We feel a peculiar satisfaction in conveying these sentiments to one who, whilst he has so ably distinguished himself as the firm asserter of civil and religious freedom, has discharged the important duties of a pastor with so eminent a degree of zeal and usefulness.

We earnestly hope you will accept this invitation, and that the connexion between us may long continue, and prove a source of happiness to yourself, and improvement to the society.

That the Divine blessing and favour may crown all your labours among us, and mankind at large, is the ardent prayer of, Rev. Sir, your most obedient and humble servants.*

TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE GRAVEL-PIT CONGREGATION.

MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,

AFTER having been driven by violence, highly disgraceful to the Government under which we live, from a situation on every account most pleasing to me, and my connexion with one of the most flourishing and respectable congregations in the country being thereby broken, I think myself happy and honoured by an invitation to succeed my most valued friend, and your late excellent pastor, the Rev. Dr. Price.

My only wish is, to have it in my power to exert myself most effectually in what appears to me the most proper and most important duties of the pastoral office, especially in the particular attention that I wish to give to the younger part of the congregation, according to the plan that I pursued at Leeds and Birmingham.

With my best wishes and prayers for our mutual edification, I am, my Christian friends, your very humble servant.†

FROM THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY.

DEAR SIR,

London, Nov. 10, 1791.

WHILST many societies of Christians, widely differing from

rr

Signed Benjamin Travers, Thomas Rickards, John Hurford Stone, John Towgood, Joseph Spurrell.” Minute Book.

+ Ibid. See W. XV. 458.

you in opinion, have, with a noble generosity, publicly declared their esteem for your character and virtues, and sympathize with you in the cause of truth, it would ill become us to be silent, who agree with you in the chief of those sentiments which have, though most undeservedly, rendered you obnoxious to many.

We lament that in the Established Church, to which some of our number belong, blest with the labours and writings of Locke, of Newton, of Hoadley, of Clarke, and of Law, who all of them maintained the Divine Unity, and the sole, unrivalled majesty and worship of the single person of the Father of the universe, for which you have so boldly stood forth, there should have been those in our day who have so far degenerated from their fair example, and the precepts of the gospel, as to copy the manners of the darkest ages of Christian barbarism, in burning places of divine worship, and habitations of peaceful men, of different religious sentiments from their own. And, not content with destroying your house, your library, and curious philosophical apparatus, together with the precious fruits of many years' study, in various branches of science, a loss to the whole world, have threatened to cut short the thread of a life constantly devoted to the glory of the Creator, and the benefit of mankind.

With still deeper concern has it filled our minds to observe many in the metropolis, and in different parts of the country, from narrow prejudices and various unworthy motives, wholly insensible of the enormity of this burning and destroying spirit, for the sake of religion, if not rejoicing in it, when exerted against Dissenters of a certain class, not considering its fatal consequences, and how soon, if not completely quelled, the same lawless spirit may be let loose upon themselves.

It is our ardent prayer, illustrious sufferer, that you may be supported, as hitherto, through the hard conflict to which you have been called; and may continue to exemplify the true Christian spirit, by your magnanimity and pity for your deluded adversaries, and by your habitual cheerfulness, which is the natural attendant on integrity and benevolence.

And our hope is, for our country's honour, that your parti

cular losses will be amply compensated, and that in no long time all the wise and good throughout the nation will unite their endeavours to remove the principal source of religious animosities, by their earnest and unremitted exertions to obtain from the legislature the equal and impartial protection of law to every good citizen, of whatever mode of faith or religion.*

To MR. RUSSELL.†

Nov. 11, 1791.

DEAR SIR, I CANNOT express what I felt in reading the excellent letter from the congregation; it breathes so excellent a spirit, and is so judicious in all respects. I inclose my answer; and as it is of consequence that all the congregations, in our peculiar circumstances, be acquainted with them, and that the town in general should be apprized of the temper we are in with respect to them, I should think it advisable not to insert them in any public papers, but to have some printed copies taken of them, to be shewn where it may be proper. If you approve of this, send me a proof. You need be in no hurry about this; but I wish you would set about rebuilding the meeting-house immediately, so as to have it ready before winter.

