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    threaten them in conseqoence of the deficiencies of their faith , or pretend to identify the opinions , however erroneous in our judgment , which they have formed in a sincere desire to know the truth , with the corrupt and wicked opposition made to the Gospel by the unbelievers whom our Lord condemns .

    We cannot wonder that those who , on grounds of Natural Religion exclusively , believe in essentially the same truths respecting the perfections , character , and government of God , the duties and expectations of man , which we rejoice in as revealed to us through Jesus Christ , should be better satisfied with our services than with those which are founded on

    doctrines believed by them to be absurd and pernicious ; and we have no wish to close our doors against them . They are not of us ; but they are willing to be with us—we hope they will not be the worse for joining with us . It remains to be inquired whether they do us any real injury . What are the effects of the union so far as it exists ? We have shewn that it is not the result of any formal agreement between the parties , but simply the consequence of the constitution of our congregations . A place is set apart

    for Christian worship on Unitarian principles ; there is no creed or test of any kind employed ; no one claims a right to inquire into his neighbour's faith ; the minister feels himself called upon to do all which circumstances will allow , publicly and privately to improve all his hearers in Christian knowledge and practice , but pretends to ho authority to mark any with the sign of his approbation or censure ; all may enter freely ; and whoever thinks it right to contribute to the support of public worship becomes , by that act ,

    a member of the congregation . Since , then , it is acknowledged that serious Deists must necessarily regard Unitarian Christians as teaching chiefly what is true and useful , and as much nearer to them in opinions than other Christians , it is plain why some such persons have joined Unitarian congregations ; and it is evident that , though they are received in all kindness and friendship , there exists no formal or solid union between them and their fellow-worshipers ; and that from their presence no conclusion can justly

    be drawn respecting the sentiments of any who profess themselves Unitarian Christians * By their presence we are certainly injured , inasmuch as it gives occasion for uncandid adversaries to misrepresent our opinions ; but we trust that no consideration of this kind will ever induce us to change our conduct towards any of our fellow-creatures . Can they , then , cause the sentiments delivered in our pulpits to be less truly Christian sentiments ? This is only possible either by their unfavourably influencing the choice of our

    ministers , or by their causing them , through fear of offence , not as much as they ought to support their instructions by Christian authority , or to dwell on those affections and hopes which peculiarly belong to the Gospel . With respect to the first of these means—it is a thing perfectly understood amongst all who frequent our worship , whatever may be their own particular views , that it is Christian worship to which they are giving their countenance : a very great majority in every congregation would be both dissatisfied and much shocked at the thought of any other . No open attempt could be made

    to substitute services founded on mere natural religion , without an immediate separation of those who approved from those who disapproved of the measure ; that is , without the friends of the measure meeting avowedly as Deists , which they are at liberty to do , so far as we are concerned , whenever they judge it expedient . An attempt artfully to introduce , as a Christian minister , a person not really deserving of that name , would be inconsistent with that character and those views which alone can lead men to worshi p God at all , and is , therefore , not likely to be made ; whilst it could hardly

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    Dr . J . P . Smith's Scripture Testimony mto the Messiah . . 13

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1831, page 13, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2593/page/13/