God. Mr. Foster, has been since pub- | bosom of his Father and his lished. Similar tributes of respect were paid him by all the ministers of his acquaintance in the whole of the surrounding country. "The calm retreat, the silent shade, Mr. Littlewood was twice married. His second wife was Miss The garden is much more conSarah Edensor, descended from tracted in its boundaries than I a very respectable family in expected; the far greater part is Shropshire, but for some time laid out in a fine lawn before the previous to her marriage a resi- house, and the whole of it is dent in the vicinity of Rochdale. plain, but yet adorned with some She survives to mourn her loss. taste. The whole is preserved in On her the cares of the family the finest order, and the trees, devolve, and by her, in connec-which are numerous, are rich and tion with Mr. William Littlewood, beautiful. There is a statue, by the third son of her much loved the side of the walk, not indeed and much lamented partner, the of any particular excellence, of a school will be continued on the Dutchman on skates, with a gun same plan as before, and it is on his shoulder and a dog by his cheerfully hoped, with the same side, with a snipe in his mouth, encouragement and success. and some lesser ornaments. He had in the whole the large number of twenty-four children, only twelve of whom survive him. A VISIT TO THE The chief attraction, perhaps, in a great measure, because it was the favourite spot of its owner, the scene of some of his most elevated and happy moments, is the root house. It is a summer house of considerable size, built chiefly with the Seat of the late John Howard, roots of trees, and thickly over OF CARDINGTON, BEDFORdshire. spread with ivy. It has a very venerable and interesting appearance. As we enter it, we pass HAVING lately been in this under an arch of roots, covered interesting neighbourhood, I rose with the same beautiful everearly to visit the abode of this green. The pathway is adorned distinguished character. The with very smooth pebbles, and golden sunshine had overspread large shells, At the door is a the landscape, and the whole small sun-dial, which has encreation was paying its homage graven on it the admonitory word to the adorable Creator. Full of IRREVOCABILE.' The first obthe recollection of this most ex-ject I observed was an inscripcellent Philanthropist, on one of tion, very suitable to this scene the sweetest mornings with which of devout retirement; it was as we have been favoured, I entered follows: on the pleasure ground and gar-« den, doubtless, often the scene of his animated devotion; where, like Nathaniel, under the shade of some fine tree, he poured his sorrows and his tears, into the VOL. X. O solitude! blest state of life below, our woe; Far from throng'd cities my abode re move, To realms of innocence, and peace, and love." 2 E I thought the other furniture of this solitary abode, in a high degree characteristic of the pious architect of this small, but interesting, residence. I send you an inventory: An admirable model of the horrid prison of the Bastille in France, made of cane, but in a state of decay.-A rustic table, with a figure on it representing Devotion meditating on the scriptures. Two hour glasses.-A chandelier covered with moss.A painting of Martin Luther.Turf and mat seats.-A foreign fruit basket.-A large piece of touchwood, of great weight, petrified, perfectly saturated with mineral qualities.-A large bone of a whale, dug out of the earth near the root house.-A bookcase, containing the following works: Nature Displayed; Hervey's Theron and Aspasio; Calamy's Life of Baxter; The Spectator; and a Bible lay in a recess in the window. Near the entrance of the garden is a large urn, between two fine Scotch firs, and underneath it the following inscription by the late Samuel Whitbread, Esq. "This garden was formed, the root house built, and the trees which over. shadow and adorn them, were planted in the year 1762, by John Howard, the in this retirement, before his virtuous Philanthropist, who lived for many years energies were called into action; and he quitted it to become the Benefactor of Mankind. To this spot he eagerly returned to pass the interval between those labours which ended in his death, and have ensured to him a guiltless and imperishable fame. "Joshua Crockford, whose hands put master's eye, has spent the intervening the seedlings into the earth under his years in constantly watching and assisting their growth. Exhibiting in this, his narrow circle, a model of sobriety, industry, and neatness. He still lives in his 80th year, faithful to his duties, and strong to fulfil them. Contented with his station, pleased with his charge, and full of the remembrance of his be loved master." S. W. August 10, 1812. Entering the place of worship belonging to the parish, I perceived a small marble, bearing the name and age of the Philanthropist, with the place where he died, and the emphatic sentence, "Christ is my hope." His last words to his servant were, "Give my love to my friends at Cardington-tell them I go to their Father and my Father, to their God and my God." This last incomparable article excited inquiry. My