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Bull Inn in this city. It was most numerously attended. Robert Owen, Esq. of New Lanark, was in the chair. The whole room exhibited an assemblage, which was a fair specimen of the feelings of the respectable citizens of Glasgow, to this benevolent traveller, and of their zeal in the cause to which he is devoted Previous to the dinner, a general meeting was held, to hear several resolutions read, and to pass some additional ones.

good impression of the plan, to the parents of the children He was as well received, and as well attended to, as could be wished; and some of the statements he gave made the good old King shine in the eyes of his subjects, as the patron of education and friend of the poor. The instant the lecture was over, he set off by the mail to Edinburgh, in order to make his arrangements in person, for a lecture there, and found a general meet.ng of the committee of the Lancasterian school in that place, The gentlemen belonging to the had appointed a public dinner at Oman's school in the Gorbals, had submitted hotel, to welcome his arrival. Here a proposition, for uniting the schools he was received with an urbanity and under one committee, and making them attent on, which we hope will always one concern This harmonious propo continue to do honour to the magis. sition was brought forward and adopted trates, clergy and gentry of that city, as with delight. The Lancasterian schools well as to the enlightened head and in this city are now united and as we members of its liberal university. They are not a divided people, our fellowpaid the highest honours to his Royal citizens will not fail to be pleased with Highness the Duke of Kent, for the this concentration of energies, and unity example he had set to the army, in in- of interests. troducing the Lancasterian system into the Scots Royals, near three years ago, with unrivalled success and economy; an example, as well known to all the Royal Family, as it is to this nation; where such benevolence in a prince will never fail to meet the most cheering reception from an affectionate and loyal people. Having completed his arrange ments for lecturing in Edinburgh, he again returned hither, to lecture in the theatre, where he again met a cheerful auditory, who gave him a most hearty welcome.

The master of the Calton school appeared on the stage, with a detachment of fine little fellows, who illustrated part of the plan by their evolutions. The lad who attended them and gave the commands, is one of Mr. Lancaster's apprentices from London, an orphan, who has been five years with Mr. Lan caster, and, though only fourteen years of age, has organized several schools on his system, and contributed most materially to their success-and whose services in the Calton school will not soon be forgotten. The lecture was received with marked attention and approbation, and though the recent fatiges of Mr. Lancaster, at one time seemed to overpower him, yet he resumed, and went on, with unbroken spirit, to the end of a long and very interesting lecture.

Wednesday, a public dinner was given in the great room of the Black

A proposition for the extension of the views of the society beyond Glasgow, was also agreed to, and now it becomes-"The Glasgow and West of Scotland Lancasterian School Society."

Its purposes are, by a distinct fund, to promote the spread of the system over the districts, wherever there may be a disposition to receive it: to carry its energies and benefits, by the operation of a general fund, home to the doors of those who otherwise might desire its benefits, and feel the need of them, in vain; not to innovate upon our truly respectable establishments, but to add to their energies; considering their constitution as sacred, but willing to render service to all populous places where there are not adequate means of education adapted to the number of people; and to render every service to existing institutions, which they may be prepared, and their conductors may be disposed to receive: and this from a fund which will certainly afford the means of accomplishing a great good at the smallest expense.

The good the Committee will be enabled to do will be practical, and by means of persons well experienced in the plan. We are happy, that the Calton School is already in so flourishing a state, as to promise high perfection in a short time, and afford a good model of the system. Nor must we forget the merits of a schoolmaster in another school of the Society's, where much

good is done, but under very disadvan- amends, a Jew had been as forward in tageous circumstances, from bad accommodations. We hope this inconvenience will soon be removed, by the erection of a new School house, which has long been in contemplation, and which now appears in a fair train for accomplishment. The harmony and energy among Lancasterian Schools in this city are an happy bond of brotherhood; and the prospect of the education of every child in it, and of the extension of the same bene ts to every district where there may be a disposit on to welcome them, if found necessary, is indeed one of those heart-animating prospects, on which the mind cannot but dwell with delight. We are pleased to see, that, in the resolutions, the patrons of Mr. Lancaster and his system are not forgotten; and we are persuaded the country at large, will unite in honouring those royal and noble names who have evinced their patriotism, in patronizing a system, which will bring the light of knowledge (the handma id of the Christian religion, and the blessings of the Bible, into the dwelling of every humble cottager in the empire

