Trinity (Sabellian, mixed with some of the ideas of Swedenborg), and an Atonement which he described as consisting altogether of moral influences of Christ upon mankind. He saw fit, however, to resign his pulpit, and commenced preaching in another place. Half his church and two-thirds of his congregation have followed him to his new place of worship. He is excommunicated from the Independent and Baptist Union of ministers. His flock talk of building a chapel for him. At a recent public tea-party which the seceders held, Mr. George Dawson was invited to attend and to preach on a week evening, which he did to a large congregation. Charitable Trusts' Bill.-On Monday, May 18, the House of Lords was engaged in discussing this measure, introduced by the Chanceller, and designed to remedy the enormous amount of wrong-doing in the administration of Charities, but conferring large and most unconstitutional powers on irresponsible Commissioners. The Bill also was vitiated by religious partialities, large protection being given to the two Universities and to all Church-of-England charities, but little or none being provided for Roman Catholic and Dissenting trusts. Such being the case, we cannot regret that the Bill received the strenuous opposition of Lords Cottenham and Campbell, and on a division was rejected by 41 against 40 votes. Anniversaries--We would direct the attention of our Unitarian friends to the several interesting meetings fixed to take place during the ensuing month. In the Whitsun week, the Assembly of the General Baptists, the Unitarian Association (which is to have the advantage of Rev. J. G. Robberds's services as preacher, and Mr. Paget's as Chairman of the social meeting), and the Sunday - School Association, will hold, on three consecutive days, their several meetings. Later in the month, the West - Riding Tract Society, and the Lancashire and Cheshire Provincial Meeting, celebrate their anniversaries, the former at Bradford on the 10th, and the latter at Chester on the 18th inst. This is the first occasion of the Provincial Meeting taking place at Chester. It is intended to hold a popular evening meeting, an experiment never hitherto tried at this, one of the most ancient Presbyterian assemblies in England, but which has been for some years desired by some of the ministers. Last of all, the annual examination of the students now being educated at Manchester New College will be held on the 23rd inst. and two following days. The Rev. ROBERT WALLACE, Professor of Theology in Manchester New College, has accepted the unanimous invitation of the Unitarian congregation at Bath to become their minister, the Rev. J. MURCH having resigned that office in consequence of weakness of voice. The respect and attachment felt towards Mr. Murch by his flock were testified, not long since, by the presentation of a handsome silver salver with an appropriate inscription. The annual meeting of the WestRiding (Yorkshire) Presbyterian Ministers will be held at Bradford this year, on Wednesday, June 10th. The Rev. Samuel Bache, of Birmingham, is engaged to preach. On the same occasion, the West-Riding Unitarian Tract Society holds its thirty-first anniversary. The growing importance and extending usefulness of this Society-the demands which the progress of purer views of Christian truth among the working classes is making upon its more educated and wealthy friends-the revival and increased number of Unitarian congregations in the district-and the well-known excellence of the preacher who has promised his services,--combine to raise the expectation of a large attendance. MARRIAGES. 1846. May 18, at the Unitarian church, St. Peter's Square, Stockport, CHARLES MARSLAND to SARAH ANN APPLETON. May 21, at the Old chapel, Dukinfield, by Rev. R. Brook Aspland, M.A., Mr. JAMES LEACH to Mrs. ELIZABETH WRIGHT, both of Dukinfield. OBITUARY. April 30, at Beauchamps Court, near Worcester, the residence of his eldest son, HENRY LAKIN, Esq., of Hanley, Worcestershire, aged 66 years. The retiring modesty which was a distinguishing feature in the character of the subject of this notice, might seem to forbid any public tribute to his memory, were it not for the consideration that, to the extensive circle, composed of various ranks, by whom he was known and honoured, any characteristic sketch, however inadequate, could not fail to prove interesting. To a clear and vigorous understanding, with quick perception and acute powers of observation, were united great refinement and delicacy of mind; to these were added a deeply feeling heart, ever most thoughtful of those who were most neglected by the world: the whole was guided and sustained by the highest principle, his integrity being of a character which might aptly be designated, in worldly phrase, as the nicest and most punctilious honour; and adorned by an unaffected simplicity of manners, arising from a total freedom from self-reference, and enlivened by a cheerful gaiety and archness of native humour which shed a sunny brightness on his familiar intercourse in the social circle. His piety was sincere and unobtrusive, displaying itself less in words than in deeds-in love to God and love to man; thus proving him, by the test established by our honoured Master himself, a genuine disciple of him who has said, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." His occupation, in the early part of his life, had been chiefly confined to agriculture, which was always his favourite pursuit; to which, for upwards of the last twenty years, were added land agencies under different noblemen and gentlemen, in which extended sphere of usefulness his upright, judicious and impartial conduct secured him the entire confidence of both landlords and tenants. The removal of such a man from the wide circle