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516 Mr , Bakeweltonthe State of Morals and' Religi&n at Geneva ,
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rality brought by Dr . SL against tbd Genevdse , as he plainlyinfers : that this increase of vice is a direct consequence bf their departure fr&m the orthodox theology of their forefathers .
Similar charges hare been often made against Unitarians by a certain class of Christians , Wit frequently in so vague a manner , as not to admit of an answer . Here , however , we have a
bill of accusation against the people and" pastors of a whole state , of which the majority are Unitarians , or hold the doctrine of the Trinity to be linscriptural and ti > £ human invention . " Is it not ^ a fact , " ( says Dr . S ., )
" that open infidels and immoral persons have exceedingly multiplied in Getieva ? " I reply directly , No ; but even were it so in some degree , after many years of war , and consequent demoralization in countries that were
the seat of war , ( of which Dr . S . takes no account , ) it would not be fair to attribute it , as Dr . S- does , to the change of faith or the went of religious care in the pastors . Several Englishmen , heads of families , who had
resided some years in Geneva , and who were by no means partial to the Genevese Church , expressed to me , when I was there , their admiration of the correct state of morals in that city . It is true , an Englishman , a partisan of M M . Malan . miblished a naner . in of . Malanpublished a paperin
, , which he said the religious principles of the English youth weife exposed to much danger in Geneva ; but I believe the charge was generally felt by the English parents there , to be most unjust , W . C- Marsh , Esq ., a
respectable member of the English Church , thought it his duty publicly to refute the caluitfny . te Being myself" ( says he ) " the father of p , family , I have had pccasipn to ascertain , that there is not any place of education , in which
the morals of young people are less exposed to danger , or their religious principles leas likely to be injured . " This I believe to be strictLy true . There may be irreligious or immoral men in Gepeva : can Dr . S . name any
town or religious community of which the same may not be predicated ? Yet I may safely repeat here , what I have stated in my Travels—* There is a correct tone of moral feeling at Geneva , which would occasion any one to
be coolly received in society , and even shunned , whatever were his wealth ,
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teiided to possess the art of making gold , and offered fcb enrich the cift-i zens ; some said that they desired the gold to enable thein' to serve tlie Lord , by supporting the hospital , but the governor of that establishment
told thena , they could not serve God M / iili money of the Devil ' s making . In these orthodox times , when , according to Dr . Smith , the morals were so much purer than at present , it is true the Sabbath was most
sanctimoniously observed - y the shepherds were forbidden to sound their l * orris on that day to collect their flocks ; no public worship of any other church was tolerated ; even the Prince of Brandenberg , in 1671 , was not permitted to have the Lutheran service
performed in his own house . None could receive the Lord ' s Supper without a licence from their pastors , and those who did not receive it , were subject to heavy fines or banishment . Any person who kept his bed for thfee whole days without sending for a pastor , was subject to fine ; the nurses and relations were also fined .
The soldier who kept guard fell upon Ms knees in the street , and repeated prayers before opening and shutting the gates . No wig- was allowed to descend more than six inches below the chin , and the head-dresses of the women were not allowed to rise higher than six inches above the forehead .
What would have been the language of Christ had he visited the Pharisees of Geneva at this period , when the iires , lighted by cruelty and intolerance , were scarcely extinct beneath
their walls ? " Ye hypocrites , ye pay tytties of mint and anise and cummin , and neglect justice and mercy and lionesty , and the weightier matters of the law . "
I have littjie doubt , however , that there were in Geneva at that time , as well as at the present , many sincere Christians and virtuous men ; but I do not believe that the inhabitants gerterallv , were more virtuous than the modern Genevese , notwithstanding the confident assertions of Dr . Smith to
the contrary ; and , what is still more to the purpose , noUvithstanding the efforts made by the French Government to demoralize the citizens when Geneva was united to France . I trust I shall be excused for dwelling some time on the charge of iinmo-
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1824, page 516, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2528/page/4/
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