gratitude as they had been remiss The sentiments of that liberal and enlightened Jew he would now recite-but he must first observe, that the Royal Highlanders, the Marquis of Huntley's regiment, were had in high honour in the country from which he had just come, Ireland. During the rebellion in that country, the sold ery were allowed to live at free quarters; and, under martial law, rapine and violence might hold their lawless sway: but those enlightened, educated soldiers had the Bible in their hearts and knowledge in their heads; the power of violence was restrained by the force of principle, associated with knowledge and they would not even take a drink of butter-misk without paying for it. If war had put a sword into the hands of these brave fellows, knowledge had put a shield, and with thạt the oppressions of civil war had been restrained, and the head of the wretched and forlorn man protected from the iron hand of violence. He then recited the verses.

We have had the pleasure of mentionsing the disner and its respectable attendance-We now report, with equal satisfaction, some of the occurrences of the evening.

When the Chairmen gave the health of the Duke of Kent, Mr. Lancaster made a statement, not as acknowledging any toast, (which the strictness of the religions opinions of the Society of Frends, to which he belongs, forbids on any case,) but by way of information.

He stated, that the King himself, attended by his consort and princesses, among whom was the amiable Amelia!) introduced him to the Duke of Kent, who joined a subscription set forward by his royal father. That the Duke then visited his scholars, not in the state of a prince of the blood, but as a private gentleman, to acquaint himself with the merits of the plan, by minute enquiry and personal inspection. That he then introduced it into the Royals, and this near three years ago, as an example to all the regiments of the line. He had educated near 1,000 children and young soldiers in that regiment. And yet, though he had this exalted merit, there were some, who called themselves Christians, who would not give him the hon our which was his due: but to make

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The Despot's rule must be o'er darken'd

men

The tyger's home, the darkness of a den;

But where true FREEDOM lives, no fear she knows,

To make man learn the blessing she bestows.

The enlighten'd KENT, excited at her shrine,

Spreads quick instruction through each
martial line;

That every soldier, civiliz'd and free,
May nobly shield our land of liberty.

(Universal approbation.)

The Chairman, in concluding his address, stated, that it was not consistent with the principles of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, to join in toasts; and therefore he proposed that the company should express their gratitude to Mr. Lancaster by acclamation, instead of the customary compliment of drinking his health, which was done loudly and standing. Mr. Lancaster, evidently under a strong grateful feeling of sensibility, rose to make his acknowledgment.

He observed, that members of his religious society were tenacious of their principles, for the sake of integrity in religion, and regard to youth. On many occasions, it was hard for them to shut themselves out from meetings conducive

thurst preached from Acts x, 34, 35. Mr J Grundy preached to a nunerous audience in the evening. An arrengement was formed by some of the ministers present, for supplying Congleton for a limited time. The numbe. of gentlemen who dined with the ministers, amounted to more than forty. W. J.

Unitarian Fund.

We have the pleasure of reporting the Annual Meeting of the above society, which took place on Wednesday, the 20th instant. In no particular did it fall in pleasantness, and, it is hoped, in usefulness, below the preceding anniversaries; in some, it exceeded them all; but as we have been so full in our account of the meeting in former years we shall content ourselves with a brief account.

to the purposes of universal benevolence: R. Davis; at which fifteen ministers many of them might be unused to pub- were present. Mr. William Johns introlic speaking, and find it difficult to ex- duced the service, and Mr Robert Smeplain why they acknowledged the civility, and abstained from acknowledging the compliment with which it was so associated. They never imposed their principles upon others, and were very thankful for the enjoyment of them to themselves. It was truly relieving to his mind, to have this social mark of kind attention offered in a way which was so unexceptionable. He could return his grateful acknowledgments for the kindness shewn him, without explanation: and he would conclude with repeating the gratifying relief it afforded to his mind. Engaged in a public pursuit, public company was often a duty; but this marked attention to the religious scruples of the society of which he was a member, was to him the highest indulgence he had ever met with; and he was highly gratified that this indulgence should have been shewn among an educated people, where knowledge had long taken root, and produced the action and re-action of cultivated intellect, to improve its own powers. The relief to his mind was inexpressible. He hoped that public urbanity would remember the example. He believed the friends of his own society would feel the attention so paid to the free exercise of their religious freedom, even in what might be considered a minutia, as very gratifying; for his own part, he should feel a great pleasure, when going into public assemblies, to be able to come in, as a citizen of the world, as a friend of that cause which was so dear to the present company, without having to explain the reason of the peculiarities of his religious scruples and practices. He was truly obliged by the honour done him; and still more by the kind condescension apparent in the manner of doing it, for which he returned his thanks.

