adapted to form disciples of Jesus Christ; and whether robbers and pirates were ever chargeable with more flagrant violations of the principles of reason, religion and humanity.

Let it not be said that the war in Russia was of a peculiar character, that French soldiers are worse than the soldiers of other nations, or that Napoleon was the worst of all military

men.

Wars are generally terrible in proportion to the numbers actually engaged. The same spirit uniformly prevails in war. Similar scenes of havoc and horror, similar outrages and distresses, have been witnessed in other wars, but commonly on a smaller scale. Every war, like that in Russia, is on one side or the other a war of aggression. Every war is carried on by violence, rapine and injustice. The innocent, the aged and infirm-females old and young, and innocent children, fall a prey to the savage vengeance of unprincipled officers and soldiers. In thousands of instances the soldiers of other nations have conducted as bad, according to their numbers, as the French did at Moscow. The people of invaded territories always complain of the violence and rapacity of invaders; and never have they been without reason for complaint. The cry of "Goths and Vandals!" has been commonly raised, and commonly just.

It may indeed be true, that Napoleon has caused the death of several millions of his fellow beings; but this does not prove that he is the worst of military men. He has been more successful than many others, but not more than others have wished to be. Ambition for military fame is insatiable, and never says, "it is enough." Any man who will sacrifice a single life to his own ambition, is brother to Cain, and to Napoleon; and any man who will excite war to advance his own fame or wealth, is brother to the highway robber.

It is proper that we should reflect on the righteous retributions of Providence in the Russian Campaign. After the French army had wantonly massacred the people of Moscowfilling the city with distress, murder and violation-and had loaded themselves with plunder, they were compelled to re

treat. But the vengeance of God pursued them, overtook them, and overwhelmed them. Those who had without mercy distressed and destroyed others, perished without mercy. Distressed for food, they were compelled to eat their famished horses; and what is still more revolting, they fed on the flesh of their famished and dead brethren. The sword, the famine. and the frost, sweeps them off by multitudes, till their terrific army was reduced to a twentieth part of its original number. Such was the terror, frenzy and despair, that they murdered one another; and "thousands and thousands" plunged themselves headlong into the Beresina.

Now, what have the French nation gained by all their wars and conquests since their revolution? Their wars have been a continual source of misery at home, as well as abroad; and in their turn they have been inundated, harassed and distressed by foreign troops. Such are the genuine fruits of the war spirit and a thirst for military fame.

The distress of the Russian empire was indeed terrible. But that empire, like others, had been formed by war, and cemented by blood. In past ages the Russians were a ferocious and bloody people. Their invasion of Poland and their storming of Warsaw, were as unjust and cruel, as the conduct of the French towards them. Similar complaints may be brought against all the allied powers.

The people of Great Britain have a tremendous account lying against them. Their history for ages is filled with records of blood. They have indeed become a powerful nation; but they are in the hands of God, as clay is in the hands of the potter; and except they repent and abandon the custom of war, their sins will surely find them out. As by war their empire has been widely extended; so by war it will probably be diminished and overthrown-unless they shall awake to righteousness and adopt the path of peace. Above all other nations they now possess the means of giving peace to the world. But if they shall refuse to employ their influence for this purpose, their long arrears of blood will probably involve them in ruin. Their pecuniary debt is indeed enormous, but

it is as nothing compared with their debt of blood. The former may be a means of binding them together for some years to come; the latter is a tremendous millstone about the neck of that nation, from which nothing but reformation and divine mercy can ever relieve them.

AN ESTIMATE OF HUMAN SACRIFICES IN THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN.

"Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known." Paul.

If the number of Napoleon's troops which entered Russia during the campaign has not been much overrated, both by the French and the English, it will be a moderate estimate to say that 300,000 of this army perished in Russia.

It is probable that the loss on the part of the Russians, including men, women and children, was at least two thirds as great as the loss of the French and their allies. Therefore, the whole amount of human sacrifices in that campaign may be estimated at FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND VICTIMS.

