expressing his concurrence in ce in what had been said respecting their departed friends, observed, with regard to the Association, that he anticipated the time when its services would be no longer required. When Unitarianism and Trinitarianism would be merged in the better and nobler name of Christianity, the true millenium would commence; not the millenium after which fanatics had been seeking in their mystic dreams-but that happy state in which all men would regard each other as equals, and all men would look up to the great and merciful Being as the common Father of the human race. Dr. Bowring said, he rose with apprehension when he had to follow his eloquent friend, but he would venture to take to himself some portion of the kind sentiments with which the Institution had honoured its secretaries. He had to report to those present at Finsbury Chapel in the morning, the foreign history of the Association, during the past year. He then had to state, that the Association had met with many subjects of difficulties and of rejoicing; but he would now venture to call the attention of the company to a topic of unmingled delight and joy, namely, the position of the Unitarian cause in America. The Association had that day received a gentleman (Rev. Henry Ware) who had been delegated to state the feelings of their friends on the other side of the Atlantic; and he (Dr. B.) was sure that the hands of hundreds would be stretched out to him (Mr. Ware) in cordial welcome. Whatever the Unitarians might have to depress and distress them in the East, on the other side of the great ocean, they had nothing to look upon but topics of encouragement and gratulation. There the cause of truth was making great and glorious progress. From year to year as the Association met together, they gathered evidence the most irresistible and conclusive, that whatever they might meet of discouragement in the Eastern world, they had there every thing to animate them in their exertions. The great cause of liberality and of truth, when embarked on its Transatlantic voyage, had reached its port of security. He was sure he spoke the feelings of the Unitarian Association, when he said to his friend (Mr. W.) that the individual who united Unitarians in this country in stronger bonds to those on the other side of the water, would be deemed worthy of all honour; while Unitarians would deprecate and disdain the man who planted any one seed of discord or disaffection between them. He was quite sure there was no individual in that company, who did not look to America, both in its moral and intellectual greatness, with delight and triumph. If they had been our children in the period of their weakness, they were our brothers now in the hour of their strength. He considered the presence of Mr. Ware on this occasion, as one of the most interesting events that had ever occurred in the history of the Unitarian Association. In connection with our progress and our history in America, I cannot (said Dr. B.) avoid referring to that splendid writer and high-souled man, w whose services to literature have been of the highest order, and whose career is marked by a series of pure and beautiful triumphs; whe ther he unveiled the gentle, the generous, the judicious Fenelon to the stronger admiration and more correct estimate of mankind, or elevated yet higher our Milton, our own British poet--he whose mind the mind of Channing most resembled—he whose soul is like a star and dwells apart, Who had a voice whose sound was like the sea, Pure as the naked heaven! But most of all, and first of all, do I honour Dr. Channing, for dethroning from the affections of men that modern conquerorthe mysterious but magnificent delusions of whose name, I look upon as the fruitful source of error and of misery-that man whose history is one of usurpation and violence-the warriorthe aggressor-of whom a poor but energetic poet has truly said, "He built on multitudinous graves A tyrant's power, and sought to bind with cords, For this good deed, as a Christian and a lover of peace, for this especially I thank Dr. Channing. He has attacked successfully a fallacy, of all, fallacies the most pernicious, and it wanted a vigorous arm like his to smite so huge an idol. Dr. B. regretted that the broken state of Mr. Ware's health compelled him to deny himself the pleasure of addressing the company. From this satisfaction he was absolutely and peremptorily debarred, but as he had commissioned Mr. Taylor to communicate his sentiments, he (Dr. B.) would propose-"The health-the improved and perfect health of Mr. Ware, with our friendly greetings to the American Association, and our best wishes for their happiness and success. ,, A paper was read from Mr. Ware, which expressed briefly the gratification which he felt in meeting this body of his brethren in the land of his fathers, and in bearing to them the message of sympathy and good will across the waters. There existed on both sides the Atlantic, a desire for better acquaintance, and a need for mutual countenance and aid; and he trusted that some thing might result to the benefit of all, from the present fraternal intercourse. As they proposed to have "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all," and to be engaged in one common object, the emancipation of men from error and sin, so they ought more and more to feel and act as brethren. He offered them the congratulations of the American people, on the recent triumphs of civil and religious liberty, and gave a brief sketch of the measures which are pursuing in America, and the state of religious parties there. He spoke particularly of the successful operations of the American Unitarian Association, in providing religious instruction for the destitute poor of Boston, and of the growing interest throughout the community, in the cause of religious education. He concluded by acknowledging the kindness with which he had been welcomed to England, and saying, that as by a singular coincidence the two Associations were formed on the same day of the same year, he would regard it as an omen that they would go on their way together, joined heart and hand in a zealous, affectionate, and holy co-operation. The Chairman having proposed the health of Lord Holland, and the Members of both Houses of Parliament who profess the true and full doctrine of Religious Liberty, the Rev. W. J. Fox, observed > That nothing but the direct and irresistible appeal which had been made to him by the Chairman, would have induced him to address the meeting. He had been involuntarily absent two successive anniversaries of the Association. He had been in a state which one of his worthy friends had called "being buried alive," but he had been called upon in a trumpet voice to rise from it, and to the utmost of his power he would obey