CHRISTIAN PIONEER.

No. 84.

AUGUST, 1833.

Vol. VII.

[We copy, with a few omissions and verbal alterations, the account of the late Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign Unitarian Association, which appeared in "The Unitarian Chronicle" for July.-EDIT.]

"THE Annual Meeting of the Association took place on Wednesday, the 29th of May 1833, in the Chapel, SouthPlace, Finsbury. Divine Service began in the morning at 11 o'clock. The Rev. J. FULLAGAR of Chichester, read the Scriptures and prayed. The Rev. G. HARRIS of Glasgow, preached a most eloquent, interesting, and admirable sermon, from Isaiah xl. 3-5. We are most happy to say, that it is to be printed. Any further notice of it here, is therefore unnecessary. A collection was made after the Service and in the evening, in aid of the Funds of the Association, which amounted to £23.

"The meeting for transacting the business of the Association, was held in the Chapel. It began at 6 o'clock, P.M. and was most numerously and respectably attended. Amongst other distinguished visitors, was the celebrated Rammohun Roy. On the motion of Mr. J. T. RUTT, JOHN TAYLOR, Esq. F. R. S. was called to the Chair.

"The CHAIRMAN said, that on assuming the station to which they had called him, he did so with extreme diffidence, and with a consciousness of his inability to perform the duties which devolved upon the Chairman of such a meeting. He could have wished that a more distinguished individual had occupied that place; but, however distinguished any individual might be, he would say this much for himself, that no one could be more honestly and sincerely desirous of promoting the great interests that had brought them together, than he who had then the honour of addressing them. (Hear, hear.) To those who had the advantage of hearing the eloquent address that had been uttered that morning from the pulpit, by the eloquent preacher who then addressed them, he could have little to say; but he was sure that all must feel the importance of those great truths, which had that day been propounded to them. All must acknowledge the alliance between Christianity and true philosophy, for, as that eloquent

preacher had justly observed, pure Christianity and pure science had advanced hand in hand. In comparison with the dark times of superstition and ignorance, a brighter day had dawned upon the world, and they were now looking forward with sanguine expectations to a happy result of their labours, for the moral, religious, and political improvement of mankind. During the last year, a pleasing instance of the change which had taken place in society had occurred, when those devoted to science, whose names were crowned with honours and distinction, when members of our leading universities, men of all sects and professions, were assembled together to do honour to the name of one so dear to all; need he say it was the name of Priestley. (Loud cheers.) That name had been honoured by all the scientific men of this country congregated for that purpose; professors of universities were heard to deprecate in the strongest language the intolerance which had driven that great man forth from society, and which was a disgrace to the times in which he lived. (Cheers.) The mode of investigation by which Priestley pursued truth, and the manner in which he followed it up, applied equally to every pursuit. It had been said of him truly in science, as in everything else, that setting aside all prejudices, however strong they might be, the evidence that came before him was that by which he was alone guided, and that wherever he found truth he followed it to its consequences, whatever those consequences might be. This was an example which he trusted all would follow. They were met there to consider and promote those views of Christianity which they believed to be correct. This meeting was important, inasmuch as it encouraged them by their mutual support, honestly to stand forward and promulgate within their respective circles, those truths on which they believed the happiness of mankind to depend. They would have laid before them Reports of the proceedings of the Association during the last year, and various Resolutions would be submitted to their consideration, to which he requested their attention. (Hear.)

"Mr. HORNBY (the Treasurer) said, it now became his duty to lay before them a statement of the accounts of the Association, to which he requested their attention. (For this and other official documents we refer our readers to the printed Report of the Committee.) It was right to observe that the excess of income over ex

penditure was not to be attributed to the circumstance of their possessing an income more than adequate to the wants they had to supply, for he could bear witness that the Committee had been obliged to be much less liberal than they could have desired, and, indeed, altogether to reject some applications, because they deemed it necessary to retain a balance in hand in order to answer contingencies, and to meet those demands to which they were liable. He trusted, therefore, their friends would not fail to come forward and enable them to render yet more efficient service. He had been requested, although perhaps it did not properly come within his business, as Treasurer, to state to them another account-that relating to the Improved Version Fund-which he would read to them. He begged to lay before the Meeting these accounts."

"Rev. J. YATES read the Report of the proceedings of the Committee.

