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of conquest is ajnt > n £ the most atrocious of crimes 5 thai the thirst for military giory is inhuman , and ruinous ; and that the true dignity and happiness of a people result irom impartial justice towards all nations , and the spirit and virtues of peace . Various facts and considerations have
conspired in exciting a hope , that a change tfiHV be effected in public sentiment , and a more happy state of society introduced . It is evidently the design and tendency of the gospel , to subdue the lusts and passions * lrom which wars and fightings originate ; -and encouragement is . given that a time trill come when the nations will learn war
no more . We believe that a great majority of the people in every civilized country , when free from the delusions of party passioits and prejudices , have such au aversion to public hostilities , that they would rejoice , if any plan could be devised which would hoth secure their rights and absolve them from the burdens and sufferings of
war . A late treaty of peace has suggested the practicability of such a plan , and given us an admirable lesson on the subject . We now see , that when two governments are inclined to peaces , they can make some friendly power the umpire and last resort , for settling points of controversy . Yot
this ray © f pacific light we are grateful * and we hope that it will be like " the shining light which slutieth more and more unto the perfect day . " This hope is strengthened by reflecting on the animating fact , that the horrid custom of private tears , which for ages desolated Europe , was &naUy abolished by a similar project .
Besides , it is clear that every popular ¦ custom must depend on public opinion ; and we also know , from history , that many customs and usages , which were formerly considered as honourable , useful and even necessary , have since been abolished as inhuman and barbarous , and are now regarded with detestation and horror .
To ttte list of encouraging facts we may add , that by their late dreadful sufferings , the attention of the ¦ European nations is unusually excited to the guilt and miseries of war ; and with joy we iiave learned that Peace Societies have been proposed , if not already established , on the other side of the Atlantic . These things not only en- »
courage our hearts and strengthen our hands , but preclude the objection which might arise , that it is dangerous to cultivate t * ie spirit of peace in one nation , whilst others retain " the' spirit of war . A co-operation in different countries is
Joyfully anticipated ^ in , this ; great work of promoting peace on earth and good ~ will * among men . ., . , : above all other sources of encourage tnent , rwe contemplate the . benevolent ^ chafuctfsr 4 > f on *? heuvcaiy Fathe * : , as tfoplftped
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m the gospel of his belove 4 Son . w \» there behold him as " the God of peace , ' * and w ; e have a cheering hope that he will own and prosper a society of peace-makers . It is well known that- a diversity of sentiment has existed among Christians on the question , whether war be not in all
cases prohibited by the gospel * But we intend that this society shall be established on principles so broad , as to embrace the friends of peace who differ on this as welj as 011 other subjects * . We wash to promote the cause of pence by methods which all Christians must approve—by exhibiting with till clearness and distinctness the
pacific nature of the gospel , and by turuiug the attention of the community to the nature , spirit , causes and effects of war . We hope that by the concurrence of the friends of peace in all nations , and by the gradual illumination of the Christian
world , a pacific spirit may be communicated to governments , and that , in this way , the v occasions of war , and the belief of its necessity , will be constantly diimnishing , till it shall 5 e regarded by all Christians with the same Jiorror with
winch w e now look back on the exploded and barbarous customs of former agesr . On these principles and with these hopes we adopt the following Akti ci * e » . I . The name of this society shall be The Massach \{ sctt * Peace Society *
II . The government of this society shall consist of a president , a vice-president , a treasurer-, a recording secretary , a corresponding secretary , and six trustees , wba shall be annually chosen , three of whom shall constitute" a quorum . III . The funds of the society shall be under the ; direction of the trustees , to be
employed for the diffusion of light on the subject of war , and m cultivation the principles and spirit of peace . The trustee * shall have power to appoint an executive committee , and counsellers to advise with the corresponding secretary , and to make regulation * for the dispatch of business . IV . Each Subscriber of one dollar annually diall be & member .
V * Kach * ubscriherof ' ifcwentyrfiT 0 di » llaii shall ba a member for life . . VI . All donations to the society : shall U > recorded ; and ewry donor ot fifty dbllw * or upwards , shall be au honorary membtf of the society and of the board of trustee * VU ., Eacb member of the society shall
receive one toalf his annual subscrip tion m « uch books or tracts as the trustees shall approve , ' and at the lowest prices of the so-« Usty ^ V ' VIII . The annual meeting ; of th « eocwt f shall be on a the ^ ust T hurray in 0 > W yenrt * at iWhiohiiO |« e i ? t ^ t > T ta « tiali be ** w * bf the tmriitkee * s « ti 44 re « 3 j 0 ir ^ ij > ' ' " "
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934 Jtfr . Scargill en Amerttan Peace Socidtif .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1816, page 334, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2453/page/26/
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