EDINBURGH.-UNITARIAN SOCIAL

SOIREE.

On Thursday, May 20th, nearly a hundred members and friends of the Unitarian congregation in Edinburgh, assembled in the Calton Convening Rooms, for a social soiree, to cultivate friendly feelings, and to stir each other up into love and good works. Mr. Shaen occupied the chair, supported by Mr. C. Clarke, minister of the Glasgow Unitarian congregation.

SHEFTON MALLET.

We had a very interesting visitor at our Chapel here last Sunday, and a large audience to listen to his testimony. About a year and a half ago, a Mr. W. G. Peace, came to this town one Saturday, with a friend on business, was detained over the Sunday, and on Sunday evening strolled into Cowl-Street Chapel supposing it to be an Independent place of worship. Mr. Solly happened that night to be delivering a lecture on the Deity of Christ, from John xiv. 28, "My Father is greater than I." Having been a member of a Wesleyan Church

for more than nine years, and a devout believer in their doctrines, as well as a zealous local preacher among them, he was at first much disturbed at the views he that night heard advocated. But loving truth better than sect or previous prejudice, he did not stifle the doubts and queries which the lecture forced upon his mind. On his return home he thought and read. He conversed a great deal with an intelligent Unitarian, with whom, fortunately, he was acquainted, and who lent him various works, among others Wilson's admirable illustrations of Unitarianism. The result was, that in the course of eight or 10 months he became a decided and conscientious Unitarian Christian. He procured a number of Tracts through Mr. Bishop, of Exeter, and set to work diligently to diffuse the truth which he felt to be such a blessing to hitself. He soon found others of a like mind, and he says there are at least twenty now prepared to begin public worship on Unitarian principles as soon as a suitable room can be prepared.-Inquirer.

OBITUARY.

Died, of fever, at Mosley, on Friday, the 18th June, Elizabeth, wife of Edmund Grimshaw, Esq., J. P., in her 72nd year. A character like that of Mrs. Grimshaw ought not to pass away without some attempt being made to confirm the impression left upon the hearts of all who knew her, by the memory of her virtues. She possessed many talents for usefulness; a sound and cultivated mind, gentle dispositions, refined tastes, and engaging manners; and she used them well; so that she enjoyed the esteem of many affectionate friends, not only in her native England, but in Ireland, which was her adopted country, and which she loved with a daughter's attachment. To the poor she was a thoughtful, judicious, and considerate friend. Much of her life was spent in devising and executing plans for their welfare; and with apparent reason it is supposed, that the fever which, in a few days, hurried her to the tomb, was caught in the course of her sympathizing exertions for their relief -Northern Whig.

DIED, on Saturday, 26th June, at his house in Castle-Street, Mr. Thos. Cunningham, aged 67, whose retired and unobtrusive habits limited the knowledge of his character to a small circle, but in that circle of his relations and friends he was much and deservedly esteemed-he was at all times kind, considerate, and liberal. To his religious principles he was steadfast, and in his religious habits so regular, that being a worshipper in the First Presbyterian Congregation for about 50 years, he was seldom missed out of his seat except from Sickness, or some as cogent reason. On the 29th June, at her house, No. 8, Queen- Street, Ellen, youngest daughter of the late Rev. Wm. Montgomery of Ballyeaston.

On the 30th June, Eliza Jane, second daughter of Mr. John Bradley, Carsontown, near Saintfield.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

A Correspondent requests us to correct two mistakes that occur in the account of Mr. Dunbar's death, which appeared in our last Number.-Mr. Dunbar died on the 17th of April, and not in June, as might be inferred from the published obituary; and further on, the word "inestimable" occurs instead of "inscrutable."

We regret that the obituary notice of the late JOSEPH NELSON, Esq., Q. C., was not forwarded in time for insertion in the present number.

OUR readers are, no doubt, aware, that an important meeting was held in the meeting-house of the First Presbyterian Congregation, Belfast, on the 22d of July last, for the purpose of receiving a friendly communication addressed to the Unitarians of this country by their brethren in Boston, America. The letter was signed by the leading Unitarian ministers of that city, and conveyed an invitation to the brethren in Ireland, to send over representatives to their anniversary meetings which take place in the month of May, at Boston, promising a kind reception to such members of the church as might be chosen as its delegates, and expressing a strong desire for friendly intercourse with them. This interesting communication from our Transatlantic brethren has afforded the Unitarians of this country a favourable opportunity for expressing their sentiments on the subject of American slavery, and of urging on their friends in New England, and throughout the United States, generally, the necessity of farther and greater efforts for its abolition. Of this opportunity we would say, that for so far, they have properly availed themselves. Whilst they cordially reciprocate every Christian sentiment expressed in that letter, and whilst they state the high estimation in which the characters of the writers are held amongst us, as men and as fellow-labourers in the cause of truth, they neglect not, at the same time, to declare their own views on the Slavery Question, clearly and unequivocally. They have assumed, in their reply, a position of firmness and moderation in reference to this most important controversy, from which, we trust, they will not permit themselves to be removed. We rejoice to believe, that the lazy, apathetical advocates of Emancipation will find no sympathy among Irish Unitarians, and that whilst we

proceed temperately, we will also act with honesty and determination in the matter. The statements put forth at the meeting to which we refer give us ample promise of this. Dr. Montgomery, (whose admirable speech we regret we cannot publish more fully) in speaking of the sin and curse of slavery eloquently observes:—

"There is something awful and deplorable in the reflection that human tyranny and avarice should have induced some men to use their fellow-creatures in this way, and regard them only in the light of slaves to their caprice, and ministers to their avarice. It was doubly frightful to contemplate that such a state of things could exist in a land, the first principle of whose boasted declaration was, that all men are born free and equal.'"

