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AUTHENTIC REPORT

OF THE

DISCUSSION

ON

THE UNITARIAN CONTROVERSY

BETWEEN THE

REV. JOHN SCOTT PORTER

AND THE

REV. DANIEL BAGOT, M.-A.

HELD ON APRIL 14, 1834, AND THREE FOLLOWING DAYS;

IN THE MEETING-HOUSE OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN

CONGREGATION, BELFAST.

BELFAST:

PRINTED BY SIMMS & M'INTYRE; DONEGALL-STREET.

1834.

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BOL

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UNITARIAN DISCUSSION.

THIS Discussion, which has excited so much public interest for some time back, commenced on Monday, the 14th April, 1834, at halfpast 10 o'clock. MICHAEL ANDREWS, Esq. of Ardoyne, and CoNWAY RICHARD DOBBS, Esq. of Acton, were Chairmen on the occasion.

The following is a statement of the Propositions which constituted the Subject of Discussion on each side, of the Standard of Reference, and the Rules by which the business was conducted.

STANDARD OF REFERENCE,

The Word of God contained in the books of the Old and New Testament, which are received into the Authorised Version, admitting them all to be canonical. The correctness or incorrectness of passages marked as spurious in Griesbach's last edition, and the translation or signification of any particular words or passages, to be open to question and legitimate criticism. The divine authority of Scripture to be admitted on both sides. And all quotations to be given in chapter and verse, according to the divisions of the Authorised Translation in common use.

Mr. J. S. Porter's Propositions:

1. There is one self-existent God, the Father: who is God alone; to the entire exclusion of the alleged Proper Deity of the Word.

2. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is (even in his highest capacity, nature, or condition) a Created Being, deriving his existence, wisdom, power, and authority from the Father; and inferior to him in these and all other attributes.

Mr. Bagot's Propositions:

I. There is one God, Jehovah, who is God only, to the entire exclusion of the alleged godhead of every creature.

2. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Mediator, is the Word made flesh, perfect God and perfect man; possessing, as the Word, the same eternity, knowledge, power, authority, prerogatives, and godhead with the Father, and one with him in all attributes.

REGULATIONS.

1. The discussion to commence on MONDAY, the 14th of April, and to continue for that and the three following days.

2. The discussion to continue for four hours each day :-the time, on the first day, to be divided into two equal portions, and each to give a statement and proof of the affirmative propositions on his side.

3. It is to be determined, by lot, on the first day of discussion, who is to open the debate.

4. On each of the two following days, the speakers are to address the meeting forty minutes alternately, a pause of ten minutes being allowed between each address, during which any question may be asked in explanation of what the last speaker had said. The person who closes one day's discussion is to commence on the following.

5. The discussion to be held in Belfast, in the most suitable place that can be obtained.

6. Two Chairmen to preside each day, one chosen by each party, with power to put a peremptory stop to any thing disorderly, and of excluding from the place of meeting any one who transgresses the rules.

7. Each day's meeting to commence at eleven o'clock, except the first, which is to commence at half-past ten, to allow the Chairmen to make any necessary explanations; and any time lost during any day's discussion, to be added to the regular period of closing the business of the day.

8. Admission to be by tickets, for which the sum of 4s. each shall be charged, and which shall admit to the entire discussion. In case of any room remaining, tickets for one day's discussion, at Is. 6d. each, shall be sold; but not before the Saturday preceding. The money received to be expended in defraying the necessary expense; and, if not sufficient for that purpose, each shall be liable for one half the sum deficient.

9. No signs of approbation or disapprobation to be allowed; and no person whatever to be permitted to address the meeting, except the speakers or the Chairmen, to a point of order; and no person to interrupt, in any way, the speakers; but each may have a friend to assist him in looking for references and marking them.

10. One Reporter to be employed, who shall be admonished and expected to do equal justice to both parties in the discussion, and his expenses to be defrayed out of the produce of the sale of tickets. Each speaker to write out a full report of his own speeches from the Reporter's notes; which, when approved by the other party, shall be jointly published; but neither to be allowed to introduce any new matter, nor to suppress any argument actually adduced, nor any statement actually advanced; and each to consider himself pledged not to sanction the publication of a report of any one side of the discussion unaccompanied by the other.

11. On the fourth day of discussion each speaker to make one speech of forty minutes' length; an adjournment for half an hour then to take place, after which each shall be allowed to make a closing speech of one hour, the report of which shall supersede the appendix formerly proposed.

12. The tickets to be equally divided between Mr. BAGOT and Mr. PORTER, and to be sold at the price above stated; each to account for the number of tickets received, but to be at liberty to give away twenty tickets for the entire meeting to his personal friends.

13. The execution of the above arrangements, and of all minor regulations, to be intrusted to Messrs. John Campbell and John Marshall, who may call in a third party, by mutual agreement, in case of any difference of opinion.

We agree to the foregoing,

DANIEL BAGOT.
J. SCOTT PORTER.

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