of the attention, without which it has no life. Accordingly, pernicious opinions are not seldom held by men of the most illustrious virtue. I mean not then, in commending or condemning systems, to pass sentence on their professors. I know the power of the mind to select from a multifarious system, for its habitual use, those features or principles which are generous, pure, and ennobling, and by these to sustain its spiritual life amidst the nominal profession of many errors. I know that a creed is one thing, as written in a book, and another, as it exists in the minds of its advocates. In the book, all the doctrines appear in equally strong and legible lines. In the mind, many are faintly traced and seldom recurred to, whilst others are inscribed as with sunbeams, and are the chosen, constant lights of the soul. Hence, in good men of opposing denominations, a real agreement may subsist as to their vital principles of faith; and amidst the division of tongues, there may be unity of soul, and the same internal worship of God. By these remarks, I do not mean that error is not evil, or that it bears no pernicious fruit. Its tendencies are always bad. But I mean, that these tendencies exert themselves amidst so many counteracting influences; and that injurious opinions so often lie dead, through the want of mixture with the common thoughts, through the mind's not absorbing them, and changing them into its own substance; that the highest respect may, and ought to be, cherished for men, in whose creed we find much to disapprove. In this discourse I shall speak freely, and some may say severely, of Trinitarianism; but I love and honour not a few of its advocates; and in opposing what I deem their error, I would on no account detract from their worth. After these remarks, I hope that the language of earnest discussion and strong conviction will not be construed into the want of that charity, which I acknowledge as the first grace of our religion.

I now proceed to illustrate and prove the superiority of Unitarian Christianity, as a means of promoting a deep and noble piety.

I. Unitarianism is a system most favourable to piety, because it presents to the mind one, and only one, Infinite Person, to whom supreme homage is to be paid. It does not weaken the energy of religious sentiment, by dividing it among various objects. It collects and concentrates the soul on One Father, of unbounded, undivided, unrivalled

glory. To Him, it teaches the mind to rise through all beings. Around Him, it gathers all the splendours of the universe. To Him, it teaches us to ascribe whatever good we receive or behold, the beauty and magnificence of nature, the liberal gifts of providence, the capacities of the soul, the bonds of society, and especially the riches of grace and redemption, the mission, and powers, and beneficent influences of Jesus Christ. All happiness it traces up to the Father, as the sole source; and the mind, which these views have penetrated, through this intimate association of every thing exciting and exalting in the universe, with One Infinite Parent, can and does offer itself up to him with the intensest and profoundest love, of which human nature is susceptible. The Trinitarian indeed professes to believe in one God. But three persons, having distinctive qualities and relations, of whom one is sent and another the sender, one is given and another the giver, of whom one intercedes and another hears the intercession, of whom one takes flesh, and another never becomes incarnate,-three persons, thus discriminated, are as truly three objects to the mind, as if they were acknowledged to be separate divinities; and from the principles of our nature, they cannot act on the mind as deeply and powerfully as One Infinite Person, to whose sole goodness all happiness is ascribed. To multiply infinite objects for the heart, is to distract it. To scatter the attention among three equal persons, is to impair the power of each. The more strict and absolute the unity of God, the more easily and intimately all the impressions and emotions of piety flow together, and are condensed into one glowing thought, one thrilling love. No language can express the absorbing energy of the thought of One Infinite Father. When vitally implanted in the soul, it grows and gains strength for ever. It enriches itself by every new view of God's word and works; gathers tribute from all regions and all ages; and attracts into itself all the rays of beauty, glory, and joy, in the material and spiritual creation.

My hearers, as you would feel the full influence of God upon your souls, guard sacredly, keep unobscured and unsullied, that fundamental and glorious truth, that there is One, and only one Almighty Agent in the universe, One Infinite Father. Let this truth dwell in me in its uncorrupted simplicity, and I have the spring and nutriment of an ever-growing piety. I have an object for my

mind, towards which all things bear me. I know whither to go in all trial, whom to bless in all joy, whom to adore in all I behold. But let three persons claim from me supreme homage, and claim it on different grounds, one for sending and another for coming to my relief, and I am divided, distracted, perplexed. My frail intellect is overborne. Instead of One Father, on whose arm I can rest, my mind is torn from object to object, and has reason to tremble lest among so many claimants of supreme love, it should withhold from one or another his due.

(To be Continued.)

REVIEW.

A Plain Statement of the Evidences of Christianity: divided into short Chapters, with Questions annexed to each, designed for the use of Schools, Sunday Schools, and Young Persons. By Francis Knowles. London, Wightman & Cramp; J. Brown, Wigan.

