence  unforgiven.   Then affections are estranged, doubts and suspicions excited, peace
banished from the once happy home, and two
88 
THE FAMIILY.
hearts weighed down under a life-long grief.
A single word of pardon, or a imeek subntission to injury, or a "soft answer," or a prayer,
iighit in thie first instance have prevented this
wide breach.  But by some strange infatuation,
the cloud that was "1no bigger than a man's
land"' is permitted to grow until it blackens
the whlole horizon of their lives, and beats in
pelting storms upon their heads. The result of
such a course is often seen in the doom of the
wretched inebriate, who seeks to drown his
trials in his cups, and to find in the vicious and
profligate that sympathy which his home has
ceased to afford him. Often too it pales the
cheek and wastes the life of her whom the husbanld had sworn to cherish, and whose outraged
nature sinks under the wreck of its fond affections.
Let the law of love be made the absolute, inviolable law of home, and tihe trusty guardian
of its joys. By a uniform mildness of temper
and demeanor; by an habitual forbearance and
conciliation; by a constant readiness to yield,
forgive, or patiently endure; by a studied avoidaice of all cause for provocation, whether great
or small, upon either side; by maintaining a
89 
THE RIGHT WAY.
scrupulous watch upon both heart and tongue;
by instantly banishing every beginning of strife,
as they would a viper, from their bosoms; in
short, by the cultivation, at any cost, of sweet,
amiable dispositions, let both husband and wife
promote their mutual hlarmony, and cement the
bonds which unite them. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in
the Lord," Col. 3: S18; "whose adorning, let it
not be that outward adorning of plaiting of the
hlair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on
of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the
heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is
in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter
3:3, 4.  "Husbands, love your wivies, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself
for it."  Ephl. 5: 25.  "Husbands, love your
wives, and be not bitter against them."  Col.
3:19.
2. The precepts of the gospel should also
govern the intercourse of parcnts and children.
Suppose a child has disobeyed or otherwise
injured his parent.   Whichi course of conduct
will best influence him to repentance and obedience-a passionate, threatening demeanor, or
90 
THE FAMILY.
one of love and kindness?  Both observation
and experience show that while the one course
would only exasperate the little culprit, and
render him sullen and hateful, the other would
in most instances subdue his rebellious feelings,
and restore him to a spirit of filial affection.
We are not now speaking of the propriety of
chastisement-this is by no means inconsistent
with a loving and forgiving conduct.  But the
parent should see to it that neither his rebuke
nor his punishment displays any spirit of resentiuent. There are occasions where the languag'e of Socrates to his offending servant might
well fill the lips of parents, "I would whip thee,
but that I am angry."  The cliild's quick ear
can readily detect the tone and manner of re-enge, and he will not be slow to imitate it.
HIle can also soon discover the accent of tender,
yet sorrowing love, which in forgiving most
clearly shows how it has been aggrieved; and
his heart will penitently respond to it, and bow,
melted, under its influence.   No circumstances
can justify retaliatory conduct towards a child.
Thllose who would not rashly trample upon every
line affection of its budding nature, will be careful to avoid every thing approaching to it, either
91 
THE RIGHT WAY.
in word or action. "Fathlers, provoke not your
children to anger, lest they be discouraged."
Col. 3:21.
3. These principles are equally applicable to
the intercourse of the younger members of th1e
family. In those petty strifes which so often
mark their youthful sports, there arc frequent
occasions for exercising the spirit required of
us.  Indeed, they who are taught to improve
all such opportunities will have acquired in
early life habits of forbearance and self-control
which will attend theci in after-years, and prove
to them a powerful safeguard.
AVe would therefore urge upon the youthful
reader the importance of practising the right
way.  The young sometimes think it manly to
be resentful and passionate, and to carry themselves in a blustering, threatening mlanner towards all who displease them. Such conduct is
not manly, but brutish; and is it not better,
nobler, happier, to be like God and Christ and
angels, than like snarling brutes?  As none
are too young to offend, so none are too young
to forgive.  It is in the power of every youth
or child to fulfil the duties which form the subject of this volume. Let such try to obey the
92 
THE FAMILY.
gospel rules, and begin early to walk in these
ways of "pleasantness" and paths of "peace."
AN7lien any thing is done by another to vex or
irritate you, think, "here is an opportunity to imitate God and Christ," and then answer it with
kind words, and try to love, forgive, and bless
your enemy. In all your sports or labors, at
hlome, at school, or by the way; whether with
parents, brothers and sisters, or playmates, seek
to give offence to none, and if injured to show
that you are above resenting it. Resolve that
whatever others may do, you will do rit,ht.
Thus obey God, and make yourselves and all
about you happy.
Look at the family in which the gospel precepts are disregarded.   It is a scene of constant turmoil.  If one of its members chances
to offend another, angry feelings are at once
aroused, abusive words quickly follow, and
perhaps they come to blows.  Both are made
ashamed and unhappy by yielding to the enemy
that is in their own bosoms. Discords are perpetually occurring; the din of noisy strife prevails; and they who should be all loving and
forbearing are, instead of it, envious and spiteful. Peace is almost a stranger there, while
93 
THE RIGHT WAY.
evil passions make it their home, and the demon
of strife reigns triumphantly. How lovely, on
the other hand, the spectacle presented by that
family which is governed by the right spirit.
Each strives to avoid giving offence, and is
studiously considerate of the others' happiness.
If, in an unguarded moment, one injures another,
it is but the work of an instant to ask and receive forgiveness.  Sweet, loving dispositions
are cultivated by all, and each tries to surpass
the other in his efforts for the common harmony.
Smiles of affection and delight beam upon every
face; each voice is schooled to tones of kindness; each heart glows with love; and the benediction of heavenly peace seems to abide upon
that dwelling with such power that no black
fiend of passion dare rear his head within it.
It is like a concord of sweetest music, without
one jarring note to mar its perfect harmony.
It is like heaven, where the angels of God delihlit in the eternal flow of mutual affection,
and are hlappy in for ever loving God and one
another.
WIhio would not realize this lovely picture?
It may be realized by all who will employ the
appointed means.  Let the precepts of tihe gos
94 
THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
pel be applied as they are designed to be; let
them be inculcated upon every member of the
family and enforced by a winning example;
and they will be found to shed a holy charm
upon the home which they govern, and to make
the family circle what God designed that it
should be, the most heaven-like scene upon
earth.
II. Looking now at a wider sphere of human
intercourse, let us consider the application of
these principles to THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
The natural tastes and instincts of men impel them to group together, and dwell near each
other. A peculiar relationship grows up betweeni the families thus connected, which, like
every other human tie, involves mutual interests, imposes mutual obligations, and is a powcrhtl instrument of mutual happiness or misery.
To which of these it ministers depends upon
the principles that govern it.  All are familiar
witlh ihe meaning of the common expressions,
"a good neighbor," and "a bad neilhbor;" and
all know what is that kind of conduct which
renders a man tlhe one or the other.  It is generallv the case that the passionate, resentful man
is a curse to all who are about him; rwhlile he
95 
THE RIGHT WAY.
lwho is kind and forbearing, is esteemed a blessing to the community.
It is to be expected that the interests of
neighbors will sometimes clash, and that selfishness, envy, or scandal will occasionally foment dissensions between them. What course
is to be pursued under such circumstances?
Suppose one neighbor has encroached upon the
rights of another; shall the injured one avenge
himself by a similar encroachment?  He will
only thereby plunge into yet deeper difficulties,
and subject himself to a repetition of the offence. IHis act of retaliation will be likely to
recoil upon himself. Or shall he resort to the
arm of the law, and bring its weight to bear
upoln the offender? In aggravated cases, and
when rendered necessary in order to protection
or redress, this is a justifiable method; but
when resorted to as a means of revenge, and
for the gratification of malignant feelings, it
is unquestionably the wrong way.  The gospel
metlhod is the only one which can be adopted
with advantage to either party. In demanding
that the aggression be not resented, it discloses
the means best calculated to allay strife, and
secure the ends of truth and right.  The neigh
96 
THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
1)or whlo obeys its precepts will "resist not
evil," but "overcome evil with good."  If injured, he will frankly state his grievances to the
offender, as soon as he can do so with no feeling or tone of bitterness, and courteously ask
redress. Yet he will be careful to assure him
that hle cherishes no ill-will, and is ready to forgive and forget the past, and still to extend to
him the hand of cordial friendship. Especially
will he watch for an opportunity to prove his
kind feelings by rendering him " good for evil."
So doing, he will promote his own interests,
and those of his neighbor and of the community, and bind the offender to himself in friendship more firm than ever.
A horse belonging to a pious man having
once strayed into the road, a neighbor sent him
to the pound. Mfeeting the owner soon afterwards, he told him what he had done, and added, "If I catch him in the road again, I'11 do
it again."  "Neighbor," said the other, "not
long since I looked out of my window in the
nighlt, and saw your cattle in my meadow, and
I drove tihemn out and shut them in your yard;
and I'l do it again."  Struck with the reply,
the man liberated the horse, paid the charges
Inight Wfay.         7
97 
THlE RIGHT WAY.
himself, and to this Christian at least, was ever
after a'"good neighbor."  In how many instances is a course quite contrary to this pursued.
An accidental breaking down of a fence, or straying of cattle, or a slight difference in regard to
boundaries, or some petty trespass, over which
neither, perhaps, had any control, has sometimes involved two parties in a tedious and expensive litigation from whose effects they never
recovered; yet which might all have been avoided by the exercise of a little forbearance upon
either side.  WVhole communities  have been
thus kept for years in a ferment by the ungovernable passions of one or two of their members.  %Vere any neighborhlood to be made up
entirely of such persons, it would be little else
than a pandemonium, an abode of all evil spirits, who would keep society in a state of perpetual discord. On the other hand, were there
one whose members were all loving, forgiving, and forbearing, "in honor preferring one
another," and mutually solicitous of the comz,ln good and the preservation of peace, it
would indeed be a favored spot.  Kind deeds
and warm, generous sympathies would flow
from hand to hand and from heart to heart,
93 
THE CHURCH.
and the only strife would be as to which could
best promote the happiness of all.  Such a
neigliborlhood  would  be  comparatively free
firom those petty contentions which are now
the bane of so many, would invite prosperity,
and would secure to its members many invaluable blessings.
III. These precepts are desiigned for an especial application to THE CHURCH OF GOD, or to
the iiztercotirse of ClIistiaiis uwitA oge aiiot/Icr.
'A new commandmenit I give unto you, that
ye love one another; as I have loved you, that
ye also love one another. By thllis shall all men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another."  John 13:34, 35. "Be kindly
affcetioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honor preferring one another." Rom. 12:10.
"See that ye love one another with a pure heart
fervently."  1 Pet. 1:22.  "Above all things
hleave fervent charity among yourselves; for
charity shall cover the multitude of sins."  1
Pet. 4: 8.  "We know that we have passed
fromn death unto life, because we love the brethren.  I-e that loveth not his brother abideth in
death.  Whosoever hatethl his brother is a miurderer: and ye know that no murderer hathli
99 
THE RIGHT WAY.
eternal life abiding  in him."  1 John  3 14,
15.
We commend these passages to the earnest
consideration of the Christian reader.   The
precept "'love one aTzotler" comes to us from one
who has an undoubted right to impose it, and
with all the authority of "a new commandienit."  All must acknowled,e its justness, and
its birdcing force as a divine obligation.  The
gospel, however, not only insists upon love as
a duty, but ures, it as a necessaryf)l,it aiid evidcce c'f piety, for the satisfaction botli of outrselves and others.  Christ says, " By this shall
all menl know that ye are my disciples;" and an
epostle assures us, "We know that we have
passed fromn death unto life, because we love
the brethren."  The thought is a startling one,
and full of sugogestion to the pious mind.  Let
all whlo profess or believe themselves to hlave
"'passed Trom death unto life" ponder  well
these words, "He that loveth not his brotlher
abideth in death."  1 John 3: 14.  See also
1 Jolhn 2:9, 10,11; 3:10; 4:20.
But do professed Chlristians need these exliortations?  Do not the children of God, the
members of the household of faith, and the
100 
THE CHIURCH.
travellers to a common h,eavenlv home "love
one another?"'  Alas, there are too many of
them who might well exclaim, in the words of
a saint of former times, "Blessed Jesus, either
these are not thy prccpts, or we are not CJirislians."'
It is enough to sadden the hearts of all who
love the cause of Christ, to see the clhurch
whlich he has redeemed with his precious blood
so torn with intestine divisions. How often are
its different branches arrayed in hostility upon
slight points of controversy, foolishly expending upon one another those energies which
should be concentrated against the common
foe!  WVthat bitterness of feeling, what opprobriousness of epithet, what jealousy, envy, and
malice have characterized cmuch of the religious discussion of the church, causing a wide
gulf of separation between those who should
be joined in holiest sympathies! And if we
look at individual churches, how many lie torn
and bleceding unider the sad effects of personal
disputes. By an unbridled tongue, or mistaken
zeal, or wicked envy and desire for precedence,
our Saviour has often been "wounded in the
house of his friends;" his cause has suffered;
piety has declined, and obstacles almost insur
101 
THE RIGHT WAY.
mountable have been placed between the sinner and his salvation.  ilany a church has thus
verified in its own unhappy experience those
words of Jamies, "Where envying and strife is,
there is confusion and every evil work." Jas.
3:16.  Eternity alone can reveal the amount
of injury that has been done to the cause of
Christ by the absence of brotherly love.
It was the highest encomiium pronounced
upon the early disciples, "See how these Christians love one another." But we afterwards
find Paul severely rebuking some of them, styling them "carnal," and "'babes in Christ;" "for
whereas there is amiong you envying, and strife,
and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as
mnen?"  1 Cor. 3: 3. Of course the guilty ones
call these strifes by quite a different name.
Those who are active in church dissensions
stvle their conduct "a vindication of the truth,"
or'"a manly independence," or "a holy indignation against the erring," or "a rectifying of
abluses;" but it is a peculiarity of the gospel
that it calls things by their right names, and
there are few instances in which the more appropriate term would not be carii(1l-mindediess.
Now ilien we remember that "to be carnally
102 
THE CHURCH.
minded is death," how sad a scene is presented
by those churches in which strifes and envyinlgs
exist!  Under these forms carnality has invaded the very sanctuary of God, and is there sowing the seeds of a terrible death among the
professed heirs of the heavenly life. As the
opposite of this carnal spirit, the word inculcates
the exercise of a loving and Christ-like disposition towards the erring.  It stops not, however, with this, but clearly points out the line
of conduct to be pursued towards a trespassing, brother. "If thy brother shall trespass
against thee, go and tell him his fault between
thee and him alone: if lhe shall hear thee, thou
hast gained thy brother.  But if he will not
hear thee, then take with thee one or two more,
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word may be established. And if ihe shall
neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church;
but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be
unto thee as a heathen man and a publican."
lIatt. 18: 15-17.
1. The first step prescribed is a plain, firank
statement to the offender of his fault.  The
parties at variance must meet face to face, that
an opportunity may be afforded for mutual ex
103 
THE I4GHT WAY.
planations, or for a kind appeal or rebuke to
the guilty one. Such a meeting would in many
instances stop the beginnings of dissension;
for it is often the case that one who rias
erred is longing for just such an opportunity
to acknowledge and, if possible, repair his
error.
2. This step, however, may sometimes be unsuccessful. It is then made our duty to resort
to the second one, namely, a repetition of the
interview in the presence of two or three witnesses, "that every word may be established."
This injunction requires that those who assist
in the effort be not merely witnesses to testify
upon the subject before the church, if it should
become necessary, but that they add the weight
of their influence and kind Christian admonition. They should therefore be men of deep
piety and sound judgment —" wise men," who
are " able to judge between the brethren."
Such will often effect, by their superior wisdom
and discretion, that which others fail to accomplish.
3. "If hlie shall neglect to hear them," says
Christ, "tell it unto the church."  The grievance must, as a last resort, bhe laid before the
10,11 
THE CHURCH.
churchl, or its judicatory, which shall add its
voice of mild yet firm authorityv, and enjoin repentance and reparation for the fault.
4. If, however, this step proves also ineffectual, and the offender remains insensible to every
appeal of Christian love; "if he neglect to
hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican."  The heathen and
publicans were those with whom tlhe Jews held
no rcligiolos intercourse.   Our Lord here requires that such as obstinately offend, and persist ind wronging a fellow-Christian, bie subjected to the discipline of the church.  This should
never be resorted to except when the previous
steps have been faithfully employed; and then
it shlould be done with all love and kindness,
that the erring may if possible be still won,
vet with firmness, that the peace and purity of
the church mav be maintained.
Tliroug,hout all these steps there is to be observed the same degree of tender forbearance
and long-suffering. Whlen thus conducted, there
is reason to believe that they will be crowned
with success, and go far towards maintaining
that "fervent charity" which is "the bond of
perfectness,"' the glory of the redeemed, and
105
0 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the heaven-born principle of the believer's present and future life.
The general spirit of these requirements, and
indeed of the whlole gospel, stands opposed to
a mode of redress which is too common among
professed Christians as well as others-litigationi. This is pointedly rebuked by Paul as follows:  "Dare any of you, having  a matter
against another, go to law before the unjust,
and not before the saints? I speak to your
shame.  Is it so, that there is not a wise man
among you?  No, not one that shall be able
to judge between his brethren? Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because
y-e go to law one with another. Why do ye
not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather
suffer yourselves to be defrauded?" 1 Cor.
G:1, 5-7. In these words the apostle finally
solves a point which is sometimes disputed, and
teachles us that we had better even suffer ourselves to be defrauded than exhibit to the world
a spirit of contention. Of course there are
occasions when justice requires that the person
injuring us be punished withl the rigors of the
law, and lwhen the cause of Christ would be
more prejudiced by a quiet submission than by
106
0 
THE CHURCH.
an ol)taining of legal redress.  Such instances,
lhowever, are comparatively rare, there being
few differences among Christians which may
not be more happily acljusted by their reference
to some "wise man" who is "able to judge between his brethren," or which, if not thus settled, had not better be meekly endured than
ley-la1/y revenred.
Our present  codes of civil law are such as
every citizen may justly be proud of. Foun ded,
as tlhe wisest legislators adiimit, upon the precep)ts of tlhe gospel, they go far towards securin, the endl of those preeepts, the practice of
the risi,t tway.  Yet is it not too often the case
that the privileges afforded by them are abused,
and made a means of retaliation and revenge?
A suit at law is often prompted by those angry
feelings which, in a state of less refinement and
civilization, would exhibit itself in open blows.
It is often the dis,guised expression of that hatred to one's brother which, however manifested, constitutes a murder.  And even when entered upon with calmness and brotherly affection,
hlow often does the progress of thle trial excite
1)itter feeling's upon both sides, and display to
tlhe world a spirit that is far from Chlrist-like!
107 
THE PLIGHT WAY.
We would by no means undervalue the laws of
the state-they are essential to its well-being;
but let them not be perverted from their high
office as the defence of justice and shield of the
oppressed, to the ignoble one of a means of revenge. At all events, let those who follow the
meek and lowly Jesus be governed, as they profess to be, by that source of all law and equity,
the word of God, and accept as their rule of
life that code whose demands are all summed
up in the one word, love.
Such is the mode prescribed in the gospel for
regulating the intercourse of the brethren. How
beautifully does it contrast, in its divine nature
and happy tendencies, with the way that is too
frequently practised among them!  Were it
more generally observed, the church would not
exhibit to the world such gross inconsistencies
as now characterize her, nor be taunted with
being false to her acknowledged principles.
She would no longer present the spectacle of a
torn and bleeding body, wounded, not by her
enemies, but by her avowed friends and mnembers.  Then the proverb would once more be,
"See how these Christians love one another."
Beautiful would be the appearance she would
108 
THE CHURCH.
then present, keeping, "the unity of the spirit
in tle boniids of peace."   Then  Christianity
would be seen and confessed a divine institution, and its very loveliness, as made known in
the lives of its adherents, would win many to
its standard.  Then too, not only causes of offence and stumbliing would be removed, but
instead of them would be the more active labors
of God's united people; churches whose dissensions now grieve the Spirit, would be visited by
his influences; thle word would have new power,
and united, sympathizing prayer be attended
withl new  efficacyv; religion would be revived,
saints edified, sinners saved, and God glorified.
AWe therefore appeal to all who love our Lord
Jesus ClIrist, to "'follow after the things which
make for peace.'  Your own life and happiness
demand it, for " he that hateth his brother is a
murderer, and ye know that no murderer hatlh
eternal life abiding in him."  The interests of
the church demand it; for how can she hope or
pray for success w-hile distracted by civil feuds
and, divisions?  The honor of the meek and
low-lv JesIts demands it, for his name and cause
ar(e too often disgraced by the unworthy strifes
of his avowed disciples. The welfare of the
0
109 
THE RIGHT WAY.
world demands it, for the reign of peace will
never prevail, except it begin with the church.
It is not enough that we pray and labor for that
glorious consummation; we must second our
labors, and prove the sincerity of our prayers,
by ourselves practising that right way which
we commend to others, just as Jesus enforced
by the power of his own example every truth
which li he uttered with his lips. The interests
of immortal souls demand it, for weak minds
are stumbling to perdition over the faults of
Christians. Mlany reject that religion whose
precepts are so plainly violated by its professors; and it is to be feared, that with some the
angry word or bitter retort uttered by a disciple, may be the turning-point which seals their
endless destiny. As then, Christian, you value
your own soul, and the souls of your brethrenas you value the cause of Christ, the interests
of the world, and the salvation of those about
you-as you would not weaken and distract
the power which, under God, is to convert the
nations-as vou would be free from the blood
of souls, "'f4[ew (fcr t/le things which makefor
pecace.'"   Bf fC  iiiiC?7id, live i,- peac, and tlte God
of love aied pcate shall be withi you."
110 
PART II.
TIIE GOSPEL APPLIED TO TIlE INTERCOURSE
OF NATIONS.
CHIAPTER VII.
NATIONAL INTERCOURSE-THE GOSPEL AP            PLICABLE TO IT.
BOTH nations and individuals are governed
by the same natural laws. The same instincts,
necessities, and dependencies attend both, and
alike impel them to hold intercourse with one
another. God has so framued our globe, with
its different climates and various products, that
every nation, while containing within itself all
the necessaries of life, is compelled to look to
almost all the other nations for many of its
conmforts and luxuries.  As the result of this,
we find them engaged in commerce, or the profitabie exchange of their products and manufac 
THE RIGHT WAY.
tures.   This brings the subjects of different
governments into friendly contact, and establishes an identity of interest between them.
ANith the advance of civilization, the tribes and
kingdoms have more and more felt the necessitv of this intercourse, until now, one wall of
exclusive policy after anothier having been broklen down, the nations are rapidly commingling.
ilen are beginning to feel that they are all
members of one common family, and the differenlt countries are fast becoming, in point of
fact, a neighborhlood.
The f(ce.ssity of this intercourse has become
too well established to require any argument.
The nations, bv an irresistible impulse, will assGciate together and it is considered as unwise
and as unnatural for one of them to sever its
connections with the others, as it is for an ilndividual to withldraw entirely from the society of
lhis fellows.
It is equally  evident to the observing mind
that this intercourse is designed for the good of
2n(cl. Experience proves that in proportion as
it is amicably maintained, our social happiness
is directlv augmented.  It in a measure extends
to every niation tlhe literature, science, arts, and
112 
INTERCOUfRSE QF NATIONS.
manufactures of every other. As in a commultity much is gained to every memlaber by the
division of labor, the rivalry of skill, and the
relations of each to the others, so it is with
nations.   In both instances, also, kind affections and sympathies are called into exercise,
and made a powerful source of happiness.  Especially it is true of them both, that they can
greatly promote one anothler's spiritual wellbeing.  The bearings of national intercourse
upon the dissemination of Bible truth, and the
multiplied instrumentalities for the world's conversion, are plain to every beholder.  Yet, as
in the one case, so in the other, it can be made
a powerful instrument of evil.  If abused, it
may become a curse, whose magnitude is proportioned to the vastness of the interests which
it involves. In the one instance the effects of
contention are generally limited to a very few
p)ersons-to two or three disputants, or at most
to a famuily or neighborhood  in the other they
extend to millions. If, then, it be important
that the intercourse of lilaln with man be governed iy right principles, it is of far greater
importance that that of nation with nation be
so governed.  Every reason vwhichl applies to
Right e ay.
113 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the one is applicable with accumulated force to
the other.
Alas, that in this respect also we must behold
the sad perversion of God's providential arrangements for our good.  Those wrong princiles which so much irnbitter the private and
social relations of men, govern to a yet greater
degree thle relations of thle masses. The same
foul passions which, in the infancy of our race,
produced a murderer, have, from the very infanicy of tribes and kingdoms, filled the earth
with wholesale violence and slaughter.  If we
attentively consider the intercourse of nations,
we behold a state of things that is most repulsive and soul-sickening.  We  see kingdom
rising, up against kingdom in deadly conflict.
AWVe see great masses of human beings arrayed
ao'ainst eachi other for avowed  purposes of
destruction, and thousands upoan tlousands of
themn cut dowin-costly sacrifices to vcniciace
or ambitiona. AVe see mcn, p)ossessed of illmliortal souls, and clnnobllcd witli godlike capacities,
pressinif on in hlerds to a w-rse tllhan brutal
slauihter; and then left wallowing in their
)lIood, MN- ile new v-ictinms take tlheir places and
slhare tlheir fate.   lanl prostitutes his noble
114 
INTERCOUrtSE OF NATIONS.
powers to the most ignoble ends.  3finds w-lios
skill and wisdomi might have blessed the world,
and enhanced our social comforts, expend their
energ,ies in dclevising modes and instruments
of warfare, and plotting death to thousands.
IHands that mighlt have been powerful to help
and encourage, are devoted to mutual slaughter.
Voices that might have been eloquent to cheer
and animate to duty, are mistuned to heavenoffending lblasphemics, and curses on their fellows.  3ianly strength, which if rightly directed mig'ht have increased the sum of human
hap)piness, assumes the form of wild, brute violence.  Instead of the honorable rivalry of love
and duty, is seen the disgraceful competition of
desolation, rapine, and murder.
Scarcely has thlere been a period in the history of our earth, wheni the above dark picture
would not apply to some portions of it. There
lhave indeed  )eein intervals of peace, but Cenerallv so lbrief that thley appeared to be only
l)reatlinig spells or truce', in which the combatants rested upon their arms, and gained streiingth
for more violent onsets.  Strife seems to have
been the element of almost all national existence.   Nearly every throne has been, to  a
115 
THE  LIGHT WAY.
greater or less degree, propped up by the slain
bodies of both its subjects and its enemies.
If we look for the cause of this wide-spread
calamity, we shall find it to be the same that
lies at the root of all individual contention,
namely, a resort to the wroi,g way of conducting intercourse and adjusting differences.  We
behold both the reason of this curse and wherein lies its remedy, in the fact that it is a violation of the precepts of the gospel. This we
shall hereafter show.  Perhaps, however, it is
necessary at this stage of our discussion to
prove that those precepts are applicable to nations
equally with individuals.
