POETRY.

"Tis beauteous below-'tis majestic above, Bright Seraph, on whose heav'n-directed

INTELLIGENCE.

DOMESTIC.
RELIGIOUS.

North-Eastern Association of Unitarian Christians.

ON Wednesday evening, June 21, the Ministers and Friends of the NorthEastern Association met at Boston for the purpose of opening the new Chapel erected there, and also for the general purposes of their Association. The three services were attended by large audiences, whose attention was such as to gratify the feelings of all who are alive to the interests of free inquiry in matters of religion. By deviating somewhat from usual custom on such occasions, for peculiar reasons which it is unnecessary to mention, the three Sermons were preached by Mr. Madge, of Norwich, in his own happy style of animated elocution; and, notwithstanding each sermon occupied more than fifty minutes in the delivery, as far as we could ascertain, more were inclined to think them too short than too long. The service on Wednesday evening was from John iv. 23: "But the hour cometh and now is," &c. From these words the preacher, with a happy mixture of solid argument and rich eloquence, defended the leading doctrine of Unitarians, the Unity of the object of religious worship. On Thursday morning he pleaded, as we think, with unusual success for the most free and unshackled exercise of the understanding in religious inquiries, from F Peter iii. 15: "Be always ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." On Thursday evening he met some of the principal prejudices to our body with great ability, from John i. 46: "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ?" The first and third services were introduced by Mr. Treleaven, of Lynn; and the second by Mr. Hawkes, of Lincoln. One hundred and seven friends, ladies and gentlemen, dined together at an inn on Thursday, W. Garfitt, Esq., in the Chair; and the time between dinner and tea was fully occupied by the addresses of different speakers on appropriate subjects. The Tract Society, which had for some years been discontinued, was again re vived. Collections were made after each service towards defraying that part of the expenses of erecting the Chapel, which is unprovided for. A Fellowship Fund is established in the congregation, which will raise about £20 per annum.

On Friday, part of the Ministers and friends went to Fleet, to open a small, neat chapel, built by Mrs. Melbourne, in her garden, for the purpose of Unitarian worship: the afternoon service was opened by Mr. Jones, of Boston; and Mr. Hawkes, of Lincoln, preached from John xiii. 17: "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." The evening service was introduced by Mr. Hawkes, and Mr. Jones preached from Gal. iv. 18: "But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing." The two congregations were larger than the building would contain, and very attentive.

Mr. Madge, on his return home on Friday evening, preached at Lynn, on occasion of the re-opening of the Unitarian Chapel there, after having been shut up several weeks in consequence of its having been thoroughly painted. He preached a very animated discourse to a numerous and highly-gratified audience, on the importance of a full and diligent exercise of the understanding in matters of religion.

Eastern Unitarian Society.

THE Eighth Anniversary of this Society was held at Norwich on Wednesday and Thursday, the 28th and 29th June. Mr. Toms, of Framlingham, delivered the prayer and read the Scriptures, after which Mr. Robberds, of Manchester, preached from 2 Cor. ii. 17: "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ." From these words the preacher took occasion to vindicate Unitarianism from the various charges which are too commonly made against it, and in a most impressive and argumentative way asserted its claim to be received as a doctrine according to godliness. On Thursday morning Mr. Valentine, of Palgrave, commenced the service, and Mr. Bowles, of Yarmouth, delivered the prayer, after which, Mr. Fox, of London, preached from 1 Cor. xv. 55: "O death, where is thy sting?" The consolations and hopes which Unitarianism is calculated to afford, and which it has afforded to its sincere and pious professors, were powerfully displayed; and shewn to be in strict accordance with the declarations of Christ and the doctrines of the gospel. After service, the business of the Society was transacted. The Report of the Committee was received, and it was the

unanimous request of the meeting, that it be forwarded to the Monthly Repository for insertion.