WE are not content with the information that is usually imparted in Sunday Schools. It is not enough in amount; it is not adequate in kind. The adoption of the system of mutual instruction, developed by Lancaster, and improved by others, would enable the same number of teachers as are now employed, to communicate a much larger portion of information than is communicated at present; while we would introduce into the Sunday School the means of instructing children in the works, as well as the Word of God.

We have seen an outline of natural history, which we deem admirably calculated to interest the minds even of children, whilst it tended, by the subject on which it treated, and the reflections which were either interwoven or appended to the narrative, to lead the mind to the recognition, adoration, and love of the great Author of Creation.

Even those who will not go with us so far as to admit such treatises into our Sunday Schools, can hardly doubt the propriety of teaching the higher classes, the evidence on which the divinity of our religion rests its claims. Every one must see the importance of furnishing the minds of the young with the means of rational conviction, and especially, in a day when the question of the authority of Christianity, is debated in every quarter. The young,

of all others, are most exposed to some of the weapons of the unbeliever. Ridicule has an especial effect with the light-heartedness of youth. And many, at least of those who have renounced Christianity, may date their dereliction, from the joyous period when whatever excites the laugh is eagerly welcomed. How is it, then, that the important subject of the evidences of Christianity, has been neglected in the Sunday School? It cannot be pretended, that those who are there educated, are more secure than other classes of society, from the attacks of unbelievers. The reverse is the case. Partly, we apprehend, this neglect may have originated in the want of a book suitable for the place and the object. In the work, the title of which is placed at the head of this notice, that want is supplied. Mr. Knowles has rendered a most important service to Christianity. His work is simple in its language-well arranged in its form-and embodying in its matter, whatever is most essential to a right conception of the question on which he writes. The author tells us, that it has been his wish to render his work as plain and simple as possible. This quality is more difficult to attain than many may imagine; and, frequently, when it is attained-other qualities, subordinate we grant, but still important-elegance and correctness of phraseology, are too often sacrificed. Mr. Knowles has, happily, written simply, and at the same time correctly and elegantly. His style suits children; it suits the scholar equally well. Questions are annexed to short chapters, "from a conviction of this plan being best calculated to lead young people to think, and to understand what they learn. The form of mere question and answer has, in general, failed to produce these happy effects. Knowledge, if thus acquired, is often acquired by rote, and retained in the same manner," and we would add, or lost almost as soon as acquired. This little work, designed as it is for the Sunday School, is free from all party-questions and bias. It is left to the professors of each denomination, to teach what doctrines they may choose. This is as it should be; and we wish that the said professors would leave the infant mind, at least, unencumbered by any kind of doctrines, except such as unite the suffrages of all parties. The work is completed in seven numbers, price two-pence each. We thank Mr. Knowles for the work; and especially, that, by its cheapness, he has rendered it generally accessible.

G. C. S.

Addresses, with Prayers and original Hymns: for the use of Families & Schools. By a Lady. London: Hunter.

AN interesting little volume. The authoress is already known by her "Devotional Exercises," and many other works, intended to benefit the rising generation. The work now before us is admirably adapted to promote the piety of children; and is alike suited to the family, the school, and the Sunday-school. The volume breathes a spirit of genuine Christianity; the language in which the ideas are couched, is upon a level with common understandings, while it will improve the style and conversation of those who have enjoyed a good education. It is delightful to witness this attempt to introduce rational piety into the nursery; and we wish it, with all our hearts, God speed. The subjects on which our authoress has written, are the omnipresence of God; the duty of prayer; the duty of praise; the character of Christ, an evidence of the divinity of his mission; the virtues which should distinguish childhood; the purposes to be answered by the acquisition of knowledge; perfect knowledge will produce perfect obedience; the widow's mite; subjection to the gospel yoke, true freedom; diligence in action, necessary to salvation; patience in suffering, necessary to salvation; and, on death. A prayer and a hymn accompany each address; and, in the preface, we are informed, that if these Addresses are found to be of service, another volume may be expected.

THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER.

GLASGOW, March 31, 1827.

THE American Unitarian Association, celebrated their First Anniversary, on the evening of June 30, 1826, in the Pantheon Hall, in Boston, Massachusets. The meeting was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Bancroft, the President of the Association. We have great pleasure, in making the following extracts from the Report of the Committee.

They have been favoured with letters from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, from all sections of this State, from New-York, and from the western part of the State of New-York, from Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Northumberland,