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than in anger," more in the form of remonstrance than reproach, may not, perhaps, be altogether unprofitable.

If "God, from all eternity, did freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass," then is he the author of sin as well as of holiness; for murders, adulteries, thefts, perjuries, hypocrisies, persecutions, tyrannies, and the entire train of human villanies, from the sin of Abel 'till the present hour, "have come to pass by the ordination of God"-of Him "who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity without displeasure"-of Him "who is the Father of mercies and the God of love"-of Him "who delighteth to behold brethren dwelling together in unity!" And, where, according to this revolting dogma, is the moral responsibility of man, if he be only a mere instrument in the hand of irresistible power-the mere slave of a destiny from which he cannot escape? If this be true, there was no crime in Nero of Rome, or in the eighth Henry of England; and no virtue in Socrates of Athens, or benevolence in Howard of Britain: all were but running a prescribed career; and to punish or reward them for their conduct would be essentially unjust in Him who, "from all eternity," had ordained their course! Yet, we are told in the Bible, that "God is a just God," who "will render unto every man, according as his works shall be :" and, in the same Word of Truth, we are constantly addressed as free and responsible agents-threatened with penalties for our crimes, and promised rewards for our virtues. And are all these promises and threatenings, nothing but mere delusions practised by our Creator? Are we enjoined to do what He has ordained we cannot do; and to avoid what He has decreed, we must perform? Would this not be a mockery and a juggling, of which we would scarcely accuse a fiend? Yet of this, the Father and the friend of all is directly accused by John Calvin.

"God," saith he, "has two wills-the one outward and revealed, whereby he most tenderly invites sinners to his grace, and most graciously calls them to repentance, seeming as though he were earnestly desirous of their salvation; whereas, the other will is inward and secret, which is irresistible and takes effect infallibly; and by this He brings men, through ways which are unavoidable, to an estate and course of sin here, and then to eternal damnation hereafter! At the same time, their own sins, so far from injuring the Saints, the rather, under God's providence, promote their salvation!"

All this appears very shocking; and yet, it is only a plain and manly exposition of the doctrine of "Election and Reprobation," in which every father, connected with the Irish General Assembly, is bound to express his own belief, on presenting his child for baptism, and in which he is bound to train up that child, in coming years;—yes, and every intending communicant is bound to profess the same be

lief, or to be excluded from the Table of the Lord! Do the laity know these things? I am convinced that ninety-nine out of every hundred do not know them; and, if so, how deplorable is the condition of a Church, where the people ignorantly and patiently endure such a yoke, and where the Ministers force a profession and exact promises, where the laity are utterly unacquainted with the creed which they profess to believe, and solemnly pledge themselves to inculcate opinions, on their children, of which they themselves are utterly ignorant. In their worldly affairs, the laity would not submit to be so blindled; and it can only be from want of consideration, that they permit themselves to be so guided in the concerns of religion. The Presbyterian people are abundantly clear-sighted, when they calmly direct their attention to any subject; and I am persuaded that not one in a thousand of them really holds the doctrine which I have been exposing; or believes that "God has predestinated some men and angels to everlasting life, and fore-ordained others to everlasting death, without any foresight of faith or good works, or any other thing in the creature, as causes moving him thereto." Neither do they believe that "God hardens men in their sins and withholdeth from them His grace," in order to their condemnation; or that, "of angels and men, predestinated and fore-ordained, the number is so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished." The Presbyterian people of Ulster do not, I am convinced, believe these things for they are not presumptuous enough to speak so arrogantly of God's dealings with his angels, or so defective in reverence for God's providence and grace, as to advocate the doctrine of unconditional and unchangeable election, which would render utterly valueless all the ordinary means and instrumentalities of salvation, and would prevent even the teachings, the sufferings, and mediation of the Redeemer, from "snatching one brand from the burning!" Do the Calvinistic Presbyterian Ministers of Ulster believe these things? I confess that I have my doubts of their practical conviction for they talk loudly of their "winning souls to Christ," and of our "leading men to Satan;" they send missionaries to Heathens, Jews, and Catholics, to reclaim them from error; they are active and untiring in preachings and labours; and they loudly denounce the erring, whether in faith or practice. Now, why all these things, if "the number predestinated and fore-ordained, be unchangeably designed, and cannot be either increased or diminished?" In that case, they can save none, and we can ruin none; and if our opinions be wrong, they ought not to call us evil names, on that account; for our errors have been fore-ordained as well as their truth. It will not mend the matter to say that their exertions have been fore-ordained as the means of good; for their own creed expressly declares that God "saves

