Mrs. Lindsey. trusts, as well as private charities, of none. His opinion was, that difhe was never heard either to boast ferences in religious belief, are no of his own exertions, or to depre- just cause either of private enmity ciate the labours of those who co- or public exclusions, and that the operated with him. Not only most essential part of Christianity these trusts, but the dissenting in- is to hold the unity of the spirit terest at large, have sustained, by in the bond of peace. To the lihis death, an irreparable loss. In berality of Mr. Esdaile in this retruth, the loss is not confined to spect, all his friends can bear an dissenters, any more than were ample testimony--and none more his expressions of kindness, and than the writer of this humble trilabours of love. He was not the bute to his memory. furious advocate of a sect. Though firin to the principles, which he had deliberately embraced, he en. We are informed by a respected tertained the most perfect good friend, that there is a trifling error will to men of every denomination, in Mrs. Cappe's Memoir of Mrs. who conscientiously adopted opi- Lindsey. "So far from becomnions the most contrary to his own. ing speechless, the day after she His nature and his creed were was taken ill, (see p. 117) she re. equally remote from that bigotry, tained her speech and her faculties, which converts speculative discus- till Friday afternoon. On Friday sions into a ground of enmity, and morning, she inquired particularly dignifies bitterness of spirit, with and by name after the sick and the name of holy zeal. He readi- poor in her neighbourhood whom ly allowed to others the same pri- she was accustomed to relieve. vilege of judging which he claimed About one in the afternoon, she for himself, and thought the Cath- was seized with a fit, and after olic equally entitled with the that the spoke but little, and very Presbyterian to those civil immu- inarticulately and rambling." nities, which are the right of all or INTELLIGENCE. Letter to the Rev. Dr. Marsh, tunate as to have had an oppor Margaret Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge; occasioned by his Address to the Senate of that University. DEAR SIR, I beg to return my best acknowledgments for the communication of your Address to the Senate of Cambridge; which I the more strongly feel as a mark of your kind attention, as I have not the honour of belonging to that University, and as it is a consider able time since I have been so for tunity of meeting you. You were perhaps not aware that you were sending your Address to a mem her of the British and Foreign. Bible Society; but I accept, as a proof of kindness, your candid and friendly admonition, which affords me an opportunity of justifying myself to you, as a Church, of England man, for contributing my assistance to that institution. I never indeed before thought it necessary to offer any apology for so doing; for though I was aware, before I engaged in the members of this committee, the Society, that it had been repre- Churchmen are equal in number sented as dangerous to the Church, to all the Dissenters of different it appeared to me that this charge had been so completely refuted, that it is with no less surprise than regret that I now learn that you still think it well founded. sects; so that in every question the Church must have a constant majority; and in the general meetings, in which alone all points affecting the constitution of the Society The sole and exclusive object of must be decided, the members of the Bible Society, so far as it re- the Church must have a weight in spects the United Kingdom, is proportion to their numbers and THE CIRCULATION OF THE AU- consequence. In proportion, thereTHORIZED TRANSLATION OF THE fore, as Churchmen of talents, SCRIPTURES, WITHOUT NOTE rank, and influence join the socie OR COMMENT. I should as a ty, this preponderance must inmember of the Church, be very crease. Among the VICE-PREsorry to think that the devout SIDENTS are already numbered study of the SCRIPTURES could one of the ARCHBISHOPS OF IRElead to the disregard of our LI- LAND and FIVE ENGLISH AND TURGY; on the contrary, I should TWO IRISH BISHOPS. I doubt hope that it would produce a whether the SOCIETY FOR PROmore general acknowledginent of MOTING CHRISTIAN KNOW. its excellence, as it originally, at LEDGE, which now, as you observe, the period of the Reformation, enjoys the countenance of the whole led, through the blessing of Divine episcopal bench, was, at so short Providence, to its establishment. a period from its formation, ho THE BIBLE, says Chillingworth, noured with the support of so and THE BIBLE ONLY, IS THE large a body of the prelates; and RELIGION OF ТПЕ PROTES. I should hope the time might not TANT; it is the sole basis of the be far distant when the two socie. CHURCH OF ENGLAND, and the ties may equally flourish under the only one on which you, I am sure, general patronage of them all. would wish to place it. But you This would appear to me the most observe, that you can have no