ble heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and shall bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 Pet. ii. 1. Different minds, in short, need different religions.-Christ. Disc. 1823. p. 34. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Ephes. iv. 5. -- Religious errour -We need tremble only at the denunciations of heaven, and THEY WERE NEVER UTTERED AGAINST ERROUR OF FAITH, but errour of practice.-Unit. Misc. 1822. p. 175. He that BELIEVETH NOT shall be damned. Mark xvi. 16. No examination of the religious opinions of another, or of candidates for ordination, or of admission to our communion or fellowship, or any other occasion of this nature, with whatever softening pretences it may be proposed, should ever be acquiesced in; because the examination of another's religious opinions is a virtual assumption on your part, of an authority to control, or to call others to an account for those opinions.--Christ. Disc. 1822. p. 54. Jesus said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? John ix. 35. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayst. Acts viii. 37. And I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine. 1 Tim. i. 3. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Gal. i. 8. The Devil and his angels.--I do not intend to give elaborately the arguments against the existence and agency of the Devil, but I will just hint at some of the reasons which induce me to regard the opinion as false. Neither reason nor scripture authorizes the belief of the existence of any evil principle like our idea of Satan.--Christ. Disc. vol. i. New Series. pp. 156, 157. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him, &c. John viii. 44. Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Matt. xxv. 41. Unitarian Ministers.-It must be confessed that those theologians who entertain different sentiments from the reputedly orthodox respecting the atonement, the nature of future punishment, &c. have not in the general tenour of their writings or preaching, been so tenacious of scriptural language as their opponents. In some instances they evidently avoid scriptural expressions, lest they should appear to entertain the sentiments which they reject.-Dr. Cogan, as quoted in the Christ Disc. 1823. p. 206. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah viii. 20. We have given more copious extracts from this little tract than we at first intended, because we wish to show from the most unquestionable authority, even the declarations of Unitarians themselves, what a dreadful shipwreck they have made of that faith which was once delivered to the saints. All the great and distinguishing principles of the gospel, principles which the Church universally has held most sacred, at every period of her history, and in every part of the world to which she has extended herself, have been discarded and ridiculed, and treated with contempt. Principles which constituted the glory of the reformation, and were embraced by Lutherans and Calvinists, as well as by the Church of England, with the most edifying harmo ny. We have no doubt that many who call themselves Unitarians, or who are inclined to think well of that negative creed, because their friends have assumed the appellation, will be astonished and alarmed when they discover how wide is the departure from sound doctrine, so well exposed in this little work. There is a manifest distinction between the tenets themselves and the persons who profess them. To the tenets we can never give way, no not for an hour. To the persons, we may express, what we feel for many of them, a sincere esteem and regard. It has been our happiness to know, many pious and exemplary Christians who now attend the ministrations of Unitarian preachers, and yet are as far from being Unitarians them. selves as light is removed from darkness. We cannot but believe, therefore, that they are ignorant of the real nature of Unitarianism, or that they attend upon such ministrations from habit, from the force of early associations, from an unwillingness to disturb the order and harmony of their own families, from the influence of personal attachments which lead them to apologize for religious errour in their pastor, as Budgell did for suicide: "What Cato did, and Addison approved, In short, from any other motive than that of a wicked life, or neglect of the scriptures, or an indifference to religious truth. We do not apologize for such inconsistency, we only say, and we lament to say that it exists. Our religion requires us to search the scriptures in order to discover what is truth; at the same time that it requires us to humble our hearts, to lean not to our own understanding, and to ask for the aid of that Divine Spirit which alone can lighten the darkness of our mental vision. They who with humble and teachable minds apply themselves to the serious examination of the whole of holy scripture, with prayer and earnest supplication that they may be led into all truth, will not greatly differ with regard to the great and prominent doctrines and duties of our religion. To such we would recommend the careful examination of this little tract, in the hope that it may lead all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, to renounce a name which is now inseparably associated with the rejection of the fundamental doctrines of the gospel, which implies in fact a principle of unbelief in the human heart, and is in reality nothing but DEIsm in disguise, FOR THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE. A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE TRUSTEES OF OUR GENERAL THOLOGICAL SEMINARY. GENTLEMEN, EVERY member of our church must naturally indulge some solicitude respecting our General Theological Seminary. To the mind of him at least who now addresses you, the welfare of the church and that of the seminary appear most intimately connected. He trusts no apology is necessary for respectfully inviting your attention to some considerations on this important subject, which, should they do no good, will, he is sure, be harmless. Permit the inquiry then, whether the period has not arrived when our seminary ought to have its own proper habitation. Many persons consider it as still afloat. They do not know that its location is fixed, and that its perpetuity may be reasonably relied upon. Hence it is some refuse to give, few if any give as much as they ought, and would, under other circumstances. The experiment of diocesan seminaries is persevered in; candidates hesitate about joining it, and in short the institution has not the reputation to which it is entitled from its judicious management, and the ability of its faculty. It has hitherto been dwelling in tents. Under a different policy similar institutions of other churches have greatly flourished. At Princeton, the first receipts were expended on that noble building, which commands the attention of travellers, and we doubt not has had its effect on the piety and liberality of the country. At Andover, an early measure was the providing of a convenient building, and we observe that the new seminary at Auburn, New York, is already provided with a neat and commodious edifice. The Baptists, at Washington, also have erected many of the buildings necessary for their seminary, which was instituted subsequent to that of our church. The delay on our part, it is conceived, is no longer necessary. Our present income, it is true, is not adequate