resolution had been put to the meeting, and the Chairman put the negative; the Rev. D. Griffiths, a Baptist minister of Burnley, rose and said, that he thought the negative had better not be put, because if it were, he must hold up his hand, or seem to agree to a resolution to which he might in reality have objections to make; but as he did not wish to disturb the harmony of the meeting, he submitted, that a show of hands in favour of the resolution, should alone be required. To this proposal the Chairman said he readily and willingly assented; and the meeting proceeded in the most harmonious, pleasing, and instructive manner to its close, which took place shortly after six o'clock; when the numerous persons that had been assembled, separated, expressing to each other, in warmest terms, the high gratification which they had experienced through this delightful and edifying day.

On the following Sunday, August 7th, notice was given from the pulpit of the Methodist Chapel, Padiham, that the Rev. D. Griffiths of Burnley, would preach a lecture in that place on the Monday evening, on the mis-statements and falsehoods of the speakers at the Unitarian public meeting. Accordingly, on Monday evening, Au. gust 8th, this lecture was delivered, and I was one of the crowded auditory who listened to a harangue, which, in self-contradiction, want of Christian feeling, zeal without knowledge, and falsification of facts, was scarcely ever equalled, certainly never exceeded, by the most reckless amongst the false accusers of their brethren.

During this outrageous harangue, several voices were frequently heard to utter the words, yes! ay! amen! And as these expressions of approbation had been permitted, I thought I had as much right to express my disapprobation; and therefore, at the close of the service, I requested to be heard. Some little confusion, as might have been expected, here arose; but I obtained a hearing, and addressed the congregation for perhaps ten minutes. The following substance of what I said, will convey to the reader's mind, some idea both of the reason I had to speak, and of the sort of lecture which had been given.

"The gentleman has affirmed," said I, "that Unitarians have made a bad use of the term Unitarian, and therefore he shall call them Socinians; and yet he has not told you what either Unitarian or Socinian means; and I doubt whether he knows. Then he has said, that the

Unitarians claim to be independent minded, and to think for themselves; and he would grant that they did think for themselves; and almost immediately he told you, that the Unitarians are slaves to the opinions of Dr. Priestley. How they can think for themselves, and not think for themselves, I will leave him to reconcile if he can. The lecturer has told you, that the Unitarians claim Newton and Milton, whereas every body knows that Newton and Milton were Trinitarians; and he has assured you, that the Christians and Universalists of America, whom the Unitarians count amongst their numbers, are orthodox Trinitarians. But I appeal from his assertions to the plain matter of fact, that both Newton and Milton have in their own writings expressed themselves, as Trinitarians do not, and would not; and that the Christians and Universalists of America, in their late accounts of themselves and their religious views, state that they believe there is but One God, even the Father, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus-which is Christian Unitarianism; now, will you believe what the Christians and Universalists of America are, on their own testimony, or on the mere ipse dixit of the lecturer? But he has farther said, that Unitarians are declining in England, and that they are fewer in number than they were thirty years ago. Where, I ask, are his proofs? He has none. Well, then, I can inform him, that the Unitarians in England, are at least double the number they were thirty years ago." (Here the gentleman, who was still in the pulpit, acknowledged that he was mistaken.) "Yes, truly you are, Sir," was my reply; "and if I were to point out all the mistakes and false assertions that have been made, and animadvert upon them as they deserve, I should not have done by the rising of to-morrow's sun; and so I will, in this place, notice only one other of those assertions. The lecturer has told this congregation, that those who turn from orthodoxy to Unitarians, turn either because they do not understand orthodoxy, or because they are immoral persons. Now, I ask, is there any Methodist in this place, who will say, that those Methodists in Padiham who turned Unitarians, did not understand Methodism? Is there a Methodist here that will say, that those Methodists who became Unitarians, turned because they were immoral persons? If not, then it comes to this: that a stranger has dared to come and tell the Methodists of Padiham,

respecting their Unitarian neighbours, that which the Methodists of Padiham know to be untrue. And now I have for the present done." And the congregation separated. The next evening, Tuesday Aug. 9, I addressed a large proportion of the inhabitants of Padiham, in the open air, on the daring attempt which had been made, to throw the apple of discord into the town; and I argued that they ought instantly to show, that they were determined not to take that apple up, except for the purpose of casting it out again. I then read the resolutions that had been passed at the public meeting, and gave a brief outline of the speeches that had been delivered on the occasion. After this, I repeated, and remarked upon, the various positions in Mr. Griffith's lecture of the preceding evening; showing how, in many instances, one position was at variance with another; and that, in not a few instances, the positions were at variance with truth itself. I was listened to with profound attention, during the whole of my address, which occupied an hour and a quarter; and I have some good reason to think, that this intended mischief to Unitarianism, will, under the blessing of God the Father, whom alone Unitarians worship, prove advantageous to the now despised, but hereafter to be triumphant cause of simple Christianity.—I am, &c.

