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    preadied by its Founder , had attended the three evening * services of thfc last week , and they would have seen more than half of numerous congregations , consisting of persons of this description . Among them we find a genuine spirit of inquiry , a real wish to become acquainted with Unitarian doctrines , and a strong desire to read Unitarian books ; for which purpose they are , month after ; month , entering themselvesas members of the respective congrega ~ tional libraries . Some of our much-valued friends , who class themselves with what are termed the " Old Unitarians , " have

    asked , " Where is the good effect you have produced ? " imagining , like Nathan ael of old , that no good thing cancome out of Nazareth . The society , following the example of Philip , invites them to u come and see . ''

    The society regrets the loss of some of its distant members this year- but it announces with great satisfaction the accession of some new members in Portsmouth , and who are neither Dissenters nor Unitarians ; but only occasional attendants on

    Unitarian worship . It laments , also , that it does not possess tbe pecuniary means of extending its exertions to the neighbouring towns and villages . It looks forward with hope , that at some future time it may be enabled to accomplish this most desirable object .

    The Universalists having been under tbe necessity of disposing of their chapel , in the suburbs of Portsea , is a serious loss to the society , as one of the fortnightly lectures was delivered there , and generally to full audiences . Mr . Neave , tbe present proprietor and minister , when application , was made to him for permission to continue

    the lectures in that chapel , politely declined ; adding , that as lie considered our views of Christianity to be destructive , he could not in conscience permit us to promulgate them within its walls . Mr . Kingsford , tbe minister and proprietor of the General Baptist Chapel , in an adjoining street , could not allow the society the use

    of his chapel , on account of the feelings which even the proposal would excite among his hearers . Application was also made to Mr . Anderson , the sole proprietor and minister of Messiah Chapel , in the same neighbourhood , and who rejects the deity of the Holy Ghost ; but he would not even listen to the proposal . Another chapel was applied for ^ which had been In

    the occu pation of Mr . Neave , but is now rented by a secession from the Wesleian Methodists : the leader of these seceders , in reply to the application , * a . id , thftt he had consulted With bis friends , and was sorry he could not prevail on them to admit us to a joint use of tbe chapel with , them . S —~ y « Portsmouth ^ April 16 . 1819 .

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    f Intelligence . —Southern Unitarian Fund Society Anniversary . 0 , 71

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    Southern Unitarian Fund Sooiety Anniversary * On Wednesday the 7 th of April , the Southern Unitarian Fund Society held its Fourth Annual Meeting at Portsmouth . Tbe morning service was introduced by the Rev . William Stevens , of Newport , in

    the Isle of Wight 5 the Rev . William Hughes , of Youngwoods , in the Isle of Wight , delivered the prayer 3 and the Rev . Abraham Bennett , of Poole , preached pn " Love to Christ upon Unitarian Principles- , " from 1 Thess . v . 28 . A very respectable congregation attended this service , at the

    General Baptist Chapel . In the evening , Mr . Bennett conducted the devotional part of the service ; and the Rev . John Fullagar , of Cbichester , preached on " Protestant Aberrations from Christian . Simplicity , " from John viii . 40- — " This did not Abraham , " to a full audience , at the Unitarian Chapel , in the High Street .

    A large company dined together at the Fountain Inn ; among whom were several gentlemen who frequently attend the Evening Lectures of the High-Street Chapel , though not professed Unitarians . The numbers who attend on these occasions ,

    have gradually increased . At the last anniversary the numbers exceeded the year preceding ; and this year they have as much exceeded the last : a manifest proof of the attention which bas been excited , and of the interest which is tali en in the

    cause of Unitananism , in these * towns . Another , and a strong proof is , the full and increasing attendance on the fortnightly lectures at Portsea 5 which are supported by this society . Mr . Bennett

    also preached the Thursday evening lecture , to a large and attentive congregation , « m "The Silence of the Scriptures on what are termed Orthodox Doctrines , especially in those Discourses and Conversations of

    our Lord and his Apostles , which directly led to their being mentioned , had they been known . " On Friday evening , ( the Oth , ) Mr . Hughes closed the lectures for the season wiih the concluding discourse of a seiies , which he has , in the course of the winter , been delivering on the

    Athanasian Cree < l , and in which he contrasted the mild and benevolent spirit which prevailed daring the time the church was Unitarian , with the very different effect produced by the Athanasian heresy . Though the discourse occupied one hour and twenty minutes , the attention of an overflowing audience was rivetted to the last moment .

    And yet this kind of preaching " , the popular mode of promulgating Unitarianism , adopted hy the fortnightly lecturers at Portsea , is said to be productive of no good : it were much to be wished that some of those friends who think it expedient to withhold Unitarian doctrines from that class of society , to whom the gospel was first

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1819, page 271, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1771/page/59/