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r 1814 , and the beginning of 1815 . F V t 1 st " of which a correspondent has « cent us the following- abstract . Scarcely had the legislature of this Proi testsnt country repealed those disgraceful ] laws which authorized the persecution of ^ . Trinitarians , than this act of justice
and sound policy seems to have alarmed a reputedly orthodox class of persons amongst us , who if they have observed the character of the times , do not appear to have imbibed the general feeling- of increased liberality by which they are
distinguished . Among * these the Bishop of St . David ' s has rendered himself particularly conspicuous . And yet when the danger he apprehended was approaching-, he did not as a Peer of Parliament lift up his voice a-^ aittst the measure , or oppose it by a silent vole at the risk of being-found in an
uncouitly minority . Yet no sooner was the Trinity Bill passed into a law than his lordship ' s apprehensions were revived , he could no longer smother his regret in his own bosom , but gave vent to his feelings in " a Brief Memorial" on the repeal of
those persecuting statutes . In this work the Bishop declares himself to be "decidedly of opinion , that the mid penalties ought not to have been repealed ; but , that the old parliamentary protection of the essential truths of Christianity ought to have
been maintained , and should be restored " It is not therefore surprising that the bishop should deem those heretical who not only differed from him on points of faith , but disclaimed all such u protection" as unnecessary for the support of the genuine doctrines of the gospel , believing that such aid has been much oftener extended in favour of error , than of truth .
Under these impressions the Bishop at length publishes " An Address to persons , tailing themselves Unitarians ; on competency to judge of disputed scripture doctrines , and of religious controversies . " " The bishop will not of course admit the competency of Unitarians to judge of such
matters . No . He pronounces that they are not Christians though they profess to be" This work . was advertised in Woolmer ' s Exeter and Plymouth Gazette ° f Oct . 29 , 1814 , with the following remarks thereon . •< This valuable pam-Phlet in support of Orthodox Christian faith
»» opposition to ll > e debasing , degradipg doctrines of Socinianism , differing- only "om Deism in the profession of Christianity JJ " he sold by Mr . Trewman , Printer , * ore Street , Exeter . A friend of his counlr has directed a number of these Tracts
be iven , or lent to those unfortunate persons , who having been deluded hearers dociniau blasphemy , are anxious to be "jnowd to the inestimable comforts of the ^ nnstian faith . " i * * eis a large respectable and flou-
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rishing congregation of Unitarians at Exeter , it was not likely that such groundless and uncharitable calumnies on the whole body should be suffered to pass unnoticed . Accordingly in the next week ' s paper , on
Nov . 5 th , a letteT to the editor from Dr . Carpenter was inserted , briefly but accurately stating the principal articles of the Unitarian faith , and thereby conclusively proving the above accusations to be unfounded and injurious .
The editors of another Exeter paper , " The Western Luminary" of Nov . 15 th , say , "We published in our last an advertisement on the subject of Socinianisnij with particular reference to the means used by Dr . Carpenter of Exeter , to propagate this doctrine in the western counties . When it
is considered that Socinianism cannot spread in England , but by reducing the number of believers in the Holy Trinity j no apology can be required from us , who rest our salvation on that doctrine ^ for opening our columns to its defence . " The editors then announce a letter in that day ' s paper from Mr . Cleeve , a reverend minister of the establishment " with an offer to
Dr . C . of its columns , for his defence and justification . " They conclude this invitation by , observing , " that the manliness of honest intention demands , that those who go about to propagate new religions doctrines , should first meet the teachers of the old religion face to face , and convict them of error , before they seek to carry away the weakest members of their flock "
In the Rev . Mr . Cleeve ' s Jetter , after comparing Dr . Carpenter to " Goliath of Gath , " who was certainly no Christian , he proposes to measure the soundness of u his creed , " not by the doctrines of the New Testament , but by the three humanly devised creeds of his own church . A nd find .
ing it evidently inconsistent with these , although its professors are now as well a » himself under " parliamentary protection , ' * he declares it to be u neither Apostolic ^ Atbanasian nor Nicene . " Consistently enough with this , he next accuses Unitarians of consulting their own judgment respecting what the scriptures do , or do
not teach , instead of implicitly relying on the judgment of others . The next letter is by 6 L a True Churchman , " in Woolmer ' s Gazette of Nov . 19 th , who sets out with declaring u that Socinianism or Uuitarianism carries blasphemy in its very profession . " But before he closes Lis epistle ,, he exhibits a singular
proof how very little he knew of their principles or profession . For just as he ha # , Pharisee like , thanked God that he is no Unitarian , he says , that i ( a celebrated creed which has recently been presented to the public as Unitarian , has staggered th * minds of many to conceive in what possible way the author [ Dr . Carpenter } will get rid of the suspicion of duplicity 3 w ^ tboujt
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Intelligence . J — Unitarian Controversy in trie West of England * 1 > 3
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1815, page 193, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1758/page/65/
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