by his eloquence, and the overwhelming force of his reasoning, every adversary who appeared against him in the combat."**

A victory like this, however, could do his friends no good. It only exasperated his enemies the more, and provoked them to a greater vengeance. Under pretence that the Unitarians had violated the terms of the former edict, the indulgence of three years allowed therein was rescinded, and a new edict passed"enjoining them instantly to leaving the kingdom, or join the communions authorized by the laws,-empowering all magistrates and others, in case of their disobedience, to bring them before the public tribunals, and even to put them to death This unexpected ordinance reduced them to the greatest difficulties. Their enemies threw every impediment in the way to their settling their affairs. Many found it wholly impossible to dispose of their property at any price; others were obliged to part with it for what was considerably beneath its value; so that several of the noble and wealthy families who still adhered to the party, were reduced nearly to a level with the poorest among them. In these trying circumstances some made an outward show of abandoning their faith, and thus saved themselves from the evils of exile;-but a very large proportion, rather than sacrifice their conscience at the throne of human power, submitted to the painful condition of being separated for ever from their native land. These undaunted confessors, comprising many thousand individuals of both sexes and all ages, yielding to their hard destiny, took a final leave of their country, and wandered with uncertain steps, friendless and destitute, to seek an asylum in some foreign clime. Thus was terminated the public profession of Unitarianism in the kingdom of Poland, about one hundred and twenty years after its first introduction into that country, and after giving birth to a host of advocates, distinguished equally by their learning, their talents and their virtues, who were an ornament to their age and an honour to human nature."

We now pass to Transylvania, where Unitarianism had been established about the year 1563 by George Blandrata, physician to the king, assisted by Francis David, a divine of great learning and powerful eloquence, whom Blandrata had converted to his opinions from the Reformed Church.

*There is a singular testimony to the triumph of Wissowatius on this occasion from a reverend Catholic. Being asked by Wielopolski, the governor of Cracow, who presided at the discussions, what he thought of the controversy, he replied-"If all the devils in hell had been here, they could not have maintained their religion more ably than this one minister has done." "But what," rejoined the governor, "if more of these mi'nisters had been present? and there are many of similar powers." "If such be the case," answered the monk, "I do not know in what manner we are to defend ourselves against such persons."

"In the year 1574, the prosperity of the Unitarian cause was seriously affected by an unfortunate rupture between the two individuals to whom it had chiefly owed its advancement and success. Blandrata having been guilty of a gross offence, which his accusers have veiled under the designation of peccatum Italicum, David declined all further intercourse with him, and took measures to destroy his influence in the Unitarian body. This conduct naturally drew upon him the enmity of Blandrata, and paved the way for those proceedings which terminated in his death.”

Our author has given us a very fair and impartial account of this unhappy controversy. We wish we could lay it before our readers, but its length and the impossibility of abridging it forbid. We regret this the more, because we think the name and character of Faustus Socinus have been implicated to an unjust degree in this transaction. It has been said, that the part he acted in the persecution of David was in every respect as cruel and unchristian, and still more inconsistent, than that which Calvin acted in the persecution of Servetus. This is not true. It is true that, at the request of Blandrata, Socinus visited Transylvania, and resided more than four months in David's house for the purpose of inducing him, by frequent persuasion, to give up what was accounted his heresy of forbidding the invocation of Christ. It is also true, that he was apprised of Blandrata's intention to accuse David to the prince, and call in the aid of the civil power; and there is reason to believe that he did not use the influence he might have done in preventing this. But it is not true, that Socinus was in any sense the instigator of the prosecution. It is not true, that he was in any sense an accomplice, or even a confidant, in the plot of Blandrata to ensnare and ruin the venerable superintendant. It is not true that he was a party at the trial, or even present at it. In a word, it is not true that he ever justified either directly or indirectly, in his writings or in his conduct, the capital punishment of heresy. Nor is it true that this prosecution was favoured by the great body of Unitarians in Transylvania; but, on the contrary, it was warmly opposed by them almost to a man. All, then, that we can say of this transaction is this-that David fell a victim to the private malice of the unprincipled Blandrata—the common enemies of Unitarianism being disposed, of course, to gratify him in his wish to have one of the most formidable defenders of that cause silenced and condemned.

We can give only one extract in this connexion, which relates to the manner in which the trial was conducted.

alleging that he had been guilty of no capital offence in what he had declared, his argument being taken from the words of Christ. At the same time Blandrata went up Judas-like to his emaciated victim, and embracing him, said, in a low voice, Do not fear-I have found favour with the prince.' David indignantly replied, Go, go-proceed as thou hast begun.' Blandrata having resumed his seat, his colleagues again importuned the prince to spare the life of the superintendant. But the Hungarian Trinitarian ministers opposed them in a long oration, wherein they exhorted the prince, on the ground of the command of Moses concerning false prophets, to put him to death as a blasphemer; and concluded in these words: We this day, by virtue of our office, cite thee, O thou illustrious prince, the keeper of both tables, together with thy consort, thy children, and all thy posterity, before the tribunal of the awful judge Jesus Christ, whom this man has blasphemed, if thou suffer him to live!'

