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towards gratuitous education would, upon the economical plan of the Madras System, supply the necessary resources, yet the school was of necessity given up, in some measure, for want of local cooperation. The state of gratuitous education throughout the county, as set forth in the same Report, exhibits an equally lamentable detail; the representation being to this effect, that out of fifteen thousand children between the above specified ages, which is the computed amount of that class of its population, not more than six thousand receive any kind of instruction; and only one thousand seven hundred of these enjoy the benefit to a further extent than a Sunday School can impart it. Surely had St. Paul's solemn monition, and our Lord's example been attended to, provision would first have been made by the benevolent inhabitants of the town and county for their own household, before £800 and upwards, the ag gregate sum transmitted from the Auxiliary Committees to the above mentioned Societies, had been given towards converting Jews and Heathens, and furnishing foreign nations with Bibles." P. 14. note.

Some interesting information is given, (p. 24.) relative to the well-known Welch Bible, undertaken by the Society; and the part taken by Mr. Charles, of Bala, in the preparation of it, as well as the alterations introduced by him in the orthography of that Bible, is very properly noticed. From hence the Editor is led to remark upon the reprehensible curtailing of the headings of the chapters, adopted in the smaller editions of the Bible issued from the presses of both the Universities. We are not aware that such a liberty can be justified. The Universities, in connection with the King's Printer, were granted a lucrative monopoly, for the very purpose of guarding against unauthorized alterations*. They are bound, we presume, to print the translation of the sacred volume as it was transmitted to them by authority; and if they swerve from this obligation, their monopoly becomes worse than useless. We trust that some steps will be taken to prevent the farther progress of this innovating spirit.

The very indiscreet terms in which the Society chose to express its veneration for the character of the deceased Granville Sharp, Esq. have called forth an appropriate rebuke from the Editor; and we are glad to find that his observations have produced their intended effect, as the recent demise of the Treasurer Shas been noticed in much more guarded language. It is not a little remarkable, that, while in commemorating the debt of gratitude due by the Society to the former Gentleman, he is distinctly recognized as its original founder, this high honour is with equal confidence claimed by one of his countrymen for Mr. Charles, of Bala. At the last anniversary meeting of the Swan

* In the six first chapters of the four Gospels, the variations from the Oxford Edition of 1800, amount to 414.-Reviewer.

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sea Auxiliary Society, a person, designated as the Rev. Joseph Harries, is reported to have said, that

"He felt in the formation of the Parent Society an additional cause of exultation that he was a Welchman. That Institution owing its existence to the suggestion of the Rev. Mr. Charles, of Bala, who proposed that a British Bible Society should be established, which, at the recommendation of another Welchman, was subsequently denominated the British and Foreign Bible Society."(Cambrian, March 18, 1815.)

How far Mr. Joseph Harries was justified in thus attempting to monopolize for his countrymen the glory of having founded this Society, we leave to be determined by the secretaries, who attested the memorable resolution of the 2d August, 1813. We are far from wishing to awaken discussions in a Society so harmoniously constituted; we would rather abstain from giving any opinion upon so weighty a matter; and sincerely desirous of bearing testimony with the Editor to the religious and moral character of the truly pious individual first named, we shall be believed when we say, that our good opinion of him will not be at all diminished, even if it should appear that the Committee in recognizing him as "the venerable person under whose auspices the society was formed," have trenched a little unfairly upon the pre-eminent merits of the "noted leader among the sectaries,' for whom his Reverend Brother claims this distinguished honour so unequivocally.

Upon the subject of Socinian co-operation, and the general proceedings of that insidious class of heretics, the Editor has furnished much new and portentous information. No sooner had the Legislature repealed "those statutes which expressed the abhorrence of this Christian nation against the impugners of the doctrine of the Trinity, and other blasphemers of God," (p. 31.) than the Unitarian Society proceeded with more openness, though not with more systematic industry than before, to direct their attacks against the orthodox Faith of their countrymen-thus manifesting their gratitude to the government, which had afforded them so signal a proof of its protection.

