7 ter therein contained more interesting, in this point of view, to the minds of young persons. They may read that Jacob and his family left the lend of Canaan, and went down into * Egypt; that, after many years, their at a rian Fund. By ROBERT ASPLAND, Minister of the Gravel Pit Congregation, Hackney. p.p. 71. 1810. Unitarians to qualify the prevailF the recent exertions of the descendants became a numerous ing leaven of fanaticism with a porpeople, left Egypt, wandered in the tion of rationality in religion, parwilderness forty years, and, ticularly as to the objects of faith and r length, settled again in the Land belief, few can be wholly uninformed of Canaan; but for want of a who have paid any attention to the geographical knowledge of these progress of opinions. Among other countries, as they then stood, much congregations formed by these people of the force and connection of the in different parts of the country, this subject is lost, and they are apt, the at Soham, has eventually been the author is afraid, more generally, to most conspicuous. In the summer of consider them as fabulous stories, 1808, it seems this congregation had than as facts founded on the real state, Calvinistic party in that place, that so far excited the pious wrath of a situation, and divisions of the country, The object, therefore, of the compiler they proceeded to such violence as to of these sheets, is to reduce into disturb both congregation and minismall compass that geographical ster; and at length caused the latter to knowledge of the History of the Jews, be taken into custody by a peace officer, which may prepare the minds of and carried before a magistrate, who youth for the perusal of the Scrip Mr. Gisburne at the next assizes, bound the complainants to prosecute tures to more advantage; and from its conciseness, obviate the difficulty taking recognizances of his friends of voluminous perusal.-In the event for his appearance. It seems also of this work being thought worthy of the Unitarians to the meetingthe Calvinistic party disputed the right the attention of the public, it will be a great satisfaction to the author; for house at Soham; but at length, an should it be the means of fixing the accommodation being agreed upon, mind of one young person more the latter consented to the payment strongly on the important truths of of sixty guineas, upon condition that Scripture, he prizes too highly the the Unitarians should give up their blessings pronounced on him, who claim, which was agreed to before shall guide one person into the way before the issue could be tried at the of truth, to think that his labour has Cambridge assizes in March, 1809. been bestowed in vain.". We think we may confidently encourage the author with the anticipation of such success as the nature of the work may justify him in expecting. There are five maps, and an Index, with the proper names ac centuated. It is cheaply and neatly printed. BIGOTRY AND INTOLERANCE DE- Much to the surprise and mortification of the Calvinistic party, it appears that even while an arbitration was pending, and they were holding very high language to the Unitarians, Mr. Wilks, attorney to the latter, came to the house where they were assembled, and informed Mr. Robert Aspland that the grand Jury had thrown out the bill against Mr. Gisburne, and found the two bills which bad been preferred against his The immediate cause of this seems to prosecutors! have been what was proved before. the grand jury as to one of the Cal vinistic party challenging the Unitarian minister, in the must of the service, to substitute the reading of Mr. Fuller's book against the Socini ans for the Bible. One of the jurors t hen wishing the witness to repeat the rame of the book that had been mentioned, the foreman of the jury, Sir Charles Cotton, interposed, and said, "It does not signify whose book it was; no book can be put in competition with God's word." A noble declaration, it has been observed, and the essence of protestantism! With these advantages, however, the Unitarians did not recede from their proposals of coming to an amicable conclusion without going before a jury; but as they refused, with the advice of their attorney, the repayment of the costs on the indictments preferred against the Calvinistic party, and even a discount on the sixty guineas ready money, Mr. Fuller has since written a narrative of that affair, with a view of criminating his opponents, and exculpating his own party. To obviate Mr. Fuller's insinuations about anonymous evidence, Mr. Aspland has printed the following entertaining deposition of the principal part of the evidence in favour of his party, upon oath. One of the persons signing this is kinsman to Mr. Andrew Fuller. "To the Rev. Robert Aspland, Hackney, "REV. SIR, "Soham, October 9, 1810. "As you have it in contemplation, to answer a pamphlet of Mr. Andrew Fuller's, purporting to be a A Narrative of Facts,-We whose names are subscribed