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    Memoir of the JR&&. Benjamin Gohdier. 73

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    Memoir Of The Rev Mr. Benjamin Goodier (...

    tvitti ati fecHspttality truly English , introdt *

    preacher , I may venture to call my friend . I have permission to attend the college lectures free of expense ; afid though the professors and students know thtit 1 mm a heretic , for I have made no secret of my principles , yet the most orthodox of them treats me as a Christian brother . To

    complete my good fortune , I am lodged hi a boarding-house delightfully situated in the suburbs , where all besides myself are students at the college . " In a letter , prior to his leaving Btjurdeaux , was the following passage : " On Simday I went to the

    Protfcsta'ftt churcb , and was highly gratified by seeing a crowded and irtost 'respectable congregation , and by hearing am admirable French sermon , delivered in a masterly manner . The minister is one of tfae best speakers I

    have yet heard . His sermon abounded in eloquent ami pathetic passages , pronounced with such force and feeling as evidently came from the heart , and easily found their way to the hearts of the audience , some hundreds of whom wei ^ e dissolved in tears . I

    have been happy enough to be introduced to this excellent preacher and good man / ' To another correspondent he writes from Montauban : " I « m collecting all thief information in my power on the state of the French Protestants , who in general are very i

    far from being Caivinists . I have ^ never yet beard a doctrinal sermon , and m general I do not even hear an orthodox £ 3 Spresston in "the public ^ fcrvices , ff 1 ex-cept some vague laiigm * ge on the men-Its of Christ . At 35 ourdea # x there are several

    demiwmtari ' attifs , and their wrotft popular twmister wouldl > e condemned at once toy mrt English Calvmists as a Soci-Wan . Lftce tfhte pastoTs of Getseva , lifettiarntaiiiB an absolate silmce . He drafts favoured tne with a very friendly W > trrce . In a letter which h'e did me

    * hfc frotror df writing , same weeks 'agb , lie » ayte : ** Pomtr moi , je ne Jure iii par istMher , ni ytttr * Calvin . Je ne » m' WApdltifS , miie * C & pha $ : je snu Vfe Jtesus KihriH . YW * ce * qui est ' claimment rev 6 ty dans VEcritttr ' e Sainte est Ttfy & t ifffe ina Jin . ^ wSbhets tout ce

    Memoir Of The Rev Mr. Benjamin Goodier (...

    gu ' elle dit sans vout & ir , sur Ice qui est obscur , expliquer t £ merairement fo pourquo ^ et le commen t . Les ch oses cackSes sont pour VEtemel . * So far as I have yet learnt , this language is

    applicable to the majority of Pro * testant ministers in France . Believing that secret things belong unto God * they seldom preach upon the mysteries of the gospel , as they are

    termed . Election , Predestination ^ Justification , and the operation of Divine grace , are subjects almost exploded ; if there remain any orthodox doctrine ill the pulpit , it is that of satisfaction .

    " This city is the seat of Protestant instruction in France . Their college contains at present about forty students and six professors , who are salaried by the government . I board at the same house with one of the

    pastors and nine of the students . Yoa wijl readily believe that my heresy is no secret . We have daily discussions on the divinity of Christ , which most of the students believe . My opinions have been reported to one of the professors , who , though orthodox , as I believe all of them are- still receives

    me kindly , and seems anxious to be acquainted with some of the Unitarian books of England . Be understands English , and has just translated Wilberforces View , which he is about to publish . Mr . Robert Haldane , of Scotland , is also here , busily engaged , as he has been at Geneva , in

    translating and publishing orthodox pamphlets . He is a strict Calvinist , and in his writings , as well as conversation , refuses * is the Christian name . Not-withstanding this , he is very benevolent and mild . He heard of my arrival , and expressed a wish to « ee me . I was introduced by a common friend , and we had a conversation of

    five hours on the leading doctrines of the gospel . He is extremely friendly , and kindly hopes that God "will convjer * me . 1 have a pressing invitation to his house ; he gives me his printed works and lends me any of liis books . Under these

    circumstances , is it not highly desirable to translate and circulate a few of our best tracts ? In two months to come , I shall be able to translate them corirectly , with the assistance of one of the sttrdertts ; and though I dare not publish , I ica » easily and cheaply prijit and circirhrte some of them . Jtrttte

    Memoir Of The Jr&&. Benjamin Gohdier. 73

    Memoir of the JR && . Benjamin Gohdier . 73

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 22, 1819, page 73, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/mrp_22021819/page/5/