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wity not only though , but because he did not understand it . That being the case , I hope an Unitarian will not quarrel with me for styling myself a rational dissenter
by way of distinction from those who . argue like the above-mentioned worthy bishop . But your correspondent is anxious to know , as I call myself of the old school , what the new school is , who were
its founders , and what are its opinions . 1 cannot , Sir , find room within the limits , to which , in compassion to you and your readers , I confine myself , to
enter at large into these inquiries . But , I can point out a leading doctrine of the new sect in your correspondent ' s own letter , and one which ; I conceive , lies very much at the root of the difference between
us . . «« Truth of all kinds / ' says an Unitarian , is important , but religious truth of infinitely the greatest importance . Errbr of every kind is fatal , but religious
error the most fatal . Now , though this kind of language is very current and popular amongst a certain class , your correspondent must excuse me for demur .
nng to the justice of these broad assertions , and of the practical consequencesdeduciblefrom them . If an Unitarian had been content with asserting that all truth is bet *
ter than error , and that some truths , particularl y some religious truths , are highly important , every one would have agreed with him ; but it was reserved for the new school
to make the notable discovery contained in the passage I have quoted . When the Christian world was in a flame , on the grand < juestiop respecting the right time ° f keeping Easter ; or when , at a subsequent period , life and death
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were supposed to depend upon the decision , whether sprinkling or immersion was to be used in bap * tism ; according to your corres - pondent , these bitter disputants could not be found much fault
with , for they had to allege with him , * we must maintain our religious principles ; religious Truth is of infinite importance ; error of every kind is fatal , but religious error is the most fatal . "
Meanwhile , the adversary of all religion stands by , saying to himself ^ with a sceptic of modern times , u Often I view with much delight , Divines their holy game-cocks fight . "
I am very far from thinking that the questions which have arisen respecting the person of Christ , the efficacy of hib death ^ human depravity , or the duration of future punishments , are as futile as those which I have
mentioned ; on the contrary , I consider them as of considerable , though not of equal importance . But the rational divines of the old school laid it down as a fun .
damental maxim , that the most imporant thing of all was to make their hearers real Christians in principle and practice , ( and I hope it will not be a stretch of your correspondent ' ^ candour to
admit that this men may become , and yet maintain widely different sentiments , on all disputable points , not excepting even those I have alluded to . ) In the coUrse of their public instructions , these judicious , eminent , and pious di «
vines of whom I speak , and whose declining numbers I may be allowed to lament , did not fail to recommend Christianity , and to promote its influence by such views of all its leading
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€ i A Rational Dissenter of the Old SchoolJ * in Explanation . \ 7 &
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1810, page 173, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2403/page/13/
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