Bible Societies throughout the Christian world, have
been, in the hands of Providence, the means of effect-
ing a union of Christians, who, once widely sepa-
rated from each other, by countries, forms, and names,
have daily approximated, and coalesced, as it were,
into one spiritual body, proclaiming to the world,
that the true and invisible church, is not to be re-
stricted by the narrow limits of any particular sect,
or outward form, but comprehends all the genuine
worshippers of our God, and his Christ, in every part
of the habitable globe. How cheering, how anima-
ting are the happy effects, prospectively, that must
result from supplying the poor and destitute with
that book, which contains the words, the sayings,
and testimonies of God, pointing out a direct, plain,
and luminous path to immortality, promising the
assistance, and requiring submission to the same
spirit that inspired the holy penmen.

In the present enlightened period, when peace per-
vades the whole world, is it too much to indulge the
hope, that the time is not very remote, when the pro-
phecy shall be fulfilled—Nation shall not lift up
sword against nation, neither shall they learn war
any more.—Though the Prince of this world may
still have rule among the people, we may in the
spirit of meekness pray—thy kingdom come.—We
may hope, that predisposing causes, in the hand of
divine Providence, may effect such a universal
change in the minds of men, as will finally extir-
pate the root of bitterness, and every evil passion that
serves to engender wars and fightings; and in room
thereof, men may learn to love each other, which is
the essential and true mark of a disciple and follower
of the Prince of Peace.

From observations made upon the state of society
in the city of New-York

, Mr. Eddy came to the con-
clusion, that one great cause of crime was pauperism,
which, in most instances in this country, arose from
ignorance in the poorer classes of the people; and, that