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its theological bearings. This inability is strikingly displayed, in a laboured attempt to draw a parallel between the mysteries of nature and those of revelation. "To ordinary minds the book of nature is sealed, so is the book of revelation. In nature at first you see no marks of design, order, or system; the same is true of revelation: to the ordinary eye it presents no immediate indications of its divine origin. Events, apparently insignificant, supernatural interferences seemingly unnecessary, doctrines almost contradictory, and prophecies nearly unintelligible, occupy its pages. The history of the fall of man, of the introduction of moral and physical evil; the prediction of a Messiah; the actual advent of our Saviour; his instructions, his miracles, his death, his resurrection, and the subsequent propagation of his religion by unlettered fishermen of Galilee, are each a stumbling-block to the wisdom of this world. The youthful and vigorous mind, when first summoned to peruse the Scriptures, turns from them with disappointment. It recognises in them no profound science, no secular wisdom, no divine eloquence, no disclosures of an Almighty hand." Dr. Brewster proceeds however to declare, that notwithstanding all these unpromising appearances, (facts he intimates, which did they, as he supposes, exist, would render impossible what he says has been done,) "the labours of centuries have established its divine origin." It is truly painful to witness such an exhibition of ignorance in a mind of no ordinary powers, and the exhibition furnishes another proof of the miserable education in the Scriptures which the youth of this country receive, and the wretched notions that a dominant and unenlightened orthodoxy spreads through even the intelligent part of the community. The extract we have given, may doubtless be taken as a transcript of Dr. Brewster's own sentiments, and may serve to kindle the dying embers of zeal in those who are better informed, and who "hold the truth," not as the Apostle would advise, to impart, but keep it "under a bushel."

Great as was our surprise at reading the passage, part of which we have laid before the reader; that which we felt was greater when we met with the assertions, "such a conclusion," namely, of Newton's being "an Anti-trinitarian," is not warranted by any thing which he has published; and, "we do not know upon what authority Dr. Thomson states, in his history of the Royal Society, that

Newton did not believe in the Trinity." The "authority," at least in part, we not long since laid before our readers; and to the paper* which contains it, we beg to refer Dr. Brewster. One word in conclusion, on an alleged evidence to the contrary. "We are disposed," says Dr. Brewster, "to think that Newton declares his belief in the doctrine of the Trinity, when he says, 'in the eastern nations, and for a long time in the western, the faith subsisted without this text, and it is rather a danger to religion than an advantage, to make it now lean upon a bruised reed. The word 'faith' in the passage, cannot mean faith in the Scriptures in general; but faith in the particular doctrine of the Trinity." Surely "declare" is too strong a word; at the utmost, the evidence is only an intimation. But we deny that it is even that. Newton merely declares an historical fact, and uses it as an argumentum ad hominem to do away with the alarm which his removal of two "bruised reeds" might occasion in the minds of Trinitarians. "Do not," he says, "be alarmed, the faith once existed without these passages, why make it now lean on interpolations?" "The faith"-whose? Not the slightest intimation that it was his own. "The faith," belief in the doctrine of the Trinity; language could not be more guarded, had his object been to avoid implying his own belief in the Trinity. Thus would an anti-trinitarian write, who wished to purge the Scriptures without offending his fellow-Christians, and by the avoidance of offence, to succeed in his laudable object of excluding men's corruptions from God's Word. Had he meant to intimate or "declare" his belief in the Trinity, he would have said "our faith," "the faith of Christians and my own faith;" he would have owned the doctrine, in disowning its fictitious supports. G. C. S.

THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER.

GLASGOW, JUNE 1, 1832.

