Unitarians in Transylvania. 305 Secondarily, that the said Champ- damps and putrefaction; pale, nees with all speed convenient, torpid, spiritless and helpless; and with all his diligence, procure and were at last whelmed in pits, as many of his books as are past without notice and without re Yet from a very forth in his name, to be called in membrance. again and utterly destroyed, as unfeeling passage in Latimer's 4th Next sermon, preached before King Ed much as in him shatt lie." appears their Christian method of ward VI. it may be inferred that restoring a brother in the spirit of even the executions were not few. He says, "the Anabaptists that meekness. "Thirdly, that the said Champnees, on Sunday next, were burnt here, in many towns shall attend at Paul's cross upon in England, as I heard of credible the preacher, all the time of the men, I saw them not myself, went we will say, sermon, and there penitently stand to their death, as before the preacher aforesaid with without any fear in the world, a faggot on his shoulder." (Con. cil. Mag. Brit. iv. 39). cheerfully. Well, let them go." Latimer then compares them to "another kind of poisoned heretics, called Donatists," who "went to their execution, as though they should have gone to some jolly recreation or banquet, to some belly cheer, or to a play." Latimer's Sermons, 1758, ii. 140. We are now arrived again at the year 1549, where I find contemporary with the commission for Protestant persecution, a session of Parliament ending with "an act of grace and general pardon," excepting those who said "that The records preserved of prose infants were not to be baptized, and if they were baptized, that cutions and sentences under this they ought to be rebaptized when commission are, however, very they come to lawful age-that scanty, yet considering the imChrist took no bodily substance of pending fate of the principal comour blessed lady." Strype, from missioners themselves, and their whom I quote this passage (Ec. zeal for God, though not accord. Those ing to knowledge, we may consiMem. ii. 189) adds, who held these tenets were those der them as strikingly exhibiting, called Anabaptists, whereof seve- according to Shakespeare, ral were now in prison." These prisoners must have been confined to await the sentence of the so often mentioned commission. The names and stories of very few of them have been preserved, though they were probably numerous. For the well-known passage of Johnson on war may, with a slight alteration of terms, be applied to persecution. "Of the thousands and tens of thousands that perished, a very small part ever felt the stroke of an executioner. The rest languished in dungeons, amidst 2 R Man! proud man, I have pursued a more circuit. ous course than I expected, and must again propose in another letter to conclude the sketch of Protestant persecution in England during the reign of Edward. R. G. S. Unitarians in Transylvania. I lament that the inquiries of some account of the Unitarians in perhaps a translation of it, or at Transylvania; though I confess I least of the substance of the infor am not surprised at the silence of mation relating to Unitarians, your correspondents; for where would be acceptable on your nothing is known there is nothing pages. JUVENIS. to tell. I suspect that the author of "The Religious World display. ed," was himself acquainted with Professor Markos's book only at second hand, and even that is higher authority for a quotation, than I fear most of our sectogra. phers are able to produce. Mr, Matthews on the new Unita- SIR, Having read and considered the circular letter, containing "The Resolutions of the Friends of the In Maty's New Review for the Unitarian cause, and the plan of year 1783 (Vol. IV. p, 477), I the new Unitarian Academy," I find a brief account of the follow. would beg leave to offer a few re ing work: Transilvania, sive marks thereon, through the me magnus Transilvaniæ principatus dium of the Monthly Repository. olin Dacia Mediterranea dictus, The reasons assigned for attemptorbi nondum satis cognitus. Nunc ing such an establishment, I premultifariam ac strictim illustratus. sume will be generally approved, Auctore Josepho Benko, Transil- and the object deemed highly vano-Siculo, &c. Tom. 2. 8vo. worthy of encouragement. The Vindobinæ, 1778." commencement of the subscription 66 "The account of Unitarians," is auspicious, and we may hope says Maty, takes up from P. the result of due endeavours to 215 to p. 229 of vol. 2. We have extend it will be-complete success. here a short abridgment of their But the accomplishments, and history, their confession of faith, the public benefit, may not be and their church government. In so speedy in their arrival as we the year 1776, their numbers could wish. In the mean time, were 28,697, and their churches it concerns the friends of the Uni117." tarian cause, to be doing all they This assessment gives upwards can for its advancement, if they of 253 persons to a congregation; believe, as I trust they do, that it according to which rate, Professor is the reviving, growing cause of Markos represents them as up- primitive Christianity. The scripwards of 40,000 in number in tural admonition to believers for 1787 an increase of more than 11,000 in eleven years. merly was, that they should be "diligent in business, fervent in "There is a supplement to the spirit, serving the Lord" and work," adds Maty, "which con- though some professed believers in tains some curious things about our days are prone to call in questhe Unitarians, particularly with tion any good effects of Unitarian respect to their coming into Tran- fervency, or religious exertion, sylvania, taken from a manuscript yet is this no good reason why its tract, entitled, Notanda quædam advocates should be discouraged, de fratribus e Polonia exulibus." or why they should not be zealous If this work could be procured, in promoting the practice of Uni tarian worship, as the Lord's ser a brotherly and Christian work, and their genuine import prized. From the printed address above alluded to, it appears that many of the societies, in different places, "both of those that have existed for a long period, and of those that have newly sprung up, have been kept together only by the occasional services of ministers in have lost their their neighbourhood, or by the The public mind has zeal and activity of individuals, not ministers, among themselves, largely revolted from the darkness who have officiated in reading the and imposition of former times, scriptures and carrying on Divine and has a strong bias towards ra. Worship." This part of the state- tional simplicity and scripture ment, I cannot but deem so im- truth. The large increase of po. portant as to require very particu- pulation seems to have been at. lar notice. From such examples tended with a proportionate inof usefulness, due encouragement crease of knowledge, and a love of should be drawn: such auspicious Christian, not of licentious free. beginnings may well be expected dom. This complexion of our to become influential and happy. times is manifest in various ways, Nor can I think that the present and especially