ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION.

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THE AUTHORS OF this book have all departed this life.

ZACHARIAH WATEROUS died two years before the publication of the first edition. At his death he signified his desire to have it printed, being several times heard to say -- "It is no time to turn back in the day of battle, at the loss of one man."

TIMOTHY WATEROUS, Sen'r, died September 5th, 1814.

TIMOTHY WATEROUS, Jun., died April 26th, 1820.

The first edition of this book, consisting of four hundred copies, was with great difficulty put to press about thirty years ago. As applications have been made for the work, they have been supplied, till at this time we find ourselves almost without an entire copy from which to print this second edition. Thinking it to be much needed at this day, and too important a work to be lost, we feel it to be a duty that we owe to ourselves and our fellow men, to lay it again before the public, --in hopes that its plain and conclusive arguments, which we believe to be well grounded and calculated to throw light upon the fundamental principles of Religion, may serve to enlighten the minds of those readers who have not, hitherto, investigated the deceptive schemes of our ecclesiastical leaders who profess to worship God, while this book proves most of them to be following the council of Satan and worshiping the gods of this world. And as the subject of this book is one of great moment to all accountable beings, we hope its pages will be examined with corresponding candor.

We now submit to the public the entire work as it came from the Authors, with the exception of trifling corrections. We would also avail ourselves of the present opportunity to express our satisfaction in being able to state, that although the power of ecclesiastical tyranny and religious bigotry was so great as nearly to have smothered this work in its infancy, yet the modifying influences which have been operating during the last thirty years have so far relaxed the Priestly grasp on the public mind and conscience, that we now have only to offer a reasonable compensation, and any Printer is ready to do the work.

THE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OF THE AUTHORS OF THE BATTLE-AXE. Groton, September, 1841.

E. WILLIAMS, Print. New London, Conn.

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APOLOGY FOR THE THIRD EDITION.

Quite in keeping with the spirit of the Authors, the body of this Edition has been printed by a somewhat unorthodox process, and the printer, like themselves, may not be "in uniform." It has been copied from the edition of 1841, no other being conveniently available, and while the different sizes of type and italics used for titles, etc., cannot be imitated on the typewriter, care has been taken to reproduce every word and punctuation, except obvious misprints, and it is believed it may serve as a resurrection of the spirit of these characters, to last as long as appreciation makes possible. The cover has been done by the old method, and the different sizes of types imitated as nearly as possible.

TIMOTHY WATEROUS was born June 19, 1740.

TIMOTHY WATEROUS, Jr. was born May 26, 1765.

ZACHARIAH WATEROUS was born Aug. 30, 1767.

SILAS WATEROUS, publisher of the second edition, was the son of Timothy Waterous, Jr., and was born Aug. 23, 1802, and died Nov. 25, 1852.

Much information in regard to the Sect of the Authors is to be found in a book -- "The Rogerines," by John Bolles and Anna B. Williams, a copy of which is in the State Library at Hartford, and several others in the possession of some of the residents of Quakertown, Ledyard, Conn.

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