tion, from Ezra vi. 5, 16. The following is a brief sketch of the sermon, which appears in the Boston Christian World: "This was one of the most remarkable controversial sermons ever delivered, whether by one of our own, or of opposite faith. By remarkable, we mean in its clearness of statement of Unitarian views, and for the manliness and Christian deference with which he handled the dogmas of the Calvinistic theology. Whilst he cleared away the rubbish, which for so many years has been overlaying the simple, yet glorious truths of the Christian religion, he did not withhold his reverent and affectionate ac knowledgments, for all that had been done, even by his bitterest theological enemies, for the advancement of pure and undefiled religion in the world. He did not stand up in that temple, just dedicated to the worship of the one living and true God, and to the affectionate remembrance of one Saviour, Jesus Christ. that he might denounce those from whom he differed. No, he believed that the most violent opponents that liberal Christianity had to face, were conscientious men, who believed they were right. But because he was ready to concede so much, nothing would excuse him if he were to hold back his honest convictions, in regard to the mischievous assumptions of the Orthodox faith. He believed Calvinism to be an impertinence, standing in his way, in his neighbour's way, and in the way of truth and duty, subversive of God's law, inconsistent with his paternity, and dishonourable to his justice; and he felt bound to do all in his power to remove it out of its place.' DR. BEARD'S DICTIONARY OF THE We have seen several favourable notices of the parts which have already appeared of this work, and we very cheerfully publish the following recommendatory notice from the Southern Unitarian Society. Of the merits of the work we cannot ourselves speak; but the opinion which has been expressed by those well qualified to judge of it, added to the known abilities and diligence of the author, satisfies us that it is calculated to be a valuable aid to the Sunday school Teacher, and an important help to the young student of the Holy Scriptures: . "We, the undersigned Ministers, connected with the Society of Unitarian Christians established in the South of England for promoting the Genuine Knowledge of the Scriptures, and the Practice of Virtue, by the Distribution of Books,' believing that Dr. Beard's Dictionary of the Bible' is admirably calculated to promote the cause of biblical learning and rational piety, and to be especially adapted to excite an interest in the perusal of the Scriptures among the young, and having now been able to form a more accurate opinion of its merits from the parts already published,-beg leave, earnestly and respectfully, to recommend the work to the attention of those desirous of becoming better acquainted with the meaning and contents of the Sacred Volume. JOHN FULLAGAR, Chichester. Secretary of the Southern Unitarian Names of Subscribers will be received by any of the above Ministers, or the numbers of the work may be obtained through any of the regular booksellers. MR. JOSEPH BARKER IN BIRMINGHAM. Mr. Barker preached two sermons on Sunday, Dec. 6, in the NewhallHill Chapel, Birmingham, which was well filled, both in the morning and afternoon. His text was-" Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house." Mr. Barker took occasion, from this text, to remind his audience that no class of men had higher and more exalted notions of the destiny of the human race, of the dignity of man, of the inappreciable value of the soul, than Unitarians. He said, that as we held these enlarged and ennobling views of human nature, it was incumbent on us to spread the light throughout the world, that it might dissipate the clouds of error and superstition by which the minds of men were enslaved; that it was the duty of every one to exert the talents which God had given him in spreading abroad, as far as he had opportunity, the blessing of a purer and more exalted faith,-the religion, not of popes and councils, but the truth as it was in Jesus Christ. On the following evening, there was a tea-party in the school-room of the Newhall-Hill Chapel, to give Mr. Barker an opportunity of speaking more at large of his views with regard to the present state of religion, and the progress which is being made towards a better state of things. Mr. G. S. Kenrick was called to the chair on the occasion, and the following resolution was moved by Mr. John Lloyd, and warmly seconded by Mr. M. Green :-"That the best thanks of this society be given to Mr. Joseph Barker, for the two excellent discourses delivered by him yesterday; and this meeting desires, at the same time, to express their opinion that efforts made in the printing of cheap editions of the works of eminent men, afford one of the best and most laudable means of disseminating knowledge and establishing righteousness, and that such efforts entitle Mr. Barker to the encouragement of every philanthropist." Mr. Barker rose to acknowledge the vote of thanks, and said—" I have endeavoured to point out that each one has a work appointed him to do, each has it in his power to do something for the service of his fellow-creatures, however confined his sphere of action may be, and I now wish to point out a few of the ways in which good may be done. First of all, a man should be particularly careful that he does no harm to his fellow-creatures, he should choose some business that is at least innocent, that neither sacrifices their health nor their morals; and, if possible, one that would enable him, when he entered on his business in the morning, and rested from his labours at night, to say, I am going to do, or have done, something that will add to the comfort or convenience of mankind, as well as provide for myself and family. Man's business is to serve God and do good to