The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-10-11 00:00:00

LECTURE AT THE UNION HALL.

A. lecture was given at the Union Hall, on
Monday night last, by the Rev. Charles Wick.
steed, MA, of London, the subject being—
.. Why lam a Unitarian." There was a fair
attendance.

On the motion of the Rev. D. Miunnis,
Frank Evers, Esq., was elected to take the
chair. Iu doing so,
Mr. Evers said he had very few words to say
by Way of introduction. The lecture was not
given with the object of causing any discussion
respecting the merits of Unitarianism v. Trin•
tariauistu, but simply to give them an oppor-
tunity of hearing from a Unitarian his reasons
for adopting the tenets which were held by that
body. With these tow remarks, he would at
once introduce the Rev. Charles Wicksteed, the
lecturer, to the audience. -

The lecturer commenced by stating that he
was a Unitarian because there existed in all
true religions a recognition of this great fact—
that there was but one God. In this great
truth he rejoiced to say 400,000,003 of persons
eves the whole face of the earth believed, and
rejected anything approaching to polytheism,
or a belief in a plurality of Gods. These con-
stituted what were called the monarchists, of
the earth, because they acknowledged but one
supreme ruler of all things. Agreeing, there-
fore, with 400,000,000 of our race, and with the
whole af the Western and a great part of the
Eastern world, he dissented from the errors
which appeared to throw the reality of that
beliaf into question. He was a unitarian because
lie saw their doctrines could be reconciled with
the Christian belief. He could believe in one
God manifesting himself as Creator and Ile
deemer ; and if they liked to accept this state-
ment as ev;denee of his belief in a sectarian
Trinity he acquiesced in it. But if they came
to this way of reasoning, he could not see why
they should limit these manifestations to three.
They might as well speak of him as God for
his love to man or any other of the Divine at-
tributes. There would be no adequate reason
to b's mind for either limiting those to three

410i1 ' tiLLi ai ,34.4.4 4k. .04441. k. .
Ne• ,Thavx, Ise Jima loos RY'
. :riot esd

They looked upon what was generally considered
to be the latter, as nothing more than the strug-
glings of untrammelled souls after truth.
He thought unitarianism was, therefore, an
eminently practical religion. It taught that
there was no royal road to heaven, by which a
man could lead a wicked life and then by a
death-bed repentance secure eternal bliss. It
taught him that Christ Med for him, not instead
of him—but for him. It taught him that he
(Jesus Christ) submitted to his Father's holy
will concerning him for him, and it filled him
with a grateful and heartfelt !ove. Farther, he
was attached to unitarianism because it did not
sink him down to the depths of despair because
God had made him a child of love. It did not
teach him that he had since become a child of
wrath, and was, therefore incapable of doing
any good thing. It taught him that he was
capable of good, and he felt and knew that
he was. He was attached to unitarianism be.
cause it taught him that God was his Father, his
friend, an support. His friends and ohildren
might be taken from him, but he knew that
God was his father, and he should not be left
alone. He had a Father above him, who would
never forsake or neglect him, and who could
never make a mistake. In the future he saw no
fear of a separation from beiuga whom he now
loved, and did not, like members of other re-
ligious bodies, stand round the death-bed of
souse dear friend racked with doubts as to
whether their future state would consist of
eternal peace or eternal torments. The rev.
gentleman concluded his lecture with a very
eloquent peroration, in which he said that he
believed in God our Father, and his worthy be.
loved:Son Jesus Christ.
Mr. Magiunis rose and said that before they
why
eeatnhenaeedri
ain wuethkyisethot
ephteeirl
lecturer
teaxrpleltra
ifwasnoer explained
tttheoe
'1 them his own belief. In according this vote of
that
te
bNer ietedwietatlod
bbee
et
eh:ear:rue!!!
sye d under-
stoodas
it
would not be taken as a manifestation of their
approval of the doctrines which he had enun-
ciated, but simply as a graceful act of courtesy.
In this spirit he hoped there would be some one
found who did not belong to their body, to
second the vote of thanks.
111''
thanks,psv eer
p r
pa
o:stoteel eda

Mr. Smith seconded it, and it was carried.

A vote of thanks to the chairman, brougln
the proceedings to a close.