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or condemns without any causes or conditions moving Him thereto." Neither will it do to adopt the common cant apology, that "God ordains the means as well as the ends;" for that is nothing but a repetition of the old libel upon the Divine character-representing God as, in the first place, compelling men to sin; and, in the second place, as punishing his wretched creatures for acting in conformity with his own irresistible decree !

Blessed be God, few men are practical predestinarians. The plain teachings of his Holy Word, and the native impulses of the human heart, rise up against those vain, metaphysical speculations, which equally impugn the goodness and justice of the Creator, and which, if practically carried out, would rapidly demoralize the world. All men reason and act as free-agents, both in relation to themselves and others. They are proud of their good, and ashamed of their evil, actions, because they feel them to be their own; and, on the very same principle, they award praise or blame to those around them. Happily, in a country like this, where error has been so long patronized and fostered, most men are far better than their creeds—the influences of society and the broad principles of the Gospel elevating them above the narrow and peculiar theories of their churches. Consequently, we have worthy men in all sects, in spite of their Creeds; and whilst it is our duty, on the one hand, to do our utmost for the removal of error, which, even under the most favourable circumstances, must be more or less injurious, it is equally our duty, on the other hand, to exercise forbearance towards human weakness, and to cultivate the spirit and practice of Christian good-will.

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INTELLIGENCE.

SUNDAY-SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT.

On Saturday evening, the 5th of September, the children of the Sunday School in connection with the Second Presbyterian Congregation, Belfast, to the number of 120, were entertained by their teachers, in the Botanic Gardens.

The novelty of the occasion, the beautiful appearance of the Gardens, and the presence of the teachers, who kindly took a part in their innocent amusements, conspired to render the evening a delightful one for the scholars, and one which will not soon be forgotten. After partaking of some refreshments, they quietly dispersed

to their several homes.

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UNITARIAN SOCIETY FOR THE DIFFUSION OF CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE,

ON Sunday, the 27th ultimo, two eloquent sermons were delivered in the meeting-houses of the First and Second Presbyterian Congregations, Rosemary-street, by the Rev. James Madge, of London, after which collections were made in aid of the funds of the above society. They were both numerously and most respectably attended, and the impression made by the reverend preacher was most gratifying. The collections at the two services amounted to £59 16s. 6d.; that of the First Congregation to £30 16s. 4d. and of the Second to £29 08. 2d.

On Monday evening, the 28th ult. the annual meeting of the members and friends of the society was held in the school-room of the First Presbyterian Congregation, Fountain-street. The attendance was numerous and most respectable, including a great number of ladies. Among the gentlemen present we observed the following:-W. Gihon, Esq. Ballymena; Rev. Thomas Madge, London; Major Fulton, London; W. J. C. Allen, Esq. Robert Patterson, Esq. C. B.

Grimshaw, Esq. Richard Rothwell, Esq. Rev. H. Montgomery, LL.D. James Grimshaw, Esq. James Moore, Esq. Rev. Henry Alexander, Newry, Wm. Burden, Esq. M.D. Rev. George Hutton, Rev. John Porter, Michael Andrews, Esq. Rev. C. J. M'Alester, Wm. Hartley, Esq. Thos. Chermside, Esq. Wm. Campbell, Esq. Rev. J, Scott Porter, Benjamin A, Gamble, Esq. J. K. Newsam, Esq. Lenox Drennan, Esq. Rev. Hugh Moore, George K. Smith, Esq. Rev. Hall, Rev. S. C. Nelson, Downpatrick, John G. Smith, Esq. &c.

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Shortly after seven o'clock, on the motion of the Rev. JOHN SCOTT PORTER, the chair was taken by ROBERT ANDREWS, Esq. LL.D. president of the Irish Unitarian Christian Society.