By the kind attention of the late Secretary of the Irish Unitarian Christian Society, we have received a full report of the proceedings at its Second Anniversary. We shall gladly insert as much of it as our pages will allow, apologising to the various speakers for the abridgments which we are compelled to make. We should

*No. for October 1831, p. 38-40.

rejoice in being able to communicate to our readers, the instruction and pleasure we received at the meeting. They will dwell among our most cherished recollections. The communication we have received thus commences:

"The Second Anniversary of the Irish Unitarian Christian Society, was held in Dublin on Sunday and Monday, April 29 and 30. On the afternoon of that day, a Sermon was preached in Eustace-street Meeting-House; and in the evening, another in Strand-street, by Rev. George Harris of Glasgow. His impressive and eloquent advocacy of Unitarian Christianity, as exhibited in its practical bearings on the progress of society and the interests of mankind, will long be remembered by his hearers with delight. The Annual Meeting was held in Strand-street, on the morning of Monday, April 30. The numbers in attendance exceeded those who were present last year; and a deep interest seemed to be awakened by the proceedings. At one o'clock, Joseph Hone, Esq. was called to the chair. The Report having been read and received,

"Rev. Joseph Hutton moved, and Rev. James Armstrong seconded the following Resolution :

"That the thanks of this Meeting be given to Rev. George Harris for his eloquent and impressive Sermons, delivered yesterday in behalf of this Society."

[Mr. Harris expressed the gratification he felt, in being honoured by the approbation of so enlightened an assembly; and being called on by the Secretary, moved the following Resolution, accompanied by various observations, which we omit in order to insert the eloquent addresses which followed.] "That the Members of this Society, contrasting the present state of Unitarian Christianity, with its aspect in the days of the persecuted Emlyn, find reason for much gratitude to the Father of lights; but comparing its still depressed condition with its holy and benignant character, we feel ourselves impelled by solemn obligation to renewed efforts in the dissemination of a faith, tending to bring glory to God, love to Christ, and peace to men.

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Mr. William Porter, the present Secretary and Treasurer of the Society, seconded the Resolution. After noticing the conduct of the Remonstrants of Ulster, Mr. Porter said, "But we have had men whose sacrifices for the sake of truth were infinitely greater-men who, against principalities and powers, against penal statutes and public odium, against arbitrary judges and subservient juries, against fine and imprisonment, maintained alike the right of private judgment, and the opinions to which its exercise had led them; and who flung property to the winds, and snapped asunder every cord that tied them to the earth; and who would not have accounted their lives dear unto them, in comparison with the manly and fearless assertion of what they in their consciences believed to be the truth once delivered to the saints;-the persecuted Emlyn, whose memory has been honoured by our reverend guest, and others of his sterling stamp, the goodly fellowship of our confessors-the noble army of our martyrs. We must not congratulate the Remonstrants of the North, as if their warfare

was accomplished; we must not hail those who buckle on their armour, as those who put it off. They have nobly freed themselves from hindrances hard to be shaken from them; they have placed themselves unencumbered at the starting-post, from whence I trust they will press onward toward the mark; but we should not lead them to suppose that the goal has yet been reached. In no part of Ireland have Unitarians done their duty to the cause. Many reasons might be assigned for the prevailing apathy, but I shall confine myself to one which strikes me as very influential. Exertions are not made to disseminate Unitarianism in Ireland, because it is considered that all exertions of the kind are hopeless. Difficulties do, no doubt, beset the path." [After sketching these difficulties in vivid colours, arising from the anomalous state of Ireland as to its religious parties, Mr. Porter proceeded], "But what reformation ever took place, which did not triumph over obstacles far greater than these? A thousand avenues are open, through which we might throw both Unitarian publications and Unitarian preaching into the public mind. We profess to hold the powers of human nature in respect; we protest against Calvinism, because, in our opinion, it calumniates them; and yet we practically avow our conviction, that plain, rational, scriptural demonstrations, submitted with kindness to the consideration of the public, will produce no good effect whatever. I ask, in the name of common consistency, should these things be? Sir, the course is open before us; and it is only timidity that sees a lion in the path. But if we are content to be Unitarians of a certain class, that is to say, persons who go to meeting once a-week, because it is seemly to go somewhere-who have a few favourite phrases constantly in their mouths, about allowing every man to go his own way to heaven-who delight to dwell upon the evils of controversy, when prevailing error is about to be assailedwho are ready to make the most charitable allowances for a popular system of divinity, but are signally severe in their judgments upon any which appears to be at all more unpopular than their own-who coldly sanction a form of worship, for the dissemination of which, they scruple to afford one penny of their money, or one hour of their time,-if we are content to be Unitarians of this description, I have no great expectation of success. To what purpose should you urge such an individual, to promote the obGallio careth for none of these jects which we have in view?

