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THE

Christian Reformer.

No. CXXXV.]·

MARCH, 1826.

[Vol. XII.

Letters from the Rev. R. Wright to the Unitarians in the North-east District.

LETTER I.

Trowbridge, March 9, 1826.

[THIS district includes the northern parts of Cambridgeshire, the western parts of Norfolk, and the greater part of Lincolnshire.]

MY CHRISTIAN Brethren,

Among you I had the pleasure of spending some of the most active years of my life in a work which I deemed and still deem most highly important, and which, through the Divine blessing, was attended with considerable success; and we went on together, with mutual affection and persevering exertions, in what we believed to be the cause of God and Truth, until, in the course of Divine Providence, I was removed to a distance from you, and at length fixed as a minister in another part of the kingdom. As increasing years and growing infirmities rendered it necessary for me to withdraw myself from the extended labours in which, for some years, I had the happiness of being engaged, so God, in his providence, opened a way for me to be employed in the same great work, in a more limited sphere, in a part of our Lord's vineyard remote from your district, which prevents my having that frequent intercourse with you, and giving that attention to the good cause among you, and to the prosperity of your churches, and your edification as individuals, which, were it practicable, would be gratifying to me. At what distance soever from you, and how seldom soever I have the opportunity of seeing any of you, the concern I feel for the success of the pure gospel and the spread and increase of true and genuine Christianity among you, is as deep and ardent as when I was labouring in your district and daily instructing you in the way of life. I cannot hear of the cause languishing in any of your churches, of any troubles existing among you, of any thing taking place to prevent your edification and prosperity, or of any of you falling from your

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steadfastness or becoming lukewarm and indifferent, without being sensibly affected and feeling much pain. On such occasions I cannot help regretting that distance deprives me of the opportunity of attempting to advise, strengthen and encourage you, or of warning and admonishing, or of comforting you, or of stirring you up to more zeal, as the case might require; of which it is difficult for me, being at a distance, accurately to judge. This concern which I feel for you, and for the success of that cause in which for so many years we united our exertions, for which we laboured and suffered reproach, has determined ine to address a few short letters to you through the medium of the Christian Reformer. I adopt this method that my friends in all parts of your district may have opportu nity of reading them, which could not well be the case, if they were merely written and sent to some particular place; besides, I hope what I write may be useful to Unitarians in some other parts of the country, though more particularly suited to those in your District.

My object in writing is, as an apostle once said, to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance; to excite you to steadfastness and perseverance in your holy profession, and to an increase of Christian zeal; to warn you of the evils and dangers to which you are exposed; and to encourage, strengthen and comfort you, under any difficulties and discouragements you may experience. I am persuaded that you, my brethren, are too well acquainted with the sincerity of my love to you all, and satisfied of the interest I feel in your prosperity and everlasting welfare, to render any apology necessary for my thus addressing you, and for my doing it with much plainness of speech. I can appeal to you all, that during the years I spent among you, I sought not yours but you; that I was ever ready to spend and be spent in your service; that your edification and the success of the cause among you were the objects 1 continually pursued; and now, while absent from you, I would recall to your remembrance the instructions, warnings and exhortations which I often gave you, and entreat you to keep in view the example of persevering zeal and unwearied exertion in the cause of God and Truth which I left you. Whether we ever meet again in this world or not, we must meet before the judgment-seat of Christ. O! that we may then meet with joy, and that I may have to rejoice in you at that day!

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Let me remind you of the days that are past, when we took sweet counsel together and went to the house of God in company; when we had to strive together for the faith of the gospel, to escape from ignorance and error, to free ourselves from the fetters of prejudice and human tradition, and to attain clear and consistent views of the truth as it is in Jesus; when we had to encounter the most formidable difficulties, were exposed to the grossest misrepresentations and the most bitter reproaches, and seemed to stand almost alone in maintaining what were called our new and strange doctrines, being disowned by our former religious connexions, and having, at that time, found scarcely any new ones: yet even then you were not afraid to follow truth on account of its unpopularity, to profess what you believed, and to adhere to a cause which those around you generally despised; you shrank not from difficulties, you persevered in the search after truth, and, as you discovered it, gave it May the same ardent love of truth, and zeal in its cause, your countenance and support. the same firmness in the midst of difficulties, and determined perseverance in promoting what you believe to be pure and genuine Christianity, ever abide with you. Suffer not your zeal to cool, nor your exertions to be diminished. Let the recollection of former times, of the ardour you then felt in searching after truth, of the pleasure you felt in the discovery of it, of the firmness with which you stood against the opposition you then met with, and of the exertions you then made, revive the same feelings in your breasts and reanimate you in the glorious cause in which you are engaged. If you be weary of well-doing, suffer your zeal to die, and fall from your steadfastness, what reward can you expect? You will lose all your former labour, and forfeit the crown of righteousness which the Lord hath promised to his faithful servants. this may not be the case with any of you; but that you I pray that may hold fast the beginning of your confidence and the rejoicing of hope firm unto the end, always abounding in every good work.

