for recommending zeal than the liberty we enjoy, I should feel myself justified in the attempt. Liberty is the very life of the soul. It is to thought and feeling what the air is to the body. Without liberty, true and natural thought are impossibilities. Without liberty, you may have slavish imitation, you cannot have creations of the mind or inspirations of the heart; men may repeat each other, and echoes may be multiplied, but there is no spontaneousness, no internal life, no undying vigour in what they say or do. In a word, instead of the essence of religion, you have a lifeless formalism. Besides, if there is one want and demand of the age more decided than another, it is the demand for mental freedom. I have now in my mind not the church but the world. I refer to the intelligent, to thinking men of every condition in life, and I am satisfied that the most powerful yearning of the heart is for liberty. Alas for systems of religion which aim or tend to abridge human rights, which narrow the range of the mind, and step in between the soul and its Maker! Alas for them! they must perish. For a time they may linger; they may even give signs of convulsive energy, but the day of their dissolution is at hand. I do not believe that even Christianity itself I mean somewhat of its power as well as its name-could save from ruin a system which made war on free thought and free speech. How much, then, must I be concerned when I look around on the Christian world. O, where is the ark of God? Where is the palladium of Christian freedom? What body of professed Christians stand fast of a truth in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free? Bonds, creeds, confessions, and oaths, I observe on every hand. Nowhere in the church do I see the Scriptures alone recognized as of authority. The great Head of the Church, Christ, is, in every denomination, associated with others, apart from whose aid and instrumentality neither his teachings nor his spirit are allowed to reach the mind of his followers. Yes; the Scriptures, if not heretical, are insufficient without the creed-book; and Jesus is a physician of no value, unless you think of him in agreement with a purple and titled hierarchy, or a narrow and uncultured fanaticism. I may be thought by some

to be too general in my condemnatory regrets. Would that I were in error. How far rather would I record the triumph of the gospel than deplore the predominance of the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. In truth, however, in sober truth, I see, out of our own body, no denomination of Christians where true mental liberty is understood and honoured. Of individuals I do not speak. Diversities there doubtless are among the popular sects. Some respect Christian liberty in name, and make no active aggression on it in fact; still, even they retain bonds which they have received from the past; and if they abstain from trenching on the rights of others, have not the light or the courage necessary to vindicate entire freedom for themselves; while, on the other hand, sects and parties there are in the land, who deny, refuse, and would (had they power) destroy our liberties. But distinctions apart: it is as generally as it is lamentably true, that Christian liberty, in its full and genuine sense, has no shelter in this country, but such an one as our own small communion can afford. Wherever there is a test, a creed-wherever one man or one set or generation of men try to impose their opinions on others, no matter whether by bribes or by penalties, no matter whether by praise or by blame, by favour or disfavour-then the true meaning, bearing, claims, and spirit of Christian liberty are not known, or known but imperfectly. No mind is properly free that is in bondage to a foregone conclusion; and it is of small moment whether the bond is in the fixed decisions of a legislature, or the varying, and perhaps fickle determinations of a dissenting church." Now, where shall we look and find no bond, no creed, no subscription to articles of faith? It makes little difference whether the creed is written or implied, is suggested or imposed, is insinuated or demanded. Any test of orthodoxy originating with another, that is applied to my opinions, and made to affect my professions, position, or interests, is an infringement of my liberty, and merits attainder before the high court of human intelligence. But tell me where this, or the like of this is not done, and then you have pointed out at least one more bulwark than the Unitarian church against the aggressions

now made, and the worse aggressions threatened, against our Christian liberties. Yes, it is important that Unitarianism should be sustained in the land. It is important that Unitarians should enter still more fully than they have done into that spirit of the Lord, where is full, entire, and unqualified liberty. It is important that one voice be raised in England for the Scriptures alone, for Christ alone, for truth, for thought and speech, as free as the very breath of heaven. It is important that there should be one Christian fold whither they may flee, and find a welcome, whom other churches have punished for daring to think for themselves, or who, rather than not be true to their own minds and the God who made them, spontaneously go forth in quest of Christian sympathy or Christian usefulness. J. R. B.

MISCELLANIES.

Lynn Congregational Meeting.-Friday, April 5, the Unitarian Congregation of Lynn, Norfolk, assembled to a social tea-party. The Rev. W. Mountford, M.A., the respected minister, was chairman, and addressed the friends, as did also several members of the society. The Rev. James Malcom of Boston, Lincolnshire, took part in the proceedings, and expressed his pleasure at witnessing the growing prosperity of the congregation.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Unitarian Lectures.-Earnestly desirous of the diffusion of scriptural truth, and that popular attention might be directed to its distinctive principles, as held by Christian Unitarians, the Rev. Joseph M'Alister projected a short course of doctrinal Sunday evening lectures, and requested some of his Christian brethren to join him in their delivery. Accordingly, the following subjects were treated by the respective preachers, April 7 and 28: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, revealing the immortality of man; the claims of Christian Unitarianism to become the faith of the universal church,— Rev. J. M'Alister. April 14, The universality of Christian redemption-Rev. George Harris. April 21, The popular doctrine of atonement contrasted with the scripture doc

trine of atonement-Rev. T. Cooper. The audiences were large and deeply attentive, overflowing on April 28, Joseph Barker having advised his hearers to attend that service, and again as numerous when, on May 5, he himself preached in Hanover Square chapel, on the duty of Christians to labour for the universal diffusion of the religion of Christ. Numbers of tracts were distributed among the people.

