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Untitled Article
and science . Have they not had their Maimonides , their Mendelsohn , and their Meyer , one of the profoundest jurists of the Netherlands ? Since I have alluded to Holland , I may state , to the houour of that nation and to the shame of ours , that when the constitution of Holland was about to be
remodelled , and when twelve deputies were sent from Belgium and twelve from Protestant Holland , being embarrassed as to the person upon whom the direction of their proceedings should devolve , as the inhabitants of Belgium were divided into three millions of Profesfcants
and three millions of Catholics , —they had the wisdom to say , * ' Our secretary shall be a Jew . " [ Hear , hear . ) The doings of that commission shall for ever be held in honour ; and as long as the name of Meyer shall exist , it shall be held in grateful remembrance by his country . The Jews have uniformly repaid the kiudness thev have received
from society ; and I think they have a special claim to the sympathy of our body ; first , as being the great depository of one important truth , the vindication of which is the essence of Unitarian ism , —the absolute unity of God ; and secondly , as we have been the unwilling inflicters of injury upon them . We
aught , therefore , to persevere , till we have established for them , by an honest and sincere advocacy , the principle of perfect freedom of conscience , that we may prove by our struggles that it was not for ourselves , nor for our own particular interests , that we were contending , hut for the establishment of religious liberty .
The Rev , Benjamin Mardon also returned thanks at some length . In the course of his address he alluded to the eircurnstance that the present Bishop of London , in a dissertation introduced in the middle of some practical discourses , argues that all the tenets of the Athatiasian creed are to be found in the
creed of the Apostles , and that consequently , the Athanasian creed is that of the New Testament . The reverend gentleman ' s subsequent observations were principally directed to the refutation of this remarkable position . The next toast given from the Chair was ,
" The Rev . Robert Aspland and the Rev . Dr . Rees , former Secretaries of the Association , with our thanks for their important exertions in its behalf . " Dr , Rbes , in returning thanks on behalf of himself and Mr . Aspland , who was absent hi consequence of indisposi-
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tion , pronounced a high panegyric on the talents and virtues of that gentleman ; He dwelt particularly on the quickness of perception , the accurary of taste , the capaciousness of understanding , the comprehensiveness of mind , the strength and solidity of judgment , the intellectual and moral courage , all of which were displayed by Mr . Aspland in an eminent
degree . When the Association was formed , the members w , ere anxious to obtain the name and aid of Mr . Aspland ; and under his fostering care , as Secretary , they speedily rose into active and energetic operation . It was now , too , no secret to Unitarians , that to his personal exertions they owed the establishment of the Monthy Repository ; a publication which ,
for twenty years , he conducted with eminent zeal and talent , and for the support of which , at various periods , he made many pecuuiary sacrifices . Dr Rees concluded a speech of considerable length , by recapitulating the chief circumstances in the history of that zealous Unitarian missionary , William Roberts , of Madras . The Chairman proposed , as the next sentiment ,
" Our cordial wishes for the prosperity of the American Unitarian Association . " 1 shall avail myself ( continued the Chairman ) of this opportunity of making a remark or two in reference to America . I believe that there are one or two gentlemen from America now present . Let them carry across the Atlantic the benevolent feelings which this meeting entertains towards that country . ( Cheers . ) If they have heard on that side of the ocean the
expression of any feelings of dislike towards Britain , they have evidence before them of the kind feelings entertained towards them by us . ( Applause . ) I say this in a Christian sense , in the sense of civil and religious liberty , and in a commercial sense . ( Cheers . ) It is of the greatest importance , that a country s free as that is , should be in cordial union with a country so free as ours . ( Great applause . )
The last sentiment was received with the most cordial enthusiasm ; and the meeting looked with earnestness to the Rev . Professor H . Ware , whose improved state of health had been observed with great satisfaction . As he desired a short pause before he rose , Dr . Carpenter took the opportunity of expressing the conviction , that the time is now fully come , when all who are united in the great
principles of Unitariau belief , respecting the character and worship of God , and his absolute unity and unrivalled supre-
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5 J 2 Intelligence . — Unitarian Association
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1830, page 572, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2587/page/68/
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