guide, who is eighty-five years of age, and was employed by Howard to plant his demesne, told me that the Bible I held in my hand had been placed in this rural abode, by his beloved master, and that he used to retire several hours every day, to read the book of God, and for purposes of secret devotion. Seating myself in the Philanthropist's peculiar posture, I read audibly the sixty-fifth Psalm. My venerable attendant seemed exceedingly interested; nor do I think it presumptuous to affirm, that the place was once not bear to gaze, and turned more "the house of God, and the gate of heaven." A few paces beyond the mo nument of Mr. Howard, I beheld an object which instantly aroused all the feelings of my mind-it was the coffin of Samuel Whitbread: I glanced on it-I could away-I felt the vanity of all sublunary good: in that solemn Connected with the root house moment I let go earth, and enis a cold bath, which Mr. How-deavoured to lay hold on heaven, ard was accustomed to use every through Jesus Christ. morning. Reader! forget not, that the Coseley. B.H.D. GREAT BUSINESS of the present | waited for permission; but he life is, to secure an interest in an instantly smote the servant of the imperishable habitation. high priest, and cut off his ear; and Jesus said, 66 Suffer ye thus far;" and he touched his ear and healed it. The Evangelist Mark (xv. 7,) only relates the above fact, and adds no more. St. Matthew (xxvi. 52-54,) adds to the admonition already quoted, the following words: Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword ON PEACE SOCIETIES. To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine. It is not with any intention of defending war, that I trouble you with some remarks on the Dialogue on War, part of which ap-shall perish with the sword. peared in your Magazine for February; but, feeling an ardent desire to see Christians adopt scriptural sentiments on this subject, I regret that any argument should be used in support of a pacific system, which does not appear to be well founded; I beg leave, therefore, briefly to discuss two or three of the arguments in that paper. The writer relies greatly on the disapprobation shewn by our Lord when Peter used his sword in his defence: quoting the words of Christ, "He that useth the sword shall die by the sword." No one of the Evangelists relates all that passed on that occasion; let us see what we learn from the various particulars when united. The Evangelist Luke informs us, (chap. xxii. 26,) that Jesus Christ had said to his disciples, "He that hath no sword let him sell his garment and buy one;" and when they said, "Lord, behold here are two swords;" he said, "It is enough." Thinkest thou not that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" and in the gospel by St. John, the following words are added: "The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it?" We learn, then, I think, from the whole history, that they misunderstood the design of their Lord-that Jesus Christ wished to teach Peter that he had acted wrong in not waiting for his permission; for that, if he had thought fit to oppose force by force, he could have commanded the service of angels; but that to have done so, would have been inconsistent with his design in coming into the world. last inference, which is clearly deducible from the above quotations, seems to render the whole so peculiar to the case of the Messiah, as to leave little, if any thing, of general application. If it be ever applicable to our circumstances, it is, I imagine, in cases of persecution for consci Taking for granted, that their Lord had provided the swords for self defence, as soon as the officers attempted to apprehendence' sake. Jesus, they eagerly asked, (and who in such circumstances would not have done the same,) "Lord, shall we smite with the sword?" All, except Peter, seem to have This But, it is argued, by your correspondent, that our Lord Jesus Christ said, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews," (John, xviii. 36;) plainly forbidding all attempts to establish, or to extend, or to maintain, his kingdom in the world by such weapons as the sword. To that object, and to that only, it appears to me, is the text fairly applicable. The examination of these passages has occasioned my anticipating an argument of the writer of the Dialogue, that because we are not permitted to defend our religious privileges, which are the most valuable, we are bound to infer, that we cannot be allowed to defend our civil liberties. As the various directions of Christ, quoted by your correspondent, so far as they are applicable to us, evidently respect the spirit with which we are required to induce persecution on a religious account, I conceive that the reasoning which applies them to our civil rights is inaccurate. We may, I think, safely conclude, that our Lord wished also to inculcate another important lesson. He designed, I apprehend, to teach them to distinguish between his religion, which was personal, which conferred no power, nor political importance; and the Jewish theocracy, which was national, which was raised into considerable political importance, and commissioned to use the sword unsparingly. It