More than thirty years have elapsed since I fixed my residence and began my labours in your district. At that time, though on the whole an Unitarian, my views on many points of doctrine were not completely arranged and fixed; I had still much to do in informing myself and digesting my thoughts on various subjects, and for several

years I knew not of a single Unitarian, either in the town where I was minister or in any part of the district. I had to bring before you, in all the places to which I extended my labours, doctrines which were to you new, and whichr you had been taught to regard with abhorrence, as dangerous and damnable. This was done gradually, but with openness and perseverance. You heard me with candour and serious attention; you opposed what you thought erroneous, until, by evidence and argument, convinced of its truth; and held fast what you had been taught to regard as truth until brought to perceive its repugnancy to the Scriptures. The conflict we had to go through can best be judged of by those who have had their whole religious system to change, in the midst of a variety of difficulties and continual opposition. At length we so far succeeded in our inquiries and struggles after truth, that Unitarian Christianity, both in doctrine and in worship, seemed firmly established in different parts of the district, and the seeds of it pretty widely scattered: not only were many individuals brought to avow it, but whole congregations; so that Unitarian worship was regularly conducted in different places, and a numerous and respectable association was formed several years before my removal from you.

It is with peculiar interest that I review the time and circumstances to which I have referred, and I am anxious to revive in your minds the devout ardour, mutual affection and holy zeal I have heard you formerly express, and to stir you up to renewed exertions in the great canse in which I have seen you take so lively an interest.

I am, my Christian Brethren, most truly and affectionately, yours, &c.

R. WRIGHT.

Singular Tribute to the Memory of Dr. Priestley. CERTAIN Occurrences, now and then, would almost make us doubt whether the world is making progress in truth and liberty; but there turn up facts occasionally which will allow us to doubt no longer, and bring home to our breasts the delightful assurance, that the efforts of the labourers and sufferers in the cause of mankind have not been in vain, that the standard of the human mind is rising, that prejudice and bigotry are gradually sinking away, and that whatever names of error and offence may

remain, the spirit of truth, the spirit of goodness, the Holy Spirit (for it is the Spirit of God) is predominant amongst

us.

We are led to this remark by what took place at Birmingham in October last. At an annual dinner given by the Low Bailiff, persons of all parties usually assemble. On this occasion, there was, we understand, a more than ordinary mixture of creeds and worships. In such a company, an aged clergyman, Mr. BURN, who had been an eager and fierce opponent of Dr. PRIESTLEY, just before the memorable Riots, took the opportunity of recanting his own prejudices and of shewing respect to the memory of the long-deceased Patriot, Philosopher and Christian Reformer. The key-note of charity was struck, and the chords of Christian benevolence vibrated in harmony throughout every heart.

The following report of the proceedings is from "The Birmingham Journal," a paper lately established in that town, avowedly supporting High-Church principles, but conducted with much impartiality and ability. On the toast being given, The Established Clergy of this town and neighbourhood,

The Rev. Mr. BURN said, it devolved upon him to acknowledge the honour they had done the clergy of the town, and himself, by the manner in which the last toast had been received. He felt with peculiar pleasure, after a residence of forty years in Birmingham, the manner in which he had the satisfaction and happiness of meeting that day persons of all opinions on the terms of cordiality. They had seen other days, when discord and disunion stalked abroad; but those times, he hoped, had now gone by for ever. The clergy were instructed in the school of the Constitution and of that Christianity which they taught. In the school of the Constitution they learnt to do what they considered right themselves, and leave others to act according to their own opinion. In that of Christianity, they were taught that that man who was acting in accordance with the spirit of the Gospel was deserving the friendship of his Christian brethren, however different their sentiments might be. That church to which he belonged inculcated feelings of charity to all mankind, and though there might be things in which they differed, they had no prerogative to assume the right of directing the consciences of others. He could only say, that whatever might have been the defects of his own conduct, in the earlier periods of his life, he now felt himself better established in the principles of his religion than at any former period; yet had he to live his past life over again, he should

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