his fellowmen; all other work should be made subservient to this-his business is to perfect his own character, by endeavouring to perfect the character of others. We must first endeavour to make men think, by pointing out to them the plain truths of Christianity, in their most pure, lovely, and lofty form: they will be eager to hear every word-give them a little knowledge, and they will desire more, for they are anxious to escape from the debasing thraldom of ignorance. I was born among the working classes. I am one of them still, and I know their thoughts, feelings, and tendencies-knowledge they will have! One of my fellow-preachers, some time ago, complained that the people would not read. He had printed a book, and only fifty numbers were sold; but why was it? "because his book was dull and uninteresting. I told him I would make readers; and the first thing I published, a thousand copies of it were sold. Give them cheap and good books, and the working classes will soon become readers: they take the books to the factories, and during dinner hour, those who are most educated read aloud to the others; and every now and then a discussion arises on the subject of the pamphlet. Thus factories and workshops become colleges; and before the week is out, perhaps the pamphlet has been read to a hundred people. Dr. Channing I find to be the favourite author. I published 5,000 copies of his complete works at 18. a volume-the first vol. is all sold, and 4,000 copies of the second. The weavers and spinners of the West Riding of Yorkshire read Channing with delight, and appreciate the beauty of his writings, and consider them as precious as you do. While I would wish every man to have sufficient food for the body, the nourishment for the mind should not be overlooked. As I would have a pantry in every house, I would also have a library. While the body is pampered, why should the soul be starved? I would have a cupboard filled with all the best works of general literature, biography, history, travels, poetry, theology, and science. I would have all these brought within the means of every man. There are few who cannot give 8d. for 300 pages of such a work as Channing's. It is only four glasses of ale, given up for one week, for the first volume, and three cigars, or twenty pipes of tobacco, for the second; and he can go without his ale and cigars two weeks longer, to provide a copy to lend. I can assure you the mass of the people are ready for such works; they are eager, they thirst for them. In Newcastle-on-Tyne, the heterodox are now more powerful than any one of the orthodox sects; or, taking the reading and thinking men only into account, they are more powerful than them all. The truth has spread to Gateshead, Sunderland, North and South Shields, Bishops Auckland, Darlington, Stockton. In Northumberland and Durham there are 70 to 100 congregations; West Riding of Yorkshire, 70 to 100; Staffordshire Potteries and the neighbourhood, about the same. When I was at Burslem, about 9 weeks ago, I was to lecture in the Temperancehall; but a sufficient number of persons came from one village to fill the hall, and we were obliged to adjourn to the open air. In North Lancashire we are numerous; we are making progress in North Wales, and they desired me to visit them in South Wales. We have, besides, many societies in Westmoreland. But we must not be satisfied with enlightening those only around us; we must carry our views beyond our own neighbourhood and country. I would wish to see and talk to every human being, and visit every spot in the world where human beings are to be found. And I would wish to give to every one the knowledge I myself possess; for if I were the only unenlightened man in the world, I should think it hard for every one to pass me by, and leave me in my ignorance. If we only enlighten one spot, the surrounding darkness will rush in. It is of no use educating England, and leaving Ireland in the dark; for Irish ignorance would come, like a great extinguisher, to put out the light we had kindled here. As Unitarians, you ought especially to work, because you hold the pure truths that are to regenerate mankind. But it seems to me that you have been so persecuted, that you are afraid of setting forth your principles boldly,that you are content to say to the orthodox, Leave us alone, and we will leave you alone. But why should error always have the upper hand ?— why not make aggressive warfare on error? Depend upon it, orthodoxy will never be tolerant until you force it to be so, by making it the weaker party; put it in the minority, and it will become the advocate of freedom of opinion. You have been too long satisfied with your wide Presbyterian pews, your tub-like pulpits;-walk forth, and spread the truth abroad in the world."—Abridged from the Inquirer. THE BARKER STEAM PRESS, We have received a circular from the London Committee for raising funds to purchase a steam press for Mr. Barker, stating that as yet a sufficient sum has not been received, and urging the claims of their benevolent project on those who desire to promote the cause of religious freedom and truth. The Committee very properly state that "neither they nor the subscribers are responsible for Mr. Barker's opinions. They recognise his full claim to the rights of private judgment, and see in him a labourer in the great field of investigation, who has advanced the cause of truth and liberty; who has given a great impulse to the popular mind in the right direction; and who, having thus rendered important services to his fellowmen, in the most important of all inquiries, has established a strong demand upon the support of those who watch with interest the efforts made, by zeal and honesty, in favour of pure and practical Christianity, and who desire to co-operate in the overthrow of what is erroneous, and the diffusion of what is true." TO CORRESPONDENTS. It is