While the gospel has been, for centuries,
gradually conforming the spirit and conduct of
individuals to itself, it has tlus far been lamentably disregarded by governmenls. Even in those
countries whichl are professedly Christian, and
where the law of God is recognized as the law
of the land and the foundation of its jurisprudence, it has been studiously excluded from the
national councils. As a necessary consequence
of these mistaken views, the progress of nations,
as such, has been much slower than that of the
individuals of whom they are composed; and
116 
INTERCOUP,SE OF NATIONS.
the anomaly is this day presented of their retaining  and practising a custom which they have
longl  since abolished among their subjects as
barbarous and unjust.  AWhile the gospel has
been allovwed to mould the civil law until it has
brou-l',t it to its present stage of perfection, it
has not been permitted, by any means to the
same (deree, to govern thle law of natio,)s.  The
singular spectacle is therefore presented of two
different and widely opposite rules of right
conitrolliing the internal and external affairs of
every country; and mhen are required to act in
their collective capacity precisely contrary to
the course which is required of them as individtals.   Tlhle inconsistency of this state of
thingsl, is manifest, and should lead us to suspect that one or the other of these two rules is
wrong.  Whlich of them is so, it requires no
effort to determine.   The only rule of right,
the revealed will of God, is as applicable to
nations as it is to individuals.
All the acknowledged authorities upon international law agree in affirming that a nation is
to be regarded as a mnoralpersoni.   Vattel says,
"'-Nations are under the same obligations that
are binding upon men in their intercourse one
117 
THE RIGHIT WAY.
w-itlh a-iothler."  Chancellor IKent says, "They
are p)roperly regarded as m,oral persons." This
view is a just one, and is founded upon the fact
that the nation is a collection of individuals,
and that the government is their representative.  It naturally follows from this that the
same genieral laws lwhichl govern cach one separately, ouglht to govern them all united; that
men possess in their collective capacity the
same rights, the same duties, and the same accountabilitv to God whielh they have as individuals; and that their rulers or representatives
are under those moral obligations which bind
the people for whom they act.  If, therefore,
the gospel addresses its precepts to vien, it is
equally bindinfg upon them wVhietlier tlhey act
togethler as miasses, or separately as individuals.  If the rospel imposes its obligations upon
crery!iorld pcrsoi, then those obligations bind
withl full force the nation, which competent
authorities have said should be considered and
treated as a " moral person."7
It is, from the very nature of the case, impossible that there be two o])positc rzles (  h riroit.
If there are tw-o wltichl confliict toethler, no
other evidence is needed that one of them is
118 
INTERCOURSE OF NATIONS.
erroneous.   Right exists in itself, and is not
created by circumstances. If any deed is wrong,,
or forbidden by God's law, no combination of
circumstances can make it otherwise.   Every
thing which it is right or wvrong for one or two
persons to do, is the same for a hundred or a
thousand. If any one questions this, let him
attempt to assign the limit where one oblig(ationl ceases and an opposite one takes its place.
Is it when ten persons are acting together, or
fifty, or five hundred? Can men, by thus banding, sin with impunity, and violate every gospel
precept without incurring guilt?  If this were
so, would not the gospel rule be sadly defecti-e?  But it is not so; and the world has suffered much because men hlave not seen the full
perfection of the law of God. The fault lies
not in the gospel, but in those who have presumed to limit its application. The very fact
that the duties of Christianity are binding
upon each person, proves them to be binding
upon all.  Mlen cannot divest themselves of
their individual accountability. After all tile
efforts that are commonly made to that cu(d,
the soldier cannot be converted into a mere
machine, nor shift the whole responsibility of
119 
THE RIGHT WAY.
his conduct upon the master-spirit who claims
the sole right to animate him.  At the bar of
God he will be judged as an individual, and his
own guilt cannot be extinguished in the plea
that hlie committed crime at the bidding of
another. It is the duty of every individual in
the nation to obey the gospel.  If all were to
do so, how could they unitedly disobey it?
That there must be some rule of right to
govern the intercourse of nations, is generally
admitted. The fact of the existence of a code
of international law shows the felt necessity for
such a rule.  Where, then, shall it be found?
There is but one source of human law, the revealed will of God. To it we are indebted for
the greater part of our civil codes-the most
eminent jurists having acknowledged that they
are founded upon the Bible. That Bible is not
so imperfect as to have limited its precepts to
certain relations and circumstances of life, leaving others unprovided for.  We know that it
is complete, because God is its author, and that
therefore it must be designed for application to
nations as well as individuals. To it we are to
look for the rule of national intercourse.   If
it contained laws relating especially to govern
120 
INTERCOURSE OF NATIONS.
meints, it would be our duty to adopt thiem. As,
however, it does not contain them, we can only
conclude that its wise Author, who knows precisely what our circumstances require, intended
tlat t'he same 2i-le should apply in geneiral to both
individltals and nations.  " The rule of Xighl hicl
binds the single individual, binds two or three
when gathered  together-binds  conventions
and  congregationls  of  men-binds  villages,
towns, and cities-binds states, nations, and
empires-clasps the whole  human  family in
its seven-fold embrace."
This rule of right is contained in the gospel; and it is only by obedience to it that nations can attain to the Riglit Way of conducting
intercourse.
121 
THE RIGHT WAY.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE EVILS OF WAR.
BEFORE proceeding to a special application
of the gospel to this branch of our subject, let
us take a rapid survey of the evils of tan.
If the picture of individual discords is a sad
one, that of national strife is still more so.
Our theme rises in melancholy interest, as we
are now called to contemplate this very darkest side of depraved humanity. The view is a
soul-sickening one, and well calculated to overwhlelm the mind with disgust and horror.  Its
details, if truthfully depicted, would be enough
to stir up every fountain of mournful emotion;
and hlie is indeed to be pitied who can dwell
upon them without tender sympathy and grief.
But let us not therefore shrink from them.  It
is to be feared that an undue sensibility upon
this subject has caused the Christian world to
forgffet its duty, and prevented it from puttini
forthl those efforts which migit, long before
tlhis, hlave abolished the terrible curse.  AVWe
have been like the sick man, who, while pain
122 
EVILS OF WAR.
fully conscious of disease, should refuse to look
upon his wounds and putrefying sores, lest lihe
be shocked by the view of their corruption.
fHow much better to know the worst, that lihe
might be led to employ the means of cure.
And how much better it would be for mankind
if thley would seriously consider this their deepseated leprosy, and in full view of its dangerons character, earnestly and patiently apply to
it the divine remnedy!
I. Glancing(r first at some of its lesser evils,
colnsider ITS INCALCULABLE WASTE OF PROPERTY.
WAVe say incalculable, for no arithmetic can
compute the immense amount which has thus
been sacrificed. In order to form any adequate
conception of its cost to the world, we must
be a)le to estimate not only the actual outlays
incurred in every war, and which are met by
public appropriations, but also the value of the
fields laid waste, of the towns and cities destroyed, of the peacefuil occupations abandoned,
and of the labors of the soldiers, had they beeni
enangaced in tilling the soil, commerce, or mannufactutres. AVWe must add the losses occasioned
by the general derangement of business, more
or less affecting every individual of the war
123 
THE RIGHT WAY.
rilin countries. To these must be added the
x-ast amount of good whlich mighlit have been
accomplished had this wealth been expended in
other channels, the plysieal sufferiings it migllht
have relieved, and the spiritual, soul-saving
blessings it might have conferred upon millions
whlo are destitute of them.  Who can compute
all these?  What mind can adequately estimate the sum which suchl  thloughlts sugg-est?
We are bewildered in the attempt to measure
it, or to asig'nl any limit to this fearful wastc.
1. Look at some of tlihe direct expcnses of war.
The last war of the United States withl Great
Britain cost our nation about fifty millions of
dollars a year; and our war with Mlexieo was
wagedl at an expense of more tlhan one hundred
millions.  Our Revolutionary war cost England
six hundred and eighty millions. According
to official reports, the military and naval cexpenditures of the British government for the
year ending Alarch 31, 1855, amounted to
~t49,812,637, or about $249,063,185.  England
alone, in the wars occasioned by the Frenchl
Revolution, spent more than five thousand millions; and it is estimated that she spent about
ten thousand millions in "wars having for their
124 
EVILS OF WAR.
object, first the humiliation of the Bourbons,
and then their restoration to the thllrolnec." As
nearly as can be ascertained, the wars of Christendom during the twenty-two years from 1 93
to the peace of 1815, were carried on at an
;expense of aboutifteen  thousand millions of dollars!
Perhaps we cannot better exhibit the immense burdens thus imposed upon the nations,
than by glancing at some of those debts which
have been contracted by all Europe in order to
the prosecution of war.  The public debt of
Great Britain alone, in January, 1854, was
~7O0,923,00O, or about $3,854,615,000OOO-all of
which is the growth of wars undertaken since
the year 1688.  The interest upon this debt,
and the cost of its management, amounts to
ncarly $1O0,000,000 every year.  Well said
Canniing and Broughlam, "England is under
bonds of eight hundred million pounds sterling
to keep the peace."  And she is not alone.
Every European nation is weighed down under
tle same mighty incubus, and its revenues absorb)ed ancl its inhabitants taxed to an oppressive degree by debts incurred in war.  Without,going into detail, it will suffice to say, that
125 
THE RIGHT WAY.
according to official estimates carefully collated
and summed up, the entire war debt of Europe
in 1840 was found to be not less than ten thlousand million dollars, which is an average of
fifty dollars to each of its inhabitants. This
is supposed to be five times as much as all the
coin in the world.  The mere interest upon this
sum, at six per cent., would be six hundred millions a year, or almost two millions every day!
And all this-for what?  In most instances,
to gratify ambition and the lust for fame and
power; to avenge real or fancied insults; to
trample upon the rights of the feeble; to achieve
exploits which should put humanity to the blush;
to plant national standards upon the reeking
graves of subjects, and unfurl them to the air
that is burdened with the frenzied groans and
imprecations of the maimed and dying; to depopulate earth of much of its sinew and strength;
to brutalize and then destroy millions of our
fellow-men, and to people hell with murderers.
Tzwo millions of dollars devoted every dty by Christian nations to such purposes as these! It is
nearly three hundred times as much as is given
by those nations for the spread of the gospel
and the evanigelization of man.
1 -6 
EVILS OF WAR.
2. But we have only begun to contemplate
this fearful waste.   Let us look at sonme of
those incidental losses which are inseparably
connected with war in its crippling and destruction of a nation's private wealth.   The
exports and imports of the United States for
1855, amounted to about five hundred millions
of dollars.  It has been supposed that in the
event of a war with a maritime power, one
half of this would be liable to be seized l)y the
enemy.  What a blow to our prosperity would
this be, especially as the amount thus lost would
be added to the increased expenditures which
wvould then be required of us.  An eminent
statesman once estimated the annual production of the United States at nearly ninety dollars to each inhabitant. Reckoning our present population at twenty-six millions, and supposing the loss of property by war to be onefifthl, our annual sacrifice would be lnearly four
hlundred and sixty-eight millions of dollars.
The incidental losses of property by war cannot, however, be expressed by figures.  Could
we trace the course of almost ally army, we
shiould find it miarlked with the most destrluctive ra-vages.  Like the pla,uec of locusts, they
127 
THE RIGHT WAY.
desolate every fruitful field which lies in their
path, and pillage and burn whole towns and
cities. In the war with Russia, 1855, the allied
fleets destroyed in a few days two hundred and
forty-five Russian vessels, laden with provisions
for the army in the Crimea. At Berdiansk and
Chenitschesk more than seven million rations
of corn, flour, and breadstuffs were destroyed,
and at Kertch upwards of four and a half million pounds of corn and flour. The armies of
Attila and the Huns, in the thirteenth century,
so ruined a tract of many hundred miles from
the Caspian to the Indus, that "five centuries
have not been sufficient to repair the ravages
of four years." Thirty thousand villages and
hamlets are said to have been destroyed in the
Thirty Years' war. A thousand of them a
year! It is said that Napoleon's army, during
a marchll of a hundred and fifty miles from Aloscow, set fire to every house.  Imagine, then,
the desolations which have been thus wrought
by all the millions of soldiers who have from
time to time traversed the fairest portions of
our globe, sweeping Sirocco-like over the gardens of the world, and blighting them into
deserts!
128 
EVILS OF VWAR.
Besides all this, war cripples private enterprise, causes capital to lie idle and unprodluctive, and paralyzes all the ordinary methods
of acquiring' wealth.  The hum of business is
silenced by the roar of artillery, and the peaceful souids of the arts and manufactures are
hluhed to a dreary pause before the sharp notes
of war.  The farmer rests despondingly upon
his idle plough, for there is no foreign market
for his products; tlhec mechlanic sits listlessly in
his shop. for there is no outlet for his workiauslbip; the merchanit closes his counting
roomi, or' suspends payment," for his slips)s
are rottlig at the wharves from very disuse
tlie poor day-laborer begs, or starves, or fig/ts
for bread, for most of the avenues of industry
are closed, public improvements are suspended,
and capital is withheld from use.  Says a letter from St. Petersburgh, August, 1855, "The
situation of Russia to-day may be summed up
in two words-misery and general discontent.
The war has struck a fatal blow to commerce,
to production, and to industry. There has, in
fact, been raised, by successive recruitments,
10ore than a quarter of the able-bodied laborers, and it is impossible to find a sufficient num  Ri,ht N'ay,           9
129 
THE RIGHT WAY.
h-er for tilling the ground, or for working ill
tlte factory."  Thus all classes suffer to an incalculable degree under the pecuniary embarrassiments of a state of war.
3. AVWe should also include in this view the
direct cxpenditu(res occasioned by the war spirit in
timiecs cf peace. In the fiscal year ending June
3,() 1$55. the total expenses of the United States
government amounted to about sixty-six millions of dollars. Of this, more than twentvcigllt millions was appropriated for war purposes alone. From the beginning of our present
form of goverinment in 17 89 to the y-ear 1855,
the appropriations for the military establishment  were,$.G35332,482, and  those for the
naval establishlment $280,640,7 79, n.iaking the
total of $844,173,261.  During the same period
the civil expenses, exclusive of those on account
of the public debt, reached only $366,109,657,
or less than one half the above amount, althlough
the whole period included but three years and
a half of actual war.  Deducting from the above
naval and military appropriations the appropriations for war, we find that nearly five lundi d?~itllions of dollars leave been devoted to preplara!ionfor war in times of peace.  The tax upon
130 
EVILS OF WAR.
the Einglish people, for the payment of interest
on their war debt, and the support of the army,
navy, etc., has been of late about two hundred
millions per annum.  At the same time twenty
millions a year has met all the other expenses
of the government; so that every British tax
payer pays ten cents for past and anticipated
wars to every cent appropriated for other purposes.  If we suppose the standing armies of
Europe, in time of peace, to be three million
men, a close calculation will show that their
a-gregate cost to their governments cannot be
less than 81,200,000,000 every year. To this
add the immense cost of the Amnerican and European navies, and of the fortifications, arseals, and other expensive means of attack and
defence, and we have a Sullm expended for war
purposes wholly i?i tiimes of prace which is almost
beyond computation.
In view of all this enormous waste, it has
been asserted that the real cost of war is at
leastfolir times as great as its dircct expenditures.
If this be the case, we must estimate the wars
of Europe for the twenty-two years preceding
the peace of 1815, at sixty thousand millions of
dollars!  We have confined our view to these
1.1) 1 
T HE RIGHT WAY.
later wars, because there are reliable statistics
M-ithl regard to them.  If we could form any
remote approximation to the amounts thus per-erted during thile last few centuries, the array
of figures would be truly appalling.  If we
could embrace in our view all the pecuniary
losses which men have cvc7r thus sustained; it
would be enoulgh to stagger the strongest mind
in the effort to conceive of it. That would then
be esteemed a very low estimate, though a startlinog one,  lwhich supposes that " war'  has wasted
at least fifty times as much as all the property
now on the face of the globe!"
Now if war be w-rocng, we must regard a
large part of this wealth as diverted from a
right channel into a wrong one.  In concluding
this view, therefore, let us-take into consideration the vast benefits which would result firom
the legitiminate employment of the amounts thus
wvorse than wasted.  The labors of the American missionaries in the Sandwich Islands, for
the period of about thirty years, cost the Chlristians of tho United States $88S2,683, or less than
the expense of b,ildiiF,f one liie-of-bac!tle sAhip, and
k((ping it in service for one yjar! is the result
of that "thirty years' war" against idolatry, a
132 
EVILS OF WAT.3
degradedl heathen nation las become Christianized, andi is now sending forth its own missionaiics to other and distant fields.   The army
and navy appropriations of the United States
are about twenty-five millions of dollars a year.
WAlho can estimate the good wvhichl might be accomplished, were this sum applied to purposes
teid(iig to elevate and Christianize, instead of
(tege)ading mankind?  This money would give
a free coimmon-sch.ool education to all the five
million children in our land.  If we add to it
the annual cost of our militia, there remains a
sum sufficient to support every college, tiheological, medical, and law school in the United
States, making, them free to all, besides sustaining an army of colporteurs and ministers, who
would reflect far greater honor upon us, and
secure more prosperity to the nation, than can
ever be derived from the most imposing army
of brav-e soldiers.  Were only a tithe of the
sumis annually sacrificed to the war spirit in
Clhristiall Europe in times of peace to be thus
delvoted, there would be enough to feed all the
litugiry, to clothe all the naked, to educate all
thel ig'norant, to place the Bible in every destittell famiiily, to flood the globe with religious
1 3'0' 
THE RIGHT WVAY.
bookls and tracts, and, by the blessing of God,
to civilize and  Christianize all the heathen
uponl the face of the earth.  It would suffice to
erect churches in every village and hamlet, and
to support a million ministers of the word,
whose voices should every Sabbath publish to
the nations the glad tidings of peace. It would
sustain and increase those instrumentalities by
-whichl God is con-verting the world to himself;
w-ould carry on the battle of the Lord, defeat
tie enemies of truth, and plant the gospel bannCr on every hill and in every valley of the
habitable globe.
Christian, can you withhold your efforts firom
the work of destroying that enemy to God and
man lwhich is preventing such mighty and eternanllv blessed results?  "SI/all the sword devour
for ever?
II. Another of the evils of war, and one
which is immeasurably more disastrous than
its w aste of property, is ITS MORAL EFFECTS,
both upon those engaged inll it, and upon the
community at large.
Robert Hall has justly observed, "War reverses, with respect to its objects, all the principles of morality.  It is nothing less than a
134 
EVILS OF WAR.
temporary repeal of all the principles of virtue,
and is a s-stem from which almost all the virtues are excluded, and into which nearly all the
vices are incorporated." Napoleon recognized
the importance of a depraved character to a
good soldier. He allowed no chaplain in his
army, and was accustomed to say, " The worse
the man, the better the soldier; and if soldiers
are?ot corript, ticy should be mcade so."  Of a
similar character is the testimony of the Duke
of AWellingoton, who is reported to have said,
"Mlen of nice scruples about religion have no
business in the army or navy."  War is the
concentration of all iniquities.   Thlere is not
one of the black catalogue of crimes which it
does not foster, while those of the deepest dye
are actually demanded by it.  From its very
nature it transforms large numbers of those
engagingo in it into thieves and murderers.  It
openly sets at defiance every law of God; subverlts truth, love, justice, purity, and temperaice  undermines thle strollng,est virtues; obliterates, for the time, all that is lovely and
amiable in human character; blunts the moral
sense; drowns the voice of conscience and of
God, and renders its votaries a prey to the
135 
THE R1GHT WAY.
worst of passions.  It sows broadcast through
the lhomes of Cliristenidom secds which grow
up to a hlarvest of inipicty, and lwhich, but for
the word of divine promise, we mig,ht well fear
could never be eradicated.  It assimilates men
to demonos, and under the sp,ecious dclisg,uises of
patriotism, chivalry, and glory, opens the flood gates of evil, and delug,es the world with guilt.
1. Look at its immz?iloral (ffcts iipe)i soldiers.
It is a direct appeal to the most  nvwortliy pas sions of their nature.  It calls forth and exerciscs anger, jealousy, envy, liatmed, and resentmient. It nourishes malignant dispositions, and
frowns severely upon every emotion of love or
pity for " the c7ieiny." It requires and applauds
that fiendish spirit which is essential to its
wholesale murders; and he who is the most
blinded by it, and the most recklessly wreaks
his vindictive malice upon others, is styled a
lhero.  A British officer who took part in the
battle of Inkerman, says of the combatants in
that engagement, "I saw them hanging'i oni each
othler like gnashing bull-dogs, and roll on the
tground over and over again, stabbing, tearing,
cuttingc, and wrangling, li/ke me  w/'o laid lost
( ri'y characteristic of t'imanity. and acqlir'ed mo?re
136 
EVILS OF NVAR.
tMan ti;ger feroci!y."   A  soldier, who was liogaoed in one of the battles in the Crimea, says
iin  a letter to his friends, "I never certainly
felt less fear in my life tlhanl I did at tlhat time;
and I hope that God will forgive mie,for I.felt
mzore like a devil thaii a iia!"  The very mainspring of a battle is, in most instances, rctaliation to th,e d ath/; and he whose bosom is not
fired with the purpose of murderous revenge
is branded with cowardice.
One of its worst evils is the insensibility to
Iuiinean mnist)'y which it engenders.  It brutalizes men into anl utter contempt for others'
woes.  It carries them to such a pitchl of indifference, that they' can belold( unmoved the dying
pangs of thousands.  Nav more, the eyes that
should be suffuseil with tears at the spectacle
of the battle-field, learn to feast on it with joy;
and the view of mangled limbs and hleaped-up
carcasses thrills the bosoni of the "good soldier" with exquisite  delighlit.  Ile replies to
the groans and shrieks of the dyilng with shouts
of exultation, and cheers his comrades on over
tlreir prostrate bodies to the infliction of the
same miseries upon others.   Says Labaume,
writing of the F-renc} war with Russia, " This
137 
THE RIGHT WAY.
campaig'n was the more frightful, as it demoralized our character, and gave birth to vices till
then unknlowni to us; and they who had been
gellnerous, humane, and upright, became selfish,
avaricious, and unjust." The same writer, after
describing the horrors which attended the return of the French troops from  lloscow, says,
"Thlese horrors, so far from exciting our sensi)ility, only hardened our hearts.  Preserving
the plunder of ialoscow was preferred by most
to the pleasure of saving a comrade.  We heard
around us the groans of the dying, and the
plaintiv-e voices of those who were abandoned;
but all were deaf to their cries, and if any one
approached them when on the point of death,
it was for the purpose of stripping themn, and
searchling whether they had any remains of
food."  The following extract from a private
letter was extensively copied by the British
press, with the heading, " A brave Guardsman's
use of his Alother's Letters."  "I don't want
to see any more  crying letters come  to the
Crimea from you. Those that I have received
I /acve p,t igito my rfle after loadingr it, and have
fired them at the Russians, because you appear
to have a stroh7 dislike to themT.  If you had
138 
EVILS OF WAR.
seen as many killed as I have, you would not
have as many iWa/c idcas as you hlave; besides
being present when the shot, shell, and mnusketry were flying past and ringing around you,
bursting and killing(r hundreds on your riglht
hand and on your left, and yourself kept firing,
until the sweat streamed from you."  To wlat
a state of brutish degradation must they have
become reduced, who can thus crush all the best
instincts and sympathies of the human heart!
Yet such is the inevitable tendency of war.
Look, too, at some of the crinmes and vices
which are inseparable fi'om it, and in which
the larioc majority of the soldiery cengage.  War
is robbery.   Vlexander the Great once asked a
pirate wilo lhad been broiiIht before him, "By
what ria'ht do you infest the seas?"' Hle fearlessly replied, "By the same that you infest the
universe.  But because I do it in a small ship,
I am called a robber; and because you do the
same acts wvith a great fleet, you are called a
conqueror." Of an equally truthful import was
the lannua,,e of the Scythian ambassadors to
tlie same monarch: "You boast that the only
desii'n of vour miarches is to extirpate robbers.
You vourself are thle 0ireatest roblber in the
139 
THE IGHT WNVAY.
world." What, we would ask, is the difference
between  the warrior and the highwayman?
-By whlat rule of equity can we distinguish between the crime of forcibly despoiling anotlier's g,oods under the cover of darkness, and
upon a lonely road, and despoiling them openly
and by daylight?  If the action of stealing be
a crime, the fact that numbers are engag,ed in
it cannot nmake it a virtue.  Every principle
of justice which applies to individuals, is applicable with a tenfold greater force to nations.
If a sinole theft is w-rong, how much worse is
that which is perpetrated by a bancl of ten or
twenty thousand robbers!  Every  difference
between the  highwayman and the soldier is in
fav-or of tlhe former; for he is perhaps tempted
to his crime by want, while war robs firom
choice, and often for the sake of hlavoc. The
one generally allows his victim to choose between surrendering his money or his life; the
otiher more often couples its crime with that of
murder.  Besides, the immense thefts committed by a ravaging army in time of wvar are not
the only ones to be attributed to it., Ilaving
b'ecome schooled to pillage, and utfitted for
honorable lal)or, many of the soldicers after
140 
EVILS OF WAs,.
*vards become petty thieves or pirates.  "War
ialhes thieves," said  IAlaclhiavelli, " and peace
hangs them."
JVr is subversive of t/le Sabbatl.  It only recognizes this hloly day by dissipation and revelry.
Jarelites and even battles are then conducted
witli little or no hesitation.   Thle battle of
AVaterloo was fouolit on thle Sabbathl-also that
of Inlerinani.  In sonice parts of Europe it is
thel day set apart for miilitia musters and the
parade of the reglular armry.  In many places
martial music salutes the cars of devout worslippers -llo' keep holy day," and the praises
that go upl) to the Prince of peace are often
drown-ed with the peculiar notes of war.  Of
course these parades attract laruge numbers of
curious idlers, -who do their part towards robbini  God of tlhe services appropriate to the
day.  AV letter fromn the Crimea, Oct. 1854,
says, " The Russians opened a very lheavy can
nlonado on us this moriliing; they have always
doue so oii S'iiidays.  Divinie service was perfotrmel with a continued bass of cannon rolling
thlrou'i t tlhe responses and liturgy."
I'ai)' citCOUtr(aes i tn'e r iai)ice.  A secretary of
war in the United States once observed,'"It
141 
THIE RIGHT WAY.
will never do to give up the use of ardent spir its in the army and navy, for io one c2lists wI,n
he is sob)r."'  If this be even an approximation
to the truth-as probably there are very many
exceptions to it-our armny and navy must be
mostly composed of persons addicted to this
vice.  Certain it is that the "grog, ration" has
b)een a fruitful source of evil to our marine.
