UNITARIANISM AND TRINITARIANISM AS THEY WERE AND AS THEY ARE.

THAT Abralian and his descendants, and that Jesus Christ and his disciples, paid divine adoration to the one living and true God, in distinction from the worship of many gods by the Gentiles, is plainly taught in the Holy Scriptures; nor can it be disputed by any one who is acquainted with the history of the world. But it must further be admitted, that the Christian Church, in the course of a few hundred years after its introduction, became gradually corrupted, until Romish superstition became the prevalent form of the Christian faith on the continent of Europe and in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. When this superstition had reached its height, and had enslaved the minds of the people by selling indulgences, denying the right of private judgment, and refusing the use of the Scriptures to the laity, the Protestant Reformation burst forth, three hundred years ago, maintaining the sufficiency of the Bible and the right of free inquiry in all matters of faith, worship, and religious duty. These great principles, however, were so far from being carried out, that the reformers generally have, in a great measure, assimilated their views to the Church from which they profess to dissent. Several of them have made apologies and assigned certain reasons for this accommodation. That the first reformers, born and brought up in a dark age and in the bosom of the Romish Church, should have made but a few steps towards primitive truth, is not to be wondered at; but that their successors, enjoying the blessings of religious liberty and the free use of the Scriptures, should advocate the maintenance of human creeds and human articles in the Churches, is much to be deplored. Such behaviour is virtually a denial of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures and of the principles of the Reformation. To this very hour, the Roman Catholic, the Protestant Episcopalian, and the Calvinistic Presbyterian Churches support and enforce the use of human creeds; and their creeds are one and the same in the inculcation of the doctrines of original sin, the Trinity, the two natures of Christ, and of satisfaction to Divine justice. These are the great and leading doctrines which John Calvin maintained when in the Church of Rome, and which his followers profess at the present time.

From this it is evident, that seceding from any one of these three Churches, and joining either of the remaining two, is but a slight change in as far as fundamental doctrines, so called, are concerned. Nor is the time long past-only twenty-nine years-when an inhabitant of this country would have been adjudged guilty of felony, and liable to suffer the pains of death, as in the case of felony, without benefit of clergy, for preaching or publishing that the Holy Ghost is not God, that Christ is not equal with the Father, or that Christ has

not several natures. And the persecutions and burnings which took place under this and similar laws, have left a dark and broad stain on the memory of the Protestant Parliaments which enacted them, and on the memory of the Protestant people who took advantage of them, in the prosecution, imprisonment, and destruction of their fellow-men. The plainest reader may now perceive why it was that Unitarianism could make nothing more than silent progress until of late, and that Trinitarianism had prejudice, power, and popularity, all enlisted in its protection and propagation. A change, however, has taken place; and the establishment of religious freedom in these and other lands, has enabled the leaders of free and fearless inquiry to arrest the attention of many humbler but kindred spirits, and to proclaim their faith in the grand and prominent doctrine of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures the doctrine of one God, the Father.

Within these fifty years, about two thousand five hundred Unitarian Christian congregations have been formed in the United States of America. In France, Germany, Transylvania, and Switzerland, the doctrine is making considerable progress, and saving numbers from that scepticism which has been often engendered by the dark dogmas of the Trinitarian churches.

Before the passing of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill, the Calvinistic Presbyterians of this country were wont to speak of the Unitarians of England as a mere handful of worthless beings, without influence, character, or religion. But when it was planned by orthodox divines and speculative attorneys to evict them from the chapels which their forefathers had founded, and which they themselves had improved, it soon came to light that there were three hundred congregations, and that several of them were numerous, comprising within them many members of wealth, distinction, and piety. The same undervaluing of the Irish Unitarian Christians has been attempted by the Calvinistic Presbyterians, who, notwithstanding their puffs as to numbers, are but a handful compared to the Roman Catholics. They are constantly boasting of their numbers and of the increase of their congregations, though it is quite evident that they are not increasing in proportion to the increase of their own population. They are so far from making proselytes from their fellow-Trinitarians of the Episcopalian and Roman Catholic Churches, that the balance is against them; and that they have lost many of their best members by the Unitarians is a plain matter of fact. Here they erect a meeting-house, and there they erect a meeting-house, and what is the consequence? They have by these erections much weakened several of their own congregations, without doing any injury to those that are Unitarian. To be sure a young minister may visit England or Scotland in search of pecuniary aid, and carry with him a testimonial containing an enumeration of the

number of souls he has saved from the fatal errors of Arianism and Socinianism, whereas he has only gathered round him a number of Trinitarians from neighbouring churches, others who had no connexion with any Christian society, several who had been disowned by Unitarians, and some who had acted in such a manner as to make them ashamed to enter a Unitarian place of worship where known. Yes, a man may have been baptized in his childhood by a Unitarian minister; he may, in the course of his education, have been altogether removed from the instruction of that minister, and yet "attribute all his darkness and irreligion" to Unitarianism, of which he may die as ignorant as he was on the day of his baptism. All this may happen, and when Unitarians, in the spirit of charity, "attribute his irreligion" to mental wanderings, Trinitarians may endeavour to persuade the world that they have saved a soul from hell, though maintaining by their creed that the number of the elect and reprobate is “ so definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished." When smooth statements are published tending to persuade the credulous that certain conversions have taken place, nothing but respect for unfortunate relatives saves the imaginary converts and their confessors from the exposure which a detailed account of their conduct would justify. Perhaps Unitarians manifest a mistaken charity in this way, and thus screen the "irreligion" of persons who were never seated at the table of Christ with them, nor even counted or coveted to be of their number. How frequently has it happened that individuals, who, conscious that their "irreligion" was known to Unitarians, would not dare to sit down at a communion-table with them, but who nevertheless have recommended themselves to this or that Trinitarian minister, by introducing themselves as former members of some Unitarian congregation. Did they produce a certificate of their membership? No. Did they ever pay any stipend? No; or perhaps their sitting was sold for arrears. Did the Unitarian minister ever baptize any of their children? Yes, perhaps a first without fee or reward; and refused to baptize a second, because no attention was paid to previous promises.

