The Right Time to Work for Peace.

On the question of Peace, the community seem strangely to lack their usual fairness and good sense. We remember, as quite in point, a story of William Ladd, the founder of our Society. On one of his journeys, he reached the house of a friend, and found it uncovered in the midst of a drenching rain. 'Why, my good friend,' exclaimed the man of peace, 'why don't you shingle your house?' 'What!' retorted his easy, improvident friend, 'shingle it in such a storm as this! Wait till the weather is fair.' So he did; but Mr. Ladd, on his return one sunny day, found the house of his good-natured, slip-shod friend, still in the same condition. 'Well, my friend, I see you've not shingled your house yet. What does all this mean?' Oh!' said he, 'there's no need of it in such fine weather as this.' So in sunshine he would not, and in storm he could not, shingle his house.

Precisely thus fares the cause of Peace. Press its claims at the near approach of war, or during its progress; and you are confronted with the plea, 'it is out of place now; wait till peace returns.' At length peace does return; and how are you met then? Do even good Christian men, followers of the Prince of Peace, respond promptly, spontaneously to the claims of this cause, and set themselves about its great work in earnest? No; they sing the old lullaby, 'in such a time of profound peace, there surely can be no need of labour in this cause. Wait till we see some occasion for it in the approach of actual war. Everybody is for peace now, as much so as you are yourself; and no argument or influence can make them more so. Why waste effort where it is so unnecessary?'—Advocate of Peace.