to indispensable expenditures, but that a sum sufficient for suitable buildings can be collected may be inferred from the following considerations. I. A very small proportion of the members of our Church have been applied to. Many are ignorant or misinformed as to the nature of the institution. They who have been solicited were not sufficiently prepared by previous information or were not efficiently addressed. Several congregations and some of the dioceses may be considered as new ground, capable of producing an abundant harvest. II. Many from local considerations would give to this purpose who would not to the general object. They who have already contributed might without impropriety be asked to aid this special object, and they would be inclined to promote a measure calculated to increase the usefulness of their previous liberality. For procuring the building fund it is suggested, 1. That a draft of the whole plan for the proposed buildings (which plan should admit of the buildings being erected from time to time, as the funds came in, and the necessities of the seminary required) should be provided for the collector, to be by him exhibited to the pious, the benevolent, and the publick spirited. 2. He might be instructed to apply first in New York, and then in other dioceses, holding forth the inducement that each hall should bear the name of the individual or association contributing a certain sum. 3. A circular might be addressed to every clergyman of our church, inviting his patronage, with this inducement, that a contribution of would entitle him to the use of a room at any time. To those who pass the summer from their parishes, and to those who would make provision for infirmity and old age, this might be an object. In favour of the attempt to give our seminary a home, the following reasons are offered. I. It would increase the pecuniary resources of the institution, directly, by saving the rent now given for the recitation rooms, literary rooms, boarding house, and indirectly by attracting publick attention, and by removing all doubts as to the location and the permanence of the seminary. It has been stated on credible authority, that even in the city of New York the existence of this institution is not generally known. II. A suitable building would diminish the expenses of the students. It might contain standing furniture, provided by private liberality as at Andover. It might be constructed with stoves to diminish the quantity of fuel, or to admit of coal. Fuel might be laid up in the summer at a reduced price. If it were located out of the city, as on Mr. Moore's lots, the clothing of the members would be much less expensive, as they would form a society of their own. III. Such a building would greatly promote the important purposes of the establishment. A common residence would give additional security to the punctual attendance of the students on the various exercises, literary and religious, and it would render the intercourse of all the members more frequent, and thus, while the opportunities for improvement were increased, that friendship among the future ministers of our church would be cultivated, which is not the least among the many considerations recommending one general seminary. As to the proper site, a decided opinion is respectfully expressed in favour of the ground given by our worthy professor, Clement Moore, Esq. This location would obviate in some degree the objection which has been made to a city. There would be less expense there than in the city, especially in the article of clothing. It would be agreeable and healthful at all seasons. Our seminary has already suffered from a disease incidental to a city. They who come from a distance would prefer to pass the long vacation at the seminary, to avail themselves of its facilities for improvement, and from motives of economy. To clergymen in the decline of life who might retreat here, and to those who may have scholarships, it would be important to have a location admitting of a permanent residence. The clergy, and others desirous of theological attainment, who in the summer retire from the large cities and other sickly places, might pleasantly and profitably avail themselves of the seminary if it was situated in a place so open and healthful as that now contemplated. Theattempt to procuresome other site would be embarrassing and produce delay. It is due to the generous donor not to pass by his wishes. Such acts of munificence in this young country ought in every way to be encouraged. Associations, pleasing and useful, would naturally arise on a spot on which one of the fathers of our Church had resided. To another subject, viz. the state of our finances, the attention of the trustees is also respectfully invited. On balancing the accounts it is believed a deficiency of income will appear. Might not this deficiency be brought before the notice of our bishops, by a circular, requesting that each of them would, by congregational collections or any other means, endeavour to effect its liquidation. If it be even a $1000, it will be perceived that the quota of each diocese would be small. This measure might be annually adopted, if necessary, so as effectually to prevent any encroachment on the capital, which ought by all means to be untouched. For the augmentation of our capital, the appointment of a standing collector would probably be the best expedient. Several and occasional collectors are of little use. They enter on the duty without experience, and having other pressing avocations prosecute it in a hasty and inefficient manner. A collector having no other business would qualify himself for this, and prosecute it without interruption, distraction or hurry. He would be daily ac quiring a stock of experience proportioned to which would be the success of his efforts. The expense of this plan would be much less than of that hitherto adopted, as a fixed though moderate salary would be preferred to a per centage. By proper arrangements the travelling expenses could be rendered light. The same collector returning af ter a suitable interval to those persons who had declined or postponed or promised to be ready on his next visit, would act with eminent efficiency. This method has been pursued with great success by other charitable associations. In four or five years, according to a proper system, the subject might be brought before every Episcopalian in our country. And, in that case, who can doubt of the result? Perhaps it would not be too particular to add, that the collector should be instructed-to preach, or publickly address, (according as he was a clergyman or layman,) in explanation of the views of the Church relative to the General Seminary, wherever he might go. To obtain a list of each congregation, and to apply to every individual member without discrimination, not refusing the widow's mite, and urging those who could not give, to lay by them in store that they may have wherewithal to help this important cause; to report and pay over to the treasurer, quarterly, the amount he has received. And lastly, to take with him two subscription papers, so that each subscriber might designate whether his gift should be applied to the erection of buildings or to the general fund. In conclusion permit me to express the sincere wish, that the Lord may preside over and bless your deliberations to the hastening of that desirable consummation, when our seminary shall take root deeply, |