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Untitled Article
which arise out of an association of various sects for a common purpose , as alone a sufficient reason for preserving and extending such a society . No one can have witnessed the proceedings of this year , without rejoicing at the liberal and generous feelings which arose out of the banishment of petty sectarian feelings , and without being conscious that the Dissenting body rose in the estimation of the best friends of liberty and virtue in proportion as it acted upon enlarged and catholic principles .
Allow me to enumerate a few points which I think should now be taken into consideration by the Deputies , and by the Dissenting public , in contributing to place their representatives in a position suited to their increased and increasing importance in the community , at a time when they have assumed a legal position , unknown before ; entitling them to share in all the honours and offices of the state , and therefore , surely now , if ever , entitling them to look for the speedy removal of any remaining badges of inferiority .
I must premise that I am looking , and that what I should suggest is designed to tend , towards a permanent and duly organized representation of a class of men of immense importance to the cause of freedom ; who have interests to preserve and principles , in many respects , distinct from those of other branches of the community ; and whose influence , while exerted ( as I trust it always will be ) for good , it is exceedingly important to preserve and direct , as contributing very much to give a correct tone to religious , moral , and political feeling throughout the country .
1 . " The Deputies" should come to resolutions declaring their object and general constitution ; I say declaring , because I would on no account break up the continuity of an ancient society which is on many accounts valuable and dear in all our recollections , by pretending now to form anew society , or by doing any thing which should not purport to be an acting upon the continuing basis of former proceedings . To the general frame of this constitution ,
as collected from practice and so declared , should be now added minor bylaws or regulations , into which may be introduced such variations as the present state of things point out . My object in short is , that this Society ( like all others which pretend to regularity and consistency ) should be able to point , for its guidance and that of the public , to written law , not to an uncertain common law , which is disputable at every inch .
2 . Steps should be immediately taken to restore the permanent fund , which ought not to be less than £ 10 , 000—indeed more , if a suitable house or office is to be appropriated to the Society . It would deserve consideration whether the congregations sending Deputies should not be required to send with them a small annual subscription ; but to this there would be the objection ,
that the burthen would thus be thrown on the London congregations , which , from their contiguity , would naturally send the greater number of the Deputies for ordinary purposes , whatever rules might be made ( as ought to be the case ) to admit country Deputies if they chose to come . It seems better , more honourable , and less troublesome , to establish at once a permanent
fund by replacing ( and something more ) the amount spent on the late Strugs gle , leaving the Society to appeal to the public ( as on this occasion ) when unusual demands arise . Nevertheless , it is extremely desirable that congregations should make a point of bearing the exigencies of such a body in mind ; and that they should not be content , aa they have been for a series of years , to let all the civil affairs of the united body be conducted in silence , without any interest being excited , or one shilling being subscribed by those who were every day deriving the benefit . Experience has shewn that this was the sure way to send the Society to sleep ; that inquiry and
Untitled Article
The Deputies . 533
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1828, page 533, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2563/page/21/
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