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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 ' .

• Citation
  • 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/