distinguished usefulness, to a state of debility, inaction, pain, and anguish, without the hope of recovery or speedy termination, was no ordinary trial. It was a furnace uncommonly heated. And this state she long endured with a patience and submission, a faith and hope, a calmness and fortitude, rarely to be met with-such as exhibit in a high degree and an impressive manner the power and consolations beth of christianity and the spirit and grace of God. Not a word of complaint or repining was uttered by her; and whenever the subject of her trials was mentioned, she would bring to view the goodness and mercy of God to her, which, she said, far exceeded her sufferings and her powers of thankfulness. Until the last year of her life she took an interest in the ordinary affairs of her family, ask ing information and giving directions. The reason she assigned for this attention was, it appear ed to gratify her children and to keep a little out of their view her approaching dissolution, which they could not realize without extreme affliction. In tenderness to them she did not express her own despair of recovery for more than two years. It is but justice to mention, that Mrs. Thoreau possessed a happy faculty of self-command. She She was indeed very sensible to causes of joy and grief, to kindness and injury, yet she was always apparently composed and never, perhaps, "spake unadvisedly with her lips." The nearer she approached the solemn hour of dying, the stronger was her faith and the brighter were her future prospects. She pretended to no triumph of faith, but her hope was "as an anchor to her soul, both sure and stedfast," which diffused through her whole mind inexpressible peace and tranquillity, and to observing friends, seemed in a wonderful manner to bring heaven down to earth. Her hope was founded on the mercy of God through the mediation and atonement of Jesus Christ, and she was not only willing, but desirous to depart and to be with her Lord. On the last Sabbath in May, 1814, in the fifty first year of her age, she quietly fell asleep in full expectation of a glorious resurrection to life eternal. Thus lived and thus died one of the most excellent, beloved and lamented of women. It is natural to remark, that christianity exemplified in the extremes of prosperity and adversity, seldom fails to arrest attention, to encourage the hearts and excite the admiration of the virtuous; and it often commands the approbation and respect of the vicious. Being exhibited in its own native simplicity and beauty, it must appear lovely, for its origin is heavenly and its fruit beneficent and useful. Christianity is frequently to be seen in a very engaging manner in persons placed in retired conditions of life, whose peculiar trials call for the exercise of every christian grace and virtue, and give them favorable opportunities to manifest the power of godliness and the supports and consolations of religion. Sketches of the lives of such ehristians may be encourag ing and quickening to many readers who had no personal acquaintance with them. The charms of the portrait may animate to an imitation of the orig. inal. With hopes of such happy effects, we have offered some leading features in the character of Mrs. Thoreau, whose religion was uncommonly enlightened, pure and effectual. Let us imitate her heavenly life, that we may resemble her in a peaceful death. PRIVATE WARS UNDER FROM the days of Constantine the custom of national wars became popular among christians, and God gave them blood to drink. The barbarous tribes of the north of Europe were permitted to overturn the Roman empire and to spread carnage and desolation in every quarter. Having in a great measure exterminated the former inhabitants, they took possession of the land and divided it, according to their pleasure. These conquerors established what has been called the feudal system. A multitude of military leaders acquir ed large possessions, assumed titles of dignity, and each had a number of vassals or dependants under his control. These lordly barons severally assumed the power of avenging wrongs, or insults by private war. If one considered himself as injured by another, the business was settled by blood. The injured person was allowed to be his own judge as to the measure of vengeance to be inflicted, in case he proved successful. All the vassals and all the relations of each of the combatants were regarded as concerned in the war, and obliged to fight, or ex • Robertson's Charles V, vol. i. p. 23. THE FEUDAL SYSTEM. posed to suffer. As provocations were frequent, these private wars became so numerous and so continual, that they threatened the depopulation of the country. These barbarous nations professedly embraced the christian religion. They "changed the object, not the spirit of their religion. They endeavored to conciliate the favor of the true God by means not unlike to those which they had employed to appease their false deities. Instead of aspiring to sanctity and vir tue-they imagined that they satisfied every obligation of duty, by a scrupulous observance of external ceremonies."* With such views of religion, they might feel safe, while they indulged every passion which the gospel was designed to subdue. The clergy of those dreadful times adopted the custom, "claimed and exercised the right of private war." In some instances it was thought indecent for them to fight in person. In such cases they employed champions to fight for them. "But on many occasions the martial ideas to which ecclesiastics of noble birth were accustomed, made them forget the pacific spirit of their profession, and led them into the field at the head of their vassals."* Not only public insults, and such crimes as civilized nations regard as capital, but disputes relating to property, were made the grounds of these private wars, and decided by the sword. After the custom was established among the men of eminence, it was claimed and supported as a natural right. Laws were made determining the extent to which the relatives of the parties should be regarded as concerned in the wars. At one period all were included who fell within the seventh degree of affinity. Thus a multitude of innocent relations, as well as vassals and tenants, were exposed to destruction by the animosity of two ungodly gentlemen; and these "private wars were carried on with all the destructive rage which is to be dreaded from violent resentment when armed with force and sanctioned by law."