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21 y opiiii 6 » been the cause of rendering the whole religion incredible to many men of sense , Who , on due examination , would soo q have discovered that Christianity stood on solid ground , and that the corruptions of it alone formed the weak part which was exposed to the mockery and assault of every rash and daring unbeliever . *'
It appears from the remarks of Mr , Belsham , which follow this extract , that the Duke ' s secession from the national church , was entirely upon the Unitarian question , as it is understood to
comprehend the doctrine of the Divine p lacability . He had no ** disapprobation of religious establishments as such , for of those under a liberal constitution he approved /' M He was well satisfied" with u the episcopal form of church-government , ' * and to" the form of
worship prescribed by the liturgy firmly attached . ' Tin * secession he maintained with perfect goodwill towards those from whom he separated . gi Having himself experienced the benefit of free in . quiry , he was desirous that the same privilege should be extended
toothers without any restriction . " * . The conduct of this respectable nobleman , uniformly corresponded with bis profession , and teflected lustre upon his principles . Cheerful , instructive , and
unassuming m conversation , he never obtruded the subject of religion . "" -But where hecould use freedom , and knew that the subject would K (> t be unwelcome , especially of late years , his favorite theme was ^" gion ; and of rel igious topics , that upon which he most delighted to insist , was the infinite mercy ° 'J » od as revealed in the gospel /' liW ? cheerfully concurred in , and "PJ ^ lhr contributed to every temperate J ° « judicious plan for promoting what r * f nceivcd to be the interests of truth " ujirtue ; and ik munificence upon
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extraordinary occasions , and especially to some distinguished persons whom-he regarded as the victims of frigotry and intolerance , was worthy of the sptciidour of his rank and fortune . His charity to the poor was extensive and unostentatious , and he was pleased t ©
employ those at almoners of his bounty , who were best qualified to select proper and deserving objects , and to apply it in the most judicious manner . In every relation of life , he was just , kind and exemplary . The sum and substamt : of his religion , was love to God , and benevolence to man . "
It was worthy of the Duke of G ration ' s attachmeut to religious inquiry , that he should employ a part of his ample fortune in tkcili-• tating the-study of the scriptures * With this view , he proposed to print in England , at his own
expense , an edition of Griesbach ' s Greek Testament . He afterwards , in correspondence with the learned professor , determined to have an edition printed under foV inspection , on paper sent by the Duke from England . Many of the
copies he distributed gratis , and Sold the remainder , at a low price , to ministers of any denominau tion who applied for them . This service to biblical students , has been justly appreciated by theologians of different sentiments .
Though the Duke of Grafton had scarcely appeared in political life , since 1783 , yet his sense of the impolicy of the war with France , and of its probable evil
consequences , determined him , in 1797 , to support an Address to the King on the State of the nation , proposed by the late Duke of Bedford . In the Duke of Grafton ' s
speech on that occasion , ( which is preserved in Debrett ' s Debates , iii . 1 99 , ) he declares his opinion , that u a temperate parliamentary reform / ' is a measure , without which the constitution will slip
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Obitvmry . —Duke of Graftou . 549
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W •*• ?!• " 2 X
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1811, page 249, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2415/page/57/
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