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siooal visits from the Boston Unitarian Clergy , They have just formed a Congregational Theological Library . Feeling the "weight of the debt upon their place of worship , which is no less than 14 , 500 dollars , they lately raised among * themselves , in addition to former subscriptions , abont 3 , 000 dollars , as a sinking * fund : the
income of the church * from pew-rents , is pledged to the payment of the debt . The services of the present ministers are gratuitous ; but , us they cannot always reckon upon having * this benefit , they have raised another fund of about 1 , 600 dollars to accumulate for the salary of a minister , should it be hereafter needed . On account
of the known situation of Great Britain , the Transatlantic Unitarians make no direct appeal to them for assistance ; but , at the same time , they wish it to be intimated , that should any persons here be disposed to contribute towards the means for giving permanency to the first church that has been built in the New World for
Unitarian worship , their contributions will be most thankfully accepted The members Of the Philadelphian Church have made great exertions , for their number is not great , and the greater part of them consist of persons in the middle , or rather under the middle , classes of the community .
Some families have lately gone over from England , who will , we trust , enlarge their number ; though it is not to lie expected that such as emigrate to America should be able , when they arrive there , to aid the pecuniary exertions of the societies to which they may attach themselves .
TJie orthodox preachers in America , like those in Great Britain , endeavour to make the Unitarians suspicious and odious , by ^ very species of reproach and accusation . One of these adventurous orators , at Baltimore , lately asserted a mischievous falsehood , in the pulpit , with regard to the ( Jnitarians , and was compelled to unsay , ns
openly and publicly , what be had before declared to be a well-attested fact . In the town just mentioned ^ the Unitarians are snore numerous than at Philadelphia , though they have none among them who are able or willing to conduct the public
services . They have resolved to build a church and have already engaged the ground , intending to procure a regular minister . The venerable Dr . Freeman , of Boston , lately made them a visit , and preached among * them three Sundays .
Our correspondent expresses his high satisfaction in the advantages which UnitarianJsm possesses in the United States , in the excellent character of the clergy who profess it . With regard to these , he says : —** The heretical part of the Boston and Eastern ministers are respected and esteemed 5 for , in alt Christian virtues , they are patterns to their tiockft . Totally des-
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titute of the stiffness and austerity of the old school , they are affable and cheer ful .- — I know not whether yon have been ap < - prised of an excellent plan among- f them for promoting the general objects o their profession and drawing closer together the cords of brotherly love . It is this : - * Once every fortnight the congregational
ministers of Boston and its vicinity , Trinitarians and Unitarians , meet at each other's houses in rotation ; during the winter months in Boston , and , during * the summer , at the houses of the country members . These meetings are held on Monday afternoons , fiom four to seven or eight o ' clock . They are opened by a prayer The senior
minister presides . Candidates for the ministry are examined , or submit their preparatory exercises to the judgment of the meeting . Aoy member who wishes for advice , either mentions the subject pnbliclvj or confers privately with such individuals
as lie deems most judicious and expe- ' rieaced . No laws are made : nothing like domination is attempted . Sometimes the hours are passed ( with a short interval for tea and coffee ) in pleasant and improving conversation . The cases of vacant churches
are here considered , for it is natural to apply to such bodies of men for candidates to fill empty pulpits . As it is usual-for the Eastern ministers to make frequent exchanges with each other , for half the Lord ' s Day in town , and the whole day in the country , these arrangements are often made at the meeting of the Association . In a word , speaking for myself , I can truly
say , that , having repeatedly been present , the time so spent seemed to me to pass swiftly and delightfully away . One thing is certain , there is much cordiality and kindness among the ministers of Massachusets who adopt this custom . In Connecticut , Calvinism is almost universal , and the spirit of intolerance is predominant . '
The same correspondent writes as follows with respect to the prospects of Emigrants : — " Mr . K ., being a mechanic , will , I am persuaded , do well ; but those who cannot labour with their hands , unless they bring a fortune with them , will seldom find their account in coming to this country : and
such persons should be advised to invest then * property in the United States' 6 per cent , stock , particularly at its present low price in England . On their arrival , it can easily be sold at a good profit ; or , if held , the interest would be equal to 7 per cent , and the security is nnquestionable .
We have also received a "variety of pamphlets from America on the Unitarian controversy , and several successive numbers of the Tracts published by the Peace Society , of which we intend to lay an account before our readers .
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444 InteUigence + mm Utiitarianism in America .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1817, page 444, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2466/page/68/
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