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    approbation was uttered . All were perfectly silent ; the calumny passed without one word of reprobation . The speaker , in his first address , uttered in beautiful language many sentiments , apparently imbued with the spirit of Christian charity . I rejoiced that the Society had an advocate so beniguly disposed .

    But to my regret , in his reply to the admirable speech of Archdeacon Glover , ( tumult , ) a very different spirit was manifested . The spirit of this Society , the spirit of proselytism broke forth , and all the fair professions of kindaess and charity were clearly manifested to be words signifying nothing . This advocate of the Reformation Society quoted Scripture in

    condemnation of the Archdeacon ' s pointed remarks , and by the force of his eloquence he gave considerable effect to the passages with which his speech was interlarded . All sects can quote Scripture in self-justification and in condemnation of others . But I do maintain , that the spirit which he manifested was not in accordance with the precepts which he

    alleged . No , the spirit was not dictated by that wisdom which cometh from above , but , to use the language of the apostle , and disclaiming all personal application , the tendency of this spirit ' is earthly , is sensual , is devilish / Do not misunderstand me . Where envying and strife are , there is coufusion and every evil work . No , the spirit that is from

    above—I quote the very words which the gentleman gave us yesterday—the spirit from above ' is first pure , then gentle , peaceable , and easy to be entreated , full of mercy and good fruits . ' The blasphemous Unitarians ! Yes , these , gentlemen , are the very words which this advocate of Christian peace , this servant of a society which professes to have a chief

    regard to the souls of men , to the cause of Christian charity and truth—these are the epithets which he applied , in the professed promotion of the objects for which he came , to a highly respectable body of Christians . In his first speech we had specious and fine-sounding words , but the actuating spirit could not be long concealed . The foul breath of slander

    has infested the air of this spacious Hall . * fiut virtue itself ' scapes not calumnious strokes / I would have the gentleman beware how , in his zeal to promote , what ? surely not the principles of the Reformation — most certainly not the spirit of Christianity—he brings upon himself the heavy arm of justice . Unitarians are not disposed to have recourse to retaliation . They know better than to retain railing for railing , for they

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    know ' that Michael the Archangel , when contending against the Devil , durst not bring against him a railing accusation . ' But a Unitarian does not like to be held up to the execration of his fellow-citizens , and he may perhaps think it proper to use those means which the law allows to protect his character and his person . ( Not person , said some genhis person . ( Not person , said some

    gentleman near . ) Yes , I repeat the word , I say his person , for if a Unitarian is a blasphemer , i . e . according to the definition of Johnson , and indeed according to the usual acceptation of the term , * a wretch that speaks of God in impious and irreverent terms , ' he deserves the execration of his fellow-creatures . And some men , in their zeal for God , might not unnaturally think it would be doing him service to remove such a wretch

    from the face of the earth , and exclaim , * Should each blasphemer quite escape the rod , Because the insult ' s not to man , but God ?• Yes , some , excited by the spirit of religious fanaticism , will not unnaturally ,

    and quite in agreement with the recorded spirit of Lieut . Rhind , who , in unison with his vocation , would convert a professed religious society into a church militant , and * who certaiuly maintains his argument as well as any military man in the world / and ' who comes here as a

    cannon overcharged with double cracks , to lay redoubled strokes upon the foe , ' — -some men , I say , actuated by the spirit of this religious knight-errant , who in the days of chivalry would have cut every poor Unitarian in his way to fritters , — religions enthusiasts , guided by the lessons of this zealous champion , will naturally be disposed to cry out ,

    * Prevent the curst blasphemer ' s toDgue to rage , And turn God ' s fury from an impious age / and will be deterred from executing vengeance on the denounced enemy of God , only by the salutary fear of the protecting arm of the civil power .

    " Blaspheming Unitarians ! But I would apply to him the words used by our honoured Saviour , relative to his persecutors : Father , forgive him , for he knows not what he does !* In what , however , I ask , do Unitarians blas p heme ? There are amongst them wicked men ; there are perhaps blasphemers , as there are wicked men and blasphemers in every other dc no initiation of Christians . Hut 1 do maintain that blasphemy and Uni-

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    CriticaC A otkcs * S 63

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1829, page 863, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2579/page/47/