and darkness, to suit new and in- but from a secret dread of this, comprehensible articles of faith! that we so seldom meet with a We now come to the conclusion man or woman who will venture of H. M.'s remarks, and I can to open a Unitarian book! This have no hesitation in assuring him however does not appear to be the that every pious Unitarian must case with H. M. or the pages of devoutly desire to participate in your Repository would not have "the grace of our Lord Jesus come within his view. Wishing Christ, the love of God, and the him therefore candidly to inquire communion of the Holy Spirit ;" and to be amply recompensed by no belief in a threefold divinity discovering the truth "as it is in being necessary to make him Jesus," I remain your obliged thankfully receive the truly apos- humble Servant, tolic benediction; nor can he be P.S. I am much pleased with at a loss to understand Peter when your correspondent, Mr. Mataddressing the converts, he pro- thews's recommendation of regular nounces them "elect according Unitarian worship being performed to the foreknowledge of God, in private houses, by the members through the sanctification of the of the family, for themselves and spirit," and who having been any of their neighbours who may made fully acquainted with the wish to join them. For a believer sufferings and doctrines of Christ, in the unity of God, to attend a were washed from their sins, and Trinitarian service, appears to me become obedient to the holy laws which he delivered.

M. H.

little less than idolatry. To justify this they tell us that they still I have been led to say much retain their own sentiments, and more on these interesting subjects join or detach their minds from than I at first intended, or than the solemn words repeated in their was strictly necessary, in reply to hearing, as they agree with or H. M. but if he candidly and vary from their convictions! But coolly considers what has been must not this cause a perplexity written, I trust that it will induce and confusion of ideas, most inhim to inquire further. Of the compatible with the unbroken atbooks that he mentions to me, he tention and reverential awe, has given me no titles by which to which we should endeavour to inquire for them; but avoiding preserve when we address our this omission, I will follow his Creator. I can say from experiexample, and earnestly recom- ence that this family worship may mend to his perusal Dr. Carpen- by a very small number be most ter's "Unitarianism the Doctrine satisfactorily carried on, and as of the Gospel;" a work which ap- a form of prayer will be generally pears to me to bring forward such desirable on such occasions, I a mass of evidence, as hardly pre- would warmly recommend the rejudice herself, unsupported by printing of one consisting of ten worldly interest, could resist. services, which is now used in the Indeed, I am fully persuaded, that Unitarian chapel at Shrewsbury, if sensible men could be persuaded but which at present I believe is to read, a general conviction not to be bought. If any of the would take place; and why is it family happen to be skilled in

music, the introduction of a page 17-27, or in Kippis's edi. hymn or psalm is very pleasing, tion, Vol. VIII. p. 110-119, and while the scriptures are open who quotes with approbation the to us, and we have such sermons opinion of Mr. Joseph Hallett, as Wright's, Lindsey's, &c. it that this altar (like other altars, must be want of zeal in the reader, in different parts of Athens, in if the hearers go away inanimate scribed, To the unknown God,) and uninstructed was dedicated, not to any particular god, but to him, whoever he was (but still supposing him to be one of the heathen idols) who had delivered them from the

Inscription on the Altar at Athens.

J. T. E.

Dissenters' Marriages.

Norfolk, Aug. 24, 1812. SIR,

SIR, Aug. 18, 1812. As you so obligingly inserted plague; and therefore that the (in M. R. for April, p. 221.) a Athenians had in fact, but yet igformer communication respecting norantly, paid homage hereby to the inscription found by Paul upon the true God. an altar at Athens, I will thank you to add a few lines more on the same subject. Dr. Wellwood, in his Essay concerning the death of Socrates, prefixed to his translation of the Banquet of Xeno. phon, (printed in 1710) says, "It is very probable, and we have several of the ancient historians and divines for vouchers, that it was done (that the altar thus inscribed was erected) by Socrates, seems, instead of raising an altar, as was the custom, to any of the fictitious gods of Greece, he took this way, as the safest, to express his devotion for the true and one God, of whom the Athenians had no notion, and whose incompre heusible being (he insinuates by that inscription) was far beyond the reach of their understanding or his own. And, it is very reasonable to think, it was owing to the veneration they had for the -memory of its founder, that it came to be preserved for so many ages after, though they understood not the sense of the inscrip. tion." But this subject is most largely discussed by Dr. Lardner, in his "Jewish and Heathen Tes. timonies," Vol. III. Chap. 24,

