ing has, hitherto, been rather an to call the attention of your readers exercise of reflection and memory; to the consideration of this subit now becomes the employment ject. I hope that this communi. and gratification of the imagination cation may lead to the adoption of and genius: and as it connects some plan of united action, calcu itself with your other studies, you lated to give increased effect to will now perceive its application those exertions, which being, as and use. There is not a libe- they are at present, insulated, par. ral profession which may not tial, and having no common di derive singular advantage from rection, must be considerably conversing with the Greek and weakened in their efficacy; but Latin writers. They are peculi. when combined and as it were arly important to a divine, espe- concentrated in one common focus, cially the former, as the books must be proportionally energetic. which contain the religion of Christ, Such a plan, if adopted, cannot are written in that language. The fail, not only of exciting the zeal works of a Sykes and Jortin, of of Unitarians themselves, but of a Lardner and Farmer shew to calling the attention of the Chriswhat valuable purposes a Christian tian world at large to the consi. minister may improve his acquain- deration of the arguments urged tance with the authors of Greece in support of the Unitarian doc. and Rome. Not a question in trine and thus of increasing the theology can be discussed, nor a number of Unitarian Christians. criticism on any passage of scrip. With a view merely of bringing ture be brought forward, but what the subject into discussion, I subproves the utility of this branch of mit the following plan to the conknowledge to the divine. The ad- sideration of your readers, hoping vice which Horace gave to the that it will be the means of calling Pisos applies here with the fullest forth some other plan, more suited force, and should be extended to to the purpose. the compositions of his own country:

-Vos exemplaria Græca Nocturna versate manu, versate diurnâ. I am, &c.

Plan of a General Unitarian As.

sociation.

Warrington, July 1, 1812.
SIR,

Conceiving that a greater degree of Union than at present subsists between the different societies of Unitarian Christians, would most essentially promote the cause of Unitarianism, which I firmly believe to be the cause of the gospel, I beg leave, through the medium of your valuable Repository,

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient Servant, AN UNITARIAN LAYMAN. The end proposed is A General Association of all the Unitarian Societies, throughout England and Wales.

four times in the year, at each place belonging to the district, alternately, and a sermon to be delivered on the occasion.

knowledge amongst the lower classes of society.

2. County Association. At the first quarterly District Meeting, a At the first quarterly meeting, minister and layman to be deputed a President and Secretary to be from each District to a County chosen annually out of the minis- Meeting; and where the numbers ters of the district, and a Treasurer in one county are small, two or out of the lay delegates. more counties may be united in one Association.

The County Meeting to be held twice in the year, at one or other

The friends of the cause, not delegates, to be admitted to the meeting, and allowed to deliver their opinions freely, on any ques- of the principal places of the tion, but not to be entitled to vote, county, alternately, and a sermon At the conclusion of divine delivered on the occasion, when it service, the business of the district would be proper to have a collecto be entered upon, when the state tion to be added to the funds of of the different societies is to be the Association. laid before the meeting, and the pecuniary wants of particular societies taken into consideration and relieved, if adviseable, out of the funds of the Association. Any case, requiring assistance, either of a pecuniary or of any other nature, not in the power of the Association to afford, may be referred to the consideration of the County As sociation mentioned below.

After the business is concluded, the ministers and other delegates to partake of an economical dinner at the expence of the Association; other friends of the cause, not delegates, to be admitted to the dinner at their own expence.

At the first half-yearly meeting, a President, Secretary and Treasurer to be chosen, for the year ensuing.

After divine service, the business of the County Meeting to be entered upon, and the state of the different districts taken into consideration, together with any plans to promote the prosperity of the cause, such as supplying pecuniary aid to societies in want of it, or furnishing assistance in the formation of new societies, &c. which plans, if not then determined upon, may be transferred to the General Meeting, hereafter mentioned.

Where the funds of the Association are sufficient for the purpose, it would be adviseable to employ a missionary in spreading the gospel throughout the county.

It is obvious that such a meeting must be of incalculable utility, and many plans might be there adopted to promote the cause; such, for instance, as the forma. The Association to dine together tion of new interests in the dis- after the business is transacted. trict, by preaching and by Unit- 3. General Association. - At arian tracts; the establishment the first half-yearly meeting of of congregational libraries or of each County Association, a miSunday schools in each society nister and a layman to be annually of the district; or the institution appointed to attend a meeting of of small tract libraries in different the General Association, which is places, for the diffusion of religious to be held, once in each year, at

body at large; with a power of calling an extraordinary general meeting upon any emergency, such, for instance, as an intended inva. sion of the religious rights of Dis. senters in general, or of Unitarians in particular.

one or other of the largest towns sions, and to follow the instrucin the kingdom alternately, and a tions of the Association, and sermon or sermons to be preached to watch over the interests of the on the occasion, and a collection made in aid of the Genera! Fund; and, after choosing a president, secretary and treasurer, the gene. ral business of the Association to be transacted, and the result to be printed in an Address to the body of Unitarians, and transmit. ted to the different county dele. gates, to be by them transmitted to the delegates of the district meeting, and by them communi. cated to each separate society.

