heavenly truth, but endeavour to extend its vivifying influence on all around us.

Religion is a subject of vast, of unspeakable import, both as regards this world and that which is to come. It is our polar star, which sheds its calm and silvery light on the troubled waters of life, and though often dimmed and obscured by clouds and tempests, yet ever true, still points unerringly to the haven of rest and peace. How desirous, then, is it that we should obtain correct ideas on a subject of such vital importance.

It is a lamentable truth, that many intelligent and cultivated minds are opposed to its benign influence, and this may often be traced to the form in which it is presented to their imagination. How can a young untainted mind, of quick sensibility, warm affection, and unperverted judgement, give its assent to the horrible and degrading conceptions of God and our Saviour, presented in the popular creed? His mind on other subjects, accustomed to roam at will in the boundless fields of literature and science, cannot be chained down to the mechanical and passive repetitions of set phrases, or a dull unintelligible jargon of inconsistencies, which his understanding refuses to believe. It is impossible that a system so opposed to reason, to the sentiments and feelings of an enlightened mind, and which had its birth in ages of darkness and ignorance, can have any ascendancy over his affections. Whatever renders religion more rational, renders it more credible; for it cannot be wrong to use, on that as well as every other subject, the reason with which God has gifted us. We may be told, that reason is not to be employed in the mysteries of religion; that there are many things in nature we cannot explain or understand, but which we neither doubt or disbelieve. True; but a Trinity in unity, is not mysterious from its sublimity or grandeur-it is discord to the whole harmony of nature-it is incongruous and contradictory.

In the Unitarian system, there is an admirable union of dignity and simplicity, and a power of elevating the soul to contemplations worthy of its divine origin. It has been adorned with the highest sanctity of character, and splendour of talents. We can enrol amongst its followers, the names of Milton, Locke, Newton, and a host of others, who concentrated the whole force of their prodigious intellectual powers, in the investigation of religious truth;

who followed in the effulgent track of divine glory, in which their great Teacher ascended to heaven; and who have left us the imperishable record of their deeds and their worth. I cannot away with that man, who is continually talking and brooding over the sinfulness--the worthlessness of human nature. We have faculties given us for noble acquisitions we have a spirit within us, conscious of its birth-right and high destination; and when not cramped and fettered by human authorities, and grovelling desires, is continually soaring upward towards God and heaven, and extending its aspirations towards a future and more perfect state of being.

Let me not, however, be supposed to infer, that there have not been very many glorious names amongst the professors of an opposite creed-men who have been an honour to their country and their species. But, in my opinion, their piety and good feeling were independent of their creed. When they enter the field of controversy, their views are limited and confined; their language wants that raciness and freshness of conception, and is deficient in that originality, and power of awakening strong interest, which distinguish it on other subjects. Another feature, too, in their polemical warfare, is their fondness for wielding that useless weapon called "Crimination." It augurs badly for their cause, and the effects which their creeds produce on their tempers, when they infuse so much of the gall of bitterness into their writings. If they would think more of principle, and less of names-if they treated what they think error, with true Christian forbearance, and opposed it only with scriptural and rational argument, without descending to invective, every denomination would then be more induced to cultivate the blessings of mutual love and peace. The Unitarian, on the contrary, allows universal toleration; in winning others from the path of error, he employs no artifice however plausible, no force however indirect-he, mildly and gently, exerts his influence to break the spell which holds their souls in bondage —to burst the shackles of prejudice, and release them from the trammels of human authority in matters of religion; and if he is unsuccessful-if prejudice be too strong against him, he dares not assume to himself God's prerogative of judgment, but still looks on them as brethren, partakers with him of one common nature, as inheritors of the same divine blessings. He can make allowance for

the many circumstances arising from early prejudices and prepossessions, and although he cannot, at present, discern all the wise and excellent purposes which the Governor of the Universe has in view, by permitting such diversity of sentiments in religion, he has yet earnest of the assurance, that God's equity and kindness, will, hereafter, be triumphantly and gloriously displayed.

These are some of the fruits of Unitarian principles— oh, let us prize them above all earthly good! Let us employ the time and talents at our disposal, in extending their promulgation. No one interested in the well-being of his fellow-creatures is privileged to stand aloof. The instilling into the mind of man a more rational and spiritual religion, is the highest service he can render them; there is an indissoluble union between our religion and its effects on the moral character. The more refined and exalted are our conceptions of Deity, the greater influence will it have on our thoughts, words, and actions. We require a religion which meets us in every exigency of our liveswhich has no opposition from our intellectual facultieswhich does not require the prostration of our reason, and which is in accordance with the great principles of the universe. If thus we prize it for ourselves, let not the power of diffusing its unspeakable advantages slumber inactively. God requires nothing disproportioned to the powers he has given us; but for the use or abuse of those powers, we, most assuredly, must give an account. This is an awful consideration, and should stimulate each one of us so to employ the talents with which we are entrusted, as may entitle us to the blessed appellation of "good and faithful servants;" and when we reflect on the infinite value of that approbation, the highest encomiums that man can bestow, sink into nothing-are less than nothing and vanity.

