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    Liverpool , Sir , April \ % 1818 . AMONG the objections to Unitarianism , it is not uucommon to hear advanced the small number of its professors , and its tardy progress in the Christian community . It would

    cot , however , be difficult to prove to those who make the objections * that the creed to which they themselves adhere as the standard of truth would , if weighed in the same balance , be also found wanting ; for , on the score of numbers . Protestantism will kick

    the beam when poised against Popery , and Christianity itself yield , in point of celerity of progress * to the religion of Mahomet .

    Upon a foundation equally untenable , it is common for the orthodox to range in formidable order a list of divines , philosophers and literati , who have advocated or acquiesced in the religion " as by law established , " and to ask , triumphantly , could such men

    be mistaken > Would they shut their eyes against the truth ? Would they be the willing advocates of error ? This mode of reasoning is equally unsound as the former ; for it is well known that systems of faith entirely

    at variance with each other , Romish , Lutheran , Calvinist and Unitarian , have ranked among their adherents men whose names ( where polemics are out of sight ) are placed by all writers in the list oif those who , by their genius or their discoveries , have added lustre to human nature .

    Bu t as it is desirable , in order to oppose the host of enemies , great and small , with whom Unitarians have to contend , that they should be furnished with weapons of djffi $ ren , t dimensions , it is \ vorth while to take sorne pains to bring into a more conspicuous point of view , the names of those wise and learned naen who have disbelieved

    the doctrine of the Trinity > This has of late been done with resipeqt to Dr . Watts , and the two Bishops Law , the one fether * the oth ^ r uncle [ brother ] to the present Bishop of Chester and Lord Ellen borough 3 su > 4 it is

    exceedingly amusing to &ee tjhe surprise aud consternation which pervades the camp of the orthodox , whan &uch greatjuauoo ^ es are called out as deserters . In uo instance i * # ie mrprwe ' greater than when the United ^ chiim * hb

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    members of their body , Locke and Newton * D * . Chalmers appears to have bean confounded at the discovery of Nem * ton ' s heterodoxy ^ and as if he fully felt tbe advantage that the UuitarLass would derive from haying in their

    ranks such a master-mind , he endeavours to throw as thick a veil over the fact as he can ; and instead of saying he was an Unitarian , be states that he had " adopted the opinions of a sect fast dwindling away from public observation * " We can smile

    at the worthy Doctor ' s sarcasm ; " te * lumimbelle > et sine ictu" but it ts . csf importance that the fact of Newton ' s disbelief of the doctrine of the Triune God , should be di&tinctly stated ; and r I therefore , beg to suggest that some

    Qf your Correspondents would favour your readers with a statement of the grounds upon which it is asserted that Newton was an Unitarian ; . and that the sa » ie should be done with regard to Locke .

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    FellowsTiip of Unitarian Congregations . &og

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    Sir , * April 1 $ , laig . AMONG the preventatives to the spread of Unitarianism and the keeping together of congregation ^ there is one which I do net recollect

    has been noticed in your pages . It operates , however , powerfully , though silently . I allude to the habitual neglect of the less wealthy and genteel members , by those who are reckoned the heads of our congregations . Wbe * ther this reproach attach generally to Unitarians I have no means of

    ascertaining . As far as my experience goes , I have seen a great deal too much of this want of real fellowship among feliowrworshipers . Whether it be the cause or effect of tfe « luitpwarmness of some congregation ^ m the cause of truth I am not quite

    decided ; I should rather suspect it-to be the former , for it seems most probable , that if a set of beings really feel in any degree interested in one another , they will aot be silent on those subjects which are considered of vital importance . Whatever it may he r

    however , it i « an error as perfectly prejudicial to 4 he cause < rf Christiiinityr uUder any form , as can w « tt be c ^> » € eiypcL In rai » sh all we asaett the % ooAmem *> f outr causa wWle ow

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1818, page 303, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2476/page/15/