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    over the minds of men , which , under some circumstances , becomes enormous , and , unless guided by a sense of justice and piety , may be abused to the most debasing and hurtful purposes . In the gradual progress of society towards wisdom and happiness * a few great minds must take the lead . They open paths , along which tbe roulti- , tude follows them . They strike out lights and develop principles which , in tude follows them . They strike out lights and develop principles which , in

    some degree , anticipate the spirit of their age ; and which , gradually penetrating through society , blend themselves with the general mass of opinion and remain the common heritage of mankind , till some new teacher arise to make a fresh advance towards the truth , and to raise another degree the general standard of human virtue and intelligence . In all this there is nothing to deprecate ; here are none of the mischiefs and disorders of sectarianism ; but we recognize the operation of that beneficent law that God has impressed

    on his moral creation by which man is made the chief instrument of good to his fellow-creatures , and is enabled to raise society gradually from one stage of improvement to another . Sectarianism , assumes its most offensive aspect when circumstances have thrown the control of opinions into the hands of ambitious and interested men , or when particular opinions are subjected to oppression and exclusion .

    Though the philosophers of antiquity were distributed into sects , and , on some topics , exhibited considerable sectarian feeling towards each other ; yet , in general , their controversies were not signalized by the bitterness of modern sectarianism , because philosophy afforded but little scope for the acquisition of secular power , and all sects , being placed on the same footing of civil privilege , were more nearly balanced against each other . As soon as ever a mark is put upon certain opinions , and persecution is

    let loose against them , they acquire a forced and artificial value , and draw their advocates into a bond of closer union for the sake of mutual countenance and protection . It becomes a principle of honour iaot to abandon opinions while they are persecuted : from association with the exertions and sacrifices which they have involved , the opinions themselves are

    endeared and consecrated to the mind ; and thus the exercise of private judgment , in some cases , justice and humanity , are merged in the zeal of the partizan . An endowed and privileged church , unless dissent be totally prohibited , is the great mother pf sects , and the indirect cause of the bitterness and narrowness of spirit by which they are too ^ ften characterize ^ An honest man feels it a serious injury to forfeit his social advantages in qonsfcquence of his

    honesty , and the most raqcAr ^ usaf jbissectarian prejudices are . the result of this feeding ; and such degra ^ ti ^ n , while it > contracts tjie views and sours the temper , and gives w $ W inip ^ rtance j . q certain axtislea q £ belief , produces in general great strictness a # d ^ eg dar ^ y of mqraj conduct , and a deep feeling of conviction and sincerity . Me # , of , the most upright min $ s , from the consciousness of a close connexion jn ihejr own

    principles and practice , t and from the want of cleatjy distinguishing between wljiat is essentially good ajad wftat is purely , adventitious , in ,. tbeir principles , come to view with horror every « tevjation from their particular opinions as an implication of moral delinquency , and to confound in indiscriminate partiality truth and enror , T $ a » ott , swid a ^ urclUy . In some cases , such is the force of unbroken association ^ of ideas , the t very deformities and extravagancies of their creed . l ^ cqnie , the objects of tfieir most enthusiastic veneration and attachment , as affording the surest test of their sincerity .

    Turpia declp iiint < ja » cum vltia , aut etiam ipsa h < ec Delectant ; velqti Balbinum Polypus JKagn « .

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    On the Spirit of Sects . 803

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1828, page 803, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2567/page/3/