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Untitled Article
mistaken notion of liberality , had fceen Induced to suggest the alteration .
The London Unitarian Book Society , or , as it was original fy called , * The-Unitarian Society , " there being at tliat tiriie no other society in the "kingdom which . bore the name , was first formed by a few individuals who , assuming as a principle that the SIMPLE HUMANITY OF JeSTJS CHRIST
is a doctrine of thehighest importance , and Relieving that every deviation from it tends to still greater errors , and that these deviations have , in fact , proved the primary source of the grossest corruptions of the Christian doctrine , conceived that they could not render a better service to the
interests of pure and practical Christianity , than by instituting a Society , the direct and avowed object of which should be the public profession , and promulgation of this fundamental truth .
For the attainment of this end , they first drew up a preamble to the Rules , calmly and explicitly stating the object of the Society , viz ., to assert the doctrine of one God , possessed of all possible perfections , the only
proper object of religious worship : also that Jesus Christ is a proper human being , ia all respects like unto his brethren , and distinguished from them only as being appointed by God to be the Founder of a new and
universal dispensation , and as being- the greatest of all the prophets of God . Secondly , they judged it expedient to publish the names of the members of the Society , for the sake of mutual encouragement and support , and likewise of letting it appear to the world that there was a band of Christians , however few in number , or
circumscribed in influence , who were riot afraid or ashamed of avowing these great truths , however inconvenient or disreputable the solemn public profession of such unpopular doctrine might be .
. Finally , it was determined to circulate books and tracts , the sole design of which should be to teach in the plainest and most unequivocal manner , the Unity of God , the simple humanity of Jesus Christ , and the many important inferences from these fundamental principles in doctrine and practice *
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The Preamble , before it was adopted by the Society , excited some animated discussions . ISot , indeed , concerning the principle : because , though some from the beginning were desirous of a more comprehensive plan , it was fully understood that the
main object of the Society was to support and promulgate the simple humanity of Jesus Christ . The principal , and indeed the only important topic of discussion , was the word " idolatrous" as applied to the worship of Jesus Christ . And perhaps for the sake of peace it might have
been expedient to expunge it . And this , T verily believe , was the seuse of the majority . But the retaining of this offensive expression was so strenuously insisted upon by Mr . Lindsey , Dr . Priestley , Mr , Russell , and above all by the late William Tayleur , Esq . of Shrewsbury , who was by far the most liberal contributor to the funds
of the Society , and who insisted that if the word idolatrous were omitted in the preamble it would be a disgraceful abandonment of principle , that it was concluded upon the whole to be most advisable to retain it . This
resolution , however , cost the Society several of its most respectable members , and particularly the whole body of Unitarians then existing in the University of Cambridge * amongst
whom were Mr . Jones , the late celebrated tutor of Trinity , and Mr . Tyrrwhit , of Jesus College , who had paid a very handsome donation to the Society , which he immediately withdrew .
This is a plain statement of facts . Calmly to avow the great principles of their faith , and to support those
principles by fair and dispassionate reasoning , the members of the Unitarian Society regarded as the best means in their power of diffusing * Christian truth . As one of those individuals . I
then held the same opinion 3 and after an interval of nearly thirty years , 1 hold it still . Experience has confirmed the theory ; and if no . such Society now existed , 1 would most willingly lend my humble efforts for the formation of a new one , upon similar principles , however limited' the number of associates , or however calumniated
the object of their institution . Without entering at all into the trifling logomachy whether Ariana
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658 Mr . Belsham on tJie Original Principle of the Unitarian Society .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1819, page 458, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1778/page/6/
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