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    build up * in the human bosom a spul filled with generous ejtcellence , choose irjg < of itself good , and eschewing evil , ' -walking in the light ? © C its own * kindling , and devoting its energies ; to the service and glory of ite Maker * Could we but flatter ourselves , cotild- but our reports truly speak , of * in ** - mgrous instances of this * holy work ^ of daily and * annual progress made therein , by Unitarian . Christianity ^ thertv shoul d we have cause—abundant

    cause—rto rejoice in the present , and hail the approach of the future * But we dare not hope that the kingdom of Christ , is thus advancing under ( Mir ausp ^ eSi The -world around us is lying in wickedness * The home of tiie majority of our readers is surrounded ; by many who are in the gall of bitteri 3 § s % being enslaved to sin ; and yet what healing stream have we * recently set to flow ; what light have we kindled to cleanse and illumine our

    suffering fellow-men ? Our neighbourhoods are incessantly increasing ; the yoilng swarm around us on every side ; those of riper years arise in clouds ; where is there on our part an increase of exertion , an augmentation of moral energy , to meet the growing demand ? Alas ! the general effect of the thickening of the population is to hide from public view the temples devoted to our worship , to hide our candle under a bushel , and to restrict the moral influence which we exert . How long will these things be ?

    Hatffe we arrived at the lowest point of depression ? May a change for the better be expected , ? All things , we iterate , are in onr possession , requisite to exert a most healing and efficient influence oa our fellow-men— -aU but the great mover , the life and soul of action—the will . We can hardly resist pieiuriiag tqf ourselves the delightful effects of a general" effort for thefiirtheranee . o-f * piety and truth * How many homes would resound with notes of j ° y which are now . the abodes of vice and misery ! How many a

    ppispnex ; would leap to lose his chains 4 How many a heart would sing for joy ! HorW many a father , and mothe r * aad wife , and children , wou ^ d taste agarin of happiness I How many who * through fear of death and the oppressio » of erroii , had all their life-time been kept in miserable bondage , would exult in knowing , loiving ^ and serving a Father ! What mists would pass away ftom the eyes ! whafc doubt and harassment from the heart ! and how gratefully would the sounds of the gospel fall on the ear * of those who had all but

    reiiQuncedL-a ; Saviour ^ and a hope of eternity * through the revolting inconsistencies of prevailing errors 1 Independently of all this ^ the very sight of a whole ; community respectable by numbers , character , education , and rank , animated by one great , and powerful emotion , rising in its strength to extend the dominion of truth and goodness , presents on e of the noblest spectacles which iit i& permitted to ^ man to witness * Glad should we be could we hope to se ^ . this visionvrealized- ^^ could we adop t , as descriptive of an approaching scene amongst : our body ,, the sublime language of Milton :

    *\ Methinks Lsee in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself like a stiiong / maja after sleep , and shaking her invincible locks : methinks I seeiiher ; as an eagle nursings her mighty youth and kindling her undazzled eyes , at , the fulL mid * day beam ; purging and unsealing her long-abused sight at the fountain itself of heavenly radiance ; while the whole noise of tiniQious and . flocking birds , with those also who love the twilight , flatter about amassed at . what she means , and- in their envious gabble would prognosticate a year of ; sects and schisms . ''

    Thus . far , respecting the condition in which we iind ourselves ^ is * a body of Christians * . Our view has not ,, it will be obvious ^ been confined to suoH pajcts of Unitarianiam as are , or are thought to be , of a speculative nature ; but chiefly we ; have had in mind the state of our moral influence * on the

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    Unitarianism m a J * ow Condition , - * fFants \ qf "Society . 771

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1829, page 771, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2578/page/27/