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MEMOIRS
OF THE LATE REVEREND
THEOPHILUS LINDSEY, M.A.
INCLUDING
A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF HIS WORKS;
TOGETHER WITH
ANECDOTES AND LETTERS OF EMINENT PERSONS,
HIS FRIENDS AND CORRESPONDENTS :
ALSO
A GENERAL VIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF THE
UNITARIAN DOCTRINE IN ENGLAND
AND AMERICA.

BY THOMAS BELSHAM,
MINISTER OF THE CHAPEL IN ESSEX-STREET.

Simulacra vultus, imbecilla ac mortalia; forma mentis, seterna,
quam tenere et exprimere tuis ipse moribus possis. Tacitus.
Care .... Vale. At veniet felicius aevum
Quando iterum tecum, sim modo dignus, ero. Lowth.

SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR ROWLAND HUNTER,
SUCCESSOR TO MR. JOHNSON,
no. 72, st. Paul's church-yard.
1820. 11

Richard and Arthur Taylor, Printers, Slue-Lane, London.

PREFACE.

1 he publication of this tribute of respect to the memory
of a highly venerated friend has been delayed beyond
expectation, partly by a necessary attention to other pub
lications, but chiefly by the time which was occupied in
the perusal of letters and other documents, which far ex
ceeded what was antecedently supposed to be requisite.
The events which occur in the life of a scholar and a
pastor seldom possess novelty and variety sufficient to
excite public attention. Those of Mr. Lindsey's life,
indeed, were of no common complexion. But the chief
design of publishing this Memoir is to exhibit the pic
ture of an eminently virtuous, pious, and disinterested
mind in circumstances of great difficulty and perplexity,
as an example to others who may find themselves in si
milar difficulties, and as an encouragement to sacrifice
every secular consideration in the cause of religious
truth, and to prefer the performance of duty and the
approbation of conscience to all the honours and emolu
ments which the world can offer. It was also the author's
design to mark the progress of that glorious cause which
lay nearest to the heart of this venerable man, that of a.
long-lost and almost-forgotten truth, the proper Unity
of God, and the supreme unrivalled undivided homage
which is due to the Father alone : a cause for which he
a2

IV PREFACE.

voluntarily sacrificed all his secular possessions and ex
pectations, to the promotion of which he devoted all his
labours, and in testimony to which he would, if needful,
have cheerfully laid down his life. Happily, he lived in
an age which was enlightened and liberal beyond all that
preceded it : and though some alarm was excited, and
some risk incurred, when he first opened a chapel for
Unitarian worship, he met with no real impediment or
molestation in the discharge of his official duties : and he
lived to see the time, when, in consequence of the in
creasing knowledge and liberality of the age, owing in
great measure to his unwearied and successful exertions,
the profession of Unitarianism ceased to be regarded
either as singular or hazardous.
It was also the design of the author to communicate
some information relative to other generous advocates of
the same righteous cause, some of whom were also suf
ferers for truth. Among these are Dr. William Robert
son, Mr. Tayleur of Shrewsbury, and, above all, -Dr.
Priestley, whose letters cannot be perused by any feeling
and intelligent reader without great interest and sympathy
with the venerable exile: and it cannot but excite astonish
ment in every serious and reflecting mind, that such a
person should not have been allowed to end his days in
peace in his native country. But Providence had wise
and good ends to answer by permitting this afflicting
event, some of which are sufficiently apparent ; so that
Dr. Priestley might justly say to his enemies and perse
cutors, as Joseph said to his brethren, "¦ It was not you
that sent me hither, but God."
The author very much regrets that the respectable re-

