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will appear by the following - document , that the King * of Prussia wishes to seize this occasion to unite the two denominations of Protestants , the Lutherans and the Reformed or Calvinists . Their chief , if not only difference , respects the Lord's
Supper . - * , Berlin , Oct . 11 . —His Majesty the Kinghas heen pleased to address the followinginvitation to the Consistories , Synods and Superintendences of the Monarchy : — " My illustrious ancestors , reposing * in God , the Elector John Sig * ismund , the Elector George William , the Great Elector . King * Frederick 1 ., and King * Frederick William I ., as is proved by the history of their reig'ns and lives , endeavoured with pious zeal to unite the two separate Protestant Churches , the Reformed and the Lutheran , in one Evangelic Christian church in their dominions . Honouring *
their , memory and their salutary views , I willingly join them , and wish to see a work agreeable to God , which met with insuperable obstacles in the unhappy sectarian spirit of those times , to be brought about in my dominions , to the honour of God and the weal of the Christian church , under the influence of a better spirit , which
disregards what is not essential , and holds fast what is the vital part of Christianity , in which both churches are agreed ; and I desire to see the beginning- nrnde upon the approaching * secular festival of the Reformation- Such a truly religious union of the two above-mentioned Protestant churches , who are separated only by external
differences , is conformable to the great objects of Christianity 5 it answers the first views of the Reformers ; it lies in the spirit of Protestantism , it promotes religious spirit ; it is salutary to domestic piety ; it will be the source of many useful improvements in churches and schools , which have
been often hindered hitherto merely by the difference of re Jig-ions . To this salutary union , so long- desired , and now again so loudly called for , and so often sought in vain , in which the Reformed church does uot go over to the Lutheran , or the latter to the former , but both unite in one new ,
animated , Evangelic Christian church , in the spirit of their Holy Founder , there is no long-er any obstacle in the nature of the thing * itself , if both parties seriously and honestly desire it in a true Christian spirit ; and if produced by this it will worthily express the gratitude which we owe to Divine Providence for the invaluable
blessing's of the Reformation , and honour the memory of its great authors in the continuance of their work . " But much as I must wish that the Reformed and Lutheran churches in my dominions may share with me this my welltried conviction , I have far too much rebpect for their rig-h t * and their liberty to
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force it upon them , or to order or decide any thing in this afraiu . " 1 his union , besides , can have real value only , \ f neither persuasion nor indif . ferentism have a part in it , if it proceed from the unbiassed liberty of self-conviction and is not only an union in external form bcit has its roots and vivifying * service in unity of heart , according * to the genuine principles of Scripture .
" As I shall myself celebrate in this spirit the approaching secular festival of the Reformation , in the union of the late Reformed and Lutheran congregations at Potsdam , in one Evangelic Christian congregation , and take the holy Sacrament with them , I hope that this my own example will have a beneficial influence on all
the Protestant congregations in my country , and that it may be generally followed in spirit and truth . To the wise direction of the Consistories , to the pious zeal of the Clergy and their Synods , I leave the exterior coinciding- form , of the union , convinced that the conglegations will readily follow in a true Christian spirit , and that every where , when the attention is directed
seriously and sincerely , without any interested secondary views , to what is essential to the great sacred cause itself , the form will be easily found , and the external will naturally result from the internal , simple , dignified and true . May the promised period be no more remote when , under one common Shepherd , all united in one faith , one charity and one hope , shall form onlj one flock !
" FREDERICK WILLIAM . " Potsdam , Sept . 27 , 1817 . " " To the Consistories , Synods and Snperintendents . u The undersig-ned Minister , charged with the publication of this expression of his Majesty ' s wishes , does not doubt of the desired and happy success ; because as it
has been accepted since the first of this month by the clergy of this city , of both Evangelic Confessions , united in one Synod , with unanimous joy and g rateful respect for his Majesty ' s sentiments and views therein expressed , it will certainly be received in the same manner by all the
Evang-elic clergy and congregations n the kingdom . " Minister of the Interior , " VON SCHUCKMANN . " Berlin , Oct . 8 , 1817 . "
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SWITZERLAND . Unitarianism at Geneva . The long * suspected heresy of the 9 en 5 " vese has been gradually disclosing * itselt . The new Version of the Bible in 1805 , and above all , the Geneva Catechism , p " ° " in . 1814 , and lately translated into Eng- / ^ ( see our Review , Vol . XI . p . 235 , ) m « « the fact unquestionable . English or thodox
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550 Intelligence ; - ^ -UnitaHanis ) ri at Geneva ,
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1817, page 630, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2469/page/58/
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