through which he was enabled to diffuse happiness, must needs be mourned in no common degree: to his own family and more intimate friends, his loss will be incalculable; but it will be deeply felt by numbers who looked to him for advice and assistance, and who never looked in vain. His simple funeral, attended only by the nearest relatives, was joined, on entering the public road, by upwards of 200 horsemen, consisting of the tenantry, tradespeople and others, who had known and respected the deceased; many from the distance of 20 or 30 miles; and all in complete mourning, who formed themselves in procession, entered the church, and remained during the service. Every house in the village was closed; and the general feeling evinced was no pompous display to gratify the vanity of the living, but that genuine, spontaneous, heartfelt sorrow which is the purest and most honourable tribute to departed worth. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. Received for Review, Noyes's "New Translation of the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Canticles;" White's "Life in Christ;" Rev. David Thom's "Three Grand Exhibitions of Man's Enmity to God;" Dr. Putnam's "Discourse at the Installation of Rev. David Fosdick;" "The Flight of Armida," Cantos iii.-vii. ; "A Catechism of the Old Testament, by the Author of a Catechism of the Life of Christ;" Rev. T. Bowring's "How many Talents have I?" Gervinus's "Mission of the German Catholics;" Rev. F. Blakeley's excellent Sermon on the Trinity, &c. We hope soon to be enabled to begin the promised series of Congregational Histories. Nottingham will probably be the first. We regret that we are obliged so long to delay the review of Mr. Kenrick's important "Essay on Primæval History." ERRATUM. P. 292, line 23, for "well-known Blasphemy Act of William and Mary," read "Toleration Act and other laws." 1 It is impossible for any one to read the writings of Theodore Parker without being strongly impressed by them. They abound in passages of fervid eloquence-eloquence as remarkable for the truth of feeling which directs it, as it is for the genius by which it is inspired. They are distinguished by philosophical thought and learned investigation, no less than by the sensibility to beauty and goodness which they manifest. We are about to direct the attention of our readers to a work of Mr. Parker's, which has been lately republished in this country, entitled A Discourse of Matters pertaining to Religion. It would afford ample materials for a paper of an opposite character to the present one. We deem it our duty chiefly to notice, on this occasion, certain views of which we disapprove; but we could easily occupy the whole of our space with references to parts of this work which not only meet with our approval, but engage our hearty admiration. We make this statement lest it should be supposed that we consider ourselves as doing full justice to the volume by our present remarks upon it. We do not pretend to accomplish that object. Our purpose is to do justice, not to the volume itself, but to some particular doctrines it contains; and we wish it to be understood that, in fulfilling this purpose, a very limited portion of Mr. Parker's speculations will pass under our review. We shall be forced to put aside a great deal of which we disapprove, as well as much of which we approve, even in those parts of his Discourse to which our attention will be confined. Our concern will, indeed, be with but one point, viz., the philosophical character of the supernatural claims attaching to Christianity. In discussing this point, in opposition to Mr. Parker, we must omit many things bearing upon it which he has advanced. In fact, not only the whole work, but that portion of it with which we shall have especially to do, would justify a much more extended notice than it is possible for us to give, and we think it is the fairest plan so far to lessen the topics of our observation, that each one may be discussed according to its due merits. This Discourse of Religion is divided into five books; the titles of which give a very correct idea of the subjects of the volume. Book 1. Of Religion in general; or a Discourse of the Religious Sentiment and its Manifestations. Book 2. The Relation of the Religious Sentiment to God; or a Discourse of Inspiration. Book 3. The Relation of the Religious Sentiment to Jesus of Nazareth; or a Discourse of Christianity. A Discourse of Matters pertaining to Religion. By Theodore Parker, Minister of the Second Church in Roxburg, Mass. Pp. 380. London-Chapman, Brothers, 121, Newgate Street. 1846. Book 4. The Relation of the Religious Sentiment to the greatest of Books; or a Discourse of the Bible. Book 5. The Relation of the Religious Sentiment to the greatest of Human Institutions; or a Discourse of the Church. It is with the first three of these books alone that our present design connects itself. Their general tenor may be thus cursorily expressed. They assert, that religion is a sentiment inherent in the human mind, which manifests itself in various forms according to the degree of spiritual cultivation possessed by men, and independently of all supernatural aid;-that God communicates spiritual truth to mankind by immediate contact with the human mind, and thus effects an universal inspiration, though his operations are entirely subservient to the natural laws relating to the subject;-that the peculiarity of Christianity is the absolute truth it contains; which truth, in its abstract form, constitutes the only authority of the system, miraculous interference being inapplicable to that point, and having had no existence. In opposition to this scheme, we are prepared to defend the Christian system in its character of a special revelation of religious