I allude only to remind you that And does your letter merely contain your view of the subject, as a student at College? or is it the result of your observations, since you became a stated minister of the gospel? such expressions contain no argu. ment, and are calculated to excite unchristian feelings, both in the writer and in the reader. The result of the comparison, between your statement and that of the gentleman whom I have had the pleasure of meeting in Liver. pool, is, in my own mind, a strong confirmation of the opinion which forms the substance of the note you have criticised; that if "the minds of men were left unfettered, unawed by threats, unallured by temptations," the worship of the One God the Father would be greatly increased. That it has greatly increased in increased in Boston, though there may be various opinions, as to the extent of the increase. As I am sure my wish is to obtain an accurate statement, if, now, on your return to Boston you will have the goodness to favour us with an account of the present state of Unitarianism, in its enlarged sense, I think you will gratify many readers of the Repository, and you wili confer an obligation on Your respectful and obedient Servant, Burning a Sinner. Hampton, July 1, 1812. SIR, Travelling lately in Lincolnshire, I cannot conclude without tak ing the liberty of asking you one or two questions. Am I mistaken in the opinion I have formed, that you, in the sense so often referred I heard, upon unquestionable auto, are yourself an Unitarian? I thority, a story which I think ought ask this question, because it ap. to be known to the public. pears to me so astonishing that, if In that county a sect prevails, you are a Trinitarian you should known by the name of Baptists of not have preached Trinitarianism the New Connection: on enquiry, any of the times you officiated in I found that they were Arminians, the chapel, where the sermon, and differed from the Wesleyan which has caused your animad. Methodists only in the article of versions, was delivered. When a Baptism, in the independence of division of the Deity, into differ. their churches, and in a more zeaent persons, is never taught in the lous concern for the doctrine of sermon ; when One Supreme everlasting torments. Undivided Being is the sole object A teacher of this sect, who is of prayer, that I call Unitarian also a farmer, had taken a poor preaching, this I call Unitarian lad, a relative, into his house, worship. as a servant. The lad committed Does your letter profess to give some fault, for which probably he an account of the present state of deserved chastisement. He was Unitarianism in Boston? Or was it written after an absence of two years, spent principally in travels on the continent? VOL. VII. 3 т brought before his master and mistress, and lectured upon the wrath of God and endless burnings. Not seeming to enter into the sub Lord Sidmouth and the Dissenters- ject readily, the following plan of making him feel was adopted: a lighted candle was procured, and I congratulate you and your one of this religious couple held readers upon the passing of the down one of the boy's hands, New Toleration Act, which I rewhilst the other applied the flame gard as the most important legisto it! The experiment was con- lative measure, next to the Act tinued, I suppose, till it appeared for abolishing the traffic in slaves, to have answered the purpose. The that has been carried in the preboy was afterwards seen by his sent century. For this Act we neighbours with his hand tied up; are indebted to Lord Sidmouth; this led to inquiry; the fact came he first united the Dissenters, and out; it even reached the neigh- next alarmed the magistrates, and bouring magistrates; no legal steps hurried them into constructions of were taken; but a general indig. the Acts of Toleration that could nation was excited in the neigh- not be maintained, consistently bourhood. with the Dissenters' security, and this again led them to united efforts which have been crowned by a most wise and beneficent law. It is now useless to discuss Lord This indignation is the best security against such atrocities; and therefore I venture to communicate the story to you and your readers. Unless the depraved Sidmouth's merits as a legislator perpetrators of such a deed were in religion, in any other light than taught their error, by the express as a question of history, but in ed abhorrence of society, who this view it is not unimportant to could tell how high the gloomy have the matter rightly underspirit of fanaticism might arise, stood. and whether it might not become a popular practice to burn the body for the good of the soul. The Dissenters have been com plained of and reproached for mistaking and misrepresenting Lord I am not disposed to charge Sidmouth's Bill; he meant, it is upon a sect the misdemeanour of said, to improve their condition. one of its teachers; but surely the Unfortunately