The period seems to be fast approaching, when we may expect that the Parliament of the United Kingdom will do themselves honour by expunging from the sta tute book all the penal laws, which It affect all classes of Dissenters, and grant to all sects the liber. ty, with which the great Foun der of our faith has made us free. I wish to be informed, what reason can be assigned, why other Dissenters should not have the privi lege of marrying those of their own communion, as well as the respectable body, denominated "Friends." Can any sufficient cause be given for confining the performance of the marriage ceremony to the clergy of the esta blished church? Why should not the objections of Unitarians to Trinitarian language upon this occasion be treated with the same respect, as those of "Friends" upon other grounds? We, who most solemnly protest against the worship of Jesus Christ, are per

mitted to baptize our children every part of his reasoning sifted, and to commit our departed and the latent, but primary and friends to the silent abodes of the extensive sources of fallacy should grave, in the use of religious be detected. forms which we prefer to those If any gentleman to whose nowhich are prescribed by an autho- tice this may come has in hand rity unacknowledged by us. In such a work, it will materially the present enlightened state of oblige the writer to be informed the world, justice and decorum, of it either through the medium no less than religion, require that, of the Monthly Repository, or by in a Prote tant country, there a private letter to the care of Mr. should be fult and complete liber. Stower. If no such communica ty of conscience to marry and tion be made within two or three to buy where and as we like. If months, he will perhaps feel him. dissening registers are valid for self bound to atteinpt such a work; the purposes of baptism, they may but most reluctantly, not merely be equally so in cases of marriage. because the daily urgencies of a The notle and truly Christian laborious station render any new Protest of the Lords Holland, engagement very unwelcome, but Stanhope, Lansdowne, and Nor- because he wishes to see the defolk, may surely be hailed as a sired work executed in a much prelude to the arrival of that aus- more able and complete manner picious day, when the twin bro- than he can venture to hope that thers, Intolerance and Toleration, his own abilities are equal to. shall be consigned to their proper abode.

T.

X. Y.

Answer to Mr. Belsham's "Calm On a Passage in Mr. Belsham's

SIR,

Inquiry."
Sept. 7, 1812.

Memoirs of Mr. Lindsey.

"Some have affected to believe

SIR, Aug, 15, 1812. It is now nearly two years since In the "Memoirs of the late the publication of Mr. Bolsham's Rev. Theophilus Lindsey," which "Calm Inquiry into the Scripture I have just read with high gratiDoctrine concerning the Person of fication, the following paragraph Christ," &c. It is with some concludes a very interesting chapsurprise and disappointment that, ter on the religious character of as yet, I have not been able to the late Duke of Grafton, learn that any Reply has been published, or is intended from that this virtuous nobleman was any quarter. The work appears not thoroughly consistent, and to me capable of being fairly that he did not carry his princi. and satisfactorily refuted; but ples to their proper extent. Sufsuch a refutation would require fice it to say, in reply to such larger scope than the limits of a ungenerous insinuations, that the review or a pamphlet. The prin- Duke of Grafton at all times ciples of Mr. Belsham's Inquiry acted up to his own ideas of conshould be carefully analysed, sistency and rectitude, though every text critically re-examined, his judgment might not entirely

correspond with that of his accusers. Let such persons recollect what this illustrious nobleman did, before they presume to arraign him for what he did not. And it may not be unbecoming those who are so very sharpsighted in discovering a mote in the eye of another, to consider well whether there may not at the same time be a beam in their own." (Mɛm. p. 335.)

any case where his judgment was not influenced, however imperceptibly, by recollections of af. fectionate friendship and justly merited esteem,