It is almost impossible, without violating Christian charity, to expose the pretensions of many of the reputed orthodox Presbyterians as they merit. In this court, or before that bench of magistrates, we may witness one Calvinist swearing the directly opposite to another. In the New Testament we read of persons who creep into houses and lead captive silly women;" and I could name several instances in which unsuspecting females have been flattered away from their places of public worship, where "dry morality and good works were taught," and the very Calvinists who sneered at these things became their seducers!!

The Rev. Dr. Brown, of Aghadowey, and late Moderator of the Irish

General Assembly, in his "Narrative of Proceedings and Negotiations for Establishing a Presbyterian College in Ireland," speaks of a brother minister who "informed him that he feared they (the college committee) were only manoeuvring, and not really in earnest about the erection of a Presbyterian college; and in time, he (the Doctor) discovered that his informant had formed a correct estimate of his brethren:" so I think there is a vast deal of manoeuvring amongst the Calvinistic Presbyterians; and I take leave to refer the readers of the Irish Unitarian Magazine to Doctor Brown's "Narrative," for the confirmation of my opinion.

In addition to these things, I feel bound to state that I am well acquainted with a Calvinistic Presbyterian, who, mistaking a fellowtraveller of Unitarian sentiments for one of his own communion, informed him that the attendance in a Unitarian meeting-house which he named, and which is near to his own residence, was seldom more than thirty, though it is seldom less than three hundred, and occasionally five. On sacramental occasions the communicants are generally from three hundred to three hundred and twenty.

Most of your readers have heard more or less about the supposed extinction of the ancient congregation of Templepatrick: but how gratifying it is to know that their meeting-house is in excellent order; that their respected pastor has completed the fiftieth year of his ministry, calculating from the date of his call; that public worship is well attended; and that thirty-five young communicants came forward to the Lord's supper on a recent occasion. Let Unitarianism be plainly and directly taught, and many will be emancipated from confusion of mind, and not a few from the doubts which gloomy and contradictory doctrines have often originated. Christ, by his words and by his worship, gave plain and positive evidence of his Unitarianism; and all who "look unto him as the author and finisher of their faith," are bound to follow his example. AN OLD UNITARIAN.

November 10th, 1846.

DISSENSIONS AMONG THE LEADERS OF THE IRISH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

STRANGE DISCLOSURES.

1. Narrative of proceedings and negotiations for establishing a Presbyterian College in Ireland; with remarks on the management of the "Banner of Ulster," &c. by the Rev. J. Brown, D.D. of Aghadowey.

2. A Letter to the Rev. John Brown, D.D. of Aghadowey, relative to his recent attacks on the "Banner of Ulster," and the late condemnation of his conduct by the General Assembly, by the Editor of the "Banner of Ulster."

On the separation of the Remonstrants from the late General Synod of Ulster, the majority who remained together, being now of one mind, as they professed, were expected to live in peace. Their leaders

had often declared their anxiety for the termination of all disputes in the church. They publicly protested, again and again, that all they sought for was peace; and the " religious public" were edified by their adopting, in their speeches, the kind language of Abraham to Lot, and applying it to their Remonstrant brethren: "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." The sentiment is amiable, but those who used the words did not follow out the example of Abraham. Abraham was no hypocrite, no truce-breaker. He did not let loose the wolves of law against his friend, and urge them on to devour his substance, until the good feeling of strangers caused them to be chained up and muzzled by Act of Parliament. Putting aside, however, this slight discrepancy between the conduct of Abraham and that of his professed imitators, we come to consider the conduct of those pious friends of peace and Christian unity towards one another.

Seventeen years have now passed away since the separation of the Remonstrants from the late Synod of Ulster, and the happy fruits of that measure have had time to manifest themselves; whilst the auspicious mixture of a still stronger extract of Calvinism, by the union with the Seceding Synod, must surely have increased the spirit of mutual affection, confidence, and love, to the very highest degree. Alas! the very opposite result has been produced. In the last meeting of the Irish General Assembly, the utmost discord prevailed, and a spirit of abuse, recrimination, and pointed personal insult, was exhibited by several parties, in their attacks upon one another, utterly inconsistent with charity, or even with common decency. Indeed, even Dr. Cooke has been driven away from this pious, peace-loving society, by the violence and folly of its proceedings; and what must be the condition of that Assembly, of whose conduct even Dr. Cooke is ashamed, we leave our readers to judge. In the public courts of this church, pretending to be so united, so unanimous in faith, and zeal, and love, we see only bitter feuds and indecent recriminations; and, that all may be exposed, and the full measure of their hypocritical pretensions to "unity" known, the late Moderator of the Assembly, the Rev. John Brown, D.D. of Aghadowey, has published "a full, true, and particular account" of the private proceedings of this united! body, with respect to the establishment of a Presbyterian College. We do seriously declare, that such scenes of double-dealing, scheming, mutual deception, and utter insincerity, have never before been revealed to an astonished public. The testimony of Dr.