the labors of his associates; that they have loosened the soil in which their successors may plant and sow and reap abundant fruit. One of the eleven native papers is issued from the Serampore press. You may have seen it quoted in the English prints, 'The Sumachar Durpun.' But the taste for acquiring information through the medium of periodical publications is not confined to the Hindoos. Four political prints are circulated every morning among the Europeans, who are a mere handful, as compared with the inhabitants of some, even of our smaller manufacturing towns; and besides these, there are two scientific sheets issued weekly, the Government Gazette twice a week, and the Calcutta Magazine monthly. Even in the political prints religion, if not treated of directly, meets with an indirect notice pretty frequently.

From these facts I infer that the public press, a means as yet almost untried for the purpose of diffusing Unitarian views and sentiments, might, if there were any one to write for it, be rendered effective for that object. We are surrounded by persons who profess to ground their opinions on the dictates of reason; what may we not therefore hope from arguments addressed to the understanding, and appeals made to the inextinguishable, though perhaps blunted affections of the heart.

With these views I cannot help joining with Mr Adam in the strong recommendation made at the very moment when failure had to a certain extent cast a gloom over his mind. This opinion remains unchanged, and I hope it will receive the attention of the Committee. There is certainly a change going on here; an impulse has been given somehow or other to the native character; and the longer your assistance is delayed the greater will be the change, almost without a blending in of the operation of those truths and principles which we hold to be of the last importance to the present and future welfare of mankind.

Upon the qualifications of the person whom you might send out and the remuneration necessary to be given to him, it is not perhaps desirable that I should say anything; first because you have other sources of information open to you, and secondly because I may appear already to have travelled out of the path, which you assigned to me, If however my opinion

upon these points be wished for, my friends the Rev. J. F. Thom, and Mr. R. T. Yates, are in possession of it.

The only duty, which remains for me to perform, is to transmit the information which will alone render my letter really useful. I am desired by Mr. Adam to say, that should you meet with a person whom the Committee consider suited to the duties of the office and desirous of undertaking them, he will be glad, if single, that he will accept the accommodation which his house and table afford. It is quite unnecessary that I should point out the generosity and interest in our cause which this offer exhibits; but great and generous as it is, I do not think the individual need hesitate to accept it, as I am sure neither Mr. nor Mrs. Adam would wish their inmate to feel otherwise than perfectly comfortable as long as he adheres to the rules of decorum. Whilst he continued at Mr. Adam's he would have the fullest opportunity that he could have of consulting him, the use of his library, which to a young man may be important, and the use too of the Unitarian Library, which is at present under Mr Adam's care and placed in a room in his house. Mr Adam agrees with me in thinking that a small sum might be raised here, if necessary, to meet incidental expenses. I wish that individually I could offer more than my hearty concurrence and co-operation.

I have mentioned some grounds for encouragement, and sufficient, as appears to me, to justify a second attempt to give to Unitarianism a permanent establishment in Bengal. But the person who might be induced to come out should be prepared to meet many disappointments; an indifference to religion among the natives generally, which he would little expect from the language of missionaries at meetings in England, and a timidity in avowing their sentiments on the part of Europeans, which seems to invest fashion with a power greater than that of law. He will then be prepared to carry on his experiment in the face of discouragement, for the period which you may allot to it. I beg to assure you that while I remain here, which will be for two or three years at least, I shall be glad to make myself useful in any way that the Committee may point out.

I remain, &c.

T. HODGSON FLETCHER.

My Dear Sir,

Mr Fletcher having shown me this letter, I beg to express my entire concurrence in the recommendation it contains, and in the reasons on which it is founded. Although Mr Fletcher attaches too much importance to the offer I have made, yet I beg to assure you of the satisfaction I shall have in receiving a Unitarian missionary into my family, permanently, if single, and if married, until he shall be able to make arrangements for himself; in which and in every thing else that will promote his comfort and usefulness, I hope he will always find in me a friendly and zealous coadjutor.

Yours very truly,

W. ADAM.

RECENT RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS. A LETTER.