in the secession of. ministers and superintendants of multitudes from the national Nor is the anxiety of Unitarian affairs, in London, could church. be better employed than in pro- many of the beneficed teachers of moting an extension of such reli- that church, lest their supremacy gious offices, where regular minis. should be gradually lost, the least Serious, remarkable proof of the salutary ters are not settled. sensible, and benevolent men, of effects of free inquiry. In such the same faith, are not uncommon in towns and districts where no settled minister resides. To admonish and excite such brethren to the best use of their faculties, and religious dispositions, must be times we have cause to hope that "the corruptions of Christianity," in Trinitarian worship especially, may be happily lessened, and the genuine truth and simplicity of primitive Christianity become re deemed. This great and most those of ability to become instra. desirable change this renovation ments in carrying on Unitarian of holy scriptural religion, will, worship, the avowed worship of doubtless, sooner or later, take One Eternal God, agreeably to place, after a long and dark night the doctrines of his blessed Son, of apostacy. But means, under our appointed High. Priest, ComProvidence, must be used: and mon Lord and Saviour. The what means can be supposed more simplicity of Unitarian principles suitable than endeavours to bring and worship, requires not the aid into active usefulness, on an ex- of robes, lofty pulpits, and splen tensive scale, among the sober and did houses, as essential in social well-informed commonalty, the devotion. Where, consistently powers and energies of the human with numbers and means, plain mind? Among men prepared to and commodious buildings may Jay aside the weight and burden of be erected, they are desirable, and ecclesiastical prejudice and do. minion, which neither they, nor many of their fathers, have been able to bear. will of course by degrees be prepared; but where those means are wanting, and the number of brethren small, a decent room, or That the national church is in part of a building, may be approdanger, has often been said, and priated and licensed for the sacred echoed by interested churchmen, use; or, in some instances, a fain this country, but never with mily sitting room may be well emmore alarm than now. This is ployed, for social worship. If notorious. The professed cham- conveniencies serve, it may be a pions of the church may continue Christian office to invite any of the to complain; but the influencing neighbours to attend and be witmotives are obvious; and com- nesses of the order, and partakers plaint from such men is natural. of the benefits, of such serious emBut while sincere Unitarians have ployments. To this end the preno particular views of overturning vious distribution of small and any church, merely as such, and pious Unitarian tracts may be are purely concerned for the in- an excellent preparative. A plain terests of truth, and the personal moveable desk, purposely conimprovement of their fellow-men, structed for the use of the officiat they must leave the event to Pro- ing brother should be provided, vidence, which works by his own and when used decently covered; instrumental means; and the end suitable seats or chairs may be of his working they are sure will easily had. Let all things be done be right. This is their ground of decently and in order. procedure and of trust. The main article of religious With such views, and on such exercise will of course be the soprinciples, I would recommend to lemn reading of portions of sacred the Unitarian committee or board, scripture, both in the Old and New in London, the issuing of brother. Testaments; those portions will ly admonitions to their fellow. doubtless be preferred which treat professors, in districts throughout of social and religious duties, and the country, where stated minis- devotional godliness. Other de tes are not settled, exhorting votional books (there being many which are rational, pious, and be pleasing and profitable to refresh well-known) the committee may their memories and feelings, and advantageously recommend a se to partake with others of what they lection of. In the mean time the had before approved as excellent. good sense, discretion, and expe. If the understanding be well-in rience of the parties using such formed, and good affections excit helps, may be relied on as suffici ed and strengthened by public ent to determine their choice, ac hearing, the main end of preaching cording to their peculiar circum. is answered: and by the use of stances. It can hardly be neces- correct and animated compositions sary to add that the most clear and respecting those truths which never solemn principles of Unitarian change, a great point may be sefaith should be conspicuous in cured, i. e. the prevention of weak every work that is used, whether and incongruous addresses, which in the department of doctrine, though delivered extemporaneously prayer, or psalmody. It may from the best motives, may some. Sometimes happen that a serious times prove worse than unprofita. brother, officiating for the general ble. edification, may be so gifted (for Among the names which now there are gifts both by nature and occur to me, for selection of disgrace, independent of human courses, I will mention the followlearning) as to address a small ing, viz. The doctors Lardner, congregation profitably, without Samuel Clark, Foster, Price, Jebb, reading, and if so such a service Priestley, Toulmin, Rees, Carpen 3. may be most acceptable. But in ter; and of untitled brethren, general, it is probable that a solemn Abernethy, Bourne, Lindsey, public reading of a printed reli- Kentish, Fawcett, Jardine, &c. agious discourse, may be more commonly useful. Of such discourses there exist a great abunLidance, from the hearts and pens of many learned and pious Unitarian ministers men whose works, though their authors are dead, yet speak and speak excellent truths. Others yet live, and live worthy of the works they have sent forth, correspondents. Many of those invaluable volumes of discourses, though familiar to more general readers, may be new to the greater part of such country congregations, whose members bo but for such opportunities of hearยา ing, might never know of the ex. Iistence of such religious instruc. 15 Aions. To those whose reading may have extended to all the works which may be selected for Tushe purpose in view, it must ever Others might be pointed out, perhaps to equal advantage, and which must be well known to the London committee. From the whole mass of excellence a sufficient variety might be easily selected, and sent, either as presents, or at reduced prices, where the cost was an object with country But it would generally happen that money for such purchases would be readily paid, by those who were sincere in the cause. The success of this plan of instruction and edification may depend, in a considerable degree, on the diligence and qualifications, natural and acquired, of those members who mostly officiated. I say mostly, because it seems desirable that public reading should |