THE REMEDY FOR DUELLING. A SERMON, DELIVERED BEFORE THE PRESBYTERY OF LONG-ISLAND, AT THE OPENING OF THEIR SESSION, AT AQUEBOGUE, APRIL 16, 1806. BY LYMAN BEECHER, A. M. PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN EAST-HAMPTON. FIRST PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE PRESBYTERY. RE-PUBLISHED BY SUBSCRIPTION, TO WHICH IS ANNEXED, THE RESOLUTIONS AND ADDRESS OF THE ANTI-DUELLING ASSOCIATION OF NEW-YORK. NEW-YORK: Sold at the Theological and Classical Book-store of WILLIAMS and J. SEYMOUR, PRINTER. -1899. RECOMMENDATION. CRAS851 844 1809 140 . A DESIGN having been entertained of printing, in a neat form, and at a low price, a large edition of the REV. LYMAN BEECHER's Sermon, entitled "The Remedy for Duelling," we embrace this opportunity of bearing our testimony to its excellence, and of recommending it to the serious consideration of every one who regards the public virtue, prosperity, and honour. We are persuaded that no man, over whom cogent reasoning, political rectitude, and religious principle, have not lost their power, can rise up from an impartial perusal of Mr. BEECHER'S Sermon, without being convinced that the citizens of these States have neglected an important duty by not resisting, in their individual capacities, the atrocious crime of duelling; and without an anxious desire to see the remedy proposed by Mr. BEECHER put under a course of fair experiment. Should it ultimately succeed, as there is reason to hope it will, the blessing of the present and of future generations will rest on the head and the memory of a man, who, by first pointing out and urging an effectual expedient for effacing one of the foulest blots on our national character, will have pre-eminently deserved well of his country. JOHN RODGERS, D. D. ALEXR. Mc LEOD, D. D. New-York, November, 1809. SAMUEL MILLER, D. D. า CALIFORNIA PREFACE. THE General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, at their Session of 1805, "having taken into consideration the unhappy "prevalence of Duelling in the United States, and being anxious"ly desirous of contributing what may be in their power, consis"tently with their character and situation, to discountenance and "abolish this practice, "Resolved unanimously, that they do, in the most unequivocal "manner, declare their utter abhorrence of the practice of duel“ling, and of all measures tending thereto, as originating from "the malevolent dispositions of the human heart, and a false sense "of honour; as a remnant of Gothic barbarism; as implying a 66 presumptuous and highly criminal appeal to God, as the Sove"reign Judge; as utterly inconsistent with every just principle of "moral conduct; as a direct violation of the sixth commandment, "and destructive of the peace and happiness of families. And "the Assembly do hereby recommend it to the ministers in their ❝connexion, to discountenance, by all proper means in their power, this scandalous practice. "Resolved also, that it be recommended to all the ministers un"der the care of the Assembly, that they scrupulously refuse to at"tend the funeral of any person who shall have fallen in a duel; "and that they admit no person, who shall have fought a duel, given or accepted a challenge, or been accessary thereto, unto "the distinguishing privileges of the church, until he manifest a "just sense of his guilt, and give satisfactory evidence of repen"tance." The writer of this discourse had long viewed, with anxiety, the prevalence of duelling in our country, and particularly in this state. He had waited, but had waited in vain, for the interposition of law; and had ceased to expect a remedy, from that source.' He had witnessed the facility with which the law could be evaded, and he had learned the cause. When the above recommendation of the General Assembly to ministers in their connexion, to discountenance, by all proper means in their power, the scandalous practice of duelling, came to hand, he was led to inquire whether the evil did really admit a remedy? M203713 |