Page images
PDF
EPUB

instrument, for he delighted to do his Father's will; an all-suffi`cient instrument, for all power was given unto him. I believe that a living faith, which will lead us to imitate him, is the only ground of our salvation; but, while I fully believe in the divinity of his character and of his mission, I do not believe that he was the supreme God himself. I believe in the efficacy of his death,-the most striking circumstance of his history, for it was the seal of a new and better covenant,- an evidence of his divine commission, and of his devotion to his Father's will; without which he would not have given us such an assurance of the glorious certainty of a resurrection, by being himself the first-born from the dead; without which his work would have been incomplete, and much less calculated to affect our hearts, to bring us to repentance, to lead us to God, and to save our souls.

You cannot suppose, my beloved Parents, that I have embraced these opinions hastily or carelessly. It is painful to expose oneself to the charge of fickleness, and it is very painful to separate oneself from those who are near and dear; but God is to be my Judge; to Him alone I must answer for my opinions; to my own Master I must stand or fall; and I dare not disavow what, upon mature deliberation, I believe to be the truth. I love you, God knows how well! but I love the truth better; and your blessed Saviour and mine has said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me." If then I embrace in my heart the doctrine which appears to me to be taught by Christ himself, must I not avow it?

With an anxious mind, an honest, tender conscience, and a prayerful spirit, I have searched the New Testament, and the result is what I have told you. My mind is open to conviction, though I do not believe that any views can be presented with which I am not already familiar. Mourn not over me, my beloved Parents, as over one lost to you for ever. If you think me in an error, rest assured it is not a fatal one. I am firmly convinced that no doctrine can be necessary to salvation which is not so plainly revealed, that the conscientious inquirer after truth cannot possibly mistake it. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and. thou shalt be saved," "He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,"-about these plain statements there can be no mistake. Here is a glorious platform,* on which sincere Christians of every name can meet, and exchange the right hand of fellowship, exclaiming in sweet accord, "thanks be to God for his unspeaable gift!"

That our Heavenly Father may enable us all more perfectly to know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent; that we may increase in faith, and love, and good works; and especially that I may show in all my future life, that there is indeed the same mind in me which was also in Christ Jesus, is the earnest prayer of your affectionate daughter.

*

"It will appear," says Dr. Gibson, Bishop of London, in his "Second Pastoral Letter," pp. 24, 25, "that the several denominations of Christians agree both in the substance of religion, and in the neces

WRITTEN IN BIBLES

LINES

GIVEN AS PRIZES TO FOUR OF THE

CHILDREN OF THE UNITARIAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL, NEWPORT, ISLE-OF-WIGHT - BY ONE OF THE TEACHERS.

Ever dear to thy heart be a Prize which can guide thee
Through Virtue's bright pathway to mansions of peace.
Though earth's joys forsake thee, and sorrows betide thee,
Still it points to that home where all sorrows shall cease.

Thy Prize deserves thy choicest care,
Oft may it guide thy thought in prayer,
To seek a Father's love;

Thus shall it guard thy heart from guile,
Till thou shalt meet thy Saviour's smile,
In yon pure world above.

Yes! thou hast run the race! obtained the the Prize
Which bids thee with a sacred impulse rise,
And seek a nobler far! O bow thy will,

The Saviour's precepts freely to fulfil,

And that best Prize is thine. Still-still pursue
The path which keeps the Heavenly Goal in view.

Reason would vainly stretch her powers,
Beyond time's transient fleeting hours,
And give the anxious rest:
Then may I ever prize the light,

Which guides my weak imperfect sight,
Where hallowed truth is blest.

sary enforcements of the practice of it, that the world and all things were created by God, and are under the direction and government of his all-powerful hand, and all-seeing eye; that there is an essential difference between good and evil, virtue and vice; that there will be a state of future rewards and punishments according to our behaviour in this life; that Christ was a teacher sent from God, and that his Apostles were .divinely inspired; that all Christians are bound to declare and profess thens lves to be his disciples; that not only the exercise of the several virtues, but also a belief in Christ, is necessary in order to their obtaining the pardon of sin, the favour of God, and eternal life; that the worship of God is to be performed chiefly by the heart, in prayers, praises, and thanksgiving, and, as to all other points, that they are bound to live by the rule which Christ and his Apostles have left them in the Holy Scriptures. Here then is a fixed, certain, and uniform rule of faith and practice, containing all the most necessary points of religion established by a divine sanction, embraced as such by all denominations of Christians, &c."

