The Peace Society of Windham County record book contains approximately 81 pages of records that shed light on the group's organization, decision-making, meetings, activities, and philosophies. The volume primarily comprises minutes (1826-1839), which are particularly valuable for the information they provide on the group's members and their attendance, speakers and the topics they addressed, religious activities and affiliations, and references to the Society's publications and promotional materials.
The volume opens with a description of the group's founding and a copy of its constitution. The latter describes its mission and structure (pp. 5-9) and notes its goal to "promote and extend the full import of the angelic message, 'Peace on Earth and good will to men'." Following this are the carefully kept minutes for thirteen annual meetings and scattered semi-annual, ad hoc, and board of directors meetings. The minutes primarily record the organization's decisions, arrived upon after numerous discussions and votes. Issues put to a vote include the locations of various meetings (which were primarily held in members' homes), the people to whom the society should express gratitude, the names of possible speakers, fundraising measures, and the distribution of tracts and literature.
The Record Book includes debates over the group's philosophies and objectives. Minutes show that they invited particular members to speak on topics, such as "The Prejudice by which the custom of War is upheld in society" (p. 19) and the injustice of the American Revolutionary War (p. 37). On the latter topic, the secretary noted, "This was of course a sentiment new to many, and at first many minds may revolt from it, but it is doubtless correct." The record book closes with a 7-page list of members of the society, along with their places of residence.