Tihe militia systemi, also, has been a strong-hlold
of intemperance.  Until quite recently, almost
every muster-field has been surrounded with
booths and stalls for the sale of intoxicating
liquors.   lIany of the spectators as well as
soldiers, who have there acquired a fondness
for the cup, have afterwards become confirmed
inebriates.  There is, too, a kind of connection
between war and wine.  Each of them inflames
the passions, and gives an appetite for the
other.  Indeed, it is sometimes deemed necessary for the soldier to madden and brutalize
himself with drink before a battle, as the best
preparation for it.  A  writer from  "before
Sebastopol," in 1855, says, "In one division
which I know of, two hundred and ten gallons
of rum are drank every day, aitd it is all requzired.
The consumlption of the whole army must be
142 
EVILS OF WVAR.
abo,t- a 0  (,.1ad gallo;is daily.," II1n. on1e of tl,o
euegaom'ents in the Crimea, wev are told,' The
Russian soldiers were all'as drunk as fiddlers,'
and foulght like madmene.  About five hucndred
prisoners were taken, all almost too drunk to
stand uprioht."  WVe commend these facts to
the attention of those who are so nobly and
successfully battling' with intemperance thllroug,hout the world, and ask whether the cause of
peace acnd that of temperance should not go
hand in hand?
Itar is a scl/ool of profaility.  "Ile swears
like a trooper" is a common mode of describing, great profaneness. This vice is fashionable among soldiers, and is esteemed by some
of themIn thie bado'e of a gentleman.  For an officer to gxive his orders without interlardiing
them  with oaths, would be considered vulgar
and unmanly.  Indeed, so customary has it become, that the opinion has been gravely maintained that "the work of a ship cannot be done
without swearing."   The battle-field  always
resounds with blasphemies, and its air is filled
with horrid oathls and imprecations.
tVar fosters liceltiotsjicss.  Soldiers are for
the most part dissolute men, and the means
143 
THE RIGHT WAY.
of gratifying their depraved lusts are seldom
wvantilng.  This vice, it is estimated, has swept
away more of them than the swnord. It has
been remarked that the breaches of the seventlh
commandment in every nation are proportioned
to its warlike spirit, or to the size of its army
and navy.  Decency forbids that we present
details whichl might be given upon this subject.
The evil is, however, well known and generally admitted.
IVar is ittirdcr.  No species of plausible reasoning can prove it otherwise than a clear violation of the command,'-Thou shalt not kill."
The facts that it is deliberate, and sanctioned
by customn and the authority of a sovereign or
nation, so far from palliating its guilt, only increase it. Private murders, which so powerfully affect us, and the perpetrators of which
we so bitterly denounce and hang, are far less
to be execrated. They are generally committed in the violence of sudden passion. Wars
are premeditated, and the result of calm debate
and cool calculation. In the one case, a man
kills his enemy; in the other, men are bid to
kill those whom they have never before sCeeli,
and with whom they have had no personal dif
144 
EVILS OF WAR.
felences. In the one, a single being is launched
into eternity; in the other, thousands.   War,
too, inflicts deaths of extremest sufferigl'. The
greater number of its v-ictims linger for hours,
and many of them for days, in the most aggra vated torture, and groan out their lives amid
every thing( that can make death ghastly and
unwelcome, and thus go to the judgment of Him
who has said, "No murderer hathl eternal life
abiding in ll iim."'  Are those W"ho voluntarily
hlurl tllhemi there any the less murderers because
"obeying orders," and preferring' to serve a
brutal sovereign or c6mmander rather than
God?  No; the brand of Cain is upon their
brows, and although not seen by blind human
juLStiCC, is plainly evident to the just Almighty.
2. Look at the inmoral effccts of war upon
comnnumitiics.   We can imagine the influence
whlicli an army of criminals and vicious persons
would exert upon the public at large.  Their
example must necessarily infect large numbers
withl whom they associate in times of peace.
Especially do the public morals always suffer
at the seat of war.  Under the corrupting influences of an invading or defending army, the
peaceful inhabitants become familiarized with
Ri,ht Way.          10
145 
THE RIGHT WAY.
scenes of grossest iniquitv. Their hearts become gradually hardened to the view of human
suffering, and grow brutal and unfeeling.  Mlalignant passions are aroused, and glow fiercely
in many bosoms. The restraints of virtue,
openly set at defiance by so many around them,
lose much of their power.  As the means of
honorable subsistence diminishl, the temptations
to crime are increased, and the weak and irresolute yield to them as their only method of
relief.  Piety languishes; religion becomes a
byword;  profanity, intemperance, and profligacy reign triumphaint; the solemn services of
God's house are suspended, or at least ne,lected, and hell seems to hold high carnival.  A
deserter from Sebastopol to the allied camp,
during the siege of that city, said, "T/te place
is a perfect hil!/' The historian of the "Thirty
Years' War" thus depicts the condition of the
public morals, both among the soldiery and the
populace, during its continuance: "Such was
the state of triumphant crime that many, driven
to despair, denied even the existence of a D)eity,
declaring that if there were a God in heaven,
he would not fail to destroy with thunder and
lightning such a world of sin and wickedness."
145 
EVILS OF'WAR.
nd thiese evils are not confined to tle seat of
Mar, hit extelid to places more remiote.  The
admiration of splenldid military achievemients;
the pride of successful warfare, or the anger of
defeat; tlhe public gratulations and illuminatioiis that celebrate every brilliant exploit, and
testify the common joy over an unusually murd(1'lous victory; the popular thirst for military
lory vlwhich is excited, and the sentiments of
.revenge ev-erywlinre nourishled-all these tend
to dlemoralize to an alarming degree the entire
countries engaged in war.
Friends of virtue, lovers of morality, Christians, can you sanction this terrible source of
iniquity?  "Shall the swvord  dcrour for ever?"
II. Look at the DESTRUCTION OlF DOMESTIC
IIAPPINESS caused by wvar.
It rudely summonsIIOS men from their homes and
firesides, aid, regardless of the most tender relations of life and tlhe claims of natural affection, bids them  exchlange scenes of endearing,
love for tliosc of /,ate, and the charms of a hap1'5- fireside for loi(ng, weary mnarchles, and exposure to the worst of deaths. It takes him whose
lanly- strengthl is the support of a devoted family, in wlhomi centre muany affections and ford
147 
TIHIE RIGHT WAY.
hopes, and wlho gives promise of long years of
usefulness, and hurries him away to a work in
which hle cannot probably survive more than
t,hree years. Or it takes the son, whose budding
manhood is the pride of many hearts, and tears
him away with the prospect that he may never
return, but die in a far-off land, cut down like
a brute, with no fond eye to weep his untimely
end, and no kind hand to bind up his wounds,
or close his eyes, or perform for him the last
sad offices of love.
Look at one of the ten thousand homes thus
desolated by war. The wife broods over the
absent one Who has been ruthlessly snatched
from her embrace, and perhaps plies wearily
the needle to which she is compelled to resort
for livelihood. The mother misses the familiar
tones of her idolized son, whom she had hoped
would be the staff of her old age. The prattling infants repeat with wondering anxiety the
name of "father," and miss his accustomed caress. H shadow is upon every brow, and it is
with sad misgivings that they await the intelligence from the seat of war, and pore over the
accounts of glorious victories abroad.   After
months of agonlizing suspenise, they discover
I li8 
EVILS OF WAR.
the name they love best amiong the  ki!lcd."
It becomes a house of mourning; the wife is a
widow, and the children fatherless; their honme
is made desolate, and they perhaps become outcasts and wanderers in the world.  They go
abroad, weighled down under a Iife-long grief,
unhappy imonumnents to the cruelty of that systeIm whichl has deprived them of their heavenprovided guardian and protector.  The nation's
heart looks only upon the glory of a successful
battle; or if it griev-e at all over those who
perisled by it, its grief vanishes evenl more
rapidly than the smoke from tle battle-field.
But no len,gthl of,years can lift the pall from
the hearts of the widowed and fatherless.
This is but a faint picture of the domestic
desolations produced by a single battle in tlhousanzds of homes.  The battle of AVaterloo is said
to have clothed no small part of EIngland in
mourning. Bourrienne says of Napoleon's campaign in Russia, " How many wives and mothers in France could not, without a palpitating
heart, break the cover of the official gazette!
IHow many families lost their support and their
hope! Never were more tears shed.  In vain
did the cannon of the Invalides thunder forth
14') 
TlE TIi  LIIT WAY.
the annloulncement of a victory.  IIow  many
thlousands, in the silence of retirement, were
even then preparing the external symbols of
mourning! It is still remembered that for the
long space of six montis the black dresses of
Paris presented a very striking appearance  in
every part of the city."'  WThat a monstrous
syvstem of iiijutice is that which thus involves
the innocent wvithl the guilty, and for the sake
of huimbling a public enemy, cruelly rends the
fondest ties of private life.
There are other devastations of the domestic
hearth attendant upon a state of war which are
of the most revolting character. The scenes of
outrage whichl usually follow the capture of a
town or city, are enough to make the blood run
cold, and the whole frame shiver with horror.
A writer, describing the bombardment of Vera
Cruz by the United States troops in 1847, says,
I heard  a great many  heart-rending tales
vwhlich were told by the survivors; but I have
neither the inclination nor the time to repeat
them.  One, however, I will name.  A French
family were quietly seated in their parlor tlihe
evening previous to hloisting the white flag,
when a shell from one of our mortars pone
I 10 
EVILS OF WAR.
trated the building, and exploded in the room,
kilfliog the mlhecr and jbtour children, and wounding the residue."  After the capture of the
town of Kertch by the Allies, in 1855, it is
related that Turkish  stragglers and others
"flocked into the town, and perpetrated the
most atrocious crimes. To pillage and wanton
devastation, they added violation and murder.
One miscreant was shot as he came down the
street in triumph, waving a sword wet with the
blood of a poor child whom he had hacked to
pieces. Others were slain in the very act of
committing horrible outrages."
An instance of one home made desolate in
our revolutionary war is heart-rending. It is
the well-known case of Colonel Hayne.  Itis
wife and six children were still living when he
was taken prisoner by the British and sentenced to be hung. IHis wife soon afterwards
fell a victim to disease and grief. Strenuous
efforts were made for his release, and his six
motherless children knelt as suitors for their
father's life, but in vain.  His eldest son, a boy
of thirteen, upon seeing his father loaded with
iron>, and condemned to the gallows, was overcome with grief, and throwing his arms around
11-1111 
THE PIGHT WAY.
his neclk, cried, "O  nmy father, I will die iwits
youi-I will die with you, father!" The next
morning he was led forth to execution.   As
they neared the gallows, hlie said to his son,
who  accompanied him, "Now, my  son, show
yourself a man.  That tree is the boundary of
my life and all its sorrows. Beyond that the
wicked cease from troubling, and the weary
are at rest. Don't lay our separation too much
to heart-it will be short at longest.  It was
but the other day your dear mother died; to day I die; and you, my son, though young,
must follow shortly." "Yes, my father," re plied the broken-hearted boy, "I shall follow
you shortly, for I feel that indeed I can't, can't
live long."  His words were fulfilled.  Upon
seeing his father struggling in the death-agony
upon the gallows, "he stood transfixed with
horror. Till then he had all along wept profusely as some relief to his agonized feelingsbut that sight! It dried up the fountain of his
tears; he never wept again.  His reason reeled
upon the spot; he becam-e an incurable maniac;
and in his last moments he called out, and kept
calling out for his father, in tones that drew
tears from the hardest hearts."
1.5.1) 
EVILS OF WAP.
Let such instances suffice to show tlle infltuence of war upOll thle homcs of the world.  Shll1
it continue thus to pollute and desecrate and
destroy those shrines of the affections? Shall
the heart's peculiar sanctuary be thus laic[
waste, and converted into a scene of fiendish
outrage? Shall that system be any longer tolerated which invades the sacred precincts of tlhe
domestic hearth, and there immolates best-loved
objects to this insatiate Mloloch, cutting down
valued and innocent lives, and breaking the
hlearts that loved them?  "Shall the sword devour for ever?"
153 
THE EIGHT WAY.
CHAPTER IX.
EVILS OF WAR-CONTINUED.
IV. LOOK at the PERSONAL SUFFERINGS OF
TIE BATTLE-FIELD.
These are beyond the power of imagination
to conceive, or pen to describe. The effort to
portray them has frequently been made, and
the page of history is blackened with narrations of them which seem enough to dissolve
the most hardened in tears. But no pen has
ever painted a hundredth part of the sufferings
that have been thus inflicted. We read the
story of all enogagement, of the number killed
and wounded, and of the subsequent appearance
of the field of conflict, and we perhaps drop a
tear over the pathetic narrative, and turn from
it shuddering with horror.  Yet after all we
have only a general view of the scene. The
mind does not take in each particular pang of
the sufferers, nor can i!. By a merciful provision of our Creator, we cannot conceive of a
tithe of tlhat woe which, if vividly realized,
would ovcrwheliml us with unavailing sorrow.
1511 
EVILS OF WAR.
Yet ve should by no means close our eyes to
it.  It is one of the designs of Providence in
forming our hearts tender and sympathizing,
that they shall, by feeling for misery, be imnpelled to its alleviation.
Visit in imagination the field of battle.  The
clhosen  spot is perhaps one teeming with the
fruits of successful industry.  The caln stillness-the hlappy aspect of all nature —the cultivated fields-the waving harvests-the abounding, titrift and plenty-the lowing herds-the
shouts of husbandmen —the songs of birds and
clildren-and the smiling cottages and gardens-all     indicate the presence of love and
peace.   Presently the Sabbath-like quiet is
broken by distant sounds of music.   Upon
either side it advances, and you soon hear the
steady tramp of armies approaching in opposite directions.  The flaunting plumes and banners, the forest of glistening bayonets, and the
brilliant uniforms of a hundred thousand men,
form an imposing spectacle, and the eye is daz zled by the serried array of splendors.   A
p)ause, and then they meet with a tremendous
shock, and amid the roaring of cannon, and the
rattling of musketry, fulfil the purpose which
.153
o. 
THE RICGHT WAY.
has brought them there.  Balls and bombshells
pass each other in the air with incredible ra piditv. Some lose their heads, others their
limbs, and at every exchlan,ge of shots hundreds
are mangled and mutilated.  As the foremost
columins fall, others press on over their heapcd up bodies. Galloping war horses trample upon
the w-ounded, or stumble over them and crusl
out their lingeringr lives.   Ever and anon a
slhell explodes in the midst of a closely paclked
mass of human beings, an(l scatters them about
in bloody f'ra,imenits.  Frenzied shrieks and
groans fill the air, the discordant chorus being
every moment augmented by the voices of new
sufferers. And still on, and on, for hour after
hour, rages the infernal work, with a power
which is only limited by the deatlhful capacity
of their weapons, or by the loss of hands to
wield thiem.
At length one army or the other is victorious,
and hostilities are for a while suspended.  The
smoke lifts itself slowly from the field-as if
reluctant to unveil such carnag,e to the view of
heav-en-aand you once more  gaze upon  tlhe
scene.   How changed!  Instead of the lifesustaining harvest, there is a harvest of deathl
156 
EVILS OF WAAR.
The cottages are burned, their inmates miurdered, and sweet, innocent children lie welterin, in their blood, or else cling, terrified and
sobbing,, to the lifeless forms of their parents.
You go thllroulgh the battle-field.  GCroans and
tmttcris annd mad blasphemies salute the ear on
eve-ry side.  Hlere lies one whose distorted features and pleading eye express the agony his
lips refuse to utter.  Here is a moving mass of
being's, whom  you would scarcely recognize as
human, vainly endeavoring to extricate themselves firoom  the pile or trench which has received them while yet living.   Here is an
unhappy vwretchl, clasping to his breast the pieture of a loved wife or mother whom he will
never behold again; another, frantic with agony, calling upon God to save his soul; another
ending his tortures, now grown beyond endurance, by suicide; another, more timid, begging
you to end them for him; another appealing
piteously for water; another for help to move.
There lies one whom pain has bereft of reason,
and whlose clinched halnds, and glaring eye, and
raving words proclaim him a maniac.  EverywNliere you behold men  writhing under their
sufferiings of body and distractions of mind,
157 
THiE RTGI-IT w,AY.
and crying out, with frantic vehemenlece to God
and man for relief.  But with most of them iii
vain.  Tlhe hot sun beats upon thlem, or tie
cold storm pelts tlhemi, and thlus they will lie,
bleeding and helpless, until they die of their
wounds or their exposure, or else of starvation.
And who  are these visitors, picking, their
way among, fallen bodies and scannino' so eagerlv their features? Tllhey are parents s,earclling for their sons, wives for thlleir husl)ands,
and firiends for friends.   Ever and  anoii a
mournful wail announces that soine one has
found the oblject of his search.   Othlers are
thieves and robbers, who unfeelingly strip tlhe
dyingi of their property, and only ainswer their
centrceaties and reimonistrances with abusec or
death.. Birds of prey hover greedily about,
and like many who swarm tlhe field in human
form, seize indisc riminately upon  the living
and tle dead.   W1lhat a concentration of uniiiiti,gated woe meets in the compass of a single
battle-field! Is there any scene that so nearly
resemb les a hlell on earthl?
1ierh)1S we cainnot better gain an idea of its
sufferings than by gIaicing at those of o11e ijdiicldual worntdel  in batle, aid tII(< milllti)lniig
158 
EVILS OF WAR.
them by ten, twenty, or fifty thousand.  As an
instance, take the statement of Sergeant AIilton, lwho was wounded in the battle of Resaca
de la Palma.  Speakiing of the celebrated chlar,ge
of Alay's dragoons, hlie says, "At that moment
a b)all passed throuonh my horse on the left side,
and shattered my right leg.  The shot killed
the horse instantly, and lie fell upon my left
leg, fastening me by his weight to the earth.
There I lay, right in the midst of the action.
where carnag,e was riding riot, and every moment the shot, from our own and the Alexican
ginis, was tearingr up the earth around me.  I
tried to raise my horse so as to extricate my
leg, but I had already grown so weak with my
wound that I was unal)le, and, from the mere
attempt, I fell back exhausted.  To add to my
horror, a horse who was careering about riderless, witliiii a few yards of me, received a wound,
and comimenced stru2'glin, and rearing witli
pain.  Two or three times he came near falling
on me, but at lengtlh, with a scream of agony
and a bouind, lie fell dead, his body touclling
lly own fallen steed.   What I had been in
monien(tary dread of now occurred-imy weounded limb, whichl was lying across the horse, re
159 
THE RIGHT WAY.
ceived another ball in the ankle. I now felt dis posed to give up; and, exhausted through paiu
and excitement, a film gatliered over my eyes,
which I thought was the precursor of dissolution....   The tide of action now rolled
away from me, and hope again sprung up.....
W hile I was  thus  nursing the prospect of
escape, I beheld, not far from me, a villainouslookiing ranchcro, armed with an Amnericanl sergeant's short sword, despatching a wounded
American soldier, whose body hle robbed.  The
next lie camle to was a MIexican, lwhom he served
the same way; and thus I looked on while he
murderously slew four. I drew an undisehlarged
pistol from my holsters, and layingr myself along
my horse's neck, watched him, expecting to be
the next victim; but something fri,lghtenecd him
from his vulture-like business, and lie fled in
another direction....  Two  hours  after, I
had the pleasure of shaking some of my conirades by the hand, who were picking up the
wounded."'
Again, then, survey the battle-field, and with
this statement of a single wounded man for a
clue, try to conceive of the aggregate pains of
all the others. A writer describing the battle
160 
EVILS OF WAtR.
field of Resaca do la Palmia, says, " Thie evenimig  c1losed on  ului.dreds of tlhenli-thie 3exicans-wounded, dying, and dead upon the field
and on the road to the river. In the panic of
flig,ht, self-preservation was the single tliought
of each individual.  The bleeding and the exhausted were borne down and forsaken by the
sound and the strong.  The parties on foot
were trampled by the cavalry;  and none of
the multitude fleeing from their foes found help
or comfort from their friends.  The thickets
and the hollows distant from the scene of strife,
long afterwards told the story of many a wounded soldier who had stru,ggled on to some secluded spot, there to linger, to thirst, to hunger,
to bleed, to faint, and to perish alone in his long
and varied agony."
The battle of Borodino, in which two hundred and sixty thousand men were engaged, is
thus described by an eye-witness: "The fire of
two hundred pieces of cannon enveloped the
two armies in smoke, and mowing down whole
battalions of men, strewed the field with the
dead and wounded. The latter fell to expose
themselves to a fate still more terrible.  How
agc,onizingr their situation. Forty thousand dra  RiWt Way.           11
161 
THE RIGHT WAY.
goons, crossing' the field in every direction,
trampled tlhem under  foot, and dyed their
horses' hoofs in their blood!  The flying artillery, in rapid and alternate advance and retreat, put a period to the anguish of some, and
inflicted new torments on others, who were
mangled by their wheels....  Nilght separated tlec combatants, but left eilghty thousand
men dead on the field."  In traversing the field
the next dclay, hle beheld "a surface of about
nine miles square in extent covered with the
killed and wounded."   " But," he adds, "the
most dreadful spectacle of all was the interior
of the ravines, where the wvounded had iistinctively crawled to avoid the shot. IHere these
unfortunate wretches, lyilng one upon another,
destitute of assistance, and weltering in their
blood, uttered the most horrid groans. Loudly
invoking death, they besought us to put an end
to their excruciating torments."
The same writer, describing the sickening horrors that attended the entrance of the French
troops to Mloscow, says, "The hospitals, containing more thain twelve tholesand wounded, )begai
at length to burn.  The heart recoils at the disaster which ensued. Almost all those wretched
162 
EVILS OF WAR.
victims  )erisllcd!  The few still living were
seeCi craw-ling, half burnt, from the smnoking
asires, or groaning under thlc lheaps of dcad
b)odies, and making(r ineffectual efforts to extricate tliemsclves."  A similar occurrence took
place during the sieg, of Sebastopol, wlhen a
hospital of that city, said to lave contained
two thousand sick and wounded, was set onI
fire by the guns of the allies, and burned to the
ground!
S.r. Russell, the Londoni Times correspondent, thus describes tlhe scenes subsequent to the
)attle of Inlkermann, in which about eleven
thousand were killed and wounded: " In every
busil, on every yard of blood-stained ground,
lay a clcad or dyingr Russian.  The British and
thelc French, many of whomi had been murdered
)y- tllhe Rusianls as they lay wounded, wore terrible frowns on their faces, with whichl the agoiics of deatli had clad them.  Some, in their
last throes, had torn up the earth in their
1.ands, and held the grass in their fingers up
toward(s heaven.....   But the wounded-for
tNW-o long( days they had lain whelre the hand aild
thie b)all had felled thlem....  Theli Russians,
groaningi anld palpitating as they lay around,
163
i        ~         I', *,         - I 
THE RIGHT WAY.
were far more numerous.  Some of these were
placedl together in heaps, that they milght be
the more readily removed.  Othlers glared on
you firom the bushes, with the ferocity of wvild
beasts, as they hugged their wounds.  Some implored in aa unknown tongue, but in accents
not to be mnistaken, water, or succor —holdingr
out their mutilated and shattered limbs, or
pointing to the track of the lacerating ball."
The samie writer thlus describes tlhe scene
presented by the hospital of Sebastopol, immediately after its occupation by the allies: " Entering one of these doors, I beheld such a si,ght
as few nmen, thank God, have ever witnessed.
In a long low room, supported by square pillars,
archled at the top, and dimly li,ghted through
shlattered and unglazed window frames, lay the
wounded Russians, who had been abandoned
to outr mercies by their general.  The woundecl, did I say?  No, but the dead, the rotten
anld festering corpses of the soldiers who were
left to die in their extreme agony, untended,
uncared for, paclkedl as close as they could be
stowed, some on tlhe floor, others on wretched
trestles and bedsteads, or pallets of straw, sopped and saturated with blood, which oozed and
164 
EVILS OF WVAR.
tiickled illrouil upon Lthe floor, ming(rled withl
the dlropl)ings of corruption.  AVith the roar of
exploding fortrcsscs in their ears, withl shells
and shot forcing throuoh the roof and sides of
tlec rooms in which they lay, with the crackling
and hissing of fire around them, those poor
fellow-s, who  had served their loving friend
anid inaster the Czar but too well, were consigned to their terrible fate.  Mlany might have
ceen saved by ordinary care.  Many lay, yet
alive, withl maggots crawling in their wounds.
Aniiy nearly mad by the scene  around thlem,
or seeking, escape from it in their extremest
anony, had rolled away under the beds, and
g,lared out onI the heart-stricken spectators, O
itA  sIc/h eoAcs!   [lany with legs and arms broklen and twisted, the jagg,ed splinters sticking
tlrou,lgh the raw flesh, implored aid, water, food,
or pity; or, deprived of speech by the approach
of death, or by dreadful injuries on the head or
trunkl, pointed to the lethal spot.  Alany seemed
bent alone on makling their peace with heaven.
Tlio attitudes of some were so hideously fantastic as to appal one by a sort of dreadful fasciiationi.  Could that bloody mass of clothing
ai(d wliite bones ever have been a human being,
165 
TtIE PlIGIIT WAY.
or that burnt blackl  mass of flesh have ever
l]ad a human soul?   It was fearful to think
-whlat the answver must be....  I confess it was
impossible for me to stand the sight, which
horrified our most experienced surgeons....
But what must tlhe wounded  have felt who
were ol)lig(ed to endure all this, and who passed
awav withlout a ]land to give them a cup of
water, or a voice to say one kinrdly word to
them!"
In the Chinese insurrection, 1854-5, the city
of Fuhslian, containing a population of six hundred thousand, was set on fire by the insurgents.  The conflagration lasted three days,
and two htundred tliousacid people, according to
te Chinese estimiate —which, however, may be
an exafggerated one- were burned to death!
But we forbear.  Enough has been said to
give a faint picture of the personal sufferings
entailed upon mankalind by war.  Edmund Burlkec
has estimated the total loss of life by war at
t/liryrfve thousand 7iiillions.  0 what tears and
sigbls and groanis-what pains of body and
griefs of mind-i-hat crushed  hopes-what
bleeding, broken hearts, have attended the ravages of this cruel denion among so inmany of our
166 
EVILS OF WVAR.
race! We often shudder at the view of a sinile
sufferer by, disease or accident; and althlough
lie imay  e a stra-nger to us, shed tears of kindly
sympatiy, f~), lhis woes.  IIow, then, should we
be affected by the view of m,ikions writhing
under tortures such as are rarely, if ever, witnessed in a peaceful land! There are many
who weep profusely  over the fictitious sufferings of imaginary heroes, when painted by a
pathetic novelist.  What  scaldiing tears, then,
sloull suffuse the eyes that read of War's real
havoc! And here tears are manly, and it is
weakness to with!old them.  Upon suchl  a subject as this, not to feel is to repudiate every
higiher instinct of our nature, and become worse
tlian brutalized.