They met immediately to celebrate their triumph; but instead of expressing any sense of the favour which had been shewn them, the resolutions adopted upon that occasion are well denominated " a manifesto of continued discontent, and further aggression" (p. 33.) They regard what has been already done for them, not as a mark of paternal kindness, but as a tardy restora tion of long withheld but always undoubted rights; not as the completion of that tolerating system, which all true Christians will probably think has at least now reached the utmost limits to which it can be safely carried, but

"As an auspicious prelude to that happy day, when all penal

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laws and political restrictions on religious grounds shall be for ever abolished; when an invidious and limited toleration shall give way to universal religious liberty; and when all without distinction shall be entitled by law to the possession of those civil and political privileges, which are the birthright of Britons." (3d Resolution, p. 32.)

This is the grand consummation. And when Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics, are admitted to equal rule and sway in this Christian nation; when the minarets of Mahommed shall rise beside the spires of our Churches; and the tower of Jaggernaut vie with the dome of St. Paul's; when the auspicious moment, so ardently longed for by that distinguished Apostle of civil and religious liberty, and all its attendant immoralities, John Wilkes, shall arrive, and the crescent shall shine as brightly in our metropolis as the cross; then will the Socinians be satisfied, and the grand work of that Society, which is to unite all hearts without reconciling opinions, will be accomplished.

Tum magnum exitium (quod Dii prius omen in ipsum'
Convertant) Priami imperio Phrygibusque futurum,

That such is specifically the object of the Bible Society itself we mean not to insinuate; but the documents, which the Unitarian Society has thought proper to publish, justify us in considering them as the legitimate descendants of those Socinians, whose epistle to the ambassador from Morocco to Charles II. has been preserved by Leslie; and we defy the most subtle of their advocates to point out a single article in the profession of faith set forth by them at the King's Head Tavern, August 20, 1813, (see 2d Resol. p. 34.) which a Mahommedan would hesitate to admit; or to shew any position in the first Resolution then passed, which may not be employed to defend the national rights of such a man to take his religion from the Koran, to profess it, and to act upon it. How man can have derived a right from the Almighty Creator to form his own religious opinions, we leave the sages of the Unitarian Fund to explain; but if such be admitted to be the case, if it be "the right of every man to form his own re ligious opinions, to profess them among his neighbours and fellow creatures, and to act upon them in the exercises of divine worship," (1st. Resol. p. 34.) then, as to the matter of right, the Christian, the Jew, the Turk, the worshipper of the Lama, of Buddha, nay even of Satan himself, for he has not been without his worshippers, all stand on the same footing; and

"All penal statutes, whether they enact fine or imprisonment, or positive bodily suffering, or whether they declare civil disabilities, exclusion, and privation, on the ground solely of such opinion, profession, and worship, are manifest invasions of natural right, and equally repugnant to the Christian Religion, and to the spirit of the British Constitution." (Resol. ut supra.)

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That the object of these enlightened persons is to hasten this antichristian project we learn from their sixth resolution, in which they declare that they trust

"The period is advancing, and that they would willingly hasten its arrival, when not only Christians of every description, but also their countrymen at large, shall be alike free to profess and defend their opinions, and all equally partake in the civil rights of Britons." (6th Resol. p. 35.)

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We would ask any man of common sense and reflection, does he believe that persons, who have such objects professedly in ́ view, would become warm and active supporters of the Bible Society, unless they conceived that it might be made instrumental to their accomplishment? The answer must be obvious. We proceed to shew what additional proof the Editor has brought. forward, that they do ardently and zealously support it.........

