hosts set in battle array on our now fruitful fields, and havoc, war and desolation inundate our now happy country.

Prejudices blind us when viewing truth in its application,-it is more clearly seen in the abstract. Take a family of sons, for instance,

let the father encourage them in boxing, cudgel-playing and fencing, in order, as he thinks, to secure them against insult-let the honors of the family be conferred on the greatest adepts in these arts, and let it be inculcated on their minds constantly, that the most honorable and christianlike method of settling difficulties is by force; and will any man deny, that, in case a dispute should arise among the brethren, they would be altogether more likely to settle it by the fist, the cudgel, or the sword, than members of another family who should be taught, that such practices are disgraceful, and that the only rational and christianlike way of settling difficulties is by discussion and reference.

A humorous story not long since appeared in the papers which is applicable to this A great cock fighter, who was to fight a main of cocks with another amateur of this

case.

kind of war on a small scale, and had kept his birds a long time in training, sent his servant with them, some miles, to the cockpit. Now Teague had put two cocks into one basket, and when he arrived at the "bloody arena," it was found, that they had pecked each other's eyes out, and were, to use a military term, completely "hors du combat." On being reprimanded by his master, the honest Hibernian simply replied, "Och!your honor, as the birdies were to fight all on one side, I could but think, as how, they would be paceable togither." We may laugh at the Irishman's blunder, while we are com. mitting a similar one. We are teaching our young birds to fight, and history will tell whether they will be peaceable-if they are, they will be " rare birds."

Now I am in a story telling humor, I will close the present essay with a fable from Æsop. A buck, that had lost one eye, kept his other always on the look out, on the side on which he expected danger, but never on the other. A huntsman observing this, came on his blind side and killed him.

NO. 24.

THE PULPIT STAIRS OF RURUTÚ.

That man must be dead to every feeling of religion and philanthropy, who can read without emotion, the wonderful triumphs of the Christian religion in the late savage islands of the Pacific ocean, now exhibiting the charming prospect of brethren dwelling together in unity; where so lately, brother was armed against brother, and WAR was the occupation and delight of the whole male population.

If it be asked, what has effected this wonderful change? the answer is obvious-the Christian religion. But another question may be asked, which is not so easily answered: What is the reason, that the Christian religion has not effected a similar change, in the character of the inhabitants of Europe and America who have so long enjoyed it? What is the reason, that the Gospel of peace, which has been preached in Europe for almost eighteen centuries, has not had so great or, so good an effect, as it has had, in eighteen months, in some of these islands?

From the Missionary Herald of October, I make the following extract, from the speech of Mr. Ellis, missionary to the Society Islands, delivered at a meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

"The alterations that have taken place, in their political economy and civil institutions, have been but the legitimate effects of the truth of the Bible on their minds, in which, through all the various relations they sustain in civil society, they are taught to do unto others as they would that others should do to them. War, the delight of savages, has ceased: its ravages have been unknown since the principles of the Bible have prevailed among them. The last pulpit, that I ascended in the Society Islands, was at Rurutu, where the rails connected with the pulpit stairs were formed of warriors' spears."

The inspired prophets, of ancient times, foretold that the time should come, when swords should be converted to plough shares, and spears to pruning hooks—when the implements of war, no longer used for slaughter, should be used to till the ground—as has been actually the case in these Islands: but

that "warriors' spears" should be used as a material, in constructing a temple for the worship of God, seems indeed to exceed the promise.

Has the Christian religion effected any

such changes in Europe? No. We find, indeed, warriors spears in the temple of the God of Peace; but, we find them placed there, not as useless instruments of war, converted to a useful purpose, but, as proud trophies of war-as an insult to the feelings of other nations, in time of peace, and engendering that martial pride and vain glory on one side, and that mortified pride, rancour and animosity on the other, which are the fruitful sources of war.

But, to return to our question.-What is the reason of the different results of preaching the same Gospel? I shall attempt a solution of this important question, while I lament that I have not sufficient leisure, to pursue the investigation, in the manner that its importance demands.

In tracing this subject, I must except two or three of the first centuries of the Cristian era, when the gospel was preached in its pu