H. CLARKE.

REVIEW.

Jesus the living Bread that came down from Heaven; a discourse delivered at Dorchester, before the Western Unitarian Society, July 21, 1830. By Russell Scott.

THE author of this truly scriptural sermon, has rendered essential service to Unitarianism, by the rational and scriptural explanations he has given of various passages in the Bible, generally adduced in support of a metaphysical and mysterious system of theology. In his lectures on the existence of the Devil, and his discourses on the office of Melchisedek-the creation by Jesus Christ-and the pure humanity of the Saviour, he has at once exposed corruption and irrationality, and illustrated and upheld doctrines which are consonant to nature, and honourable to God, and eminently beneficial to mankind; because their end

and aim is the improvement, virtue, and happiness of all intelligent creatures. The sermon whose title we have prefixed, is another of Mr. Scott's valuable efforts in the interpretation of a much misconceived text, John vi. 51, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven."

When

The discourse thus commences:-" In the first chapter and the twenty-third verse, John, the baptist, announces himself as 'the voice of one crying in the wilderness.' Jesus is the person alluded to, who was then opening his commission among the inhabitants of that district. Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.' (xl. 3.) The phraseology here is peculiar, and of Hebrew origin. John, the baptist, in going before Christ, is represented as going before the face of Jehovah. Christ was instructing his countrymen in the Divine will, God is represented as having come to them. The Jews were familiar with this mode of speaking. They were not 80 gross and undiscerning as to imagine from it that the infinite, invisible, omnipresent Jehovah came in person to them. God they considered as coming to his people, and as visiting them, when he sent a prophet to them, who spoke in his name, and who acted by his power and authority. The evangelist Luke (vii. 16) informs us, that after Jesus had raised the widow of Nain's son to life, 'the people glorified God, saying, that a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God hath visited his people."

After stating, that in the Bible "spiritual and moral things are not uncommonly expressed under images of something external and sensible," and illustrating the statement by various examples, Mr. Scott thus explains the text: "That doctrine of truth and righteousness which our Lord taught, is evidently the living bread,' or bread of life, in the same manner that the instructions of wisdom are represented as food by Solomon. The doctrine of

Jesus is the bread of life, as it nourishes and strengthens those who receive it, preparing them to live forever. Jesus communicated the instructions which have this happy tendency, and which produce this glorious effect; hence he calls himself the living,' or the life-giving bread.' Receiving a commission from God to make this communication, he speaks of it as coming down from heaven; and of his being sent, not to do his own will, but the will of Him who sent him."

The remainder of the discourse is occupied in proving

the truth of this interpretation; and by persuasive exhortations to his hearers, that they receive not the bread of life in vain, but that their thoughts and feelings and actions may evince their discipleship to Jesus, the teacher and exemplar of devotion and benevolence.

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The Practical Importance of the Unitarian Controversy; a Sermon delivered in Dublin, April 3d, 1831, at the First Anniversary of the Irish Unitarian Christian Society. By W. J. Fox.

The Impartiality of God illustrated and defended; a Sermon preached in Dublin, April 4th, 1831, at the First Anniversary of the Irish Unitarian Christian Society. By Rev. H. Montgomery, A. M.

THERE are, unfortunately, many estimable individuals in the Unitarian denomination, who doubt the efficacy of Associations in the promotion of our principles. We say unfortunately. Unfortunately certainly for themselves; for by abstaining from such meetings, they lose much intellectual enjoyment. Unfortunately for the cause, for thereby its progress is retarded, and ground is given to those who are seeking occasion against our opinions, for raising the charge of coldness and moral inefficiency. We hail such sermons as those preached before the Irish Unitarian Christian Society, not only for their intrinsic value, but also as we trust they may be the means of proving to our misgiving friends, the real, the permanent good of which Associations actually are productive. To the Irish Association we owe those discourses; and they are worthy of the occasion, worthy of their authors-noble tributes to the sentiments and feelings which all Unitarians must anxiously desire should prevail.

Mr. Fox has prefixed to his printed sermon, an address to the Unitarians of Ireland, on their duties at this important period. It is manly, heart-stirring, Christian. Much of its advice is applicable to other portions of the Empire, as well as Ireland. May it be received by all in the same spirit of kindness and benevolence in which it was dictated; and may it band together the friends of truth, liberty, and charity, in vigorous efforts for the improvement and freedom of mankind.

"Let me also mention a topic, for adverting to which

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