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agreed about the Head of the church . I see no advantage from our present unnatural association . If A nans are right in their views , I am an idolater . If I am light , they worship another God than the God of revelation . The few Arians that exist in this Synod , press upon it like an incubus , bindiug dovm its energies , and disturbing its peace . St . Paul speaks of a body of death , from which he panted for deliverance ; and not more ardent was his desire of deliverance from sin
than is Presbyterian Ulster to be freed from this evil affixed to pride by the enemy of souls- 1 am disposed to exchange the courtesies of life with Arians , and to display to their persons every feeling of benevolence ; but I love my Saviour too much to wish religious intercourse with those who would rob him
of his glory . 1 have avoided debating the principle of Ariauism , for I trust that this body will never submit to the degradation of entertaining such a question . If , however , Christ bear the name Jehovah , with all the worship and attributes and honours annexed to that name , how can I refuse to believe that he was God
manifest in the flesh ? Besides , if he be not God , I must discredit his mission , and pronounce his religion false . He came to destroy idolatry , and yet ninetynine out of a hundred of his followers , in all ages , have believed in his Deity ; and so , on this hypothesis , have frustrated his labours . Moreover , he was charged with blasphemy , when
representing himself as equal with God . Had he not been God he would have repelled the charge ; and , therefore , his admission of it seems to me clear proof of his Deity . Never , in my experience , have 1 met a dying creature that had peace if ignorant of the atonement of Christ . Without deciding whether or not we should exclude the few infected with this
disease that are among us , ( for this question is not before us , ) I trust that we shall shut the door against all such in future ^ and , therefore 1 shall vote for the amended overtures . Mr . Maculloch ( Newtownards ) took a historical view or the state of
Christianity , and the influence of Ariauism in paralyzing its vitality through . successive periods . Among other things \ w said , that it lays the foundation of infidelity , and a total rejection of revelation , by bringing the Son of God below absolute Deity to be the sou of a mother , " such as 1 am . " The Ariau gradually stretches his mind beyond his system into Deism , and , by a natural progress , he settles down into point blauk Atheism . He argued
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for a direct / separation . It had been alleged , Let the Synod ^ ilone * and it will mend . Bot he would say in the words of Peter Pindar , in relation to Mr . Pitt , " Some say he ' ll mentl . What ? Mend a mummer ? He'll mend just like sour ale in summer . "—( A laugh . ) It has been said that the orthodox had in this contest been the aggressors—the reverse was the case . The Unitarian Societies of England had been supplying the North of Ireland with their publications . The sermons of Price and Channing had been reprinted and widely circulated , and
if any thing at all would make nien Arians , these works wotild do it . A very clever man , a divine from this county , said he , once wanted to give my son some Unitarian tracts . I would not let him . He then wanted him to his house to converse with him . I would not permit that either . I knew the danger ; for , God forgive me , I believe I was once a little contaminated myself . Yet , ( said Mr . M'C ., ) f hope we shall all meet in heaven . ( A laugh . )
Dr . Wright opposed in toto the doctrine of separation , because by persecution no good bad ever been effected , and he was persuaded never would . He was himself conscientiously attached to Calvinistic principles , but he was no party man—he had stood aloof from all parties , and he would most cordially vote for the original overture . Saturday , June 281 ft .
Synod met at eight o ' clock , a . m . The consideration of the Overture and Ainendment being resumed , Mr . Barnett ( of JVjoueymore ) said , he would oppose the whole of these resolutions , though he approved of some of them abstractedly , because he regarded them as insufficient instruments to accomplish a particular purpose . They
were but insidious modes of doing what should be done openly , honestly , ajud avowedly . They were intended to get rid of certain members of the Synod— -, but would the proposed reformation , of morals have been touched , had not the , other been contemplated ? Again , )? e would oppose them , because they could
not be adopted without overlooking several injunctions of the book of God . Mr . B . referred to Ga ^ . i . 7 ,, in which the introduction of " another gospel" is noticed—and what course did t $# Apostle recommend ? "I would tjiey were even , cut off tliat trouble you ., " though their error consist fo merely wafcinff
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Intelli gence . —Synod »/ UJmrl ( & 9
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1828, page 639, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2564/page/55/
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