+ The havoc made by this warfare, became at length so great, that kings and clergymen raised their voices to put an end to the custom. Various expedients were adopted, which had but a temporary effect. The edicts of kings a gainst the custom, were regarded by the barons as infringements of their natural rights. Several councils of the clergy issued decrees to put an end to the carnage. One council decreed, that any one who should thus transgress, should be denied christian privileges while he lived, and christian burial after his death. This however was insufficient. In A.D. 1032, a bishop of Aquitaine said, "that an angel had appeared to him, and brought a writing from heaven, enjoining men to cease from their hostili ties." This proclamation happened to be made "in a time of public calamity, and the effect was so great, that a general peace ensued for seven years. This was called the truce of God." But the custom was afterwards revived, and became so intolerable, that the nobles were induced to enter "into voluntary associations, binding themselves to refer all matters of dispute, whether concerning civil proper. ty or points of honor, to the determination of the majority of the associates." This bloody custom was continued in Europe, from the seventh to the eleventh century. It was adopted in Britain, the land of our forefathers, and was continued till the time of William the Norman. By this custom the ferocity of the Goths and Vandals became associated with the papal church, and naturally augmented the evils introduced by the reign of Constantine. It may be proper to remark, that these private wars were not a substitute for public or national hostilities. When a nation was invaded, the private wars were laid aside, and these petty tyrants combined against the common fue.. * Robertson's Charles V, p. 217, note. It may now be asked, what profit may we derive from this portion of history? And from a custom which was long since abolished? 1. We may learn something + Ibid. p. 218. of the detestable character of the custom of public war, which is now popular among christian nations. Those private wars were public wars in miniature. The barons had as good a right to declare private war, and to expose all their dependants and connexions to death or misery as the rulers of nations have thus to expose whole communities of a larger size. What rational argument can now be brought in support of public wars, or the conduct of rulers in waging them, which might not have been urged in former ages in favor of private wars and the conduct of the barons? Do any now plead that the custom of public war is necessary and a natural right? Thus the barons vindicated their eustom, and with equal reason. And had it been a popular custom for several centuries, for mechanics and farmers to decide their petty disputes by bloody combats, with axes, the custom might now have been supported as necessary, just, and honorable, with the same propriety that the barons vindicated their conduct, or that the rulers of nations may be vindicated, in waging public wars. Every man of common sense can now see, that the custom of private wars was much more calculated to multiply and aggravate offences and wrongs, than it was to diminish their number or procure redress. It is precisely so with the custom of national wars. Had not the rulers of nations contrived to shift off the dangers and calamities of war from themselves, and to cast the Foad of evils upon their unef fending subjects, the custom of war would long ago have been abolished. 2. We may see a possibility that a sanguinary custom of long standing may lose its popularity, and become an object of general abhorrence to posterity. Where is the christian or the civilized man, who can read the history of private wars without being shocked at the delusion and maď. ness, which gave popularity to such a savage custom, among men professing the christian religion! We are amazed that they could think such a monstrous custom consistent with the spirit of the gospel or the dictates of reason and common sense. In the same manner, it is believed, future generations will be affected in reading the history of the public wars of our age. 3. The history of private wars not only shows the possibility that public wars may cease; but it affords ground to hope that such will be the case; and suggests the way in which the event may be brought about. The remonstrances made by the united voice of the clergy against private wars could not fail to have considerable influence in leading men to reflect on the abominable injustice of the custom. If the declaration of one revered bishop, that he had received a writing from heaven, requiring a cessation of hostilities, could have so powerful an effect as to produce a peace for seven years; something surely may be done by the united endeavors on the part of the clergy of our age, in showing the palpable opposition there is between the war spirit and the spirit required in those writings which they all have received from heaven. We may add, The evils of private war became so intolerable that the barons were induced to form associations, binding themselves to submit their disputes to the decision of a majority of the associates. By such associations the custom was laid aside. Now, what should hin der the rulers of nations from imitating this wise example? Have not the calamities of war been sufficiently felt by them? If not, let them in future bear their own war expenses, and fight their own battles, till they are compelled to feel the calamities of war, and to form associations to put an end to their inhuman and sanguinary custom. GIBBON'S ACCOUNT OF EARLY CHRISTIANS. "THE humble christians were sent into the world as sheep among wolves; and since they were not permitted to employ force, even in defence of their religion, they should still be more criminal if they were tempted to shed the blood of their fellow creatures in disputing the vain privileges or the sordid possessions of this transitory life. Faithful to the doctrine of the apostle, who in the reign of Nero had preached the duty of unconditional submission. The christians of the three first centuries preserved their conscience pure and innocent of the guilt of secret conspiracy or open rebellion. While they experienced the rigor of persecution, they were never provoked either to meet their tyrants in the field, or indignantly to withdraw themselves into some remote and sequestered corner of the globe. The protestants of France, of Rome, of Germany, and of Britain, who asserted with such intrepid courage their civil and religious freedom, have been insulted by the invidious comparison between the primitive and the reformed christians.” EXTRACTS FROM HILLARY, A bishop who lived in the fourth century. "Iris a thing equally deplorable and dangerous, that there are as many creeds as opinions,and as many sources of blasphemy as there are faults among us, because we make creeds arbitrarily, and explain them as arbitrarily. The Homoousian is rejected, and renewed and explained away by successive synods. The partial or total resemblance of the Father and Son, is a subject of dis |