to the editors, who alone were concerned in the publication; upon what principle are Unitarians, who, as a body, were never called upon to sanc tion them, involved in the imputed blame? Would it be right to involve the numerous adherents of the Church of England, in the censure which may justly be attached to these unfounded charges, or to any other instances of misrepresentation or suppression, which individuals have practised in its support? Indiscriminate censure is at once illiberal and unjust; it cannot advance the cause of public reformation, or deter from the most mischievous pursuits. But in the present instance the censure is unfounded, and the Revisers entitled to unqualified approbation for their truly benevolent design. With as little reason has the Improved Version of the New Testament been involved in this unwarranted attack, as it is certainly founded on the basis of Archbishop Newcome's Translation, without involving that prelate in any responsibility for the numerous variations from his text. On the whole, Sir, these censures could only have proceeded from persons determined to find fault; from men, resembling a certain highchurch dignitary, who having vented his wrath against the new edition of the Great Importance, on the mere perusal of the preface, arraigned the conduct of the editor, as if his purpose had been studiously concealed. Want of candour and ingenuousness has prevailed through the whole of these pitiful attacks: unqualified assertions, remote from truth and probability, have supplied the place of evidence, whilst the most pure and disinterested motives have been “ scandalously and industriously maligned." Can such unwarranted proceedings have emanated from correct and honourable minds? Are they calculated to support the credit of the Church of England, or consistent with the dif fusive benevolence of the gospel, which inculcates charity and good-will to all? Do they not rather savour of those narrow prejudices, which to the destruction of every liberal principle and feeling, have too often marked the conduct of established churches, in their hostility to the claims of private judgment, and the free investigation of religious truth ? DETECTOR. The Holy Alliance. (See pp. 113, 114.) A curious circumstance relating to the Holy Alliance lately made between the Emperors of Russia and Austria, and the King of Prussia, has come to our knowledge through so respectable a chanuel, that we conceive it deserving of being commuuicated to our readers. In 1815, a Madame la Gridner was at Paris, whither she arrived from Riga, her native country, invited there, as is generally understood, by the Emperor Alexander, who had previously known and consulted her. The Prophetess Gridner, who, like all the inspired persons of this class, is not devoid of talent, and particularly possessed of the sublime and obscure jargon of mystical rites, trusting to feeble minds, reasons about every thing, discusses facts tolerably well, supports her opinions by religion, and frequently interrupting her conversation to implore, by a fervent prayer, the rays of a divine Spirit, terminates by an emphatic prophecy developing some confused but brilliant idea, together with certain consequences which she foretells, as an infallible and almost divine solution of the conversation that had been agitated. La Gridner arrived and established herself in a large hotel in Paris, prepared for her, which was furnished after her own fashion; that is, when one had traversed a suit of five or six apartments, where nothing but the bare walls were to be seen, and even no lights in the evening, one arrived at a large inner room, the whole furniture of which consisted of a few rush-bottomed chairs and a pallett, on which she was always reclined. It was on this throne or tripod, from which she never descended, that she ushered forth her mystical reveries and pronounced her oracles. The Emperor Alexander was known to go almost every evening to the rendezvous of that Sybil, and here it was that the three Sovereigns, authors of the Sainte Alliance, discussed their projects, &c. as well as their interests and line of political conduct; and it is well understood that, under the dictates of the said Sybil, the treaty in question was drawn up and signed, without the intervention of any one of their respective ministers. Letter of Mr. Foster's to Ratcliff Monthly Meeting. Whatever the ulterior object of this Convention may be, certain it is, that it is intended as a strong league, made in the name of God, against liberal opinions. How truly does this remind us of the Sovereigns of the thirteenth century ! ! !