State in the American Union dare be faithful, either to humanity or to Christianity, unless prepared to flee away, or suffer martyrdom for the honest expression of opinion. If the expression of truth be sound logic, no fault can be found with my logic in this instance. I gave some evidence of the fact in my letter, when I alluded to the case of Rev. Mr. Simmons and others. But the fact is notorious. An honest hater of Slavery could not live in the Slave States of America. Am I, therefore, to be accused of intemperance--of intolerance of want of charity-when I warn my Unitarian friends against the danger of wounding the cause of humanity, and of retarding the spread of Christianity upon earth, by rejoicing at the accession to our ranks of a lady who resides in the hot-bed of Slavery, without even inquiring if she bore an honest testimony against the iniquities by which she was surrounded ? My letter to the Irish Unitarian Magazine was not meant as an attack on Mrs. Dana; it was intended as an appeal to the Unitarians of these lands not to do any thing which could in any degree be construed into a shaking hands with Slavery. I know something of the anxiety of the true-hearted Abolitionists in America that we should be faithful in our testimony on this matter. They say--and they say truly-that we shall do an injury, and not a service, to the cause of freedom, if we be not firm and in earnest in our condemnation of Southern Slave-holders, or their abettors. If we fraternize with them, if we give them the right hand of Christian fellowship, all our condemnation of Slavery in the abstract will be as so much idle wind. And is there a want of Christian charity in this? Is there a want of Christian charity in condemning the highway robber, the midnight assassin, the sheep-stealer, the gambler, the adulterer, the heartless betrayer of female innocence? Is not the man who holds men in slavery, and who maintains at the point of the sword the right of others to do so, or him who lives in the midst of the system, and who is a silent observer of the same--are not they "sinners of the deepest die"? Are not they guilty of "the greatest possible robbery and the greatest possible wrong"? Will you be pleased to explain to your readers what you mean by "denunciation and violence"? I do not think my letter which you condemn contains either. But let your readers be the judges. I am quite satisfied to leave the matter to the judgment of Unitarians-of true Christians--the world over. There I do not see the force of your allusion to Richard Cobden's course. is no parallel between the Free-trade question and Slavery: the one was, as you remark, a "political agitation;" the other is a moral and Christian warfare. The supporter of Anti-free-trade doctrines is not a man to be shunned by his fellows; the sustainer of Slavery is one who is guilty of the highest crimes, and is therefore an unfit associate for honest men. Mr. Cobden conducted his great enterprize with great sagacity and wonderful perseverance. He was sustained by an extraordinary amount of talent and pecuniary resources; and yet, after all, he owed his success to the failure of the potato crop in Ireland: but for that, he would be labouring still in the good cause of freedom to trade. The advocates of the poor Negro are not so supported. We are fighting against "powers and principalities;" and even those who profess to be with us, are ever ready to find fault with us, and to pounce down upon every expression we use, as if we were bound to use no words that could give rise to uneasy sensations in the minds of the men-stealers-as if we were bound to pick and choose our phrases when speaking of the most horrible iniquity which defaces civilization. You, my dear Sir, have censured me in terms as severe as the English language can furnish, and you have also read a lecture to a brother Editor which I think not warranted. I hope you will consider it only fair and reasonable to publish this letter and the one you have censured in the Christian JAMES HAUGHTON. Reformer. 35, Eccles Street, Dublin, Dec. 7, 1846. CRITICAL NOTICES. The Almanacs. AN Almanac used to be the appendage only of the bank, the countinghouse, the chambers of the professional man, and the parlour of the substantial farmer. It is now found in every cottage. For a penny, a better Almanac can now be bought than half-a-crown would purchase when George IV. was king. This is one of the results of free-trade in Almanacs. Possibly, the capital now annually expended in this branch of the publishing trade may already, directly and indirectly, pay back to the revenue a sum equal to what it lost when it gave up the Almanac-tax. Infinite are the combinations of the Almanac invented by modern ingenuity. "Punch" and the patent-medicine vender, the Jew slop-seller, and the Christian (Religious) Tract Society, half the Dissenting sects, and puffing tradesmen without end, now vie with Francis Moore, Physician, in publishing an Almanac. We have looked through a large pile of these annuals, and offer a line or two of criticism, and will cull one or two brief extracts.-The Company of Stationers evidently do not think, with Mr. Edward Baines, that the English people are a well-educated race, or they would not suppose it to be for their interest to put forth, in variegated page of red and black, astrological predictions and tables of the weather, specifying for each day rain or snow or heat, &c. The latter is given not only in the Vox Stellarum, but also in Moore's Improved. This professes to be for the farmer and the countryman. At p. 27, under the head, "Feeding of Calves," we find the instructive remark-"This consists in giving the animals abundance of milk, plenty of dry litter, and excluding the light." Dry litter and excluding the light seem to be a favourite prescription of the venerable "Physician," and are in his estimation as suitable for his biped as for his quadruped patients.-The Christian Almanac, put forth by the Religious Tract Society, is a well-printed and on the whole commendable production. Each day in the year has its text of Scripture appended to the usual particulars of the Calendar. The juxta-position of fact and text is sometimes odd enough -as, for instance, "Camb. Lent T. ends"-"Cease to do evil." Beneath "Cambridge and Oxford Michaelmas Term ends"-" God is angry with the wicked every day." To the birth-days of two of the Princesses, these texts are added -"Get understanding"-"Let thy words be few." A little below the birthday of the King of Hanover, two texts are given that will suit different tastes "He hath done all things well”—and, “I am a sinful man."