to this, and who were eye and ear-witnesses of the disturbances at Soham, think it our duty to state to you, and through you to the public, (as we were on our oath before the Grand Jury at Cambridge,) that that pamphlet is A Narrative of most notorious falsehoods. As for Mr. Robert Fuller's letter to his kinsman, Mr. Andrew Fuller, it exhibits such a scene of untruths, as certainly never were committed to paper before, though But that Mr. Thomas Chapman, Mr. Joseph Levet, and Mr. Thomas Emons, who are members of a church, and who do profess to be religious characters, could sign it, is amazing to us, when they must know that scores of the inhabitants of Sobam, connected with neither party, but who were witnesses of the riotous conduct of the persons implicated, would readily come forward to attest the truth of our statement, and falsehood of their's. "But to descend to particulars, only premising that we here pledge ourselves to the truth of what has already appeared in the Monthly Repository, concerning the disturbances at Soham. Retailers of lies generally are blunderers; witness the Narrative of Facts,' by Mr. Andrew Fuller. It states, (page 9) there never was any tumult' during the time of worship, excepting on the 8th of October. "In answer to which we say there was no tumult at all, on the 8th of October, 1808, for that was on a Sa turday, and we are not seventh day Baptists. Besides they had the meeting house in their own possession on that day, for it was on the 2d of October we were locked out of the place by Mr. Thomas Emons. "The first public tumult during time of worship was on Sunday, June 26, 1808, when our adversaries *returned in a body.' Mr. Gisburne having been desired to preach from 11 Timothy iv. 3, 4, 5, in the morn ing, he had no sooner done, and be fore he left the pulpit, but Mr. Joseph Levet arose and addressed the people in the following manner: My friends, I cannot conceive how you can sit under such abominable doctrine as this with patience: you have heard Mr. Gisburne this morning intirely take away the Divinity of Jesus Christ: his supreme Deity has been struck at in the most shameful and scandalous manner: such doctrines as these were never taught in this town, and the publisher of them ought never to preach in any, but be driven out of the country.' "Then arose such confusion as cannot be described; the Meetinghouse filled from all quarters of the town to witness the rage and madness of our adversaries, who were raving, We have come to defend the truth, we will stand up for the truth, as long as blood flows in our veins.' Mr. Robert Fuller himself was present now June 26 is not October the 8th. Mr. Gisburne then came down from the pulpit, but did not think it pro dent to go home, as our enemies 14 tended to have locked the door upon him, which they threatened. "In the evening of the same day, Mr. Stone's sermon was read to near three hundred people, for the place was crowded; but there was no disturbance till the sermon was finished; then, before Mr. G. had left the pulpit, Mr. Emons arose and addressed the congregation with these remarkable words My Dear Friends and Townsmen, I have a much better opinion of you and my countrymen at large, than that you should imbibe such cursed, damnable, hellish doctrine, as is contained in this sermon of Mr. Stone's.-You hear he makes Jesus Christ only a mere man; says he was born like other men; that he had a father and mother, like any other human being. Oh! the cursed, damnable doctrine.-Then Mr. James Levet said, Pull him out of the pulpit. The towns people then interfered, and several said, 'That it was at their peril that they touched Mr. Gisburne.-Mr. Thomas Emons was hooted home by the people about the doors, and scores crying, 'Shame, shame on them!' "On a Sunday after this, when the ordinance was administered, Mr. Joseph Levet, and several more, sat down at the Lord's table with Mr. G. and his friends, but you may judge with what a spirit, when Mr. Joseph Levet would not take the cup out of one of our hands, (i. e. William Attlesey's) nor would be touch it till it was set down on the table. 46 Now this is A Narrative of Facts, let Mr. Robert Fuller, Mr. Thomas Chapman, Mr. Joseph Levet, Mr. Thomas Emons, with their advocate Mr. Andrew Fuller, say what they please. But to proceed. "On Sunday, September 11, 1808, Mr. Thomas Emons again behaved in an irreverent and shameful manner, at the time of singing, prayer, reading and expounding the Scriptures: he himself reading in and holding up an octavo pamphlet higher than the pew. On the afternoon of the same day, between the hours of two and four, he behaved in a similar manner, to the manifest disturbance of the congregation; and no sooner was the sermon concluded, but he began railing, and scolding in a most scandalous 'Socinians' say manner, calling us ing, He hated us worse than he did the Papists, the Turks, or even the Quakers; that we were enemies to Christ; yea, said he, I hate them, I hate the Socinians and their hellish, damnable doctrines, worse than I do the devil!' "On Sunday, Sept. 18, 1808, Mr. T.Emons behaved in the same shameful manner, holding a large bound octavo volume above the pew, so that Mrs. Howe could not look up to the pulpit, and then kept muttering and reading so, that she could not hear the sermon, so as to reap any benefit.