—M. Chron., Feb. 19. Bromley, Jan. 2, 1816, SIR, the Yearly Meeting of Friends, Com- Should this have been the reason why a paper signed "An Inquirer," in your last Vol. p. 546, has been passed over in silence, I would obviate that objection by the inclosed letter, which was sent to the Meeting, by which I was excommunicated. If you think fit to insert it, some member of the Society, if not of that Meeting, may feel the propriety, when thus publicly called upon, to attempt an explanation of the "apparent inconsistencies and contradictions," which your correspondent has pointed out. As to my letter, it was not even allowed to be read in the Meeting, and has not procured me any information how it is thought the Epistle for 1810, and the ostensible grounds on which I was excommunicated, can be recon VOL. XI. 153 ciled with the Epistle of the last Your sincere friend, To Ratcliff Monthly Meeting, to be held 10th Mo. 19th, 1815. DEAR FRIENDS, Having incurred your censure for "calling in question" certain doctrines" pro tle for 1810," and being now able with bation of those which its Epistle for the much sincerity to avow my cordial approPresent year contains upon the same subjects, I hope expressing the same to you will not be deemed an improper exercise of my Christian liberty, or give you just cause for dissatisfaction. How this Epistle can be reconciled to the former, I know not, but this I beg leave to refer to you, as being well worthy your consideration. On hearing the latter epistle read in the Quarterly Meeting, I was forcibly struck with the soundness, clearness, and scripwith that of the former, upon every point tural simplicity of its language, compared of doctrine on which erroneous opinions are imputed to me by your records, and that without feeling conscious of any change in my sentiments. My attention was again drawn to this Epistle, as the latest and most authentic exposition of the doctrines of the Society, by the delivery of a copy to me, by one of your members appointed to distribute those Epistles. Since this time I have carefully examined its contents, and in the respective situation in which we stand to each other, as fellow-christians, and children of the same benevolent Parent of the Universe, even "THE GOD and FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ," I feel that I owe it to you, before I close this letter, briefly to call your serious attention to those parts of the last Yearly Meeting Epistle to which I have alluded. In doing this I shall anI understand the Epistle, always distinnex a few words to mark more plainly how guishing them from the text. It begins thus: "In offering you this salutation of our love, we believe it right to acknowledge our thankfulness to THE AUTHOR OF ALL GOOD, that we have been permitted to meet together. We have had again to rejoice in a sense of the goodness of Him ["the Author of all good"] who, by his presence, owned us in times past-we Divine Power [of Him who is omnipresent, have felt the consoling assurance that the and whose mercies are over all his works] is both ancient and new." That is, I presume more properly, is unchangeable. "It is from this holy source ["of all good"] that every enjoyment," says this Epistle, 154 Hints concerning Unitarian Subscription Cases. both spiritual and temporal, flows; it is to THE LORD ALMIGHTY that we are indebted for the blessing of existence, for the means of redemption, and for that lively hope of immortality which comes by Jesus Christ. This is much more than merely "calling in question the omnipotence of Jesus Christ." It is expressly to attribute omnipotent power and boundless goodness to another being, even to "THE LORD ALMIGHTY," the ever-living and unchangeable God; and to describe Jesus Christ as the medium by whom the "lively hope" of the greatest of these blessings, was made known to mankind through the gospel. If we are "indebted to THE LORD ALMIGHTY"-the giver of every good, and of every perfect gift," for the blessing of existence," as this Epistle asserts, surely He" endowed us by nature," with those "talents---however great," by which we are distinguished from every other order of beings in this sublunary world. "To his service, then dear friends," adds the Epistle, "in obedience to the manifestation of his power [which is fresh every morning, for the earth is full of his good ness] let us offer our talents; to the glory of his great and excellent name, let us devote our strength and the residue of our days." As to "the propriety," and the duty of" secret supplication," and to whom it should be addressed, this Epistle is equally explicit and scriptural. After recommending the youth "to allot a portion of each day to read and meditate upon the sacred volume [the Scriptures] in private," this exhortation is added: "In these sea sons of retirement, seek for ability to en- ii. 36. The Epistle concludes thus: "Let us ever remember, that if we obey the Divine commandments, we shall do all to the glory of God; we shall always acknowledge, that it is of his mercy, if we ever become partakers of the unspeakable privilege of the true disciples of Him [the Lord Jesus'] who died for all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again." 