-The Bath District Visiting Society has put out an excellent penny Almanac, the alternate pages of which are filled with useful information and moral and economical hints. It will be a good "New-Year's Gift" to Sunday scholars and poor neighbours.-The British Almanac and its Companion sustain their high character for varied and accurate information. We are glad to see, under the head of Education, a list of the Professors of Manchester New College. Hereafter we hope to see a list of all the institutions and their Professors in connection with the University of London. The Companion opens with a very valuable paper on the Progress of Education in England. By some remarkable tables, the writer shews the very small amount of service the endowed schools of the country have rendered in diffusing amongst the mass of the people common elementary instruction. Nine counties which have endowments for education exceeding the average by the gross sum of £83, or upwards of £9 per cent., in respect to the number of persons able to write, shew an average deficiency of nearly 7 per cent. Again, eleven counties (chiefly in In 1831, the Almanac-tax produced about £31,000. In that year duty was paid on above 70 million pounds of paper. In 1845, duty was paid on upwards of 124 million pounds, producing a revenue of £815,371. the North) in which the endowed schools fall below the average of the kingdom by nearly £8 per cent. each, exhibit a surplus of persons able to write of 8 per cent. He calculates that one-sixth of the entire population, or about three million children, ought to be under daily instruction. The number actually under instruction he calculates at 24 millions-half a million of children, therefore, are still uneducated. But, for our own parts, we sadly fear that of the five-sixths who go to schools, not much above one-half receive what can be properly called education. The writer dwells strongly on the "insufficiency of the present system of education." but pays a high compliment to the recent voluntary efforts of societies and individuals by expressing the hope that Government will aim rather at aiding than superseding those efforts, and will in the first instance direct its plans towards providing a sufficiency of able and well-taught teachers. Of the other articles in the Companion, we can only speak of that which relates to "Government Offices." It is chiefly taken from Mr. Thomas's (of the Record Office) unpublished "Notes of Materials for the History of Public Departments," and contains some curious matter. Not less than 35 pages in small type are occupied with the description of 272 Railway Bills passed during the last session. Of these, however, we believe less than a third were granted to new or independent companies. Still, the number, taken in connection with the capital empowered to be raised, is fearfully large. The "Necrological Table" records the departure during the year of twenty-eight men distinguished in literature and the arts. Of twenty-five the age is given, and shews an average of more than 68 years -a very remarkable circumstance. The Congregational Calendar is a very cheap, and in some respects valuable annual. We observe with regret that this work, which comes out under the sanction of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, continues to give the wrong title to the Two Denominations of Independents and Baptists, falsely calling themselves the "General Body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the Three Denominations." According to a statement in the Calendar, the majority of the Presbyterian ministers of London, in 1836, “resolved to separate from the General Body, and so to dissolve the Three Denominations." (P. 36.) Common sense, as well as the practice of each of the Three Denominations, decides that the act of a majority is the act of the body. Are the Independents prepared to abide by the monstrous position, that the body of the Three Denominations is so "essentially an orthodox Association" (p. 35), that the "heterodoxy" of the majority of Presbyterians nullifies their proceedings, and converts the "orthodox" minority of three ministers of the Scotch Secession Kirk into the Presbyterian body? The orthodox portion of the Three Denominations, with equal truth and charity, acted on this strange assumption. But the Liberal Government of that day gave these gentlemen a very significant rebuke by admitting the English Presbyterians, in their separate capacity, to the enjoyment of the privileges previously enjoyed by the united body. The Calendar gives a list of the Evangelical Presbyterian chapels and ministers in and near London, and we are amused with the industry with which this list is eked out. These three " rogues in buckram," aided by sundry "knaves in Kendal green," now number nineteen. It is amusing enough to see the marks put opposite to the names of these English Presbyterians: thus, first we have P. C., which means the "Presbyterian Church in England," elsewhere (p. 61) described as a somewhat recent organization." It means in fact the Scotch Free Church adherents. Next we have, as a component part of the English Dissenters, S. K., the Scotch Kirk; then U. S., United Secession; and lastly, I. P., which it seems means "Independent Presbyterians," a denomination declined, we suppose, only in the dual number. Dr. A. Fletcher, of Finsbury chapel, (who denominationally must be regarded as "two single gentlemen rolled into one,") is the only representative of his fraction of the Evangelical Presbyterian body, and we suppose reports himself to himself as "accepted and approved." But, to be 66 serious, our Independent brethren lower themselves, in a way which every friend of religion must regret, by these violations of truth and fair-dealing. They better become a board of sharp and unscrupulous railway directors, anxious to secure the monopoly of some profitable line, than grave divines, whose words should be those of