for his advocates, leaders of the denomination should his Lordship did not remain silent make some disavowal of such a in the discussions on the new Act, method of conversion. My in- but revealed what his apologists formant (whose name I can give have denied, that his original and up if required,) told me that this still prevailing desire was to curb sect boast of a recent revival, (as the Dissenters and to break down their phrase is); I replied that the constitution of their churches. I hoped, whatever might be the I find him in the Newspaper recase in another world, no proselyfists would be allowed in this world to save men so as by fire. Your's ROBERT BROOKE. ports of the proceedings in the House of Lords, July 23d, objecting to the repeal of the Con. venticle Act; and foretelling lamentable abuses from the proposed extension of civil immunities."He lamented, particularly, content to hear or support a minister, would in that case have signed his test; the only good of the troubling and puzzling the poorer Dissenting congregations. a that by this Bill no qualification gard to settled teachers no alterawas required from preachers or tion would have been effected by teachers, but that all persons, this enactment; they who are now whatever might be their ignorance or their moral character, might, on their taking the oaths, be preachers and teachers. He regulation would have been its thought that some qualification ought to be required before they were allowed to preach or teach, The test for students, supernuinstead of their being self-elected merary preach fs, &c. must have and self-appointed, as they would been obtained (if obtained at all) be under this Bill."-His Lord- from ministers in the same conship, then, would have established nection as the applicants; and it by law, (to use his own words,) would have depended upon 66 some test of qualification," as synod appointed by law, not by to the learning and the character the Christian people, whether of Dissenting teachers. Such a young men aspiring to the pulpit test would necessarily have thrown should be kept down or brought great powers into the hands of the forward. magistrates, that is, of the clergy, On this plan, a teacher of a docwho swarm upon the bench and trine not already professed ainfluence all its decisions; and mongst the Dissenters could not under such a new power, what have risen up; and if a country would have been the condition of gentleman, led by his studies into Dissenters? But suppose the Test a different faith from that of all not to have had this effect; it his neighbours and acquaintance, must have been exercised by some should have established worship individuals or some body of indi. in his house, and invited more than viduals and these, whoever they five persons besides his family (the might have been, would have had regulation of Lord Sidmouth's fathe real nomination of Dissenting vourite Conventicle Act,) to join ministers, in violation of the inde. his devotions, he might have been pendence of the nonconformist indicted for a misdemeanour: he churches. If a church should would have had neither congre have chosen a minister for whom gation nor connection to give him the certificate of qualification a passport to the pulpit and to could not have been obtained, they save him from prosecution. must have foregone their election Whether dissenting ministers or must have had a teacher sub- might not be improved in point of ject to direct legal penalties. learning and character, is a quesThe certificate might, indeed, have tion which Lord Sidmouth may been required only of the congre- fairly discuss, if he pleases; but gation choosing and appointing a it is the height of absurdity to teacher, but this would not have think that an act of Parliament answered the professed purpose of would have made them either securing his competent learning learned or moral. In point of and good character; for with re- virtue, it is a fact notorious as the un at noon-day, that ministers preacher should be obliged to among the Dissenters yield to no procure testimonials. These are clergy whatever; and as to the not to satisfy his hearers, but the rest, it is the vital principle of state, which bestows upon him the the Dissenters to choose their boon of religious toleration, for teachers, of whose fitness they are religious liberty has not yet a the sole judges. To take this li- chapter among the laws of Engberty out of their hands is to un- land. make them. once This Noble Lord was If Lord Sidmouth had prevail. Speaker of the House of Com. ed, what would have been the mons. In that capacity he had event with respect to uncertificat few opportunities of discussing ed teachers, with whom the land legislative measures. He has, would, judging from all history, however, recorded the true chahave still abounded? The goals racter of his professed liberality would have been filled with them! and regard for public morals, on