The CHAIRMAN said, he obeyed the call which had been made upon him to take the chair on that occasion, not only without hesitation, but with unaffected pleasure, enhanced as the honour done to himself was by the handsome terms in which his name had been mentioned, as president of the Irish Unitarian Christian Society

(cheers)-a society which, as his reverend friend had remarked, had done something to show its sympathy towards them, and to sustain those principles, for the furtherance of which their association had been organized. (Hear.) They were assembled there, in pursuance of a rule of the society, that a meeting should be held once in every year; and as not only here, on former occasions, but also in Dublin, he had felt it a privilege to be allowed to take part in the proceedings of a society such as theirs-established for the maintenance of right views and principle-he could not, on this occasion, regard it otherwise than an honour to be called upon to fill that chair. That meeting represented, he was happy to say, much worth and intellect, and not the least influential body of Christians in this country. When that society had been first

established, persons who differed with them in their views had asked, why seek to spread such principles as theirs, which consisted of so many cold negations? Such had been the question put to them by those who were ignorant of their views, and worse, by those who, knowing them, sought to misrepresent them. Now, he would wish to know what course was open to one who objected to the views of those around him, but to dissent, and dissent was denial. As long as a man conscientiously agreed with the views held by his fathers, or by others, of course denial would be unjust and unwise; but if he found himself compelled to adopt different ones, then there was, as he had remarked, no course left for him but negation. The learned gentleman then proceeded to show, that, as long as their principles as a church only were regarded, they could be charged with no such thing; and that it was only where certain matters were put forward, which they conceived to be in opposition to the Word of God, that they could be said to be prone to dissent. He then referred to the error which some had fallen into, of not joining in their efforts, because they were so few in numbers, a circumstance which should have quite the contrary effect; and, with regard to those who asserted they had been unsuccessful, he utterly denied that such was the case. He instanced the rapid spread of their principles in America and on the continent of Europe, as a proof that such was not the case. (Hear, hear.) He then entered into a review of the progress made by themselves, since the period, now fifteen years since, in which they had felt themselves obliged to separate from a number of those with whom they were wont to hold communion. Considering all the circumstances attending that secession, he felt bound to say, that a most marked success had attended their exertions for the establishment of a church; and he believed he was right in asserting, that no fewer than fourteen or fifteen congregations had since joined them. (Cheers.) They had made the term Unitarian, which was first, as it were, applied to them in scorn, respected, and those who had applied it to them, in this sense, at first, now turn round, and say they had no right to assume it. Nothing

could be said stronger in proof of the progress they had made. There was, however, after the establishment of their principles on a sure footing, a duty which they owed it to themselves to perform; and this was to banish all the feelings which might have arisen out of that secession, and to seek to co-operate with those from whom they differed, in all good actions and benevolent undertakings. (Hear.)→ He then adverted to the calamity which has befallen this country in the failure of the potato crop, and the distress which must be the result of it, as furnishing still stronger evidence of the necessity of co-operation among those who were sincerely actuated by charitable feelings; and concluded by calling on the secretary to read the Committee's report.

The Rev. J. SCOTT PORTER here read the following

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY.

The affairs of the Unitarian Society have proceeded, during the past year, in a steady and satisfactory manner, but without any striking examples of either success or disappointment, so that they present but few circumstances of interest, which call for especial notice in the Committee's Report.

Agreeably to the resolution of the last annual meeting, one of the sermons preached before the Society, by the Rev. Dr. Montgomery, was printed by your Committee, and has been extensively circulated. An edition of considerable extent was struck off, in the first instance; but, as the number of copies of which it consisted, was found to be inadequate to meet the demand, a second issue, to a still greater amount, was determined upon, and very few copies now remain on hand.

Your Committee, agreeably to a suggestion which was thrown out at the last annual meeting, took into their consideration the propriety of engaging a suitable person to act as Scripture Reader, in this town and neighbourhood; and, having thought it their duty to give a trial to that mode of operation, they procured the services of one who was recommended to them as being versed in the duties of such an office, and quite competent to their fulfilment. Your Committee are fully convinced of his sincerity

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