Intelligence.-South-Wales Unitarian Society. pointed! May peace and love dwell with- "And in the great decisive day, P. S.-The following is a statement of the Treasurer's (Rev. W. Harrison's) acCounts; by the insertion of which you will greatly oblige the congregation at Oldham, as, in consequence of several bills not having been brought in, it could not be prepared previously to the day of opening. I. To congregational collectigns for the new chapel, Oldham, viz. At Altringham and Hale Blackley Bolton £.. d. 22 1 0 8.10. 6 18 -9 0 Amount of bills" received but not paid Signed B. GOODIER, 123 94 3 0 50 0 £649 6 Auditors. The chapel is a neat and commodious building, handsomely fitted up, capable of holding near three hundred people, and so built as to admit a gallery hereafter if necessary. It need not be added, that any donations towards the liquidation of the above debt, will be thankfully received by the Rev. W. Harrison, Treasurer, No. 20, Brazen-Nose Street, Manchester. To the above account we have great pleasure in adding that the Com mittee of the UNITARIAN FUND have voted £20 towards the liquidation of the debt on the Oldham Chapel South-Wales Unitarian Society. The Quarterly Meeting of this Society was held at Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, on Wednesday, the 3rd of January. Twelve ministers were present. On the preceding evening the Rev. John Griffiths, of Llandebie, prayed, and the Rev. Thomas Evans, of Aberdar, preached from Rom. xiv. 5, 0"Let every man be fully persuaded in his 5 0 0 10 0 0 37 ២៩២៩៨២ 6 39 3 36 1 5 1 Manchester Cross Street 75 7 Moseley Street 35 0 Monton Green 19 0 8.11 10 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 O own mind." Wednesday morning Mr. Wm. Williams, of Llangendeirn, conducted the devotional part of the service, when two sermons were delivered; the first, by the Rev. R. Aubrey, of Swansea, in English, from Job. xiii. 7, "Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him?" The other by the Rev. John James of Cardiganshire, in Welsh, from 2 Cor. v. 19, "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation," In the evening the Rev. W. Williams, of 0 Blaengwrach prayed, and the Rev. Thomas Edwards, of Penyfai, preached from 1 Peter iv. 8, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." And the Rev. D. Davis, of Neath, from Ephes. iv. 2, 3, 4, chiefly the 3d verse, "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the 0 spirit in the bond of peace." The Rev. Thomas Evans-concluded with prayer. 0 590 Mrs. Mary Hughes, Hanwood 2 0 0 Mr. Dawson, do. Rev. W. Whitelegg, Plait Dr. Thomson, do. Mr. P. Lyon, do. Rev. W. Turner, York Rev. W. Johns, Manchester To waste wood, &c. sold To Collection at the Opening Expenses of the Building, &c. By amount of bills already paid 124 Intelligence.-Subscriptions to the Neath, Greenock and Rossendale Chapels. them a patient hearing. Let their principles be known and we are satisfied. With Ajax we only pray for light." The services were conducted in Mr. John Thomas's school-room, late of Carmarthen Academy. He had previously preached a few times there and in the neighbourhood: he intends to officiate in in future regularly once a fortnight, and to exchange, as often as circumstances will admit, with neighbouring and other ministers. Mr. Lyons, I think, was the first Unitalian who preached in the town, though others had, now and then, in the vicinity. The next quarterly meeting is to be held at Aberdûr on the Wednesday in Easter . Walker, Rochdale; and Dr. Thomson, Halifax; to some one of whom all who have interested themselves in behalf of the Rossendale brethren are requested to report the subscriptions in their hands, without delay; as it is desirable to proceed to liquidate the debt of the chapel as soon as may be, and as far as the liberality of the public may enable the above-nientioned gentlemen to do so. An accurate account of the amount of the subscriptions and of its appropriation will be published in the Monthly Repository. £. s. d. 222 7 N. B. The four last subscriptions communicated by Dr. Carpenter. 1 1 0 1 0 Unitarian Fund. 2 5 0 Additions to and Corrections in the List of Subscribers. . 300 Subscriptions to the proposed Unitarian Chapel, Greenock. (See M. Repos. x. 528, 660, 722, 776.) 1. 3. d. 0 0 James Crowe, Esq., Stockton Unitarian Chapel, Newchurch, Rossendale. (See Mon. Repos. vol. x. pp. 313, 392, 458, 461, 527, 596, 660, 721.) Donations in aid of liquidating the debt (£350) upon this chapel will be thankfully received by Rev. R. Aspland, Hackney Road; Rev. R. Astley, Halifax; Rev. William Johns, Manchester; Mr. W. State of Public Affairs. 1 1 0 A. M. will be made from time to time. Committee of Deputies, of the Three Denominations of Protestant Dissenters, for the year 1816. Messrs. William Smith, M. P., Chairman, Park-street, Westminster; Joseph Gutteridge, Deputy Chairman, Camberwell; James Collins, Treasurer, Spital square; John Towill Rutt, Bromley, Middlesex; Samuel Favell, Grove Hill, Camberwell; B. Boswell Beddome, Walworth; 125 Wil William Hale, Homerton; William Burls, MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS; OR, The Christian's Survey of the Political World. AMONG the strange events which the state of Europe has produced, a treaty entered into by three sovereigns, and to which the other states are invited to concur, now calls our attention. It was signed at Paris during the time that the sovereigns, were there, and in this instance they may be considered as the representatives of the three great sects, whose religion is established by law. These are the Greek Church, the Romish Church and the Protestant Church. The personages are the Emperors of Russia, Austria, and the king of Prussia. The object of the treaty differs materially from that of the voluminous ones which have been laid before parliament. It is not to settle boundaries, to annihilate republics, exchange provinces, set up or dethrone kings; it is a solemn appeal to the whole world, a testimony in favour of the Christian religion, a determination to make it the rule of their actions both in their conduct to each other and to their subjects, and what, is, how ever, a suspicious