them, seem to have been regarded by the parties, as nothing more than a customary form of suspending hostilities, to take breath and recruit, with out any sincere desire of preventing future collisions, or any thought of adopting gospel principles for the avoidance of war. But the treaty now before us was formed by sovereigns who had experienced the evils of war, and who, previous to the treaty, were on terms of amity and friendship. The apparent design of their solemn covenant is, to render their peace with each other permanent; and to extend the blessings of peace, if possible, throughout the world.

Whether these sovereigns are fully aware of the extent of gospel principles and precepts, as they relate to war, may perhaps be questionable. But they appear to be convinced, that war is a dreadful evil, which they should study to avoid;-that it is time for them, as responsible rulers of nations, to adopt a different policy from that, which has for ages filled the world with war and misery-and that gospel principles afford a basis on which they may hope to enjoy more durable tranquillity.

This treaty may de unspeakable good by exciting the attention of people in general to the contrast between the principles and duties enjoined by the gospel, and the savage maxims and crimes of war. In this way it may be an important link in that chain of events, which shall finally result in the permanent peace of the Christian world.

It must be gratifying to the friends of peace in this country, to remark the eoincidence of events in favor of their beloved object. The SAME WEEK in which the MASSACHUSETTS PEACE SOCIETY was formed in Boston, the IMPERIAL PEACE SOCIETY was an. nounced in Russia.-"Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord."

Death of the Indian Prophet.

Onondaga, August 23, 1815. DIED, at the Onondaga Castle, on

the 20th inst. one of the chiefs of the Alleganies, well known through this country as the Indian Prophet.

Those who have been acquainted with the influence which this man's preaching has had upon the conduct of the Six Nations, (the Oneidas excepted) cannot but look upon his death as a severe dispensation of divine Providence. We think that a short biographical sketch of this extraordinary man cannot be unacceptable to the public.

During the first fifty years of his life he was remarkable only for his stupidity and beastly drunkenness. About thirteen years ago, while lighting his pipe, he suddenly fell back upon his bunk, upon which he was then sitting, and continued in a state of insensibility for six or eight hours; his family supposing him dead, had made preparations for laying him out, and while in the act of removing him from his bunk, he revived. His first words were, "don't be alarmed, I have seen heaven; call the nation together that I may tell them what I have seen and heard." The nation having assem bled at his house, he informed them that he had seen four beautiful young men, who had been sent from heaven by the Great Spirit and who thus addressed him "The Great Spirit is angry with you, and all the red men, and unless you immediately refrain from drunkenness, lying, sealing, &c. you shall never enter that beautiful place which we will now show you." He stated that he was then conducted by these young men to the gate of heaven, which was opened, but he was not allowed to enter; that it was more beautiful than any thing they could conceive of or he describe; and that the inhabitants appeared to be perfectly happy; that he was suffered to remain there three or four hours, and was then reconducted by the same young men, who, on taking their leave, promised they would visit him yearly, and commanded him to inform all other Indians what he had seen and heard. He immediately visited the different tribes of Indians in the wes tern part of the state, the Oneidas excepted. They all put the most im

The

plicit faith in what he told them, and revered him as a prophet -The consequence has been, that from a filthy, lazy, drunken, wretched set of beings, they have become a cleanly, industrious, sober and happy people. prophet has continued, as he says, to receive regular annual visits from these heavenly messengers, immediately af ter which, he, in his turn, visited the different tribes. He was on one of these annual visits at the time of his decease.

It will be proper to observe, that he was called the peace Prophet, in contra-distinction to the brother of Tecumseh, who was called the war Prophet. Amer. Mag.

Obituary.

DIED at Wendell Feb. 27, the Reverend and amiable Joseph Kilburn, in the 61st year of his age, and the 33d of his ministry; a gentleman highly esteemed through life, and greatly lamented at his death. On every account he was solicitous to maintain the honor of the Christian character, was sound in the faith of the gospel, and whilst he maintained the free and sov ereign grace of God in our salvation, he was zealous of good works, and set against an ineffectual faith; for knowing that faith without works is dead, he applied himself diligently to the various duties of Christianity, and magnified the ministerial office by his works, as well as with his lips-In his private life, the gentleman and the Christian appeared to great advantage; he was in his constitution active, and from principle, disposed to do good and communicate-was of an affable, condescending and obliging dis. position; kind, gentle, and friendly to all-he was in the highest degree

tender and affectionate to his consorts, children and other connexions. By the death of this venerable servant of Christ, religion and humanity have sustained a heavy loss.

