ChriMtio.nity. He would indeed be o. benefactor of the human race who could dis- cover o.nd establish the machinery by which national qnarrels and disagreements could be settled hy some other arbitrament than that of the sword. Viewed even in an economic point of view, how great would the gain oe to nations if the half million or the million of men in tne prime of life who are now supported in industrial idle- ness at the expense of their countrymen were, instead, contributing their own quota to the production and to the wealth of the country I And if the vast sums of money now spent on a single war were devoted to useful works and to great social improve• ments, how greatly would the world be benefited, instead of being, as now, impover- ished and made desolate I How to get rid of war, and at the same time maintain the national dignity and not compromise the national safety, is indeed a problem difficult to solve. The existence of force may be necessary for the maintenance of right. But for all that, the disco,ery of the means by which bloody wars might be exchanged for some binding code of national law, to which the strongest as well as the weakest should be subject, would be a signal blessing to mankind. The subject is well worth the consideration of every Christian philanthropist. Surely, too, we are encouraged to hope for success by the glowing words of prophecy. A day will come, we know, when "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isa. ii. 4). The Psalmist saw a blessed vision of a time when there shall be "abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth" (Ps. lxxii. 7). The Holy Ghost speaks of a time when "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the water11 cover the sea" (Isa. xi. 9). And, even if in no other way we can hope to succeed, let us, at least, use our utmost endeavour to spread that knowledge of the Prince of peace at home and abroad which is the surest guarantee of peace. We know not when or how the kingdom of righteousness and peace shall be established. But we know that in proportion as the gospel of peace influences men's hearts, controls their passions, and incites them to brotherly love, the motives to war will be diminished, the motives to harmony and union will be strengthened. May the time come quickly when in the love of Christ, whether present in glory, or still dwelling in the heavens, the love of man to man shall so abound that in the family, in the nation, and in the world, there may be only PEACE I
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.-" There shall not any of us give hi,s daughter unto Benjamin to wife." A rule of justice, morality, and prudence. Benjamin represents the libertine, a character too common in our own day. Here is a method of dealing with 11uch men that ought to commend itself to every parent. J. PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SANCTIONING MARRIAGE. II. THE. CONSIDERATIONS THAT OUGHT TO GOVERN IT. The welfare of the child i the possibility of greater happiness and usefulness : and provision for the future. Moral soundness ought therefore to be a sine qua non in all aspirants to the ba.nd of a Christian man's daughter. What security can there be for the wife of a licentious man, even if be be as wealthy as Croesus? Righteousness of life and a Christian character should be the first and indispensable qualifications of a son-in-law. Ill. ADVANTAGES OF SUCH A COURSE AS THIS. If parents would exclude from their homes, their drawing-rooms, and the society of their children persons known to be licentious, it would exert great influence-!. In checking such conduct. 2. In pre· venting society from thinking lightly of it.-M. Ver. 25. -" In those days there was no king in Israel : every man did that which was right in his own eyes." This is the key-note, as it is the refrain, of the whole book. The point raised is one of great significance in dealing with the foundations of Society and the State. I. THE EVILS ARISING FROM AN EXCESS 01!' INDIVIDUALISM AMONGST MEN. Il. THE NECESSITY FOR SOME COMMON EXTERNAL DONO AND SANCTION l'OR CONDUCT AND LlD'E,-M, 212 THE BOOK OF JUDGES. [en. XXI. 1-25,