"Rev. E. TAGART, Foreign Secretary, read the Foreign Report. It was his pleasing duty to connect with this portion of the general business of the Association, a Report put into his hands by the domestic Missionary. [This Report was here read.] Such was the Report of the City Missionary, the modesty of which bore testimony in a great measure to his merit; and if it should appear to any one that the good effected was not adequate to the means employed, it became them to remember that it was necessary in this world to make great exertions to obtain what appeared to us great good; and, indeed, in order to effect that which we might be inclined to admit as but little. He could not, however, admit, that 100%., 2007., or even 3007. had been thrown away, if it saved above 136 children from the influence of evil example and corrupt habits, and placed them in a school under the direction of a benevolent, intelligent, and Christian spirit, by which alone they could be fitted to become useful and religious members of society. In his opinion, this alone was worth all the money expended on such an object. (Cheers.)

"Rev. J. FULLAGAR of Chichester, had been requested to move, which he did with great satisfaction, That the Report of the Committee just read, be received and approved.' It was not desirable for him to make a long speech, as there were many persons present much more capable of addressing the Meeting, in fact, than himself;

and as the Report was before the Meeting, it would speak for itself. The only point in the Report on which he wished to make a short observation, was in reference to the Dissenters' Marriage Bill. Some persons, he knew, did not think the object very important, but for his part he deemed it of the utmost consequence. This subject had for some time been before the public and the legislature; and his friends in the South were very anxious to have some information as to what had been done in reference to it. They were assured by the Committee, that they were assured by the Committee of Dissenters of the three denominations, (thus it appeared they assured one for the other,) that when the Bill came before the House, the rights of Unitarians would be carefully regarded. So far very well; but he wanted to urge on the Committee, not only that they should take care when the Bill came into the House, but also that it actually did come in. (Hear, hear.) In Belsham's Memoirs, amongst other letters to Sir Benjamin Hobhouse, who, from a violent oppositionist, became a sort of placeman under Lord Sidmouth, was one, in which it was suggested to him, whether it was not a good opportunity for Lord Sidmouth to gain popularity, by granting the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts. Whether Mr. Belsham thought better of Sir B. Hobhouse than he deserved, or whether Lord Sidmouth was not so yielding as he supposed, nothing of the kind took place; but it was urged upon the Dissenters not to press the question then, lest they should embarrass Government. He did not wish to be political there, but whether the Radical Government predicted by some of the newspapers were to come or not, he was quite sure that no Government, Whig, Tory, or Radical, would ever give them any thing unless they did embarrass it. (Great cheering.) The only way by which the people could gain any thing, was by embarrassing the Government; for when we found the shoe pinch, we generally slipped it, to give ease to the oppressed part. (Hear, hear.) Therefore he did hope, that if the deputies showed any reluctance to press the Bill, the Unitarians would come forward and push on the measure; not that he wished them to embarrass Government, but he thought they ought to show Government that after waiting so many years, they were determined not to be any longer dilly-dallied with. (Cheers.) He felt much interested in this question; and, as there

were some deputies then present, he could not have taken a more appropriate opportunity of urging them to follow up this subject without delay. He concluded by moving; That the Report of the Committee now read be received and approved.'

"Rev. J. MURCH of Diss seconded the motion with the greatest pleasure. He embraced that opportunity of stating to the meeting, a gratifying circumstance connected with the progress of Unitarian principles. Persons living in the metropolis and large towns, were not sufficiently aware how necessary such an institution as this was, in order to promote what they deemed to be the cause of truth in the country. Those only who lived in the country and in the smaller towns, knew of the struggling with difficulties which they had to encounter— difficulties, beneath the force of which they must sometimes inevitably fall, were it not for the support afforded them by such an institution as the present. He made these remarks from practical experience in the district in which he lived. About half-a-year ago, a preacher among the Methodists became convinced of the truths of Unitarianism, in consequence of attending the ministry of a Missionary sent by this Association. (Cheers.) When he became a Unitarian, he established a congregation where never one was established before, at Bungay, in Norfolk, where he was informed it still existed; and he had no doubt, it would be placed on a permanent basis. The other instance was perhaps more important, as showing how much could be done by impartial examination and calm and serious reflection. He met about six months ago with a poor labouring man, who earned about 10s. a-week, and who informed him that he had for some time been a local preacher amongst the Calvinistic Baptists, and delivered his discourses regularly to a very small and humble congregation. He stated that he had been much struck by the absence of all expressions in the Bible confirming the doctrine of the Trinity. His conscience induced him to examine the Scriptures much more calmly, seriously, and impartially, than he had ever done before; the ultimate result of which was, that he became a Unitarian. (Cheers.) And his congregation, as well as the congregation of the other preacher to whom he had alluded, had now become valuable members of the Unitarian denomination. He merely mentioned these instances