of offering human sacrifices which was ever adopted by pagans or savages, and that, like all other sanguinary customs, its very existence depends on its popularity. Consequently, every thing which tends to render the custom popular, tends to multiply the crimes and miseries of mankind; and every thing which tends to diminish its popularity, tends to lessen the aggregate of crime and wo. The ladies should also consider, that every smile of approbation which is given by them to military murder, may be the occasion of death to some surviving brother, or of dishonour to some fair sister; and that the consequences of such indiscretion may eventually recoil upon themselves and involve them or their offsprings in wretchedness, in famy and despair. Having their minds duly impressed with these considerations, they should set their faces against war, as the most horrible of all customs which have been handed down from ages of savage ignorance and barbarity; and resolve to employ all their influence to render it as disreputable, as it is wicked and destructive. The ladies of rank and intelligence should take the lead in this work, and diffuse through every class of females correct sentiments on this subject. Mothers should inspire their daughters with the most perfect abhorrence of this cruel custom, and teach them to treat with decided disapprobation every appearance of a disposition in men to boast of their heroism in shedding human blood, or to make light of the crimes and havoc of war. They should imbue the minds of their sons with sentiments of humanity, love and tenderness towards all mankind, and excite in them a just detestation of every species of cruelty and barbarity. Let them also be taught to pity the unhappy beings who are deprived of the natural rights of men and doomed to spend their days amidst the contagious vices of the camp, or in ships of war or to employ their powers for the destruction of one another. And let poth sons and daughters be taught to admire the heroism of men who hazard their reputation and their lives, and who employ their time, their powers and their property, in relieving the distresses and promoting the happiness of their fellow-beings. Let them moreover be taught to regard with horror mingled with pity those deluded men who wantonly plunge nations into war, or who seek to aggrandize themselves by destroying or oppressing others. If mothers perceive in their children a disposition to admire the wonderful exploits of such men as Alexander the great, or the fatal splendour which delusion has thrown around such desolating barbarians, they should correct the errour, by bringing to view the unspeakable misery which such men have occasioned in the world; what multitudes of wives they have made widows, what multitudes of children they have made fatherless, or murdered in childhood; how many tender parents they have bereaved of their sons-how the people of whole towns, cities or provinces have been either wantonly butchered, or reduced to beggary and wo. Such military monsters should be represented to children, as bearing a striking resemblance to their "father, the devil," being like him the tormentors and destroyers of mankind. All women professing godliness should take a decided and active part; remembering that a "meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price." This spirit they should inculcate both by precept and example; discountenancing in their children and in others every propensity to cruelty, revenge or war. How shocking to hear a christian woman narrating with pleasure the inhuman butcheries committed by her husband, her father, or her son! If she has reason to respect her husband, her father or her son, let it appear that she also deplores the delusion which has led many valuable men to call evil good and to regard the business of manslaughter as an honourable employment. If she has at all occasion to mention the sanguinary deeds of her relations, let it ever be done with tears of regret, and not with the exultation of an unreflecting savage. By thirty years of faithful and united exertions on the part of females in Christendom, war might lose all it fascinating charms, and be regarded by the next generation with more abhorrence than the people of the present age look back on the gladiatorial combats of Rome, the papal crusades, or the flames of martyrdom. Then every well informed man, who shall desire the approbation of the ladies, or be in pursuit of a virtuous wife, will know, that military decorations and boasting of sanguinary exploits, are as little adapted to recommend him, as a pres'ent of human scalps, or of garments died in the blood of murdered men. "Go then, ah go, whate'er thy lot, Thy neighbours and thy friends inspire; United lift the ardent prayer That God thy ruin'd race may spare, Protract of life the little span, And change the reasoning wolf to man." * LETTER III. I ONCE more address you on the all-important subject. To the honour of the ladies of this age it is already on record, that they have formed many Societies for benevolent purposes such as the relief of the sick and indigent, the education of orphans and other children, the dissemi *These lines with very little alteration have been borrowed from GREENFIELD HILL. nation of the scriptures, and the conversion of the Jews and the Heathens. These are noble objects, and the benefits of such institutions will not be limited to those on whom the benefactions are bestowed. "God loves the cheerful giver." "It is more blessed to give than to receive;" and such institutions have a powerful tendency to improve the hearts of those who are truly engaged in promoting them. But christian ladies should never be weary in well-doing. The field of benevolent exertion is large enough to afford ample employment for all their faculties and all their means. It may also be observed, that to prevent calamity is as really an object of benevolence as to relieve existing wants and distresses. When, therefore, we contemplate the awful amount of wretchedness which has been occasioned by war, and the extensive influence which females may have in preventing the recurrence of such lamentable scenes, it may with confidence be asked-What object is more deserving of their attention, or for what better purpose can they associate their influence and exertions, than that of preserving peace and preventing their brethren from destroying one another? Females have often been applauded for their kind attentions to wounded soldiers. It is now proposed for them to exert their influence for preventing such wounds. They have been praised for what they have done to disseminate the gospel of peace; and will they not aid in the attempt to abolish a custom which has in a great degree subverted the influence of the gospel even where it has been enjoyed? They have done considerable for the conversion of the Jews and the Heathens; and will they not aid in removing one of the greatest obstacles to such conversions? How can they reasonably expect that either the Jews or the Mahometans or the Heathens will embrace the Christian faith while Christians themselves are hardly more distinguished for any thing than a barbarous skill and bravery in destroying one another! and while military glory is permitted to eclipse the glory of doing good, the glory of the gospel, the glory of the Prince of Peace and even the glory of Jehovah! It behoves the ladies to consider that by far the greater part of the people called Christians have as much need of being converted to a practical faith in the peaceful principles of the Messiah, as either the Jews, the Mahometans, or the Heathens. Unless something should be done to bring war into disrepute, it will frequently and inevitably occur; and probably it will be but a few years before our country will again be engaged in some bloody and disastrous game. With what nation, or for what professed object it will be commenced, we know not; nor can we foresee the extent of the mischiefs which it will occasion, nor how it will terminate. But should a war occur as distressing to our country as the recent wars have been to some of the provinces of Europe, what will be the feelings of such ladies as shall have declined any seasonable exertions to prevent the calamity? What anxiety and distress, what dishonour and despair await thousands of your fair sisters in case of such a war! And how will their affliction be aggravated if it be accompanied with this bitter reflection, that they refused to do any thing to prevent such evils? When bereaved of their husbands, their sons or their brothers; or when they shall witness such revolting scenes as have been described by Labaume and other historians, will they not wish, but wish in vain, that they had seasonably shown a proper abhorrence of the murderous custom ? Men have long been so bewildered as to seek for glory and immortality in the work of havoc and destruction. This glory, however, is doomed to perish, and this kind of immortality will have an end. The conquerors of nations, the destroyers of their species, will be hurled from the seats which an infatuated world has given them in the temple of fame. Their names and their deeds will be re |