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"The Socinians," says he, "continue with increased zeal to eulogize the Bible Society, to flock to its associations, and to give it their unqualified support. The Editors of A NEW DIRECTORY, FOR NON-CONFORMIST CHURCHES,' evidently à Socinian publication, printed for Johnson, 1812, were at that period so well aware of the tendency of the Bible, and the Lancasterian Societies, which they consider as closely connected, that at the termination of their. seventh chapter, setting forth the motives for using Scripture forms of worship, they cannot conclude,' they say, this part of their work, without expressing their satisfaction in the wonderful success of these two recent institutions; and rejoicing also in the animated and successful defences of both, by clergy and laity of all denominations, against the bigotted, but feeble attempts of those who are afraid to trust the Bible by itself, lest it should betray the readers into error!' and they assign this as the reason of their rejoicing, that they cannot but hence encourage the cheerful hope that Scriptural worship, and Scriptural religion, will rapidly gain ground, and thus the prophecy be fulfilled, Jer. xxxii. 39. "I will give them one heart and one way,' i.e. the way of indifference to all the articles of faith, or to express it in one word, the way of Deism*.

"At a more recent period, Mr. Aspland, in his PLEA FOR UNITARIAN DISSENTERS addressed to the Editor, in consequence of the investigation which is here continued, has in the strongest terms avowed the attachment of the whole Socinian Body to the Bible Society; and lest the circumstance, that many have withheld their

"It is mentioned as one of the devices of Weishaupt, by Professor Robinson in his PROOFS OF A CONSPIRACY, p. 215, that he employs the Christian Religion, which he thinks a falsehood, as the means of inviting Christians of every denomination, and gradually cajoling them, by clearing up their Christian doubts in succession, till he lands them in Deism."

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names from its muster-roll should be misconstrued, he lets out the secret that policy has laid restraint upon their inclination—that their very attachment makes them absentees-operates upon many of them (to use his own words) to abstain from the pleasure, and deny themselves the honour of being amongst its most public and zealous promoters, lest their appearing publicly in its cause should furnish its enemies with a new topic of invective, and a convenient handle of reproach; and lest the odium so industriously heaped upon them should be also made to bear on an Institution, as abhorrent to some of the Members of the Church as Socinianism itself.' (Plea, p. 24, 5.) and in another place, (p. 37.) he very candidly states this as the ground of their attachment; that the spirit of the Bible Society is a virtual concession to their plea,' (viz. ' that if they dissent from the greater part of the Christian world in points of Faith, they are one with it in the reception and the observance of the rules of moral duty s) and therefore they cordially hail it as an earnest of the speedy approach of the period, when all mankind's concern,' according to the poet, will be that which, in the judg ment of an Apostle, is greater than faith,' namely CHARITY. Not the charity however of the Apostle, which amongst its other characteristics bears this distinctive mark, that it rejoices in the truth,' but modern charity, which first changes the truth into a lie,' and then by a general compromise discards it altogether from its affections-the speculative love in short of the whole human race, combined with practical ferocity against individuals, and enmity against God." (P. 39.)

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The accumulated testimony, by which the Editor has already shewn that this eagerness on the part of the Socinians to join and support the Society is encouraged rather than checked by its great advocates and managers, must, we should suppose, have forced conviction even upon the most determined of its adherents: but new evidence is now produced in support of this charge; and if there should be a single Member of the Church, who hesitates to withdraw from the Society-because his mind is not satisfied on this point, let him consider the language of Dean Milner, as quoted by the Editor from Dr. Marsh, (p. 42, 43;) the "decisive but horrid fact" mentioned by Mr. Clapham in his sermon preached before the Lord Bp. of Chester at his Primary Visitation; (p. 45.) and the additional information on the subject of the Uxbridge Meeting, and Mr. Clarke's conduct, given, p. 46, 47.

But we shall perhaps be reminded that several Churchmen eminent for rank, talents, and zeal for the holy Faith which they profess, still continue members of the Society, still attend its meetings, still publicly advocate its cause, and recommend it to those who may be supposed to look up to their opinion and authority as worthy of all honour.

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