— Mr. Howe also was so disgusted at his strange behaviour, that he was constrained to rise up anu turn his back upon him,-On Sunday, Sept. 25th, 1808, he behaved in much the same manner, and when told what portion of Scripture was going to be read, said, I am reading a book.' "But on Sunday, October 2d, 1808, between the hours of ten and twelve in the forenoon, Messrs. Thomas Emons, Joseph Levet, William Collen, John Horseley, James Levet, John King, and Robert Fuller, behaved in a most riotous and tumultuous manner indeed; for after singing and prayer, Mr. Gisburne observing Thos. Emons still reading in a book, said to him, "Mr. Emons, for these three Sundays past, you have disturbed this congregation by your reading and strange behaviour, you have taken the attention of the people from what they came to profit by; and have very much hurt their minds, I therefore advise you to go away in a peaceable manner, or I shall send for a constable and deliver you into the hands of justice. Mr. Gisburne then prepared to read the Scripture, and said-' Mr. Emons, I am going to read the second chapter in Paul's Epistle to the Romans;'-when Mr. Emons, holding up his book said, Here is a book of Mr. Fuller's written against the Socinians, you had better read this.-Mr. G. then said to a Mr. Lemon, 'Go for the constable, for I am determined this congregation shall not be interrupted much longer; we have borne with these things too long.' As Mr. G. was entering on his sermon, the constable came, saying, 'Wherefore have you sent for me?-Mr. G. stated to him · in a brief manner the reason-read courts of law, which renders them over to him his certificate which he unwilling to appeal to such decisions, had as a dissenting teacher, and told even when the result might operate him to keep the peace, and take Thos. in their favour. Emons into custody. Mr. Robert Fuller cried out, where is your warrant?' William Collen said, take him away, we will see it out.-Joseph Levet said, R. AN ACCURATE AND AUTHENTIC HE period is now considerably passed in which it can be ex take him with you, we will stand by him. Where is your warrant?' was re-echoed. William Collen, Joseph, James, and Ann Levet, John Horseley, John King, and Robert Fuller, made such a noise and tumult, that the constable was astonished, and scarce knew what to do: but turning pected that our readers will feel much to Thomas Emons, advised him to go interest in the dissentions which it is home in a peaceable manner, adding, the object of this work to record. As I have not a warrant, I cannot They are, happily for the country in take him into custody.-Mr. Thomas which they took place, quelled: but Emons then said, I shall not go along it may be hoped that they whose inwith you now, but if you will call at discretion partly caused them, will my house to-morrow, I will give you learn wisdom from experience and a glass or two of beer.' The constable departed,and the uproar became greatthat in any future plans of retrencher. John Horseley said to Mr.G. You ment and economy which it may be are a pretty fellow indeed-you do expedient to adopt, they will p not preach the Gospel; look at him; to irritate those who are the objects them in force in a manner less likely he looks as though he was going to be hanged.'- Joseph Levet then said, Now, I will take a book and read, thumping the table with his hand.James Levet said, Aye, we will all take books and read; John King saying, We will all read.' In the afternoon, (Oct. 2d, 1808,) the doors were locked, and Thomas Emons, Joseph Levet, Thos. Chapman, and Robert Fuller, &c. have had possession ever since. The town and neighbourhood know that this statement is intitled to credit, as numbers of them, besides ourselves, are ready to make oath. The facts were public-and to the public, through you, we who are parties concerned now give our names-leaving them to judge. "We remain, Rev. Sir, your's in the truth of the Gospel, BENJAMIN FULLER. of them. however, it is sufficiently evident In the late disturbances at Madras, It cannot be denied that the East that there was error on both sides. India Company have a right to esta think best calculated to support their blish such measures as they may tain that obedience to their wishes is own interests: and it is equally cer what they have a right to expect. But it is always the interest of a government or its agents, to conciliate while they reform: for reform must operate to the inconvenience and temporary injury of some, and surely it is not too much for them to expect that they shall be