PREFACE. V
lict of Mr. Lindsey did not live to see this work complete,
and to give her sanction to the narrative. But it may be
some satisfaction to the reader to know that the first
eight chapters were written some time ago, and were
read over as they were finished to Mrs. Lindsey, who ex
pressed her kind approbation of them, and her decided
attestation to the truth of the facts stated in them. And
the author flatters himself that no circumstances will be
found in the remainder of the narrative which are not
supported by sufficient testimony.
By far the greater part of the materials from which
this Memoir is composed were supplied to the author
by Mrs. Lindsey, for the express purpose of selecting
from them what might be interesting and useful. To
other friends and correspondents of Mr. Lindsey he
is indebted for the rest ; and on this account he ac
knowledges his particular obligations to the Rev. Wil
liam Turner, of Newcastle, and the Rev. Dr. Toul-
min, of Birmingham. Of these materials, he trusts,
it will appear that he has not made an indiscreet use.
There is no living friend of Mr. Lindsey, from whose
correspondence he has made more copious extracts than
from the letters of the Rev. Dr. Freeman, of Boston in
New England : but these are of a public nature, relating
wholly to the state and progress of the Unitarian doc
trine in America ; and they do great credit to the ability
and the piety of the writer, who, it is hoped, if he should
chance to hear of this Memoir, will pardon the liberty
which the author has taken with the letters which he ad
dressed to his venerable friend.
This Memoir will be of little interest to any but those

VI PREFACE.

to whom a calm impartial inquiry into the sacred Scrip
tures is a consideration of supreme importance, and by
whom the firm undaunted profession of christian truth is
regarded as among the first of duties. To these the au
thor hopes it will not be unacceptable ; to their candour
he commends it ; and if they derive any portion of that
satisfaction and advantage from the perusal, which he has
done from the composition of the Memoir, they will not
have read, nor he written, in vain.

Essex House,
July 16/ A, 1812.

POSTSCRIPT TO THE SECOND EDITION.
The Author has republished the Memoirs of Mr. Lindsey with
out any material alteration, excepting the addition of an Appen
dix to the Ninth Chapter. This Chapter having been republished
separately in America, gave rise to a warm controversy at Boston
and in its vicinity : which, though it does not make it necessary
to introduce any considerable change in the state of facts, has
rendered it expedient for the Author, in his own vindication, to
show that he has not used his terms in any new or unusual sense;
and much less that he has affected to set himself up as the head
of a religious party.
Essex House,
March 23d, 1820.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
Account of Mr. Lindsey from the time of his birth to his set
tlement at Catterick, in Yorkshire.
Mr. Lindsey born at Middlewich, p. 1 . — early noticed and patronized by
Lady Betty and Lady Ann Hastings, p. 2. — and by Lady Huntingdon, ibid.
— Anecdotes of Lady Huntingdon, ibid. note. — Mr. L. educated under Mr.
Barnard at Leeds, p. 3. — spends his vacations with Lady Ann Hastings at
Ashby Place, ibid. — where his mother when she became a widow lived and
died, ibid — Mr. L. admitted at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he
greatly distinguished himself by his proficiency and good morals, p. 4. — and
is intrusted by the Bishop of Lincoln with the superiiitendancy of his grand
son Richard Reynolds, Esq. which laid the foundation of long and mutual
friendship, ibid. — Mr. L. ordained by Bishop Gibson, and presented by Sir
G. Wheeler to a chapel in Spital Square, p. 5. — is recommended by Lord
Huntingdon as domestic chaplain to the Duke of Somerset, ibid. — treated
with great kindness and friendship by the Duke and his family, p. 6. — ac
companies Lord Warkworth to the continent, ibid. — and upon his return is
presented by the Earl of Northumberland to the living of Kirkby Whiske,
p. 7- — becomes acquainted with Archdeacon Blackburne, p. 9. — at the de
sire of Lord Huntingdon Mr. L. resigns the living of Kirkby for that, of Pid-
dletown, ibid. — marries Miss Elsworth, ibid. — begins to entertain scruples
concerning the Trinity, ibid. — and forms a design of retiring from the
church, p. 10. — declines the solicitations of the Duke and Dutchess of Nor
thumberland to accompany them to Ireland, ibid. — by the interest of Lord
Huntingdon he is permitted to exchange the living of Piddletown for the
vicarage of Catterick, p. 12. — Mr. L., now become a Unitarian, reconciles
himself to subscribing the Articles, and using the Liturgy, p. 12. — his rea
sons for this conduct stated by himself, p. 14.— shelters himself under Dr.
Wallis's account of the Trinity sanctioned by the University of Oxford, p. 17.
• — but upon reflection does not approve his own conduct, p. 19. — Mr. Lind-
sey's manner of performing his parochial duties at Catterick, where he con
tinues ten years, ibid. — Mrs. Cappe's testimony to his zeal and success, p. 21 .
CHAPTER II.
From Mr. Lindsey's settlement at Catterick, to his resignation
of that vicarage A. D. 1773.
Mr. Lindsey becomes dissatisfied with his reasons for conformity, p. 23.
i — he is introduced by Archdeacon Blackburne to Mr. Turner of Wakefield,
and Dr. Priestley, p. 24. — State of Mr. L.'s feeliDgs, p. 27. — Dissenters not
likely to receive him cordially, p. 28. — Cowper's censure and Orton's ap
plause of Mr. L.'s conduct, ibid. note. — Mr. L. not satisfied with altering the
church service, p. 30. — Resolves upon resignation of his living, p. 3J . — is
encouraged by the example of the ejected ministers, p. 32.— and of Dr. W.
Robertson, ibid. — Mr. L. defers his resignation on account of the clerical
petition, p. 34.— Origin of this petition, ibid. — Mr. L.'s great exertions to

