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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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J dnd , Patriotism to oppress all other countries to advance the imaginary prosperity of our own : Christianity enjoins us to imitate the universal benevolence of our Creator , who pours
forth his blessings on every nation upon earth ; Patriotism to copy the mean partiality of an English parish officer , who thinks injustice and cruelty meritorious , whenever they promote the interests of his own
inconsiderable village . This has ever been a favourite virtue with mankind , because it conceals self-interest under the mask of public spirit , not only from others , but even from themselves , and
gives a licence to inflict wrongs and injuries not only with impunity , but with applause ; but it is so diametrically opposite to the great characteristic of this institution , that it never could have been admitted into the list
of Christian virtues . " View . 3 d ed . pp . 58—60 . The following Note addressed by Mr . Granville Sharp to my honoured father will shew how this passage had attracted their attention .
" Mr . Granville Sharp presents his compliments to Mr . Rutt , and begs his acceptance of the books sent herewith , which he mentioned to him this morning . In the tract intituled , The Laiv of Liberty , in pages 10 to IB , Mr . Rutt will see that Patriotism is so far from
being inconsistent with the gospel ( as Mr . Jennings { Jenyns ] has asserted ) that it is , on the contrary , one of the first duties of the gospel ; being founded > not only in the second great commandment respecting the love and friendship we owe to our neighbour , but also , in
the highest degree , is promoted by the Love we owe to God ( according to the first great commandment ) which cannot be manifested in any way so effectually as in risking all things ( life not exoepted ) for the good of mankind .
Old Jewry , 18 th Oct . 1776 /' The author of the View could not have desired a more satisfactory justification than is afforded by the passages in Mr . Sharp ' s Law of Liberty , and the whole tenor of his note ,
especjally the close . Mr . S . was , indeed , like his correspondent , incapable of patriotism at the expense of philanthropy . They were both too < nuch unvoted to do good to all , as
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they had opportunity , and to break every yoke of oppression . Mr . Sharp was liighly favoured with a long life , in which to exemplify the only patriotism he could indulge . It was unknown to Greece or
Rome , except in the retired musing of some philosopher , or an occasional flight of eloquence , * but in the view of that Christian philanthropist it proposed nothing less than the good of mankind . My father died within a year after the date of this note ; cut
oti , by an accident , in the prime of life , though he Iiad happily attained the wise man ' s honourable age . He had been long acquainted with Mr . Sharp and his family , and they were now united by a mutual abhorrence of the war against American liberty , to avoid any participation in which , Mr . Sharp had resigned a place in th % Office of Ordnance . I remain , Sir , Yours , &c . J . T , RUTT .
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Middle Scheme , cr the Old School . 693
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Sir , OBSERVE that the writer of ths I Obituary of Mr . Dendy ( p . 656 )
represents him to have been in religious opinions ' a disciple of the old school , ' his opinions being * the middle scheme , ' the sentiments , in short , of Mr . J . Evans and Mr . H .
Worthington . Now , Sir , I have an impression that Dr * Lindsay , in his Funeral Sermon , praises Mr . VVorthington for not urging his peculiar opinions upon his hearers , and indeed i know that it is to this moment a point of dispute at Salters' Hall whether Mr .
Wovthujgton believed in the Trinity . Mr . Worthington ' s name then does not explain * the middle scheme , ' the doctrine of * the old school ; ' and the object of my letter is to ask Mr . Evans , whom 1 take to be the writer of the article referred to , where I may learn
* Though it was the policy of Rome " to sacrifice the happiness of the world to the glory of the eternal city ^ her language ha » supplied two philanthropic maxims which are too concise and comprehensive not to have become trite . Cicero somewhere
describes mankind as one corporation , Uni ~ versus hie mundus umz clvitas communis hominum existimanda \ and Terence makes one of his characters thus devote himself to the service of the human race Homo sum , et hujuani a , me nilaiienum put * .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1815, page 693, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1766/page/29/
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