To all which I heartily subscribe, and I therefore claim the name of Christian,

INTELLIGENCE.

EDINBURGH.

At a Tea-meeting held at St. Mark's Chapel, on the 16th of March, the Rev. J. H. Hope, of Aberdeen, in speaking of the obstacles to the progress of Unitarianism, recommended such efforts as a Unitarian League, for the diffusion of our principles, and hoped our Church might become a centre of moral warmth and intellectual light; and, while zealous to promote elevating and improving views among fellow Christians of other Churches, may our first aim be to render our own daily conduct and conversation the counterpart to that religion of love and truth, which we profess as followers of our Lord Jesus. The meeting was addressed by the Revs. J. Palmer, of Dudley; Wm. M'Kean of Oldbury; and the Rev. Thomas Bowring (Domestic Missionary), and by Messrs. J. Green, Silas Henn, of Tipton, J. Cubitt, J. Lloyd, Mathias Green, &c., by whom resolutions were moved, seconded, and spoken to.

JOSEPH BARKER AT WALSALL, OLDBURY, AND BIRMINGHAM. The promise from the results of Mr. Barker's labours in these towns is of the most cheering kind. He arrived at Birmingham on Saturday, the 28th of February, and proceeded to Walsall next morning; where he preached morning and evening, in the Unitarian Chapel; after which, collections were made in aid of the funds of the Sunday Schools connected with the congregation. The attendance was numerous, especially in the evening. The good done here, we hope, is considerable. The simplicity, and, therefore, the power, with which Mr. Barker placed Gospel truths before his audiences, were apparent in the attention with which they listened to the glad tidings, enunciated as they were originally preached to the poor by Jesus. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, Mr Barker delivered three Lectures in the Unitarian Church, New Hall-hill, Birmingham. A very considerable portion of the audiences consisted of persons known to belong to the various orthodox denominations. A great interest had been excited, which was rendered the more apparent by several Quakers, on the first two evenings, attending and distributing at the doors a large number of tracts, as the audiences were dispersing; in consequence of which, on the second evening, a judicious selection of tracts, made from the stock of the Birmingham Unitarian Sunday School Teachers' Tract Society, were distributed, and thus an increased impulse was given, arising from the assiduity of the friends in the distribution.

On Thursday evening, 5th of March, Mr. Barker lectured in the Presbyterian Old Meeting-house, Oldbury. There was delivered an epitome of his whole previous Lectures at Birmingham, and Walsall. The effect was electrical. Many hard-worn, careful, and anxious countenances, were here congregated. The building was thronged. An attempt had been made, by misrepresentations to one of the Trustees, to obtain an interdict to the respected

minister of the place, the Rev. W. M'Kean, that the Chapel should not be used by Mr. Barker. But the attempt redounded, as such interferences ever will do where the professors of Truth are faithful to their principles, to the serving of the cause which there was the desire to crush. Oldbury had been made alive, in consequence, to what was going to take place in the evening. Many probably attended, who would not have done so, but for the intolerance of our orthodox brethren, who thus became the agents to serve the cause they would have prohibited.

On Thursday, the 13th, Mr. Barker paid another visit to Oldbury, and his appearance, as before, caused great exitement. He preached to a numerous audience. On this occasion he proved that the Scriptures were not correctly taught by the orthodox; that the doctrines held by Unitarians were in perfect unison with their teachings, and urged his proofs with such clearness and simplicity, that the most humble-minded person was enable I to understand and feel the influence of his discourse.

On Friday evening, Mr. Barker attended a Tea-party in the large room under the Church, New Hall-hill, Birmingham, expressly held in consequence of his visit to that town. More than two-hundred persons sat down to tea, which number gradually increased during the evening to about three-hundred persons.

