Socinus, by making him a principal and not an accomplice in the transaction, be intended to apply to me as an individual, it is respectfully denied to be strictly applicable; as there is no man who will not be convinced that the words used by me cannot by possibility be more clear or more forcible than the following expressions, which occur in the "authority" to which I referred. "Although," says Mr. Aspland, "we revere Socinus as a man of great virtue and an eminent reformer, there is to our ears a discordant note in the sound of his name; for he was a persecutor. He approved and connived at, if he did not procure the imprisonment of Francis Davides for the honest avowal of his opinion that Socinus was inconsistent, and went contrary to Scripture, in contending for the worship of the man Christ Jesus."" In a note at the bottom of page 74 of the "PLEA," the author further says, "there is not, I believe, a single English Unitarian writer who refers to Socinus's treatment of Davides without marked reprobation."

It was to this "authority" I referred; and if it be a fact that I have not distorted its language, or heightened it by imaginary colouring, I trust that I have not been guilty of wantonly "magnifying the charge." Nevertheless, after an examination of articles to which circumstances prevented my referring, when I appended the footnote to my sermon, I do believe that the accusation against Socinus has been greatly exaggerated. But whilst I am willing to acquit him of the crime of procuring or being accessary to the imprisonment of Davides, there is a fact to which I cannot shut my eyes. Socinus, as you affirm, may have arisen "far above the prevailing spirit of his age;" but his toleration must have been extremely limited when he requested the suspension of his fellowlabourer (an eminent divine and superintendent of the Unitarian churches in Transylvania), not for "atheism" or "infidelity," but for conscientiously disagreeing with him on Scriptural grounds with regard to a supposed Christian doctrine.* This point in his treatment of the virtuous old Hungarian, will still be considered as at least a minor

The authority for this statement, is the confession of Socinus himself, as quoted in the 94th page of his Memoirs by Dr. Toulmin. It is also a part of the concluding paragraph in Dr. Rees' article "on Faustus Socinus and Francis David," in the Monthly Repository for the year 1818, p. 385.

species of persecution. I apprehend that the Bible has given no authority to man to execute, or to request the execution of such a sentence upon any one who believes in the Messiahship of the Redeemer; and this tenet, joined with a virtuous moral conduct, I hold to be the only thing necessary to Christian fellowship.

Need I say that I am glad this subject was taken up by a gentleman of your acknowledged learning and babits of investigation? I hope that after the authorities referred to and the explanation offered, I have done with the subject; and in conclusion, I do not hesitate to say, that so far as any previous statement of mine has tended to give currency to the charge of Socinus having been a principal or an accessary in the imprisonment of the eminent Davides, I regret it, and beg hereby to make the retractation.-Believe me, Dear Sir,

With great respect and regard,
Yours very truly,

B. T. STANNUS.

THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER.

GLASGOW, AUGUST 1, 1833.

ON Thursday the 13th June last, the Twenty-seventh Anniversary Meeting of the Tract Society for Warwickshire and the adjoining counties, was held in the High-street Chapel, Shrewsbury. The proceedings of the day commenced as usual with a religious service; it was introduced by the Rev. J. G. Robberds of Manchester, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. W. Bowen of Cradley, from John xiv. 9: "He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father." At the conclusion of the service, the business of the Society was transacted; Eddowes Bowman, Esq. a member of the congregation was called to the chair; the whole of the congregation being invited to remain. As this was the first occasion on which the Society had held a meeting at Shrewsbury, it was expected that several new names would be added to the list of subscribers; and so far was this expectation from being disappointed, that we understood from the pro-secretary, Mr. Hutton of Birmingham, the Society had never opened an account with any fresh congregation (excepting the large societies in Birmingham,) under such favourable auspices.

Soon after the meeting in the Chapel, about thirty members and friends of the Tract Society, dined together at the Raven Inn, Castle-street; the Rev. Richard Astley of Shrewsbury being in the chair. Though several of the friends present had come from a distance, we are sure from the interest their presence and exertions created in the minds of the members of the congrega

tion generally, they could not consider their time or labour misspent. It was, we believe, the first time the Shrewsbury Unitarians, as such, had met publicly and avowedly for the spread of their peculiar religious opinions. The bond, hitherto so much wanted, will not be quickly broken, and we trust the effort now made to form a closer union between this somewhat isolated Society and the Unitarian body, will be a sustained and successful one. We were gratified at seeing the Rev. J. Kentish of Birmingham present on this occasion, besides whom and the ministers whose names we have already mentioned, there were from a distance, the Revds. S. Bache of Birmingham, C. Wicksteed of Liverpool, J. Palmer of Dudley, S. Hunter of Wolverhampton, &c. These gentlemen spoke to a variety of toasts connected with the advancement of truth and virtue; the meeting maintaining throughout, and with a deep and sustained interest, a strictly religious character. The Rev. J. G. Robberds especially spoke in a most interesting and powerful manner in reference to the City Mission, and District Provident Society, as recently established in Manchester; and to the course of education pursued in Manchester College, York, explaining the liberality of its plan, and defending it from the charge of sectarianism. We only had to regret, in reference to the last toast, that giving birth as it did to such noble and enlightened sentiments, it assumed so exclusive a cast by being followed by no other toast of a similar description. Though an actual majority of the ministers present owed their education either in part or entirely to other institutions-though the preacher and the acting secretary of the day, were among that number-though the late classical tutor of an important (as affects Unitarianism a most important) academical institution in South Wales, was also in that number-no mention whatever was made of any college but that of York, as having any claim upon the gratitude of the meeting, or the Unitarian body at large. We trust this was an oversight; in fact, from the good taste and good feeling with which the meeting was in all other respects conducted, we feel persuaded it was an oversight. But sometimes we have observed similar omissions made from motives neither very enlightened nor very creditable, and we feel ourselves bound to notice them whenever they occur.

