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Untitled Article
tarian controversy , when the present and eternal interests of his fellow-sinners are . at stake . We could wish , indeed , and that most heartily , that all these effective agents for the evangelizing of the world held and avowed the pure doctrines of the gospel . But it is not so ; we bow to the inscrutable decrees of Providence , aod adore the common Parent in an expression of his love , which , however splendid , is not without a cloud . —This leads us to
look a little on the dark side of the subject . There is too much excitement amongst our brethren . There is too much oC getting-up in their proceedings ; too great a straining after effect . Every thing is in the French style ; a scene is the great object of desire . The speeches are overstrained ; the reports are overdone ; the people are overwrought ^ In all their doings and sayings there is no repose ; nothing of the quiet and dignified power of the gospel . Among them the kingdom of God cometh with observation . A
flourish of trumpets announces the gospel , agitation hurries it onward , and thunders of applause arise when the spectacle is over and the curtain drops . Stars appear on the religious as well as on the profane stage ; the troops of the Lord Jesus are reviewed , and then marshalled for the field-day and the tug of war * We object to these things . We are not indeed rigid censors . Something must be conceded to human frailty , and whilst the agents in the best of causes have men to deal with , they must in a measure suit their plans to human nature . Still there is a medium . To avoid Orthodox
extravagance , there is no occasion to run into Unitarian neglect . Hamlet's instructions are worth , hearing : "la the very torrent , tempest , and , as I may say , whirlwind , of your passion , you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness . Oh ! it offencte me to the soul , to hear a robustious perriwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters , to very rags , to split the ears of the groundlings ; who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb show and noise : I could have such a fellow whipp ed for o ' erdoing termagant ; it out-herods Herod . Pray you avoid it . Be not too tame \ neither , but let your own discretion be your tutor . "
It is not solely or chiefly as a matter of taste that we find fault with the overdoing of our orthodox friends . We fear that their success will be shortlived . On hearing or witnessing the scenes which are exhibited at their anniversaries , we have often asked ourselves * " Can these things last ?" We think not ; they are unnatural . We make all proper allowance for the character of those upon whom they have to operate . Still we think the undue excitement ( as we hold it to be ) will be followed at no distant period
by a corresponding apathy . Their machines run too fast to run far . They ar , e too much under the influence of external force to possess such , native elasticity as can alone secure permanent exertion . The motives which operate are often questionable in their character . We see on all sides too rnuch of the whip to allow us to think that they serve their master in the spirit QJflqve exclusively or adequately , and all know that slave-labour is not to bq reliejd on for constancy ar > d faithfulness . Nor are the moral effects of
this unsound excitement without exception . Many , w , e doubt , not , have , under its influence ^ been led to be gqnerous before they were just , and many have been confirmed in the fearful errors that the sacrifice of property wquld be , accepted instead of the . surrender of bad- practices and the mortifying of . bad dispositions ; thajt religion was a matter pf intense and < bighw , rpuslrt feeliog , rather thap of pure and devout ajSeations ^ and , a , holy i » nd u P / iff * Utf ?* Tbe ^ whplje spul , under the . feelwgs e ^ t ^ i&ab ^ p ^ ipgzeal , has often , we Jfear . fteap top , agitated , apd , turirijdiq , ma $ tfte entire favour of a hoty Gqa . , j % e st ? eai ^ ha , * , b ^ p . rcwgfily a « d wptaptly stirred , and the , wa-
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494 The Watchman .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1829, page 494, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2574/page/46/
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