After tea, G. S. Kenrick, Esq., was called to the chair. The interest manifested by all present was intense, and the energy with which Mr. Barker spoke of the beneficence of our Heavenly Father, and his love for all his human offspring, left deep impressions and produced in many hearts a due appreciation of His kindness, a knowledge of Him as their heavenly Parent, and a warm feeling of love to Him as their God.-Abridged from the Inquirer.

PLYMOUTH.

On Thursday evening, the 26th February, the Rev. W. J. Odgers, Minister of the Unitarian Chapel at Plymouth, and President of the Mechanics' Institute, delivered an admirable Lecture to this association, on the tendency of Free-trade to promote universal peace. The Hall was crowded; the audience was highly respectable, many of whom were not members of the association, and the Lecture was listened to with the greatest interest, and their pleasure and approbation were frequently testified by most enthusiastic ebullitions of applause.

W. Burnell, Esq., was in the chair, and briefly opened the business of the meeting, after which he introduced the Lecturer. We regret that our space will not allow the insertion of the Lecture; but, as a proposal to print it in a separate form was made and acceded to by the Rev. Lecturer, we hope shortly to have the opportunity of introducing it to our readers.

At the termination of the Lecture, Lieut. J. D. Harwell proposed, in glowing terms, a vote of thanks to Mr. Odgers, which was cordially seconded by Mr. Edwin James, and the vote was greeted with the heartiest applause. Mr. Odgers acknowledged the thanks so kindly voted to him. A similar proposition was made to the Chairman for the able and impartial manner in which he had performed his duties, after which the meeting broke up.

TAUNTON.

On Sunday, the 8th ult., a very elegant Tea Equipage, value £50, together with a purse of sovereigns, were presented by his congregation to the Rev. R. M. Montgomery. In the absence

from illness of R. M. King, Esq., the High Sheriff of the County, and one of the oldest members of the congregation, J. U. Warren, Esq., was deputed by the Committee to read the following address immediately after the morning service :

TO THE REV. R. M. MONTGOMERY.

REV. AND DEAR SIR-We, the members of the Mary-Street congregation, prompted by a grateful sense of the many obligations we owe to you, request your acceptance of the accompanying Tea Equipage, and purse of sovereigns, as memorials of our esteem and regard for you, as our faithful minister, judicious adviser, and warm-hearted friend.

In presenting you with these gifts, inadequate, indeed, as tributes to your worth, we are persuaded, that, in your estimation, their value will be enhanced by the circumstance of their having originated in the spontaneous suggestions and efforts of the humbler members of your congregation. They may be regarded in an especial manner as the freewill offerings of the poor, and as gratifying proofs that, in your endeavours to elevate them, socially, morally, and religiously, by appealing to their affections, and to the generous sympathies and impulses of our common nature, you have touched a chord which thrills as responsively in the hearts of the poor as of the rich-of the uneducated as of the refined and have thus laid the surest foundation for the success of your ministrations.

which

We would fain express a hope that our connection with you, has already subsisted for ten years, may long continue. May health and every blessing attend on you and on Mrs Montgomery, who, with true devotion, has ever seconded all your efforts for usefulness. And may we, as one family, united by one faith, influenced by your teachings and example, and bound together with you by the ties of kindly feeling and reciprocal good-will, evince, in our lives and conduct towards each other, and to the world, the truth and value of the Christian principles we profess, their strength to overcome the trials and conflicts of life, and their power to inspire trust and hope in the promises and rewards vouchsafed by the gospel of Christ to those who follow Him in sincerity and truth.

Mr. MONTGOMERY briefly and feelingly returned his heartfelt thanks to the members of his congregation, who had thus testified their attachment to him, and expressed a hope that, should life and health be spared to him, he might still increase his labours, and become daily more worthy of their valuable acknowledgment of services, which he felt were little deserving of any such reward. It was, he said, peculiarly gratifying to him that the idea had originated with the poor; but he trusted and was confident, that the same feeling which had actuated them also dwelt in the hearts of those to whom more of earthly treasures had been given, and that the kindly feelings expressed towards him were generally felt by all his congregation. The reverend gentleman, whose emotion was evidently great, concluded by thanking them warmly for their kind wishes for Mrs. Montgomery, and again repeating a hope that his sphere of usefulness might become more and more enlarged among those whose kindness he should always hold in affectionate remembrance.

« PreviousContinue »