At London, Sir George Prevost, late governor general of the British provinces in America.

At Georgia, Rev. George Franklin, aged 55.

AtSpartansburg county, South Carolina, Rev. Avery Williams, late pastor of the church in Lexington, Mass.

At Halifax, N. S. Charles Inglis D.D. bishop of that diocese, and the first protestant bishop, appointed in a British colony-aged 81.

At Oneida Castle, Sthenandoh, an Indian Chief, aged 113. Many years ago it was agreed that he should be buried by the side of Rev. Mr. Kirkland. Before his death he called the tribe together and enjoined on them ว fulfilment of that agreement. He was accordingly buried by the side of that venerable missionary, who in his life was the FRIEND OF MAN.

At Greenwich, N. Y. Rev. Benja min Moore D. D. bishop of the protestant episcopal church in that state.

At Washington, Hon. Elijah Brig ham, aged 65, member of Congress from Massachusetts, and President of the Evangelical Missionary Society.

It is presumed that some member of that society will furnish a sketch of his character for the next Number.

Editorial Note.

In this Number we have furnished our readers with four pages more than usual, and we believe it will be found that they are filled with important articles. It may be necessary to deduct as many pages from some future Number, but we hope it will not.

Cambridge and its vicinity.
Mr. Thomas Prentiss, Cambridge.
Mr. Hiram Weston, Duxbury.
Mr. Samuel Clarke, Cambridge.
Mr. Henry Ware, jun.

do.

Mr. Joseph Allen,

do.

Mr. Jonathan P. Dabney, do,

Mr. Rufus Hurlbut,

Mr. Samuel Gilman,

de.

do.

do.

THE last number of this inquiry brought down the history of our ancestors to 1307, the time when Edward II. ascended the throne. In his reign a most sanguinary war occurred be tween the English and the Scotch. In addition to this, jutrigues, insurrections, rebellions, murders and robberies without number, stand recorded in history, as proofs of the barbarity of the people of that age. The queen and her favorites conspir ed against the king, filled the land with confusion, dethroned the monarch, and caused him to be murdered in a manner shock ing to humanity. "The disorders of the times from foreign wars and intestine dissentions, but above all, the cruel famine which occasioned the nobility to dismiss many retainers, increased the number of robbers in the kingdom; and no place was se cure from their incursions. They met in troops like armies, and overran the country.

"Among the wild fancies of the age, it was imagined that the persons infected with the leproVol. IV. No. 5.

sy had conspired with the Saracens to poison all the springs and fountains; and men being glad of any pretence to get rid of those who were a burden, many of those unhappy people were burnt alive on this chimerical imputation."

Edward III. commenced his reign 1327. He was a military character, and reigned 50 years. A great portion of this half century he spent in spreading havoc, death, and misery among his brethren, by needless and unjust wars with Scotland and France. But being successful, he was sure of renown;-for then, as well as in later ages, honor was given to military men in proportion to their success in doing mischief. The ravages and desolations, made in France by Edward, were dreadful, and the savage custom of giving no quarter was adopted by him. It ought however to be observed that his wife and his son, the prince of Wales, were more humane, and some instances are recorded of their conduct, which probably had considerable influence in mitigat

ing the horrors of war in succeeding times.

Edward kept the people of England so employed in war with other nations, that they "had no leisure to breed those disturbances to which they were naturally so much inclined. This was the chief benefit which resulted from Edward's victories and conquests. His foreign wars were in other respects neither founded in justice, nor directed to any salutary purpose."

