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    begged Mr . M . A . Taylor to notice the observation of the petitioner , that the punishment of persons for the expression of their religious opinions was not authorized by Christianity . He ( Mr . Hume ) thought the case of Carlile a very hard

    one . —Mr . M . A . Taylor said that nothing he had heard at all altered his opinion ; and Sir Thomas Lethbridge was astonished at the sympathy which the case of Carlile seemed to excite among Honourable Members . He was sure that , out of doors , his conduct was the subject of universal execration ! A man who ,

    like him , could deny the divinity of Christ , and openly attack the Established Religion , was , in his opinion , a bad subject for panegyric . —Sir R . Wij . son said , that the Unitarians were permitted to exercise their religious opinions unmolested , although they denied the divinity of Christ . —Sir T . Lethbridge said , that he did not think the Honourable Member

    near him ( Mr . W . Smith ) would feel obliged by the insinuation . —Mr . W . Smith observed , that having been the ineaiis of getting a Bill passed through both Houses , which exempted the Unitarians from any penalty which might attach to a denial of the divinity of

    Christ , it was unnecessary for him ( Mr . W . Smith ) to say that he participated himself in that opinion . —( Hear , hear fj —And notwithstanding his avowal of that opinion , he believed he might , with safety , appeal to the very Reverend and Venerable parent of the Speaker , for testimony to his ( Mr . Smith ' s ) being

    considered by him as a good Christian . { Hear , hear !) Mr . Hume said , that if the Hon . Baronet was himself , like Carlile , in a prison , he ( Mr . Hume ) would feel most happy to present a petition from him . —{ A laugh . )—The petition was ordered to lie on the table .

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    gm have produced , and not from any wish to disturb the peace of society or the happiness of individuals . < c That your petitioners do not conceive that their public discussions or the circulation of their books are dangerous

    to religion : as it is only reflecting men who engage in such inquiries , their principles are never likely to be generally embraced : besides , divines inculcate that the Church is founded on a rock , and cannot be overthrown , and many who have studied the human character , are

    convinced that the principle of devotion is so deeply planted in the humau heart , and so much influenced by surrounding circumstances , that it will never be destroyed by any arguments , however rational or strong . That the unrestrained circulation of books , and free discussion

    of all religious- subjects , would be of great benefit in clearing away error and superstition , and displaying the merits of true religion , and also in directing and assisting the human mind in acquiring knowledge , and thus promoting the improvement and happiness of mankind . " The petition was then ordered to be printed .

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    June 3 . Persecution for Religious Opinions . Mr . Hume presented a petition from Stokesley , in Yorkshire , complaining of the steps now adopted to prevent freedom of discussion in matters of religion . —Mr . M . A . Taylor was of opinion ,

    that unless the publication of blasphemies and irreligion was restrained , there would soon be no religion at all . ( Hear , ) He really did not think that such men as Carlile merited the sympathy of the House . . He was no bigot ; but he was decidedly hostile to those who would

    undermine all religions ! Mr . Hume thought it would have been as well if the Honourable Member read the petition before he talked jn that way : it merely prayed for the liberty of free discussion ;

    and it was a sad proof of the illiberality of the age that any objection was raised against so reasonable a request . —Mr . W . Smith was satisfied that the opinions of the Honourable Member ( Mr . Taylor ) would not advance the cause of

    Christianity , which needed not coercion to make it Hourish , and did not depend upon law . Persecution for religious opinions was unjust and impolitic . —The petition was ordered to be printed . —Mr . Hume presented another petition from John O'Neill ; , a Quaker , of Bath , praying that the House would remit the punishment inflicted on Richard Carlile . Mr . Hume

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    The Annual Meeting of the Sussea ? Unitarian Association will be held at . Brighton , on Wednesday , the 18 th of August . The Rev . Dr . T . Rees is expected to preach .

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    Intelligence . —Parliamentary .: Persecution for Religious Opinions . 445

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    NOTICES . Manchester College , Yorlt . The next Annual Meeting of the Trustees of this Institution , will be held in the Chapel Rooms , Cross Street ,

    Manchester , on Friday , the 6 th of August next , at eleven o ' clock in the forenoon . S . D . Darbishihe , ? secretaries . John James Favler , \ ¦ Manchester , July 2 b , 1824 .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1824, page 445, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2526/page/61/