'In the society under the pastoral care of Mr D, very many of the most respectable proprietors are decidedly Anticalvinistic, but remain there, as we think they ought to and as we wish, to aid in the support of stated religious instruction. You will remember, that the zealous Mr is of that society, whose name is found in most of the Orthodoxiperiodicals. His influence and efforts, however, do not, in my opinion, add any to his party. On the whole, it is fully my conviction, that what I consider liberal and just views of Christianity, are prevailing here.'

PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

The cause of Unitarian Christianity, notwithstanding the boasting of the Orthodox, I am confident, is not losing, but gaining ground in this town and vicinity. I will mention a few facts and circumstances, which authorize me to express this opinion. My own church has been better filled, and the number much larger, during the last year and present, than for any period for five years previous. And the parish clerk inforins me, that not an individual has 'signed off,' as they term it, for two years, to any other society, but several have joined us from the Orthodox, and others, it is known, intend doing it soon. It is the general opinion of the most intelligent gentlemen in the society, that it is improving in numbers and property. The spirit of free inquiry is among us. Without any solicitation, I may say, I have thirty subscribers in my society for the Liberal Preacher; and chiefly those who are not subscribers to the tracts of the Amer. Unita. Asso. New subscribers are added almost every week. So far as I have the means of judging, I am persuaded there never was more freedom of inquiry, and never more interest felt and expressed in the progress and success of Unitarianism, or Rational Christianity, than at this time; and my belief is, that any open attempt to stop its progress, would prove more injurious to the Orthodox societies than to the Liberal. The generaal opinion is, that the Calvinistic Baptist society and the other Orthodox society have lost ground within the last two years.

'I am not very intimately acquainted with the state of religion in the neighbouring towns. In W, however, the minister who was Orthodox, is dismissed and gone, and, as a society,

they are evidently Liberal. I preached there lately to a very respectable assembly, and a very attentive audience, although on the same day a meeting was held at a private house by the Orthodox. The society, three to one, I was told, are advocates for Liberal Christianity, and this town has always been under the yoke of the Orthodox. Five years ago the council that ordained the late minister, voted Mr G and his church out of the council, on the ground that he was not the pastor of any church. The present condition of this society is the result of this outrage.

"On the whole, I place no confidence in the reports of the Orthodox periodicals on the state of religion, or the progress and triumphs of Orthodoxy. They are not true; they are exaggerated, highly colored, and in many instances absolutely false. It is painful to read them, for they are not to be believed. We have only to regret that men, who would be thought to embrace and teach all that is true and good in Christianity, should pay so little regard to truth and goodness in maintaining their cause.'

BRISTOL COUNTY.

"The truth is, that the revival seasons of the last two years have been utterly defeated of their object so far as Unitarians are concerned. It was confidently expected that this blast would tear us to pieces. The storm has gone by, and we all stand firm.

Nothing could be more true than all this with regard to ourselves. Our society has regularly increased, and the Orthodox have not gained from us a single member, of any description.

Things are more promising in this neighbourhood. A strong demonstration has been made in favor of Liberal principles in W, eighteen miles east of us. It appears that half of the town is Liberal, and the Calvinistic clergyman is dismissed. Whether they will be able to support a Unitarian minister, is doubtful. I am surprised to find that Liberal thinkers are springing up in other towns around us.'

WORCESTER COUNTY.

In answer to your questions, I will endeavour to state my impression, and give you such facts as come within my knowledge. I think the people are inquiring, and are taking a more decided ground-and this is altogether

favorable to our cause. Our own parish has grown since the last year. Several respectable families have been added. Our meeting is far better filled than it was a year ago. We have commenced a new house, for it is impossible to procure seats for all who would worship with us. We have added nearly twenty to our church, and a spirit of inquiry and of religious earnestness prevails among our people. Although there has been an excitement among the Orthodox, we have lost none. In the aspect of things in our neighbourhood, we have everything to encourage us. In Lan Auxiliary to the American Unitarian Assoc. has been formed. Bhas formed a new Unitarian parish. G, R—, and O-, are discontented with the present state of things, and I may say generally, in the county, the people are for putting the question to their ministers, whether they mean to be Exclusive or not. I do not hesitate to say that it is my firm belief that the aspect of things is far more favorable than it was a year ago.'

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.

To your circular, asking for information, I have not much to say that I have not said before. Things remain much as in the fall-better in some places, worse in none. The aspect of affairs is certainly encouraging. I have not heard of anything to dishearten in the least-not a single instance of backsliding or conversion from Unitarianism to Orthodoxy, or anything of the kind--but much implying an opposite progress.'

