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grounds upon which they had felt it their duty to separate from the General Synod of Ulster . These had do Immediate connexion with religious doctrines , but related solely to the right of taking the Bible alone as . the standard of their belief , without having the opinions or doctrines of men forced upon them . According to the principles upon which their body was constituted , Calvinists as
well as Unitarians might be members of it . For himself , he gloried in being a Unitarian ; but his opinions he held as his own ; and , in advocating them , he wished not to be understood as appearing to represent those of his brethren , which they too had a right to hold for themselves . After these introductory observations , he stated , that he purposed taking up the doctrine of the co-existence of the divine and human nafures in
Christ , or what divines had called the Hypostatic Union . This he considered as lyiug at the foundation of Trinitarian is in . If he could overturn this doctrine , the superstructure must give way , and Trinitarians be compelled to surrender at discretion . He had , fora text ,
selected IThess . v . 21 . " Prove all things : selected IThess . v . 21 , " Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good . " The Iteverend gentleman then proceeded to the discussion of the doctrine which he had spoken of ; and the rest of Ms sermon was devoted to that object , with occasioual references to collateral doctrines .
The sermon was distinguished by its closeness of reasoning , and its copiousness of Scripture refereuce and general illustration . It completely fixed the attention of a mixed auditory for nearly three hours , the time occupied in its delivery . Mr . Blakeley was then unanimously chosen Moderator for the ensuing year . Mr . Porter was unanimously elected Clerk for the ensuing year .
The Clerk then proceeded to read the M inures of last year . A good deal of conversation took place on the reading of the fundamental regulations of Synod which had been adopted . The only thing particularly interesting was , a statement which the Moderator begged leave to make , relative to the Theological Committee of the General Synod of
Ulster , which had been elected for securiug the' Orthodoxy of the Synod . He said , that a young man had lately passed 1 hat Committee , as an avowed Arminian * r that the person referred to had told him ( the Moderator ) so ; that he had , before the Committee , avowed his disbelief of Original Sin , and some other doctrines held by Calvinists as essential : and that ,
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notwithstanding this , he had obtained his certificate from the Committee . These facts the Moderator said he had from the young man himself ; and he was prepared to substantiate his statement on oath . The Synod adjourned at six o ' clock . Open Synod to-morrow at ten o ' clock . ' V . Wednesday y Sept , 7 . The Clerk proceeded with reading the minutes of last year .
When that part of the minutes was read , in which the establishment of a fund for defending persecuted ministers , aiding poor congregations , &c , was recommended , those gentlemen who had gone to England as a deputation to collect subscriptions for the fund , were requested to give a statement of their proceedings .
Mr . Montgomery said the mterests of the fund had not been neglected . A meeting had been held in Belfast ; and the proposition had been met , as any such measure always is met in that place , with the greatest spirit and liberality . On that occasion the sum of nearly £ 1000 was subscribed towards the fund ; and , in the course of a short time , about jC 1800 was subscribed . It was intended at that time to make
more extensive applications ; but that intention was prevented from being carried into effect , as a contested election , in which Belfast was much interested and took an active part , interfered . They were afterwards about to proceed ,
but some individuals , whose judgment could be relied on , suggested that it would be desirable , before going farther , to draw up a deed of trust , that they might be able to put into the hands of the public the charter of their fund . In carrying this suggestion into effect , they experienced considerable difficulty . They procured copies of deeds of trust ;
but in these there were many things which required to be amended , so as to prevent the possibility of any appropriation of the fund to purposes different from those for which it was originally inteuded . They drew out their own ideas , and put them into the hands of most respectable gentlemen connected
with the law , whose valuable services were rendered free of expense . A draft of the deed was afterwards placed in the hands of Mr . Hutton , of Dublin , a lawyer of very great promise at the Irish bar . That gentleman revised the deed with great care . The revised copy was then printed , and put into the hands of the subscribers ; and after they had
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722 ' Intelligence . -- Remonstrant Synod of Ulster .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1831, page 722, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2602/page/70/
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