2 Cor. v. 15. From this passage I understand, that in the judgment of the compilers of this Epistle, we cannot become "true disciples" of " the Lord Jesus," whom God raised from the dead, without being “always" ready to " acknowledge," that we owe" the unspeakable privilege" to "THE MERCY OF Gon," the Original Source and proper Author of all the blessings conferred on mankind by Jesus Christ, and by the gospel which he preached. I congratulate you and the Society on so speedy a return to the common language of our ancestors, and to that "form of sound words" which is to be found in the scriptures of truth, and remain your sincere well-wishing friend, I THOMAS FOSTER. London, Feb. 25, 1816. SIR, OBSERVE that Unitarian places of worship are rising up in different parts of the kingdom, and that appeals are frequently made on behalf of them to the liberality of the public. It is difficult however for an individual like myself to ascertain the merits of the respective cases, and though it would be painful to refuse my quota of contribution, it is unpleasant to subscribe without a full conviction of the serviceableness of a subscription. I have heard of a recent case where monies were collected for fitting up an Unitarian Chapel, and a considerable sum expended upon a building held on a short lease and subject to a charge of ground-rent which no small congregation can long pay. Permit me to suggest then the expediency of every application of this kind being first submitted to a body of competent judges, say the Committee of the Unitarian Fund, without whose sanction any case should be considered as without recommendation. Any permanent body would answer the purpsoe, but some such sanction is necessary to satisfy the private individuals to whom applicants appeal. I perceive with great satisfaction that in the cases of Neath, &c. provision is made in the Trust Deeds that the chapel erected by public contribution shall, in the event of the discontinuance of public worship on Unitarian principles, come into the Mr. Evans on the Field of Waterloo. bands and be the property of some permanent Unitarian body. The same provision should surely be made whenever a new place of worship is raised by the help of the Unitarian public, for every such building is in some sort an experiment. If the experiment fail, let not individuals or other sects reap an advantage. Once more, I recommend most earnestly that every new chapel should be erected on Freehold Ground, and that sufficient ground should be purchased in the first instance to lay out a burying-place. There is an unseemliness in Unitarians being interred with Trinitarian forms of religion, which must be the case where they have no church-yard of their own: besides that it is sometimes in the power of clergymen to insult the ashes of supposed heretics when death brings them under their "little brief authority." The tombs of fathers have a hold upon the religious profession of children when better ties are weakened; and sepulchres give a solemnity to Houses of Prayer, and supply that sentiment of reverence which fails to be excited by the small and unimposing temples of Dissenters. For these reasons I always inquire of those who solicit my subscription to our new chapels, whether accomodation be contemplated for the dead as well as the living! SIR, THE ZELOTES. Islington. March 1, 1816. HE insertion in your valuable Miscellany of the following curious fact, respecting the Field of Waterloo, will be gratifying to the more intelligent class of your readers. It is taken from the Life of the Duke of Marlborough. in the seventh volume of the British Biography, a work chiefly written by the late Dr. Joseph Towers, and uniformly favourable to the interests of Civil and Religious Liberty. "On the 15th of August, 1705, the Duke of Marlborough moved from Mildert to Corbais, and next day continued his march to Genappe, from whence he advanced to Fischermont. On the 17th General Averquerque took the Post of Waterloo, and next day the confederate army was drawn up in order of battle before the enemy, who extended from 155 Overysche, near the wood of Soignes to Neerysche, with the little river Ysche in front, so as to cover Brussels and Louvain! The Duke of Marlborough proposed to attack them immediately, and Averquerque approved of the design. But it was opposed by General Schlangenburgh and other Dutch of ficers, who represented it in such a light to the Deputies of the States who attended the army that they refused to concur in the execution. The Duke being obliged to relinquish the scheme wrote an expostulatory letter to the States General, complaining of their having withdrawn that confidence which they had reposed in him while he acted in Germany." Thus it appears that in the reign of Queen Anne the Post of Waterloo was fixed upon by the celebrated Duke of Marlborough, with the view of annihilating the power of Louis the XIVth. at that time (like Bonaparte), the great troubler of Europe! And as his Grace is said "never to have fought a battle which was not won, nor to have besieged a town that was not taken," he seems deeply to regret that the perverseness of his military associates prevented his reaping the usual laurels on this occasion. It is, however, singular that the Duke of Wellington, in conjunction with similar allies, should a century_after, in the reign of George the Third, (June 18, 