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from the peasants at their toil , whilst the children were joyfully collecting fuel for the bonfires and festivities of Midsummer ' s-eve . As far as the eye could reach , innumerable flocks and herds were browsing in peace upon the green pastures , and the very air was impregnated with myriads of animated beings . Throughout the wide extent around and above me , all was life , and tranquillity , and happiness ! Not a single souud of
sorrow smote upon the ear , nor a single object of misery passed before the eye . In the midst of that glorious temple of Nature , my soul instinctively ascended in devout aspirations of adoration and gratitude to the benignant Author of such extended and diversified enjoyment . I felt happier in my own existence , and in that of all animated creatures ; and I did not believe there was a being upon earth whom such a scene would not
have soothed into tranquillity and benevolence . In this , however , I fear I was mistaken ; for on journeying on through an ever-varying scene of beauty and happiness , I think I did discover one object uncongenial with the time , and the circumstances , and the place . It was a Christian minister , travelling to this scene of our meeting . His eye dwelt
upon me , but not in friendly recognition ; his face was towards me , but no smile played upon his features . My heart sunk within me , to think that men , and Christian men , should have been the only beings who , on that glorious evening , were deficient in kindly affections . Oh ! surely such things are not congenial with our country , nor with our religion . Nature has given us a fair and fertile abode , —Providence has
blessed us with generous hearts and liberal hands , —and the gospel of peace has long been the , inmate of our dwellings . Why , then , is our country a universal theatre of contention ? Wh y are Christians of the same communion arrayed against each other ? Why ? Because men presumptuously interfere with the conscientious belief of their brethren , and spend that $ ime in forming plans of annoyance , which ought to be dedicated to offices of peace 1 I do appeal to my brethren whether these be times in which any church , and
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especially any Presbyterian church , should occupy itself in devising schemes for the curtailment of Christian liberty ? Is it in the nineteenth century , when even Catholicity is evidently relaxing her grasp , when the Established clergy and the Legislature have given a signal proof of the progress of liberal opinions in
the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts—is it at such a time , that we should retrograde , and surrender the fundamental principles ot our church ? If we do , a death-wound will be inflicted upon Presbyterianism ; division will follow usurpation ; weakness will succeed division : and though individuals may chiefly suffer in the beginning , the church must suffer in the end .
From the excited state of public feeling , and from the observations of many ministers and elders , I think it is evident that we are not , at present , in a proper condition to come to a sound and impartial conclusion upou the important
subject before us , which involves the very constitution of our church . I therefore do entreat my brethren to pause , and to allow these weighty matters to lie over for consideration , as enjoined by the salutary regulations of our code of discipline , for at least one year .
[ The remainder of Mr . Montgomery ' s speech , and that of Mr . Stewart which closed the debate , are unavoidably deferred to our next . Mr . Dill professed to accept Mr . Fletcher Blakeley's challenge , aud three gentlemen were nominated by each party
to make the needful arrangements . Mr . DilPs friends , however , insisted on the discussion being confined to tke hours , and refused to have any report of it authenticated , as was proposed , by the joint signature of the parties . The discussion has thus been evaded for the
present . The correspondence was published in the Northern Whig of July 24 th . In that paper , for August 7 , is an admirable letter from Mr . Fletcher Blakeley on a speech delivered by Mr . Cooke , on a subsequent occasion , in reply to Mr . Montgomery . We are glad to learn that a correct account of the debate and the subsequent proceedings is about to be published in the form of a pamphlet ]
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Intelligence . ~ Synod of Ulster , 655
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1828, page 655, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2564/page/71/
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