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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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generality of men should rather be regarded as in a healthy state , ready to receive and to improve them for their intellectual illumination and nourishment . The second difficulty he enumerated was , that the interests , as well as the feelings , of men was opposed to the
reception of Unitarianism . This difficulty arose principally from connecting the doctrines of religion with temporal advantages , and protecting the opinions of a favoured class by civil rewards and punishments . Wherever there was a church defended by tests , and by civil emoluments and penalties , there must always exist obstacles to the reception
of religious truth . Such distinctions encouraged an uncharitable spirit towards those who dissented from the privileged creed , gave occasion to railing accusations against them , subjected them to the charge of schism , and to the der nunciation of the pains of hell . The preacher then applied these statements with great force to the state of religion in this country , and the difficulties in which it involved Unitarians .
A third difficulty arose from an opinion generally prevalent , that the free exercise of inquiry on religion is dangerous to our future salvation . It had been customary to connect salvation with certain opinions . It had been held % y the Church of Rome that there was no salvation out of its pale . Every Protestant church had kept to the language
of the Roman church on this point as nearly as it could in consistency with itsprofessed principles . Each had assumed that it alone was the true church , and all churcjies had held as necessary to salvation the ^ opinions to which Unitarianism is opposed . Sects which did
not possess the influence of churches established by law , had equally denounced Unitarianism as a dangerous system , and excited a prejudice against it by misrepresentations . He considered no obstacles so strong against the progress of truth as this doctrine , that there is no salvation but in the belief of
| yarticular tenets . After illustrating this remark the preacher stated a fourth difficulty to be , — The prevalent opinion that Unitarian - ism leads to infidelity . —This opinion he considered under its various modifications , and disproved by tjie niost convincing reasons i and concluded his argument by shewing that some of the ablest defeudera of Ghrtstlanlty had been found itt the ranke > of those ^ who had departed from the orthodox standard at faith .
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The preacher then remarked , that the number of Unitarians was not to be correctly estimated by those who openly professed the Unitarian doctrine . It was well known that many thought with them who did not deem it necessary to act with them ; that many adhered to the national church because their
interests were connected with it ; and others , because they , considered the maintenance of a national church necessary to the interests of religion . — The hopes of Unitarians must rest o # the advancement of knowledge . Religion must be progressive . It would be modified by the intellectual state of the world . Every step in the improvement of the understanding , he considered a
step in the advancement of a more pure system of religion . The hope of better tniugs was also encouraged by the intellectual activity already devoted to religious and scriptural inquiries . The increased attention to biblical criticism , of which an example had been set by other countries , could not fail to produce the happiest effect in leading to the true knowledge of the meaning of the apostolic writers .
In conclusion , the preacher , adverting to the Association , remarked , that he considered that part of its constitution peculiarly excellent which proposed to diffuse religious truth in a popular form through the medium of the pulpit and the press . It was of great importance thus to- instruct the lower classes .
Whatever they were in their principles and practice , such would be the nation of which they form the substantial part . The result of the labours of the Association were not , he said , to be judged of by what might appear in the comparatively short period comprehended in the life of man , but by what they would
ultimately be in the completion of the great year of the Almighty , in a future and remote period , which was known to Him alone . If , therefore , its present success shouldfjiot equal the wishes of its friends and advocates , they ought not to be discouraged , but trust their cause to him who disposes of all events according to his own pleasure .
In the afternoon the subscribers and friends of the Association , to the number of about two hundred , dined together at the London Tavern , in Bishopsgate Street ; G . W . Wood , Esq ., of Manchester , in the chair .
After the usual loyal toasts had been drunjr , subsequently to Non nobis Domine being sung , the Chairman said , that the next toast that he waa about to propose ,
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£ 38 JnteUig £ nce * - ~ Briti 8 h and Foreign Unitarian A $ soc mtwn ' .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1827, page 538, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1798/page/66/
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