covenant, to assist each other in the promotion of their laudable designs. The signatures of princes have been so often affixed to treaties, broken almost before the wax of their seals has had time to cool, that their language ceases to carry with it that confidence which ought to attach to persons of their exalted rank. In this case, however, there seems not to have been any call for this voluntary association and voluntary declaration. We may easily conceive, that the great events in which these sovereigns have been enaged, may have made a deep impression on their minds, may have led them to prostrate themselves before the throne of the Al mighty, and contemplating the vanity and folly of human policy, they may have felt, that the only way to govern wisely was, by adhering to the precepts delivered to us by him who is emphatically styled our Saviour, the Prince of Peace. If this is really the case, we cannot but congratulate the world on so great an event. If in the extensive regions of Russia, Austria and Prussia, every thing contrary to the mild spirit of the Christian laws is abolished; if a new system is set up, in which mildness and Christian love should be as much predominant as heretofore cruelty and intolerance; we cannot doubt that the example will spread itself, and that other nations, observing their order, propriety, love of justice, and hatred of war, will gradually assimilate their laws to a purer standard. Aus As yet we can know nothing of the effects of this treaty. We must allow a sufficiency of time for the great potentates to introduce the gradual reformation into their respective dominions. The boors in Poland and the slaves in Russia cannot immediately be placed in the rank of freemen, nor is it adviseable that such a change should be instantaneously enforced. tria may find some difficulties from Popish superstition, Prussia from its military system. But we shall be glad to hear of a beginning made in the respective countries, and of the manner in which it is received by the subjects. Some things may evidently be done without great difficulty; as, for example, the seizing of a person on suspicion of crime, and treating him with as much severity in a prison as if he had been guilty of it, will be no more. tortures should be abolished. Persecution on account of religion should cease, All and the freedom of worship, provided it does In the extensive dominions of Russia are to be found professors of every species of religion. The Greek is the established church, but no hindrance is given to other forms of worship. The temple of the idolater, the churches of the Christian, the mosques of the Mahometans, are all to be found in the same district. The circumstances of the country have led to a tole. ration of a very extensive nature, and Jew and Christian, Mahometan and Idolater are to be found exercising offices under the state. The narrow policy of this country is there unknown; and indeed despotism" itself would not permit the contemptible folly that prevails among us, of prohibit ing the sovereign from availing himself of the services of a subject, unless he be longs to a peculiar sect, and that sect inferior in numbers to those who differ from it. Yet, even in Russia are some bounds set to toleration. Every one is permitted to follow his own form of worship, but he must be careful not to infringe on the domains of the established sect. He may meet his brethren of the same persuasion unmolested, but he must beware of the spirit of proselytism: he must not enter into the Greek fold, nor attempt to seduce any of that flock from their established pastures: An instance has lately been presented to the world, by which the views of the Russian government on this subject are'plainly ́ ́ manifested. It had given an asylum to the Jesuits, who devoted themselves agree ably to their former practice in other countries, to the education of children." Their superiority in literature and the art of instruction, induced the higher ranks to put their children under their care, and it seems that in consequence of this preference, several of them have quitted the Greek for the Romish communion. Now this may have arisen either from a compa. rison of the two sects together, independent of any instruction received on the subject, or it may have been from the teachers' instilling into the minds of their pnpils notions unfavourable to the established church, and gradually conducting them to a different persuasion. A jealousy of the latter kind is very natural from the known character of the Jesuits, but of the proofs nothing is known. The Russian government has expelled the Jesuits from the country, and given, as the reason, their abuse of the education of the children entrusted to their care, and perverting them, as it would there be cailed, by insinuating, contrary to the laws of hospitality, into their minds the doctrines of the Romish church. If the three confederated sovereigns" have manifested such good intentions, respecting their future government, the same spirit seems by no means to prevail in the neighbouring country. The exertions here in favour of our persecuted brethren abroad, have excited, it is evident, no small dissatisfaction in France. To the denials of the fact no unprejudiced mind will give any credit, and every day confirms the opinion the more that the truth is suppressed as much as possible. It remained, however, for the spirit of calumny to set the last seal to its atrocities, and this has been fully done in the French papers with the signature of a prefect, who does not scruple to assert, that the persons here who have undertaken the cause of the Protestants are a set of Jacobins, deserving of no confidence abroad and despised at home. The word Jacobin is constantly resorted to by men who, in a different shape, perform the same actions as those which distinguished the celebrated society under that name In fact, there are royal jacobins and democratical jacobins: the prevailing feature in both is, the disregard of solemn treaties, covenants, obligations, every thing which is sacred between man and man, and making every thing bend to their own will and the caprice of the moment. The