And virtue's plaudits ever will be yours.

-Oh! where is he, whom Nature's presence warms,
Whose heart has felt the magic of her chrms,

Who loves joy's sparkling smile, and can bestow

A pitying tear on misery and wo

Who e'er has seen, and; unconcern'd; survey'd
The dreadful wrecks which War's rude hand has made ?
Creation's beauties ravag'd and forlorn-

The ties which sweeten life asunder torn-
Towns wrapp'd in flames-in mutual strife expire
The sinful children of one common Sire!

Yet, Friends of Peace! hastes on that glorious hour,
When the wide world shall own Emanuel's power.
Great PRINCE of PEACE!—and man at length behold
That time, by Prophets and by bards foretold,
When Sin, the dreadful source whence War has birth,
Shall with her train be banish'd from the earth.

Oh if to me were harp prophetic lent,
Like that o'er which the Royal Minstrel bent,
Wher from on high the bright and hallow'd flame
Of inspiration, like a whirlwind, came-
When Israel's sorrows sigh'd along the string,
Or swell'd the triumps of her promis'd King-
Then might I emulate the mighty strain,
Which swept at midnight o'er Judea's plain-
That hymn celestial, whose soft cadence stole,
In soothing sweetness, on the shepherd's soul-
When joyful Seraphs hail'd the Saviour's birth,
With glorious prophecy of PEACE ON EARTH! AMICUS.

NOTICE TO AGENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE M. P. SOCIETY.

Copies of the Friend of Peace for the Members of the Massachusetts Peace Society will be regularly left at the Book Store of WEST, RICHARDSON, & LORD, in Cornhill, Boston, directed to the Agents in the several towns, or individuals where no agent is appointed.

Those Members who may have omitted the payment of their annual subscriptions are respectfully reminded, that the Executive Committee proceed in the distribution of Tracts on the presumption that FRIENDS OF PEACE will be faithful to their voluntary engagements; and that the importance of the cause demands punctuality and liberal exertions.

THE

FRIEND OF PEACE.

No. II. Vol. II.

THE RIGHTS OF CESAR SUBORDINATE TO THE RIGHTS OF GOD. In the Republican Advocate for August 5th, printed at New London, an article was inserted containing remarks on "The Excuse" of some persons who had declined what is called "military duty," in which article we find the following paragraph:

Both can exist without The same Saviour who

"That Christians are not to engage in war, as such, no man in his sober senses can doubt. The kingdom of Christ and the kingdoms of this world are distinct. infringing on the rights of either. said "Render unto God the things that are God's," also said, "Render unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's.”

These are not the sentiments of the individual only, who wrote the article, but the sentiments of a great portion of Christians, perhaps, in every country. They are therefore entitled to a respectful and candid examination.

"That Christians are not to engage in war, as such" that is, as Christians, is a very important concession; and one which naturally resulted from a view of the glaring contrariety between the spirit of war and the spirit of the Messiah-between every thing which usually pertains to war and every thing in the example of the Prince of peace. But having been educated in the belief that war is a necessary and lawful calling, Christ

ians have invented this distinction-that what they cannot do as Christians, they may do as subjects of an earthly ruler.

At first view it would seem a clear case, that if a Christian cannot wage war as a Christian, he must practically renounce his Christian profession whenever he engages in that sanguinary work. Yet this conclusion is supposed to be set aside by the consideration, that he is the subject of an earthly king, as well as the subject of the King of kings, and that what he can not do as the subject of the latter, he may do as the subject of the former.

We readily grant that, in certain respects, "the kingdom of Christ is distinct from the kingdoms of this world," and that "both may exist without infringing on the rights of either." But they do not and cannot so exist when the requirements of the one interfere with the requirements of the other. If an earthly king requires of any man what the King of kings forbids, one or the other must necessarily be disobeyed. For in such a case "No man can serve two masters."

It is moreover granted, that "the same Saviour who said Render unto God the things that are God's-said also, Render unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's " But what are "the things that are Cesar's?" Most certainly Cesar has no claim to any homage or service which would imply disrespect to God, or a violation of his commands. We have then to inquire what are the commands of God to every Christian; and having ascertained the things which belong to God, we may the more clearly discern the just claims of Cesar, or of an earthly ruler.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: This is the first commandment. The second is-Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these." Hence we may safely infer, that no command of an earthly sovereign can annul these commands of the Most High, or suspend either of them for a single moment. In exact accordance with these commands our Saviour has said to all his disciples, "Love your enemies ;" and both by precept and example he has taught them not to render evil for evil, but to overcome evil with good. These commands