Unitarian Ministers.-[There is no want which the Unitarian denomination at the present moment feels more sensibly than that of an increased number of Unitarian ministers. Any hints as to the best manner in which this want may be supplied, are therefore seasonable and valuable. It is for this reason and not because we are prepared to advocate in their full extent the measures it proposes, that we publish the following extract from a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Am. Unit. Assoc. by a highly respectable clergyman of Pennsylvania, who has had particularly favorable opportunities for judging to what extent the remark we begun with is true.]

"I have just read, with much interest, the account of the Theological School

at Cambridge, in the Christian Examiner for March and April, 1827. I have heard from other sources of information that the demand for Unitarian ministers is greater than that School can at present supply. It is therefore highly desirable and necessary, that some new method should be adopted for sending a greater number of young men into the ministry, that we may be able to supply the increased and increasing demand for pastors and teachers. Will you pardon me, if I venture to suggest a plan, which I think might easily be carried into execution, and which would be productive of immense advantage to the Unitarian cause.

'I have understood that it is an indispensable prerequisite for admission into the Theological School, that young men should be pretty well advanced in the knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages, and in some branches of general science. This arrangement necessarily excludes a number of worthy and excellent young men, who, having arrived at mature age before they were convinced of the truth and value of our doctrines, and having only an English education, are at once deterred from devoting themselves to the ministry, from the long preparation that would be ne. cessary before they could be admitted into the Theological School at Cambridge. Hence the idea of becoming useful as ministers of the gospel, is at once abandoned, and their otherwise useful talents are devoted to other pursuits. What I wish to propose to your serious consideration, as a remedy for this want, is, that an attempt should be made to open the Theological School at Cambridge, for the reception of young men of pious character and good natural talents, though destitute of all classical knowledge; that these should remain two or three years in the School; that theology, in an especial manner, should be an object of their study, in conjunc tion with all those branches of knowledge, which are immediately connectted with this subject; that they should be taught composition, particularly in relation to sermonizing; that they should be initiated into the practice of extemporary preaching, which is a most important and valuable part of the theological course at Cambridge; and, in a word, that they should be taught every branch of knowledge, which can be acquired without an acquaintance with the Latin and Greek languages.

Two years have elapsed since the publication of the "Brief Memoir respecting the Establishment of a Unitarian Mission in Bengal," which contained the first announcement made to the Indian Public that such an object was contemplated and that measures were in progress for its accomplishment. A Unitarian Mission had not then been established in Bengal, but it has since gone into operation, and its friends in India, in England, and in America, expect more information than they have yet received respecting what has been done, what is now doing, and what is proposed to be done for the promotion of its objects. The Calcutta Unitarian Committee which has been chiefly instrumental in calling the attention of Unitarians to the subject of a Foreign Mission, and which can alone be employed in this country in directing its operations and superintending its details, as the proper organ for communicating the information required, present the following Report.

1. Cooperation of Foreign Unitarians.-The Committee, at their institution in 1821, deemed it their first duty to endeavour to secure foreign aid, convinced that such cooperation was necessary to the permanent prosperity of a Unitarian Mission in India. All other Protestant Missions derive the chief part of their resources from abroad, and all religious and philanthropic institutions, except Missionary ones and those patronized by the Government, are found to languish for want of support-an effect which arises from the comparatively small number of Europeans resident in India, and the constant fluctuations of English society; and which would be felt in a still higher degree in the case of a Unitarian Mission not enjoying foreign support, in consequence of the still smaller number of Unitarians, their liability to the same fluctuations, and the total want of sympathy with them among the professors of other christian denominations. The committee therefore lost no time in opening a correspondence with the English and American Unitarians with a view to secure their assistance in the establishment of a Unitarian Mission in Bengal, and thus to give full efficiency to their own exertions for that purpose, and they are happy to announce that they have in some degree succeeded, although after a greater delay than was originally anticipated.

