be duly noticed and appreciated, the present edition would be speedily taken up and another called for. It should be in the hands of every enemy of war; and it may be recommended to them who are not such, if any of that class there be, as a book well worthy of their attention-as a book from which they may derive much valuable information, though it might have no effect in changing their sentiments. After all that is done; after these essays are published and circulated, and reviewed and read, there may be doubts in the minds of many, possibly in the minds of most people, as to the practicability of the projected scheme. Though this be so, the scheme receives the approval of many of the leading spirits of the age, and by some is advocated and urged. This is fully as much so as could be expected, considering its novelty. The distinguished Thomas S. Grimke, who died of cholera in 1834, was a full and decided friend of the peace cause, and we believe an advocate for a congress of nations. The Hon. John Quincy Adams, though he does not indorse all the principles of the American Peace Society, strongly advocates this plan; and it is believed that most of the leading men of this nation, and many of other nations, are its friends, and believe in its feasibility. The legislature of Massachusetts, a body distinguished for its wisdom, is decided and ardent in recommending measures for the promotion of peace and the establishment of a congress of nations. It is given as the opinion of the senate, in a report adopted by that body in 1837, that such a tribunal

"is neither visionary in theory, unimportant in character, nor unattainable in result: but, on the contrary, is well deserving the countenance and cordial support of every friend to the stability of the social compact, the increase of national wealth, the advancement of civilization, the promotion of the arts and sciences, the extension of freedom, the security of constitutional government, the improvement of public morals, the extension of the Christian faith, and thus to the general welfare of mankind."—Appendix, p. 651.

But whatever may be the result of efforts for such an establishment, the efforts of peace men are not unavailing. It will be recollected that, within half a dozen years last past, there was some prospect of a war between the United States and Mexico. In 1837 petitions from some of the peace societies went up to congress, praying our government to accede to the proposition of the Mexican congress, viz., to submit the matters of dispute between the two nations to the decision of a friendly power. Ex-president Adams, in a letter to the corresponding secretary of the New-York Peace Society, declares that congress was indebted to those

petitions for the knowledge that this proposition had been made by Mexico; and, says he,

"This removed all immediate danger of a war with Mexico; and if the petitioners of the peace societies had never rendered to their country any other service, they would have deserved the thanks of the whole nation for this."-Mr. Ladd's Essay, p. 594.

The leaven is working. A change is evidently taking place in the minds of men on the subject of war; and there are plain indications among men that some radical change, from "brute force" to peaceful remedies, must ere long be effected. Pacific sentiments, measures, and results, are more prevalent than they have been in any former age of the world; and they are on the advance. France, to be sure, is armed, and a part of her population are madly clamoring for war; and some of the other nations of Europe have, of late, been increasing their military preparations, having, doubtless, been moved to it by the more than ordinary belligerent attitude which France has of late assumed. But the almost universal peace which prevails shows conclusively, that the thoughts of the governing portion of mankind are averse to war; and this further appears from the fact, that there is, of late, little blood shed in the collisions of nations, compared with what there used to be, and in that wars are of comparatively short duration. This has been the case in all the wars in which Christian or civilized nations have recently been concerned. The happy age, which prophets have predicted, and of which poets have sung, seems to be at hand, an age in which our world shall cease to be

"One wide extended field of blood,

Where men like fiends each other tear,

In all the hellish rage of war."

These essays, it is hoped, will contribute something toward the establishment of a congress of nations. But should they not; should one never be established, they will, doubtless, help in diffusing pacific sentiments. The following is the opinion of John Quincy Adams, as expressed in a letter to the president of the American Peace Society:-"The publication of the five dissertations, and the distribution of them among the princes and rulers of nations, will awake and keep alive the attention both of Europe and America to the subject." Ought not, will not, every friend of religion, every lover of mankind, lend a helping hand to this cause? May we not hope that "the great family of nations," as expressed in the report from which we have before quoted, "shall yet meet in a friendly council-an august assembly!-to consult together

for the common good, to promote the general welfare of mankind, to cause the sword to be sheathed, the bayonet to be unfixed, and to bid the iron-tongued artillery no longer cause the nations to quake before its thunder. Not that peace men contemplate the total discharge of navies, the entire dismantling of forts, the immediate disbanding of militia. The sword of justice must be uplifted still. The armed police of nations must remain on the alert. The court-room does not supersede the necessity of the watch-house. Yet the trial by jury has superseded, and may well supplant the trial by combat; and arbitration, or a court of nations, may be made the final resort instead of an appeal to arms."

Nassau, New-York, 1841.

ART. IV.-The Life of Wiclif. BY CHARLES WEBB LE BAS, M. A., Professor in the East India College, Herts; and late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. 18mo., pp. 395. New-York: Harper & Brothers. 1832.