The expences of the respective delegates to be defrayed out of the funds of the Association to which they are deputed.

In order to form the necessary funds, each particular s. city enThe General Association would tering into the Association, to have be of great utility in devising an annual sermon and a collection. schemes for the support of deOne-tourth of the money so col. cayed ministers, and for the relief lected to be reserved by the society of the widows, and for the educa- for their own particular exertions; tion of the orphans of deceased three-fourths to be tran-mitted to ministers, as well as for the esta- the district meeting, who are to blishment of seminaries of minis- transmit one-half to the county terial education. They might also meeting, by whom the remaining undertake the publishing of popu- one-fourth is to be transmitted to lar Unitarian books and tracts, the General Association meeting: and of lessons, according to the so that one-fourth will be appro plan of Mr. Lancaster, which are priated to the funds of each socie much wanted for the use of Um. ty,-one-fourth to the funds of the tarian Sunday schools; and, by district Association, one.fourth printing large impressions, might to the funds of the County Assosupply the Unitarian body with ciation, and the remaining one. books, &c. at a cheap rate. They fourth to the funds of the General might also send missionaries to Association. preach throughout the kingdom, by means of whom, and aided by the General Fund, new interests might be raised and the cause revived in those places where it has hitherto been declining for want of support.

4. General Committee.-A standing Committee to be chosen annually by the General Association, consisting of such of its members as reside in or near London, who are to carry into effect the deci.

It is probable that the funds might be considerably augmented by donations and bequests from opulent friends.

N. B. The object might be promoted by the exertions of the London Unitarian Fund Society and of their missionaries, who might transmit to each separate Society a printed copy of the plan deemed most eligible, and solicit their concurrence.

Mr. Crabbe's Representation of Thy thoughts, thy ways, great God! are

Deity of the Holy Spirit.

Liverpool, June 18, 1812.

name; that prayer, therefore, appears not to be intended for the Christian, but the Jewish state: SIR, had it been designed to be used In your Repository for March when Christianity was established, last (p. 149) a correspondent who how came Mark and John not to signs himself M. H. puts some notice it in their Gospels? as questions relating to the Holy Spi- thereby those early Christians, rit. He asks," why did Jesus who had only those gospels, would Christ never offer up a single pe- want this important form of prayer. tition to this equal in Omnipo- And if you refer to the 16th chaptence," &c.; and further remarks, ter of John, our Lord, just bethat "in that most striking and fore his sufferings tells his disciples, comprehensive form of words which Hitherto ye have asked nothing in he delivered to us does he exclu- my name; and that whatsoever sively teach us to pray to the Fa- they should ask the Father in his ther." Now, it is difficult to say, name, he would give it them ; eviwhether your correspondent is dently showing that prayer was to really ignorant what reply Trini. be offered in a different manner tarians would make to this, or and through a different medium whether he supposes, that none of after his ascension, to what it had the few who may happen to see been during the Jewish polity. I the Repository, will think it worth have also said, that the disciples did while to answer it, therefore ex- not understand the nature of the pects to claim a victory as though gospel, or Christ's kingdom, until it was unanswerable. I would after his ascension, for we find, even refer your reader to two excellent after his resurrection, his disciples books on this subject, viz. Dr. asked him, Acts i. 6. " Wilt Owen's and Mr. Hurrion's, and thou at this time restore the kingadvise him to read them: but dom to Israel?" This he tells lest he should think this doctrine them it was not for them to know, has no advocates in the present but that they should receive power day, I would make one or two after the Holy Ghost was come observations. And first respect- upon them. So that it does not ing the Lord's Prayer, which ap- appear, that every thing which pears to me only suited to the our Lord and his disciples pracJewish state of the church. Every tised as Jews is to be a model for one who attentively considers the Christians. New Testament must observe, that But further. However M. H. our Lord acted as a Jew and at may think of the Holy Spirit, he tended all the Jewish feasts, rites appears to have been a person of and ceremonies; and that the true considerable importance during nature and design of his kingdom our Lord's stay on earth, who and gospel were not revealed to declares blasphemy against him his disciples until after his ascen. to be an unpardonable sin: and sion, when the Holy Ghost came he also appears to have been con. upon them: and, previous to this, prayer was offered up through the medium of the daily sacrifices, and not through him or in his

sidered as of high importance after our Lord's ascension. When our Lord, according to his promise, sent him to carry on the gospel,