"A bad effect, but from a noble cause,” I had too often observed a sad inattention to a subject of acknowledged importance, when our Unitarian nonconformist gentry were settling in the country, perhaps with a young family whose habits This passage has, I apprehend, were yet unformed. They would a special reference to some remarks probably inquire, like other genin your last volume (pp. 469 and try, for a gravelly soil in a fine 721,) though the concluding sen. sporting country, contiguous to tence is quite irrelevant to the case a genteel assembly. But to find of Semper Eadem, For, how. or institute a place for Unitarian ever deficient in too many Chris- worship, appeared an object of tian duries, he has never with secondary, if indeed of any, moheld, when due to Unitarian con- ment. The example of the Duke sistency, the sacrifice, not indeed of Grafton, as I had misappre of power of place, which were hended it, I thought peculiarly remote, from his condition, but calculated to arrest their atten of objects more precious, connect- tion, and expose to them by con. ed with the most endearing inter- trast their own inconsistency. courses of private life. Being soon reluctantly convinced, I will acknowledge to the re- by your respectable corresponverend and learned biographer, dent (vi. 651), that my statement the height of my offending. I was directly opposite to the fact, certainly did more than affect to and that the Duke, at his chief re believe that the late Duke of Graf- sidence in the country, "did reton "was not thoroughly consist- gularly attend on the Church of ent." The "eminent inconsis- England worship, and as regular. tency" of that, otherwise, exem- ly received the communion from plary nobleman appeared to me a clergyman of the establishment," an indisputable fact, not the crea- my second letter (p. 721) was a ture of" ungenerous insinuations," natural result. I confess, for my. but a fair conclusion from pre- self, that I cannot remember the mises established, much to my writings and example of Mr. Lind surprise, by a correspondence sey, or his friend and biographer, which commenced in your work, and at the same time doubt the under an innocent misapprehen. late Duke of Grafton's inconsist sion of the late Duke's practice, ency, in adopting a half measure, after he became an Unitarian, such as his profession of the Uni Such a conclusion from such pre- tarian doctrine appears. It was mises would, I am persuaded, unworthy of what "this illustriapprove itself to the correct ap- ous nobleman did" to advance prehension of Mr. Belsham in the truth as it is in Jesus.

I will detain Mr. Belsham no thought sufficient. Whether, how longer from his important pursuits, ever, one or two be sent, they but offer him, though with grateful should be the free choice of the respect and no small personal re- association, restrained within limits gard, this unavoidable dilemma. of another kind, one of which I He must, I think, upon consider. borrow from the gospels, the other ation, admit that the late Duke of from the Epistles of St. Paul. My Grafton was eminently inconsist. limits then would refer to age and ent, or that our venerable friend situation in life. With respect to Mr. Lindsey was unreasonably the one, he should not be under scrupulous. thirty years of age, and to the other, he should be a married man. I will not here enter upon arguments to shew the propriety of these limits. Suffice it that the apostate church, by excluding married men from offices, established in great measure its abominable despotism.

SEMPER EADEM.

On the Plan of an Unitarian As

sociation.

SIR, August 14, 1812. I was very much gratified by reading in your Repository, (p. 431.) a plan drawn up by a writer signing himself An Unitarian Layman. The subject has been long in my thoughts, and it was my in tention to have requested your in. dulgence in communicating my ideas to the Unitarian public. I am very glad to have been thus anticipated. The plan in general meets with my approbation, and I have conversed with others, who are equally pleased with it. As it supposes societies formed and considers only the union of those societies, the writer will, I am sure, excuse me, if I take the li. berty of stating in what I think some little alteration necessary.

The end proposed is "A Gene. ral Association of all the Unitarian Societies throughout England and Wales." I approve of the end, but would extend it to the Unitarians in Great Britain.

The proposer of the plan styles himself an Unitarian Layman, whence I fear he is still involved in those prejudices, in which I was educated, and to which I adhered with very great tenacity. In the Christian Church I know of no such distinction as laymen and ministers, and here as a Unitarian Christian I make my solemn protest against it, and exhort my brethren to be above all things on their guard against such a distinc. tion. Let it not appear in any of their meetings. All are people in Christ's church, and the odious distinction of laity is the offspring of the apostate church. "Be ye not called Rabbi," said our Saviour, and we must be very careful not to almit of a distinction which may give to any one a claim to that title.

District associations are to It may be asked here, whether send two delegates, one a minister Christian communities are to be the other a layman. To this I without ministers? By no means, object, for I would lay no such re- where they can maintain and straint upon the association, and choose to have one: but a charac. perhaps one delegate might be ter like that of minister is not es