Report of the Committee, 1820:

CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,

We are again assembled in the place in which our Society was formed and its first General Meeting held, and we may now confidently appeal to such of you as have attended all or even any of these Anniversaries, whether it has not been good for us to have united in the propa gation of our common faith, and to have cherished a spirit of Christian friendship among the members of our various societies. Since the establishment of this Association, many hundreds of tracts have been put into circulation. The number distributed since the last Meeting is 334, and the stock now in hand (not including those ordered in the present year) is 436.

the poor have felt its value, and borne their testimony to its truth. It is not, therefore, a matter of choice whether its advocates shall gird on their armour. We meet in our respective houses of prayer avowedly for the worship of the One God, and for this we are called upon to give our reasons. Let us not shrink from the challenge. The weapons of truth are in our hands, and, believing them to be all-powerful, let us use them with full assurance of final success. These are not times for shrinking from a manly and open avowal and a fearless defence of our principles. We are more than ever subjected to calumny and misrepresentation. Not only by all classes of our fellow-christians are we "spoken against," but even Unbelievers have joined in the senseless cry. To vilify the professors of Unitarianism has been found so sure a road to preferment in the Church, that we have seen our judges It has been highly gratifying to us that, on the bench imitating the example of year after year, our Meetings have been the established priests, and travelling out attended with fresh proofs of their uti- of their way to traduce us. Far be it lity. Every anniversary has brought addi- from any of us to imitate such conduct; tional members, and wherever we assem we are not to answer reviling with rebled, if any doubts had previously existed viling, but we are bound" to give a as to their expediency, they have given reason for the faith that is in us" to such way to feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. gainsayers. When we are accused of As, therefore, the utility and advantage blasphemy, it is our duty to hold up to of this Society is no longer a matter of the examination of our fellow-christians uncertainty, but is acknowledged by the the works of Priestley and Lardner and concurrent testimony of all our churches, other champions of our faith, and to say, we are desirous that all our Unitarian "such is the blasphemy which we probrethren should cordially co-operate with fess." These repeated attacks will at us in forwarding its objects, of which the least have the effect of promoting union principal one is the diffusion of what we and co-operation among us. Those who regard as gospel truth, by the distribu- have been languid in the cause of truth, tion of books. We would invite them to will feel the necessity of exertion. The aid us in giving circulation to those admi- principles and the spirit of our venerable rable and convincing arguments in defence ancestors, the old Nonconformists, will of pure and undefiled Christianity, which still live in our churches. Their hatred the catalogue of our Society contains. If to oppression, their love of liberty, their we regard truth as important, and Chris- desire to remove all the degrading obstatian truth as most important; if it is our cles which hinder the spread of truth, wish to edify one another; if we desire will animate their successors in the disthat the benevolent and heart-cheering charge of their duty, and will impel to spirit of the gospel should supersede the an active exertion of their influence in narrow and cheerless system which is behalf of those means by which its further taught in popular creeds and confessions and complete promulgation may be atof faith, let us unite in giving effect to tained. those means by which ends so desirable may be accomplished. If it be given to few to reason like Locke or Lardner or Priestley, it is yet in the power of us all to give currency and circulation to their writings, to bear our decided testimony to the truths which we profess, and to claim for them the attention and examination of our Christian brethren. Unitarianism can no longer be hid. It has ceased to be confined to the closets of the learned, and is avowed by Christians of all ranks and classes. Thousands of

Adopting the same views of the character and government of God, and of the ultimate destiny of man, let each study to contribute all in his power to the promotion of those views of Christian truth which we are convinced would ameliorate the heart, and root out from it every persecuting feeling, which would make man regard his Creator as a kind and beneficent parent, and all mankind as brethren. If this be our aim, neither the calumnies of the bigoted and the selfish nor the attacks of the hireling defenders

of human creeds, nor the well-meant opposition of the conscientious, will avail to stop their progress. With a spirit of Christian friendship among each other and with benevolence to our fellowcreatures, with prudence as our guide and scripture for our support, we shall

not fail of ultimate success.

