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Chairman and my Christian friends , it is with deep and warm feelings that at any time I should rise to address a party so interesting as the present , united together by the strong sympathies of Christian love to promote a common object , the welfare
of the great family of man . But it is with feelings erf peculiar difficulty that I rise to ^ a-ddress you after the remarks which have fallen from my respected friend the Chairman , of many of you the pastor . I do estimate it the great privilege of my life to be employed in the great work of promoting Unitarian ' -Christianity , which we esteem one with Christian
truth ; and I think , in reference to the present state of the congregation , of Unitarians at Northampton , that even amongst bigoted orthodox Christians there is a mode of stating our opinions and pursuing our course which will , if persevered in , remove the bitter prejudices against us , if not make actual converts to our
opinions . We have at Northampton pursued a steady course , and I can say for the flock which I have now peculiarly under my charge , that the progress of truth at Northampton is mainly indebted to the correct and exemplary conduct of those who have professed it . And perhaps I may state that our success is in no small
degree owing to the misrepresentations and exaggerated statements of those who have opposed us ; for many who aforetime were implicit orthodox believers , have been so much struck by this gross misrepresentations made of our statements ^ that they have come to our chapel out of pure curiosity to hear the ' blasphemy' that
was taught there . And when they came , many have said when they heard nothing of controversial divinity , nothing pointedly stated as to the matters on which we differ from our fello . w Christians , but when they have heard the plain , holy , simple lessons of the gospel explained , they have departed , saying , * If this is Uiutarianism , we have been Unita-
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rians all our lives without knowing it . ' That leads irie to notice the happy situation in which * we stand as promoters of education . One of our friends who has addressed you spoke of hot introducing into schools the peculiar articles of our creed ; but tiTe ~ ^ eTfflteirrtfcles 'Of ~ our-ereed-eon sist not so much in peculiar points of doctrine as in our adhering to the life d irit of the gospelwhich is the
ansp , saving part of the orthodox faith itself . We can go forth in the strength of Christian principle , guided by the spirit of Christian love ; we can teach the pure and efficacious doctrines of the gospel , ( if we choose so to do , ) without shaking the peculiar prejudices of our orthodox brethren ; we can instil our principles arid spirit into the minds of our fellow
Christians without pointedly interfering with the doctrines of their creed , till the time comes when they shall be prepjared for that . And before that system of education can be carried into effect , which has been dwelt
upon by several friends here , it will be necessary to lose sight of all peculiar doctrines of the orthodox faith , and to base the rnoral education of the people . upon the pure doctrine of Christ , which is Unitarianism : for what is Unitarianism but that the
all-powerful and all-wise Being who formed mankind is the all-merciful and ^ gragi ^^ geirtg ^ wbo is their Father , and who watcjies over them with a father's love , who deals with all impartially , and is guiding all to
happiness ? What is Unitarianism but a firm belief that God is the Father of mankind , and that we are all equally the children of his impartial love and his tender mercy , which looks on all alike , and designs all for final blessedness ? And there are
many encouraging circumstances in the present state of society , degraded and depraved as it is , which 1 trust will open a way for tha £ more just and Christian system of education which has already been the subject of your attention ,. The public are
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¦ 3 . 14 : ¦ ' ' ¦ XNt ^ LLldE ^ Cfi AND
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 1, 1833, page 314, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2623/page/26/
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