THE REIGN OF PEACE

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 9, 1860

THE REIGN OF PEACE.

[THE following we clip from the N. Y. Independent. It is an extract from a letter of one of its correspondents now in Europe. The writer seems to have but little faith in the anticipated reign of peace on the earth; and he sees no door of hope in the recent and present revivals.—Ed.]

Perhaps you will cry, "Why does my friend not look at the other side of the medal—tell of Revivals and the coming of the Kingdom?"—(which has come.) I have read and thought much, and would fain hope and believe all things good. But I saw very closely the rise of Irvingism. I knew how much of holy desire and expectation was connected with that development. That gives me pause. Then I firmly and reverently hold to this:—that the truth of God concerning his Son is the (sole) instrument for the renovation of the world. I have been unable to satisfy myself that these movements have been preceded or accompanied by the faithful preaching of "Jesus and the resurrection." Indeed it is a curious fact, that I have, in all, seen but two recognitions of these fundamental principles, in all the accounts which I have read. This occasions some reserve in my estimate.

Then, in respect to Ireland particularly, I have some good stout "prejudices" in regard to Presbyterianism, theoretical and practical. Clerical corporations, of any name, come of evil, are evil, lead to evil. That is a summary of ecclesiastical, and other history! Irish Presbyterianism has been a little—Irish; turbulent, "Orange," and of this world; and eke, pitchy—with itching palms. It "sucks the breasts" of the tax-gatherer. It cooks strange statistics for the Treasury, and manufactures or adulterates minimum subscription-lists, after the manner of Wall-street and sinners of the Gentiles; and would put me out of the synagogue, if I were in it, for merely hinting at these unpleasant facts. Therefore, and wherefore, I cannot yet view in the revivals a door of hope through which one may emerge from a dark and polluted Achor. This is one view, or half-view, of Revivals, and the Reign of Peace to be inaugurated.

Revivals and Reign of Peace! Yes, while I am writing I hear sounds of another revival, of the character of which there is no mistake. The sounds are the crack of rifles, the revival that of the military spirit in England. "England is not a military nation." Certainly not, Herr Teuschen! Assuredly not, Monsieur Crapeau! England is only a kennel of undisciplined and most unscientific bull-dogs; dogs of the doggedest. Whistle, shout, clap your hands, show an object for the teeth, and into it they go, and in it they stay, though it be brass itself. It is affecting and impressive that the state of the popular mind, or what we call "mind," should be such that there could be little surprise were a state of war with France to be made known to-morrow.

* Twelve years since, I stood with Joseph Sturge and Elihu Burrit at the railway station at Brussels. There we met, in Peace Congress, and I believe the blessings of the people were upon us. "They were glad to see us in their streets." "Where is the blessedness?" Where the Progress? Where restraints on ambitious and bloody men? Where the restraints upon malicious and regal idiots, as of Naples? Can we even now make of a Congress anything more than a conspiracy of butchers and burglars, "owners" of human cattle, squabbling, cheating, and intriguing over their herds?