The New York herald., 1868-05-07

no one knows what was coming Strange noises
and rumors were abroad-nolses Of evil prediction
to some, but TO others full of hope and promise oil
good things to cone To some these portents be-
token the upheayng OF old foundations and the
sncsK more OF The snTI,g ~ & se o,a;n ssr vner
when the Icy barriers of strong rivers are burst
asunder and the glad foods pour down again into
summer and eli the wealth Of happiness In store.
Liberalism In England with reference to religious
belief & owes nodv everything to the Unitarian sect
OF the liberalism of the old country. When
that noble body OF men, 1000 strong cut themselves
of from the Established Church Of England In order
that they might worship just according TO their own
convictions, and built this little chapel in London for
hat p,nIPSse taeiI nd s thought how the tide o.; o.
present grand dimensions They were the precur-
sors of the present liberal Christian spirit the ami
versay OF the society to nculcate which s celebrated
tonight. The Arlan movement and the change that
arose In the Presbyterian Church were alike evil
dences OF the want of the age and In the Unitarian
Church Of to-day Is embodied ali these ideas and the
brave spirit OF free Christianity and o confident
belief in the future, which actuated the little band
that started the Chutch so many years ago. There Is
little doubt that the change OF the manufacturing
centres In England had much to do with the spread
OF liberalism In religious sentiment. When the cloth
manufactures were removed to the north OF Eng
land. to be contiguous to the coal region and the
cotton manufacture became established In Manches-
ter then Tree chapes began to be set up and diner
ent congregations Of various denominations wOr-
shipped according to their especial creed. The
best agent OF the Unitarian Church has been the
sent and the snort Of the steam whistle unheard
there the listless congregations of the Established
Church nodded beneath the duh remarks OF their
dreaming pastor; and wherever the tramp OF the
engine was heard and the black smoke seen, there
were Unitarian chapels TO he observed. In the agr
cultural districts Of England the education Of the
w0rkingman ts lamentably deficient. He has no OBJ
ject In life and no hope In the future; but in the
manufacturing districts the mechanics are inteni-
gent educated and believe In God and worship Il I'm
as they have mind to. Doctor COenz0 spoke out
against some Of the absurd dOgmas Of the
English Established Church., but the Unita-
rans nursed his very objections long before,
and II they had been brave and fearless
enough to tell they knew their position at
the present day would be far better than
what l. Is Mr.. sharman then spoke at length o. on
the principles Of the Established Church of the old
country, and concluded by prognosticating that he
believed The time would come when all the misera-
BILE schsms and sectarian dOglnas which now split
up the Christian Church would be abolished and all
believers would unite under one brotherhood in one
true principle OF faith in the name OF their common
Father.
The Rev. !. l.. Corning, OF Poughkeepsle, then adj
dressed the meeting at great length.
The Rev. DR.. Thompson, Of Boston, then spoke at
some length or the past and present phases OF liberal
Christianity In Massachusetts, after which layman
present and spoke few sentences on the same
subject, referring TO New York; then hymn was
sung and the benediction pronounced by the presl'
dent, DR.. Putnam I.
The Rev. DR.. Chaplin and others were advertised
to be present. but were unavOidably prevented from
coming. The church. however, was crowded, and
at the conclusion some excellent music was given
from the splendid new organ OF this oJou church.