Let us add, that, in furthering the views of this Society, we are following the advice and treading in the steps of the most venerated professors of our faith. And here we shall be pardoned for calling to your recollection the words of one of its most learned and powerful defenders, whose " purpose through life was" (as he expressed it)" to profess and stand by the truth so far as he knew it, without regard to the fear or favour of man," and whose happiness it was within these walls to minister to a Society who knew his worth, and who were not discouraged by the cry of heresy from following him in the path of religious inquiry. "Our principles," said Dr. Taylor," are liberty, private judgment, free inquiry and free profession, peace and charity, mutual forbearance, moderation and good-will to all mankind, and these principles will stand as long as there is truth, honesty and humanity in the earth, or a good and almighty God in heaven. But to what purpose is our boasted liberty, if we dare not use it? To what purpose do we enjoy the light, if we may not open our eyes to it? To what purpose the word of God, if we must not seek for its real and genuine sense, but must be tied down to the dictates and sentiments of any divines that have been or now are? What advantage hath the Dissenter, if not to reform without the formalities and delays of human laws and edicts, whatever shall be discovered to be at any time, or in any respect, wrong in his scheme? Our forefathers rejected what they thought was of human invention, and what we find to be so that escaped them, we, upon their principles, are to reject, otherwise we only exchange one kind of bondage for another, and while we refuse establishments by law, we shall come under the no less grievous establishments of custom.

"If we stand firm in liberty and love; if we list ourselves under no other head or leader but Christ alone; if we are stedfastly determined to establish our faith, practice and worship upon the word of God alone, and have true affection to one another and to all men, we shall act up to our own true principles. And though we may not be able at once to bring the whole body of truth out of revelation, yet the day will shine still brighter upon

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us, and our cause, thus set upon its proper basis, will stand secure against all assaults."

The Treasurer's accounts were then audited, and several new subscribers were added to the list. J. L. Marsh, Esq. and Mr. Edward Taylor were continued in the offices of Treasurer and Secretary for the ensuing year. An unanimous wish was expressed that Mr. Fox and Mr. Rob

berds would allow their Sermons to be

printed. The next yearly meeting was appointed to be held at Yarmouth, on the last Wednesday and Thursday in June, 1821. Ninety-two gentlemen and ladies afterwards dined together at the Swan Inn. Thomas Robinson, Esq., of Bury, in the Chair. Among the toasts given from the Chair were The Bishop of the Diocese, and a speedy end to all penal statutes against religious opinions.

The Mayor of Norwich.-Mr. Robberds, and prosperity to the York Academy. In the course of the address which followed this toast, Mr. Robberds enforced the necessity of further exertions in behalf of this valuable institution; the list of subscribers to which, from death and from the pressure of the times, had this year been diminished. It was also with regret he stated, that not a single congregational collection had this year been made in aid of its funds. He therefore felt it right, standing in the situation of one of the officers of the York Academy, to appeal to the meeting, and to the different ministers present to exert themselves in their respective congregations in behalf of that Institution.—Mr. Fox and the Unitarian Fund. Mr. Fox, in an eloquent and animated speech, vindicated the objects of the Fund, and gave many instances of its utility in promoting the great cause of religious truth and liberty.-A speedy end to all prosecutions and persecutions on account of belief or unbelief. Our Fellowship Funds, may they increase and multiply.

In the course of the afternoon, Mr. Toms, Mr. Hawkes of Lincoln, Mr. Alderman Marsh, Mr. Sheriff Taylor, Mr. George Watson, Mr. Crusoe, and other gentlemen, severally addressed the company on subjects either immediately connected with the interests of the Society, or with the cause of civil and religious liberty. The number of friends collected from a distance, as well as those resident in Norwich, far exceeded that of any former meeting, and a growing interest in the objects of the Society and a cordial friendship animated the ineeting.