We hope you have copies of all the affidavits you send hither. I hope to inclose a copy or two of an excellent little poem, sent me by a person of considerable consequence, but whose name must not be mentioned, to get inserted in the newspapers.

I expect addresses from other Dissenters, besides those of Yarmouth. There, and in other places, the Dissenters are arming to defend their houses, but not the meeting-houses, which I think a proper distinction.§ The ministers, I am told, have heard of this, and are much alarmed.

I am busy in writing my Appeal to the Public. You shall see what I write, and the proper time for publishing will be about a month hence.

I think Thomson may offer money to any who bring in

* "Michael Dodson, chairman." Appeal, p. 162. Supra, p. 126.

↑ Birmingham.

§ See W. X. 442, ad fin.

manuscripts, otherwise I fear they will be destroyed. I hope the volume of the Expositor that you had is safe.

Hearing by Mr. Galton that my wife is in much better health and spirits than she was, I am so too. We shall see, I trust, better days than ever, thanks to your wonderful exertions. Every body is justly loud in your praises.

P. S. On second thoughts, you need not send me any proofs. Mr. Coates will correct the press as well as myself. I wish he had seen the poem you sent me, before it was printed.*

TO THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY.

MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS, Clapton, Dec. 7, 1791. FROM your affectionate address I receive consolation of a kind peculiarly grateful to me. It is that of brethren engaged in the same cause. For it is sufficiently evident, that it is my avowed opposition to the doctrine of the Trinity, (which, as affecting the Object of worship, we think it our duty to enter our protest against,) that has rendered me peculiarly obnoxious. But this popular odium, and this degree of persecution, should not, as you are well persuaded, give us any alarm; as it is neither new, nor without obvious uses. This situation seems necessary, in order to draw a sufficient degree of attention to our principles, and without which we cannot expect to see the complete prevalence of such great truths as those for which we are contending. Neither Christianity itself, nor any important reformation of it, was ever fully established without a similar process.

Persecution without law, as in the riots in Birmingham, has been as common as persecution according to the forms of it. By this means, those who have some respect for the more liberal principles of the age, may think to screen themselves from the odium which has fallen on direct persecution for conscience' sake. In this manner were the primitive Christians, the Waldenses, the Albigenses, and the first reformers from Popery frequently treated; a licentious populace being insti

* Orig. MS.

gated by the most atrocious calumnies to fall upon them, and to commit such unexpected ravages, as are more grievous than the known penalty of any law.

We need not be surprised that this persecuting spirit has shewn itself in some members of the Church of England, notwithstanding the valuable labours of the great men you mention, whose principles, had they been duly attended to and followed, would have ensured universal toleration. For, with men who give but little attention to the essentials of religion, this spirit arises, of course, in every civil establishment of it, Heathen, Catholic, or Protestant, since all persons possessed of power will naturally have recourse to it, when they perceive other methods of promoting their cause to fail. And all persons in power are not so far instructed by the light of the present age, or the experience of the past, as to see the miserable policy of such measures. They are the first suggestion of chagrin, though they are sure to end in disappointment.

Let us, my brethren, in the most gloomy prospects, console ourselves with the consideration, that every instance of persecution will render it more odious, and therefore accelerate its final cessation; that ignorance is the proper cause of all wrong conduct, and of this among the rest; that the time is coming when all men, fully enlightened with respect to their relation to each other, and to God, their common parent, will feel as brethren, and be disposed to love and befriend each other, notwithstanding any difference of religious opinion or practice; and, therefore, that what has happened at Birmingham should make us more assiduous to diffuse that light which is sure to be attended with such desirable consequences.

With this cheerful prospect I subscribe myself, my Christian friends, your brother in the faith and hope of the gospel.†

DEAR SIR,

To REV. J. P. ESTLIN.

Clapton, Dec. 10, 1791.

I OUGHT to have written to you some time ago, in answer

Especially, had they fearlessly professed and perseveringly "followed" their "principles."

Appeal, p. 163.

+ Bristol.