Having never before heard, or not remembering the facts referred to, I had a desire for further information; but knew not from what quarter it could be obtained. Unsolicited, however, and unexpectedly the intelligence soon came, by a letter from a gentleman in Pennsylvania, who was acquainted with Warner Mifflin. From his account the following concise statement will be given :-The battle of Germantown happened on the day of the Yearly Meeting of the Quakers in Philadelphia. In the time of the battle these friends of peace were engaged in prayer that divine protection might be granted to the city and the people, and in preparing to renew their testimony against the spirit of war. While James Thornton was writing their testimony, the cannon shook the house where they were assembled, and the air was darkened by the smoke of the guns. Warner Mifflin undertook the service of communicating the testimony to General Washington and General Howe. To perform this duty he had to walk in blood, and among the dead bodies of those who had fallen in battle. He performed the service with great freedom and intrepidity. In the conversation with General Washington he said expressly, "I am opposed to the revolution and to all changes of government which occasion war and bloodshed.”

After General Washington was elected President of the United States, Warner Mifflin went to visit him at New York, and was treated by the President with kindness and respect. In the course of the interview the President recollected what Mifflin had said to him at Germantown, and thus addressed him- Mr. Mifflin, will you please to inform me on what principles you were opposed to the revolution ?” Mifflin answered Yes, friend Washington, upon the same principles that I should be opposed to a change in this government, all that ever was gained by revolutions are not an adequate compensation to the poor mangled soldier for the loss of life or limb." After some pause and reflection, the President replied "Mr. Mifflin, I honor your sentiments; there is more in that than mankind have generally considered."

FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MASS. PEACE SOCIETY.

On occasions like this, religion demands a grateful recognition of human dependence on Divine power and. benignity. Jehovah is to be acknowledged as the prime Mover and Founder, as well as the gracious Protector and Benefactor, of all Beneficent Institutions.

Impressed with these sentiments, the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Peace Society proceed to make their Annual Report. In performing this duty they propose to take a brief retrospect of the origin of the Society and its annual progress; and then exhibit some facts and considerations adapted to invigorate the hopes and the zeal of all who desire the peace of the world.

It is now four years since twenty two brethren of different denominations gave their signatures to the Constitution of this Society. Many of them will long remember the appalling obstacles which were then presented to their minds, and the concern with which they resolved to encounter the host of prejudices in favor of war as a necessary and irremediable evil. But before the close of the year they had distributed 4820 Tracts, and the number of members had increased to 173.

In 1817 they distributed 5870 Tracts, and at the close of the year the Society comprised 304 members.

In 1818, the third year of the Society, 8298 Tracts were distributed of which 4785 were copies of the Friend of Peace. The same year six Auxiliary or Branch Societies were formed and reported: including these the whole number of members at the end of the year was upwards of 550. In the course of 1819 the distribution of Tracts has amounted to 16,149—of which 7360 have been copies of the Friend of Peace.

The distribution has extended to nearly all the United States and the British Provinces in America-to Great Vol. II. No. 7.

2

Britain, France, and Russia in Europe, to India, and to the Sandwich Islands.

Besides the Tracts which have been circulated at the immediate expense of the Society, an edition of 2000 copies of the last Annual Address was published for sale by Messrs. Wells and Lilly. This measure was proposed by the Committee on account of the deficiency of funds at the commencement of the year, and on the presumption that the Address would in this way be extensively circulated. It may also be remarked with gratitude, that since the first edition of the Sermon on War at the expense of this Society, the New England Tract Society have published three editions of that work, 6000 copies each, in the form of a Tract, and the greater part of the last edition has been sold or distributed. To these items may be added, that, besides several hundred smaller Tracts, 5900 copies of the Friend of Peace have been sold to Peace Societies in other states and to individuals who were disposed to disseminate pacific principles.

The Society has been increased in the last year by 83 individual members and six additional Auxiliary Societies. The whole number of subscribers to the original Society is 547 To the twelve Branches

Making a total of

385

882

Of the 12 Auxiliaries, S are in New Hampshire, 8 in Massachusetts, and 1 in Connecticut. Several of them have held their Annual Meetings.*

* The following are the Auxiliaries, arranged according to their respect.ve dates.

It is presumed that there are also a considerable number of subscribers, whose names have not been reported to the Committee. But the Society has to lament the death of more than twenty valuable members One of whom, justly respected, led in our devotional exercises on the last Anniversary. Another, still more recently called, had for many years occupied the chair of the First Magistrate in this Commonwealth-and from whom a letter, approving the objects of the Society, was received but a few weeks before his decease† We have also to condole with the Peace Society of Maine in the loss of their worthy President, the Rev. Dr. Appleton. Similar occurrences are still to be expected, and these admonitory events should conduce to the greater activity of surviving members.

During the past year many interesting letters have been received from which it is evident that the Tracts of the Society have not been distributed in vain,—that the friends of peace are multiplying in the United States and in other countries. The letters from Ceylon, which were published in the sixteenth Number of the Friend of Peace, evince that the objects of the Society have able and ardent advocates in India. These letters were accompanied with a donation of $25,00, from J. N. Mooyaart Esq. a worthy magistrate and distinguished philanthropist. Presuming that the measure would be approved by the Society, the Executive Committee returned to India, in Tracts, the whole amount of the donation-one half to the disposal of the donor, the other to the disposal of the American Missionaries.

It would be gratifying to the Committee were they able to give a more full account of other Peace Societies in this country and in Great Britain. They can only state that, from the information received, there are now in this country, besides the Massachusetts Peace Society, and its twelve Auxiliaries, 15 Peace Societies in the United States: one in Maine, one in Rhode Island, five in New York, one in North Carolina, five in Ohio, and two in Indiana.

• Rev. Joshua Huntington,

† Hon. Caleb Strong,

The Committee have been disappointed in not receiving more recent information from the Society in London for Promoting permanent and universal Peace. The latest intelligence from this important Institution, was by the Herald of Peace, for April 1819. But from their Second Annual Report. June 1818, we are assured that this Society was then in a prosperous state; that it had several Anxiliaries in different parts of the kingdom; and that, besides the annual subscriptions, they had received donations amounting to more than 950 dollars. And according to a statement in the Herald of Peace for March 1819, the receipts of the Society for eight months, subsequent to the Second Report, had amounted to upwards of 900 dollars.

An excellent Address of the Glasgow Peace Society, bearing date March 12, 1819, has been received, and republished in the Columbian Centinel. This Address was accompanied by the Constitution of the Society, and the names of 42 officers, including a Committee of 36 members. From what is known of the character as well as the number of the officers, it may reasonably be expected that this Society will make a powerful impression in Scotland.

In October, 1818, a monthly work was established at Glasgow, entitled the British Magazine and Periodical Gleaner. This is devoted to objects of philanthropy, and takes a deep interest in the cause of peace. The Herald of Peace, devoted particularly to the objects of Peace Societies, commenced its course in London last January. These publications will do much to diffuse pacific sentiments in the dominions of Great Britain, and in other countries.

Considering the recent date of the first Peace Societies and the obstacles which stood in their way, their progress has been greater than could have been reasonably anticipated. It must however be acknowledged, that very little has yet been effected, when compared with what remains to be done. Should it be asked, why has so little been accomplished? a satisfactory answer may be given in the words of Dr. Chalmers. In reply to an objection against the expense of Bible Societies in Great Britain, he observes