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    his liberality as a man . He may extend the right-hand of fellowship to his brethren whilst he endeavours to rectify their mistakes , and he may lament the existence of false opinions , and vindicate the truth , whilst he continues to be guided by the purest principles of philanthropy and benevolence ; and he may duly appreciate the unaffected piety and deep religious feelings and exemplary conduct of many who differ from him , at the same time that he is the determined adversary of tenets which he deems to he deviations from truth .

    Individually , I conscientiously believe Trinitarianism to be a grievous corruption of Christianity ; much , therefore , as I esteem and admire many Trinitarians , I cannot consistently concede to them the title of " true worshipers , " because Jesus teaches that such must worship the father . The believer in the Divine Unity , and the believer in a Triune Deity , cannot both possess the truth , hecause it is impossible for opposing propositions to be true . Did I believe a Trinitarian to be a true worshiper , I must reuounce my belief and embrace his ; for he who can affirm that Trinitarians are true worshipers , must be far indeed removed from the faith of the Unitarian Christian . To

    the query of P . S . R ., — " True worshipers—Who are true worshipers ? " I reply , without " auy undue assumption in matters of faith , " by reference to the words of Jesus Christ , " The true worshipers shall worship the Father ; " and as the authority of Jesus is not yet abrogated , it may , perhaps , be deemed suffjcieut . Now , Trinitarians do not worship the Father with all the heart and soul , Sec . They certainly address an occasional prayer to him ; but the aspirations of the heart , the devotions of the soul , are poured out to the Son , uot the Father . To avoid misconception ,

    however , allow me to say , that I cheerfully allow to those whom I conceive to be in error , the meed of sincerity and of acceptable worship ; but if there is false as well as true worship , a conscientious and sincere belief in false doctrines does not , therefore , make truth and error

    convertible terms . He who governs himself by the light vouchsafed to him , whatever that may be , J have no doubt will be accepted by an omniscient Creator , on the ground that sincerity of motive will be approved by him , be the act of worship resulting therefrom true or false .

    I beg to direct the attention of P . S . R ., and of those of your readers who may feel an interest in the subject , to a small

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    Tract , * lately published , being an affectionate appeal to Trinitarians , but demonstrating , I conceive , that they are not entitled to the appellation " true worshipers " The author commences in a truly Christian spirit . — " My Christian Brethren , —I thus address you , believing you to be , generally , as a body ,

    conscientious in your profession . 1 have no doubt that you love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity—that you venerate his character—that you acknowledge his authority , and won Id obey his commandments ; but on one very important point , to which I would direct your attention , you do not properly understand his words—you da not worship according to his directions —you are not those whom he denominates * the true icorshipers . '

    " This , doubtless , is a serious charge to bring against you : but hear this declaration , and let it sink deep into your hearts : John iv . 23 , ' The true worshipers shall worship the Father . ' Remember , he is here speaking , not merely of the worshipers of God , but the true worshipers . And who does he say they are ? Does he say they are such as you ? —worshipers of a triune God , three

    persons in one God , trinity in unity , and unity in trinity—God the Father , God the Son , and God the Holy Ghost ? Not a word of all this ; not the most distant allusion to any such ideas . On the contrary , he says , that c the true worshipers shall worship the Father' Does he say , ' true worshipers ? ' Why do you not believe him ? Does he say , ' shall worship the Father ? ' Why do you not obey him ?

    " But he tells us , moreover , that c the Father seeketh such to worship him . ' Do you regard the Father ' s authoritythe Father ' s approbation ? Why , then , do you not obey the Father ' s will and worship him only ? " * I cannot better conclude than with another short extract . After citing many passages to prove that Jesus taught his

    disciples to pray to the Father , and thafc he enforced his precepts by his example , the author argues , " Such was the example of Jesus Christ , such the worship which he himself invariably offered up . Do you believe that he worshiped God aright ?—that he was a true worshiper ? Then you stand self-condemned ; you admit that you are not * the true

    wor-• " The True Worshipers , not those who worship a Triuity ; a Serious Address to Trinitarians . By a Dissenter from Trinitarianism . " Teulou and Fox , and D . Eaton .

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    128 Miscellaneous Correspondence .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1829, page 128, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2569/page/56/