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A Suggestion to Unitarians . € ( Fas est ab hoste dQceri . " Norwich *
Sir , September 13 , 1824 . ASM ALL worky entitled "A Concise Vipw of the Leading Doctrines connected with the Sociniaa Controversy , " containing the most specious arguments for " Orthodoxy ** from Dwight and Wsrdlaw , having re-
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A Suggestion to Unitarians . 687
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by Hannah Adams , oFBoston ~ in itself a respectable work . But the Editor ' s additions were disgraced by the i » fiision of party spirit ^ and especially by an Essays prefixed , on Truth ; the object of which was to recommend his own opinitini , and proscribe those of
a contrary desc ription . I am glad to find that , on the tepublication of the English edition in America , Mrs . Adams omitted this said JSksay on Truth * a proof of her good sense and impartiality . T | ds I learned ftom the recent Editor * Mr * Thomas Williams ,
who has acted honourably in coaveymg " the curious fact to the public this side the w ^ ter * He would have derived Jig ^ more credit by omitting the Essay altogether , not distrusting the sacred energies of truth , which is best elieite&by a full and fair investigation of the SNew Testament . It is
remarkable , that the celebrated Joseph Berrington ^ a Catholic priest , in the year 18 L 1 > wrote me a letter , thanking me for the Sketchy under the persuasion that the endless diversity of opinion there deli&eiated , shewed the incontrovertible necessity of an Infallible Head ,
—the only legitimate Parent ot umfonhitym matters of religion . Now , mark , here is a triumvirate of divines : Andrew Fuller , § Protesttmt Dissenter , with his Essay on Truth ; Robert Adam , a minister of the Church of
England , with h \ s Articles of Faith ; and Joseph Berrington , a Catholic priest , with his Infallible Head , attempting to fetter free inquiry , and put down rational Christianity . Thus it is that the Bible Society is reprobated by a learned bishop for giving
away the Sacred Scriptures without note or comment , whereas the Bible should be given away only with a Common Prayer , which , neutralizing the contents of Holy Writ , produces a finished Churchman , at once the admiration , the blessing , the perfection of mankind I
That the Ilev . R . Adam should have thus committed himself is matter of astonishment . Indeed , after his high pretensions to moderation , he does add , " I have had particularly in rny
eye the instruction and benefit of the young of both sexes , who are less able toj judge of themselves . I have ventured to make occasional remarks on some doctrines and opinions which
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it w f » my dutyta stated fie itaO f bxLt then relinquish all claim to having observed the strictest impartiality , so that even Reviewers cannot discover
the author's sentiments , when his antipathy against all Anti-trinitarians rag § s with an uncontroulable fury . With such inveterate prejudices , how can the writer express a hope that his
work " wilt |> e found of a beneficial tendency— -that it may be safely introduced into all schools and seminaries of useful learning— - ?^ nd > in partici * lai % prove a suitable companion for the students of our universities" ? This
indicate s either ari ^ awful inst | Jace of self-deception , or must be pjpnoiinced as an imposition on the war Id . As author of the Sketch oj * ther Denominations of the Christian World , I shall conclude with an extract , with which the Rev . R . Adam closes his Preface
most inconsistently , taken ; fron > a learned and amiable divine , Dr . George Cook : —* I have endeavoured to keep nay mind as far as possible from all bias . How far I have succeeded it is
not for me to determine ; but I trust that I have been umfornily guided by the love of truth , by the desire of more closely uniting those whd are already partially united as to the most
interesting subjects that can fix our attention ; and by the earnest desire not to make a single observation which could imply any doubt upon this point ; that ift most communities of
Christians , and under all diversities of ecclesiastical polity , there are many who may be venerated as lights of the world , who are sincerely devoted to
the blessed cause of pure religion , and who , although now separated and unknown to each other , shall , through that Master whom they delight to serve , meet in heaven /' JOHN EVANS .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1824, page 587, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2529/page/11/
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