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The religious services of the day were conducted as usual in the chapel, Parliament Court, Artillery Lane, Bishopsgate Street. The Rev. T. Madge, of Norwich, introduced divine worship by prayer and reading the d. chap. of the Acts of the Apostles: the 2d prayer was offered up by the Rev. E. Butcher, of Sidmouth: and the Rev. W. Severn, of Hull, preached the Sermon from 2 Cor. ii. 17. For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. The preacher made some very judicrous observations upon the word of God, distinguishing between the word of God and the history of it, and also upon the several ways by which the word of God is corrupted, a by mngling with it subile speculations and unauthorised dogmas, ond by ot laying due stress upon its plain doctrines and moral precepts. He next pointed out the course which it behoves the professors, and particularly the preachers of the gospel, to pursue in relation to their religious duties, shewing how the Apos tles and primitive Christians Christ, and how the same character may belong to modern Christians. Here he was led to consider the present state of Unitarianism, and the exertions of Unitarians, confining himself particularly to the society before him. He pointed out several circumstances in the times favourable to Unitarian efforts, and amongst

ere in

them the detachment of men's minds from the habiliments, buildings, and ceremonies, &c. of the established reIgion, by means of the popular sects, whom he consider d as the forerunners of the preachers of the unadulterated gospel, and of whom he predicted, that as they acquired more knowledge they would be more disposed to free inquiry, more candid, and more likely to embrace the truth as it is in Jesus. The whole was concluded by an earnest and pathetic invocation of the blessing of heaven.

The congregation was numerous, and a large proportion of i stayed to hear the l'eport of the Committee.

In the meeting of the society for business, Thomas Hardy, Esq. of Wal

worth was in the chair.

The Treasurer made his report of the state of the inances, by which it appeared that the expenditure of the last year had considerably exceeded the income, owing to the several extended missions undertaken during this period: the balance in the Treasurers hands, and the property vested in Exchequer bills, amounts, we are sorry to say, to little more than 40%. though we are better pleased that the funds should be now emploved, as far as the occasion calls for them, than that they should be treasured up for future emergencies which may never arise or which may find the society less di posed to active exertion.

The following gentlemen were chosen into office for the year ensuing ; viz.

The Report of the Committee was next read, embracing a great variety of topics, in occup.ed an hour and a half in the reading. As we shall probably be favoured in an early number with the substance of it, we shall not now attempt an abridgment. It was received by the meeting, and ordered to be published at the discretion of the Committee. One of the principal features of it was the history of the rise of the Unitarian congregation at Reading, and the society resolved that they cordially approved the proceedings of the Committee in this particular, and that they would second, according to their ability, the exertions of their brethren in that place. They also voted the sum of Twenty Pounds towards the Unitarian church now erecting at Glasgow. It was further resolved that every gentleman preaching the annual sermon should be, in virtue of his services, an honorary member of the society; this rule to be retrospective.

John Christie, Esq.

Treasurer.
Rev Robert Aspland, Secretary.
Mr. George Cooper,
David Eaton,
John Grice,
William Hall,
Samuel Hart,

Robert Stevens,
Rev. William Vidler,
William Frend, Esq.
Lawrence Rowe, Esq. S

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Committee.

Auditors.

The thanks of the society were voted to the Rev. W. Severn for his sermon; to the Rev. E. Butcher, the and the other missionaries; and to the preacher elect; to the Rev, R. Wright several gentlemen who had served in office the past year. A vote of thanks also passed to the Rev. T. Rees, for the assistance which he has uniformly rendered the Secretary, in conducting the Welsh correspondence. The proceedings of the meeting were marked by unanimity, and closed about four o'clock by resolutions thanking the chairman, and the minister and maand their friends then adjourned to nagers of the chapel. The subscribers the London Tavern, to a dinner provided by the stewards and committee, on the usual economical plan.