True, thie -iew of such sutffering is soul-liarrowing and sliockling to refined sensibilities;
but shall vwe permit the ev-il to go unpitied and
unalleviated because'it is so gigaitic an evil?  Or
)erltlaps there are some who, familiar with histoiyV and accustomed to such details,have ceased
to be touched by them.  Is it so, then, that the
v-~cryvf-'eqiuey of this curse must render us insensil)le to it?  Had there been but one or two
battles in the world's 1listory, they would be
167 
THE RTGHT WAY.
universally deplored; but because there have
been thllousands, they are reg'arded by many
withl indifference! Do we need any other proof
of the evil of war than this-that it ljas rendered it so common for men to suffer, that their sujffirinigs almost cease lo affect Is?  The world lias
become, in this respect, very much like the expeaienced soldier, who, thouglh once hlie would
not knowingly have trampled upon an insect,
is habituated to behold unmoved the most cexcruciating, agonies of his fellow-men. Is it
not time that we cast aside the stony exterior
with whlich habit or prejudice has encrusted
our hlearts, and allow them to be impressed
withl those woes which are so well calculated
to move themni?  "Shall th,e sword dcvozer for
ever?"'
V. Prominent among the evils of war is the
LOSS OF LIFE which it occasions.
The destruction of human life is its avowed
oblject.  It is with reference to this that weapons are invented and forged, and the most
deadly forces of nature and art studied out and
,pp]ied.   Human ingenuity is taslked to its
utmiost to produce means whichl shall slay the
g'retest nlumer of.men witli tihe most matlic
168 
EVILS OF WAR.
matical precision.   The secrets of the earth
are eag'erly expllored in the search for fatal
LgencieS; and the murder of mankind uponl   a
gigantic scale is made a science, whose study
engag,es the attention of the profoundest intellects.  Institutions  whose sole object is the
inculcating and perfecting of the art of killing
men rapidly, gracefully, and scientifically, are
supported at the public expense.  Every military and naval academy miglht adopt, as expressing the whole scope of its instructions, the
title of one of De Quincy's essays, "A lurder
consi(ldered as one of the Fine Arts." To this
diabolical work every soldier is trained, and
for this lie is supported.  This is the one great
olb]ect of all his drills and reviews; and for
tlhis lie is reduced to an "infernal machine," and
divested of almost every thing l human, excepting  his vices, his power of nmotion, and his
capacity for obeying orders.   For this he is
arumed and led into battle, and the extent to
which hle there fulfils this murderous destiny so
stroligly inculcated upon him, is, to the warrior's view, the measure of his manhood., In
exp)ectation of this, hospitals are erected, and
s,'ge'e,on S provided,i and estimates calculated,
169 
THE RIGHT WAY.
like the following, which is quoted by Neckar,
the French financier, from a state paper:
Forty thousand men to be embarked for the colo nlies....................40,000
To be de(lducted on2e-third for the first year's mor tlilty.....................13,333
Remainder......        26,G67
The very idea of war unattended by great loss
of life is an anomaly. The two are as inseparably connected as fire and burning, or poison
anti  death, and none ever think of separating
them.
Vs this is an evil which lies upon the surface,
and is often the subject of statistical information,
it is more gellerallUy recognized than any other.
Yet lhow few reflect upon the true nature of this
wholesale slaug'hter, or upon the dignity of its
victims.  Behold a dying man.  For years he
las walked the earth, one of the noblest of
God's creatures.  His exquisite organizationhis intelligence-his comparative moral elevation-his immortal soul-all attest his towering dignity in the scale of being. Now he lies
prostrate and helpless upon his couch.  The
darklened chamber —thle attenuated form-the
moans and gasps for breath —the numberless
170 
EVILS OF AIVAR.
acts of tearful sympathly —proclaim the nearness of death.  A  struggle, and all is over.
We  bewail the mysterious providence, and
think vwhat a terrible curse is sin, that it should
so rudely mnar and destroy God's glorious creatures. Still more frightful does Death appear
wvlen the grimn monster comes suddenly and unannounced, and, by what men call an accident,
seizes his trophy from the walks of active life,
and pales the cheek wvhichl but a moment since
bloomed wNith the huc of abounding health!
Clothed with yet darker horrors is the "last
cnemvy" when le comes  in the guise of the
assassiii's knife, and his v-ictimi is the prey of
coldl-blooded murder!  With vwhat indignation
we try to ferret out the perpetrator of the
crimie, andl briing him to justice and execution.
And how, for years afterwards, we shudder at
the bare remembrance of the deel d!
Death, under all these circumstances, comes
not withl  a tithe of the terrors which attend
bini  upon the batfi(l- (-Id.  There he is arrayed
in his blackest garb, and invested with his
most fearful and unalleviated horrors.  IIe
feowns on the expiring' soldier with his most
(lr(eadful aspect.  Everv circumistance there con
171 
THE RiIGHT WAY.
spires to ag(ravate the terrors of the dying
hour, and accumulate around it all that can
enhance its sting, while there is nothing to
mitigate its utter dreariness. The soldier dies,
not at home, and surrounded by sympathizing
hearts, but amid unpitying strangers, whose
every other instinct is absorbed in that of selfpreservation; inot by slow disease, upon a couch,
with fond hands ministering to him, and all
the appliances of medical skill ab)out him, but
butchered with bloody wounds, which none will
bind up, and lying upon the hard cold ground;
not, in most cases, summoned from the discharge of duties to God and man, and with the
satisfaction of one who ends a well-spent life
in the hope of a blessed immortality, but more
often cut down in the commission of the grossest crime against God and his fellows, his arm
brandishlingo the murderous weapon, whilch is
perhaps already stained and dripping with linhuman gore; not in the enjoyment of holy influences and means of grace, the man of God
knileeling at his bedside, and his departing spirit commending itself to his MIaker, but amid
horrid blasphemies and imprecations; more
than all, it is generally with no near prospect
172 
EVILS OF WAPR.
of heaven to rob death of its stintg, for the
Christian hope flies affriohted from the battlefield, andt conducts few-alas, how few!-from
the crimes of war to the bosom of the Prince
of peace.
Now, bearing in mind these circumstances of
fearful a,ggravation, consider the vast nuTmbers
wvlio perish by such a death.  It is impossible
for the mind to embrace in a single view a distinct idea of death's ravages, when its victims
are numnbered by tens of thousands, as they
have been in almnost every battle of note whose
details are recorded. This fact will perhaps
account for the extraordinary indifference with
vwhlichl we read and hear of the losses of life by
war.  Wire dare not venture to grasp the tremendous thloughts suggested by such accounts,
and so we spare ourselves almost all reflection
uponl the subject.  This is wrong, and unworthy of rational, humane beiings.  Let us, then,
look this evil in the face, until its view has
inspired us with those emotions which are becoming to men, and to the partakers of this
gift of life which is so worse than wasted.
Let us group together a few truthful statistics upon this subject, culled from the pages of
173 
THE RIGHT WAY.
hiistory.  At the battle of Austerlitz, 30,000
fell; at Jena and Lutzen, 30,000 each; at Ey lau, 60,000; at Waterloo and Quatre Bras,
70,000; at Borodino, 80,000; at Fontenoy,
100,000; at Chalons, 300,000 of a single army.
Tle Cartlhagenians attacked Ilymera, Sicily,
with an army of 300,000 men, and a fleet of
2,000 ships and 3.000 transports.  "Not a ship
or a transport escaped destruction; and of the
troops, only a few in a small boat reached Carthag,e with the melan,choly tidings."  Marius
slew in one battle 140,000 Gauls, and in another, 290,000.  Tamerlane, in his camp before
Delhi, massacred  100,000 Indian prisoners.
"The people of Ispahan supplied himn with
70,000 human skulls for the structure of several lofty towers, and a similar tax was levied
by him upon  Bagdad, amounting to 90,000
heads."' Glihengis Khan stew 90,000 persons in
cold blood on the plains of Nessa; at Herat,
1,600,000; and at Neisabar, 1,747,000. During
the first fourteen years of his reign, he is supposed by Clinese historians to have destroyed
ei(,hteen millions, and in the last twenty-seven
years, an average of more than half a million
every year. This inhuman monster, whose wars
174 
EVILS OF WAR.
were those of exter,mination, and wh-lose armiies
soimetimies exceeded a million, is said to hlave
once "seriously proposed to exterminiate all tlie
inhablitants of Chlina, that the vacant laind
might be converted to tlhe pasture of cattle. Tlhe
firmniess of a Chinese mandarin alone diverted
himi firom the execution of this horrible dclesign."
It is supposed that the vlwhole number of souls
tlat followed Xerxes into Greece was 5,283,'-320.
Of these only 3,000 escaped destruction.  Passini now to miore modern times, it has been estimated that more than a million of lives were
sacrificed  in Napoleon's Russian  campaign,
vwhlich lasted only one hundred and seventythlree days, making an averag'e of six thiousand
a day.  Germany alone is said to have lost, in
the Thirty Years' War, 12,000,000 of inhabitants.  Not less than six millions perished by
the wars of Napoleon in the heart of Christian
Europe durin, the early part of this nineteenth
century.
Terrible beyond conception have been the
sufferings and deaths in besieged cities.   In
the sieg,e of Paris, in tlhe sixteenthl century,
30,000 persons died of hung'er aloIe.  In the
siege of  Mexico, by the Spanish, miore than
175 
THE RIGHT WAY.
100,000 were slain in battle, and tupwards of
50,000 more died froni the infection of putrefyini  carcasses.  The siege of Vienna destroyed
'0,000; that of Ostend, 120,000; that of Acre,
300,0t0; that of Jerusalem,  1,100,000;  and
that of Troy, 1,816,000.
In our own day, the siege of Silistria, 1854,
is said to have killed 30,000 Russians.  The
sie,e of Sebastopol, 1855, was attended with a
fearful waste of life.  During the last three
weeks of that siege, the loss of the Russian
garrison alone amounted to about 32,000, cexclusive of those who perished by disease; and
in the final assault, the south side of the city
was taken at a loss, upon bothli sides, of at least
30,000. The total loss of life in the Crimea,
from the landing of the Allies at Eupatoria to
the fall of Sebastopol-a period of about one
year-is estimated at 450,000.
In connection with these statements, must be
borne in mind war's indirect havoc. In the Peninsular war in Spain, only 40,000 soldiers were
killed or died of wounds received in battle;
vwhlile 120,000 died of disease, and 120,000 more
were by disease unfitted for service.  During
the first five years that the French were in
-176 
EVILS OF WAR.
Algiers, their annual loss averaged about 5,000
by shot, and 15,000 by disease.  In the war
between the United States and MIexico, there
were, to every American killed in battle, more
than five who died from diseases incident to
the climate and the camp.   The ravages of
disease aniong(r the allied armies in the Crimea,
in 18l54, were truly frightful.  Says a letter
iwriter: "Oct. 30.  Cholera is committing its
fatal ravages.  Not a day passes without three
or four of the officers, and about two hundred
of the men beiing carried off by this terrible
disease.  Two days ago, not less than 16,000
men were on the sick-list, out of an army of
now nearly 30,000. Dec. 3. The Turkish garrison at this place-Balaklava-are dying off
at the rate of some one hundred and fifty a
day. It is not at all uncommon to see the
corpses of these unfortunate beings, who have
been stricken down by cholera on their way to
!lie hospital, lying along the road-side.....
Thie sick appear to be tended by the sick, and
t!ie dy-ing by the dying."  It was stated that
tle ntumber of Rllussiaii invalids tlhroulghout the
Cr'imea in June, 18S5, amounted to 100,000.
,j'lc tfyphus-fever, which broke out at Sebasto     Ws mat *e ay.   112
177 
THE RIGHT WAY.
pol in the spring of that year, carried off very
many.
Taking into consideration the numbers who
have fallen in battle, and those who have perislied by the more remote ravages of war, we
shall be prepared to assent to the estimate of
Dr. Dick, that more than fourteen thousand
millions of human beings, or one tenth of the
human race, have been thus slaughtered since
the beginning of the world.  Edmund Burke,
as has been already said, places the number
still higher, making it thirty-five thousand millions; and others have even reckoned it at twice
that sum, or seventy thousand millions. Of
course the amount defies all efforts at accurate
computation; but taking the estimate of Burke
as near the truth, we find that the loss by war
has been thirtyfive times the entire preseint population of the globe! Suppose it were known that
thirty-five worlds such as ours had been suddenly destroyed, with all their inhabitants,
whlat a wail of agony would rend the universe,
and how all living creatures would be bowed
down with grief!  How, then, should the view
of an equal number of beings mutually slaiughtered upon this earth affect us? And all these
178 
EVILS OF WAR.
victims were human, formed to love God and
ticir fellows, and possessed of immortal souls.
And they have been mowed down, not by fiends
anld demons, but by men.  For nearly every
death we must behold a human hand imbrued
ill blood, and a human heart defiled with mur(eier. "Sh/all the sword devour for ever?"
VI. The most appalling of all the evils of
war is its DESTRUCTION OF SOULS.
Ais the soul's life is of inconceivably greater
value than that of the body, and as the sufferings of eternity immeasurably surpass those of
time, we must look for the chief havoc of war
in its eternal effects upon men's higher and
spiritual nature. To the view of the Chlristian, its greatest outrages are those which here
lie hid from public observation, and which only
fiuture and everlasting ages can disclose. They
are too terrible for protracted contemplation,
and we shall but briefly hint at them. Indeed,
it is from the nature of the case impossible to
give more  t han   their dim outline.   The sad
experience of the soul's ever-living, never-endimg death can alone fill up the picture.
WAVithout pausing to notice the barriers which
war opposes to the conversion of the multitudes
179 
THE RIGHT WAY.
in warring countries —and the  are mightylet us confine our view to its destruction of
souls among the actual combatants. It tends,
as we have already seen, to the demnoralization
of all those who engage in it. While it does
not inculcate or call into exercise a single virtue, it teaches and inculcates almost every vice;
and in the proportion in which it influences
men, generally hardens their hearts, and renders their salvation more and more improbable.
As commonly engaged in, it is the service of
Belial, and "no man can serve two masters."
AWhat two things can be more incomplatible
than religion and murder? What; loving and
obeying God, yet openly and habitually violating his plain command, " Thlou shalt not kill?"
Loving one's neighbor as himself, yet butchering himi in cold blood! A disciple of the meek
and lowly Jesus, yet burning with fury and resentment!  The thought is absurd and inconsistent to the last degree.  That religion may
exist in the soldier's camp, we by no means deny.
But even if some earnestly pious souls, through
either a real or mistaken patriotism, or by the
force of circumstances, engage in war, to what
temptations they must become exposed. Truly
180 
EVILS OF NWAR.
that is a strong, rcaJ piety which can survive
the scoffs and ribaldry which assail it among
men who hold every Christian virtue in contemipt, defy their Malaker, and glory in the rivalry of irreligion.
Admitting, however, that there have been
many who have carried even a saving religion
into the camp and battle-field, and casting over
their inconsistencies the mantle of charity, we
must still ask, whither go the unnumbered multitutdes of war's votaries? Ah, let the voice of
God reply: "JVso murderer hath eternal lfe abidiii, in him."  The alternative is eternal death.
Dismal are the sufferings of the battle-field,
with its restless agonies and vain cravings of
hunger and thirst, but they are not to be coinpared with the gnawings of the undying worm,
and that spirit's thirst which no drop of water
shall ever quench. Dreadful is war's havoc of
bodily life, but it becomes insignificant by the
side of its destruction of those many souls whom
it plunges into irremediable wretchedness.
This most fearful of all war's ravages is unappreciated by the world, but Christians know
something of the worth of the soul, and of the
tremendous interests that are involved in its
181 
TIHE RIGIHT WVAY.
salvation or damnation. Christians know that
all the united kingdoms and thrones, and wealth
and glory, for which so many have been sacrificed, are, when weighed against one human
soul, but as the dust of the balance. For long
after the fashion of this world has passed away,
and this blood-stained earth has been burned
up, and the causes and temporal results of war
have been forgotten like a dream, the souls
whom it has ruined shall weep and wail for
ever.  0 Christian, shall this curse continue to
scathe the moral world, to pollute and destroy
unnumbered deathless spirits, and in depopulating earth to people hell? "Shall thle sword
dcvouirjor ever?"
VII. We shall conclude our view of the evils
of war with noticing its OBSTACLES TO THE
SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL AND THE TRIUMPH OF
CHRISTIANITY.
The church of Christ is becoming every year
more alive to her proper work of evangelizing
the world, and is beginning to appreciate her
high privilege as honored with an embassy of
peace to all men. Beautiful is the contrast she
presents to those whose destructive ravages we
have just contemplated. Her war is not against
I S2 
EVILS OF WAtR.
man, but for man and against his common enemy.  "WAe wrestle not with flesh and blood."
The "sacramental host of God's elect" battles
with error, idolatry, strife, and  crime.   It
achieves bloodless conquests, and its weapon,
"the sword of the Spirit," "mighty through
God," is already wresting large provinces firom
Satan's empire, and annexing them to the dominions of the Prince of peace. But the church
has something more to do than the sending out
of Bibles and missionaries, before her whole
work can be accomplished. There are obstacles to be overcome, stumbling-blocks to be removed, objections and cavillings to be silenced,
and glaring inconsistencies to be done away.
If the Redeemer is to come upon earth in the
power and glory of his spiritual kingdom, the
voice must be heard and heeded throughout all
Christendom, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight."
An  indispensable step towards securing the
triumph of the gospel, is the abolition of war.
This practice, together with its other evil effects, fetters religious effort, and impedes the
progress of Christianity. - Besides its disastrous influences upon the public morality in
183 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the so called Christian nations, it opposes a
formidable barrier to the reception of the
Bible in heathen lands. Its effect upon the
mind of a reasoning idolater may readily be
imagined. He says to himself, "This gospel
is good; its precepts are wise and beautiful;
and had it reached me from any other source,
I should gladly receive and obey it. But it
comes to ime from a Christian nation which,
while professing to conform to it, yet engages
in a practice which it forbids, and that, too, in
a mainner which seems barbarous even to me,
whom they call a barbarian. Now either Christianity is not true, or these nations are not
Christian. Let them drop their name, or their
cruel contentions, and I will listen to them."
Thus reasoned the natives of India, who
had witnessed the bloody conquests, and then
the mutual slaughter of the English, French,
Dutch, and Portuguese upon their soil. "If
t/lii. be Christianity," said they, "we want no
such bloody religion." The famous wall of
China opposed no such barrier to the reception
of the gospel into that empire, as was raised by
the conduct of nominal Christians. When the
missionaries first applied for admission there,
184 
EVILS OF WAR.
the emperor sternly refused, "for," said he,
"w/ierever Christians go, they whiten the soil vwith
human bones." A_ Turk at Jerusalem once asked
a missionary, " Why do you come here?"  He
replied, "To bring you peace."  "Peace!" rejoined the Turk, with a contemptuous sneer.
Leading the missionary to a window, hlie pointed
to Calvary.  "There," said he, "upon the very
spot where your Lord poured out his blood, the
Mohammi dan   is obliged to interfere to prevent
C/hristia,s from shedding the blood of one another."   Our missionaries have been of late
years successfully - teaching gospel truths in
Turkey.   The poor  Mohammedans listened
eagerly to the simple and sublime precepts,
and they wvere winningr with gentle force upon
their hearts, when suddenly they were sumnioned forth to defend their country against
the savage onsets of a nominally Christian nation, while they beheld the allied armies of two
othier Christian nations awaitiing the given signal to deluge Europe with Christian blood.
AVell might they have asked, "Is this the gospel of love?  Are these the servants of the
Prince of peace? We will follow Mohammed,
and thus, if wrong in some things, at least be
185 
THE RIGHT WAY.
consistent." m1ay not such reflections as these
naturally arise, and shed a ray of delusive light
upon the mind of the serious inquirer after
truth, betraying him to ruin?  Iis argument
is not indeed a just one; but there are few
pagan minds so discriminating as to  distiii guisl, at first view, between real and nominal
Christianity, or to receive God's word solely
upon its own merits, and independently of the
example of Bible-reading nations.
In many portions of the globe, the cause of
Christ has been in this manner greatly prejudiced. The wars of the British in China and
Aff,ghanistan, those of the French in Africa,
and those of the United States on the Indian
frontiers-all conducted  upon the very soil
where Christians were planting the gospel banner-must have left impressions highly unfavorable to Christianity, and which it may require long years of peace to efface.
We have presented but a single aspect of
this alarming evil, yet perhaps the most striking one.  Others will readily suggest themselves
to the reflecting' mind. It will be considered
that war deals a powerful blow at those ageocies by which the work of missions is carried
196 
EVILS OF WAR.
on; that it absorbs resources which might otherwise have been devoted to this grand enterprise; that it diverts from it, or destroys men
who might otherwise engage in it; and that
even the small measure of success which is permitted to us will be, at best, the spreading
abroad of a defective Christianity.
Is it objected that we are viewing the church
as responsible for the crimes of the ungodly?
To some extent, she is so; for who can believe
that Christians could not, long before this, have
lifted up such an earnest and powerful voice
agoainst war, as would have driven it from their
own countries, and rendered peace the invariable fruit and attendant of civilization?  It
would require but a few efforts of the united
evangelical world to sheathe every sword of
Ciuristendom in its scabbard, and confine this
"trade of barbarians "-' - as even Napoleon
termed it-to those "dark places of the earth"
and "habitations of cruelty," where alone it
appropriately belongs. And is not the church
accountable to God for so long withholdilng,
those efforts?
Then let all who pray, "Thy kingdom come,"
unite for removing this obstacle from "the way
187 
THE RIGHT WAY.
of the Lord." Let the church arise, and slhake
off this monstrous enemy who has long enough
pinioned her to the dust, and sown the tares of
discord and violence in the field of the world.
And let the church enlist upon her side that
powerful ally provided in the gospel, which,
though so long stifled and neglected, is now
beginning to assert its might, and let the cause
of mnissions and of peace go hand in hand, for
they are one. Let Christianity be commended
to human hearts by a practical demonstration
of its divine principles.   Then it will carry
conviction to many minds, and the nations will
the more cordially embrace the relig,ion of love.
188 
PLEAS FOR WAiR.
CHAPTER X.
PLEAS FOR WARP CONSIDERED.
IT would seem as if it were hardly necessary
to present any other  argument against war
than is afforded by the view of its evils. This
is one of those subjects upon which the mere
fceliIigs and natural emotions of the humane
mind form  argument enough.   To one who
honestly contemplates this dire curse, slow processes of reasoning seem uncalled for. It appears much as if men were to argue earnestly
before a civilized community to show that cannibalism, or the Ilindoo suttee, is both cruel
and wicked. We believe the time will come
when we shall no more require argument upon
the one subject than upon the others.   But
there are now those who defend war as just
and necessary.  Mlany of them are intelligent,
their number is by no means small, and their
opinions are entitled to a respectful consideration.  We shall therefore notice a few of the
more prominent pleas for war, and then apply
1199 
THE RIGHT WAY.
to the system the test of both reason and revelation.
I. It is affirmed that war is necessary as a
means of  EREDRESS  OR NATIONAL GRIEVANCES.
IIow else, it is asked, shall we find relief from
w-rong and oppressive conduct, or bring a foe
who has injured us to a reparation of his fault?
These questions we hope to answer in a subsequent chapter, where we shall exhibit what we
conceive to be the Rig,ht Way of redressing
grievances. It will be sufficient for our present purpose to show that, as a general thing,
war does not accomplish this desired end.
Suppose that one nation has grossly insulted
or trampled upon the rights of another. The
aggrieved government feels that its honor or
prosperity is at stake, and that some means
must be employed to vindicate the one, or defelld the other.  Custom places before it but
one alternative-it must either suffer the wrong,
or else, by force of arms, compel its reparation.
If it is weak in proportion to its foe, and there
is a moral certainty of its defeat, it of necessity
opposes no resistance-and where then is its
rcdress? If, however, it is of such comparative
strength in fleets and armies as to seem able to
190 
PLEAS FOR WAlR.
cope in battle with its adversary, it appeals to
arms, issues the declaration of war, arouses the
popular indignation and thirst for vengeance,
summons its citizens to leave their peaceful
homes and arm for the conflict, and invades
the enemy's country.   Battle after battle is
fought, brilliant victories are achieved  and
blood is poured out like water.  At length,
both parties becoming wearied of the strufggle,
they begin to discuss the terms of peace. A
treaty is formed, amicable relations restored,
armies recalled and disbanded, and every thing
settles down to its accustomed quiet.
Now what has been gained?  Redress?  If
it so chanced that the offended party was at
the same time the more powerful one, and possessed the most skilful generals, it has probably
comnpelled those iinjuring it to make some kind
of reparation. Yet even supposing such to have
beenii the case, and that it has even acquired in
territory and poweri far more than it demanded
at the outset, we still ask, w/ at hals brew maiced?
A favorable decision of a vexed question, which
turned perhaps upon a mnere technicality, or a
few square miles of territory, and the public applause-and to gain these it lhas sacrificed mill
191 
THE RIGHT WAY.
ions of money, subjected itself to repeated indig nities and losses, and shed the blood of thousands
of its subjects.  W hat has been gained?  Bur dens of debt, and yet heavier burdens of iniqui ty, broken hearts, desolated homes, widows and
orphans, poverty, crime, and death.  tVho shall
redress all these? Who shall repair the evils
inflicted by the government upon its own subjects? By what means shall the guiltless inhabitants of either country be compensated for
their losses? Surely, if war be the proper mode
of national redress, it is the same for individuals; and who could complain if the outraged
communities should give battle to their own
governments, which had proved a greater enemy to them than any foreign power, and insist
upon butchering their rulers, in order to repair
the wrongs commnitted against themselves? We
believe it may be confidently asserted that there
has never been a war-exceptinr perhaps thiose
that were strictly defensive-whose gain has
equalled its losses, or in which the amount of
justice and happiness secured, or wrong rectified, has equalled the degree of guilt and misery
incurred. So that even supposing the particular end in vicw to have been attained, it is
192 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
more than outweighled by its cost of life, hlappiness, and prosperity.  It is as if two neighbors, who had quarrelled, should array their
respective families against each other in deadly conflict.   Whlat kind of rcdress has the
injured one obtained when, for a few dollars,
or a trifling piece of gromud, lie has sacrificed
his beloved children, and clouded for life both
hlis home and his heart?
Well said Cicero, " The worst peace is prefcrable to the best war;" and Franklin, whose
conomical maxims are so much practised by
individuals, gave one well worthy of a nation's
study when he said, "Whlatever advantage one
nation would obtain from another, it would be
cheaper to purchase suchl advantage with ready
money, than to pay the expenses of acquiring it
1by -war."
It is not true, however. that in general redress is thus obtainied, or justice secured.  The
"clances of war"' lhave passed into a proverb.