the call. With regard to the great change which had just been made in the laws of this country, he should confine himself to that portion of it which showed its connection with the proceedings of the present meeting, and the objects of the Institution. He regarded it not merely as a political triumph-not merely as the triumph of religious liberty; but, in his judgment, and in his conscience, he considered it as a Unitarian triumph. It had been said, that Unitarians were doing little. Whether this were true or not, their principles were doing much. He considered the passing of the Catholic Relief Bill, a Unitarian triumph, because it appeared to him that universal and unqualified religious liberty was one of the distinguishing and most glorious tenets and principles of Unitarians. He would appeal to facts in proof of his statement. Who were they that advocated the measure most consistently, that advocated the measure universally? Who were the foremost in the field? Who fired the first shot? He would reply, without fear of contradiction, the Unitarians of this country. Taking any statement which he had seen, it was an undeniable fact, that the great majority were the petitions of the Unitarians. Here then he saw Unitarian principles advancing the cause of freedom. Looking in another direction, he saw that if Unitarians were doing but little, their principles were doing much. He looked to the laws, and he watched, and watched with delight, as every friend to human kind in this country must, the progress which was making towards the simplification of the modes of legal procedure, towards the prevention of crime, and the reformation of criminals; and what was that but the application of the great Unitarian principle, that the proper end of punishment was not revenge but correction? As the state of society advanced, the theological opinions which corresponded with it must advance, also. When laws became more righteous and more mercifulwhen the courts of law admitted of procedure consistent with common sense then must men be weaned from a theology, which by the imputation of righteousness and guilt, held out a more monstrous absurdity than the worst legal fictions of our law courts in the worst of times-then would men be weaned from a belief that the wise and merciful God punished vindictively as to the principle, and eternally as to the duration. He would say again, that if Unitarians were doing little, their principles were doing much. He now particularly alluded to the spread of knowledge and education. When he heard of the "march of intellect," he rejoiced therein, for what was intellect but a herald to prepare the way, and to make a strait and broad path for the triumphal chariot of pure religion? It had been said, that the schoolmaster was abroad, he rejoiced therein, for the schoolmaster was neither more nor less than a Unitarian missionary. When he found rival colleges about to rear their heads in the Metropolis, he rejoiced therein. Let them rear their heads ever so proudly, if men were there taught scientific truths, and the principles of sound logic, those two rising institutions would but be pillars of the porch of a Unitarian temple. Let Bible Societies send forth the Bible, let Missionary Societies send forth their Missionaries to the ends of the earth; he rejoiced in their success; for that which led men to the knowledge of God and to its study, must make known the principles of the Word of God, which were the principles of Unitarians. He felt from his heart the kindness with which the company had welcomed him after his absence. He looked upon that absence as presenting to him an additional stimulus to propagate the true principles of Christianity-those principles which not only seemed powerful and glorious in the season of social communication and excitement, but preserved all their lustre in the time of sickness and solitude; which were not only a panoply of proof for the conflicts of controversy, but a staff of support for the tottering steps of infancy and age; which, when our way of life was in the night and through the wilderness, were a pillar of fire for our guidance; and which took their stand like the angel at the tomb, pointing from the dust to heaven, and declaring a resurrection. TO CORRESPONDENTS AND SUBSCRIBERS. Dialogues on Religion, No. 5,—The Unitarian, No. 5,—G. C. S. have been received. The Title Page and Index to the Third Volume, will be given with the next Number. Each individual Subscriber to the CHRISTIAN PIONEER, is earnestly requested to use his exertions and influence in procuring one additional Subscriber. If this be done, the permanence of the Magazine would be secured, and, it is hoped, the progress of Christian liberality advanced. The first Number of the Fourth Volume, will be published on the 1st of September. CHRISTIAN PIONEER. No. 36. AUGUST, 1829. Vol. III. On the Principles and Evidences of Christianity. LETTER IX. and Last. General View of the Evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus to Immortality. FROM the view which we have taken of the particulars recorded concerning the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, it appears that his whole person became inanimate in the grave, from whence he was both restored to life and transformed to a superior and immortal state. Nothing can appear more evident, than the entire sympathy which subsisted between his corporeal, vital, and mental powers. When the body became inanimate, the whole person was inanimate; no symptoms whatever were given of any species of vital or conscious existence; and, accordingly, his disciples, not in the least degree anticipating his speedy return to life, sunk into despondency, and gave their attention to no object beyond that of affording him an honourable interment. No indications were presented, either to his friends or his enemies, of the existence of any powers, human, divine, or superangelic, appertaining to him, during this interval. The dead body alone engaged their attention; and his enemies were intent on no other object, than that of retaining it in the sepulchre, till the fourth day from his crucifixion, that thus they might disprove his predictions, and evince the fallacy of his pretensions. And had it remained inanimate, his authority as the Messiah, "the Prince of Life," could never have been established; his Apostles could not have announced him to the world in that character; they could not have "preached through him, the resurrection from the dead;" the great object and purport of the Gospel-that of "abolishing death," and of "bringing life and immortality to light"-would not have been accomplished; and since all the evidence would have gone to disprove his conscious existence, his pretensions as the Messiah must have been abandoned, and his kingdom and |