At the dinner, a larger company was assembled than on any preceding occasion. Preparation had been made for 250 persons in the great room; but the influx of visitors was so great that it was found necessary to lay a table in an adjoining room; the guests here afterwards joined the larger party, making the company to consist of upwards of two hundred and seventy and activity of the stewards were all persons, who by the arrangements comfortably accommodated.

into the chair, which he had filled at
John Towill Rutt, Esq. was chosen
the first annual dinner, and which he
had on this occasion been solicited by
the Committee to occupy again. To
him the meeting was indebted for its
spirit and barmony, and useful bear-
ing upon the objects of the society.

timents delivered from the chair.
The following were some of the sen-

ed, that every child in the British empire
The King; may his wish be accomplish-
should be enabled to read the Bible. This
was prefaced by the remark that in

the present circumstances of the personage referred to, it would have been perhaps most respectful to him to have forborne introducing his name into public; unless indeed the King's patronage of Joseph Lancaster had conferred upon him such an honour. able distinction as no adversity could render worthless.

The cause of civil and religious liberty all the world over

The Unitarian Fund.

May the wisdom of the legislature no longer suffer the Toleration Act to be "abominably intolerant.' This was introduced with an explanation of the wording of it: the phrase within commas was stated to have been used by Lord Sidmouth, in his speech on the rejection of his celebrated aud unfor. tunate (though perhaps not ill-intend. ed) bill; and it was understood that the phrase had been privately explained by the noble speaker in reference to the Unitarians. Some ju. dicious and impressive observations were made on the general subject of the Toleration Act, and of religious liberty.

The Rev. W. Severn, the preacher, who returned thanks in a very animated strain.

The Missionaries of the Unitarian Fund: may they go forth bearing precious seed, and the harvest be abundant. On this, Messrs. Wright and Bennett addressed the company.

The memory of Priestley, Lindsey and Wakefield. This toast, received with silence by the company, was prefaced by some feeling observations. The chairman repeated one remark made by Mr. Sturch (who now sat on his left hand) when he filled the same chair; namely, that we ought rather to rejoice that such men lived, than to lament that they died.

The Rev. Mr. Lyons, and the Unitarian cause in Scotland. Mr. L. stated, in returning thanks, which he did with much warmth of feeling, that he considered the Society's the most honourable and important work to which the powers of the human mind could possibly be directed, that he gloried in the object of the institution, which was no other than the promotion of human happiness; and that he felt a growing conviction that this object was practicable and attainable by the means within our reach, This speech

was heard with marked attention by the meeting.

The Treasurer, John Christie, Esq. who gave a very interesting representation of the plan and objects of the institution, followed by an urgent recommendation of its support.

Mr. Frend, and the Unitarian Academy; which gave occasion to Mr. F. to explain the plan and present state of this institution. The names of several subscribers were in consequence given to the T.easurer of the Fund, who is also Treasurer of the Academy*.

Mr. Severn next proposed the following, after some pertinent and interesting introductory observations: The Unitarians of Transylvania, and a speedy communication between them and their British brethren. In giving it, the chairman stated that he believed the intercourse which was deemed so de. sirable was about to be opened, through a channel lately discovered.

We can add only the names of the gentlemen, in order, who afterwards addressed the meeting: Mr. Hardy, who proposed to the chair, Success to the Monthly Repository: the Secretary, on his health being given the Rev. W. Vidler, whose name was given, in connection with a wish for the prosperity of the cause at Reading: the Rev. E Butcher, the preacher elect: Mr. Eaton, for the Committee: Mr. Sturch, on proposing the health of the Chairman, which was received with unusual demonstrations of respect: Mr. Thomas Foster, in connection with the book societies: the Rev. T. Rees, as Secretary of the Christian Tract Society, and Mr. Hennell, on be..alf of the Stewards.

As the company was more numerous than on any former occasion, so it contained, we are happy to say, a greater number than we had before seen of country ministers and bre thren.

We have but one remark to make in concluding our brief report; aamely, that the pleasantness of the meeting is a pledge of its utility, and that the growing interest which the successive

A general meeting of the subscribers and Friends to the Unitarian Academy was held, agreeably to advertisement, the next day: the result of the meeting will, we expect, soon appear on our pages.

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