On this page

• Text (1)

  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.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • 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.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    managers of the Unitarian Fund , will frequently employ missionaries , who , as Ben Jonssoi * said of Shakespeare , have " small Latin and less Greek . ' * 1 . wiH go fur * iher , ana admit that thtfse bold

    innovators , as c ' the height of their offending , " though by no means destitute- ' of featned assistance , will not refifse the services of a missionary » bs < y } u'tely unlearned * ' ihaschofastlcsehseyvvhile

    they satisfy themselves , as It . Robinson described the tint learner ! preachers iii his connexion , that though illiterate , he is hot ignorant , especially not ci ignorant of religion , that only science which they elect him to teach /* ( Claude Voi K Adv . )

    Such a preacher , however , in the opinion of ** a Modest- Querist /* would be likely to fail in his attempt to " disprove by fftir and just arguments ' , the * erroneous notions that are generally maintained / ' Is you ** correspondent aware to how small a number

    among an inconsiderable minority of Christians , his objection , fairly pursued , would reduce the Unita-. rians , qualified to controvert the popular creed ? His learned

    preacher should hatfe attained , not merely to an ability of translation , which may be acquired at a grammar school , but to such an acquaintance with idioms , dialects , and the powers of language from researches into profane literature , together with such a knowledge of ancient versions and various reading ^ as raia y enable him to decide on the * authenticity

    or sense of a disputed passage , as the result of - bis ; own . critical and studious iraqjuii-yi . I say ^ of Ibis own inquiry , , fheciauso if h < rely on critics and -domtat-ntacoro , the unlearned may do the sam , e

    Untitled Article

    not , I grant , with- equal gratification to himself , yet with r ^ o sifc aJf satisfaction and becoming c © n $ - dence , * if ,. as- in the case supposed * he be a man of thought and reflection . To furriis ^ h s ^ ueh a $ nafi

    with " armour of . proof / ' in W'hjcf he may * contend for tfoe faith OT 3 CC delivered tti t \ vc saints , " ap * pears to '^ be a noble obj ec t , worthy to occupy the laborious life of

    the most learned Christian , an 4 far above that of merely gratifying the faste and securing thg ' &p * plause of a scholar like himself , I might offer the Querist * a shorter and , perhaps , a mor ^ sutisfactory solution of his difftcalty *

    The strength' of the Unitarian cause he will probably allow to consist in the agreement ' of 6 Wr doctrine with the general tettofctf of the-scriptures , rather than in

    the solution of difficult 'passages * Facts support this opinion , Thef ^ have been , * md srill sre ^ ntvlostrnej-Cbristians ^ who hard attained t <^ the knowledge of Qnt (? odf the Father of mcrcits ^ and ot * te

    mediator , the mart Chits f j £ Siis before they had any access to tM writings or convetsation of Uni u tarians . They were led -tt > these coMclusions from a serious and dilioent examination of the New

    Testament , in the coTftm ^ ve r * sion , affected as that certainly is by the orthodox prejudices of the translators . If persons under fcuch disadvantages , found u arguments" suflfifctent to < 6 disprove . " did wors of the popular creerd ^ s « My an Uhit&ri ^ misaionitryj with # ueh helps k ^ hh

    may now command ,, @ a 4 iriot % o at aJoss , even though ctestitorfe * 6 $ that ; learning which , I am persuttded ^ such a man woi ^ ld b&vfc no wiiK to undervalue . I Should bb ashan ^ ed to ar ^ uc bo plai ^ a < a $ c »

    Untitled Article

    On Popular PrteacJiing ; iff Answer-to- a Modest ^ werut * 321

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1808, page 321, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2393/page/29/