royal jacobin calls others by that name, who appeal to laws, religion and charters, and the Frenchman who dared to attach the contemptuous epithet to those respectable bodies which undertook the cause of the Protestants, has little knowledge of our country. To him, to be respectable there must be titles and dignities: virtue, honour and independence, united with religion, carry no weight. His insults, however they may be received in France, and however calcu"lated to serve a party there, will meet with contempt among us. The minister of England will, without doubt, if necessary, take care that our ambassador should inform the cabinet of France, that if this State of Public Affairs. language is countenanced by it, it misunderstands entirely the nature of our constitution and our country. But the insinuations thrown out in the French papers against our countrymen, will be circulated without the means of refutation. The press in that country is in the most slavish state, and the government has paid the greatest compliment to ours, by refusing admission into theirs of the English newspapers. Though written in a language, which very few Frenchmen can read, the truths contained in them are of such a nature, that the government dreads their being made known to any. The free discussion which prevails here, is a most horrible thing in the eyes of superstition and despotism: and we cannot but be astonished at the servile minds of the French, with whom a change of government makes no change of system. The same plan of espionnage and censorship continues, whatever party holds the wire by which the puppets are moved. Whether a Bourbon or a Bonaparte gains the ascendency, it is the lot of the French to be in terror, and the only difference is, that in the one case there was a degree of splendour to flatter their vanity, whilst in the other they are subjected to the caprice of a party, which they cannot but despise. Their legislative bodies continue to deliberate. Their great object is to save as much for the clergy as they can, and their vengeance is now directed to those who are married. Our countrymen in confinement have not been brought to a trial. The regicides have quitted France, and numbers of persons engaged in the active scenes of the last twenty-five years have emigrated to America and Russia. The latter country opens its arms to all classes, and will benefit greatly by the event. The national institute has been purged also by the King's authority and the celebrated Abbé Maury, the staunch advocate of the Bourbons in the early part of the revolution, ceases to be enrolled among its members. mo Germany seems likely to be soon in tion, and the proceedings in Prussia will lead to eventful changes throughout the whole of the empire. The great blow struck against Bonaparte, was occasioned chiefly by bringing into action against him the force of the people, and in this the Landwehre of Prussia was particularly effective. In this body men of all ranks enrolled themselves, with little inquiry whether they were to serve as officers or common soldiers. In exciting them to come forward, great use was made of secret societies, and the spirit which prevailed in them, has not subsided. This has led to the circulation of a variety of publications, in which the principles of liberty have been laid down in a manner by no means suited to the military despotism by which that country was governed. The return of the army 127 animated by their success, diffuses an energy over the whole kingdom, and it is by no means clear what will be the result of it. The same spirit in a degree pervades the other armies, which will carry into their respective kingdoms new principles of action, and in this general agitation one is naturally anxious for the fate of our own armies, lest in their combination with the others, they may have acquired more of a foreign military spirit, and lost somewhat of the sentiments peculiar to our constitution. A new turn has taken place in Spanish America. Carthagena oppressed by famine, has surrendered to the Spanish troops, which on taking possession of the place displayed its usual cruelties. In Mexico also the royal cause has had some successes, the prolongation of the conflict is now certain, the eveut doubtful. At home the meeting of the parliament has been attended with the communication of voluminous treaties on the settlement of Europe; which gave rise to animated discussions. The minister had a considerable majority in his favour, but the conduct of the Bourbons in France and Spain met with severe reprehension. The intended measures of finance, however, created a greater interest, and the country heard with horror and astonishment, that in spite of repeated promises the Income Tax was to be continued, and a standing army kept on foot, quite incompatible with all the maxims of our ancestors on this subject. It was warmly urged, that the confederacy of the European powers overthrew the greatest and most horrible military power that ever tormented mankind; but if every kingdom was to carry on the same military system, the danger to Europe and the distress to each country were rather increased than diminished. There can be no liberty, no security to a free constitution where there is a large standing army. The men successively enrolled in it will gradually imbibe sentiments agreeable to the esprit du corps and inimical to freedom. The continuance of the Property Tax has excited also no small alarm, not merely on account of the evident inequality in its as sessments, in making a man with a precarious income, derived from personal exertions, pay the same sum annually as a11--other whose income is derived from permanent property, but also from the vexations attending the collecting of the tax, and the injury that morals will suffer from the spirit of espionnage, that will be gradually diffused throughout the country. In fact, when such a tax is established, the consequences will be the same in this kingdom with respect to property, as attended the inquisition in Spain with regard to religion. The class of inquisitors, familiars and others connected with the inquisition, will become uumerous; every one will look |