effectual remedy for any supposed guarantee, that as the power of danger from the dissenting influence the Bible Society increases, other in the BIBLE SOCIETY. objects, inimical to the Church, what is the remedy you propose? will not in time be associated with That all Churchmen should the main object. To this I an- withdraw themselves from the Soswer, that so long as the members ciety, and leave it wholly in the of the Church take part in the hands of the DISSENTERS. If Bible Society, its very constitution any thing can make the Society will afford such a guarantee as you dangerous, this must do it; bedesire. The PRESIDENT, and all cause there would then be no the VICE-PRESIDENTS without check to any sectarian spirit which exception, are Churchmen, and might introduce itself, and which are constant members of the ma. must be unavoidably irritated by naging committee, in which they so harsh, and I think so unjust an always preside; and of the other indication of jealousy. But even But if no sentiment of resentment The evils of either alternative should be excited, one of two con- seem to me equally fatal and inesequences must inevitably follow: vitable. I am far from undervalu. either the Society, being deprived of the hope of further support, and crippled by the loss of its pecuniary means, and of many of its most valuable members, would wholly expire, or sink into insig. nificance or else the dissenting interest, making up for these losses by more extensive sacrifices, and an increase of zeal and activity, and availing itself of the assistance of the foreign societies already formed, would carry on the Institution in nearly the same manner as before. In the first case you would have crushed an establishment which has done more for the diffusion of CHRISTIANITY than has been effected in the same space of time in any age since the APOSTOLIC; which has in SEVEN YEARS been the means of preaching the Gospel in FIFTY-FOUR LANGUAGES. This would indeed be putting out one of the eyes of Britain. ing the efforts of the SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. I am an old mem ber of that Society, and am heartily disposed to lend any assistance in my power to its useful plans. But how little, either that, or any other society now existing, would be competent to supply the place of the Bible Society, the experi ence of above a century has shewn. Even supposing (what I think impossible) that it might be made, in some considerable degree, to answer the same purposes, I see superior advantages in the present constitution of the BIBLE SOCIE TY. The co-operation of CHURCH. MEN and DISSENTERS in religious matters, so far as they can conscientiously co-operate, seems to me one of the most efficacious means of lessening both the politi cal and religious evils of dissent. It dispels prejudices, promotes candour and good will, and must prepare the mind for the reception of that truth which every one perceives to be no less the object of those who differ from him than his own. The other alternative would be to transfer to the body of DISSEN. TERS all the honour and influence of whatever has been done, and whatever may be done, by an InFrom such a commustitution, of which the dawn has nication, the Church of England been so glorious, but which is visi- has nothing to fear, and every bly rising into brighter day. Shall thing to hope; as holding (in our it be said that the DISSENTERS judgments at least) that middle ALONE have carried the WORD line of truth in which all opposite OF GOD TO EVERY NATION UN opinions have a natural tendency DER HEAVEN? or shall the to coincide. And is that truth CHURCH OF ENGLAND continue more likely to be acknowledged to claim the leading part in this and embraced by minds embittered important work? And can the by mutual jealousy and aversion, Church of England stand so secure or by such as have been previousupon a narrow and exclusive po. ly softened by conciliation? licy, as BY DESERVING THE BLESSINGS, AND UNITING THE PRAYERS OF ALL PEOPLE, NA- freedom, so long as the mind of TIONS, AND LANGUAGES? man is liable to error; but it is The existence of dissent will perhaps be inseparable from religious not unreasonable to hope that lately on a visit from America to hostility may cease where perfect England. As this letter is on the agreement cannot be established. If we cannot RECONCILE ALL OPINIONS, let us endeavour to UNITE ALL HEARTS. I ought, perhaps, to apologize subject of our own statement, as much as Mr. Grundy's, candour induces us to give it to our readers. We shall first insert as much of the note as is animadverted on by the for troubling you with arguments, letter-writer. It may be proper which must probably have been to premise that we are well-assured already brought before you, as I of our correspondent's correctness know your opinions are not taken in describing his own impressions; up hastily and lightly. But I and it is but justice to Mr. Grundy have thought it necessary to state to state, that he received his insuch as have chiefly induced me