Vlll CONTENTS.
procure signatures to it, p. 35. — the number small, but respectability great,
p. 37.— Mr. Lee's account of the unfavourable aspect of the case, p. 38. —
and of the manner in which it was supported in and received by the House
of Commons, p. 39.— Sir George Savile's speech from Dr. Furneaux s notes,
p. 42. note.— Mr. Lindsey's account of the same debate, p. 44.— Mr. Pickard
and Dr. Furneaux take encouragement from what passed to summon the
general body of dissenting ministers to apply to parliament for relief from
subscription, p. 45.— Account of the Rev. Edward Pickaid, late minister of
Carter Lane, ibid. note. — Dissenting ministers succeed in their application,
p. 48. — Mr. L. confirmed in his resolution by reading Calamy, ibid. — deter
mines that he will delay no longer, p. 50. — his state of mind, p. 51. —
preaches the assize sermon at York, p. 53. — visits Alnwick Castle, ibid. —
reflections upon this visit, p. 54. — Mr. L. communicates his intention to
Archdeacon Blackburne, p. 55.— to Dr. Jebb, p. 56.— and to Dr. Markham,
his diocesan, p. 58. — declines Mr. Turner's proposal of recommending him
to the Octagon Chapel at Liverpool, p. 59. — takes leave of two of his cha
pels, p. 60. — and is prevailed upon to publish his Farewell Discourse, ibid.
note. — Distress of his parishioners at parting with their minister, ibid. note.
— Some account of Dr. Chambers, p. 62. note. — Poverty of Mr. Lindsey,
p. 63. — Dr. Markham dissuades Mr. L. from resigning his living, but in vain,
ibid. — Mr. Lindsey resigns his vicarage, ibid. — and leaves Catterick in the
month of December 1773, p. 64.CHAPTER III.
From Mr. Lindsey's resignation of Catterick, to his opening the
Chapel in Essex-street.
Mr. Lindsey treated with coldness by former friends, p. 64. — Mr. and
Mrs. Lindsey visit Mrs. Harrison, p. 65. —Mr. Turner, ibid. — and Mr. Ma
son, ibid. — Mr. L. violently attacked by Dr. W. Cooper, p. 66. note. — and
defended by Mr. Cappe and Mr. Turner, ibid. — sells his library for his sub
sistence, ibid. — visits Dr. Disney, p. 67- — and transcribes Dr. S. Clarke's
alterations in the Liturgy, ibid. — visits Dr. Chambers, at Achurch, where he
finishes his Apology, ibid. — hopes for cooperation from Dr. Jebb, p. 68. — and
has great promises of support inLondon, ibid. — visits Mr. Reynolds at Pax-
ton,p.70. — where he hears of the death of his friend Thomas Hollis, Esq. ibid.
note. — Mr.and Mrs. Lindsey arrive in London, p. 71. — visit at Dr. Ramsden's,
and take lodgings in Featherstone Buildings, ibid.- - sell their plate to pro
vide necessaries,ibid.— Mr. L. soon meets with friends, ibid. — Samuel Shore,
Esq: of Norton Hall, p. 72. — Robert Newton, Esq. of Norton House, ibid.
note. — Mr. Johnson secures the house in Essex-street, p. 73. — Mr. Lindsey's
state of mind, ibid. — declines an invitation to Norwich, p. 74. — improves
upon Dr. Clarke's Liturgy, ibid.— Obstructions threatened from the civil
power, p. 75.— the magistrates object to licensing the chapel, p. 78. — Mr.
Lee demands it as a matter of right, p. 79.— and obtains a promise of it from
the bench, p. 80.— which promise was not fulfilled, ibid. note.
CHAPTER IV.
From the first opening of the Chapel, to the purchase of the
premises, and the erection of the present building in Essex-
street.
The chapel opened, p. 81.— Account of it by Mr. Lindsey, ibid.— by Mr.
Lee, ibid, note.— Lord Le Despencer subscribes to it, p. 82.— How far Mr.
L.receded from the. church service, ibid.— Analysis of the sermon preached
and printed on the occasion, p. 83.— Mr. L. in a manner pledges himself