"The prince, at this adjuration, changed colour; and, calling to the officer of the court, commanded him to give the following reply: The illustrious prince has heard the orations of both parties: his highness therefore promises that he will take care to evince to all that he will not suffer such an offender to escape with impunity.' Then turning to Francis David, he proceeded: The illustrious prince has been made acquainted with the whole of this affair, in what manner, led by thine own fancy, and without the consent of the Church, thou hast fallen into this atheistical, execrable, and unheardof blasphemy. His highness therefore will, according to thy desert, make an example of thee, because others also ought to be deterred from such fanatical innovations. In the mean time thou shalt be kept in the custody of the prince, until he shall determine further concerning thee.'

"David was now committed to close custody in the castle of Deva, none of his friends or relations being allowed access to him; and here, worn down by the fatigues of his persecutions and the ravages of a painful disorder, he closed a long life on the 15th of November following, in the year 1579."

In extending our attention so far to this historical sketch, we have left ourselves no room to speak of the Racovian Catechism, to a translation of which it is prefixed. To this we may recur at some future opportunity.

INTELLIGENCE.

Theological school at Cambridge.-The annual visitation and examination took place on Wednesday July 15, in the presence

of the patrons and friends of the institution, who were highly gratified by the proofs of diligence and fidelity in the use of their privileges exhibited by the theological students, and the promise of future usefulness in the church.

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Society for promoting Theological Education in Harvard University. The anniversary discourse was delivered on the Sunday evening preceding commencement, in the Federal-Street Church, by Rev. Dr. Richmond: on the importance of an educated ministry, and the consequent necessity of encouraging seminaries of theological education. The annual meeting of the society was held at the Medical College on the following Tuesday, when the usual business was transacted, and the officers of the Institution chosen. The following is the Report of the Di

rectors:

The Directors of the Society for promoting Theological Education in Harvard College, report to the Society the state of the funds as received from the Trustees in the Treasurer's account, by which it appears that the permanent fund, applicable to the objects of the Society is $33044 93.*-During the College year ending this day, thirty-five persons, exclusive of permanent officers of the College, have resided at the University as candidates for the ministry, or members of the Theological Seminary. In the same year two have been ordained, and two are under calls, which they have accepted. Seven are now candidates ;--the remaining number have belonged or belong to one of the three classes in the Theological Seminary. Twenty have been assisted by the funds of the Society, or of the College, to the amount of $2440.

August 28, 1821.

Subscriptions to Societies. We have seen in an English publication (the Monthly Repository) a plan proposed by which the funds of those religious and charitable institutions, which are dependent on subscriptions, may be saved from diminution and even annually augmented. We recommend it to the attention of our Bible Society, Peace Society, Evangelical Missionary Society, Society for Theological Education, &c. as a simple expedient which might be of great service, and can be proved inefficacious only by experiment. The plan is suggested in the following letter to the Christian Tract Society.

"Diminution of funds, in institutions like yours, is always to be deeply regretted. Permit, therefore, a member to suggest a

*This does not include the bequest of Mr. Brown, $2000, nor $65, the recent donations of three individuals.

practicable plan of augmenting your means, and with it your usefulness. It is to engraft on your rules a resolution, that your secretary should, in his annual letter, solicit in rotation of seniority (as subscribers) the tenth part of your Society, to procure one new member each within the year. The present members of the Book Society, say, are 250. The increase for the next ten years, on this principle, would be about twenty-five annually; and in the subsequent ten years it would be the tenth on 500 members, and so-on progressively every succeeding ten years. Would any subscriber consider such a request burdensome, of procuring only one new member each, in rotation, in ten years? In adopting it, would it not also contribute to the gradual diffusion of religious truth, as well as to the pecuniary concerns of our Book-Fund and Christian Tract Societies, &c.? Some such constant, progressive, invigorating principle is earnestly recommended to the next meeting of your Societies, as the best supply for such losses as the Christian Tract Society experienced in funds and members in the past year."

Extract from the Fourth Annual Report of the Peace Society in London, 1820.-The Committee of the Society for the Promotion of Permanent and Universal Peace trust that through the encouragement and co-operation of their Christian brethren, the great principles they have endeavoured to exhibit and to promote, have already obtained a stability which gives the strongest conviction of their durable influence, and they may be allowed, from the eminence on which they believe the Society now stands, to look back on the events and vicissitudes which have marked their progress, grateful if they have been enabled successfully to inculcate those important truths, the consequences of which are so closely connected with the virtue and happiness of individual as well as social man.

They have ever considered, that principles so much in accordance with the lovely and peculiar character of our Holy Religion, so beautifully displayed in the temper and conduct of its Founder -so friendly to human improvement-so encouraging to moral exertion-so conducive to the well-being of man-must have their foundation in Immutable Truth. They wished to bring them to the test of honest inquiry-to the ordeal of deliberate investigation. The result has answered their expectations,-it has often exceeded them. A Society, originating with a few individuals, has seen its influence and its ramifications extending through a large portion of our own country; while the exertions and the success of our trans-atlantick brethren have been, perhaps, even more efficient and more encouraging than our own.