The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-12-15 00:00:00

REVIEW.

" A LETTER TO THE BEN-. I). MAkiINNI3 IN Rkpri:ENCE
To Ms LATE PAMPHLET uN UNITARIANIsM.--Ey J. IL

Shjet ,d.
We cordially recommend this pamphlet to the notice
of our readers, not alone for any theological arguments
which it may contain, but for the temperate, conciliatory
and christian spirit in which it is written ; spirit whie .
iS especially required in theology, but which is often les'
exhibited in that than in any other kind of coutrover,y.
Mr. Shepherd contends, in opposition to Mr. Magnets
that unitarians must necessarily have creeds. howeve.
limited; whilst, if we understand Mr. Mat:maid aright.
be contends that no body of unitarians hai laid down any
list of &incl.ou or creeds 5. • coalition of iliemb..ribip
anangst that body. but that their members and ministers
are left unshackled by all creeds, with freedom to advo-
cate any fresh light they may reeler. While Mr. Cra•.
ford denies that unitarians are christions, and snorts
that they are "fool.' who du not even profess to be
christialis ; Mr. Shepherd on the (Aber bawl " gladly
recognises with Dr. Arnold their claim to be called chris-
liana."

-Mr. Shepherd also wishes to know by what authority
Mr. Maginuis claims Milton, Lorke, and Lariluer amongst
Unitarian.; and he considers Theodore Parker to be a
Theist "is respect to his want of faith is Christ," The
following extract however from Pvirker'a prayers, we
think, shows, that although Parker may not have looked
upon Christ in the higher light of the Sou of God, cape-
cially sent by God to Le the Messiah in accordance with
the views of unitarians in general, yet serves to show
that lie had a great " faith in Christ," which no mere
I>eist or Theist c,mid possess. The following continuous
words are from Parker's Prayers, page NS:—
" We thank thee for that noblest ornament and fairest
revelation of the nature of man whom thou didst nice
send on the earth to seek and to save that which was lot.
We thank thee that he withstood the sin and iniquity of
his time, that lie was the friend of publicans and sinners,
that he broke the yoke of the oppremsor and let the op-
pressed go free. We thank thee that lie respected not
the position of men, but was. friend to all the friendless,
and the blessing of those ready to perish fell on his
head. Father, we Malik thee that he lifted up that which
was fallen down, and hound that which was bruised, and
was a father to the fatherless, and the saviour of us all.
Yea, L ,rd, we thank thee for his temptations and his
agonies, for his trials and his bloody cross, aid for all
' his perils so manfully borne, and the crown of human
liornage and divine reverence which thou didst set ou his
head, defiled once by a crown of thorns. And while we
thank thee for these things, 0 Lord, we pray that the
same human nature inay be active in our heart, and alike
heroism bear fruit in our daily lived "
Mr. Shepherd contends that while the scriptures clearly
point out the un:ty of God in such plain terms as Christ
uses in speaking of "My Got and your God." awl "The
only true hot ;" yet that (71irist is the " Word" men-
tioned in lot John, and that two persona are mentioned
in this verse each of whom is—separately and independ-
ently—God. We cordially coincide with Mr. Shepherd's,
following beautifill and appropriate closing remarks:—
" So long as christians acknowledge the authority of the
scriptures, and of him to whom those scripturea bear
witness, Gime is into that notwithstanding many errors
and shortcomings on the one stile and on the other, they
may be guided by the Spirit of truth to such at, under.
standing of the true meaning of those scriptures, that it
may be said of them, that though they worship in sepa-
rate assemblies with divers ceremonies and in divers
modes, thy yet all have one God and Father, ens Lord,
one Spirit, are daily approaching nearer to the unity of
faith and knwledge of the Son of God, and are becoming
in life and character more and more like the God they
worship and the Lord they serve."