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from worldly cares , the most elevated sentiments , and the most virtuous occupation « Readiftg- was not , however , with our friend merely a refined species of self-indijlg-enc ^ . la the words of the . Roman Dramatist , he considered nothing , human foreign to
him . In whatever tended to ameliorate the condition of the human species—in the various philanthropic institutions far the increase of knowledge—the reformation of religion—and the wider spread of huinati civilization— his benevolent heart was warmly interested . With a mind
liberalized by intercourse with the world , and acquaintance with the literary dead—he could seize at once the topics most calculated to yiejid to others solid instruction and g-enuine ( improvement . He could converse with ease to a very late period of his
life , with a minuteness of accuracy remarkable for his years upon the topics of his reading ; and he was accustomed to attach that reverence and value to the records of his knowledge , only to he felt and realized by those who , like him , enjoy leisure and other facilities , for the attainment of- a literary east of mind . Our
departed friend had evidently a leaning- to works , the professed design of which is , to convey , in a practical and devotional strain ^ pure and elevated conceptions of the Author of our existence , of his character ^ his perfections , and moral govern me ut . These he would peruse and re-peruse , till he had imbibed the spirit , and become familiarized with the sentiments of his
author , ' and thus acquired a fresh supply of nourishment for his own religious and virtuous contemplations . In the remarks * rhieh I have now made I have purposely aimed a £ a general description of that literary and devotional taste which our excellent friend had
acquired . I should be sorry , however , fora moment to believe , that all the piety and amoral worth which exist in the world , require the adoption of a particular religious creed . I cheerfully and readily acknowledge , that such a character as I nave described , has been possessed by many , whose sentiments were the most
remote from those which bur departed friend , in common with ourselves , professed * But all that I wish to have admitted , aud this we have a ri g ht to demand , is , the same liberal concession in reference to our own religious community . There are those who affect to deny to Unitarians even the possibility of that religious
excellence , which will refider meet for the t > ivine favour . But this -charge , which . can seldom Ire brought except hy contemptible bigotry , conjoined with profound ignorance , is repelled by unequivocal , proofs , which th « otatrtary of every month , presents to the candid judgment of the
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vol . xiv . 2 u »
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Obituary , —Rohert Smith , Esq . f $ 3 is
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Christian world ^ and amply refuted by the excellences possessed by the individual whose memory we have now been fondly retracing-. The saying of that amiabte Prelate , the late Bishop Watson , of Landatf ; wh « n referring- to the sentiments of his
friend , the Duke of Graf ton , which in hi « last and best days were perfectly Unitarian ^ will not be unappropriated u If any otoe thinks that a Unitarian is not a Christian , I plainly say , without bein ^ ' . myself a Unitarian , that I-think otherwise- " I * will not be the least circumstance of interest , that our departed brother was to the last , a well-informed and most zealous
advocate for the essential principle an which we dissent from all other Christian communities ^ He understood his principles tiiGM-oaglily , aritWie valued them as one who understands them thoroughly wiW naturally do . Many of you will ' recollect with what ardour he assisted , a- few , years
since , m the prosecution of plans designed to promote the prevalence of primitive Christianity in this populous eity ; and how exemplary and punctual was bis attendance upon the religious services of
my predecessor , conscious as fee was of the weight of popular odium which this condirct involved . That we have lately teen altogether deprived © f his presence with us in our public devotions ^ is to . be . " attributed to his distance of five wiles from the
Chapel , and to the nature of a painful and insidious disease , which wtiuld otherwise have rendered it scarcely within his power . For I cart tell you , from his ow ? mouth , that in this interval , his zeal for our prosperity has been unremitted , and that to be able to return hither to bear his continued testimony to the great truths of the gospel , was one of the chief desires ' of his heart . But thus it hath not seemed good to a wise and gracious Providence . Thai life , which was already extended beyond the age allotted in Scripture to man , is now contie to a close ! A nd never more , in this mortal state , shall our brother worship with kindred spirits the God of his fathers !—But there is another world to
come , in which his strains of devotional praise shall be again renewed . The now corruptible body shall be reanimated , and furnished with ever-increasing * vigour . This mortal shall be clothed with immortality ; and then , in common with every true Christian , every 'virtnott ? and pious servant of < 5 od , he shall use the
triumphant exclamation , O Death , where is tlij sting ? O Gravey where is thy victory } Thanks be uttto < j « d who gjveth ns the victory , through our Lord Jesws Christ .- *' » M CUttsgow , Veb ^ M , 1819 .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1819, page 193, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1770/page/57/
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