Constitution of the
Oberlin Peace Society

May 10^th, 1843

In accordance with a call signed by 150 citizens of Oberlin, a public meeting was held in the Chapel, March 21^st, 1843, Mr. Hamilton Hill called the meeting to order, and Amasa Walker, Esq., was chosen chairman, and H. C. Taylor, Secretary.

A constitution was proposed for adoption, which called forth considerable discussion, and the meeting was adjourned to the 25^th instant, when a new draft of a constitution was submitted to the meeting, by a committee, of which Prof. H. Cowles was chairman.  A long and animated discussion arose on the question of its adoption, and the meeting again adjourned to the 28^th instant, at which time, the citizens again assembled, and after a very thorough examination of the principles involved, and the adoption of several amendments, the constitution was adopted as follows.

Constitution

Believing that the moral wrongs and evils involved in war are immensely great, and that their appropriate remedy – under God – lies in regenerating the public sentiment of Christendom on this subject, we make the following avowal of our solemn convictions, on the basis of which we organize ourselves into a Peace Society.

We hold that all men as individuals, and all nations in their national capacity, are bound to obey a great law of mutual love, and to respect each other’s rights and happiness as their own.

We believe that the revealed will of God is the supreme law of nations, both in their internal and external relations, and binds every nation to repudiate the spirit of war and even to suffer without resistance any amount of evil which would be required by the Spirit of the precept, ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.’  We hold that among civilized and nominally Christian nations, the necessity for even defensive war might be entirely obviated, should they resort to arbitration, or a Congress of Nations, having for its object to maintain international peace.

We believe that the spirit of war is utterly opposed to the spirit of the gospel, and should be counteracted and its causes resisted by all rightful means within our power.

We reprobate the spirit of national pride and honor (falsely so called) which so often brings nations into needless and ruinous wars.  In this point of view, we condemn the spirit in which almost the entire history of the world has been written, because it breathes the spirit of war and not the spirit of Christ.

The manner in which nations prepare for war in time of peace, we hold to be objectionable on this ground, that it engenders the war spirit, challenges aggression, and rests our national defense on radically false grounds: the sword, rather than man’s innate conviction of right and God’s protecting providence.

The military and naval system of the country, we believe to be exceedingly pernicious to the public morals and corrupting to the public sentiment and spirit of the nation.  A system so pernicious in its spirit and tendencies, we believe no minister of the gospel ought to sanction by consenting to serve as chaplain.

Living as we do, under a government whose principles and laws in respect to war we cannot approve, we feel bound:

1.  To labor by all appropriate means for the correction of whatever we deem wrong; and

2.  To yield obedience to civil authority so far as it does not seem to us to conflict with the authority of God and no farther.

A committee, consisting of Messrs. Whipple Dawes, Hill, Taylor, and Thome was appointed to select a list of officers for the society, who after retiring for a few minutes reported the following:

This report was accepted and the list of officers adopted by a unanimous vote.

On motion of Mr. Hosford, Messrs. H. Hill, Wm. W. Wright, H. A. Pease, D. M. Graham, and Moses D. Campbell were appointed to obtain signatures to the constitution.

On motion of Pres. Mahan, seconded by Prof. Finney, it was voted that the officers of the Society be requested to take measures to have a meeting at an early day, for the discussion of the question, “Is all war sinful?”

On motion of Mr. Dawes – Resolved: that relying for ultimate success mainly on the education of the young in the pacific principles of the gospel, we believe it to be the duty of all preachers, of all parents, and of teachers in all our seminaries of learning to combine their efforts in training up such a generation of peace makers as would spontaneously keep the peace of the world.

On motion of Prof. Thome – Resolved: that we regard the establishment of a Congress of nations as a primary and indispensable measure for the promotion of our cause; and the proposition for a general conference of the friends of peace in the British metropolis in June next as an event well calculated to facilitate the attainment of that object, and the general pacification of the world – and therefore, further that four delegates be appointed by this meeting to attend said convention.  The following persons were elected to addend said convention as the representatives of the Oberlin Peace Society:  William Dawes, Amasa Walker, Hamilton Hill, and H. C. Taylor.

On motion of Mr. Dawes, it was voted that Mr. George Sturge of England be elected a member of this society and also be appointed to act as its delegate at the World’s Peace Convention in June next.

On motion of Prof. Whipple – Resolved: that the long peace of nearly 30 years, which has been maintained among the principal nations of Europe is an event highly auspicious to our cause and may be considered as an indication that pacific influence which the active friends of peace have been able to exert upon the world.

On motion of William Hosford – Resolved: that the happy adjustment of the late difficulties which had existed for near half a century between the United States and Great Britain is an event highly gratifying and encouraging to the friends of peace, affording as it does additional evidence that the greatest difficulties between nations may be satisfactorily reconciled by amicable negotiation instead of an appeal to the sword.

On motion of H. Hill – Resolved: that as the principles adopted by this society are in accordance with the holy Scriptures and are well calculated to promote the best interests of man, they claim the support of every friend of religion and humanity.