Tlhere is 1no more likelihood of its resulting in
favor of the right than the drawing of lots
iwould be, nor indeed as much.  For it is usually t!le case that a nation is careful to injure
only tliose whlo are weaker than itself, and
It.1  O,,;I -        1  3
193 
THE RIGHT WAY.
who, if they resist at all, seem likely to become
its easy prey. In almost every instance of national oppression, the victims are less powerful
than the aggressors, and their injuries would
be rather increased than lessened by war. And
even if the two powers appear to be equally
balanced, an appeal to arms is as likely to result in favor of the one as the other, there being
ten thousand little, unforeseen circumstances
which may turn the tide of victory. There is
no necessary connection between justice and
military success. God has not ordained that
the right shall always be proved and vindicated
by battle. MIany seem to view it as of a nature
with the Urim and Thummim of the Jewish
high-priest, or as the ancient mode of judicial
combat was regarded-something presided over
by the divine Providence for the purpose of infallibly pointing out the right. With far more
show of reasonableness the nations might decide
their disputes by a throw of the dice, solemnly
appealing to God to indicate the right. How
precarious is the chance of redress in a practice
which is so proverbially the creature of "fortune" and accident, as even Napoleon acknowledged war to be.
194 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
Experience has not only proved all this, but
also that war, when it does not greatly compli cate the difficulties, and render their adjust ineut yet more arduous, generally leaves the point
at issute u,here it foutnd it, and that the contend ing nations are compelled finally to negotiate
upon the subject just as they would if there had
been no war. Thus in the last war between the
United States and Great Britain, this country
exl)ended its three hundred millions of dollars,
lost thousands of citizens, and inflicted a blow
npon her own civil and commercial interests,
from which it took her long to recover; and
what was the result? After two years and a
half of hostilities, a treaty of peace was concluded, which left the controverted point-the
British impressment of American seamen-precisely uwmre the war frstfounid it.  It is needless
to multiply instances. The fact is well known
that war, unless gaining its end by brute forcewhich has no connection whatever withI right
and justice-generally leaves the alleged grievance in its original position; and that redress,
if obtained at all, is then gained by means of
negotiationi or arbitration, whzich could just as
well have been resorted to in the first instance.
195 
THE RIGHT WAY.
II. Another plea for war is, that A PACIFIC
POLICY  WOULD  EXPOSE  THE  NATION TO  YET
GRPEATER INJURIES.
This difficulty, we conceive, exists only in iimagination.  -Aost certainly it cannot be proved
true fromn the history of any nation, while much
of individual experience proves quite the contralry. As has been shown in the former part
of this work, and as must be evident to the observing mind, a forbearing spirit and conduct
is generally attended with far greater safety
than its opposite.  This is as true of large bodies of nlen as it is of individuals. Tile resentful nation, like the resentful man, is always
embroiling itself in new strifes, and literally
inviting injuries; while the one which liabitually forgives, and returns good for evil, could
such/ (a one hejro(ud, would be seen to be favored
of God and man, and to possess, in its very forI)earance, a more powerful means of defence
than could be afforded by all the forts and
armIies and navies of the world.  As has been
said of individuals, so we may assert of nations,
that none should employ this argutment until
they have at least attempted the experiment of
an entirely pacific policy.  It is a reproach to
196 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
Clristendom that in the lapse of eighteen centuries so few trials of it have been made.
Ilappilv, however, history is not without instances of the security of the right way, when
practised upon this large scale. A more conviincing demonstration of it could hardly be
desired than is afforded by the early and well
known history of Pennsylvania.  To the astonisliment of many in England, William Pcnn,
with a small colony of Friends, planted himself
in the midst of the most warlike tribes in America, with no other weapons than the principles
of the gospel of peace. All predicted their
speedy destruction.' "What," said Charles II.
to him, "venture yourself among the savages
of North America! Why, man, what security
have you that you will not be in their warkettle within two hours after setting your foot
on their shores?"  "The best security in the
world," replied the undaunted hero.  "I doubt
that, friend William," replied the king; "I
have no idea of any security against these
cannibals but a regiment of good soldiers,
with their muskets and bayonets; and I tell
you beforehand, that with all my good-will for
you and your family, to whom I am under
197 
THE RIGHT WAY.
obligations, I will not send a single soldier
with you." "I want none of the soldiers; I
depend on something better."   "Better? on
what?"   " 07n tle Indians themsclves, on their
moral sense, and on the promised protection of
God." His prayer was, "Let the Lord guide
me by i his wisdom, to honor his name and serve
his truth and people, that an example and a standa)'d Mnay be s&t Ap to the nations."  " ThI(re mnay be
roomn there," said he, " tioug,h not here, for the
holy experimient." Now mark the result of that
experiment. In the words of the Edinburigh
Review, speaking of Penn's treaty with the
Indians, "Such indeed was the spirit in which
the negotiation was entered into, and the correspoiiding settlement conducted, that for the
space of more than seventy years, so long indeed as the Quakers retained the chief power
in the government, the peace and amity which
had been thus solemnly promised and concluded, never was violated; and a large, though solitary example was afforded of the facility with
which they who are really sincere and friiendly
in their views, may live in harmony with those
who are peculiarly fierce and faithless."
This is the only instance, so far as we are
198 
PLEAS FOOR WAPR.
aware, in which a government-for although a
colony of Great Britain, it was to the Indians
as an independent state —has publicly recognized and practised the duty of a literal obedience to the gospel precepts. The complete
success which crowned that obedience is a triumphant vindication of its efficacy.   In the
midst of six warring nations, who had the mnost
bitter hostility to the whites, and whose prejudices against them had been strengthened by
all their previous intercourse, separated by the
broad Atlantic from their mother country, without arms, and with no show of defence whatever, they remained uninjured as long as they
adhered to their pacific policy. The ferocious
savag,e, who was the incessant terror of the
other colonies, became the friend and powerful ally of this one.  The tomahawk and
scalping-knife, so often imbrued in the blood
of armed settlers, were sacredly withheld from
the defenceless Quakers; and when, in a few
instances, some of them were killed, the savages humbly apologized with the words, "The
men  carried arms, and we supposed them to be
fioliters.'
Tlhis only known instance, then, of a rigid
199 
THE RIGHT WAY.
adherence to the right way. so far from expos ing the community to injury, proved its best
safeguard, and secured for it both outward re spect and forbearance, and a high degree of
internal prosperity. All honor to those who
were the first to put in practice upon a large
scale these gospel precepts, and who, in the
heart of a savage wilderness, dared to workl
out for the world's study and imitation so glo rious an example of obeying God. Would that
to America it might be given again and yet
more signally to illustrate the same sublime
principles, and become to the nations of the
earth a model not only of civil freedom, but
also of that moral independence which will not
brook the tyranny of war.  She would be as
successful and influential in the one as she is
ill the other; and the Providence that has so
prospered her while bring, would not leave
her a prey to her enemies while acting the
part of a Christian people.
Besides, it may be confidently affirmed that
the path of duty is always, more than any
other, the path of security, and that they who
the most conform to tlhe divine will are the
best entitled to look for the divine blessing
200 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
and protection.  It may with truth be said of
nations as it is of individuals. that when their
ways please the Lord, he maketh even their
enemies to be at peace with them. See Proy.
1): 7; 20 22, and 1 Pet. 3:13.  This fact is
happily illustrated in the history of the ancient
Jews. God commanded that all their males
should appear before him three times a year,
promising them. at the same time, a security
fromn hostile invasions during their attendance
upon the required worship.   "Neither," said
He, "shall any man desire thy land, when thou
shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God
thrice in the year."  Ex. 34: 23.24.  "It is a
well-known fact," remarks Bishop Hornle," that
the Jews constantly attended these feasts without fear of any danger, and that their most
vigilant enemies never invaded or injured them
during these sacred seasons."  Thus our duty
is ever our best interest; and were the experiment to be made, in this or any land, of a literal, fearless obedience to the gospel, all reason
and experience, and the very nature of the divine government, assure us that it would be
crownedl with success.
III. One of the most frequent and plausible
201 
THE RIGHT WAY.
pleas for war is, that it is sometimes necessary
in order to SELF-DEFENCE.  " Is it our duty,"
it may be asked, "to surrender our liberties
and lives to the encroachments of an enemy
without a- struggle?"' No: when these are at
stake, and our soil is invaded by a foreign foe,
it is rilght to protect them, and repel the enemy,
if needs be, by force. In making this conces sion, however, we ask, How many of the wars
of history have been defensive? This is, in deed, often their pretext, but its falsehood is
apparent in almost every instance.
This very plea of self-defence implies a war
of attack and invasion. The abolition of all
war would abolish this only necessity for war;
for in doing away with that which is aggressive-lwhose injustice all must admit-it would
also take away every occasion for deJece. So
that even allowing this plea all the weight that
is claimed for it, it still affords no objection to
the general abolition of war and disarming of
the nations, but rather an argument in its favor.
Is it sometimes necessary that an invading foe
be repelled by force of arms? It will be seen
at once how this very fact implies that other
necessity of the mutual abolition of this iniqui
202 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
tons practice; for when peace is once made the
law of all the nations, and the armies are disbanded, there will be no invasions to resist, and
no at(acks from which to d,fetid ourselves.
Besides, who knows what the effect would
be, if a declaration of war were met with a
spirit of forbearance, and kind efforts at conciliation, instead of bitter retorts and bristling
bayonets? Let any nation make peace its avowed policy, and resolve never to fight except
when the evil resisted is greater than would be
entailed by war, and after having patiently endeavored to defend itself by other means; and
it will probably shame its adversaries from their
hostility, or weary them of the unequal and disgraceful conflict. The considerations already
advanced, and the only experience to which we
can point-that of the colony of Pennsylvania —
leave it at least questionable whether the most
savage of nations would give an unarmed, yet
kinid and forbearing people, any occasion for war.
IV. Another plea for war is, that it is sanctioned by time-honored CUSTOM.  It has been
the practice of nations ever since their existence, and shall we boast of being wiser than
our fathers?
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THE RIGHT WAY.
It is indeed an institution venerable withl
years; but so is idolatry, and vice ald crime of
every description; and the argument, in order
to hold good, should defend them all alike. If
war be a cruel, unjust, and inefficacious mode
of settling national differences, then the fact
that it has been long persisted in, so far from
rendering it otherwise, only makes its present
practice the more unreasonable. By having
been so customary in all past ages, it has oiven
the world anmp)le opportunities to test its fficacy.
From the very fact that it has been so generally engaged in, it has been for ages sounding
in the ears of man its lessons of bitter experience.  Shall we now refuse to heed those lessons, and casting down Example from her true
office as a teacher, enthrone her as a tyrant?
Shall we persist in a custom whose every repetition affords a fresh argument against itself?
To do this would be to act unworthily of rational beings, to cast aside all niaily independence, and to become fettered slaves to fashion.
This principle, if fully carried out, would abolishli Christianity from the face of the globe, and
inthral mankind in sin more deeply than they
now are. It is the argument of a bad cause, and
204 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
its very weakness condemns the system in whose
favor it is enlisted. The fact that it is made
use of at all, reveals the degradation to wvhichl
war has reduced its advocates. It is customary,
say tliey, to butcher human beings, to burn viilag'es, to demoralize whole countries, and to
peril the eternal interests of large numbers
of our fellow-men-" customary, and tlerefore
ris./t!'"  But it is sufficient to exhibit this plea;
'we need not dwell upon it.
V. It is a popular plea for war, that INSULTED hONOR often requires it.  This is only another form of the absurd and unchristian maximn
of the duellist, which is now generally exploded in the more enlightened circles of society.
It means that any real or imagined indignity
to that most delicate and sensitive of objects, a
nation's flag, cannot be allowed to go unpunislied, without branding with public disgrace
every individual over whom  that flag may
Awave.
Supposing,, however, that a real injury has
been inflicted-which is the most calculated to
tarnish the national escutcheon, a forgiving, or
a resentfil course of conduct?   Which best
display-s true greatness-an impetuous descent
205 
THE R IGHT WAY.
to the base level of the offender, or a magnanimous rising above it?  It is the glory of a
wise nation, as well as of a wise man, "to pass
over a transgression."  No reproach, either of
a nation or of an individual, is ever wiped out
with blood. The murder only plunges its perpetrator from a fancied dishonor to the depths
of real infanmy.   "Could I wipe your blood
from mn conscience as easily as I can wipe this
insult from my face," said a marshal of France,
with a greatness to which he had never attained on the field of battle, "I would have laid
you dead at my feet."  True honor is not a
thing which may be sullied by the indignities
of others. Christ possessed his in all its transparent purity while the multitude were reviling
and buffeting, him. Had he resented their insults, then, and then only, his character would
hlave been tarnished. So a nation maintains its
lhonor just so long as it is guilty of no wrong
actions, and no degree of injury or disrespect
can deprive her of it; but the moment she
stoops to retaliate abuse, and engage in the
crime of murder, she becomes disgraced, and
ought to be so regarded by every true man.
VI. There lies at the foundation of all these
206 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
pleas for war the general one of a mistaken
PATRIOTISM.
Real patriotism we would by no means undervalue. The love of one's country and its
preference to every other, is only just and natural. But who best displays a love for his
country, and a regard for its honor Ad prosperity-he who aids in plunging it into war,
and thus perils or destroys its highest interests,
or he who strives by temperate efforts to avert
so great a calamity? Althlough, in his enthusiastic ardor, a subject may be willing to pour
out his blood for the fancied honor of his nation, is not such a patriotism apt to be the
result of excited passion, rather than of cool
reflection? The true patriot loves his country
too well to countenance those crimes against
God which are sure to bring upon it the divine
judgmients' and though willing himself to perish, if needs be, in defence of lives that are
dcar to Iiii, is unwilling needlessly to sacrifice
them to vengeance or ambition.
Patriotism has been made the pretext for
much that deserves the name of narrow-minded selfishness and bigotry. The love of one's
country does not necessarily demand a hatred
207 
THE RIGIHT WAY.
of every otlher, nor a wanton disregard of their
interests.  Neither reason nor Scripture justify
us in bounding our love to men by the narrow
limits of our national territory. They alike
bid us love and benefit all mankind, irrespective of country, latitude, or creed. The true
Christin is a citizen of the world, and hlie is
the best of all patriots, because his sympathies
extend so widely. Yet there are those who
inculcate, under the specious guise of patriotism, an inordinate attachment to the institutions of our native land, to the despising of
every other; and who  denounce as traitors
those who will not, upon slight occasions, take
up arms against a foreign power. They are
themselves traitors to humanity.  In so exalting' the lesser bond of country, they forget the
higher and more sacred one of the family of
man. In the parable of the good Samaritan,
our Lord rebukes this narrow policy, and inculcates love and kindness, not only to those of a
different creed, but even to those of a hostile
nation. A failure to conform to these teachings has done much towards  encouraging a
false patriotism, and has impelled many an enthusiast into the battle-field with the motto,
208 
PLEAS FOR WAR.
"Our country, rigoht o- wrontg."   Wlien will
men learn that humanity and religion are before patriotism, and the law of universal love
before that of allegiance to one's country?
WTell said anl eloquent American statesman,
"Reimember that you are men by a more sacred bond than you are citizens; and that you
are children of a common Father more than
yout are iAmericans."  Thlere is a patriotism
that is far above the love of any one earthly
country; it is that which, overleaping all boundaries of kindred, sect, tribe, or nation, feels the
vwoes of common humanity, and girds on the
gospel armor to do battle against them.  It is
that whichl arrays itself against the moral tyrants of the world, and repels the invaders
Strife and Passion, who have so long robbed
us of our rightful liberties. All the world is
the Christian's country, and all mankind, of
every race and clime, are his fellow-citizens.
N'o man is under such strong obligations to defend his native land from human foes, as he is
to defend the world from the inroads of hell's
armies. Against these let us unite our forces;
and let every Christian, every philanthropist,
every man arise, and in the strength of God
Rlhlt Way           14
209 
THE RIGHT WAY.
battle to the death against the demon War.
This would be apatriotism worthy of the name.
VII. There are those who attempt to derive
a plea for war from THE BIBLE.  "God commanded it to the Israelites," say they; "and in
so doing, did He not sanction it for all sueceeding time?"
This argument, like all others adduced by
the advocates of war, is in the face of the general spirit of Christianity. As has been shown,
the gospel forbids all unnecessary strife, and
demands the exercise of love, forgiveness, and
forbearance towards enemies. With that gospel before us, is it more than just to conclude
that no previous commands of God can militate against it; and that, although unable to
reconcile it with all the divine dealings, we
must still obey precepts so plain and indisputable?   Those precepts, too, are addressed directly to us. What right, then, have we to go
back to commands given to the Jews alone, for
the standard of our duty?
The plea is, however, a fallacious one.  The
wars of the Jews to which it refers, differed in
many important particulars from any that have
since been undertaken.   Their great distin
210 
PLEAS FOPS WAR.
guiiltihng feature is the one under consideration.
They were sanctioned by divine authority, and
tAlis ca1lnot positively be affirmed of any other wars.
uAnd does not the very fact that God deemed
it necessary to command them, upon the occasions referred to, seem to imply that they would
have been, under other circumstances, unlawful?
]lad it been ri,ght that they should engage in
war without his especial sanction, we may suppose that he would have left them to do so, in
conformity to the general custom of that age,
and merely presided over their battles, and conducted them to a successful issue. God, however, the Creator of men, punishes and destroys
them in many ways which it would be wrong
for man to imitate.  When, for wise reasons,
Hie bid the Israelites become his instruments
for punishing the idolatrous nations, he did
tliat lwhich, while perfectly just in him, would
be unjust and criminal in us. When the divine
command can again be proved with regard to
any particular war, it will be our religious
duty to obey it.  AMeantimne we must require
something more than the plea under considerationl to justify a system which is opposed to the
whole tenor of the gospel.
211 
THE RIGHT WAY.
CH.APTER  XI.
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
WHILE every plea that can be urged in defence of the practice of war is insufficient, there
are the strong,est argumnents against it.  We
shall first apply to it the test of reason, and
then consider the authoritative argument from
revelation.
I. We affirm that war is, in general, UNNECESSAIRY. As has already been observed, those
wars which are in the strictest sense of the term
defensive, are no doubt unavoidable.   With
these single and rare exceptions, however, there
are none which are demanded by the actual
necessities of the combatants.   In order to
prove them otherwise, it must be shown that
they arc the only means of averting fatal calamities, that they remove evils greater than themselves, and that they procure good which is
ab)solutely indispensable, and which could not
be obtained in any other way.  Those who look
at the common causes and results of war, must
admit that there are few, if any, of which all
212 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
this can truly )be said. kV careful investigation
into the occasions of two hundred and eightysix great and bloody wars, instituted by the
.Aassaclusetts Peace Society, ascertained the
following to be their origin: "Twenty-two for
plunder or tribute; forty-four for the extension
of territory; twenty-four for retaliation or rev-enge; six about disputed boundaries; eight
respeting points of honor or prerogative; five
for the protection or extension of commerce
fifty-five civ il wars; forty-one about contested
titles to crowns; thirty under pretence of assisting, allies; twenty-three from mere jealousy
of rival greatness; twenty-eight religious wars,
including the crusades; not onefor defence alone."
Now who will say that one of these wars was
necessWy?  It is not necessary to plunder mankind, nor to extend territory, nor to retaliate
injuries, nor thus to extend commerce, nor to
sacrifice subjects to the rival claimnants of a
crown; nor is that religion necessary which is
enforced at the point of the sword or bayonet.
None of these are indispensable to men's existence-none of them such wants as to justify this
means of satisfying themn.  But it is necessary
that men should live, that God should be obeyed,
213 
THE RIGHT WAY.
that crimeC shiould be avoided, and that souls
should not be trained for perdition, and then
hurried into it.
The very nature of war proves that there
can be little if any real necessity for it; for
what evil is so great that this one can relieve,
instead of aufgmenting, it? WVhat curse so dire,
that this one must be embraced as its only and
better alternative? Is it possible for either
rulers or subjects to be reduced to such extremities that only streams of human blood can relieve them? All, sin has caused many an evil
to our race, but none that requires so terrible
a remedy. It has not brought us to such straits
that war is become one of the necessaries of
life.  AIen have suffered for the want of Christian kindness and forbearance, and for the want
of peace, but never for want of war. They
have suffered for the want of virtue, holiness,
and happiness, but never for want of misery,
crime, and death. War is necessary only as
every other sin is necessary-because men
choose to engage in it; and of all human woes
there are none for which there is so little real
occasion.
II. War is UNREASONABLE. The very fact that
'D 1 4 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
it is unnecessary, proves it unreasonable; for
nothint, but the direst necessity can justify it,
and male it consistent with reason and good
sense.
God has endowed us with minds capable of
thlought and reflection, and designed to guide
us in choosing between opposite courses of conduct. But where are these in war? What
reason is there in mowing down whole ranks of
humanity, for the sake of deciding questions
with which physical force has nothing to do?
What reason in draining all the resources of a
nation in order to recover or protect a trifling
sum; or in disgracinig a nation with crime in
order to resent a real or imagined insult; or
in adjusting by brute force and low cunning
those disputes which it is the prerogative of
the mind to settle? What conduct can be more
irrational than to make so proverbially fickle a
tlhing as war a sole arbiter of right and wrong,
and to submit the most complicated questions
of state to the decision of a battle-field? Its
most learned advocates have never attempted
to prove that there is a necessary connection
between might and riglit, or weakness and
wrong. The strength of armnies and the skill
215 
THE R-I-HT WAY.
of generals do not depend upon the justness of
the cause which calls them forth.  As with in dividuals, a holy, upright man, with truth upon
his side, may be "in bodily presence weak,"
while his adversary is a brutal ruffian of giant
strength, so it may be with nations.
W,hat a state of society that would be in
whiclh physical strength was the only arbiter
of justice! Could we find a spot where men
were so degraded, we should see the strong
trampling upon the rights of the weak, feeble
innocence outraged and crushed, and no truth
or justice recognized except when connected
with a brawny arm, or skill in the use of weapons. Upon witnessing these frequent triumphs
of mighlt over justice, we should almost be led
to question whether God had endowed these
beings with reason, and should conclude that
they were more akin to the wild beasts, whose
conduct they emulate, than to rational, intelligent men, whose form they wear.   Such a
picture is presented in every war, and such a
scene is often enacted in the familv of Christian nations.
It was once the custom to try cases of alleged
guilt by subjecting the accused person to severe
216 
NWAR TESTED BY REASON.
ordeals. JHe was required to lift a redhlot iron
in his hand, or to walk over heated plou,lghshares, or to plunge his arm in boiling water.
If he was possessed of sufficient physical nerve
to endure the test without flinching, he was declared innocent. If so feeble as to be easily'
overcome by it, no further proof of his guilt
was deemed necessary.   We  are accustomed
to smile at the superstitious simplicity of our
ancestors, who gravely tried the most important offences by these ordeals, or by judicial
combat; coming generations will, in like manner. wonder at us who try national offences,
and redress national wrongs, by the equally
unreasonable ordeal of war.  There is scarcely
more conniection between justice and war, than
between it and redhot ploughlshares.  Right
and truth depend no more upon a victorious
issue to the one, than innocence depended upon
a triumphant endurance of the other. In both
of them the only vindication of the right is the
superiority of physical force or endurance.
If it were seriously proposed in our national
councils to abolish all laws, and return to the
practice of trial by ordeal, the suggestion would
not only find no support, but would mark the
217 
THE RIGHT WAY.
person offering(r it as beside himself. Hlow, then,
should we regard those governments which, in
plain disregard of reason's clearest dictates,
persist in the practice of trial by battle. The
absurdity is as great in the one instance as it
would be in the other. Well will it be for the
nations of the earth when they shall arise to
the exercise of their nobler powers of mind,
and devote to the amicable adjustment of their
differences that reason which is now so genesally employed to increase them; or rather,
well will it be for them when Reason's rays,
purified and strengthened by an enlightened
Christianity, shall shed sweet beams upon that
upward path which leads to the reign of uni
versal peace.
III. War is UNJUST.  Nothing is just which
is not right and reasonable, and in accordance
withl the revealed will of God.  War, as a systein, is made up of the grossest injustice to all
whlo are concerned in it. In instances of individual differences, the law affords to both parties the Ineans of securing justice. In order to
this, it provides for a trial by jury, or a reference to disinterested arbitrators. But how is
it with nations? Each assumes the right to be
218 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
its own judge and jury, to decide upon the
question at issue, and to decree and inflict the
penalty.  Governments and sovereigns-themselves the parties most deeply interested, and
their minds warped by prejudice and passionarro,gate the sole right to pronounce jud,gmnent
upon those who offend themn, and enforce their
partial, one-sided decisions at the point of the
sword. They allow no right or opportunity of
trial by jury, and until quite recently have seldom permitted the mediation or arbitration of
neutral powers.  From their decisions there is
no appeal, and the victims of their oppressive
verdicts are compelled to fight as their only
alternative.   As has been already observed,
justice is not necessarily secured by battles;
and the poor culprits who are arraigned at the
bar of vwar, must make muskets and bayonets
their only plea, rest their defence upon the
courage and skill of their soldiers, and look
for their verdict of acquittal or condemnation
in their victory or defeat. What a libel upon
justice to have the contested pointfought to its
decision by the accuser and accused! Alen long
since discovered the injustice of this mode of
trial among individuals. and abolished it. When
219 
THE RIGHT WAY.
will they perceive that it is equally unjust with
natioizs?
Again, justice would seem to require that the
punishment decreed fall only upon the guilty.
In war, it seldom visits them, but descends with
all its weight upon the innocent. Now has any
government such a right to the lives of its subjects, that it can sacrifice them for the sake of
punishing others?  In war it is not the rulers
-who suffer. They, having decreed the mischief,
sit aloof from it, and see their subjects, men
whlo are but slioghtly interested in the contested
question, if at all, hewn down by thousands.
As  the French troops were  embarkiing for
Constantinople, in 1853, an old man exclaimed
mournfully, "There goes my only child, to fiight
for a cause he does not understand, and against
men witli whom he never had a difference."
Now +what justice is there in thus dragging a
man from his peaceful pursuits and his rightful
home, condemning, him to toilsome marclles,
fatigue, disease, and immoral influences, and
then bidding him stain his hands with the blood
of those who have never injured either him or
his country, and lwho have done nothing deservilng of death?  WViat justice in bidding him
220 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
stain his soul with blackest crimes, and then
expose his life to those -who have no cause for
lhating him? What justice in desolating happy
homes, bereaving fond hearts, and clothing half
the land in mourning, in order to satisfy a mere
caprice or avecne an insult?  The evils of war
fall almiost wvholly upon the people. ly far the
g(iceater number of sufferers are those vlwho are
innocent of any wvrong against their destroyers.
Mlark the course of an invading army.   Sce
t!e fiellds laid waste; the families ruined; the
peaceful men and women and clildren made
wretcled or destroyed.  JVhat have they done to
deserve such suffering?  Look on the battlefield. Ilow have those troops offended against
one another, or what crimes has the one army
committed against the government of the other?
lThey are only the dupes and substitutes of the
real offenders, if any there are; and while
innocence is there becoming guilt, and pouring
out the life's blood of both soul and body, the
parties who impose their quarrels upon them
are lounging in their comfortable homes, and
sIniling approvingly uponI the self-sacrificing
patriotism of their brave subjects.
