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Untitled Article
r ie ts this polio * magistraU , judge of ethers from themselves ; md ftn 3 that their own natural inclinations arc towards all kinds of ** il , or what they regard as inch , cannot beliefs that any person could be prevented from being a scoundrel , except by the slavish and selfish terror of heil ~ nre « We wili not press this . But we will appeal to facts * Does Mr , Rawfioson know anything whatever of the state of opinion among the lettered , or as they are called , educated classes ? If so , he knows , that not less than one-fourth or
ooe-third ( at a moderate computation ) of all the persons whom he meets at dinner , are either actual unbelievers , or have only the faintest and most doubtful belief ; though they do not chose , by avowing their sentiments , to expose themselves to martyrdom . Now , is there any perceptible diffcraaee between the conduct , in every relation of life , of this portion of Mr . R *» timjoo ' s acquaintance , and the remaining three-fourths or two-thirds ? Would be himself , on any occasion requiring confidence , place one particle Jess ot it iathem , than in the average of the remainder ? Certainly not ; nor is it
possible for religion to exercise less influence over the lives and characters ef actual unbelievers , than it does over the vast majority of professing ^ Ctirisbans . If there be any difference , it is not in favour of those who caU themseires Christians ; for the speculative homage paid to a rule of life which thry never for one half-hour sincerely endeavour to act ap to , has rather a perverting than an elevating effect upon the character . Unbelievers , if they hare not the direct influences of Christianity , have reason and natural feeling , and by those aids may , and generally have , worked out for themselves some
nocil convictions , by which they may really govern their conduct ; hut Christians who live in the world , and do as the world does , that is to say * who lead a life the main objects of which ape such as Christianity either ¦ akes light of , or actually condemns , and in which nothing , except a certain small number of acts and abstinences , either flows from religion , or reminds faest of it ; such persons have perpetually to reconcile conduct of one kind *
wna a creed of a quite opposite kind ; they cannot with any satisfaction to themselves , reflect on morality , or question themselves on tbek own moral state ; all their moral perceptions become dim and confused ; they acquire the habit of sophisticating with themselves , and paltering with their notions of duty : Christianity is practically disregarded , except on new or peculiar exigencies ; and they live , if of a cautious character , according to respectability , and the breath of men ; if incautious , by mere impulse *
Compared with such Christians , he who has the manliness to speak out , with simplicity and without ostentation , the fact of his unbelief * is a reiigioas ¦ an . And he is turned out to starve—while they , possibly , are on the very bench which condemns him . 6 / A June . Business of the House o / " Commons . — Tt is just now beginning to be found out that the House of Commons has too much to do , and does it in a clumsy manner . The schoolmaster is certainly abroad ; intellect is on the march ; it will soon be discovered , after due investigation by a commission or a committee , that two and two make four , and that the sun is
the cause of day . The Business Committee of the House of Commons has passed the following resolutions : — 1 . * Resolved , that it is the opinion of this Committee , that with a view to promote the convenience of members , and to facilitate the dispatch of pri ** te business , it is expedient that oertain measures whidh , under the existing i * ws , must be brought separately under the conskleratioti of Pa-ilufiat , hould be provided for by general enactments , enabling parties interested therein to proceed to their accomplishment without having constant reference to the special sanction of the Legislature * 2 . ' Resolved , that it is the opinion of this Ceumittee , that if posstMt \ a Gtaer * l lnetoaure Aot should be passed , which may enable pearlies hmYiag * n interest therein , to enoloae lands , subject to such provisions as may secure tft * rights of all oonoerned * without tut ^ cotiog the mselves to tfee heavy e *> peases which are now incurred .
Untitled Article
Businm of the HemJU of Common * . MS
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1834, page 523, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2635/page/63/
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