natural tendency and actually does weaken their kind and tender feelings, and harden their hearts.

Is it not a fact, that those who are engaged in the spirit of war, either in the council or in the field, are not usually so meek, lowly, kind and tender hearted as other men? Does the soldier usually become kind and tender hearted while trained to the art of killing his fellow man, or more so when engaged in the heat of the battle, stepping forward over the wounded, and hearing the groans of the expiring? Does he actual. ly put on bowels of tenderness, mercy and forgiveness, while he bathes his sword in the blood of his brother? Do these scenes generally change the Lion into the Lamb? On the contrary, do not the history of ages, and the voice of millions bear tes timony, that the whole trade of war has a natural tendency to blunt the tender edge of mercy, and chill all the sympathizing feelings of the human heart?

Who that is a parent, that has an uncommon hard hearted and unfeeling son, would send him into the camp to subdue his inhumanity, and to stamp upon him kind and tender feelings?

If war has not a natural tendency to harden the heart, permit me to enquire why mankind do not usually feel as much at the distress occasioned by war, as by other calamities?

It would be truly astonishing, was it not so common, to see with what composure the generality of mankind hear the account of barbarous and destructive battles. They may have some little excitement

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when they hear of savages, whose religion teaches them revenge, using the tomahawk and scalping-knife; but when thousands are torn to pieces with shot and shells, and butchered with polished steels, then it becomes a very polite and civil business, and those who perish are contemplated as only reclining on a bed of honour.

If an individual in common life providentially breaks a bone, or fractures a limb, all around him more or less feel the wound, and not only sympathize, but are ready to aid in alleviating his distress; but when thousands are slain, and ten thousands wounded in the field of battle, the shock is but trifling, and the feelings are soon lost in admiring the gallantry of this Hero, and the prowess of that Veteran.

And why all this sensibility at the pains of an individual, and all this indifference at the sufferings of thousands, if war has not a natural tendency to harden the heart and destroy the tender feelings of mankind?

It is a fact, however, so notorious that the spirit and practice of war do actually harden the heart, and chill the kind and tender feelings of mankind, that I think few will be found to deny it, and none who have ever known or felt the spirit of Christ.

The spirit of war must be very unlike the spirit of the gospel, for the gospel enforces no duty, the practice of which has a natural tendency to harden men's hearts, but in proportion as they are influenced by its spirit and actuated by its principles, they will be hu

mane; therefore, if war hardens men's hearts it is not a christian duty, and of course it cannot be right for christians to engage in it.

2 War is inhuman, as in its nature and tendency it abuses God's animal creation.

When God at first created man, he gave him authority over the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the deep.

After he had swept away the old ungodly world of mankind for their violence with all the animal creation, except those in the ark, he was pleased to renew to Noah the same previlege of being lord over the animal world.

It may not perhaps be improper here to digress a little and remark, that this appears to have been the original bounds of man's authority; that of having dominion only over the animal world, and not over his fellow man. It appears that God reserved to himself the government of man whom he originally created in his own image.

From which it may be inferred, that man has no lawful authority for governing his fellow man, except, as the special executor of divine command, and that no government can be morally right, except that which acknowledges and looks up to God as the supreme head and governor.

But to return, although, the animal world is put under the dominion of man for his use, yet he has no authority to exercise cruelty towards it. "For the

merciful man regardeth the life of his beast." God is very merciful to his creatures, he not only hears the young ravens when they cry, but he opens his hand and supplies the wants of the cattle upon a thousand hills.

Though God has decorated the earth with beauty, and richly clothed it with food for man and beast, yet, where an all devouring army passes, notwithstanding, the earth before them is like the gar den of Eden, it is behind them a desolate wilderness; the lowing ox, and bleating sheep may cry for food; but alas! the destroyer hath destroyed it.

The noble horse which God has made for the use and pleasure of man, shares largely in this desolating evil. He is often taken without his customary food to run with an express, until exhausted by fatigue, he falls lifeless beneath his rider. Multitudes of them are,chained to the harness with scanty food, and goaded forward to drag the baggage of an army and the thundering engine of death, until their strengh has failed, their breath exhausted, and the kindness they then receive is the lash of the whip or the point of a spear.

In such scenes the comfort of beasts is not thought of, except by a selfish owner, who fears the loss of his property.

But all this is trifling, compared with what these noble animals, who tamely how to the yoke of man, suffer in the charge of the battle; the horse rushes into the combat not knowing that torture and death

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are before him. His sides are often perforated with the spur of his rider, notwithstanding he exerts all his strength to rush into the heat of the battle, while the strokes of the sabres, and the wounds of the bullets lacerate his body, and instead of having God's pure air to breathe to alleviate his pains, he can only snuff up the dust of his feet, and the sulpherous smoke of the cannon, emblem of the infernal abode. Thus he has no ease for his pains unless God commissions the bayonet or the bullet to take away his life.

But if such is the cruelty to beasts in prosecuting war, what is the cruelty to man born for immortality? No wonder that those who feel so little for their fellow men, should feel less for beasts.

If war is an inhuman and cruel employment, it must be wrong for christians to engage in it.

3. War is inhuman, as it oppresses the poor.

To oppress the poor is every tures considered as a great sin.

where in the scrip"For the oppression

of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise saith the Lord." "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself and not be heard." "What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of hosts."

The threatnings against those who oppress the poor, and the blessings pronounced upon those who plead their cause are very numerous in the scriptures. The threatnings are so tremendous and aw