Justice presides not over scenes of strife.
221 
THE RIGHT WAY.
The turbulence  of the battle-field is not his
congenial element. If you look for him hlie is
found only amid calm, peaceful scenes, where
reason and judgment wield their quiet suprem acy, and not a breath of passion disturbs the
even balance of his scales. And Justice speaks
not in the roar of artillery, and the ravings of
frenzied blasphemy, but in tones of manly firmness and deep deliberation.   Iijuslice of the
most glaring kind rules every phase of war,
from its first declaration to the last victim
whomn it leaves dead upon the field.
Ir. War is INHUMAN.   We  need  not rehearse its cruelties; the view of them which
has already passed before us is sufficiently
shocking. The humane mind instinctively recoils from the horrid barbarities of the battlefield.  There are those-who succeed, by dint
of long habit, in accustoming themselves to
behold such scenes unmoved; but they are
themselves living monuments to the evils of a
practice which can transform pitying, feeling
men into such unnatural monsters.   Were it
not for the fact that war hardens its votaries
to the view of suffering, and crushes all their
tender sensibilities to an alarming degree, it
'222 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
would probably have ceased long ago for the
want of hands to wage it.  Yieowing mankind
in general, and not merely the practised soldier, whose trade is murder, war is a violent
outrage upon human nature.  It arouses the
whole being of man in indignant revolt; and
every emotion of love, kindness, pity, sympathy, humanity, and virtue unite in protesting
against it, and overwhelming him who engages
in it with shame and horror.  Ile who for the
first time fights an enemy in battle, must meanwhile contend resolutely against his own violated feelings and instincts. He may temnporarily overcome them in the wild excitement
and thirst for vengeance or glory which impel
him forward, giving him no time to think or
feel; but he must pass through a severe strugg,le, and make violent sacrifice of his humanity,
before he can become "a good soldier."  A
letter-writer from the Crimea has thus described the feelings of a soldier in time of conflict: "Before the battle begins, it is usual to
feel no little tremor, and many cheeks which
are known to be in communication with stout
hearts, blanch visibly.,As the conflict becomes
imminent, courage returns, and with the first
223 
THE RIGHT WAY.
flow of blood, an enthusiasm is raised which
constantly increases, and very seldom  flags in
the least until the last shot is fired.  The effect
of seeing a coimrade shot dowil is geneactlly to excite
aii uiiappcasable thirstfor vc~,o'ance ayaiTist thefoe,
though in the end one'gets used to it.'"
The following affecting statement is from a
letter written by an lEnglish sailor to his wife,
and describes his sensations upon killing a man
for the first time.'We were ordered to fire.
I took steady aim, and fired on my man at about
sixty yards. He fell like a stone. At the same
time a broadside from the       went in among
the trees, and the enemy disappeared, we could
scarcely tell how. I felt as though I must go
up to hiim, to see whether he was dead or alive.
I-e lay quite still, and I was more afraid of
him lying so, than when he stood facing me a
few moments before.  It's a strange feeling to
come over you all at once that you have killed
a man. He had unbuttoned his jacket, and
\was pressing his hand over the front of his
chlest, where the wound was.  Hie breathed
hard, and the blood poured from the wound
and also from his mouth every breath he took.
His face was white as death, and his eyes
224 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
looked so big and briglit as he turned them
and stared at me-I slall ncverforget it.  He
was a fine young fellow, not more than five and
twenty. I went down on mv knees beside hiin,
and my breast felt so full, as though  mynv own
heart would burst.   He had a real Einglish
face, and did not look likle an enemy. What I
felt I never can tell, but if nmyv life would have
saved his, I believe I slhould have given it.  I
laid his head on imy knee, and he tried to speak,
but his voice was gone. I could not tell a word
he said, and every time lhe tried to speak, the
blood poured out so, I knew it would soon be
over. I am not ashamed to say that I was worse
than he, for he never shled a tear, and I couldn't
lhelp it.... I was wvondering, how I could
leave himi to dlie, and no one near him, when he
had somrnething like a convulsion for a moment,
and then his face rolled over, and withl a sigh hie
was gone.  I trust the Almighty has received
his soul.  I laid his head gently down on the
gr'ass, and left him. It seemed so strange when
I looked at hita for the last time-I somehow
thou,ght of ev-ery thing I had heard about the
rTurks and Rulsians, and thle rest of them —but
all t/at s~c?z(d sofar o/l, an7d 1/1 dead man so near."
1.:
225 
THE RIGHT WAY.
V. War is INEFFICACIOUS.   Wh ether there
be  any other means of redressing national
wrongs or not, experience shows that war does
~o!, in most cases, accomplish that end.  Its
cl,hief efficacy is for the infliction of wrongs.
It is a system which, while causing innumerable other evils, rarely affords relief from the
ones that prompt it. As far as regards any
positive good accruing from it, it is generally
of no avail.  God may sometimes overrule it
for good, as hlie does the whirlwind, pestilence,
and fire; those ends, however, which men design that it shall secure-unless they are the
unworthy ones of retaliation and revenge-are
seldom attained by it. It usually parts the
combatants yet more widely asunder. and only
casts new obstacles in the way of their amicable
agreement.
Vattel, a writer of high authority, has said,
"It is an error, no less absurd than pernicious,
to say that war is to decide controversies between those who, as is the case with nations,
acknowledge no judge. It is power or prudence,
7ather thian right, that victory usually declaresfor."'
Jefferson says, "War is an instrument entirely
inefcic?zt towards r(edressing wrongs, and multi
226 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
plies, instead of indemnifying losses."  "The
wars of Europe for these two hundred years
past," says an eminent English writer, "by the
confession of all parties, have really ended in
the advantage of none, but to the manifest detriment of all."  As a general thing, it may be
confidently asserted that war is useless. The
curse of God is attached to it, and it bears
none but bitter fiuits. As this branch of our
subject has been in part anticipated, we need
not dwell upon it.
VI. War is INGLORIOUS.  We read much of
the splendor of martial achievements, of "brilliant victories," and " glorious conquests."  Conquerors have been crowned with wreaths and
garlands, and men have vied in doing them
reverent homage. Heathen nations have even
deified their most successful warriors-and
have not Christian nations at times practically
enthroned them above the Prince of peace?
History has prostituted its pen to the work of
transmitting their names with lustre to posterity, and has fatally dazzled many weak minds
with the halo of glory which it has cast around
them. All this, however, is a mere disguise,
which cloaks from view the shameful reality.
227 
THE RIGHT WAY.
It is time that the mask were stripped off from
this horrid monster, and his true character
revealed in all its hideous deformity.  It is
time that the nations ceased to glory in their
shlame, and to look for honor in that which
only stains them with infamy. It is for Christians of the present day to unite in reversing
the erroneous sentiments of mankind upon this
subject, by no longer countenancing the falsehood that even the most successful war is glo
rious.
The divine word affords the only correct
standard of national as well as individual
greatness.  It says, "Righteousness exalteth a
nation, but sin is a reproach to any pcople." Prov.
14: 34. Nothing, then, is creditable which is
not right. No degree of factitious splendor
can impart a real glory to crime. Whatever
be its form, and whatever its extenuating circumstances, it is in itself, and from its very
nature, a disgrace.  How inglorious, then, must
that practice be which involves the commission
of so many crimes against God and man. Were
not our minds warped by the world's false maxires, we should regardcl the nation that unjustly
clngages in it as branded with deepest ignominy.
228 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
Ae should see that to wage war is, in most
cases, a far greater degradation than to be
defeated in it; and that they who resort to it
in order to humble an enemy, thereby lower
themselves to a depth yet more humiliating.
There is no disgrace in being wronged and
oppressed and if it be in a good cause, and
patiently endured and forgiven, there is glory
ill it; but there is disgrace in wronging and
oppressing others.
If we look at war as it really is, and divested
of its disguises, we shall see that it is usually
made up of those courses of conduct on the part
of nations which are considered infamous when
practised by individuals. Is it glorious to rob
or wantonly destroy anothler's property? or to
engage in prize-fighlting? or to attack defenceless persons, and triumph over women and children? or to take advantage of another's insecurity, and like the midnight assassin, murder
a victim when he is off his guard? or to sacrifice other persons in order to screen ourselves
from injury? Such actions, when performed
by individuals, are universally pronounced dishonorable.   Why  are they not held to be
equally base when done by natiwons? They are
229 
THE RIGHT WNVAY.
in reality far more so, if there is any proportion between the extent of a disgraceful action
and the degree of shame that attaches to it.
Well asks the poet,
Is death more cruel from a private dagger,
Than in a field firom murdering swords of thousands?
Or does the ~7.m2ber slain,(ltke slaughter glo)-iots?"
The truth is, that even when war is necessary
and unavoidable, it should be viewed as a most
humiliating alternative.   The successful general, or the one who has succeeded in murdering the greatest number, instead of being applauded and worshipped as a demigod, should
be greatly commiserated. The soldiers, instead
of being distinguished by their gay uniforms,
should carefully avoid making known their
real profession; and the epaulet should be re(arded as discreditable to its wearer.  Every
battle, whether victorious or otherwise, should
cause each patriot cheek to burn with shame;
and should be announced, not by boomning cannon and pealing bells, but by flags at half-mast
and tolling bells, in token of the national dishonor. Thus war should be regarded even in
those rare cases when it may be necessary.  If
it were thus regarded, it would soon be discovered
230 
WARl TESTED BY REASON.
thcda i iis far fronm 7ccessary.  Such a state of
public sentiment would be enough to overturn
every plea in its favor, and there would then
be no lack of expedients which should settle
the difficulties of nations, and yet spare thee
this mutual infamy.
It cannot be questioned that the false halo
of glory which is thrown by most poets and
historians about successful warfare, whether
right or wrong, has done much towards perpetuating this disgraceful practice. Our literature is debased with many glowing accounts
of military achievements, which exert a most
pernicious influence in favor of war.   Such
representations captivate and poison many a
youthful mind, excite false notions of honor,
and lead men to admire and practise those
courses of conduct which God abhors, and the
Bible condemns. Poetry, painting, and eloquence have vied in honoring the destroyers
of mankind; and to them we are to a great
measure indebted for the military spirit which
so widely prevails. Alas, that genius should
thus pervert its sacred trust, and maintain an
unholy alliance with sin and shame! Well will
it be for the world when all our popular liter
231 
THE RIGHT WAY.
ature, and the voice of public opinion shall be
made to subserve the cause of righteousness
and true honor.
A most important step will have been gained
when the public is led to view this subject in
its true light. We ask all Christians and philanthlropists to do their part towards bringing
about so desirable a change. Let the heroes
of war be plucked from their lofty pedestals,
and let the places in the world's esteem, whiclh
most of them have so unworthily occupied, be
filled by those who are truly glorious-the
meek, the loving, and the forgiving. Let the
laurels which have so long crowned the brows
of Caesar, Alexander, and Napoleon, encircle
those of Stephen and John, and all martyrs to
peace. Above all, let the forgiving Jesus be
so enthroned in every land and in every heart,
that he shall be looked upon as the true type
of national and individual grandeur. Let the
truth be everywhere inculcated, that it is more
glorious to suffer wrong than to do wrongthat it is glorious to forbear, but inglorious to
resent-glorious to cultivate the arts of peace,
but inglorious to foster those of war —glorious
to obey God, but inglorious to obey passion
232 
WAR TESTED BY REASON.
glorious to do right, but inglorious to do
wrong —that "righteousness exalteth a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people."
The church and many in the world have
learned to attach the idea of true glory to the
mille?lziun?.  Prophecy has given us an insight
into the nature of that glory, and one important feature of it is summed up in the words,
"Thley shall not learn war any more." The promise is richly suggestive.  It teaches us that the
splendors of Messiah's reign are not to be those
of brilliant victories and martial renown, but
such as can only exist in the absence of these,
and in the universal prevalence of peace. The
Christian mind will require no stronger evidence that war is inglorious. The Christian
nation need require no other, and will best
promote its true dignity and grandeur by conforming, not to the false human standards of
the past, but to that divine one which looms up
fiom the millennial future.
233 
THE RIGHT WAY.
CHAPTER XII.
WAR TESTED BY THE GOSPEL, OR WAR
UNCHRISTIAN.
IF, as has been shown, the Rigaht Way prescribed in the gospel is applicable to nations,
and rulers are under solemn obligations to
conform to it, it requires no extended argument
to prove that war is, in gele}1al, UNCHRISTIAN.
I. TVar is a violation of THE LAW OF LOVE.
See Matt. 22: 39; 5: 44.
It is a system which is both the offspring
and parent of hate. We cannot conceive of a
nation's loving its neighbor as itself, and yet
inflicting upon it those injuries which it is the
avowed object of war to produce. More especially it is impossible to conceive of war in
connection with an obedience to the precept,
"Love your enemies." It is generally considered
a sufficient reason for- this practice that one
government or one nation has assumed the attitude of hostility towards another.  However
the public may deprecate such an abuse of
friendly relations as the invasion of an unoffendiing country, there seems to have been,
234 
WARt TESTED BY THE GOSPEL.
with the masses, but one opinion as to the justness of punishing by battle those who have
injured us.  If a ruler or government, when
bent upon war, can but make it appear that any
particular nation is "the enemy," the desired
end is easily gained. That magic word usually
suffices to arouse the public indignation, to open
the floodgates of passion, to enkindle a false
patriotism, to unlock the national resources,
and to make the deluded people the willing
tools of scheming and ambitious politicians.
Every consideration of duty, honor, interest,
and right is at once overwhelmed. The fact
that a tribe or nation either has committed or
designs committing a hostile act, is deemed a
sufficient excuse for assailing its commerce, and
at any cost crippling its energies and destroying its lives. The practical maxim of most
governments appears to be even more selfish
and unloving than that of the heartless pharisaie Jews. Without fully admitting the first
half of their precept, "Thou shalt love thy
neighbor," excepting when it appears to be for
their interest to do so, they adopt in its fullest
extent the second, Thou shalt "hate thine enemy."
35 
THE RIGHT WAY.
If the gospel be the only rule of right, the
spirit and conduct required of nations is the
precise opposite of this. Its precepts demand
that we do nothing to a hostile power which is
not consistent with, and prompted by a hearty
love towards it.  The injurious conduct of
enemies should be met with kind forbearance,
and a tender regard for their interests. The
inquiry should be, not how we may best retaliate, but how we may do them the most good.
The national enthusiasm should be aroused, not
to the work of hating, but to that of loving and
blessing them. Even should the display of this
spirit fail to overcome their hostility-a failure
which it is probable would seldom if ever occur-and should self-defence demand that some
degree of resistance be opposed to them, it
would still be our duty, as far as possible, to
love them, and to refrain from injuring them
to any greater degree than necessity required.
Such is clearly the nation's duty, as set forth
in the precept, "Love your enemies."
But how widely opposite are the law of love,
and the generally accepted law of nations!
Where is love in those councils which deliberately plot the ruin of a foreign power?  Ah,
236 
WAR TESTED BY THE GOSPEL.
it is studiously banished from such assemblies;
and it is too generally the case that only ambition, envy, hatred, and revenge find entrance
there. Who will say that a ruler loves that
nation which he bids his armies do their utmost
to destroy?  Where is love in the nation's
heart, when it is draining its resources and
riskiing its lives for the sake of avenging itself
upon another nation; when the universal desire to crush an offending power pervades the
masses of the people, and even, too often in
awful mockery, has its place in their prayers;
and when they celebrate with festivals and Te
Deums each new triumph of cruelty over large
numbers of their fellow-men? Where is love
in the battle-field?  Does its soft voice speak
in the roar of artillery, or the strains of martial music, or the raving curses of the imbruted
soldiery?   Does love aimin the fatal shot, and
direct the bayonet to human hearts?  Does
love wound and maim and kill intelligent creatures of God, and hurl undying souls into perdition?  No: for "love worketh no ill to his
neiglIbor."'
II. War is a violation of those precepts of
the gospel which require FORGIVENESS.   See
237 
THE RIGHT WVAY.
MIatt. 6:12, 14,15; 5lark 11: 25; Luke 17: 3,
4; Col. 3:12, 13; Eph. 4: 31, 32.
Frequent opportunities for the exercise of
this virtue arc afforded in the career of every
nation, yet how rarely it is exhibited. Even
whlen an injury is not violently resented, how
few  think of forgiving it.  If, for reasons of
state policy, it is allowed to go unpunished, it
still excites hatred and rancor in the public
mind, and kindles a flame which is liable, upon
the slightest occasion, to burst forth in all the
desolating fury of war.  To withhold chastisemient from an offending nation, when it is in
our power to inflict it, is deemed magnanimous.
Toforgive its injurious conduct is such a moral
triumph as has been seldom, if ever achieved.
Even when outward peace is maintained, the
offe'~di;)g' power is still viewed with resentiiient; and the trespass which is not "redresscd, or wiped away with blood, is generally
permitted to rankle for years, until time, and
not dutv, has buried it in oblivion.
That war is opposed to the exercise of forgivelness, need hardly be said. The two are as
wid(ely different as can well be imagined, and
none will assert that they are otherwise.  The
238 
WAR TESTED BY THE GOSPEL.
whole practice is an exhibition, upon a grand
scale, of an unforgiving spirit.  It is such in
its origin, in its entire conduct, in the dispositions which it requires and fosters, and in its
invariable results.   This fact is too plain to
require comment.
Such being the case, what a fearful curse
must rest upon every unforgiving nation.  For
all the awful threatenings uttered against those
who cherish this spirit, are applicable to nations, as to individuals.  Hlistory has proved
that God, in his providential dealings with our
race, treats every nation or government as an
accountable moral person-there being, however, this difference between them and individuals, that as nations exist, in their peculiar
character, only in this world, their punishment
must of necessity be inflicted here, whvile that
of individuals is more often reserved for the
world to come.  A knowledge of this fact will
afford the reason of many national reverses
which seem otherwise unaccountable.   They
are often the fulfilment of that divine threat
which has so long been sounded in the ears of
man, "If ye forgive not men their trespasses,
Ineither will vour Father forgive  your  tres
239 
THE RIGHT WAY.
passes."   Mlatt. 6: 15.   Every  country sins
often and grievously against God, and has
much need of his forgiveness; but although it
is implored in thousands of sanctuaries, and
special days are set apart for the purpose of
humiliation and prayer, the nation that engages
unjustly in war forfeits all claim to it. Its
guilt is likely to remain unpardoned, and it
continues exposed to the full weight of its deserved punishment, and must expect at some
time to be overtaken by it. We commend this
thought to the attention of rulers, and ask
whether they are willing, by disobeying the
gospel, to bring upon the nation the retribution of its guilt, and oppose a barrier to the
prayers of pious citizens or sul)jects.   Will
they not much better secure their country's
prosperity, and avert the dangers with which
its sins may threaten it, by heeding the promise, "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you," and by
enabling the prayer to go up consistently in
the nation's behalf, from thousands of loving
and patriot hearts, "'Forgive us our debts, as
go forgive oier debtors?.'
III. War is a violation of the precept, "RE
240 
WAR TESTED BY THE COSPEL.
SIST NOT EVIL." See M1att. 5: 39; 1 Pet. 3: 9;
Roin. 12:14, 21.
Applying to this branch of our subject the
rules laid down in our Lords sermon on the
mount, we find that it is a nation's duty to
suffer most kinds of wrong, rather than resist
them.  War, however, is a mutual infliction
of and resistance to injury. Its guilt, too, is
aggravated by  the fact that the resistance
which it makes is of so severe and bloody a
character.  How fearfully criminal those nations must be in the sight of God, who not only
disobey this precept, but, in their violation of
it, inflict such enormous evils. For instance,
when the offence resisted is the comparatively
trivial one of a national insult, or a slight injury to commnerce, how grossly sinful is that
resistance which destroys millions of property
upon both sides, and many valuable lives, and
entails upon the two nations all the evils of a
state of war!  Unchristian as it is for one or
a few persons to resent and wrongfully resist
injuries, the crime becomes of a tenfold magnitude when nations are guilty of it.
IV. AVar is yet more plainly a violation of
those precepts which require us to RENDER
Ribht Way.           16
241 
THE RIGHT WAY.
GOOD FORI EVIL.  See Matt. 5: 44, 45; 1 Pet.
3: 9; Rorn. 12: 14, 17, 20, 21.
These precepts would seem to demand that
nations not only endure ordinary wrongs without resistance, but that they also confer positive good upon those who offend them. Thus,
in cases of injury received, the right way of
responding to it would often be by an effort to
benefit the hostile country. Instead of a declaration of war, there should be proofs of continued amity. Instead of studying its weak
points in order to attack them, we should
study its wants in order to relieve them. Instead of prayers for the destruction of the enemy, there should be prayers for their forgive
ness, and best temporal and spiritual welfare.
Such a course might also be urged as likely to
afford the best defence against a hostile power,
and as tending to disarm aggression.
That the practice of war is any other than a
violation of this duty, none will venture to
assert. So far from even permitting an obedience to the precept, "If thine enemy hunger,
feed him; if he thirst, give him drink," it denounces and shoots as traitors those who are
detected in giving "aid and comfort" to the
242 
WAR TESTED BY THE GOSPEL.
enemy. It is hardly possible to conceive of a
more palpable violation of this duty than is
afforded in sieges, where hunger and thirst are
often made the chief weapons for the subduing
of cities.
V. War is a direct violation of the golden
rule, "ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER YE WOULD THAT
HEN SHOULD DO TO YOU, DO YE EVEN  SO TO
THEM."  Mlatt. 7: 12.
So thoroughly has the principle of selfishness
become inwoven with almost all national intercourse, that this obligation has seldom, if ever,
been recognized by governments.   Yet it is
the summary of national as well as individual
duty. We need not pause to prove that the
war system is as utterly at variance with the
conduct here required, as it is with the spirit
of the parallel precept, "Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself."  The fact is so plain that
probably none will deny it.
W ith regard to all these precepts, it is perhaps sufficient to have shown  that they are
applicablle to nations. This fact being once
admitted, the intelligent reader will perceive
at a glance that war in general is inconsistent
with the requirements of the gospel, and that
243 
THE RIGHT WAY.
a war spirit is precisely the opposite of a Christian spirit.
Let us contrast them. Compare the demands
of war, as most commonly originated and prosecuted, with those of Christianity. Christ says,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit," "the meek,"
"the merciful,"  "the peacemakers," and the
"persecuted  for righteousness' sake."   War
says, "Blessed are the proud in spirit, the resentful, the unmerciful, the warlike, and those
who revenge themselves upon their revilers
and persecutors." Christ says, "Whosoever is
angry with his brother without a cause, shall
be in danger of the judgment."   War says,
"Whosoever cherishes not anger against those
whom his rulers bid him hate, is a traitor and
a coward."  CIhrist says, "Resist not evil;"
"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good unto them that hate you, and pray for
them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you, that ye may be the children of your Father
which is in heaven." War says, "Resist evil
with yet greater evil, hate and kill your enemies, curse and pray against them that curse
and persecute you, that ye may be patriotic
subjects." Christ says, "All things whatsoever
244 
WAR TESTED BY THE GOSPEL.
ye would that men should do to you, do ye even
so to them." WVar says, "' All evil things which
men do to you, recompense them with a tenfold
evil." The whole spirit of Christianity inculcates the duty of love; that of war requires
hatred. The one demands the exercise of kindnless, forbearance, and forgiveness; the other
insists upon cruelty, resentment, and revenge.
The one requires purity of heart and life; the
other stains both with crime. The one saves
souls; the other destroys them. The one fits
men for heaven; the other for hell.  The one
looks forward to a reign of peace; the other
throws obstacles in its way, and perpetuates
enmity and war. The one is from God; the
other fromT the devil.
War then is, in general, unchristian. It is,
as we have seen, unnecessary, unreasonable,
unjust, inhuman, inefficacious, and inglorious;
but its worst feature is this, that it is unchris tian. And if such be its character, is it not
one of the most stupendous iniquities in which
men can engage? If an evil and a crime, it is
an enormous evil, and a glaring crime.  Involv inm as it does such tremendous interests, its
good or bad results must be of proportionate
245 
THE RIGHT WAY.
importance.  As its results are in most cases
only evil, how vast must be that evil!  No human mind can fathom it-only the eye of God
can behold it in all its length and breadth.
Yet the view of it which arrests our gaze reveals enough of its enormity to make it stand
out as, comparatively, the greatest. sin and
direst curse that has ever infested the world.
216 
ARBITRATION.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE SUBSTITUTE FOR WAR-ARBITRATION.
IT has, we think, been shown that war is in
general:he wrong way of adjusting national
differences. Whether there be any other mode
of securing the ends proposed by it 6r not, this
one is clearly condemned by both reason and
revelation. If, then, there were no good substitute for it, and the nations must either suffer
wrong or fight, it would seem as if they should
in most insmaices embrace the suffering as the
better alternative. Whether the remedy which
we shall now propose be adequate or not, we
must still irsist that war, as a system, ought to
be none the less speedily and decisively abolished.
To suppose, however, that there is no remedy
for it, would be as derog'atory to reason and
common-sense as to the moral government of
God. L should be taken for granted, until experience Ias proved to the contrary, that there is
a better way of solving national difficulties a way  iore consistent with our character as
247 
THE RIGHT WAY.
reasonable beings, and with our duties to one
another and to God.    Where the righlt spirit
existed, men would not be long in discovering
this Riglit IVay; and means would soon be
found which should harmonize the practice of
mutual justice with that of mutual love, and
apply to the intercourse of nations that gospel
which so happily regulates the intercourse of
individuals.  The necessity of suel: a means
has long been felt by Christians and philanthropists.   Franklin  says,' We  daily make
great improvements  in natural philosophy;
there is one I wish to see in moras-the discovery of a plan that would induce and oblige
nations to settle their disputes vithout first
cutting one another's throats.  Allen will human reason be sufficiently irnprove& to see the
advantage of this?"
WAhere shall such a plan be foun?? The parallel already drawn between individuals and
nations sugogests a few valuable hIints upon this
subject.   A  man who deems himself injured
rarely resorts to physical violence for redress,
but submits his grievances to ajury of hl'.s peers,
whlo endeavor to decide upon them wiflth referenee to right and sustice.  Why may now nations
O 4 8 
ARBITRATION.
do the same? Is not the very existence of laws
in civilized communities a standing rebuke to
the lawless violence of nations, and a proof that
their differences may be adjusted in a far more
righteous manner than by an appeal to arms?
Our courts of justice accomplish for individuals
the ends that are professedly aimed at by nations in war.  They therefore point out a simple
and obvious substitute for war, which the nations would do well to adopt. For what is
there to prevent the reference of their diffieulties to a jutry of nations, through their representatives, who shall pronounce upon them an impartial judgment? Whether such jury consist
of one, two, or three, chosen by the parties
themselves, or of a perpetual court instituted
for the purpose, it would assuredly secure the
ends of justice to a far greater degree than trial
by battle.
