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liton reems still to be running in the direction of fanaticism ; but there are many circumstance * in the signs of the times which shew that this cannot last long . Activity is evinced in all quarters of the globe : knowledge and information are rapidly extending : public opinion is daily growing stronger and more enlightened , and is erecting tribunals at the bar of which all human institutions
must be tried—the authority of kings and priests—the justice of laws and lawmakers—the privileges of the few and the rights of ihe many . Uuder these circumstances , 1 cannot think that the human mind will long continue wedded to a faith which would disunite reason
from religion , and compel the understanding to submit to creeds which have been conceived in the weakuess of ignorance , and nursed in the arms of cruelty . If goodness and wisdom were increasing in the nature of man , why not Unitarianism , which embraced both goodness and wisdom ? For myself , I know nothing more pure and excellent in which to join both the hand and heart of man :
but if we want more touching associations to awaken our sympathy , we have it in the names of the great and good men who in former days lifted up their voices in praise of our religion . Let it always be in our recollection that the first Christians were Unitarians ; and that they who were ready to sacrifice all for Christ , professed as we profess . Jf we should be asked , where are the fruits
Ot our faith , let us exultmgly point to them , and say , ** Here see specimens of what that faith is capable of producing !" Then , again , let us remember in the list of those who have bowed their minds to the force of Unitarianisrn , the names of Milton , of Locke , and of Newton . If it be in the power of names to confer honour and renown on our cause , then let
Unttarianism justly boast of such names as those . Iu speaking of the Reformation , it is customary to mention none but Calvin , Luther , and Melancthou , forgetting that there were men equally learned and equally good , who not ouly , like them , assisted in pulling down the walls of Babylon , but afterwards strove entirely to uproot the foundations—men
who were anxious to go into the heart of the sanctuary , and sweep away the pollution that denied its altars . Among other * at this period , we must place the Polish Unitarians , who have never had full justice done to them : they scattered the seeda of the true faith throughout Europe , from which we are now reaping the harvest and gathering the fruits .
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Let us remember that forty or fifty years ago we could not have witnessed the scene which we now have before u « . Then there were but a few who worshiped the one God the Father , but now there are thousands pledged to the sopport of that worship : its glad-tidings
have been wafted across the Atlantic to the Western shores , and multitudes are there rejoicing in the news . In the East , too , the fame voice has been beard and welcomed by those who , deaf to every other voice , would have stood aloof from the cross of Christ . Geneva , the scene of some of Calvin ' s most virtuous
labours , but also of his cruel triumph over the Unitarian martyr , Servetus , Is gradually passing over to that religion which it once endeavoured to destroy . Germany and Holland , too , are on the advance ; and even France is not with * out its believers in pure Christianity . Of course , where inquiry is the freest , truth is most likely to meet with the
greatest success ; hence , in America , Unitarian ism is daily giving proof of increasing strength and advancing progress . Here , where fashion and prejudice throw hindrances in its way , I am aware that its steps are slower ; but even here the cause is gaining something , though secretly and silently ; and if all who are its friends and advocates will but
cooperate , and each endeavour to lend that wherein most consists his strength , there can be little doubt that our progress will be greater than perhaps we ourselves are at the present moment disposed to auticipate . Sir , 1 will say no more , but conclude with expresing a hope that this Association , with its annual meetings , may loug afford its humble aid to the obtaining of this most desirable result .
Mr . K . Taylor . — I beg to second the motion , which 1 am sure will be joined in most cordially by all who had the pleasure of hearing Mr . Hutton ' s most excellent sermon . Just at this period the Rajah RammohuD Roy made his appearance on the platform , aud was greeted with the cordial applause of the meeting . The Rev . Chairman . —Our illustrious
friend ( for such 1 trust he will allow me to call him ) will permit me to state that his presence creates among us a sensation which he perhaps will hardly understand . It does so , because in his person and example we see au instance of the power of the human uiiud iu recovering itself from the errors of ages ; and because we conceive ( bat we see iu him , with his intelligence and character , one of the best and moat disinterested
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Intelligence . — Unitarian Association * 417
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1831, page 417, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2598/page/57/
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