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Unitarian Booksellers and Publishers . Maidstone , June 13 , 1825 . " Profound and glowing thought , though breathing only from the silent page , excites a kind of omnipotent and , omnipresent energy . "
Dr . Channing . Sin , r | ^ HOSE who belie ve Unitarianism ^ to be the doctrine of the gospel , * n which class , it is presumed , may be included a large majority of your readers , will readily listen to any suggestions for the more extensive diffu-^ jon of its sacr ed doctrines . After all pat has been attempted to be done » y preachin g and by conferences , by pnvute conversation and public dis-P * e , I am persuaded that no mode of spreading truth so effectual has been
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discovered , as hy bringing into action the energies of the Press . We are daily hearing , and justly too , of the wonderful influence of this mightyengine , in the destruction of the strong holds of political tyranny . The British and Foreign Bible ' ' Society have
finely exemplified the vast importance of the same machinery , and its incomparably greater utility when leagued with Christian truth . Why then shall not the British and Foreign Unitarian Society Recently formed , and upon which all the friends of our cause will ,
I trust , implore the Divine blessing , have an eye to the same invaluable instrument ; and , occupied as it will probably be in missionary exertions and epistolary communications , let the diffusion of the most complete , candid , and courteous defences of our
doctrine in books , form a particular object of its fostering care ? To thi 3 end it is not sufficient that an author should labour . A publisher is in these days as necessary as an author .
If the plan cannot otherwise be accomplished , 1 would peopose that a part of the resources of the British and Foreign Unitarian Society be directed to the establishment of a
bookseller in the most eligible situations , for the propagation of the Unitarian doctrine . The services of such persons faithfully devoted to the cause , without ftny apprehensions of worldly loss , will be incalculable to our
common interests . And when such a coadjutor is not to be found , it is not to be expected that truth will make the progress which we desire : e . g . I believe it to be the fact , that there is
no bookseller , either in Glasgow or Edinburgh , who will run all the risks to which he would be exposed by daily presenting- some of our ablest Unitarian books in his shop-window . In some of the towns of England , where , however , the risk to a bookseller is much less , our Unitarian societies are alike destitute of this advantage . This ought to be looked into , and one would think that in many cases the deficiency might be supplied . When Unitarian books are sent for
sale , it should be insisted on , that they be fairly and regularly presented to the public view , with the new works of the day . —Before I close , I will say a few words on Unitarian publishers , who may or may not be
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i Unitarian Booksellers and Publishers . 393 s
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manifest themselves , which require not only direction , but restraint and government , because they would otherwise lead to moral evil and culpable conduct ? I will not say that these are evil : but they are separated from
evil by a very thm partition , and a very slight deviation towards excess would subject them to this denomination . They need being attentively watched and sedulously guarded : — and is not this the important object , anil does it not furnish occasion for
exhibiting the great benefit , of early education ? Let those who have had children , whose dispositions they have diligently noticed , or who recollect what they themselves experienced in the earliest operations of their minds , consider and answer these questions .
That we should be introduced into the world in this state is no more an objection against Providence than that we should be placed in a state of probation , and attain to the happiness of virtue bv previous exercise and trial .
The great and good Being who has made us what we are and placed us in the stations which we occupy , has rendered our nature and condition infinitely improvable . If we labour under a moral disease , on account of
which he will impute no blame to us , he has mercifully provided a sufficient remedy ; and all the disadvantages resulting from our nature and state , as we are social beings ^ will sooner or later be abundantly compensated .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1825, page 399, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2538/page/15/
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