We would urge as the most simple, and in
the present state of public opinion, most practicable substitute for war, ARBITRATION.   By
this we mean the submitting of national difficulties to the judgment and decision of one or
more arbitrators, or umpires, to be chosen by
the parties at variance, and the including of an
249 
THIE RIGHT WAY.
article to that effect in their treaties with one
another.
This plan would not in any way interfere
with well-timed efforts at negotiation. Indeed,
that step should always be resorted to in the
first instance, as being the best calculated, when
successful, to satisfy both parties. The fact
that the next and final remedy is arbitration,
and that war is entirely out of the question,
will greatly assist their efforts at a mutual
agreement.  When, however, this first and most
natural means has failed, let the two parties
feel themselves bound  by a solemn written
obligation, to submit their case to the judgment
of one or more friendly powers, and to abide by their
verdict as afinal one.
This is no new mode of adjusting differences,
but has often been practised by individuals, and
occasionally by nations. It is frequently resorted to by wise and Christian men, as preferable even to the regular course of law, because
avoiding not only much trouble and expense,
but also much of that bitterness of feeling
which is too often engendered by litigation.
Its principle is the same with that of trial by
jilry-only differinu from it in this respect, that
250 
ARBITRATION.
it allows to the parties employing it the privileg,e of choosing their own arbitrators. Every
trial in our courts of justice is a reference of a
disputed question to umpires chosen by society.
The propriety of such a reference is evident.
It is founded upon the just supposition that no
man is qualified to judge in a case in which
his own interests are at stake; and that none
but those whose minds are disinterested and
unbiased, are competent to award to it a righteous decision.  This principle is equally applicable
to nations. Rulers and governments are also
incapable of rightly adjudicating their own
controversies.   The same reasons, therefore,
which demand opportunities for reference or
legal process in a community of subjects, also
require it in the community of governments.
If, as has been proved from the highest author ities, nations ought to be "regarded as moral
persons," and as "under the same obliga tions that are binding upon individuals," then
it is plainly their duty to adjust their disputes
in a way similar to that employed by individ uals.
In commendation of this plan, we may quote
from the acknowledged masters of international
251 
law.  Grotius, its founder, says, "War should
never be declared until all other means of re dress have been faithfully tried."  Vattel says,
'Nature gives us no right to have recourse to
force, but where mild and pacific methods are
ineffectual.   When  sovereigns cannot agree
about their'pretensions, they sometimes trust
the decision of their disputes to arbitrators.
This method is very reasonable, and very conformable to the law of nature in determining
differences that do not directly interest the
safety of the nation. Though the strict right
mnay be mistaken by the arbitrators, it is still more
to befeared that it will be overwhelmed by theJate
of arms."
This practice has often been resorted to by
nations with signal success. The kings of Denmark and Sweden formerly bound themselves
by treaty to refer to one another the differences
which might arise between them and their respective senates.  "The princes of Neufchatel,'
says Vattel, "established in 1406 the canton of
Berne the judge and perpetual arbitrator of
their disputes. The Swiss have had the precaution, in all their alliances among thiemselves,
and even in those they have contracted with
252
THE RIGHT WAY. 
ARB I TRATION.
the neighboring powers, to agree beforehand
on thie manner ill which their disputes were to
be submitted to arbitrators, in case they could
not themselves adjust them in an amicable manner. This wise precaution has not a little contributed to maintain the Helvetic republic in
that flourishing state which secures its liberty,
and renders it respectable throughout Europe."
France and Mexico had recourse to this exdedient in their treaty of peace in 1839. Instead
of enforcing their respective claims for alleged
injuries, they mutually agreed to refer them to
the arbitrament of a third power. The leading
cabinets of Europe have, of late years, employed
it with much success. Our own government
Ihas referred three of its disputes to as many
European sovereigns. A question relating to
the interpretation of our last treaty of peace
with Great Britain was referred to the emperor
of Russia; that concerning our North-eastern
boundary, to the king of the Netherlands; and
certain difficulties with Miexico, to the king of
Prussia.  Having been successful upon almost
every occasion, this plan is now regarded with
much favor by civilized nations; and it seems
only requisite that it be formally incorporated
253 
THE RIGHT WAY.
in all national treaties, in order to secure its
universal adoption.
We urge its incorporation in articles of treaty,
because it is only by such means that it can be
made obligatory, and become an established
system. Any substitute for war, in order to be
successfill, must be agreed upon, and made a
mnatter of solemn, deliberate compact in time of
peace. Nations, like individuals, are not in a
fit condition to see clearly and select the right,
when their passions are aroused by controversy;
and it is therefore not safe to rely upon their
then resorting to a means of reconciliation, to
which, in hours of calmness and kind feeling,
they might willingly pledge themselves. Such
an article as we recommend would anticipate
whatever difficulties might afterwards occur,
and provide beforehand for their amicable settlement.
To this plan there can be opposed no reasonable objection, while there is much that can be
said in its favor.  The difficulty may occur to
some minds that the treaty might be violated,
and that there is then no force to compel its fulfilibncit.  We reply, all other treaties are equally
liable to be broken, but is that fact deemed a
254 
ARBITRATION.
sufficient reason for not forming them?  WVhIiile,
how-evei, tlhe abolition of war migit seem to
take a-way the means of enforciing this compact,
there would yet remain a power mightier than
resides in any army —that of public opinion.
This is a force which is often overlooked, yet
one that is possessed of an almost irresistible,
and growing efficacy.  The common sentiment
of the people, having been at first manifested in
demanding this pledgo of peace, would also
make itself heard and obeyed in the work of
maintaining it inviolate.   The  nation that
should so break its plighted faith as not to fulfil and abide by such a contract, would probably
be branded with ignominy, and made a mark
for the scorn and contempt of every other nation. Besides, if this plan should once be gencrally adopted, the blessings of peace would be
too highly appreciated by the masses of the
people to allow of their being lightly perilled;
and every government would feel itself interested in punishing in some peaceful, yet effective
manner, the nation that should dare violate this
principle of international law.
If, however, for any reason not yet discernible, this plan should prove unsuccessful, those
253 
THE RIGHT WAY.
animated by the proper spirit might devise
some other mode which should accomplish so
desirable an object. The formation of a congress of nations, or a perpetual court, comnposed
of representatives from every government, has
been proposed and ably advocated. The prevalence of right feelings throughout Christendom
would render this plan a feasible one, and secure
to every aggrieved nation the privilege of an
impartial trial upon principles of law and equity.
Surely one or the other of these means, or both
united, or some other yet to be devised, can be
adopted as the Right Way of conducting the intercourse of nations.
The advantages of some such course over the
one commonly resorted to, are obvious.   It
would secure the administration of a far higher
degree of justice than is gained by war, and
probably as high a degree as can be attained
among men.   It would prevent those gross
oppressions which are so often practised by
strong nations. It would afford a security to
the defenceless, and guarantee them such a
redress for injuries as could be obtained by no
other means. It would maintain the independence of nations, by affording a check to am
256 
ARBITRATION.
bitious schemes of conquest and aggrandizement. It would substitute reason for passion,
kindness for cruelty, courtesy and honorable
consideration for ruffian brutality and bloody
violence, the supremacy of mind for that of
physical force, and of ri,ght for wrong.   It
would, in averting war, avert many of the direst evils that hlave afilicted mankind, and in
securing perpetual peace, secure a perpetual
train of bless-ings.
In brinnging about these desirable results,
some?(iltioa must take the lead.  So vast a change
as the one proposed cannot be accomplished in
a day, nor bv a simultaneous effort throughout
Christendom.  As in every other great reform,
so in this, some one must dare to be singular,
and stand boldly forth as its advocate.  Every
circumstance points to.i)t(rica as the best
qualified to talke the initiatory step in this
gr.and work.   Powerful  and respected, her
streng,thl  and  influence would command  the
attention of thle world towards any course upon
wlIich1 she inight enter.  Possessed of ample
teririitoiies and immeasurable resources, she has
nothing to gain, and every thingi to lose by war.
]'x, 1t_[t)td!iier io p0ositiotn from hostile attacks,
Is:;ht W-:/         17 
257 
TH1E RIGHT WAY.
she would incur no apparent risk by setting the
example of a peaceful policy.  A "model republie," she may, by spurning the control of the
tyrant war, become a model of the most complete civil freedom. A nation eminently Christian, both consistency and the voice of public
sentiment demand that she prove her high
Christian character by conforming to the precepts of Jesus.  Mlay we not hope that among
the providential designs of which she is to be
the honored instrument, this one has its place;
and that to her it may be given first to sound
abroad the call that shall summon all nations
to the approaching brotherhood of man?
Honored indeed will be that government to
which this signal privilege shall be assigned.
No nation has yet attained such a height of grandeur as will attach to that one which shlall be
the first to propose and carry out a plan for
the abolition of war.  The time is comingand the present state of public opinion indicates
that it may not be far distant —when that nation
shall be esteemed the most glorious, which has
dared to go forth as pioneer in the path of universal peace. It will receive the plaudits of
men and angels, and its name will be repeated
'153 
ARBITRATION.L
with joy and gratitude by coming generations.
To hlave been the first to propose and effect.
ually carry out a scheme for staying the effu
sioi of human blood, will be a far higihier honor
to any land than for an individual to have dis
covered a continent, first floated a steam-boat,
or made the lightning subservient to human
agency. Upon such a nation will be breathed
the heavenly benediction, "Bl&ssed are the peacemaacer.; for they shall be called the children of
God."
Those rulers who are far-sighted, and who
note the signs of the times and the promises of
God's word, should hasten to secure this honor
and this blessing; and the only strife among
them should be, which shall stand foremost as
the champion of lhumanity, and first enroll his
name on that new scroll of renown which is to
be written, not with tears and blood, but with
the fingier of truth and love.  Those patriots
who best love their country, and desire its lasting honor and prosperity, should vie in holy
emulation to secure for it this true glory, and
thus invoke in its behalf the blessings of God
and men.
259 
THE RIGHT WAY.
CIIAPTER XIV.
THE BLESSINGS OF PEACE-THE MEANS OF
SECURING IT.
Is advocating the importance of peace, we
would add to the consideration of duty, already
urged, that of interest. Let us contemplate
some of its more prominent blessings, and behold
in each of them a powerful motive for securing
it.  AVe have seen a dim outline of the evils of
war; and the view of its monstrous horrors has
thrilled us with grief and indignation.  As we
now look upon the opposite picture, let its lovely attractions win upon our hearts, and inspire
glowing desires for its full and permanent realization.
Contrast some of the principal featurces of
each.  Is war an incalculable waste of rro-)r[i,?
In peace the resources of the nation are allovwed to flow in their legitimate and heal thlfil
channels; public and private enterprise is peri,ittel the widest scope of operation; and cai)ital remlains utilivcrted fromn its pr)pcr spheres.
260 
BLESSINGS OF PEACE.
ren are not then dra-wn fol f, els of labor to
those of battle; but the stz-ong armis whichi in
war must grasp the musket, wield in peace the
hiammiiet and the plough, and contribute to the
co,immon prosperity.  The energy of business is
unillp)eded; wealth is accumulated;  employment is furnished for all, and the nation is comparati-vely prosperous. Then. too, beneficence
abounds.  Aluch of the money which, in war,
would have been worse than wasted, is in peace
bestowed upon the needy and the wretched.
Instead of being used for the infliction of suffering and death, it goes to relieve and cheer the
sons of want.   New  plans of philantlhropic
benevolence are devised and carried out; the
schemes of Christian enterprise are sustained;
Bil)les and tracts are circulated; the cause of
missions is aided and carried forward, and every
otlier effort for the world's evangelization meets
with a hearty and liberal support.  The experienclee of the thirty-nine years of general peace
between the years 1815 and 1854, affords a
striking exhibition of this fact.  During, that
period, most of the benevolent societies which
are the pride and glory of Britain and Amierica
were established; and their constant and in
261 
THE RIGHT WVAY.
creasing success is a signal proof of the bless ings of peace in this respect.
Does war produce a disastrous wreck of vir tue aed morality? Peace, on the contrary, is
highly favorable to them both.   It not only
avoids that deluge of vice and crime which
floods a warring nation, but it is an important
auxiliary to the growth of vital piety.  Being
itself an indispensable fruit of pure Chlristianity, it aids greatly in the cultivation of all its
other fruits.  Then Sabbaths are more honored,
and sanctuaries more thronged; the "churchgoing bell" is oftener heard and heeded; and
the voice of prayer and praise goes up from
calm, peaceful hearts with greater fervor, and
a greater likelihood of the divine acceptance.
The nation being, in this respect at least, in the
path of religious duty, its subjects may the more
hopefully toil and pray for men's conversion.
The whole system of the divine government
assures us that it is at such times, if ever, that
God will largely pour out his Spirit upon the
churches.   Whlen we say that the revival of
religion and the salvation of souls are among
the blessings that pertain peculiarly to a state
of peace, do we not say enough to enlist the
262
0 
BLESSINGS OF PEACE.
sympathies and prayers and labors of all Christians in the work of securing it, and rendering
it p-rmaiienf?
Is war the destruiction of much domestic happi?zss-thC rending of many precious ties? Peace,
on the contrary, preserves and augments the
joys of every happy home.  Like a guardian
spirit, it presides over the humble cot and the
lordly mansion, and permits no rude call of
martial authority to summon its beloved inmates to destruction.  The pure delights of the
domestic hearth are invaded by no brutal sunderilng of fond connections; and no murderous
whims of tyrants are allowed to fill the homes
of the land with widowhood and orphanage.
The pride and strength of the family circle toils
cheerily on in his round of pleasant labor; and
whatever else may cast a shadow on his heart,
he feels that his country is the protection and
defence of his elevated joys, and not their
destruction; and that his patriotism does not
require him to become a traitor to himself and
those dependent upon him.
Inl like manarner, peace is a guardian of every
thing that constitutes a happy nation.  It is to
a great degree the security of its blessings, and
263 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the pledge of their continuance.   There is
hardly any interest of either governments or
individuals to which it is not a necessary safe guard. Various and conflicting as they may
be, they alike depend upon this for their pro tection. It is like one of those great walls
which surrounded  ancient  cities.  However
different may have been the interests of the
inhabitants, all felt that they would be put in
peril if that bulwark were cast down. Thus
peace engirdles the nation; and however various and even opposite may be the interests of
its citizens, they would alike be made insecure
the moment this wall of defence should fail
them.
How beautiful, then, the spectacle presented
by that land which is habitually at peace with
all the world! See the thriving cities, towns,
and villages, in which the hum of business, the
clanking of manufactures, and the familiar
sights and sounds of successful industry everywhere prevail. See the fields waving with the
rich products of the soil-the garners teeming
bountifully with food for man and beast-the
harbors crowded with vessels, which bring their
tributes of wealth and comfort firom every land
264 
BLESSIN'CGS OF PEACE.
thle smiling homes and firesides-the farmer
sin,ing, at his plough, and the mechanic at his
work.   See the pervading life and energy
which infuses itself into every department of
human effort —the arts and sciences flourishing-education more and more widely extended —men running to and fro, and knowledge
increased-the sphere of Christian activity enlarged-new churches built-missions and Sabbathl-schools planted in destitute places-preachers and colporteurs sent forth to possess the
land for Christ-the gospel acquiring daily new
trophies to its divine power, and truth achievingr new victories over error. Souls which might
have been hardened and destroyed by the influncIes of war, are, under the mild reign of peace,
rendered susceptible to the appeals of the pulpit and press, and instead of swelling the number of God's enemies, go to aunme.it the army
of lhis followers. Alany a prodigal returns to his
Fathler's house, and many a lost one is found.
Thle churclil rejoices in an increase of her strengith,
and there is "joy in heaven among the angels of
God" over repenting sinners.  The heavenly
hope finds readier access to humian hearts-souls
are saved, and God is glorified.
265 
THE RIGHT WAY.
Nor is this all.  The abonlding life and exu berant sympathy of God's people will not, in
time of peace, be confined to the narrow limits
of a country or a continent, but overflow all
boundaries, and baptize distant nations with
the waters of life. As war impedes our efforts
for the spread of the gospel, so peace encourag'es them, and enables the church to extend
the circling ripples of her influence far and wide,
until they embrace the globe itself.  Peace
places in our hands the means; peace affords
opportunities for employing them to advantage;
peace wafts the missionary across the seas;
peace casts down the walls of prejudice, and
secures a ready access to the homes and hearts
of the heathen; peace sustains him there, and
provides the bread of life for millions of famishing souls, and with the Bibles which it prints,
affords a practical and convincing commentary
upon its truths; peace affords the sinews which
God strengthens for the demolition of Satan's
kingdom; peace supplies, sustains, and cooperates with many of those forces which, under
God, are to evangelize the world, and inaugurate the reign of the Pri-ce of peace.
We do not affirma that the universal preva
266 
BLESSINGS OF PEACE.
lence of peace would, of itself alone, secure all
these blessings.  No, "the word of God only,
the grace of Christ only, the work of the Spirit
only," are the hope of the nation, the church,
and the world. Yet the very letter of that
word, the character of that grace, and the
known operations of that Spirit, assure us that
if ever these blessings are to be looked for, it
is in times of peace; and that, other things
being equal, the reign of peace will go far
towards securing the ireign of happiness and
righteousness.
"But how," it may be asked, "is peace to be
rendered permanent? Acknowledging, as every
reasonable mind must, its value, and the importance of retaining it, what can we do towards
securing, so desirable an object? We believe
that peace shall prevail in the earth, but it is to
be in the coming millennium. Then God will
cause wars to cease, but we cannot accomplish
so stupendous a change."
It is probably to the prevalence of this view
of the subject that we must attribute much of
th  present lethargy in regard to it.  Mtany
Christians are appalled by the very magnitude
of this blessing, and lose sight of their duty in
267 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the difficulties which seenlin,gly attend it. Upl)on
this principle, however, we mighlt sit withl fold ed hands and put forth no effort for the good
of men. With at least equal justice we might
say, "God only can convert souls, and we will
therefore cease to labor for that end. Idolatry
will not be wholly abolished until the millen nium.n; of what avail are all our efforts against
it?." IIappily, however, Christians do not rea son thus upon most other subjects.  They gen erally acknowledg,e that the divine promises
are to be fulfilled by t/ie divine blessing, upon human cobrt.  This view is a correct one, and is
proved true by experience. Thlle cause of missions was undertaken, and is now prosecuted,
under this belief; and its extraordinary success, when contrasted with the comparatively
feeble efforts yet put forth, attests the power of
Christian effort, wheni exerted wisely, and in
conformity to the divine prececcpts and promises.
It was thus that the gospel was first published
in the earth; it was thus that the chureli was
revived in the sixteentlh century; and it is thus
that the last great revival of God's worlk, in
whichll he shall pour out his Spirit upon all flesh,
is to be introduced.
268 
BLESSINGS OF PEACE.
In 1783 six hiimble and obscure, yet noble
mene, without political influence, but possessed
of earnest philanthropy and strong faith in God,
met in London to devise means for abolishing
tie /]Jr'icac  slav-tradc.  As  the result of the
agencies commenced by them, that infamous
tralTic was, twenty-four years afterwards, aboli:lced by Great Britain, and is at this day forbidclden by every Christian nation.  MIany of
the readers of this volume can recollect when
i/tecmperance raged, a moral p)lague, throughout
our country and the world.  A  small band of
men, moved with love and pity for their race,
1)ut forth their hands to stay the curse.  By
God's blessing upon their special efforts, results
have been gained of which it is probable that
the most hopeful of them never dreamed.  Temperance societies have sprung up in swift succession in every section of our country, and in
many parts of Europe, while that cause has become the subject of legislation in several of our
states; and there can be no doubt that many
tliouisands of our fellowv-beings have been rescued fromn this degrading vice in consequence
O)f tIC labors of a f w earnest  mete, iely directed
. cad d t,"Is ypricifir object.
269 
THE IRIGHT WAY.
It is by similar means t,7at war is to be (abolished.
We have no reason to believe that it will be
renmoved by a miracle, or by any other than
ordinary human instrumentalities.  There is,
on the contrary, every reason to believe that
God will honor his church with the privilege of
bringing about this, as well as every other triumphl of the gospel.   Indeed, lie has already
employed the peace societies of Great Britain
and America in accomplishing much towards
that triumph. In testimony of this, we may
refer to one of America's ablest statesmen, Johni
Qliin(cy 2daims, who publicly ascribed our escape
from war with Mtexico, in 1838, to the efforts
of peace societies. We are warranted in the
conviction that a yet larger blessing awaits
tlem in the future.  All that is required is earnest, judicious, prayerful, united effort, and the
worik will be done.  Let the church enter upon
it with that zeal which has characterized her
Bible, tract, and missionary enterprises, and
success is certain.   Let her become one vast
peace society; and let all denominations of
evangelical Christians unite upon this subject,
as upon a common platform, and make this cause
one of those delightful ties by which they are
270 
BLESSINGS OF PEACE.
fast becoming joined in the spirit of Christ. It
will be to all a most desirable union, for what
can tend more powerfully to the cessation of
their often bitter and unprofitable controversies,
than a common effort towards abolishing strife
among others?  Will they not, in promoting
the peace of nations, best foster it among themselves, and find in their labors a fulfilment of
the promise, " He that watereth, shall be watered
also himself?"
The kind of effort to be employed, is readily
suggested by the experience of every successful
moral and religious enterprise. The means are
at hand, and it only remains that they be diligently improved. First of all, let every pious
heart aim at becoming itself thoroughly imbued
with the principles of thie gospel.  Let Chlristians reflect upon the duty of maintaining both
national and individual peace; and at the same
time let them cherish the confident expectation,
warranted by the word of prophecy, that peace
shall prevail. Then let the ordinary methods of
influencing(r public opinion be perseveringly employed.  Let the press be enlisted in the work,
and carry cogent arguments and stirring appeals to many minds.  Let as many as possible
271 
THE RIGHIT WAY.
of our three thousand periodicals plead the
cause of religion and humanity with their read ers. Let tracts be scattered on the four winds
of heaven, and enforce, by every consideration
of duty and interest, this momentous subject.
And while the eye is thus reached, let the ear
be saluted with the same pleas. Let the sanetuary resound with it, and the eloquence of the
forty thousand pulpits of our land be brought
to bear upon this theme, which is so worthy of
its highest efforts.  Let the popular lecturer
adopt it for his subject, and the Christian statesman, as one from which he cannot withhold his
voice. Let Christians converse upon it with
one another, and become each an apostle of
peace to his neighbor. Let all pious influences
thus be brought to bear upon the work, and no
effort spared which can in any way assist it.
Who can doubt as to what would be the
inevitable result of such efforts? They would
rapidly mould public opinion, open the eyes of
the intelligent and candid of our nation to the
evils of war and the importance of uninterrupted peace, and few years would elapse before
this, Clhristian people would unitedly demand
tlhat there lie?o maor?'(a.  Tihe voice of the
272 
BLESSINGS OF PEACE.
nation would utter itself with a force which no
ruler would dare resist, and the general senti ment of the people would be made the law of the
land. Our legislators would not be slow in
discovering the proper substitute for war, and
whatever course might be pursued by other
nations, this one would "not learn war any
more.' Nor would the effect of these special
efforts, put forth by American Christians, end
here. This nation would then utter its voice
to others, and by means of faithful and repeated
efforts, would probably induce them to join
with it in determining some plan of arbitration
which should for ever stay the flow of human
blood; and what would there then be to prevent
the reign of peace on earth?
These views may appear chimerical to some,
but we believe thlem to be founded in reason
and good sense, and justified by both experience and prophecy. They will not, indeed, be
realized by means of any slight, partial endeavors. Their fulfilment will require the
exercise of our united, prayerful energies; and
until these are afforded, we must remain liable
at any moment to be plunged into war. But
we repeat, let such special efforts as have been
Right Way           18
273 
THE RIGHT WAY.
described, or even a tithe of them, be made,
and if there is any connection between cause
and effect, or the means and the end-if there
is truth in experience, and certainty in the
word of God, the blessings of peace may soon
be secured for our nation, and at no distant
day made prevalent throughout the globe.
274 
TRIUMPH OF PEACE.
CHAPTER XV.
THE FUTURE TRIUMPH OF PEACE.
THOSE who toil and pray in this noble cause
may be animated with the ccitaiity of success.
Their labors will be no mere doubtful experiment, but the accomplishment of the world's
divinely appointed destiny. In addition to all
the motives drawn from the past and present,
a most sublime one is afforded by the predicted
future. The Christian knows that the goal of
universal peace is no imaginary one. It stands
out distinctly before him, painted by the finger
of eternal truth, a blissful, glowing reality.
WAhatever obstacles may lie in the way, that
goal shall be reached. This is as certain as
that idolatry shall cease, and the gospel triumipli thlroughout the world.  The same word
of God which assures us of the one, foretells
the other. The same almighty truth and power
that are pledged for the one, are pledged for
the other.
Indeed, the two are so intimately connected,
that we might infer tile prevalence of peace
275 
THE RIGHT WAY.
from the promised prevalence of gospel truth.
It is impossible that the precepts of the Bible
should be generally received and obeyed, without causing wars to cease; impossible that the
earth should be " full of the knowledge of the
Lord," without being full of love and harmony;
impossible that "all nations" should "serve
him," and yet any so palpably disobey him as
to engage in war; and impossible that Jesus
should have "dominion from sea to sea," and yet
men remain under the dominion of hateful and
wicked passions.  If "every knee shall bow"
to Christ, if the Son shall have the heathen for
his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for his possession, and if" the Lord shall
be king over all the earth," then it cannot be
doubted for an instant that peace shall prevail.
We are not left, however, merely to infer
this sublime truth. Among the future blessings
to our race fretold by prophecy, this one
stands out in bold relief. It is a theme upon
which the pen of inspiration loved to linger.
The Holy Spirit has invested it with the most
attractive imagery, and painted it in glowing
hues upon the scroll of this world's destiny.
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and
276 
TRIUMPH OF PEACE.
the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and
the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling
together; and a little child shall lead them.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain; for the earth shall be full of the
knowledg,e of the Lord, as the waters cover
tlie sea." Isaiah 11: 6, 9. "And in that day
will I make a covenant for them with the beasts
of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and
with the creeping things of the ground: and I
will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie
down safely."  Hosea 2: 18. " He maketh wars
to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh
the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he
burneth the chariot in the fire."  Psa. 46:9.
"And I will cut off the chariot from Ephliraim,
and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battlebow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace
unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be
from sea even to sea, and from the river even
to the ends of the earth."  Zech. 9:10.  "And
the work of righteousness shall be peace; and
the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.  And my people slhall dwell in
a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings,
277 
TIIE RIGIlIT WAY.
and in quiet resting-places." Isaiah 32: 17, 18.
"The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by ri,ghteousness. In
his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth."
Psa. 72: 3, 7. "For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace." Isaiah 55: 12.