truth and soberness. The last, but not least welcome, is the British and Irish Unitarian Almanac and Annual Register for the Year 1847. In addition to the information common to Almanacs, this new annual gives a list of Unitarian Congregations, with some judicious prefatory remarks explanatory of the principles on which they are established; a list of Domestic Missions supported by Unitarians; of Unitarian Associations and Tract Societies; of Meetings of Ministers; and a brief account of Dr. Williams's Library and the Presbyterian Fund. It also contains a list of educational institutions which are free from tests; another, of the Unitarian Periodicals; and short articles on "the Christian Brethen," Foreign Unitarianism, on the present State and Prospects of Unitarianism, and a few pleasing poems. We hope this Almanac will be supported by the Unitarians of Great Britain. In future years it may be made in some respects more full. In the list of congregations it might be a convenience to Unitarian travellers to have them arranged in counties, and to give the hours of service. One or two changes have taken place since the list of congregations was made out: thus Hinckley and Wareham are now vacant, while at Cheltenham the Rev. W. Smith, at Lancaster the Rev. J. W. H. Hope, at Macclesfield the Rev. John Wright, B.A., at Stand the Rev. John Cropper, at Torquay the Rev. J. D. Casewell, are the officiating ministers. At York the Rev. G. Palmer is the assistant minister; and Mr. J. B. Davis, of Shelton, is, we believe, a layman. A list of the Fellowship Funds of England is wanted. Information respecting the Widows' Fund of London and of Lancashire and Cheshire-respecting the bursaries available for Unitarian students — the address in London of our ministers and the officers of our institutions—will be desirable additions in future Registers. We think the present publication an excellent beginning, notwithstanding some defects, and hope its Editor may be encouraged to continue and improve it. We cannot select a better specimen of the original matter contained in this Unitarian Almanac than a passage from the excellent essay on the present state and prospects of Unitarianism. It relates to the outbreak of Anti-supernaturalism amongst us. "The Anti-supernaturalist values the religion of Christ because he fancies he has a standard of truth and beauty within his own mind, to which the truths and precepts of the Gospel conform. The believer in Revelation bends his own notions to the instructions of Christ, who, in his opinion, has given sufficient proof of receiving immediate and peculiar divine communications, which are our highest authority respecting our duty here and our destiny hereafter. He reverently sits at the feet of Jesus, and desires to learn of him, adopting his moral views and heavenly hopes on account of their origin-not because he pretends to be capable of deciding on their abstract merits. We desire to rank with those who believe in and value a real revelation, and confidently trust to this belief becoming stronger for any temporary or apparent check-at the same time, we desire to be understood to love truth better than any system, to advocate perfect freedom of thought, to trust only to the evidence in our favour, and to submit our most cherished opinions to the serious judgment of all who will make themselves competent to examine them-only condemning flippant ignorance, and being impatient of the artful confusion of opposite sentiments by fixing new meanings on words in order to steal into the hearts of those whom a more honest course might rouse to cautious examination."-Pp. 53, 54. The World's Complaint, and other Poems. By Charlotte Young. 12mo. Pp. 92. London-Grant. It would be small praise to say that these Poems are better than the ordinary volumes of first attempts in poetry by authors unknown to the public. Many of them are of a very high merit. We find here no sickly thoughts, no false sentimentality, no affectation of gloomy views of life and its duties. They all speak good sound sense and true wisdom, clothed with such ornaments as they gain in passing through an elegant and poetic mind. The thoughts would all be good in prose, and are more pleasing because in verse. This we hold to be the test of good poetry. The author employs her powers in throwing a poetic charm over the every-day duties, and in shewing that every effort after goodness is a cause of lively pleasure. But instead of describing poetry, the best way is to give a specimen. For History or a treatise on Philosophy, we might attempt an abridgment or an analysis of the argument; but in the case of a volume of Poems the reader can best judge by a quotation. "Oh! did we but sweeten life's wearisome prose, Strew'd we less of the bramble and more of the rose, Where the chafed would be soothed, and the furious tide These lines are from a short poem called, "Oh! seek ye for Poetry." The following are the last lines of "The Old House and the New:" "Oh! the old house! the old house! we never will forget, "Twas there we passed the golden days of merry-hearted youth, 'Twas there our first great sorrow came, in death revealing truth. And the memory of that bitter day has sanctified the more The hearth that was a blessed place, and dear to us before. Oh! the home we've chosen now may be a sweet and lovely spot, But the good it has can ne'er atone for the memories it has not.' We will end our extracts with the last lines from "Every-day Heroes:" "For when selfish thoughts are for others subdued, And smiles conquer the rising frown; When we lose our own in another's good, That many a hero's, present or past, "Oh! did we but see how in smallest things Life's soil would be water'd by countless springs, We should feel that when earthward kindly sent, It is unnecessary to quote more; we feel that the above will answer our purpose, which is to make the reader wish to see the rest of the volume. S. S. A Discourse, Thoughts suggested by the Discovery of the New Planet. ANY system of religion which dares not sympathize with the higher operations of the human intellect, and which looks with jealousy and fear on the progress of Science, is altogether unsuited to an improving age, and must decline in proportion as knowledge and true mental refinement advance. |