treated with ci vility. With regard to the present pam phlet, it seems to us to be an impartial statement of facts; and it contains enough to put the reader in complete But it possession of the subject. would be a waste of time to enter In justice to the Unitarians, we may upon that subject now: we shalt add, that it is not from the fear of the therefore content ourselves with exenforcement of the penal laws against tracting the writer's brief introduc a disbelief of the Athanasian Creed, tion, which contains a rapid view of so much as their aversion against some particulars relative to the probringing religious opinions before gress of our establishments in India, and which, meagre as it is, may for the resources derived from their not be wholly uninstructive to some of our readers: genius, it is probable that the Eastern would have shared the fate of the "In laying before the public a Western hemisphere, and that the narrative of the interesting events dominion of India, as that of Amewhich have lately occurred at the rica, would have been lost to Britain. Presidency at Madras, it has appeared "The affairs of the East India proper that it should be preceded by Company having been in the progress a concise view of the progress of our of these difficulties involved in exestablishments in India, particularly treme.embarrassment, the attention of of the settlement of Madras, previ- the legislature was, from the year ously to the period at which the late 1781, closely directed to the whole discussions took their origin. A question of the Indian administration, sketch of this nature is in some degree in which it was acknowledged by all necessary to the correct understand- parties that many defects existed. ing of the subject of those discussions; but it can be at best imperfect, as it would require a long volume to convey a full detail of the transactions of a Presidency which has largely shared in that variety of occurrence which has marked the progress of our Indian Empire, from its first stages, to that pitch of unrivalled ascend ancy at which it has now arrived. The nature of the discussions which ensued have been already so amply detailed, that it would be superfluous here to recur to them. Suffice it to say, that the long and violent debates that arose on the consideration of the question, terminated in the adoption of the India bill, which was brought into parliament by Mr. Pitt in 1784; which bill became the foundation of that system of Indian government which was then established, and which has been since continued under different modifications, particularly those contained in the bill passed for the renewal of the East India Company's charter in 1793. Previously to the period of the reform effected by the bill of 1784, the power of the executive government of this country had "In the early wars in India which commenced in 1746, and with little intermission continued until the termination of hostilities in Europe at the peace of 1763, the territories of Madras were the chief scene of that memorable struggle. At that proud era of the British history, every part of the world in which our arms were engaged, witnessed their triumph.In Bengal our power was established been frequently interposed in the by the acquisition of the valuable ter- management of the affairs of the ritories obtained by our achievements Company; but such interposition had in that quarter; and the total over- been desultory in its principle, and #throw of the French arms established appeared to be more directed to the 1 our influence on the coast of Coro- extension of ministerial influence, mandel. This bright aspect of affairs and to purposes of temporary expe was before long clouded by the re- diency, than to objects of permanent verses which followed, in the war of national advantage.. Under the pro1767, with Hyder Ally, and in the still visions of Mr. Pitt's bill the govern10 more disastrous war of 1780, during ment of India assumed a new chawhich the territories of India suffered racter. The power of control on the in more than an ordinary degree under part of the executive government was the disasters which marked that defined, and permanently vested ingloomy period. The British interests a Board of Commissioners; the powers in the East were more than once of the Court of Directors, and of the brought to the brink of ruin, and they governments abroad, were also dewere alone, under Providence, saved fined and strengthened; and a degree from the destruction with which they of unity and efficiency, before unwere menaced, by the unequalled ex- known, was given to the whole system ertions of the distinguished com- of the Indian administration. mander, Sir Eyre Coote, aided at that "In 1786 the appointment of Lord crisis of danger by the energy of the Cornwallis to the important station of governor-general, Mr. Hastings. But Governor-general, and of CommandUNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XIV. 3D |