CONTENTS. XI
not to introduce controversy into the pulpit, p. 84. — Evil consequences of
equivocal preaching stated and exemplified, p. 85. note. — Success of doc
trinal instruction, p. 86. — Mr. Lindsey obliged to violate his rule, p. 87. —
Early hearers of Mr. Lindsey, ibid. — Mr. and Mrs. Rayner, ibid. — Sir George
Savile, p. 89.— Michael Dodson, Esq. ibid.— Robert Martin Leake, Esq. and
others, ibid.— Sir Barnard Turner's letter and liberal contribution, ibid. —
Mr.L.'s great satisfaction and peace of mind,p.90. — Mr.L.'s conduct gives of
fence to some of the associated clergy, p. 91.— he is accused of mercenary-
views, p. 93. — his defence, ibid. — Mr. Lindsey's Apology attacked by Mr.
Burgh, p. 94. — whose work is approved by Mr. Mason and Dr. Hurd, p. 95.
note. — he is also attacked by Mr. Bingham and Dr. Randolph, p. 96. — to all
. which he replies in the Preface to his Sequel, ibid. — Mr. Lindsey publishes
the Sequel to his Apology, ibid. — Analysis of that elaborate work, p. 96'.— Mr.
L. desires a colleague, p. 98. — applies to Dr. Jebb, who declines the pro
posal, p. 99. — Moderate income and liberal spirit of Mr. L., ibid. note. —
Generosity of Mr. Smith, now Lord Carrington, and others, ibid. — Mr. L.
applies to other clergymen to join him in the chapel service, but without
success, p. 100. CHAPTER V.
From the erection of the building in Essex-street, to the appoint
ment of Dr. Disney to be the colleague of Mr. Lindsey in
1783.
House and chapel erected in Essex-street, p. 100 — Mrs. Lindsey's acti
vity and zeal, p. 101. note. — Brief account of William Tayleur, Esq. of
Shrewsbury, p. 102.— of Richard Kirwan, Esq. P.R.S.I. p. 104.— Mr. L. in
quiet possession of his dwelling-house and chapel, p. 105. — seized with a
dangerous fever, p. 106. — his reflections upon recovery, ibid. — The author's
reflections upon his first hearing Mr. Lindsey preach in 1 779, p. 107. — Mr.
L. no party writer, but a zealous whig in politics, and opposer of the Ame
rican war, p. 108. — publishes his two Dissertations on the Preface to St.
John's Gospel, and on Prayer to Christ, p. 110. — with a Postscript by Dr.
Jebb, p. 111. — Mr. L. publishes The Catechist, p. 112.— regrets the title,
which has misled many as to the intention of the work, ibid, note. — Analy
sis and specimen of The Catechist, p. 113.— Dr.Disney unexpectedly offers
to join Mr. L, in his labours in Essex-street, p. 114. — the proposal embraced
with joy by Mr. L., ibid. — Mr. L.'s liberality, p. 115. — and Mrs. Rayner's ex
traordinary generosity upon this occasion, ibid. — Mr. L.'s communication to
Dr. Toulmin, ibid. — Great prosperity of the Unitarian congregation at Bir
mingham, under the care of the Rev. Dr. Toulmin and the Rev. J. Kentish,
ibid. note. CHAPTER VI.
Mr. Lindsey publishes the Historical View. Some account of
Dr. William Robertson. Society for promoting the knowledge
of the Scriptures.
Mr. L. publishes an Historical View of the Unitarian Doctrine and Wor
ship, p. 117- — the execution different from the original plan, ibid. note. — to
be regretted that he did not accomplish his design of treating on the pleas
of Unitarians for attending Trinitarian worship, ibid. note. — Design of the
work, p. 119. — Analysis of its contents, ibid. — Bishop Law's letter of thanks,
p. 121 . note.— sends Mr. L. a present of a new edition of his Theory, purged
from prejudices relative to the pre-existence of Christ, ibid. note. — Dr. Ro
bertson's death, ibid.^- interesting account of that venerable confessor, by

