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dence of a good one . ' , . And can we . not produce evidence of the incorrectness of the charge of coldness and indifference to the true and legitimate purpose of Christianity ? Is the Ministry to the Poor in our city , under the fostering care of the Association } an evidence of coldness ? ~ W ^ rrt ; mrmWsTire ^ foT ~ tn ^
seamen , so earnestly undertaken and adopted on that very spot , and giving evidence in their results that both men ' s hearts and purses were in their hands , —were these evidences of
coldness and insensibility to the moral wants of our fellow beings , and to the high claims of our religion upon us for our best efforts in the cause of human virtue and happiness ?
Agam f it has been said that we have been disposed to ' pull down , '—* to change the established principles of the community as to religious doctrines . Well- ; be it so . And how could we otherwise be faithfu 1 to truth ? We had many errors to remove , much rubbish to clear away . The human mind had for a long period "been held in fetters . Powerful
obstacles had been opposed to free inquiry , in the shape of trust deeds . Yes , property had been given and was held in trust for those , and those only who would consent to learn no more . It was necessary then to resist these bribes of error , that we ' pull down' these obstacles to the free progress of truth . And our efforts have not been without their
desired effect . The difficulties we have been called to struggle with are lessening , and we may hope that the clouds and the darkness that hung over Christian truth are passing away . ~ "" "• " ' * Rev . Mr . Bigelow , of Medford ,
commenced his remarks by an allusion to the reference made in the Domestic Secretary ' s Report to himself , in his capacity as Agent of the Association . He stood there , he said , to bear his testimony to the enlightened zeal of the people , through-
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out the numerous towns he had visited , and their co-operation in the measures that had been commenced for enlarging the influence arid usefulness of the Association . When the late efforts in behalf of
the Association were commenced , the number of auxiliary associations - w ' a ^^ ery ^ im lt ^ tributed partly to the fact that the people had been opposed to religious combinations . And it was also true perhaps that they had been , to some extent , justly chargeable with apathy . That a different state of views and
feelings on the subject now existed , was evident from the favourable results of the late efforts of the Association . Mr . B . referred to the early periods of the religious controversy between the Orthodox and
Unitarians ; to the publications of 1815 , in which Unitarians were grossly misrepresented and defamed , and efforts made to destroy the reputation and . Influence of all-who dissented from the prevailing creed . This attempt to trammel the public mind , and to prevent free inquiry and discussion on
religious topics , was met ably and manfully , and was promptly and successfully repelled . Since then , other new and powerful advocates of Unitarian Christianity have risen up , and the principles which we value as the uncorrupt gospel have spread , and are spreading far and wide . As
we value our Christian liberties , as we value the truth of God , and desire to promote its sanctifying efficacy on the hearts and lives of men , let us persevere in the great and good work so successfully begun ,,
George B . Emerson , Esq , of Boston , then addressed th ^ vmeeting . He rejoiced , he said , in the evidences we have of the spread of the gospel , by whomsoever promoted , and wheresoever sent ; whether to Africa , or to the islands of the sea : and he
regretted that the circumstances in which Unitarians were placed prevented them from acting with ChriR-
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UNITARTAN CHRONICLE . HO
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 1, 1832, page 149, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1819/page/5/
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