things. But if the Unitarians of Ireland could be roused from their indifference; if a miracle could be wrought, and the dry bones live, much honest prejudice might be overcome, and much dishonest clamour effectually put down, by a firm, unflinching avowal of our opinions.

"In considering the course which we ought to pursue in the advocacy of our sentiments, I have often thought that the respective conduct of two celebrated men in the sister island, both of whom embraced Unitarianism, and desired to propagate what they had embraced, might furnish an instructive lesson. In one of the most enlightened periods of English history, when opinions upon many important subjects had been weighed in the balance, and

many of them found wanting-when in politics, the glorious Revolution had preserved a nation's liberties-when Newton and Locke, those Unitarian worthies on whom Mr. Harris passed such a splendid panegyric, had brought under subjection the worlds of nature and of mind-it was to be expected that theology, though always hanging back, should nevertheless participate in the general advance. Accordingly, a man of the most profound and varied talents-a most accomplished scholar-in metaphysics, the worthy antagonist of Leibnitz-a distinguished favourite with royaltyand the most popular preacher of his day, became a believer in the simple unity of the great First Cause, whose being and attributes he had previously demonstrated, in a noble work which still maintains its pristine reputation. I allude to Dr. Samuel Clarke. Now, with respect to religious institutions, the Doctor was a bitby-bit reformer. The 'Scripture doctrine of the Trinity' is written with an evident disposition to excite as few prejudices as possible. It sought to win the Church to Unitarianism, by affecting to find Unitarianism in the standards of the Church. And this course seemed for a time to prosper. If the Convocation murmured, Clarke strove to soothe the Convocation; and he gathered so many personal influences about himself and his opinions, that the latter were thought to have spread far and wide. But what finally became of this attempt to smuggle truth unawares into the Establishment-this attempt to put the new wine into the old bottles, the new doctrine in the old creeds? What became of the Thatched House Petition, and the two hundred and fifty ministers that signed it-the pamphlets of Archdeacon Blackburne-and the speeches of Sir George Saville? With the exception of Lindsey, Jebb, and Wakefield, who manfully seceded, what became of all the rest? Of the many who were healed, how was it that these alone appeared to give thanks? Unitarianism, Sir, at that period, sprung up quickly; but because it had no root, in fearless consistent profession, it withered. In an after day, another champion, less cautious in his tactics, issued from the ranks of the orthodox Dissenters, and as long as the highest moral worth united to an ardent longing after truth, shall command respect, the name of Priestley must be held in reverence. This great man adopted a course of proceeding, the reverse of that pursued by Dr. Clarke. He cried aloud and spared not. With him there was no attempt to conciliate persons or principles which he felt it his duty to denounce; and at first the results appeared to be disastrous. He was blamed by timid friends for his imprudence-he was assailed by open enemies for his presumption-he was exposed to the attacks of adverse parties, to the high church intolerance of Horsely, and the sceptic sneer of Gibbon; a half religious, half political mob, destroyed at Birmingham his literary and scientific property; a social persecution followed him to London, with unremitted virulence, and he was at length driven from a country of which he was an ornament, to seek shelter in a foreign land. But what was the ultimate effect of all this? We may read it in the flourishing state of Unitarianism in England, and in the cheering progress which it has made in America, to which the storms of

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