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because our enemies applaud our inactivity— " If we stand still , In fear our motion may be mocked or carp'd at , We should take root here where we sit , or sit
State statues only . " State statues > indeed , we have been too long , and it was high time that the old spirit of dissent should be a Promethean fire to give us life and energy . The opinion as to the necessity of now proceeding—nay , more , that the present was a singularly auspicious moment for proceeding , had gathered strength from every thing he had seen , —and assuredly he was not the man to be influenced by
such attacks as had been directed against him . His motto was " Onwards , " and all the waters of bitterness which might be poured upon him would only refresh and invigorate him to say with bolder determination , " Onwards . " If the grievance exist , all times are fit times to remove it ; and if not to remove , to attempt its removal . His pedigree was of " Old Dissent , " and ten generations of Nonconformist blood in his veins
might excuse a stronger feeling than inspired others equally sincere . In the cause of truth and freedom he had suffered , and so had his forefathers ; but if he knew himself he should not shrink back from the arduous strife , and would do his best , whether subdued or subduing . The Dissenters had lost many a year , but he considered the last
year as one by which and in which they had gained much . It was consolatory to see how , strong and generous was the sympathy which had been excited in their favour ; while one obscure petition , from a place and persons equally obscure , was as yet the only evidence of a disposition on the part of the public
to oppose the Dissenting claims . He hoped the relics of past barbarism and intolerance would soon be swept away ; but whether that was the case or not , it was delightful to reflect , that though the burning place and the faggot might remain , no one could be found to drag the martyr to the stake .
The Chairman said , that hjs next toast was the health of a gentleman who , much to his regret , was absent through indisposition ; he meant the Jlev . Mr . Fox . For himself , he had not the honour of more -than a very slight acquaintance with that gentleman * but he was well known to most of the comr pauy pieaent , and he should , therefore ,
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not attempt any eulogium on the cha- » racter of a man who at all times had been the eloquent and intrepid defender of Unitarianism . He proposed " the health of the Rev . W . Johnson Fox , with the best wishes for the restoration of his health . ' *
Mr . Cordell returned thanks in Mr-Fox ' s name , and in thanking the company , begged to inform them , that the last accounts of that gentleman ' s health were most favourable , and that there was a prospect of no great period of time elapsing before he would be able
to resume his . professional duties , and give the advantage of those talents which he so eminently possessed to that cause in which he had laboured as assiduously , and perhaps as successfully , as any man now alive . Some of the former friends of the Association had in the course of
the last year seceded , and others abandoned the cause ; and therefore it occa ^ sioned additional regret that the health of Mr . Fox had been such as absolutely to preclude his activity . He , ( Mr . Cordell , ) however , felt , convinced , that the
cause in which they were all engaged , would not fail . Truth was the great weapon to which they trusted for success—truth was a celestial weapon , and though it might be wielded by weaker or stronger hands , yet he felt assured that it must ever go on and prosper .
TheRev . B . Mardon , ofMaidstone , said , that he could not leave the room without declaring , that whatever inconvenience might arise from the illness of some , and the secession of others , it was nevertheless his firm conviction , that Unitarianism was the doctrine of
the Gospel , and would stand as long as Christianity lasted ; it was a religion founded on a rock , against which not even the gates of hell would be allowed to prevail . The preacher who had addressed them that morning , had pointed out in forcible language the difficulties against which they had to contend ; after which he thought that the wonder would not be that they had not made greater progress , but that they had made so
much . It was one of their peculiar misfortunes to have to contend against various kinds of opposition , so that now , that the spirit of persecution was withdrawn , and that the enemy could not have recourse to this method , there were other courses adopted more secret , and consequently more fatally hostile . There was one simple fact , which had lately occurred in Kent , which would illustrate this : a Bible Society was formed there , the object of which , of
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642 Intelligence , —^ British and Foreign Unitarian Association .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1827, page 542, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1798/page/70/
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