Tuesday evening, April 16, Mr Harris was entertained at a soiree in the Assembly Rooms, by 230 members and friends of the congregation, Thomas Swinburne, Esq. of Gateshead, presiding. The meeting was addressed by the chairman, Messrs Harris, Cooper, M Alister, Barker, Greenhow, James Clephan, Simpson, Selkirk, Griffiths, J. W. Swinburne, M'Kelvin, and Auckland. The chapel choir contributed greatly to the pleasures of a very interesting and delightful evening, Mr Harris closing the meeting with prayer.ref

London Domestic Mission Society.-The anniversary of this society, the first of the kind established in England, was celebrated April 24. The religious services were conducted in Little Carter Lane Chapel, near St Paul's, the sermon being preached by the Rev. H. H. Piper of Banbury, from Zech. iii. 2-4. The chair for business was taken by R. Taylor, Esq. F.S.A. An interesting and satisfactory report was read by the secretary, the Rev. E. Tagart, and various resolutions, in furtherance of the objects of the mission, were adopted, after addresses by Dr Bowring, M.P., Messrs Lincolne, Watson, Warren, Wansey, Hornby, Preston, and Dr Bateman; Revs. Dr Hutton, Mudge, Tagart, Kenrick, Mardon, Squier, Short, Walker, and the missionaries, Revs. Philip and Vidler.

April 25, a public meeting was held in Little Carter Lane Chapel, for the purpose of promoting the mission cause in that neighbourhood, Dr Bateman in the chair, when various addresses were delivered.

May 6, the Spicer Street Mutual Instruction Society in connection with the London Domestic Mission, held its anniversary in the Mission Chapel, Spicer Street, between fifty and sixty members and friends meeting at tea. The public being admitted after tea, Dr Bateman, the present secretary of the mission, was called to the chair, and a happy and instructive evening was passed.

Birmingham New Hall Hill Unitarian Church Schools. -May 5, the Rev. J. J. Tayler, B. A. of Manchester, preached two sermons on behalf of the schools, at their

tenth anniversary, and £28:9:9 was collected. The society and friends met at tea on the following day, Mr M. Green presiding. The meeting was addressed by the chair man, Messrs J. Green, Suter, C. T. and J. Lloyd, Taylor, Crick, Prime, Gargory, Earl, and Rev. T. Bowring. The schools at present contain 421 pupils; 148 females, of whom 45 are adults, from 18 to 24 years of age; 273 males, 60 of whom are adults, from 18 to 30 years of age. Female teachers 19; male teachers 32. In addition to Sunday school instruction, there are in both schools week day evening classes for those pupils who contribute a small sum to furnish the means of obtaining additional teaching. A Savings club is connected with the schools, in which the scholars deposit sums, however small, drawing out the total as they choose; pupils and teachers being also eligible as members of the Birmingham Brotherly Benefit Society, a sick club which, with its accumulated thousands, a guarantee for its security and permanency, offers greater advantages than most other similar institutions. The teachers and officers connected with the New Hall Hill Schools la bour gratuitously; twenty-five of the present teachers of the boys' school were scholars in the institution at the commencement of its labours.

The treasurer reported the funds of the schools to be in a more healthy condition than at any former period. The meeting, after voting thanks for the services of Mr Tayler, was closed with singing and prayer. Tom

British and Foreign Unitarian Association.The anniversary of this society was held in London, May 29. The religious services were conducted in Essex Street Chapel the sermon being preached by the Rev. W. Gaskell, M. A of Manchester, from 2d Corinth. iii. 17 At the meeting for business, held in the chapel immediately after the reli gious, service, Thomas Gibson, Esq. of London, presided. The reports of the committee were read, and various reso lutions passed, among which was one of gratitude and re spect for the labours of the Rev. Robert Aspland, and sym pathy for himself and family in his present illness. At the social meeting at the Crown and Anchor, Abraham Clarke, Esq. of Newport, Isle of Wight, was in the chair; and addresses were delivered by the chairman, Dr Bowring, M.P Messrs Hornby, Field, Gibson, R. Taylor, and by the Revsd Tagart, Gaskell, W. Hincks, Madge, Dr Hutton, J. Porter and Armstrong.