truth. That we believe to be its true character. It is not one of the forms in which the sentiment of religion natural to man manifests itself; but it is a supernatural provision devised by God for the better development of that sentiment. It did not arise from the divine inspiration common to mankind; but implied an inspiration beyond the range of the natural laws within whose circle we are confined. Its facts, no less than its truths, form an essential part of its system, and the miraculous element they embrace may be properly regarded as involving divine authority. These are the views of the subject into the philosophical consistency of which we have to inquire; and in doing so, we propose to adhere as closely as possible to the demands of that theory of philosophy which Mr. Parker himself holds. The first book of Mr. Parker's Discourse is directed, as we have seen, to the subject of "Religion in general." We select from it, for special notice, a passage which denies the logical propriety of that distinction in favour of Christianity which we express by the term Revelation. We are told that "There is no difference but of words between revealed Religion and natural Religion."-P. 33. In order clearly to understand this declaration, it may be necessary for us to quote some sentences with which it is connected. It is preceded by the following remarks:-"There can be but one kind of Religion, as there can be but one kind of time and space. It may exist in different degrees, weak or powerful; in combination with other sentiments-love or hate, with wisdom or folly; and thus it is superficially modified, just as love, which is always the same thing, is modified by the character of the man who feels it, and by that of the object to which it is directed." We are in some doubt as to the precise meaning of these sentences. They may mean that the religious element in human nature is uniform, or that there is but one true representation of that to which the religious sentiment relates. We have read over the passage and its context several times, and are not able positively to decide which of these senses it ought to bear. But we shall offer no objection to either of them. They both engage our free assent. But ness. when it is immediately added, "Of course, then, there is no difference but of words between revealed Religion and natural Religion," we ask, Why of course? The truth which Religion embraces may be but one, and the feeling with which it is apprehended may be but one, but the means by which its truth is communicated to us may be very various. They may be natural—that is, they may be accordant with the ordinary instrumentalities employed for the communication of truth; or they may be revealed that is, they may involve special modes of communication not included in the ordinary instrumentalities. Between these two classes of means there is more than a verbal difference. They are different things. It may be denied that such a difference exists in reality; but that it exists in idea, is too plain to need more than a notice of the fact. Mr. Parker proceeds to say, "All actual Religion is revealed in us, or it could not be felt; and all revealed Religion is natural, or it would be of no use. What is of use to man lies in the plane of his consciousness, neither above it nor below it." This is a mere play upon words. Revealed, is here taken in the simple sense of communicated; and natural, in the sense of conformed to our consciousThese senses have nothing to do with the point in dispute, and to bring them forward is just to avoid that point. Natural and Revealed, as those terms are universally applied to the subject of Religion, do not mean what they are here assumed to mean. Natural does not mean that which lies within the plane of our consciousness: it means that which we derive from ordinary instrumentalities. What comes to us through miraculous instrumentalities may still be within the plane of our consciousness. Revealed, as opposed to natural, does not simply mean that which God communicates to us: it means that which is communicated by him independently of the common modes of his operation. To employ it in the former sense as though that were the only one proper to it, is merely to take for granted the matter under discussion. If we pursue our quotation a little farther, we shall perhaps be able more clearly to expose Mr. Parker's fallacy on the question before us. "We may," says he, "regard this one Religion from different points of view, and give corresponding names to our partial conceptions, which we have purposely limited, and so speak of natural and revealed religion-Monotheistic, Polytheistic, or Pantheistic, Pagan, Jewish, Christian, Mahometan religion. But in these cases the distinction indicated by the terms belongs to the thinker's mind, not to Religion itself, the object of thought." In the case of the terms, natural and revealed, with which alone we have at present to do, "the distinction indicated" does not, most obviously, "belong to the thinker's mind." It belongs to different modes in which certain religious truths are supposed to have been made known to mankind. Those modes are, properly, philosophically,-different the one from the other. It is quite childish to imagine that any one who might contend for such a difference, would be influenced by a statement which thus puts the character of that difference on one side as a thing to which no reality could possibly attach. "Different points of view," and "partial conceptions," have no bearing upon the question-whether or not the means by which religious truth is communicated to man may be both ordinary and extraordinary. There are particular forms of religion which may with consistency be attempted to be explained on such principles as these, but a |