a And yet we have been rebuked great occasion. I have now befor asserting that the Toleration fore me "The Debate on a Mowas in danger, and charged with tion for the Abolition of the Slave calumny in representing Lord Sidmouth's as a persecuting mea sure. The first lesson of a good education is to teach us to call things by their right names; and I must ever reckon it a strange and mischievous blunder to rank in the same class the Sidmouths (if more than one of the species can be found) and the Erskines, Stanhopes and Hollands of the age. VINDEX. Trade, in the House of Commons, 2d April 1792, reported in de tail by Woodfall." In that debate the late Lord Melville proposed his scheme of gradual abolition. He was powerfully supported by Mr. Addington, who, like Mr. Dundas, professed abhorrence" of the Slave Trade, as it was called, though," he added, "it certainly did not deserve that name." Mr. A. then suggested that this trade might be " permitted to exist for a few years longer, possibly eight, ten, or Lord Sidmouth and the Dissenters. twelve," and in the mean time SIR, July 25, 1812. recommended a greater encou I perceive by the report of the ragement to the importation of proceedings in the House of Lords females than males, by means of a yesterday, that a Noble Lord, bounty on the former, or by subwhose lucubrations on the Tolera- jecting the latter to a heavier tion Act, attracted no small no- duty. (P. 113.) tice during the last year, is again Thus humanely this curator of generously anxious for the repu- public morals would have legis tation of non-conformist teachers; lated for the most helpless portion perhaps grateful for the compli. of a race more powerless than even ments he has received from emi. the pig-drivers and chimney. nent individuals of that body, sweepers whom Lord Sidmouth His lordship still contends that a would have consigned to silence. This proposal by Mr. Addington We are reminded, on the high was thus well appreciated by Mr. Fox in the same debate. est authority among Christians, that of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramblebush gather they grapes. No more can they fairly expect a legislative measure of unqualified justice or liberality from such a senator as my quotations of his own language have described. I will suppose, if you please, that the West India Islands are likely to want slaves, on account of the disproportion of the sexes. How is this to be cured? A right honourable gentleman proposes a bounty on an importation of feEr uno disce omnia. males, or, in other words, he The noble lord, I scarcely know proposes to make up this defici- why, bas been sometimes named ency by offering a premium to the Doctor. Depend upon it, any crew of unprincipled and sa- "Mr. Editor, as we have observed vage ruffians, who will attack and in the composition of Mr. Addingcany off any of the females of ton's specific for that desolating Africa! A bounty from the Par- plague the slave trade, so in his liament of Britain that shall make lordship's panacea for religious the fortune of any man or set of ills, there will always be found men, who shall kidnap or steal some deleterious ingredient to cor any unfortunate females from that rupt its savour, like dead flies in continent! Who shall bring them the ointment of the apothecary. over as slaves, in order that they may be used for breeding slaves! Who shall kill their husbands, fathers, or relations, or shall instigate any others to kill them, in order that these femaks may be procured! I should like to see the right honourable gentleman bring up such a clause. I should like to see how his clause would be worded. could like to know who would be the man who would dare to pen such a clause." with the other parts of learning, (P. 116.) Our moral legislator, unabashed by so forcible an appeal to his justice and humanity, appears to have adhered to his proposal, like Shakespeare's Jew to his pound of flesh, tor thus says Mr. Adding ton to explain, I mentioned cor. tainly, that I thought a duty might be laid on imported negroes, which should be lighter on the females than on the males. I admit this must operate in effect as a bounty on the women imported. (P. 136.) GOGMAGOG JUNIOR. Letters to a Student. DEAR EUGENIUS, You have, probably, expected that before this I should have of fered some remarks on a study to which you are professedly 'devoted, I mean theology. But I have purposely waved to mention it not only because it is an object of peculiar importance and dignity, and is to engage your chief attention, but because the first years of an academical life will be most properly and advantageously occupied in other branches of learning. Theological questions have been so obscured by polemics, that it is expedient to postpone the investigation of them, till the faculties have been opened and enlarged, a habit of close attention has been formed, and materials and principles, by which to |