was, perhaps, absolutely necessary, thus to teach men, who were born Jews, the difference between the two dispensations. Your correspondent argues, that a nation which shall conscientiously abstain from war, may depend on the Divine protection, because the Jews were protected during the absence of the males, when they went up three times a year to worship at Jerusalem. Without availing myself, as I might do, of the argument to be derived from the express command, and the express promise to the Jews, I beg to suggest, that we ought to discuss this subject purely on Christian principles, and to reject all arguments derived from the peculiarities of Judaism, for or against war. That a nation which seeks peace in the spirit of peace, and is willing to make some sacrifices to secure it, will succeed, and will obtain the Divine blessing, I feel no doubt. Unfortunately, rulers have too often thought it their interest to go to war; and so little have the nations they governed been influenced by the peaceful spirit of the gospel, that they have generally found it an easy thing to inflame the public mind, and thus obtain all necessary support, even to their most criminal plans of ambition and slaughter, and therefore they have seldom, if ever, tried with sincerity to preserve peace. It Of those who govern the nations of the earth, however good the presages of the present day may be, I do not, like your correspondent, expect much. will, I apprehend, be by enlightening the community, in every country, by convincing mankind that the same principles of equity and moderation are binding on a nation as on an individual, that this happy change will be effected. Is not the poett correct in asserting, that "War is a game, which, were their subjects wise, Kings would not play at?" That war is lawful in certain cases, has been generally admit Exod. xxxiv. 23, 24. + Cowper, ted. Christians, who have thought | sailing in the ship which he usuon the subject, I suppose, com- ally commanded. About eight monly restrict it to self-defence; years afterwards, in one of his letbut, then, some of them trans-ters to Dr. Haweis, when he relate this term with such latitude, corded this event, he added,as destroys the principle. During the time I was engaged in the Slave Trade, I never had the least scruple of its lawfulness."* 66 Perhaps a similar confession on the subject of war, from the pen of some retired soldier, a few years hence, may produce as much astonishment in the minds of a future generation, as that of Mr. Newton in the minds of those who listened to the discussions on the Slave Trade. But there are others who argue in favour of the lawfulness of war generally. They infer from the acknowledged piety of a Gardener, a Bluckader, and other good men, who have been soldiers, that war cannot be unlawful; for if it be, such men would not have engaged in it. To say nothing of the objection, in Christian morals, to deriving our ideas of right and wrong, from the opinions and conduct of fallible men,-to pass I think, of all the evils that war by the fact, that few, if any, of has inflicted on this country, nuthese young men who are edu- merous and dreadful as they are, cated for military life, ever hear there is not one which a Christian the arguments which may be has more reason to deplore, than urged against war,-that they the warlike spirit which has been enter on the profession of arms so generally imbibed, during the generally before their character last twenty years. The grave and is formed, and with the sanction sober speech of Christians has of those who have adopted, with- been corrupted; they have learnout examination, the popular opi-ed to talk of the splendour of war, nion that war is lawful; yet if and the glory of victory; and to we acquaint ourselves with his-attribute to the return of peace, tory, in which we trace the con- the inevitable consequences of a duct of men, and with biography, long protracted and ruinous war. in which we ascertain the motives and feelings of individuals, we shall find that many men of undoubted piety, have, for want of due consideration, continued in a course of conduct so evidently repugnant to the dictates of Christianity, that we are astonished on a review of their conduct. One memorable instance of this kind occurs to my recollection.The late excellent Mr. Newton, the rector of St. Mary, Woolnoth, was, it is well known, engaged in the Slave Trade for years after he became pious, and he quitted it, not from any doubt of its being lawful, but because a sudden attack of illness prevented him from If, by the various institutions of the present day, the youth of all ranks and every nation become thinking Christians, I am persuaded the warlike spirit which has been so universal, will be annihilated in a short period. At present I imagine, from the intercourse I have had with Christians of all denominations, that there are comparatively but few who have thought on the subject of the lawfulness of war, or the limits which ought to be prescribed to it. A time of peace is a * See Letter XIII. in "An Authentic Narrative, communicated in a Series of Letters to the Rev. Mr.(now Dr.)Haweis;" originally published in the year 1764. |