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femple and sufficient reward . — When , said he , I reflect on the situation of this society , at its commencement seven years agq ^ — when I consider the opposition it has had to contend with , and that ,
not merely from the professed enemies of Unitarianism , but also from some of the friends to that cause—when I reflect on the good it has already effected—and when I see in the present large and most respectable meeting , the guarantee it has of future support and "
more extended usefulness—I feel , I must acknowledge , no small degree of pleasure ^ in having had the happiness and the honour to co-operate , however feebly and humbly , in such a glorious object , with such company , such encouragement , such cheering and animating prospects of success ,. .
Mr . C . then observed that much of the opposition the society had met with , some years ago , from friends to Unitariaaism had of late died away . Many , said he , who , from prudence and caution , had withheld their support , have now come forward and entered into
our plans , with the most lively zeal and the most liberal encouragement . Many have heard , some have witnessed , the exertions of our missionaries , have been informed of the support we Tiave exhibited to poor and almost sinking congregations—and also the advice and aid we have afforded to
individuals aud to societies just starting in the path of enquiry ^—and from watching the progress of ihe society , and most rigidly scruti nizing its schemes , they have
been brought , on conviction , to acknowledge the efficacy of our plans * and utility of our object . Opposition , Sir , said Mr . C .
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still have—but it were foll y , indeed , to think we should not have it , when the universal experience of mankind informs us that all the efforts for the reformation and amelioration of man have been
efficient only by their gradual operation , and neVer by instantaneous adoption . We may say of religious truth , what the philosopher of old said to his royal pupil , in regard to ^ knowledge in general ,
that there is no royal road to itreligious truth , and indeed every thing that is truly valuable to the mind of man , must be acquiredit cannot be
bestowed-Mr , C , then said , that by our professed opponents we are indeed continually traduced , vilified and censured , for using carnal and unhallowed means for the attain ^ - merit . of our ends . And what , Sir , are these weapons which excite so
much dissatisfaction and give so much disgust to our opponents ? They are nothing more than what they themselves , most wisely and properly , but at the same time habitually 9 make use of in all the important concerns of life ;
religion only excepted , confessedly the most impprtant of all . Why , Sir ! the weapons of our warfare are onl y reason and common sense , which we contend were given us to be ifsed , not merely in matters
of secular and subordinate interest , but also in all our enquiries into moral and religious truth . Yes , Sir , we contend , we not only mtiy but conscientiously must use our reason , and that not merely m
understanding the meaning of revelation , but also i « weighing trie evidences and in ascertaining the existence and authenticity of re * velation itself . Notwithstanding ^ Sir , continued Mr . C , the riuine ,
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intelligence * — Unitariah Fund . 47 $
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vol . viii . 3 9
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1813, page 473, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2430/page/49/
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