Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-02-18

Society, is the 25th of December, or some
convenient day near it. not from any idea
of the peculiar sanctity of that day but the
associations connected with 1t, by chris
.tians generally, are favorable to the object.
Now, suppose that a majority of the
churches In the United States should
agree in observing some part OF that day, |
perhaps the evening, with a concert of
prayer for Gods blessing on the cause of
peace, might we not expect thatthe church.
es of Eng land-where the peace cause has
many more efficient friends than it has in
this country-would initiate our example, |
as they have in the Temperance cause? |
think, from what l heard from one ofthe
late delegation from the congregational
union ofEng land, thatthe churches in that !
country would join US. He was delight
ed to hear that something was doing in
this country in the cause of peaces and
told me that the congregational churches
in England were ust awakening to the
subject 1.-THE churches generally in G.
Britain and the United States should en-
gage in this concert would it be possible
for the rulers of either country to declare
war against the other When this con-
cert of prayer has been established in the
United States and Great Britain, it is rea-
sonabIe to expect that the evangelical
churches on the continent of Europe will
Join in it, and indeed all over the world,
christians Of every sect would be praying
for deliverance from the scourge of war
Who, that has any faith in the efficacy Of
prayer, can doubt for moment that these
prayers would be answered, not only be-
cause God has promised to answer prayer,
but the very fact, that christians every
where were. generally engaged in a con-
: cert of prayer for the abolition of war,
would cast such damp on the spirit of
war as would extinguish it. Christian
rulers would not dare to declare war,
when they saw the best part of their sub
jects engaged in prayer against it. War
would beg in to be considered as Sln-a
relic of ban barism, and would be abandon
ed by all christian and civilized people,
do not deny, that disputes may still be
likely to arise among commercial, chris
tian, nations; but war never was, and new
er will be necessary to settle them, any
more than boxing and duelling are neces-
sary to settle disputes between individuals
A love of glory has been the chief cause of
war; and revenge and retaliation have
been the justifying principles by which
wars have been defended. As soon as ma
tons give up the love of glory and of re-
lenge, they can as easil Y find some PEACE
f able method of settling their difficulties, as
professors Of religion find sCme way to Set
. tie difficulties in the church, without re-
sorting to personal violence. Arbitration
or congress of nations, might take the
place Of war, and christians would wonder
that they had ever countenanccd the dia-
tolical custom. Let christians inculcatc
the principles Of peace, and labor and pray
for the abolition Of war, and they may
safely leave it TO the men Of the world tt
I find sc me way TO settle national diffic ulties
, | am no advocate for an union Ct church
and state. Let christians, as christians
show the sin and wickedness of war: anC
when rulers find some proper substitute
f for it, let them help it by their prayers anc
by their influence
} The effect ofthe abolition of war would BE-
} great and glorious; virtue would flourish
> learning and religion would go hand il
hand the chain of the slave would he
| broken intenperance would hide he
blushing head the Sabbath would be OBJ
served moral reform would advance =
! swearing and duelling would 90 out O
t fashion and theft, robbery, and murde
s would seldom be heard of The mouths
? Of infdels would be stopped, for the proph
e ecies would be fulfilled and the precerts o
Christ would universally prevail. Th,
, truth of the christian religion would b.
i universally acknowledged, and every on
s would be anxious to spread its benign in
fuence all over the world. All objec
= tons of the Jews against the christian re
Il }igion, drawn from the belligerent charac
n ter of protesting christians, would be re
O moved. They would see that the Prince
e of Peace has already appeared in tn
| world, and it is in vain for them to look 70
f. another Mahomedans would admire tn
d wondrous change and open their hearts tt
It receive the gospel. and heathens wouI'
s send to US for missionaries and the Bible
e And when the vast expenses OF war SHOULD
IS be turned into the treasury Of the Lord
1t missionaries and Bibles could be easil,
furnished for the whole world.
s. But how is this great change to be ef
At fected? The means are simple-as sim
e pie as those Of the temperance cause.
s. is so simple, that it is difficult to make mel
lie believe that so great cure can be per
te formed by so simple means. They ar
It. like the S yran general, who could not be
l. lieve that bare obedience to the direction
is of the prophet wash and be Clean
st could cure his leprosy. He looked 70
is some great thing. Let every christian
d wash in the fountain ofpeace, and the Ter
d ROSY OF war would soon leave the world