The state of religion and morals during this long rein was probably such as might have been expected among a people, who could not be kept from killing one another without employing them in murdering the people of other countries. We are happy however to remark, that in the latter part of the reign of Edward III. Wickliff made his appearance, and began to call in question the propriety of many opinions, which had for ages been regarded as infallible truths. This was like the morning star before the dawn of day. Wickliff was the harbinger of the partial reformation, which occurred in the days of Luther and Calvin.

Richard II. succeeded his grandfather Edward III. A. D. 1377. Insurrection, war, and homicide prevailed in his reign, till the king himself was dered.

mur

Henry IV. was successor to Richard II. A. D. 1399. He obtained the crown by rebellion; and finding himself weak, he courted the papal clergy. The principles of Wickliff. were gaining ground, and Heary was

supposed to be friendly to them; yet he was induced to engage the parliament to pass a law for their suppression. "It was enacted, that when any heretic who relapsed or refused to abjure his opinions, was delivered over to the secular arm by the bishop or his commissaries, he should be committed to the flames by the civil magistrate before the whole people." "This weapon did not long remain unemployed in the hands of the clergy. William Sautre, rector of St. Osithes in London, had been condemned by the convocation of Canterbury; his sentence ratified by the House of Peers ; the king issued his writ for the execution; and the unhappy man atoned for his erroneous opinions by the penalty of fire. This is the first instance of that kind in England; and thus one horror more was added to those dismal scenes, which at that time were already but too familiar to the people." Hist. Eng. Vol. 111. p. 68-9.

was

Mr. Hume informs us, that until this reign there had been no penal law in England against heresy. "An indulgence," he says, "which proceeded, not from a spirit of toleration in the Romish church, but from the ignorance and simplicity of the people, which had rendered them unfit either for starting or receiving any new or curious doctrines, and which needed not to be restrained by rigorous penalties."

Passing and executing this sanguinary law against heresy may be regarded as proof of two facts: 1st, that the elergy and

the people in general were blind as to the nature of Christianity; and 2d, that some dawnings of light had arisen in the minds of individuals. From the days of our Savior to the present time, it has been the general practice of the majority to treat reformers as heretics or wicked men.

So uniformly has this been the case, that when we hear that a man was abused or reviled as a heretic, there is ground to hope that there was some good thing in him, and to suspect that he was really a better man than his persecutors.

Henry V. began his reign A. D. 1413. The Wickliffites or Lollards still gained ground in England. The king was opposed to sanguinary modes of conversion; but the clergy had so .much influence, that they succeeded in their attempt to destroy Lord Cobham, who was a principal character among the disciples of Wickliff. Additional laws were passed against the "heretics," which not only exposed them to be burnt alive, but which deprived their children of the right of inheritance. It was also enacted, that "the chancellor, treasurer, justices of the two benches, and all the chief magistrates in every city or borough, should take an oath

to use their utmost endeavers for the extirpation of heresy :" that is, those officers were required to take an oath " to use their utmost endeavors" to burn men alive, who happened to dissent from the opinions of the dominant party.

It was," 99 says Mr. Hume, "the dying injunction of the late

king to his son, not to allow the English to remain long in peace, which is apt to breed intestine commotions; but to employ them in foreign expeditions, by which the prince might acquire honor,the nobility, in sharing his dangers, might attach themselves to his person, and all the restless spirits find occupation for their inquietude."

This murderous "injunction" of the dying" monarch was not only followed by his son, but by too many of his successors. The savage principle, implied in it, has probably occasioned the slaughter of ten millions of people in Christendom

That we may have a proper view of the awful character of this popular principle, let us bring it nearer home. A. and 3. are brethren and neighbors. The children of A. are much inclined to quarrelling and murder. The father, instead of teaching them better, and through fear that they will kill him, or one another, employs them in fighting with the family of B. Such has been the murderous policy of princes bearing the name of Christians!

Between the years 1422 and 1485 we have the reign of Henry VI. of Edward IV. of Edward V. and the usurpation of Richard III. About half this term of 63 years was employed by our ancestors in wanton and destructive wars with the French; and the other half in butchering one another.

After mentioning the battle of St. Albans, which occurred 1455, in a civil war for the crown, Mr. Hume says, "This was the first blood spilt in that fatal quarrel,