1815) consecrate this same Post of Waterloo by a signal victory for the restoration of the descendants of Louis the XIVth., as the best means of securing the peace and happiness of the Continental Powers! This is is a curious fact, and the more worthy of attention as a parallel between these two distinguished British Generals hath been drawn by writers of the present day. Such is the mutation of human affairs-such the revolution of empires. May the aw ful and decisive battle of Waterloo ensure the permanent tranquillity of the civilized world! Torrents of blood have been poured forth in the unrighteous career of ambition. was time, as at the birth of our Saviour, that the Temple of Janus should be closed, and that PEACE, the legacy of the Redeemer to his disciples, should diffuse her blessings among the nations of the earth. I am, Sir, Yours respectfully, JOHN EVANS. It 156 Mr. Wright on the Unitarian Society at Thorne. Mr. Wright on the Unitarian Society answered in the negative. I then gave them some account of his character, and of the manner in which he bore the unjust and cruel treatTHE Unitarians at Thorne, in ment he had received. This led some SIR, medium of the Monthly Repository [xi. 120.], made known their intention of building a meeting-house, and solicited the aid of the friends of the Unitarian cause in the undertaking, a short account of the origin, progress, present state and prospects of the Unitarian Society in that town and its vicinity, may not be unacceptable to your readers. In the summer of 1805, I first visited Thorne; it was in consequence of a letter received by my worthy friend, Mr. Vidler, informing him that some persons in that town and neighbourhood, were favourable to the doctrine of the universal restoration; but had never heard any preach er who taught it, and having heard that a preacher of that doctrine sometimes travelled in Lincolnshire, they were anxious he should visit them. On my arrival I found them all Trinitarians, and learned that most of them belonged to the new connexion of Methodists, and that they differed from their brethren only on the subject of future punishment, having adopted the sentiments of the late Mr. Winchester. During my first visit I preached on the love of God, on the doctrine of reconciliation, and on future punishment. The place of meeting was a barn; a crowd of people attended, and a considerable impression seemed to be made. I spent two evenings in conversation with a pretty large party, and found, though many persons were full of inquiry, they laboured under strong prejudices; I had occasion to recal to mind a maxim which I have always found useful, i. c. to despair of nothing which it is practicable to attempt. As a proof of what their views and feelings then were, I will mention two things. The good woman at the house where I lodged asked, "Are you an Arian?" I replied, "No, I never was an Arian." She then said, If you were an Arian I dare not let you sleep in my house." Dr. Priestley's name being mentioned, I perceived it excited alarm. This led me to ask if any of them had either known the Doctor or read any of his writings? They 66 to they pressions respecting him. Having proceeded as far as seemed prudent at that time, before I left them I said, "I have told you as much as I think will be useful at present, if I live to see you again I shall have something further to say to you," and exhorted them to keep their minds open to conviction, and not to be afraid of examining any subject. About six months after I visited them again, and found their prejudices had been greatly alarmed by the books which had been sent them. They had even consulted together whether it would not be best to return the books and desire me to visit them no more; but good sense prevailed so far as to lead them to resolve to read the books first; a first, inclined them to a second, reading; and I had now the pleasure to find several of them were become Unitarians. I again preached several discourses among them, and found, though the multitude was fled, which was no more than I expected, the number of converts was sufficient to keep the standard erect, and become the foundation of a society. About this time a donation of books was sent them from York, including some of Dr. Priestley's works; these were read with much attention, and contributed to their progress in knowledge and establishment in the Unitariau Christian doctrine. Till the year 1810 their number increased but little they, however, persevered in their inquiries after truth, openly avowed their religious sentiments, held meetings among themselves and did what they could to edify one another, and instruct their neighbours. I usually visited them twice in a year, preached several times each visit; sometimes in some of the neighbouring villages, and assisted in settling any differences which had arisen among them. Several of the first converts were removed by death; a few new ones were added. They had from the first many difficulties to encounter. They were poor, unlearned people. Their religious neighbours, who thought the |