X CONTENTS.
Thomas Hollis, Esq. under the signature of Pierce Delver, ibid.— Bishop
of Ferns's (afterwards Primate Robinson) remarks upon Dr. Robertson a
scruples, p. 123.— Dr. R. appointed by the Merchant Taylors Company to
the Free Grammar School at Wolverhampton, p. 124.— Extraordinary ge
nerosity of a country clergyman, Rev. W. Hopkins, to Dr. R. ibid, note — .
Dr. R. applied to by Mr. L. to become his colleague in Essex-street, p. 125.—
declines it on account of a threatened prosecution at Wolverhampton, which
he determines to brave, p. 126.— his admirable letter upon the occasion,
ibid.— reflections, p. 127.— happy termination of the affair, p. 128.— Apology
for Dr. R.'s violent expressions against the Catholics, which do not apply
to present times, p. 130. note. — Institution of a. Society for promoting the
knowledge of the Scriptures, p. 131. — Plan drawn up by Dr. Jebb, ibid. —
does not succeed according to expectation, ibid. — publishes two volumes of
Commentaries and Essays, p. 132.
CHAPTER VII.
Controversy with Robert Robinson. Analysis of the Vindiciae
Priestleyanae. Misunderstanding and reconciliation with Dr.
Price.
Rev. Robert Robinson publishes a Plea for the Divinity of Christ, p. 133.
— plausible and candid, but weak and trivial, ibid. — much applauded both
by churchmen and dissenters, p. 134. — Dr. Furneaux and Dr. Kippis not
dazzled by it, p. 135. — Archdeacon Blackburne thinks it unanswerable, ibid.
— Mr. Lindsey urged to reply to it, p. 137. — publishes an Examination of
Mr. Robinson's Plea, p. 138. — analysis of the work, ibid. — complete-success
of the Reply, p. 140.— Mr. Robinson stung by the answer, ibid. — but con
vinced, and becomes a decided Anti-trinitarian, p. 141. — Mr. Robinson no
enemy to Scripture criticism, though he sometimes expresses himself un
guardedly, ibid. note. — Uncertainty as to Mr. R.'s final sentiments, but pro
bably perfectly Unitarian, p. 142. — certainly no Arian, p. 144. note. — Mr.
R 's friends do not allow that he was a proper Unitarian, ibid. — Mr. Lindsey
publishes his Vindicise Priestleyanae, p. 146. — The reasons which induced
him, ibid. — Analysis of the work, p. 147. — Mr. Kirwan's testimony to Dr.
P.'s talents/ibid. — Mr.L.'s character of P. Courayer, p. 149.— and of Bishop
Butler, p. 150. — Bishop Butler's letter to the Dutchess of Somerset, and
Her Grace's remarks, ibid. note. — Mr. L.'s testimony to the benevolence of
the Creator, p. 152.— Offensive remark with respect to Dr. Price, p. 153.—
Dr. Price's letter, ibid.— and Mr. Lindsey's reply and retractation, p. 154 
the misunderstanding cleared up, ibid.
CHAPTER VIII.
Analysis of Mr. Lindsey's second Address. Dr. Watts an Uni
tarian. Mr. Lindsey's alarm at Dr. Priestley's bold assertions,
and ultimate conversion to his doctrines.
Mr. Lindsey publishes a second Address to the Students of Oxford and
Cambridge, p. 156.— Analysis of the work, p. 157-^proves Justin Martyr
, to have been the inventor of the commonly-received doctrine of the Logos,
p. 158.— Catalogue of false readings published separately, p. 160.— Dr.
Watts believed by many to be a Socinian, p. 1 61 .— probably did not believe
himself to be one, p. 162.— his last papers destroyed contrary to the judge
ment of Dr. Doddridge, ibid.— his pathetic address to the Deity, p. 163.—
Dr. Lardner believed Dr. Watts to be a proper Unitarian, ibid, note.— he
assigns his reasons in a letter to the Rev. Samuel Merivale, ibid.— Mr. L.

