very pious employment. The Lord has said, " And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you, yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear your hands are full of blood."

Penitent christians may weep and mourn with propriety for their own sins, and the sins of the nations, with a hearty desire not only to forsake their own iniquities, but that the nations may be brought to con. fess and forsake their sins, and turn from them to the living God.

It is true that war is a judgment in Gods provi. dence, and it is a sin of the highest magnitude, and ought to be repented of. It is a crime so provoking to heaven that other calamities generally attend it. The famine, fire, and pestilence often attend its horrors and spread distress through a land. War with its attending evils unquestionably diminishes the aggregate of happiness in the world, and is therefore unwise.

6. War is unwise as it does not mend but injure the morals of society.

The strength, defence, and glory of a country, consists primarily in the good moral character of its inhabitants. The virtuous and the good are the salt that preserve it from ruin; says the Rev. Dr. Miller in his sermon on the death of Dr. Rogers, (page, 366 and 388 of the memoirs) "it is manifest from the whole tenor of his word, that God is slow to inflict heavy judgments upon a nation in which many of

his people dwell; that he often spares it, spreads over it the protection of his providence and finally delivers it for their sake; and of course that the presence of his beloved children, speaking after the manner of men, is a better defence than chariots and horsemen, a better defence than all the plans of mere politicians, than all the skill, courage, and activity of mere warriors." Again, "I have no doubt that it is as great and precious a truth, at this day as it ever was, that a praying people are under God the greatest security of a nation."

When the inhabitants of a country become generally profane and dissolute in their manners, slaves to dissipation and vice, it is usually God's providence soon to visit them in his wrath and let loose the instruments of his destroying vengeance; how important, therefore, in a temporal point of view is the preservation of good morals to a nation.

But no event has so powerful a tendency to destroy the morals of a people as that of actual war. It draws the attention of the inhabitants from useful employments; it generates curiosity, dissipation and idleness, and awakes all the furious passions of

men.

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War occasions a great profanation of the sabbath. Under God's providence, the sabbath has always been a great barrier against vice, and the observation of it is indispensible to good morals.

In time of war the sabbath among soldiers is often a day of parade. In the streets of the best regulated

cities, may be seen soldiers marching, flags flying, drums and fifes playing, and a rabble of children following in the train. Now all this is not only calculated to dissipate all reverential respect for the solemnities of the day among the soldiers, but is calculated to destroy the respect and observation of the day, with which the children and youth have been inspired. Add to this, flags are suspended from the windows of taverns, and grog shops, to entice in the youth by the intoxicating cup. But in the camp the sabbath is almost forgotten, and rendered a common day. Armies from professing christian nations, as often begin offensive operations on the sabbath as on any other day; and professing christians not only tolerate all this, but approve of it, as a work of necessity and mercy.

War occasions dishonesty. In countries where armies are raised by voluntary enlistment, all kinds of deception and art are practised by recruiting officers, and connived at by their governments, to induce the heedless youth to enlist. The honor and glory of the employment is held up to view in false colours; the importance of their bounty and wages are magnified; the lightness of the duty and opportunities for amusements and recreations are held out; and probably one half have the assurances of being non-commissioned officers, with a flattering prospect of a speedy advancement; and prospects of plunder are also held out to their cupidity. These deceptive motives are daily urged under the stimulating power of

ardent spirits, and the fascinating charms of martial music and military finery.

Many a young man who has entered the rendezvous from curiosity, or for the sake of a dram, without the least idea of joining the army, has been entraped into intoxication, and his hand grasped to the pen to seal his fate.

Recruits after joining the army, find from experience, that most of the allurements held out to them to enlist. were but a deception, and from lust and want, they often become petty thieves and plunderers to repay them for their great privations, fatigues and sufferings.

War occasions drunkenness, one of the greatest evils and most destructive to morality, as a multitude of other vices necessarily follow in its train. Many a young man has entered the military ranks temperate, and has returned from them a sot. All the enticements of liquor are exhibited in the most inviting forms to youth in the streets by the recruiting-offi. cer, to tempt them to enlist; and while those who have enrolled themselves remain at the rendezvous, they are probably every day intoxicated with the inebriating poison to soul and body, and soon the habit becomes confirmed. While in actual service, their fatigues are so great, that they greedily lay hold on the destroying liquor wherever they can find it, to exhilarate their languid frames, even if they had not before acquired an insatiable thirst; and soon this detestable evil will become so enchanting, that they will not only barter away their wages for it, but their

necessary clothing. If they survive the campaign and return to their homes, they are often the visitors of grog-shops and taverns, and by their marvellous stories attract the populace around them, who must join them in circulating the cup, and thus they spread this destroying evil all around them.

War occasions profaneness. Profaneness is an abomination in the sight of God; "for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain." Profaneness draws down the judgments of heaven, "for because of swearing the land mourneth.”

That soldiers are generally considered more profane than other men, is evident, because it has bẹcome a proverb, that "such a person is as profane as a soldier, or a man of war's-man."

Young men who have been taught to revere the name of the God of their fathers, may shudder at the awful profanations that fill their ears when they first enter an army; but if destitute of grace in the heart, the sound will soon cease to offend, and they will eagerly inhale the blasphemous breath, and become champions in impiety. For want of habit they may not swear with so easy a grace as the older soldiers; they will for that reason make great exertions, and invent new oaths, which will stimulate their fellows again to exceed in daring impiety. Seldom does a soldier return from the camp without the foul mouth of profanity.

Astonishing to think that those who are most exposed to death, should be most daring in wickedness