From the time the French crossed the Niemen in June, to the time the survivors recrossed it in December, was 173 days. Admitting the whole number that perished to be 500,000, the average daily sacrifice was 2,890; which amounts to 20,230 per week, and more than 80,000 per month. It was equal to 120 every hour, or two every minute during the 173 days.

That we may have a more impressive view of this dreadful waste of human life, let the numbers before us be compared with the census of the United States in 1810.

The average daily sacrifice exceeds the whole population of Londonderry in N. H. or Haverhill in Mass. or Windsor in Con, or Windsor in Vermont.

The average weekly sacrifice would swallow up two such towns as Providence in Rhode-Island; or five such cities as Hartford in Connecticut; and excepting 110 persons, it would

be equal to the total of Portsmouth in N. H. Newburyport in Mass. and New-Haven in Connecticut.

The average monthly sacrifice exceeds the total of Boston, Providence and Baltimore, by more than 1,000; or the total of the state of Delaware, by more than 1,000; or the total of the state of Rhode-Island, by more than 3,000.

The amount of sacrifice for the 173 days exceeds the whole population of Massachusetts proper, by 27,960:-The total of New-Hampshire and Connecticut, by 23,698 :-And the total of Maryland and Delaware, by 46,780.

At the rate human sacrifices were offered during the campaign, the whole population of the United States would be swallowed up in fourteen years.

Let the reader now pause, reflect, and ask himself this question, Does the christian religion require, or justify, or warrant such SAVAGE SACRIFICES?

"THOU THAT TEACHEST ANOTHER, TEACHEST THOU NOT THYSELF" Paul.

One of the avowed objects of Foreign Missions, both in Great Britain and the United States, is the abolition of human sacrifices among the Pagans. But the Bramins of India may defy all the clergy of Christendom to name a single custom among the heathen, which is more abominable or more antichristian than that of public war; or one by which more human beings are most wantonly and foolishly sacrificed.

There is not, we may boldly affirm, a single custom aniong the pagans of the east or the west, which is more repugnant to the precepts and the spirit of the christian religion. Nor is there one error which implies more dishonorable and unworthy conceptions of our heavenly Father, than to suppose that he can be pleased to see the professed followers of his Son thus wantonly butchering one another. If God were in very deed of such a blood-thirsty character, that he could delight in the human sacrifices offered by warring christians, we should have little reason to be concerned about the sanguinary errors of the pagans.

But are these remarks made from a spirit of hostility to

Foreign Missions? GOD FORBID. But while we rejoice to see benevolent exertions in favor of the pagans of India, we wish to see more evidence that christians are not perfectly blind to the sanguinary error which has so long been popular among themselves.

What should we think if a number of Bramins should be sent from India, to convert us from our custom of offering human sacrifices, and to preach to us the more excellent way? Should we not advise them to attempt a reformation at home? Should we hesitate to tell them, that they would stand on much fairer ground to convert us, if they could show that their religion or their efforts had effected the abolition of human sacrifices among their own people?

Does it not behove us to reflect on the striking contrast between those sacrifices which we wish to abolish among the pagans, and those which are offered by christians? It is not from a war spirit that the parent in India casts his living child into the Ganges; or that the widow burns on the funeral pile of her deceased husband; or that others prostrate themselves to be crushed to death by the idol's car. We may indeed justly deplore these delusions, and attempt their abolition; but as these sacrifices are not made from ill will towards fellow beings, must they not be far less offensive in the sight of God, than the war sacrifices of christian nations?

It is also to be considered that the pagans have not had the benevolent precepts of the Prince of peace for their guide. But christians have the word of life, that requires a temper with which it is impossible for them to fight and destroy one another.

How exceedingly blind then must those christians be, who feel a tender concern on account of the human sacrifices offer. ed by the heathen; and yet feel no concern on account of a custom among themselves, which is far more criminal and dangerous!

Let us then first cast the beam out of our own eyes, that we may see more clearly how to pluck the mote out of the eyes of our pagan brethren. Let us first reduce our gos