CONTENTS. XI
disapproves of Dr. Priestley's language concerning the inspiration of Moses
and of Christ, p. 164. — his letter to Mr. Cappe, p. 166.— Dr. Priestley de
fended, p. 167. — and freedom of discussion vindicated, p. 168. — Mr. L. fur
ther disapproves of Dr. Priestley's rejection of the Miraculous Conception,
p. 171-— and repeatedly urges Mr. Cappe to reply, p. 172. — Mr. Cappe de
clines the task which he had given reason to expect he would undertake,
p. 1 75. — Mr. L., upon further consideration, inclines to Dr. P.'s hypothesis,
p. 176. — Mr. Cappe's final judgement unknown, ibid. note.
CHAPTER IX.
Unitarian Liturgy adopted by the congregation at the King's Cha
pel at Boston in New England. Mr. Lindsey corresponds with
Dr. Freeman, Mr. Vanderkemp, &c. Progress and present
state of the Unitarian churches in America.
Mr. Lindsey is informed that an Unitarian Liturgy is adopted at Boston in
New England, p. 178. — Mr. (now Dr.) Freeman expresses regret that it
is not more perfect, ibid. note. — a new edition, cleared from exceptionable
phrases, printed in 1811, ibid. — Dr. Freeman at a loss for episcopal ordina
tion, p. 179. — ordained by his own society after a form recommended by
Governor Bowdoin, p. 180. — an example of Bishop Seabury's mode of ordi
nation satisfies the scruples of Mr. Freeman's friends, 181. note.— Dr.
Styles's reply to a claim of precedence by Bishop Seabury, ibid. — Mr. Cary
associated as a colleague with Dr. Freeman, p. 181. — Mr. Cary dies of a de
cline in England, p. 182. note. — Mr. L. presents Dr. Priestley's works to
Harvard College, p. 182. — Men of eminence in America Unitarians in prin
ciple, p. 183. note. — Unitarian congregation formed at Portland, under Mr.
Oxnard, ibid. — and at Saco, under the auspices of Mr. Thacher, a gentle
man cf great respectability, p. 184. — Hopes formed which events have not
justified, p. 186. — Mr. Bentley of Salem a declared Unitarian, p. 187- —
Progress of the Unitarian doctrine, ibid. — Dr. Freeman's excellent letter to
Mr. Lindsey upon Mr. L.'s resignation, p. 188. — apprehensive that he may
have been too sanguine in his expectations, p. 190. — Unitarianism in North
umberland and Philadelphia, ibid. — at Oldenbarneveld under Mr. Vander
kemp and Colonel Mappa, 191. — Case of the Rev. J. Sherman, minister
of Mansfield in Connecticut, p. 192. — becomes an Unitarian, ibid. — his
reasons for professing his sentiments, ibid. note. — is approved by a great ma
jority of his congregation, p. 193. — but disowned by the Association of mi
nisters, p. 194. — and by a Mutual Council dismissed from his church, p. 195.
— Form of Independent churches, ibid. note. — Reflections, p. 197- — Mr.
Sherman's friends wish to retain him, p. 200. — but he removes to Olden
barneveld, ibid. — from which situation he retires in 1810, p. 203.— The si
milar case of the Rev. Abiel Abbot, expelled by the Consociation under a
charge of heresy in 181 1, p. 198. note. — appeals to a Mutual Council, p. 199.
Dr. Osgood's just remarks, ibid. — the Mutual Council dissolves the con
nexion between Mr. Abbot and his congregation, ibid. — Mr. Abbot's pru
dence and moderation, p. 200. — State of Unitarianism in the district of
Maine, p. 204. — Promising state of the University of Cambridge under the
direction of Dr. Kirkland, ibid. — Griesbach's Greek Testament, published by
the Rev. J. E. Buckminstcr, p. 205. — and the Improved Version by Mr. W.
Wells, ibid. — Curious account of the present state of the town of Boston, in
a letter from a gentleman in America to his friend in England, p. 205. note.
— Reflections, p. 208. note.
Appendix to Chap. IX. — Controversy excited at Boston by the facts
stated in the preceding chapter, p. 209.— Professed Unitarians in America

