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their religious teachers to depart from the discussion of purely sacred things and subjects , and to indulge in personal allusions either to congregations or individuals , depend upon it , all that is truly improving , delightful , and sanctifying , in social worship , will be lost for ever . I
appeal to the good sense and better feeling of the community , I appeal to that spirit of mutual concession and respect , which is the very essence and genius of our beloved country ' s institutions , whether a speculative difference of opinion entitles one party to lavish on the other an opprobrium due only to the most
abominable perverters of morality . The stratagem of our opponents seems to be , to class Uuitariaus with the very vilest men in society , and thus to prevent them from obtaining a hearing . If they can succeed in making the public believe that we shall , for our own religious opinions , undergo the punishment destined for
murderers , adulterers , and blasphemers , of course we shall be equally abhorred with such characters , and no more intercourse will be maintained with us . By such means is the spread of Unitarianisui prevented . No matter how earnestly and faithfully an Unitarian minister may warn his hearers to flee from the wrath
to come—no matter how affectionately he urges them to believe and obey the gospel—no matter how strongly he sets forth the unlimited spiritual authority of Jesus , the Son , the Messenger , and the Prophet of God—no matter how
delicately and respectfully lie treats all other denominations—no matter how diligently he uses the means which God has given him to illustrate scripture , to render it intelligible to the meanest capacity , and to urge its truths and sanctions on the
most careless hearts—all this , to the eye of prejudice , is only a process by which he is conducting his congregation to everlasting misery . We rejoice in the growing reputatiou of the sect of Methodists , and in the unquestionable good they do ,
however it may be mingled with so much that We cannot approve , and hope we never shall be induced to aim at injuring their fair character , although it may not be given us to see , what England presents at this moment , a respectable body of Unitarian Methodists , growing up and organized from among the followers of Wesley . Yes , though we never should behold that sight , ( which yet we are persuaded America is destined sooner or later to see , ) and though we ourselves should be doomed to struggle with obloquy and opposition here , and exclusion from heaven hereafter , it will still be the earnest prayer and devout hope of many air Unitarian , that , should we be sent
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far away into the regions of sorrow for too anxiously comparing scripture with scripture , our sincere and pious Metho dist brethren may , by yielding ttteir unin " quiring assent to the opinions of Wesley be admitted into the blissful mansions of God . "
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462 On Mysteries in Religion .
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London , Sir , July 6 , 1826 . IT is not my intention to prolong the discussion of a question upou which enough has probably been
already said , but I must be allowed to protest against the assumption of Clericus Cantabrigiensis , ( p . 317 , ) that those persons who believe revelation
to contain nothing but v / bat is comprehensible are to be mixed up with a class of critics who < c regard the miraculous and prophetic parts of the New Testament in the light of fables and embellishments . ** If he had been
at all read in the writings of some of our most learned and pious divines , he must have known that the very opinion which I have endeavoured to support , has been maintained by them . Allow me tq quote from a few in proof . t € It is a fact , that the revelation
which contains the whole of our religion , was taught in public by prophets , apostles and Jesus Christ , and written and published to the world with many exhortations to all men to read and examine it . It is no less
true that eyery reader may judge of what he reads ; and it is the glory of revelation tjiat it contains plain truth , easy to be understood , and free from all mystery . " Robert Robinson . " To say that though the Apostles and Evangelists did deliver the mind of God to tlie world in their writings .
in order to the salvation of mankind , although they were inspired by an infinite Wisdom to that end : although a person used his endeavour by all moral helps and the divine grace assisting him , to find out in thsse writings th , e things necessary to salvation , yet , after all , he cannot understand ths meaning of them , to me appeal so absurd and monstrous a doctrine ,
so contrary to the honour of the Scriptures and the design of Christiapity , that if I had a mind to disparage it , * Would ^ egjfo with this and end W ™ trimsubstantiation . " Bishop Stmttf ; ftefr . ' ¦ ¦ ¦ % >
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1826, page 462, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2551/page/18/
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