The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-31 00:00:00

BRITISH AND FOREIGN UNITARIAN

ASSOCIATION.

The thirtieth anniversary of the above religion'
association was celebrated yesterday. The proceedings
commenced with divine service at the Little Portland street
Chapel, on which occasion an eloquent sermon was preached
by the Rev. 0. B. Brock, of Easter, on the tenets of the
Unitarians; and afterwards • meeting was held in the cha-
pel for the despatch of the business of the year. The chair
was taken by Wm. Biggs, En., M.P., and Mr. Webb, the
secretary, read a voluminous report, which, amongst other
things, referred to recent parlisirsnitmy proceedings relative
to the removal of the tests at universities, congratulating
the body on theirremoval at Oxford, and auguring &similar re-
forms ataaearlydate atCambridge. Mr. Heywood was warmly
complimented on his exertions in favour of religions liberty,
and the report proceeded to state that it was in contain-
platten to publish a revised translation of the Old Testament
at the expense of the amociation. The meeting was mongre-
-1 talated on the fact that out of thirty pulpits which were
Yeatet at the commencement of last year, fifteen had sinus
been filled up, and gement' were in active (progress
for supplying the remainder with competent ministers. A.
oompliment was then paid to the memories of four die-
tiognished members of the Unitarian body who
had died in the course of the past year, and
the report concluded with an assurance that both
in a religions and financial point of view the con-
dition of the association was highly satisfactory. The Rev.
J. J. Tayler moved, and the Her. E. Tigers seconded, the
adoption of the report, which was carried unanimously.
Another report was subsequently read by the Rey. Mr.
Hatton, agent to the Home Mission, which was aloe
adopted; whereupon some discussion arose uto the pro-
priety of ab dishing the Home Mission at the aloes of the
half year. The general feeling appeared to be in favour of
Us goatinuance, and a resolution to that effect was carried in
the meeting. After the transaction of some routine besieges,
the proceediogs at the chapel terminated with a vote of
thanks to the chairmen.
In the afternoon, Le clergy and laity of the Unitarian
body assembled at as excellent collation provided by Mr.
Withers, Baker-street, Portman-sr:ogre, and Mr. Biggs was
again nominated as president, supported by Mr. Collin,
M.P., Rev. Messrs. Tagart, Brock, Tayler, and Kell. On
this occasion, several excellent speeches were made by the
rev. gentlemen present, referring to the various points of
the report, after which,
The Rev. Mr. TATLEE, president of the Manchester
College, proposed in eloquent terms the health of the Rev.
Mr. Cbanning (nephew of the late Dr. Channing), and the
Unitarians of America. (Cheers )
The Rev. Mr. CDANNINO, who was received with loud
cheers, said it was just 20 years since he bad had an oppor-
tunity of visiting his fellow Unitarians in England, and
although they had lately been belabouring themselves in
true English vein—(a laugh)—ke oouli atsure them that the
oeotrast he observed was re matkable, and that in all thine
they were wonderfully improved. (Hear, hear.) There
was nothing which had pleased him so much on his arrival
in Boglaod as the perfectly unflinching sincerity of self
criticism in which the people indulged. (Cheers) It
might be said that so did the people in the United States,
but be begged pardon, they always made reserves in that
country. They might find fault with those garments of their
childhood which they had outgrown, bat they still would
not hear aaythiog said against the boy who had worn them.
(A laugh.) He believed that this candid spirit of self cri-
ticism which he saw abroad in England, arose from the
indomitable faith of the people that the destiny of
Great Britain was not yet accomplished, but wee
!rising to • higher and wider range than ever ;
and, with the spirit of truth animating his heart, he him-
self fully sympathised with that conviction. (Loud cheers.)
The present crisis was truly • solemn one, not only for
I Great Britain but for the entire globe. (Hear, hear.)
He wished he could show them how their country looked
from abroad—from America—at the present moment.
(Hear, hear.) America felt that she derived her national
life from the same source, and believed that in union
with the parent country it was her mission to pre-
serve the balance of power in Christendom. (Cheers.)
Undoubtedly there might be some disunion between those
two great countries, for it was part of the law of progress,
bet it was the deepest concern of both, as Chiral's',
as patriots, and as men to preserve God's unity between
them. (Heir, hear.) Let them both see that, whatever
might be their differences, they were not misled into a fra-
tricidal war. (Hear, hear.) They were one in race, in
literature, and in the germs of those institutions to which
they, Americans, owed their right of living as free citizens.
(Cheers.) As there were other speakers to address the
eneetiog he would not further detain them than by relating
lan anecdote which, he thought, applied to the tone in which
I the English people t
hetaked of themselves at the present
moment, In one of tr western steam-boats the cabin
boy rushed down in the middle of the night to the
cabin screaming in the ears of the sleeping pas-
sengers, We are ail lost." The latter, starting up in
a fright, eagerly inquired his reason for thinking so, when
he said—" The captain's on the paddle-box, and the mate
on the round-house, and the second mate somewhere else,
and all have telescopes, and all are looking oat. lam sure,
therefore, that we are all lost." S 2 it was with the people
of England at the present moment, they were looking out,
and crying out, in every direction, but he had no doubt
they would find out where they were before long. (Cheers.)
Jenza HEYWOOD, Esq., M.P., spoke on the subject of
university reform. lie observed that, although at Oxford
the deor is open to dissenters, yet there re no one to welcome
them, but, on the contrary, the young men who goes up to
take hi. degree cannot but feel that, in declining to accept
the testa, he is cutting himself off from all hopes of emolu-
ment. With regard to the Cambridge Bill, now in the
House of Lords, Mr. Heywood said that it was more evident
than ever that the work of internal reform ought hot to be
left to the uaiversity itself, but that the consent of commis-
sioners fairly representing the liberal tone of feeling in the
country ought to be required. When the bill reached the
House of Commons this point, amongst ethers, would be
strongly urged. The hon. gentienran concluded with saying
that at no previous period in his experience had all sects of
dissenters shown such unanimity and cordiality as in this
question of university reform.
Some other toasts sad sentiment' from the chairman were
then disposed of, and the company separated.