We should not neglect to state, that our brethren in Ireland, Scotland, and abroad, were not forgotten on this occasion. The meeting was one of the most pleasant, and in its effects unquestionably one of the most useful, we remember to have attended. We trust Shrewsbury will see another such before many years are gone.

Provincial Meeting, at Bolton.-On Thursday the 20th of June, the annual meeting of ministers of the Unitarian and Presbyterian denominations, was held at Bolton. The Rev. R. B. Aspland of Bristol, introduced the service in Bank-street Chapel, and the Rev. J. H. Thom preached an eloquent and powerful sermon on the universality of the Christian religion, when identified with Unitarianism.

At the meeting in the Chapel after the service, no business of importance was transacted, further than the appointment of the supporter and preacher for the ensuing year, and the election of a sub-committee to consist of the Rev. W. Shepherd and the Liverpool ministers, for the purpose of communicating, as occasion might require, with the London General Committee appointed to watch over the rights of Dissenters. The resignation, however, of the Secretary, the Rev. Edward Hawkes, and the statements which accompanied this announcement, will, we hope, lead to some more decisive steps being taken towards the better promotion of the various objects which this Association has in view.

At two o'clock the meeting adjourned to the inn, where dinner had been provided. Friends to the number of seventy or eighty sat down; the Rev. Franklin Baker being in the chair. After dinner the usual toasts were given, and responded to by the Rev. J. Brookes of Hyde, Francis Darbishire, Esq. of Rivington, the Revds. R. B. Aspland and J. H. Thom. "The memory of Dr. Priestley," gave rise to some very interesting observations from Mr. Shepherd. "Education in Ireland," called up the Rev. T. May of Stand-" the English Universities," the Rev. Chas. Wicksteed of Liverpool"-" the University of Glasgow," the Rev. G. H. Wells of Rivington-" Manchester College, York,' the Rev. G. Lee of Lancaster, and Mr. Francis Darbishire of Bolton. Other toasts followed, and the meeting broke up about 7 o'clock, the friends dispersing to partake of the refreshment of tea at the houses of different members of the Unitarian societies in the town.

AT Royston, Hertfordshire, on the 21st of April 1833, died WILLIAM STALLYBRASS, in the 76th year of his age. This person though born in a humble condition of life, and enjoying in a very limited measure the advantages of education, was distinguished not only by genuine piety and general rectitude of conduct, but by the possession of a strength and vigour of intellect, which he exercised in a manner rarely to be met with in persons in his station in society.

About fifty years ago, he became a member of the Independent Church at Royston, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. W. Jameson, who was succeeded by the Rev. H. Crabb. This gentleman was educated for the Christian ministry under the tuition of Dr. Ashworth, who adopted Dr. Doddridge's method of instruction laid down in his published Lectures, where, under different heads of divinity, the students received a list of the best authors on both sides of every question in theology; these every student was expected to read with care and impartiality. Thus the theological tutors not only allowed the right of freedom of inquiry in religion, but required the exercise of it as a duty. This freedom of inquiry was recommended by Mr. Crabb, and the deceased profited by frequent intercourse with his amiable and enlightened pastor. William Stallybrass being appointed clerk, Mr. Crabb most willingly delegated to him the choice of psalms and hymns from Dr. Watts' Collection; and in the performance

of this duty, he was in the habit of avoiding such hymns as many conscientious and thoughtful Christians could not unite in singing, being in their opinion unscriptural, and which Dr. Watts himself in more mature years (there is reason to believe) regretted having introduced into his Collection.

For some years after the death of his beloved pastor, William Stallybrass, continued his services as clerk; until the succeeding minister, to satisfy a few persons who considered the whole of Dr, Watts' Collection too sacred to be interfered with, dispensed with W. Stallybrass' services, and gave out the hymns himself. Some time after this, W. S. withdrew from the church and public worship, to the manifest regret of several individuals of the congregation, by whom his character was highly appreciated. Though he now no longer frequented public worship, he spent his Sabbaths in diligently reading and meditating upon the Word of God. The extraordinary attainments be made in the knowledge of the Scriptures, are well known to several of his intimate friends; and men of learning and great biblical knowledge who have occasionally conversed with him, have expressed their surprise at his correct and comprehensive views of Revelation.

This may be in part accounted for, from the natural strength of his mind, its freedom from system, and from the unspeakable pleasure he had in searching the Oracles of divine truth; for it may be truly said, that for many years the Bible was his constant companion, and its principles and precepts were treasured up in his heart and became the guide of his daily conduct. Our deceased friend's acquaintance with Scripture was so intimate, that on a text being mentioned, he would immediately cite the verse connected with it, and would also produce various parallel passages to illustrate the subject under consideration.

With respect to his moral character, his master, in whose employment he had been for more than forty-four years, gives this testimony to the writer of this memoir. "He was an Israelite indeed in whom there was no guile." During all the years I knew him, his conduct was marked by the strictest integrity and sincerity both in word and action; he was disinterested, unambitious, and contented with the station in which Providence had placed him. He lately spoke of his death as soon to take place, and the great change which death would effect, with profound awe; he then spoke of faith in God's raising the dead by Christ to immortal life, to all those who believe and obey the Gospel, with more than ordinary animation."

DIED on Wednesday, June 5th, in the 59th year of his age, Mr. JOSEPH MACE, of Tenterden. He has left a widow and five children. He combined with strong domestic and social affections, an ardent love for the interests of liberty and man's welfare. His loss, irreparable to his family, will also be severely felt by many as a friend and neighbour. In his last short, but painful illness, he experienced that support which results from the conviction that God is a wise and merciful Father: though for his children's sake he would have been thankful to have been