formation from "a friend who has to consider my taking a part in been a considerable time resident the concerns of the Bible Society in the United States" ED. not only as consistent with, but as a proof of the sincerity and warmth of my attachment to the Church of England; and which still, on reflection, seem to me to have so much weight, that, far from repenting of what I have done, I feel convinced I shall least of all repent of it as I approach THAT STATE IN WHICH THE DISTINCTION OF CHURCH. AND DISSENTER SHALL MAN BE NO MORE. I am, &c. (Signed) N. VANSITTART. Extract from a Note in Mr. "It may be interesting," [Mr. Grundy is here quoting from his friend's Letter] "to the friends of Unitarianism, to be informed, that the doctrines which they consider as consonant to the genuine principles of Christianity, have already made very considerable progress in the northern and eastern parts of the United States. For several years, these doctrines have been spreading rapidly in the town of Boston; and at present, an open profession of them is made by the most popular and influential among the clergy there.-Nor is this change by any means conUnitarianism in America. fined to the teachers of religion, In our article of intelligence, inasmuch as a gentleman of much under this head, we alluded (p. 57,) talent and very high celebrity in to a note in Mr. Grundy's Ser- America, in speaking on this submon, at Liverpool, (reviewed in ject to the writer of this article, our last number, pp. 107, 108,) said that he did not think there as corroborating the statement of were two persons in Boston who our correspondent. We have since believed in the doctrine of the received from a friend, a letter Trinity. This assertion, though addressed to Mr. Grundy, on the it certainly cannot be intended to subject of the note referred to, by be literally understood, may serve a respectable young clergyman, to shew the great prevalence of Unitarianism; in farther proof of opening of a chapel in Liverpool. It which, it may be well to mention, contains, towards the close, a note, that a very large and expensive respecting the supposed progress of A place of worship, which has been Unitarianism in the northern and recently erected to enforce Calvin- eastern parts of the U. States, istic doctrines, has completely and particularly in Boston. As I failed, and it was expected would am a native of that place, and, be sold to its opponents. An in- excepting a short visit in this telligent bookseller in Boston, has country, have constantly resided republished Griesbach's Greek Tes- there, and from my acquaintance tament, (the first work in that as a student of divinity, with most character which has been printed of its ministers, and attendance in America,) and the Improved upon their preaching, have had Version of the New Testament. the best opportunity of knowing One thousand copies of the former their sentiments, as well as the work were subscribed for by Har- general state of religious opinions vard College-an academic insti- among us, I hope you will pardon, tution, which is deservedly consi- dear Sir, the liberty I am taking, dered as the first in the United of mentioning some misstatements States. The office of President of in your note. The account it gives that college having lately become of the general progress of Unitari. vacant, Dr. Kirkland, a professed anism in America, is certainly in Unitarian, was elected by a great correct. I will first mention a majority of votes. Until very few facts, for which I can answer, recently Unitarianism has been with respect to Boston; and I confined to the town of Boston, but at the last annual meeting of the congregational clergy of the states of Massachusets and Connecticut, it appeared that upwards of 100 ministers, declared themselves converts to the new doctrines. The town of Boston contains (according to the last census) upwards of 33,000 inhabitants. think you will see, that the gentleman, who gave you the informa tion, on which you relied, in his zeal for Unitarianism, has imagined occasions for triumph, which do not exist. We have, in Boston, twenty-one places for public worship. Of these, ten are Congregational or Independant. But there are also two Episcopalian, in which the service of the Church of England is read, with no other alterations, than those, which are adapted to the different state of the country. Of course, all the Trinitarian doxologies, the addresses of the Litany, &c. are used. Letter to the Rev. Mr. Grundy, of One of the clergymen is an high "Out of nine congregational ministers in this town," says another friend, "eight are either Arians or Humanitarians. Nothing like Calvinism is to be heard."pp. 26, 27. Manchester. - London, Feb. 20, 1812. REV. & DEAR SIR, Mr. was kind enough to lend me a sermon, which you delivered a short time since, at the churchman; and I believe I am correct in saying, that both are de cided Trinitarians. There are also three Baptist churches, the ministers of which, and their leading hearers are Calvinists, and Cal |