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Untitled Article
upon earth , for one is your ^ Fattier l ^ ho is in heaven , rietther be ye edited tirasters , for oriels ytfmr M&ster , eVfcti Clmst . " If ' my Using the expression , « Head of the Unitarian Church / ' fn ^ onnexian with Mr . Belsham , was
m infringement upon this precept , I have certainty great cause to apologize both for my incautiousness and inconsistency , but 1 really cannot discern that it is so in any respect or degree . Out of any number of learned and respectable persons one may stand
pre-eminent above the rest , without assuming any thing like dominion or authority over them , and this preeminence may ^ be considered as his due by another , without the slightest idea entertained of his being entitled
to authority . Most truly can I aver that such an idea never had place in my mind , rior did I imagine that it was likely to enter the mind of any of my readers . Had ! unconditionally , and without any qualification , spoken of a Head of our Church , I should
not , even in that case , have connected with it any sentiment of the kind . Previous , however , to this mention of a Head of the Church stand the words , ** To whom , if to atfy , may be justly applied the title . " Here is a modest doubt expressed , whether Mr .
Belsham was pre-eminent among his brethren ; and it might fairly be supposed that , in my opinion , it was a question not decided whether , to use a Cambridge expression , some other persons might not deserve to be bracketed
with Mr . B ., and the compliment *• arcades omnes" applied , to them . It does dot follow that because this gentleman possesses eminent talents , extensive theological knowledge , acuteness in detecting and 'exposing sophistry , and great ability to defend what he belicfves to be tft £ truth , ' even
against mitred opponents , that no other writer is upon a par with him , and that all must hide their diminished heads when put tnto competition with him . But suppose that I had really believed him to be superior to every
Unitarian writer of the present day , which [ scruple not to say is actually the fact , yet it is but my private opinion , and as I make no pretensions to infallibility , \ have no hesitation to say I may be wrong ; indeed , for the honour of the brotherhood I wish I
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tflay be wltmg , aiid suefo is my estimation of Mr . & . * s candour and liberality , that I doubt not he would wish so-too . My error , if it is one , is involuntary , and must therefore be looked upon as innocent , and the worst that ?
I conceive , can be alleged against me is , that I have shewn a want of judgment in estimating the abilities and attainments of different writers , aiid wreathed the laurel around the ~ wroi % brow , Many of ' my friends were assembled to hear the Dedication , as
well as tiie additional Letter at the conclusion of the controversy , re&d to them , before it went to press , and fifot one objected in the smallest measure to it , or seemed at all aware of fc ^ en the possibility of the disapprobfttidti with which it has met
Had the objectors taken into consideration what I have stated nhbte 9 I humbly think their animadversions would havfe been spared , and no impediment to the sale of the work ffbiu that source would have been a
subject of regret . I cannot refrain , indeed , from freely avowing my concern that the Unitarian public has riot taken up the subject with more sfririt , and embraced the opportunity thus offered of descanting , with merited severity , upon the conduct of a vvritet attacking a Christian society in the shameful manner the soi-ditant
Christian did oars . In addition to the hints occasionally thrown out in the answers to the Christian , the style and liiannei of his" Letters are sufficient to convince any sagacious reader out of what mint the base coin testfeel , and the Established Church should
have had a few more defensive weapons pointed against the bigotry and intolerance whteh it displayed . Such an attack should m > t have been left to a single individual , or at most to two , to repel ; it should have roused the indignation of the whole body of
dissidents , and more especially of reason-asserting * dissidents . It will , boWever , sometimes happen that a sifigle spark will kindle into a wide-sjweftding conflagration , whilst a flame sh<
be suffered to ex pen its powers and be extinguished in the shades of nighty without creating alatm or exciting notice . That this last case ttaii been realized irt tike present instittVee , and & favourable opportunity nt > t fthtorovted
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on Religious Liberty to Mr . BelsjMn . 501
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1819, page 301, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1772/page/21/
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