Again, the Rev. Doctor adopts the honest and intelligible principle of "no union with slave-holders," and expresses his sentiments in reference to this very important part of the question in the following significant language:

"On this point he thought they all could agree, that, as an Unitarian body, they should hold no kind of religious intercourse with slave-holders, or with advocates of slavery; and he, for one, would refuse to sit in any Christian body, one of the vice-presidents of which was a holder of slaves."

The Rev. J. Scott Porter, who moved for a Committee, to prepare an address to the Brethren, in America, declared his belief, that the views taken by Dr. Montgomery on the subject of Negro Slavery, were those of every member present. Referring to the infamous fact, that, in not one of the Unitarian churches of America will a black man be permitted to take a sitting or to enter a pew, Mr. Porter said:

"Oh! there was something horrible in this, and he could not think, that, if attention were properly called to the subject, such an atrocious violation of right would be permitted to continue. He must say, there was some pretext for the expression all violent as it was, that there was throughout the whole of the United States a hatred to the coloured population, when he reflected, that even by those who professed to be the friends of the slave, such a cruel exclusion was practised."

This, however, after all, is one of the most gentle exclusions practised on the poor slave; and we submit, that when such is the spirit that animates churches professing to be Christian, the coloured people need not regret their being excluded. Indeed we suspect, that when we come to contemplate the sin of slavery, as the religion of Jesus requires we should do, even the most moderate friends of the slave will feel themselves somewhat moved, and the strong language employed by certain distinguished abolitionists will cease, more and more, to astound us. The acts and expressions of the abolitionist party have been often misunderstood, and, we

regret to say, not unfrequently misrepresented. One of their leading principles is, "No union with Slaveholders," by which, as we apprehend, they simply mean no union with those who would make and hold our fellowmen as slaves, no participation in what all are ready to acknowledge as "the greatest robbery and the greatest wrong." This principle does not, (as Dr. Beard, a distinguished minister of the Unitarian denomination, in England, has asserted,) "sunder from all kind offices, from all recognition even of a common religion and brotherhood, a man because he holds slaves." Not at all. The abolitionist acknowledges the slaveholder as his brother, entitled to his help and sympathy and prayers, in the ordeal through which he is soon destined to pass; but in the mean time, he refuses to participate in any respect with the slaveholder's wickedness and oppression. "There is no abolitionist in the land," says Mr. May, in the communication already referred to, "who would not as joyfully render every aid in his power to the slaveholder, trying to escape from his unhallowed position, as to the poor, trembling slave, hunted by the enemies of his soul, and begging for shelter and concealment. Judge, all honest and candid men, whether we are not right in endeavouring to clear ourselves from all participation in slavery, and to lead others to do the same. Trusting then in God, and in the might of his truth we hope to be faithful to the noble and eminently Christian principle-" No union with Slaveholders." It is time that this principle should be honestly adopted, and faithfully acted on, by the Unitarians of these lands. No consideration must induce us to shut our eyes against its importance. We may have, occasionally, to regret the use of violent and intemperate language on the part of some who advocate it, but, we must learn to regret infinitely more the fiendish and inhuman acts that are daily perpetrated, under this frightful system on our helpless fellow-creatures. Unless we enter on the work honestly and zealously, it would be better not to put our hands to the plough at all. However we may respect many who differ from us, for their other estimable qualities, and however we may sympathize with slaveholders anxious to escape from their lamentable position as such, let us, in the name of the God of justice and mercy labour without ceasing for the total overthrow of this gigantic iniquity.

See a letter from the Rev. S. May, of Boston, in the Inquirer of the 24th July.

OUTLINES OF THE HISTORY OF PRESBYTERIANISM,
IN IRELAND.

BY THE REV. H. MONTGOMERY,

L L. D.

(Continued from No. VIII. Vol. II. page 268.)

WHILST the Seceders and Covenanters were, by their energy and competition, stimulating the languid zeal and reviving the dying Calvinism of the General Synod of Ulster, a similar service was rendered to the Church of England, by the celebrated John Wesley. Born of a respectable family, at Epworth in Lincolnshire, in the year 1703, he evidenced superior talents, and became, at the age of twenty-five, a Fellow of Lincoln-College in the University of Oxford. There, amidst a general laxity of manners and morals, John Wesley and his brother Charles became remarkable for piety, as well as purity of conduct; and being joined by some young men of their own age, they commenced a strict and regular system of study and devotion. In consequence of pursuing this course, they were nick-named Methodists; but although the name was applied in scorn and ridicule, they adopted it with cheerfulness and made it respectable by their virtues. In the ardour of his zeal, John Wesley proceeded to America and attempted to convert the native tribes of Georgia; but finding the task hopeless, he returned to England and directed his attention, in conjunction with his brother, to the civilization and religious instruction of his own almost equally barbarous countrymen, the miners of Cornwall, and the colliers of the midland and northern counties. His labours in this good work were almost super-human. He preached, generally, four times, on every day of the week; and, in the various localities, be organized Societies or Classes over whom he placed Leaders. Out of these leaders he selected fluent speakers and zealous though uneducated men, whom he appointed visitors or local preachers; and from these again, he chose the most gifted, to labour in more extended spheres of usefulness. After thus providing for the support of his views, he gradually enlarged the field of his own operations; and, in the course of twenty-five years, there were few towns or villages of England in which he had not established Classes or Congregations. He then visited Scotland and Ireland, in both of which he collected some followers; and, at the period of his death, in the year 1791, his adherents were not less than 100,000.

Wesley was a man of sound understanding, considerable learning, varied attainments, and indomitable energy. He was also a man of unquestionable sincerity, great benevolence, and extraordi