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Untitled Article
in ltW l ? &v $ ren& j ^ a chert todg ^ iit , is calculated to embrace the benefits and exclude tfeieelite attei 3 » i ^ itjwm sttdi tas ^ it&iis > whether jtfc afftcles of faith m& ft # n * a < tf . W 0 t&Wg Would be sufficiently coinprebensive to admit withm its liberal pate the AthaAasIan
and the Unitarian , the Calvinist and thfe . tMfittSN » JBrt ( to ^ &j « iat atitisfection of Ml ); or wlteth ^ it would 1 r&y in its crfeeda &&df form ^ aries according to the predominance of any sectfin eadi particular ibvhx dr district ; whether the * magistrate or the people would exercise theprivilege df selecting
theft reiigktas instructors , and of removing them for ineom | petenfcy or misconduct , I am unable to afford sufficient information , not having been preseiit when that difficult and delicate branch of the subject came under discussion . * In the discourse which
has suggested these remarks , an answer * vas attempted to be made to the objections urged by the opponents of religions establishments , and it must be admitted that these objections were
fairly and forcibly exhibited ; $ o forcibly , indeed , that some state-religionists might be almost induced to suspect the g 66 & faith of their new ally , even tipon Ms own very limited ground of defence .
The first Objection is founded upon the needless ^ ness of a state religion to the purposes of civil society , wbose institutions ought to be limited to the protection of the ipersons and property 6 f individuals ; and tins objection is reddily admitted , so far as it excludes
penalties fdr dissent fr <* m the established faith ; but it is pleaded that the public encouragement of a * religion so excellent , is a most valuable auxiliary in effecting the end of civil society . Bttt there fi siirely much fallacy in this nipdfe of reply , That it is right and pr ^ tt ^ i * ftlMErt 3 the member s of a
commu-* The series of Sermons has been recently published ; but I fear the respected authors ' VieWs' yet remain to he clever loped vrM * t precision . Episcopalians , Presbyterians and Independents arp proposed , hi company witj > Roman Catholics , for a share 0 f the loaves ^ tid $ shes : but it _ appears tp Me , conce 4 e 4 th ^ t ip ^ iiy minor sects will be wholly excluded , ^ a 11 ? % clear that this Utop&TpHtilf comprehension , if realized , would produce any thing rather than « the unity df the spirit in the bdnd of pfeatefe /
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nity should- ^^^ principles which they conscientiously approve , 1 $ e ^ erj' means e 6 ii ^^ wi ^ i flto jpdace of * soeMjf « M the i ^ ht
of private judgment , no one v ^ aj dftoh and the opinions of the majority , upon the supposition of their possessing equal g ^ al and sincerit ? y , will xina ^ oid ably have an advantage over those of ttie Minority , of # Mblt « iie # t ^ r cannot reasonably complaih ; but when to the
natural preponderance of numbers the magistrate adds the weight of the public purste , tte miaadiity fikay justly i-escnt his itttetfer ^ ee as atf uhealled-fer infringement upon tfcdr natural rights . Tihe id ^ cbttd Objection , denying tie justice df suppor ^ ig a parffewlar religiotit ottt l > f the public purse , is involved in the former . There is no dispute as
to the mere right of devoting the public treasure to that or any other purpose , however impolitic * or the duty of submitting to the imposition for the sake 6 f public pfeace . But if there may be cases supposed m whfeK injustice Is sanctioned b y law , the exhibition of bounties ana drawbacks
to the professors of a particular system of theTOogjr , In exclusion &f-othersystems embracing the stfme general principles of moralit y ^ serins to be amongst the number . Wefre it trud that the voice of governtfterit is always the voiefe o € the ftM $ 6 rity of the
governed , ( and the cdnttary , in many cases of the transfer of state patronage from o&q i ^ eKgion to another , hiaar notoriously beeri the faci ;) the iinposition of a tax upoil cbriscienttous dissidents for the support of religious theories which they may think , fra matoy
respects , dishonourable to God and injurious to' human happiness ; iiflpHes the existence of a spirit of lfegidWtlon hostile to the equality 6 f sociiw rights , and which will hardly stop short of more positive privations tfnd iritftle-Tsmtm iii koiile shape 6 t other . Indefed ,
if We Ondfe * ^ mit that tlm > l $ j $ Mtof > as sudbij may justifieibly tecOgmze a | w ^ ference ot one man ' s religious phrf ^ ptyrtb mom o ^ mk ^^ mm ^ tig * cbnduclve to " the ends of thb si ^
tk&mm&m * iif * # ili ^ Wiifelitef & &t of ^ Rsm ^ si 6 f ^ fitate vfbr ^ B > m % hmm ^ ^ iwM ^ f ^ W ta # ' stA *^ itnpij&wia totimm ^ # « o # wms <
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<^ 4 T&e Nonconformist . JttfXVti .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1820, page 224, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2487/page/32/
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