Cork.

The Detector.-No. 7.

"If there's a hole in a' your coats,
I rede you tent it,

A chiel's amang you takin' notes,
And, mind, he'll prent it."-Burns.

"Oh, an' you talk of conscience, I must have mine eye upon you.'

Shakspeare.

WHEN the Rev. Gavin Struthers resolved to violate his duty, by refusing to attend the funeral of the husband of

one of the members of his congregation, from the vain dread of being called on to say Amen to prayers addressed in the name of Jesus to the One Universal Father, or from the equally chimerical fear that his own adorations would "be noted," little, I dare say, did he imagine the consequences of that refusal. Bigotry had been so long accustomed to play its fantastic tricks in this city, without gainsaying-so common had been the practice of giving the victims of its power a stone when they asked for bread, that, in the very recklessness of its might, it thought itself secure from public reprobation, though it trampled on all the charities of private life. I have no doubt, therefore, that Mr. Struthers, as he acknowledges, "was surprised" when he received Mr. Harris's letter. It would teach him, that human feelings were no longer to be sported with, at least with impunity, and that the Christian minister, who was afraid of meeting an individual whose opinions his creed condemned, knew little of the spirit or practice of the declaration of their common Master, "they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."

More surprised still, I doubt not, was he, on learning the manner in which the appeal to the better and holier feelings of humanity, against such bigotry, had been received by the community at large, and the impression which had evidently been made in consequence of that appeal. I confess that my surprise, also, has only been equalled by my satisfaction. It is another pleasing proof, that, despite the pernicious influence of creeds, muchcalumniated human nature will cry out against any faith which desecrates the sanctuary of sorrow, and, on any pretence, refuses to impart consolation to the afflicted.

I do not, however, at present mean to dwell on the impulse to free inquiry, which the conduct of Mr. Struthers has occasioned. It is another instance of evil being overruled to the production of good, and, whilst I deprecate the cause, I am thankful for the results. I do not intend, either, to notice any of the sixteen publications, of which Mr. Struthers's intolerance has been the prolific parent; and the sermons which the controversy brought forth from the Revds. Willis, Struthers, Barr, Brodie, and others, will not now detain me from the observations I have to make on the performances of the Rev. Alex. Harvie, minister of the Relief Church, Calton.

A passing word, however, with the Rev. W. Anderson

of the Relief Church, John-Street. It ill became him to meddle in this matter. Let him examine his own convictions, and see if his own faith be not nearer that of the Christian Unitarian, than it is to that Shorter Catechism, in which the faith of his brother of Anderston is so "well compendized." Let him remember, that popularity is a vain and fleeting thing, never to be desired for its own sake merely, but only as the means of effecting man's improvement. Let him know, that a sort of notoriety is easily gained by strange and extravagant assertions, but that it is better for the people when a minister seeks the things which tend to edifying. Let him recollect, that a reputation for orthodoxy can be sustained even after the substance is gone, by an ingenious use of consecrated phrases and "good set terms." But let him beware of taxing Adam with want of gallantry, or of contending that the Father is prior and superior to the Son, or of being too curious or incautious about John iv. 23, 24, or he may depend upon it, he will, ere long, be branded as a heretic, nor will abuse of the Unitarians save him. If the Unitarians do make "a Pope of the Bible," surely even he will admit, it is the best Pope in Christendom. I remark not on the irreverence of the language, but satisfied am I, that it can be no real discredit to any denomination or individual, to prefer the Bible to Confessions of Faith, and to follow Christ rather than Calvin. With one admonition, I close my present notice of this individual. He will recognise its author, unless his fears of the "Pope of the Bible," be as strong as those which others entertain of him who sitteth on the city of seven hills, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."

Mr. Harvie, willing, I presume, not to be behind his brethren in the race of bigotry, gave notice that he would preach a lecture, in order to show, that Trinitarians could not say Amen to the prayers of a Unitarian. This individual had previously exhibited his pulpit prowess against "the Socinians," and from his theological furor, no quarter was to be expected. Yet, after all, a regard to character and station, it might have been hoped, would have prevented so fearful a display of ignorance or malice, as was that night manifested. In the contest with Christian Unitarians, however, it seems to be thought, that all wea