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Unitarian Fund Society.

FOR several years past, a Society has been in extensive operation in England, called the Unitarian Fund. A separate journal of its proceedings has lately been commenced, which is usually prefixed to the respective numbers of the Monthly Repository, and denominated the Unitarian Fund Register.

The purposes of this Society, as expressed in its last Report, are to provide and assist missionary labours; to encourage village preaching, and lectures by ministers resident in the neighbourhood; to assist particular congregations; to aid in the distribution of tracts; and to keep up foreign correspondence and co-operation. Mr. Richard Wright, to whom the cause of Unitarianism owes so much, has been employed as a missionary for the last twelve years under the patronage of the Society. His success has been great, and numerous congregations have been collected by his preaching. Several other missionaries, also, have rendered distinguished services.

By the liberality of numerous contributors, the funds of the Society are ample, and they seem to be appropriated with discretion and generosity. Many small congregations receive from them essential aid. A grant of one hundred pounds sterling is allowed annually to William Roberts, the native Unitarian preacher at Madras. This is applied to defray the expenses of public worship, schools, and printing. In a letter, Roberts mentions the works, which he had prepared for the press, as follows. A Collection of Texts containing the Principal Doctrines and Duties of Religion; One Hundred and Fifteen Questions to the Roman Cathe

lics; A Dialogue between an Idolist and a Worshipper of God; Heathenism Weighed, in Verse and Prose; Corruptions of Christianity The Worship of the Holy Scriptures contrasted with the Worship of the Church of England; A Dialogue between a Trinitarian and Unitarian on the principal Texts of Scripture, which are thought to support the Doctrine of the Trinity; Notes on the Gospels and Acts. These works are written in the language of the natives, and are chiefly designed for the benefit of Roberts's congregation.

Scripture Lessons.

W. B. FOWLE, of Boston, has published a Selection from the Old and New Testament, for the use of schools, which we think admirably well adapted to its purpose. It is an improvement on a Selection, already well known. The most striking and intelligible portions of Scripture are brought together, and arranged under three parts; the first, containing Historical Selections from the Old Testament; the second, Lessons on our duty toward God and man, from various parts of the Scriptures; and the third, Selections from the Evangelists and Acts of the Apostles.

Installation at Medford.

On Wednesday, the ninth of July last, the Rev. Andrew Bigelow was installed over the Congregational Society in Medford, as successor to the late Dr. Osgood. The services on this occasion were as follows. Introductory prayer by Rev. Charles Brooks, of Hingham; Sermon by Rev. Dr. Bancroft, of Worcester; Prayer

of Installation by Rev. Dr. Holmes, of Cambridge; Charge by Rev. Dr. Ripley, of Concord; Fellowship of the Churches by Rev. James Walker, of Charlestown; Concluding Prayer by Rev. Convers Francis, of Wa

tertown.

A WORK has just been published by Wells and Lilly, Boston, entitled An Inquiry into the Comparative moral Tendency of Trinitarian and Unitarian Doctrines. BY JARED SPARKS. This work comprises the substance of the letters to Dr. Miller, published from time to time in the Unitarian Miscellany. The following is an extract from the preface. "In preparing these letters for separate publication, the author deemed it advisable to omit some parts, to write others anew, to interweave occasional additions, and, by removing as far as possible local and personal allusions, to clothe them with a general interest, and cause them to harmonize in illustrating the point which he aims to discuss." Five new letters are added, making about one third of the whole, and many important additions are made to nearly all the original letters; especially to those on the christian name, the trinity, the doctrines of restoration and annihilation, the calvinistic scheme, and the sentiments of Newton, Locke, and Watts. In its present form the work contains four hundred and eighteen pages, and embraces an extended view of the comparative moral influence of unitarian and orthodox opinions.

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Christ in the Form of God.

A PASSAGE in Paul's Epistle to the Philippians is quoted by trinitarians, and frequently with much confidence, in support of their doctrine. It is that in which Christ is said to have been in the form of God. This phrase, and one or two others connected with it, are supposed to imply, that the Apostle intended to represent Christ the Son to be the same as God the Father. We will quote the passage, and then endeavour to ascertain its meaning. The Apostle is enjoining love, concord, and humility on the Philippians, and to encourage them in these virtues, and especially the last, he calls their attention to the example of their divine master.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became

obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Philip. ii. 6-9.

These words are often adduced as teaching the deity of Christ, and affording an argument in favour of the trinity. Before we proceed to investigate the actual sense of the passage, let us see with what show of consistency, when taken literally as it stands, it can be imagined to inculcate the notion of the equality and identity of the Father and Son.

First, it is an unheard of use of language to speak of a person being in the form of himself. If Christ were truly the Supreme God, the same in essence and substance, the Apostle would have called him God. One thing, or person, may be said to have the form of another, when there is a general resemblance between them; but to say, that a person, or thing, is in the form of itself, is to use words without import, a species of trifling with which the Apostle can hardly be charged.

Secondly, to assert the existence of any being in the universe, who is equal to the Supreme God, is plainly to assert a plurality of Gods. To whatever degree of power and excellence you may elevate the Supreme Being, whenever you make another being equal to him, this being must be equally exalted, equally perfect. Hence, if the text actually teach, that Christ is in all respects equal to the Almighty Father, it teaches the doctrine of two Gods.

Thirdly, nor can this consequence be evaded by the supposition, that these two equal Gods are one and the same God, for such a supposition itself involves an absurdity. Two supreme beings cannot be one, any more than two men can be one. Besides, a being cannot be

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