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Sir , "OERMIT me to direct the atten-JL tion of the numerous readers of your Repository , and that of your correspondent , the Rev . Noah Jones ,
in particular , ( whose communication in a late number , p- / 2 , has excited mingled feelings of surprise and concern in the minds of the majority of Unitarian Christians , ) to some extracts from the writings of the late eminently learned , and no less
eminently pious and benevolent Moses Mendelsohn ; who , although a Jew , beerns to have been deeply imbued with that spirit of charity , which , if wot the distinguishing characteristic , is at least one of the most beautiful smd attractive features of the
Christun religion . Happy will it be for the worjd , when men shall cease to judge each other for speculative points of belief , which must be as various as j-he bumuu mind—when they shall rejoice to unite wUfa their fellow-men in tke expression of thos-B devptional ieclni | ra which a , re coaunon to ujl . weeds—anjj when tUe inferior spirits
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of the i » ge shall be content humbly to imitate the example of a Newton * fc hocks , a Mendelsohn , who could admire virtue even in an Unbeliever , md
believe that the prayers of every sincere petitioner , if accompanied by rectitude of conduct and active philanthropy , will , as in the case of the yet unen lightened Cornelius , * ' come u » for
a memorial before God /* on whatever revelation he may rest bis hopes , or even should he be led to # tiidy the attributes , and leara the etenial mercy of the Deity , from " the book of a $ - ture fair" alone . The following passages are extracted from the Preface to a translation into German of Ma
nasseh Ben Israel ' s Apology for the Jews , by Mendelsohn ; in whk # i lie comments on a work by Counsellor Von Dohrn , < f On the Condition of the Jews as Citizens of the State * ** What sensible person would pretend to reform his neighbour ' s
thoughts , or to chasten his heart bycoercion ? If we meet , in society , with a man of a froward heart , with wild and improper notions on the fundamental points of religion , we have no other power but to reason witji
him in a mild aad conciliating manner , and try to persuade him , by patient argument , to dismiss his erroneous opinions and return to wholesome doctrine ; in which we may persevere until we , are certaiu that the
delusion has left him . If we find him incorrigible , it will be better to discontinue our efforts , lest we should convert a sceptic , who had , at least , ttie merit of sincerity , into a hypocrite and a liar . Would it not be preferable to rouse his conscience and
mortify his presumption , by shewing him the humbleness of his condition , in regard to the Deity whom he disparages , than to stuo him with abuse , heap shame and ignominy on his character , arid , perhaps , prove his ruin ? It is a widely different case when such
a man is offensively licentious or blasphemous in public , when he sets a bad example to the community he belongs to , by proceedings subversive of morality , decency and social order ; then he steps out of this class , enters
the first , and his conduct becomes cognizable by the magistrate , who , if he find him guilty , is to punish him for what he has been do-ing-, foulj npt for what he has been thin ^ ng " * ' How much less right , then ! have
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Moses Afendelppjm an TreatmentTiqf Unbelievers . 223
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more disposed to waive the question * and bear little about jit , than to come forward with a decided declaration qf disbelief in doctrine ^ hel d so sacred . Sucli persons ought not to be deterred by an unnecessary
sttunblingblock from frequenting that worship which in reality they most approve . It is but common prudence to give them opportunity of deserting quietly from the enemy ' s ranks without obliging them formally to renounce their allegiance . The essential and
professed principle of Philadelphianism would be this , that the essence of religion lies in brotherly love , and that tjie doubtful and disputed doctrines are not to be insisted on , as being
comparatively of little consequence . This is in appearance broad and neutral ground , but such is the nature of the case , that we may safely affirm that this maxim is nearly equivalent to Uaitarianism . The doubtful and
disputed doctrines are essential parts of all other systems , and he that represents brotherly love as the essence o £ religion , is tacitly superseding- the stupendous mysteries of the orthodox faith , for his system renders them unnecessary C . With the Apostle , then , I gay , H ( piXafisXtptoc [ Awita . < MAAAJEA $ O 2 . ^^ f c
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1826, page 223, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2547/page/35/
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