Xll. CONTENTS.
disclaim being such in Mr. B.'s sense of the word, p. 210.— Mr. B. uses the
word in the sense of Lardner, Lindsey, and Priestley, ibid. — Arians- in the
proper sense of the word maintain a plurality of Gods, p. 211. — in express
contradiction to Scripture they deny worship to their Maker, p. 212. — an<j
confine it to their Maker's maker, a being unknown to the sacred writers,
ibid. — Extraordinary fact that Arians now deny worship to their Maker, ibid .
note. — Different feelings of the author when an Arian, ibid.— Remarks on
practical and doctrinal preaching, p. 212. — Success of Unitarianism in
America, p. 213. CHAPTER X.
Account of the New College at Hackney. The Author's intro
duction to and intimacy with Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Priestley.
London Unitarian Society. Western Unitarian Society. Re
verend Timothy Kenrick. Unitarian Fund Society.
Origin of the New College at Hackney, p. 214. — zealously supported by
the Dissenters, p. 215. — causes of its failure, p. 216. — remaining funds
p. 217. — the author of the Memoir becomes connected with the Institution
at Hackney, p. 218. — brief account of the Institution supported by the be
quest of William Coward, Esq. ibid. note. — The author appointed divinity
tutor at Daventry, ibid. — mode of lecturing on the Unitarian controversy,
p. 219.— the effect of it upon his pupils, p. 220.— and himself, p. 221.—
becomes an Unitarian, and resigns his office, p. 222. — introduces himself
to Mr. Lindsey, ibid. — appointed a tutor at Hackney, p. 223. — becomes
intimate with Mr. L., p. 224. — Dr. Priestley, driven from Birmingham by
the riots, is chosen successor to Dr. Price, p. 225. — the author's frequent
intercourse with Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Priestley, ibid. — Unitarian Society
formed, p. 226. — disputes concerning the preamble, p. 227. — first annual
dinner, p. 229. — political toasts, p. 230. — animadverted upon by Mr. Burke
in the House of Commons, ibid. — the Society disavows all political views
p. 231. — its growing prosperity, ibid. — Western Unitarian Society formed,
p. 232. — Brief account of the late Rev. Timothy Kenrick, ibid.  his zeal
and success as a minister, tutor, and an advocate for truth, p. 233.  his sud
den and lamented decease, ibid. — his family and his posthumous works
p. 234. — Southern Unitarian Society, ibid. — Unitarian Fund Society, p. 235.
— its great success, ibid. — present state of the London Unitarian Society
p, 236. CHAPTER XI.
Analysis of the Conversations upon Christian Idolatry. The
Duke of Grafton corresponds with and visits Mr. Lindsey and
attends Unitarian worship. A brief account of the progress
of the Duke's opinions, and of his reasons for seceding from
the Established Church. Reflections.
Circumstances which gave rise to the Conversations upon Christian Ido
latry, p. 237-— account of the characters introduced, ibid.— Analysis of the
work, ibid.— Trinitarians acknowledge themselves to be Idolaters, if their
doctrine is false, p. 240. note.— Remarks upon the conduct of the dialogue
p. 243. — Duke of Grafton attends Mr. Lindsey's ministry, p. 244.— The
Duke's reasons for inquiry, ibid.— becomes an Unitarian, and corresponds
confidentially with Mr. Lindsey, p. 245.— requests permission to visit Mr
L. p. 246.— continues firm to his principles to the end of life, ibid.— takes
memorandums of the progress of his mind, ibid.— of which he prints a few

