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    by the generous encouragement of a popular periodical publication . I mention this Christian Miscellany for the sake of bringing into notice three articles which

    appear to contain anticipations of the Unitarian Fund * fourteen years before its commencement . The first is a short letter in the second Number , for February , 1792 , ( p * 60 «) signed A Friend to Truth , and describing * a small num . ber of gentlemen residing at some distance from each other in the

    country , but near enough for occasional meetings , " who propose to form themselves into a society for diffusing rational principles of

    religion . ' * They inquire for " the best means of accomplishing the object they have in view , " and propose for consideration * the distribution of books—supporting ministers of rational sentiments in

    religion , with societies which are too small or to poor to give them an adequate support themselves , " and " providing education for young persons of good talents and

    unexceptionable moral character , in order that they may be qualified to preach . " These suggestions produced two letters in a following Number . The first ( p . 100 ) , signed A Friend to the Poor recommends itinerant preaching , observing that i 4 it has

    hitherto been connected with much ignorance and enthusiasm ; but capable of being associated with reason and knowledge / ' These Itinerants he would have "

    trarel about the country for the pur * pose of religious instruction }—not only on Sundays , but likewise on wjeek - < lays , and in any place Where they are likely to be heard with most advantage , " Thus " the knowledge of the Christian

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    religion may be communicated in an easy and intelligible manner , to the poor and ignorant , without disgusting persons of greater refinement . " He then calls upon 4 * those who wibh to see a rational system of religion prevail ia the world '* to ' * establish a Fund for supporting well-informed itinerant preachers , who have imbibed ra ^ tional principles of religion in

    instructing the common people in different parts of the kingdom "to * have rooms , for the use of public assemblies , in the principal towns and villages , and give to the societies , which are formed by these means , such assistance as they may want during their infant state . " This writer would "

    forward this design' by the distribu - tion of well-chosen religious books /' when " curiosity has been a little awakened by public preaching . " He proposes a * committee , who should have authority to choose

    the preachers , to appoint their circuits , and to direct their pro- ^ ceedings in every respect . " He considers as u qualified to become a public teacher of religion , if his moral character be unexceptionable , a person who has good tiatu .

    ral talents , who can speak and write his native tongue with propriety , and is well acquainted with the scriptures , * adding , as i if anticipating also a Unitarian Academy , 4 t greater furniture may be desirable , but it is not necessary . "

    Next follows a shorter letter on the same subject ( p . 106 ) , signed Evangelicusm He acknowledges the use of fl distributing books , supporting ministers already settled with csniall societies cf ra «* tional Christians , and educating persons for the ministry , " b «*

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    i © 8 Anticipations of the Unitarian land *

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1814, page 408, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2442/page/24/