THOUGH the name of Wiclif is well known to the student of ecclesiastical history, yet the important part he took in the grand work of the Reformation is not generally understood. His life, to be sure, has been written by Lewis and Vaughan, and more recently by Le Bas, but it seems not to have attracted that attention which the importance of the subject would appear to demand. Mosheim also notices Wiclif in a very cursory manner, without attributing to him the merit which he deserves as a pioneer in the great work of purifying the church from its defilements. This defect in Mosheim, his translator, Murdock, has attempted to supply by giving in a copious note the outlines of his character, of his labors and sufferings in the cause of his divine Master.

To Charles Webb Le Bas, however, we are indebted for a very full and satisfactory account of this holy and intrepid man of God. It is, therefore, from this interesting piece of biography, published by the Harpers, as one of the series of their Theological Library, that we shall extract the principal facts in relation to the life, labors, and sufferings of Wiclif, as well as of the effects which he produced on society, referring to Mosheim for some items respecting the general state of the church at the time he made his appearance. It is, indeed, hardly possible for us, living as we do in the midst of so many high and distinguished blessings and privileges, to make a just estimate of the obstacles which were

thrown in the way of Wiclif-obstacles arising from the general corruption which prevailed among almost all orders and ranks of men, both in the church and state. To be convinced of this, let us take a brief review of the condition of things at the time he appeared upon the stage of action.

In the year 1378, after the death of Gregory XI., the cardinals who formed the electoral college proclaimed Bartholomew de Regnano to be duly elected pontiff, who assumed the name of Urban VI. It is stated that they were driven to this measure by the clamors of the people of Rome, who, fearing that a Frenchman would be elected, who would continue the pontifical seat at Avignon, in France, with furious threats demanded that an Italian should be placed at the head of the church.

This new pontiff, by his uncourteous conduct, the severity of his temper, and his haughty demeanor, soon alienated the affections of all from him, and even the cardinals to whom he was indebted for his elevation became disgusted with his conduct. So intolerable was his tyranny, and pernicious his dissipations, that the cardinals withdrew to Fondi, a Neapolitan city, and there elected another pope, Robert, a count of Geneva, who assumed the name of Clement VII., and, in order to quiet the people of Rome, alleged that Urban was elected only in pretence. Thus the Latin branch of the church was blessed, or cursed, with two heads at the same time, both, according to their own doctrine, infallible, though at open war with each other.

Urban continued at Rome, while Clement exercised his functions at Avignon, in France, and thus these rival pontiffs divided the patrimony of St. Peter between them and their respective followers. This constituted what has been called the great schism of the west. For during not less than fifty years the church had two or three heads, assailing each other with the utmost virulence, hurling at one another the thunders of excommunication, and the anathemas of St. Peter and all the holy apostles.

In this state of things, what could be expected other than that the church should become deluged with crime, while torn to pieces by such furious antagonists. Hence it is said by the historians of those days, that the clergy, before awfully corrupt, now laid aside even the appearance of piety and godliness, and rolled in luxury and licentiousness, while the people were thrown into perplexity and doubt.

Many fruitless attempts were made by kings, princes, bishops, and theologians, to heal the breach, and restore peace and union to the church. The schism, however, was continued; for on the

death of Urban VI., which took place in 1389, the Italian cardinals, who had adhered to his interests, and still cleaving to their principles, elected for his successor at Rome Peter Thomacelli, a Neapolitan, distinguished as Boniface IX. And on the death of Clement VII., in the year 1394, the French cardinals appointed as his successor Peter de Luna, a Spaniard, who took the name of Benedict XIII. Thus was the lust of dominion, the pride of office, and a haughty contempt of all rule and order, made the instruments of temporal aggrandizement, to the destruction of peace and harmony. All means failing to remove this scandal from the church, the French Church withdrew from the dominion of both the pontiffs, in a grand council held at Paris.

In the mean time the vices of that devouring army of ecclesiastics, called monks, arose to such a pitch, that even those wicked and debauched pontiffs, and more especially Clement, held them in abhorrence. So inveterate were they, that all labor to reform them proved vain. Yet such influence had they, more particularly the Dominicans and Franciscans, that every thing of much consequence was transacted under their supervision, both in ecclesiastical and civil courts, both in Rome and the cabinets of princes. The vast influence which these monks acquired on account of their apparent sanctity, caused the hatred of the higher and lower orders to become inflamed against them. Hence, they became the objects of general reproach, and various methods were resorted to to abridge their influence, and finally to put them down. In England, the university of Oxford resisted them manfully. But among all those who set themselves against these begging monks, none was more conspicuous than John Wiclif, nor was any better qualified for the task.

He was born near Richmond, in Yorkshire, about the year 1324, and received his education at Oxford, where he was a commoner in Queen's College, and afterward of Merton, in which he became a fellow. He early evinced a comprehensive mind, and applied himself to study with all his might, and became a profound scholar, more especially in philosophy, metaphysics, and theology. Beholding the corruptions of the mendicant monks, their haughtiness, and the innovations they were making upon truth and righteousness, his spirit was stirred within him, and, in 1360, he distinguished himself by becoming the powerful advocate of the university against their infringements of its laws and usages. He was eminently qualified for this work. Possessing an intellect naturally strong and vigorous, acute and penetrating, and a mind expanded and disciplined by education, he saw through their