The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

From the Evangelical Magazine.

THE WAR WITH ENGLAND.

Although it is forbid to the pages of this Magazine to intermeddle with the political causes which have led to this unfortunate event; yet, as the friends of religion and the souls of men, we cannot help expressing a deep regret, and calling on all the friends of Christ's kingdom, to inquire whether this scene of blood was necessary for the national preservation. In the ninth chapter of Genesis, we find the following divine declaration, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man."

Some have supposed these words are an express injunction to punish the sin of murder with death; others have supposed it an express prohibition of offensive war. By the last opinion there seems to be this warrant; that it is difficult to find any difference between the shedding of blood by murder, and by offensive war, except it be this, that the first arises from personal, or rather from national enmity. But common sense cannot say, that the number of minds actuated by the principles of enmity, lessen the sin in the judgment of an infinite holy God. Either England or America have to answer for all the innocent blood shed in this warfare. It cannot be supposed, that the people of common information; and who are under government will be called to account for it. It must be the rulers of these nations, either one or the other or both that will have to answer for the guilt of this blood before the bar of God. We solemnly call on both to resolve this question to their own conscience.

A second reason why as the friends of Religion and morality, we deplore the present war is, that by the experience of all mankind, national state of war is unfriendly to moral virtue. Its natural tendency is to banish from the human mind a sense of men's high moral obligation, and stifle other nearer season of probation for eternity. It nurtures the passions of Pride and self dependence; encourage every kind of immorality, and opens the door for all manner of fraud and deceit in the Civil concerns of society. It is a martial Virtue to brave death; it is a Christian virtue, to consider it as a moment for which much preparation is necessary. These two I think to be generally incompatible.

The following contains a third reason Why we deplore this war.

The inhabitants of Great Britain and the United States profess the same religion, and are united to each other by the dearest Christian ties. A common spirit of philanthropy to the heathen world hath pervaded all denominations. They are united in many charitable institutions for preaching the essential doctrines of the gospel, and diffusing the holy scriptures, in many heathen languages, wherein they were before never printed. The hearts of God's people were united and rejoiced by these prospects; but the present war hath cast deep shade over the whole. We who were brethren in giving the Christian religion to millions of perishing heathen, are now declared to be enemies to each other. Our designs are impeded, if not frustrated. We do deplore, and we will deplore the event. At the same time we will not be disheartened nor despair. Our Lord is on the throne, and he will prevail: but we are not afraid to warn all mankind of the danger that attends throwing these impediments in the way of the gospel.