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He yesterday reported nearly one thousand dollars paid last year by our church to various benevolent objects, not one dollar to Peace! If providence permits me a suitable opportunity, I intend to make a solemn appeal to our church whether one tenth of this money ought not to have gone to the Peace Society." Just the right sort of a man ; and if we had only two or three such in every church, we should make sure of leavening in due time the whole Christian community with the true spirit and principles of peace. Pastors would then begin to remember Peace as well as the popu lar enterprises to which public opinion now compels attention. We know this minister, and can cheerfully add our testimony that "he is a good man;" but we must own that we are somewhat impatient to have such men come right" with as little delay as possible. We need them very much

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We are glad to find here and there a pastor spontaneously and habitually faithful to this cause. A letter, written on the same day with the foregoing by a minister in New Hampshire, says, "I have been much interested in the Peace cause for a long time, and consider it not second in importance to any other branch of Christian benevolence. It has been my aim, for some time past, to preach on the subject annually, and in some instances more than once a year. My only apology for not taking up a collection is the feeble state of my society here; but I have designed sending a pittance from my small salary to aid the Society, or, if nothing more, to pay for the Advocate. I enclose $2 as an annual donation, and would be happy, if able, to pay for the Advocate in addition."

Three days later a deacon in Connecticut, enclosed the "usual donation" from a few fast friends, adding that “Rev. G. J. T., of P ——, lately preached to us on "The fruits of the Spirit," and, in tracing out these fruits, he dwelt on our duties to the cause of Peace, &c. I could not but feel, as I listened to him, that if these people could hear a few more such discourses, there would be some addition to your list of supporters in this place." And how easy would it be for all preachers to follow the example of our friend T., even if they could not reach his ability? Is not Peace as really a part of the gospel, as any other of the topics on which they preach Sabbath after Sabbath? Well does our friend say, "Ministers have it in their power to do more than any other class to influence their fellow men in such works;" but we are sorry he should have any occasion to add, they seem generally disinclined to venture much in an unpopular cause. ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS.- Our thanks are due to our friends who have recently remembered us; but we would remind others that we need very much their aid, and trust that they will, in due time, forward at last their usual donations. We cannot call on them, nor send an agent for this purpose, but must rely on their own spontaneous remembrance of our wants, and trust we shall not rely in vain.

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THE

ADVOCATE OF PEACE.

MARCH AND APRIL, 1859.

SAFETY OF PEACE PRINCIPLES.

I. Ir is a source of special confidence to the friends of peace, that God has promised protection to those who act on the pacific principles of his gospel. Here is security enough. It is always safe to do right; and no man, or body of men, ever did their duty, and trusted God in vain. It may have seemed otherwise for a time; but it was not in vain, nor ever can be. History is full of proofs on this point; and if God has made it the duty of nations in their intercourse to put in practice the principles of peace, then may they do so in full confidence of his protection. His promises insure their safety. "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Both the New-Testament and the Old are replete with promises of divine protection to those who obey and trust God; and ever will the path of obedience to him be found a path of safety both for individuals and for nations.

This point needs little proof; but take an illustration from the Old Testament. God bade the Israelites, "thrice in a year shalt all your man-children appear before the Lord;" and he added the promise, "neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shall go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year." So the result proved; for a learned author assures us, "that the Hebrew territories remained free from invasion, while all the adult males three times every year went to the Tabernacle, or the

Temple, without leaving in their cities and villages any guard to protect them from foreign incursions; and in no instance does there appear to have been any hostile attack made upon them at such times."

The Bible is full of instances very like this; the history of God's ancient people exhibits a series of similar interpositions; nor should we, from the nature of the case, expect any other result. If he knows what is best for us, can we suppose that a God of infinite love would enjoin upon us a course of conduct fatal to our welfare? The supposition would impeach every attribute of his character. If he hath the hearts of all entirely in his hand; if he doeth his pleasure in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; if he controls every event from the falling of a sparrow to the revolutions of an empire and a world; if all his attributes are pledged for the protection of such as obey his will, and trust his promises for safety; can we doubt that he will fulfill those promises in their actual preservation from danger?

To this question, the history not only of the Israelties, but of Christian missionaries in every age, gives a most triumphant answer. They have gone forth to combat the errors and sins of a world lying in wickedness; and while assailing time-hallowed prejudices, and thus provoking both anger and revenge, they have for the most part been safe under the invisible but omnipresent and almighty protection of Him who called them to such perilous, godlike services. Look at the herald of the cross. He is far away from his native land, with no promise or hope of safety from its power; he takes up his abode in Greenland or Caffraria, ameng savages and cannibals; he has no means whatever of defence, but, like a lamb among wolves, is entirely at the mercy of men inured to blood, and steeled to compassion. Yet is the missionary safe even there. Trusting in his character, in his work, in his God, he walks unharmed, and sleeps without fear, in the midst of those whose chief business is the butchery of mankind. The warrior just returned from battle, the savage holding still in his hand the green scalps of his victims, the cannibal fresh from the taste of human flesh, all unite in spontaneous deference to the man of peace, the messenger of love from the Great Spirit to his wild, wandering children. There is no weapon of death in his hand, no word of menacé on his lips, no scowl of defiance or malce on his brow; and the rude, untutored sons of nature welcome

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