• Various considerations have prevent

ed Foreign Unitarians from engaging with the desired promptitude in a Mission to this country, among which the following, collected from the writings both of English and American Unitarians, may be briefly enumerated:They regard the christian religion as the most powerful instrument that can be employed for promoting human virtue and happiness; but they do not consider the knowledge of it indispensably necessary to salvation; they do not believe that all those who are ignorant of it are doomed to certain and eternal condemnation, and they are thus deprived of that paramount motive which has brought other Protestant denominations within the last thirty years into the field of Foreign Missions. Unitarians have also been discouraged by the injudicious manner in which, as appears to them, Trinitarian Missions have been conducted, by the little success attending them, and by the knowledge that Unitarian Missionaries would not be received as coadjutors, but opposed as enemies. Their numbers and resources also are comparatively limited, although rapidly on the increase; they have to contend for the first rights of Protestants and of citizens against the declared and unqualified hostility of all other christian sects; and they are consequently as yet able to apply only a small portion of their means to foreign objects, after affording due support to their domestic institutions. To these considerations it may be added that some of the gentlemen to whom letters were addressed from this country, have labored under severe and continued illness occasioning unavoidable delay; and the Committee deeply regret to state as a further obstacle to the success of their endeavours, the fact of calumnious statements respecting the personal conduct and character of some of their own body having been propagated from this country by certain individuals both in England and America, which, before there was sufficient time to contradict and refute them, had contributed to cool the zeal and paralyze the exertions of the well disposed.

For these various reasons the first communications of the Committee to the English and American Unitarians received but little attention. The first symptom of interest was discovered in a series of questions addressed by Professor Ware of Harvard University, United

States, on behalf of a number of Unitarian Christians with whom he was associated, to some of the members of the Committee, the answers to which, embodying all the information which could be obtained respecting the actual state of Protestant Missions in Bengal, were published, first in Calcutta, and afterwards at Boston, in America, where they excited very general attention to the subject which they treated. This was followed by a donation, from several individuals whose names were not given, of $375 towards the support of a Missionary, but which was placed at the disposal of the Committee for the General Purposes of the Mission; and by a further donation of $100 from the Association for aiding Religious Charities in Brattle Square Church,' Boston, which was added to the Chapel Fund. In February 1825, an Association was formed in Boston with a view to obtain and diffuse information respecting the state of religion in India, and to devise and recommend means for the promotion of Christianity in that part of the world,' of which Professor Ware was President, the Rev. Dr Tuckerman, Secretary, and Mr Lewis Tappan, Treasurer; and the first act of this Association was to remit six hundred dollars as their first annual contribution in aid of the funds for the support of a Missionary, with an engagement to continue it for three years certain. The sum thus received was also placed at the disposal of the Committee. In the course of the year 1826 various public meetings were held in Boston and numerously attended, the result of which was, instead of the Association just mentioned for obtaining information, the substitution of a 'Society for the Promotion of Christianity in India,' and a further remittance from that Society of 600 dollars towards the support of a Missionary, with a pledge to remit an equal sum annually for ten years, and the expression of a strong hope of being able to continue this contribution indefinitely. There has also been formed at Boston an 'American Unitarian Association' the object of which is to give union and efficiency to the whole Unitarian body in that country; and although it does not embrace foreign objects within its design, it seeks to maintain a friendly correspondence with this Committee, and has published two tracts powerfully recommending the cause of Foreign Missions to the support of American Unita

rians. This cause is advocated in Amer. ica by several of the most distinguished Unitarians-clergymen, professors, merchants, &c. It has frequently been introduced into the pulpit and is made the subject of investigation at the Associations of Ministers. Its claims are defended in the periodical publications of the denomination, and it has been made the theme of College exercises. It is the frequent subject of private as well as of public discussion, and although not an object of universal support, yet it is one of general and extending interest, among Unitarian Christians in America.

For several years before the existence of this Committee, the English Unitarians had their attention called to British India by the exertions of Mr William Roberts at Madras. But the interest excited in favor of a Foreign Mission, was apparently limited and feeble; and the correspondence of this Committee did not produce any better effect until the publication in England at the expense of the London Unitarian Fund, of the answers to Professor Ware's questions, of which an edition was distributed gratis among Unitarian Ministers throughout England. In the early part of the year 1825, J. R. Freme, Esq. of Liverpool, remitted £35 as a donation towards the support of a Missionary from several friends at Liverpool and Manchester, of which £20 was added to the Chapel Fund, and £15 to the Fund for General Purposes; and about the same time a public subscription in aid of the Calcutta Mission was opened in England which ultimately amounted to £1579 2 2. In May, 1825, the British and Foreign Unitarian Association was formed, of which the promotion of Foreign Missions is one of the specific objects, there being a Foreign Secretary appointed to conduct the correspondence and manage the details belonging to that department. One of the first acts of this Association was a pledge to contribute 100 Rupees per month towards the support of a Unitarian Missionary for five years certain, with instructions to draw on their Treasurer for £100, which however it was not deemed advisable to do. In January, 1821, a remittance was received of £100 for General Purposes and of £15 towards the support of a Missionary, which was also added to the General Fund; and in May last the whole of the funds collected in England were received, amounting, with interest, to Sa. Rs. 17,091 9 8, of which