requested that all communications intended for insertion in the Irish University Magazine will be fowarded not later than the 10th of the preceding month, (if by post, prepaid) to 28, Rosemary-street, Belfast. Having resigned my connexion with the Irish Unitarian Magazine, I beg to inform correspondents that I will hand over to my successor any articles that remain unpublished. Holywood, Jan. 1, 1845. C. J. M'ALESTER. THE IRISH UNITARIAN MAGAZINE. No. II. FEBRUARY, 1846. VOL. I. THE AUTHORITY OF HUMAN CREEDS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND. It is too much the custom for the laity to leave all matters of ecclesiastical regulation chiefly, or altogether, in the hands of their clergy, without taking much trouble to ascertain in what manner the important trust, thus delegated, is executed by their spiritual guides. Hence, even intelligent laymen, of various denominations, are often found to be unacquainted with the rules adopted and enforced by the churches to which they belong, unless some unusual circumstance compels them to pay attention to the subject; and when an occasion of this kind happens, such persons are often surprised and grieved at the enactments which their spiritual advisers have framed, and the restrictions placed upon their own religious liberties. Many of the most respectable and intelligent of the members of churches in communion with the Irish General Assembly, are to this day quite unaware of the dreadful extent to which that reverend body has enslaved the people under its charge, to the authority of human creeds and catechisms. It is no uncommon thing to hear individuals of this description, in the most unhesitating manner-and with perfect sincerity -declare that they enjoy entire liberty of conscience; that they are free to adopt and free to reject the doctrines of the Westminster divines; free to believe and free to disbelieve the tenets put forth in the Assembly's Confession and Catechisms, as they may see just grounds in reason and Scripture, without violating an ecclesiastical rule,— without forfeiting any Christian privilege, without wounding their own consciences, or degrading their own characters by inconsistency. They are, indeed, generally aware that there are some laws in force in their church, by which ruling elders, candidates for the ministry, and ministers of congregations, are required to make certain declarations as to their religious belief and its accordance with the Confession and Catechisms; but they do not, in many cases, know the full nature of the declarations and subscriptions thus required from church-officers, and they scarcely suspect that the same yoke of bondage under human authority has been imposed upon their own necks and the necks of their brethren among the laity who belong to the congregations of the General Assembly. For the information of such persons E -that they may be fully aware of their real position with reference to this important subject,-and for the consideration of those members of other churches, whether subscribing or non-subscribing, who may take an interest in the matter, it may be useful to extract from the book entitled, "The Constitution and Discipline of the Presbyterian Church, with a Directory for the Celebration of Ordinances, and the Performance of Ministerial Duties; for the Use of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland," the paragraphs which contain the principal regulations relating to the authority assigned to human standards of faith in that ecclesiastical society. It may be proper to premise, that the book above-named was at a General Assembly held at Belfast in the year 1841 (17th Session, Thursday, July 15th, 1841, 7 o'clock, P.M.) adopted as "the Book of Discipline of their Church," and ordered to be printed and published, &c. (See Minutes of the General Assembly for 1841, p. 67.) It is also right to state that the regulations below referred to are not only made binding on congregations as matter of law, but have likewise been ratified as solemn and express stipulation with third parties, who have in consequence connected themselves with the so-called Presbyterian Church; and without whose consent no alteration can now fairly be made. This treaty is set forth in the Minutes of the same year, 4th Session, Wednesday, July 7th, 1841, 3 o'clock, afternoon, (p. 53). "The Committee appointed at last Assembly to confer with certain dissentient brethren, reported-That certain brethren, who have hitherto abstained from entering into the United Church, have signified their willingness to become members, on the Assembly now affirming resolutions which the Committee have unanimously agreed to recommend for their adoption. "The following resolutions being read and confirmed, were unanimously adopted : "I. That a profession of belief, conformable to the Westminster Confession of Faith, be required from intrants to communion, and from parents at the baptism of their children. "II. That the erroneous and immoral be debarred from sealing ordinances. "III. That communicants be admitted to the Lord's table by tokens, distributed only by the ministers and elders conjointly." And in the next session, a fourth resolution, forming part of the same series (but not relating to the same subject), having been agreed to, and the whole having been read from the chair, "the following brethren, late members of the Secession Synod, then signified their adherence to the United Church, and their names and those of their congregations were added to the roll of Assembly; viz.—Rev. Samuel Craig," &c. &c. (p. 53). It might be convenient here to insert an abstract of the doctrines taught in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, to which reference is made in the following paragraphs; but this would occupy too much room. Let it therefore suffice to say, that they are, in all their parts and articles, imbued with |