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On Church Establishments, *
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Nottingham , g lR ) October 25 , 1821 . RELIGION is so powerful an engine for moving and governing the human mind , that it is no wonder the statesman has endeavoured to turn
it to his purposes , and , under the specious pretence of protection , has assumed the management of its concerns . It might be questioned , indeed , whether he has acted wisely , even as a statesman , in intermeddling with things of such a nature . Had he
adhered to the peculiar line of his vocation , that of maintaining the peace of society , by protecting the equal rights of every citizen , other things might have gone on more to his satisfaction than he is willing to believe . He would probably have been no loser by his moderation and forbearance . He would have executed the useful
part which is especially assigned to him with greater skill , irom confining his attention to it : and the interests of which he had declined the superintendence , through a wise diffidence of his ability to serve them , would have thriven by their intrinsic importance , and the hold they possess of the desires and affections of mankind .
Religion is too firmly established in the human breast to require that it should I'oine recommended and enforced by the enactments of the civil magistrate . And although , on the supposition that all religions were alike fabulous and
unsu pported , it might be necessary tor him to endeavour to make such a selection us would be most favourable to the peace and good order of society , nothing of this kind can be alleged ^ th regard to Christianity , which , lla its origin from God himself ,
% the late justly lamented Rev . H . t urner , ( sec p . 121 , ) found among his lepers , as prepared for our work . Ed .
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must be supposed to be perfectly consistent with the best interests of society , and is more likely to be injured in this respect , than improved , by the
interference of human authority . A religion founded upon Divine Revelation , must contain within itself the best possible means of ascertaining ^ nd authenticating its real dictates ; and the errors into which human
weakness and fallibility might fall in regard to it , would be much more effectually corrected by the private exertions of learning and integrity , than by the ostentatious superintendence ana controlling direction of the civil power . So that the interference of the civil
magistrate is an act of supererogation on his part , since a religion founded on truth is much better qualified to serve him , than he is to serve such a religion . Leave it to the undisturbed exercise of its native energies , and it is sure to advance the peace and good order of society ; but
interfere with it and restrain it , and its nature suffers a material change ; it becomes worldly and intriguing ; and the magistrate will soon find himself compelled to purchase at a high rate the supineness and indolence of its ministers , lest their activity should be turned against himself .
If what we have now stated be true , we have , we suspect , decided the question of establishments already ; for if it can be proved that a patronised religion is of less value to the statesman than one left to depend upon its native energies , he will no longer be anxious
to lend it his support . We shall heaf no longer of his wish to subserve the interests of piety and truth : he Mn \ no more think of interfering Tvith the concerns of religion than he will trouble himself with the inquiries of the metaphysician or the grammarian . I am aware that the question in usually argued upon other grounds ;
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THE
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No . CXCVI . 1 APRIL , 1822 . [ Vol . XVII .
On Church Establishments, *
On Church Establishments , *
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v xvii . 2 c
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1822, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2511/page/1/
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