CONTENTS. xiii
Copies for the use of his family and friends, ibid.— continues to hold com
munion with the Established Church, p. 247-— his reasons for this conduct,
p. 248.— remarks, ibid.— the Duke's humility, p. 249.— perplexed about the
doctrine of atonement, ibid. — believes Christ can hear and help, but disap
proves of prayer to him, p. 250.— rejects the perpetual inspiration of the
apostles and evangelists, ibid. — and the doctrine of original sin, p. 251. —
God reconciled by repentance, ibid.— unintelligible doctrines not essential,
ibid.— natural arguments for the immortalityof the soul unsatisfactory,p.252.
the Duke vindicates his secession from the church, ibid. — Reflections upon
the fortitude and the strength of principle in the Duke of Grafton, p. 254.
CHAPTER XII.
Mr. Lindsey publishes a new and reformed edition of his Liturgy;
resigns his office in Essex-street Chapel. His Farewell Sermon
printed, but not preached. Interests himself for those who suf
fered by unjust prosecutions. Cases of Fyshe Palmer, Muir,
and Winterbotham.
Mr. Lindsey's resolution to resign his office at the age of seventy, p. 257.
¦ — publishes a new edition of his reformed Liturgy, omitting the Apostles'
Creed, and the three invocations in the Litany, ibid. — preaches and pub
lishes a sermon upon the occasion, vindicating the alterations, ibid. — this
Liturgy changed for Dr. Disney's, p. 260. — but resumed, ibid. — Mr. Lind
sey's letter of resignation, ibid. — he recommends Dr. Disney as his succes
sor, p. 261. — Reply of the Trustees, p. 262. — Mr. Lindsey publishes a ser
mon upon the occasion, which his feelings would not permit him to preach,
ibid. — On the great importance of the Unitarian doctrine, p. 263. — interest
ing conclusion, p. 265. — Mr. L. justified in resigning, though in the vigour
of his powers, p. 266. — still continues to reside in Essex-House, p, 267- note.
— Mr. Lindsey interests himself for those who were under State-prosecu
tions, p. 268. — Singularly hard case of Mr. Fyshe Palmer and of Mi-. Muir,
ibid. — their sentence reprobated abroad, p. 270. — legality of it questioned in
the House of Commons, p. 271. — sent among felons to Botany Bay, p. 272.
— and treated with great rigour, ibid. — Mr. Fyshe Palmer dies on his re
turn, p. 273. — Rev. W. Winterbotham's unjust sentence, ibid. — his suffer
ings mitigated by the kindness of Mr. