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    other than that broad and liberal condition authorized , by Christianity , a belief thai Jesus Christ is the Son of God , and the natural and necessary consequences of such belief . * W ho , Sir , let me ask , has a right to make any other condition , and who gave hijnjMsjigMl ^^ sons of men did the Saviour confer

    the power of deciding on the right and the wrong in another ' s faith 1 Where is the evidence of this g-ift of power ? Where are the credentials ? These are what we want—these are what we demand . We do not find them in the word of God ; and the simple reason is , we believe , because

    they are not there * Him , therefore , who presumes to exercise that power , we cannot but regard as an usurper , who does himself a wrong and his , fellow-men a wrong , and Christianity , a wrong . Sir , it is no small evil ; nay , it is an evil of tremendous magnitude—^ that there are men amongst

    us ,-good- men otherwise ; Christian ^ men , who dare to take to themselves this power , and fear not to judge ' their fellow- believers concerning things whereof no man knoweth , * save the spirit of man which is in him / and of which no other being knoweth , save him who searcheth the heart . These men must

    surrender this po \ yer , unjustly held , before all Christians will love one another as discipievS of one , master , heirs of ope hope ; : children of one father ; Samaritan must meet Jew , and . ¦ Jewr Gentile . The walla of partition must be beaten down ; * .-not one stone be left upon another ;* and a spirit of kindness , of charity , of union , and

    of peace must animate and , pervade ftUJ ]! . osQjn 8 ,. _ . Sirj 4 sJit .. jiQ . tJhia-jiKhich .. we are endeavouring to accomplish I Is it not this for which we have here offered our united and fervent supplication to heaven ? And is not this the great cause of Christianity 2 And is it not of sufficient importance to quicken us to the highest effort- ^ to awaken in us the deepest

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    and holiest and most ardent emotions ? Who , Sir , love us as brethren ? Who treat us as fellow-disciples of Jesus ? They who daily and hourly , in their public convocations , in their private gatherings , and even in their

    _ pray . ers _ to _ God _ i _ say ^ all ^ manner « of ~ evil against us , ' calling us ' deniers of the Lord that bought us ! ' They who warn others to avoid us , to flee from us , as they would avoid a leper , and flee from a pestilence ! They wha < eall us the enemies of truth , theenemies of religion , the enemies of Christ and of God ! And is this the

    love by which we and all men are to know that they are the true disciples ? We are stigmatized as heretics I Sir , I know of no heresy under the sun so monstrously unwarrantable and absurd , as that of the assumption of infallibility by poor , weak , erring , sinning man .

    And whoever meets one of us , and , simply because we do not agree with him in our religious opinions , passes , in his mind , sentence of condemnation on our Christian characterwhoever does this , virtually assumes the attribute of infallibility , and if it were ever proper and just to punish any man as a heretic , it would be that man . But , Sir , the cause which

    we would promote would not sanction , nay , it would frown indignantly on any attempt to punish or inj ure him . It holds the principle of blessing him that curses us and praying for him that persecutes us / I re * peat , Sir— -and in doing it will relieve your patience —that it is not the cause of a sect that we are anxious

    to . advance . ; but . it is the cause of Christianity , uncorrupted , the light of the world , tolerant , liberal , divine Ghristianity . ¦ And we wish this to prevail and gain for itself triumphs and trophies , until it shall embrace all men in its arms , and present them , united in eternal fellowship , ' as an acceptable offering unto God .

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    UNITARIAN ; CHHONICLE < 223

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 1, 1832, page 223, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1823/page/15/