"And it shall come to pass in the last days,
that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be
established in the top of the mountains, and
shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And they shall beat
their swords into plouglihshares, and their spears
into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up
sword against nation, neither shall they learn
war any more."  Isaiah 2: 2, 4.
W'hat an enchanting prospect is here opened
to the eye of Christian faith! Gladly we turn
our gaze from scenes of strife and slaughter, to
those of love and peace by which they shall be
succeeded;  and refresh our minds with the
contemplation of that bright era when there
shiall be "on carthl, pcacc."  We have beheld the
ravages of war, and the view of its terrible
tavoc has prompted the inquiry, "Shall the
sword devour for ever?"' AWe scan the narrow
2'i 3 
TPIUMPH OF PEACE.
horizon of earth for a reply, but the question
comes back upon the aching heart unanswered;
and only its echo salutes the ear, mockingly
shouting' in the din and clangor of "wars and
rumors of wars," "for ever."  But look up, 0
world of sufferers, look up to heaven, and if
your ears are attuned to its language, you shall
hear a "still small voice," yet one that is every
day waxing(r louder and louder, and which in
coming years shall speak in all the authoritative thunders of divine omnipotence, saying,
"I will bleak the bow, and the sword, and the battle out of t/he earth." It is the same voice which
once "said, Let there be light; and there was
light."  It is enoug'h.  "Thus saith the Lord,"
and we need no other assurance that the world
is to be thus blessed.  "Thus saith the Lord,"
and his promise, as it comes pealing with such
emphasis firom the throne of the universe, satisfies every pious heart, and thrills us with the
confident expectation of this wishled-for period.
The time shall come when all men shall be
knit together in one common brotherhood;
when no deed of violence shall crimson their
hands, and no thought of enmity blacken their
hearts; when the air of heaven shall no longer
279 
THE RIGHT WAY.
echo with the clash of arms and the curses of
men upon their fellows, hut shall every-where
resound with the high praises of Christ, "our
peace;" when neither the rising nor setting
sun shall gleam upon bristling bayonets and
clashing swords, but both shall ever-where
smile upon bounteous harvests and scenes of
peaceful industry; when the Sun of rigliteousness shall scatter the gross darkness of both
Christian and heathen lands, and suffuse every
nook and corner of the earth with its pure radiance, and "the work of righteousness shall
be peace;" when neighbor and neighbor, family
and family, nation and nation, man and man
shall be animated by one and the same principle, love; when everv relation of life, great or
small, and every phase of human intercourse,
limited or extended, shall be made beautiful
and holy and happy, because imbued with love;
and when, above all, every soul shall be at
peace with God, in whom shall ceitre supremely their united affections.   That time shall
come, "for the word of the Lord hath spoken
it;" and that word assures us, "I the Lord
will hasten it in his time." "Even so, comne,
Lord Jesus."
280 
TRIUMIPH OF PEACE.
This promised period of peace is not portrayed in God's word for the mere purpose of
happy contemplation, but in order to impel us
to faithful efforts towards its realization. We
may not satisfy ourselves with simply gazilng
upon the goal at a distance, and lying quietly
upon our oars with folded hands and half-closed
eyes, as if some propitious breeze would waft
us lazily towards it. It will never be reached
until men awake to a sense of their own obligations to labor and pray for its attainment.
WVe should therefore regard these predictions
rather as motives to effort, than as excuses for
indolence. Let us derive from them new incentives of hope and duty.
1. As a pledge of success, they should quicken
us to labor hopefully. Do we believe these promises of the sacred word? Do we believe that
they are no poetic fictions, but truths of God?
Then how great is our encouragement! Whatever be the difficulties attending this work, we 
descry beyond them all a perfect success. Men
may deride; the faithless may scoff at the idea
of so changing the sentiment of mankind; governments may turn a deaf car to our entreaties
and our reasons; war may once more envelope
281 
THE RIGHT WAY.
the earth with its baleful influences, and the
gatliering clouds of passion may again seem to
blot out this star of hope; but we need not despair.  Faith's eve can still disceri that star,
beaming on brightly as ever, far beyond their
reach.  Satan may muster all hellish forces
against us, and not lightly suffer that curse to
be abolished whose victims have so peopled his
infernal kingdom; but mightier is He who is for
us, than he who is against us.  The promise is
still ours, and until he can extinguish our faith
in God, and obliterate those lines which the
finger of God has traced, he cannot destroy
cur assurance of ultimate success. We may
die with the promise unfulfilled; whole generations of Christians may achieve their portion
of the work, and transmit it to those who follow them, but there will be no room for despair. The issue of the conflict is certain.
" Truth, struck to earth, shall rise again:
The eternal years of God are hers;
While error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies amid her worshippers."
With our eyes fixed upon the inevitable result,
let us press forward in the path which God has
marked out. We are accustomed, in toiling for
282 
TRIUMPH OF PEACE.
ordinary blessings, to labor earnestly for uncertain good.  What zeal ought to mark our
efforts in this cause, whose success is zundoubted!
Let every bosom be animated with unwavering
hope; and let that hope be, amid the temnpestuous ravings of earthly or ihellishi fury, "as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast."
2. WAVe may derive from these promises a lesson of our dutty. Is peace and concord to mark
the millennium? Then it will be so because
they are men's duty; and as duty is the same
in every age, those dispositions are equally
binding upon us now.  W hatever will be right
in that day, is right in tlhis; and every thing
that is now opposed to the spirit which shall
then animate mankind, is manifestly wrong.
There can hardly be afforded a better illustration of the practical bearings of the gospel
upon human intercourse than this fact, that
with the future prevalence of its doctrines,
peace also shall abound. Instead, then, of conformning our conduct to the standard of the
world's past history, which is obviously low
and imperfect, let us conform to the lofty one
held out before us in its more perfect future.
Or rather, let us obey that gospel whose fulfil
283 
THE I' IC,HT WVAY.
ment will lie at the foundation of every mnillennial blessing. Let the promises of the word
explain and enforce its precepts, and let the
church feel that she is best obeying its precepts
when she is hastening the fulfilment of its promises.
The Bible is a full and complete revelation
of the divine will, and affords us the same rule
of right that shall hereafter unite all men in
the "bonds of peace." There is to be no new
gospel, and the millennium will be nothing more
nor less than a general and close conformity
to the gospel we now possess. It is only because we do not now obey it as we ought, that
we do not now enjoy its blessings. The glaring
contrast that exists between the world's present
and future happiness, is a contrast between
present and future views of, and faithfulness in
duty. Can it be questioned which of the two
views is correct? The bright era to which the
church looks so hopefully forward, is a perpetual rebuke to her present disobedience.
The glowing prophetic pictures which we have
contemplated will be a standing reproof to the
church and the world until they shall be fulfilled, for they express the standard of huntan
284 
TRPIUMPH OF PEACE.
duty. Then let each individual behold in the
anticipated triumph of peace, a view of the
spirit and conduct now required of him. Let
every nation discern in it an imperative obligation?Iow to conform to that gospel which
shall then so happily regulate all national intercourse.   As soon as this is done peace will
reign, but not before. As long as men content
themselves with merely looking utpon the beautiful goal, and forget that they must themselves
push forward to it, that goal will be unattained;
and it will be so, not from any backwardness
in God, but as the result of human failures in
duty.
If these views be correct, is it not a libel
upon the church's whole history since the gospel was first given her, that wars have not long
ag(ro ceased in Christian nations? Shall we,
brethren in Christ, still perpetuate that libel?
Shall the sounds of battle, the shrieks of the
dying, the wails of perishing souls, and so many
other piteous accents of human woe fall on our
cars unheeded? Shall the voice of God, addressing us from the throne of his providence,
and by the word of his grace-now in tones of
stern command, and now in those of sweet en
285 
THE RIGHT WAY.
couragement -now by precept, and now by
promise-fail to affect us?  With the blessing
before us, and the gospel which is to secure it
ill our hands; with heaven's power above us
pledged to our assistance; with human sorrows
all about us craving to be relieved; and with
conscience within us urging to our duty-shall
not that duty be fulfilled, the means employed,
and the blessing gained?  Let us arise in the
strength of God, gird ourselves for the work,
anid with uplifted heads, and eyes upraised to
heaven, resolve that the plague s/t,al be stayed.
Let us become conscious of our dignity and
privilege as hlonored with an embassy of love
to men, and let nothing divert us from it. Let
us labor to extend the pure leaven of gospel
principles throughout the great mass of hliumanity, "till the whole is leavened." Let the
"grain of mustard seed " even now become " a
tree," extend its branches to the light and air
of heaven, until it overshadows all nations,
and celestial messengers of love, like birds,
shall'"locldge in the branches thereof," and its
leaves be "for the healing of the nations."  So
shall the church, by fulfilling her appointed
duty, embrace her promised destiny. So shall
286 
TRIUMPH OF PEACE.
one cloud after another be scattered before the
rays of the Sun of rilghteousness, until it shall
shine with splendor in a clear sky, and vivify
every soul with its light and heat of universal
love.  "Oh, house of Jacob, come ye, and let its
walk in the light of the Lord."
287 
TIE RIGHT WAY.
CIIAPTER XVI.
CONCLUDING APPEAL.
WE  have now exhibited the Right Way, or
the application of the Gospel to the intercourse
of individuals and nations. It only remains
that we affectionately appeal to the heart and
conscience of every reader of this volume, thus
to apply that gospel to himself and others.
I. Let it be your first endeavor to conform
your own heart and life to its dictates. Consider
each of the divine precepts which have met
your eye while reading these pages, as possessed of an equal claim to your obedience
with every other command of God. View
them as matters of personal duty and personal
interest. Turn your gaze within, and explore,
by the aid of truth's clear light, the deepest
recesses of your soul. Drag out from their
lurking places every fiend of passion; then sit
in judgment upon them, and condemn and crucify them together with that "old man" sin,
whose offspring they are, and whose features
they possess. Are they not enemies to your
288 
CONCLUDING APPEAL.
peaee; malignant foes to God and your soul;
1.ftef, l t\ i-ra,s V whI  i1eut. v forae witiXi  rou
1jji cicis of a disartactful l:,o)nda4' an, sun(l   c
to enslave your deathiless spirit with shaameful
fetters?  Then, ill the exercise of a Christliike,
godlikc spirit, resolve that as far as in you lies,
and as far as divine grace shall aid you, you
w ill s]lake them  off, and no  long'er sin and
suffer firom them.   Transfer  your  hatre(d, if
you have any, fiom outward to inward foes.
A'uinst themi'  you  may be "angry, and sin
11ot."
W~ould you avoid contention?   Tllen obey
from the lIacrt that "royal law," which will
forestall  it  with  holy,  tender  sympathies.
W~ould vou convert vour enemies into friends?
Tlhen cease to befriecd your passions, but treat
them as your cneinies.  W0ould you fulfil duty,
and do that wlicih  is right towards God and
man?  Then fulfil the gospel, and exercise love
to God and man.   Would  you be like Jesus?
Tihen imitate him  in for'ivi'il   and blessing
men.  WNonld you  be hap)i)y?  Then  foster
,lioe Li nd (dispositionis and sweet affections
wilose absence is misery, b)ut whose presence
is delig'ht.  Would you be glorious?   Wouild
Bight WVay.          ] 9
'289 
THE RIGHT WAY.
-ou achieve that which is lofty, aid ennobling
to lumanity, and nearly allied to divinity?
Then aspire to that glory of the wise man vwhich is also the glory of God-" to pass over
a trans,ressioln."   lake Christ your pattern,
and the gospel your rule of duty.  Apply the
precepts of Jesus to every relation in life, and
let tlhem be, in all your "walk and conversation," as a lamp to your feet and a lighlt to
-our l)ath.
II. Ilaving, done your utmost to mould your
own life and character to these precepts, you
will feel it to be your duty and privilege to
co0mmncd themi to othlers, and lead tli(7i into tlhe
ri/lit tray.   Do  this by  exam])!e.  Let  -our
conduct exert a benign influence upon all who
witness it, and attest to every beholder the
pow-er and beauty of the spirit of Christ.  So
exhibit, in all their attractive aspect, the mild
graces of love, forgiveness, and long-suffering,
that tlhey shall sweetly win upon every heart.
To these silent and unobtrusive, yet eloquent
pleas for peace, add frequent, prayerful, and
well-directed efforts.  Inculcate  it upon the
famnily as the main-spring of its peculiar joys.
Let its languag,e be madcle to old and young
290 
CONCLUDI.NG APPE A L.
"familiar as household words."  Tecall it to
t](e stl,ool, as a lesson  Ce-ei to Ibe ulrlcqied,
as an in(lisp)ensable part of both youthful and
maily enjoyment, and as an iimportanit preparation for active life.  Urg,e it upon the Sabbati-schlolar, and imbue the o)pecningi minds of
the rising generation witli that lovely wisdoIm,
whlose'"-ay-s are w-ays of pleasantness, aild aGl
/hcr pa/rs are peC(cc."  Commeni d it to thle nIeighbor, as the secret of hlappy intercourse  -itli
those about himn.   Cultivate it in tlle chlurclh,
as an imperative oblig,ation, and an essential
part of its piety and prosperity.  -,itli a lceart
ali-e to its importance, iimplrov-e every opportunity of pressinig its claimis, and exertiing in
its favor all the influence tlhat God  lihas given
you.   So shall you experience in your own
peaceful life, and in the sublime consciousness
of duty done and good conferred, a filfillment
of thie benediction,"' Blsscd are the peacemialiers;
for th(y s/Jal be called the childreni of God."
III. BJy the emplo-yment of these and othier
mneanls, ait steadfas!ly  at the gfcal  of na!icn,al
a(ce.  Let y-our s-ympathlies extendt so wi(lelv
as to embrace thie  loLbe, and let vour views of
dutv and faithi in Gocl aniimate von to ever
291 
THE RIGHT WAY.
effort towards a-bolisling the curse of war.  Be
]a)t (iv-elrted floi tis ali  by)- tlhe tloilght that
o()C' lp'tson catil accolnpl-sli but little towNar(ds
sectirini, it.  Remeiiinber that all great reforms
iiust bei    ith  individuals,  and  that the
masses of tlie people cannot instantly be persuaded  to yield  up their  deep-rooted preju(liCs, but that t cllane imust  begin;vith
each one separately.  AWVe must infuse rilght
I)i'ilcil)lesC  ilnto tllhe lesse r and more  limited
relations of life; and in proportion as this is
(lone, tlhecir apllieatioiea will become gradually
extenide(i, until tlhe same views and feelings
hliilh govern the family, the  neighborhood,
ann(  tlhe church, will be found working out
their'Iorious results in the nation and throughout tle world(l.  Diffuse, therefore, through all
tlhe circle  of your influence the leaven of a
healthful sentiment; and remember that it is
-)y Godl's blesiiig, upon the united efforts, and
God's answer to the united prayers of many
sucti ans you, that w-ar is to be abolished.
'l 1'-.l)xs -c)u canlnot influence governments
rn(l rnliCr~  bnlt inany you not put in motion, or
as ist tihe meais w-hicli shall influence tlcem?
Pecrhaps  you cannot lbring eloquence to bear 
CONCLUDINCT APPEAL.
uplon this theme; but may not your pen become
mihlitier tihan the sworld " by doing, sonietliing
towards stay-ing its ravages?  Or cannot you
exert an influence upon othler minds, and ciilist
thlem in this work?  Or cannot you contribute
of y'our substance towards disseniiiiating ri,lit
principles upon thlis subject?  Whlo cannot pray
for so inestimable a blessin,? Ilei'e is a means
that is not denied to any, and one mnore effectiv-e than tongue, or peni, or swvord.'Thie pray-er
of faithl can arise above the diii of battle and
the strife of a world at war with God and withl
itself, and its answer can say to the discordant
elements,   Pceace; be still."'  VWhatever else you
do or leave undone in this workl,  -pray /or tlhe
peace of Jierusaleim,7  and for tnaL o~ tle wlhole
world.   0 that the cry ior peace might go up
to God fi'om every pious ]leart with suchl effectual fervor, that Hle lwho hleareth prayer shlould
arise in tlhe milght and mnajesty 0o' his omnipotence, and'speak peace to thc; heathllen!"
1. We  appeal to all ruicrs and  l(,gisafor.q.
God has imposed upon you a solemn responsibility, and you cannot evade it.  I-e has commnitted to your guardianshlip tlle lives and interests of many of his creatures, and you must
293 
TIHEl RIGIT WAY.
account to him for the manner in which you
dischlar(ge tlhat trust.  lle lias placed ill your
l]nands the oi)cn eii le, and rev-ealed to vou his
will, lwhichl is tlle onlyll- rule of lhuman righrllt.
-ill you reckllessly trample upon his sovereign
cdicts, despise  iis authority, and brave  his
e-engeance?  Will you, by enicouragingi or de clarin,g war, wreck the peace and prosperity,
the virtue, thle lhal)piness, and the liv-es of those
commnitted to your clharlge?
Pause ere you do it, and lihonestly consider
the end of such a course.  Look upon the peaceful lhomes of tllhe nation, and ask whlethler sours
shall be tne hand to mar  anld blilght tlhem.
Look at its prosperous comnmercial interests,
and ask whether  -our hand shall whelm them
inl destrucetion.   Lookl at our thronged sanctuaries, and all the various influences of morality
an(l religion whichl are the country's safeg,uard,
and ask whlethler your hanid sliall overthrow
them, and deluge the land with,;ice and irrelibion.   Look forward to the judgment-day,
and ask whether you shall be willing then to
answer for the lives and sozls of thousands.
O'i, listen to the voice of humanity, of patriotism, and of religion, and exert your power for
, 94
I 
CON CLUDING APPEAL.
the good of men.  Let your voice be heard in
the national councils echoing' the g,rowing sentimenlts of Christians and philanthropists, and
demanding that war shlall be no more.  So,
wilethler successful or not, your hands sliall be
free fromn blood, and your name transmitted
with honor to posterity.
2. WTe appeal to all citizens.   U,pon you
especially devolves this work, for -ou are in
this land the real sovereigns. It is your voices
wliicli sway the national councils, and your
minds which resolve upon national conduct.
You have the power, citizens of America, to
stay the plag'ue of war, if you have the wvill.
It is for you to speak the word, and peace shall
be made the lawv of the nation, and secured to
yourselves  and your posterity.  WVe therefore
ask you seriously to contemplate the blessings
whichl may thus be perpetuated, and the curse
which may thus be banished - the national
glory and prosperity to be thus gained, and tlhe
shame and disaster to be thus avoided.  Survey
your smiling fields —your thriving commerce
and manufactures-your schools, colleges, and
chlurches-your homies and firesides: let tlhe
view of these impel you to the employment of
293 
ITHE RI(UHT WAY.
those means, and the utterance of that voice,
which sl-lall abolilsh tlhis balnec of civil, social, aidl
domestic life.  As you love your country, and
would secure its real and lasting welfare, let
peace, more potent than armies or navies, sur round the nation with its perpetual bulwark of
dcfeuce!
3. AWe appeal to all plhilantrcopists.  Has not
thllis moral plague long enougli blilghted our
earth, and withered human joys?  Is it not
time that heaven's own antidote be applied to
it? Oh, then, heed the cries and groans of so
many of y-our fellow-creatures; be moved by
the tears of widows and orpihans; listen to the
appeals of suffering, outraged humanity; and
then, your heart full of pityilng emotion and
-our mind resolute with holy purposes, spare
no effort to redeem men from this plague!
4. WAVe appeal to the youig.  VWe turn witli
peculiar pleasure and strong hope to the rising
generation, and wvould enlist their active labors
in this work.  Make the principles of the gospel your rule of life, and begin early to practise
and commend them. They will prove to you
the surest means of success and happiness, and
go far towvards rendering your path upon earth
,)9(5 
CONCLUDING APPEAL.
tha; smoothl and flowery one which youth al wai s dreams it may be. It is only by fervently
loving God and your race, that you can extract
from life its choicest sweets.  To you we espe cially look for zealous efforts in behalf of na t(ioicl pace, for your minds are comparatively
unil)rcjudicecd and open to the conviction of its
necessity, and your hearts and hands are strongI
to resolve and act upon that conviction.  Let
this cause take dceep hold uponl your inmost
symipatlliecs. Youthi of  merica, can you desire
a lofticr hlonor, or caii you better prove y-our
patriotism. and signalize yourselves as benefactors of mankind and as C/risiiaiis, than by an
earnest devotedness to this work?  WVould that
you imiliht be the favored ones to whlom it shall
be given to introduce the reign of universal
peace!  Such, there is every rcason to believe,
you may become if you will  and God  will
assuredly smile upon your efforts, and make
glorious and blessed  the generation of peacemakers.
5. We appeal to wome~,.  If any are interested in this cause, you are; for upon you have
fillen many of the chief evils of war.  Then
exert wisely your influence in favor of peace.
297 
THE RIGHT WVAY.
If you would not have your homes made desolate, and y'our lhearts torni with kleenest pangs
if you would not have earthl's fondest ties cruelly rent asunder, and your lives clouded with
heaviest griefs-enlist in this work somnethiing
of that zeal and enthusiasm which characterize
so many of your benevolent enterprises.  By
example, by persuasion, by entreaty, seek to
influence the mindls about you in its favor.
Urgoe it upona fathlers, husbands, sons, and brothers.  3[ould the infant minds intrusted to you
withl a hatred of every form of strife.  Carefully banish from their youthful sports the toys
and pictures of war; and among their earliest
and most indelible impressions, let there be,
not that admiration of martial dress and exploits which so often poisons their minds, but
a deep, unalterable abhorrence of every thing
pertaining to this horrid crime.   This is a
cause vwhich well becomes you.   It sits most
gracefully upon the femnale character, affording
that loveliest of ornaments, which, we are told,
"is in the sight of God of great price," "even
the ornament of a mieek and quiet spirit."
6. W e appeal to all mi,,isters of tie gospcl.
Upoin you devolves the duty and the glorious
298 
CONCLUDING APPEAL.
privilege of beari(ng God's messages to human
hearts.  "Embassadors for Christ," your eim bassy is one of pFace.  The very terms of your
commission imply it; for how can you faithfully
"preach the gospel," without publishing abroad
those great duties which, as has been shown,
thie gospel so strong'ly inculcates? It is a safe
rule to guide the preacher in the selection of
his tlhemes, and in judging of the prominence
to be given to particular subjects, to notice the
fiequency and extent to which they are insisted
upon in the Bible. The word is a complete
system, and gives to each truth its proper eminence and comparative importance.  It is arranged with such symmetry, that it is as perfect
as a whole as it is inl each separate part. They
who would reproduce the edifice in others, must
observe the same harmony of proportions; and
not only "declare the whlole counsel of God,"
but assirgn to each portion of it that prominence
which Godc has given it.
If this view be correct, has not one great
feature of the religion of Christ been kept
much in the background?  The precepts relating to human intercourse were deemed by our
Lord of sufficient importance to claim frequent
299 
THE RIGCHT WAY.
and earnest reiteration. They are 1no less so
at this day, and should be often studied and
enforced by the gospel preacher. HIad the time
that has been spent in pulpit discussions of far
less moment, and in frivolous and sometimes
bitter controversies, been devoted to the preaching of the duties under consideration, not only
would much dissension and ill-feeling have been
avoided, but there would probably have been
no need, at this late day, of efforts to abolish
war, for it would have ceased.
Oh, then, watchmen of Zion, "hear the word
at the mouth of the Lord," and sound the gospel trumpet in the ears of men.  Now, in the
soft music of persuasive invitation, let it breathe
forth the law of love.  Now, in appalling thunders, let it denounce all " bitterness, wrath, and
envying."  Proclaimi  from +our thousands of
pulpits the blessedness of the meek, the merciful, and the peacemakers. It is a fit theme for
sacred eloquence, and may well inspire its loftiest efforts.  As vou exhort to peace with God,
commend peace with one another.  Exhibit,
in their place, these beautiful requirements of
Chrlistianity; and let them commend to many
souls the religion that teaches them, and lead
300 
CONCLUDING APPEAL.
the church and the world better to estimate
and pIiactise tlhem. So shall tlhe solng ble echoed
by 1naily heairts, led b)y you into pathls of peace,
'low  beautiful upon the mountains  are the
feet of himi that bringetl  good tidings-thllat
publis/hctli peace."
7. WAVe appeal to a!l Ciristiacis.  Do you believe that the precepts whichl form thle basis of
this work are the precepts of Christ?  Tlihen
we need urge no otlier p)lea to remind you of
your duty.  AVWill you not obey that voice of
Jesus  which  lhas addressed  you?   Let  the
sounds of contention in vwhichl it has been almost drowned for centuries, only add to its
emphasis, and clotlhe it with redoubled thunders of commiand, and yet mnore pleading accents of entreaty.  Eimlbrace with joy and gratittude the law of love, and let your inmnost soul
becoime imbued with its sweet influences. Thei
seek to apply it to the commiunity, the church,
the nation, andcl the world.   Put fortlh  your
hand to the vwork of abolisbing  war.  In proportion as you lal)or and pray for that consuimnmation, Nyou will obey an important part of tlte
gospel, foster relio'ion and morality, and hasten
the millennial glory.  WVield diligently those
301 
THE RIGHT WAY.
forces which God has placed at your command,
and whichl only Cliristians can adequately employ.  Labor with untiring diligence.  "Pray
without ceasing,."  Pour into the ears of God
and man your pleas and your entreaties. Hear
the mingled groans of the wounded and dying,
and the sio'hs of the widow and the fatherless,
and lot them quicken you to effort.  See the
countless and gigantic iniquities of this accursed systemi.  Think of the eternal writhings of
the souls whom it destroys.  Hear, added to
voices that plead from earth and wail from
hell, the tones of Jehlovah's plain commands.
Let them awaken every energy to the task of
an unquestioningr obedience.  See that bow of
promise whichl spans the centuries of darkness,
and assures you that the deluge of humnan blood
shall one day cease to flow, and the nations
"not learn war any more."  Let it incite you
to hope and duty.
As you would be happy; as you would promote the suii of human bliss, and prevent much
human woe; as you would remove a nrilgty
stumbling-block  from  the path of religious
progress, and "prepare the way of the Lord"
for his peaceful kingdom —0, Christian, cease
302 
CONCLUDING APPEAL.
not to toil and pray in this work! All heaven
calls out to you-earth  pleads-hell warns!
The interests of humanity, truth, justice, and
religion-the hopes of those that are ready to
perisli-all that is dear to pious souls-all that
is lovely and glowing in the world's future destiny-plead with you, Christian, to engag,e earnestly in this work!
Let the pleas of duty and interest, of God
and man, be heeded.   Let the church exert
her power, and, by the blessing of God, wipe
away this reproach and this guilt friom the face
of Christendom.   So shall that angels' sono,
which was sung at the birth of Jesus, after
having been drowned for centuries in the harsh
clamors of human strife, be again heard and
echoed by every heart: "Glory to God in tl(e
highest; on earthl PEACE, good-will towards men."
303 
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