Mr Editor; In former communications, I have given some information, and made remarks, on the religious movements of the present day; particularly those which have distinguished the very last season. I expressed the opinion, more than once I believe, that although we object to these movements, these extremes and excesses in religion, although we think them unwarranted and unfavorable, yet as Unitarians we have nothing to fear from them. To this opinion I have received confirmation almost every day for several months past; called as I have been to visit different parts of the State, and having opportunities of witnessing the effect of what may be called the extravagant as well as the exclusive system. That this system is doing much for our cause' to use the language of the times--I am fully persuaded; and I will give some facts in support of the opinion.

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In Middlesex and Worcester counties, there are, to my knowledge, at least six towns, which have heretofore been in quiet attendance on orthodox ministrations, but are now taking public, legal, and decided measures for the introduction and establishment of liberal preaching. These measures have been

adopted, in several if not all these towns, within the last three months, and in direct consequence of the extravagance of the dominant party, and particularly through the 'four day's meetings.' I mean that these meetings and the excesses to which they have led, have been the immediate occasion of this simultaneous and strong movement on the part of the more liberal. Unitarians there have been, for many years, decided and known Unitarians, in all these places. But they have either been so much a minority as to think it their duty to be quiet, or they have preferred peace to division, and, however strong, have taken no advantage. But these recent extravagances, accompanied as they have been in some instances with violent denunciation and exclusion, have been a little too much for their philosophy or their religion to bear. They have seen that the time had come to act as well as to think, to try and use their own strength, to stand forth on open high ground as the advocates of a rational as well as earnest faith, and bring reason and religion fairly into the conflict with fanaticism and bigotry. This they have begun to do, and already the consequences are far more favorable, than could so soon have been expected, to the views we hold and the interests we cherish.

In the town of G, in the county of Worcester, where the preaching has long, if not always, been orthodox, a four day's meeting was lately held with no little vehemence. As soon as it was over, many of the society declared they could not endure such things patiently, and would now see what could be done of an opposite character. They called a meeting of the parish at once, and by a vote of about one hundred and fifty to eighty, disinissed their minister. It being the condition of his settlement that he should have six month's notice of such a step, they voted his salary for the six months, but declared it their intention to supply the pulpit themselves during the interval, leaving him entirely at liberty. This was a more prompt and decisive measure than any I have known Unitarians to adopt in similar circumstances. However great their majority and undisputed their power, they have usually deliberated long, made concessions, proposed some compromise, yielded at least half their lawful rights, until compelled to assert them. This yielding and conciliating course-conciliating in

its design at least-has seldom answered its purpose; and I am inclined to doubt its expediency in almost all cases. They to whom such concessions are made, are either not disposed or not capable of appreciating them. They never yield anything themselves, and they cannot understand or reciprocate the disposition of others to yield anything. On this account I have hardly known a case in which Unitarians have not lost rather than gained, by these concessions. They get no thanks, but something very unlike thanks. They would do better to maintain always their rights, and exercise their civil and religious privileges with a mild, liberal spirit, but resolute and unalterable purpose.

The town of L——, in the same county, has always had a large number of professed Unitarians, some of them members of the church, but remaining under the ministration which the majority were supposed to prefer. Their minister used formerly to exchange with Unitarians, but has not done it for some time past, though he has always told his liberal parishioners that his not exchanging was only a prudential step, not owing to any conscientious scruples of his own. Lately he has had a four day's meeting, &c.—and now finds that he has conscientious scruples himself as to holding any ministerial intercourse with Unitarians, and has refused to do it, when formally and respectfully requested by a large number of his best people and principal supporters. Not only so, but his church has altered the form of invitation to communion, in such a way as to exclude Unitarians, who before were admitted. The consequence already is, that about a third of his parishoners have resolved to have regular Unitarian preaching some evening in the week, and have applied to some clergymen for that purpose. And I trust their application will not be in vain. For whenever Christians are thus deprived of their equal rights and dearest privileges, excluded even from the table of their Lord, to which he has invited and commanded them to come, excluded too by those whom they have long helped to support, they ought to be aided by their brethren and all friends of religious freedom. Liberal ministers ought, in my opinion, not only to be willing but to take pains and make great exertions to carry to them those privileges from which they are so unjustly debarred.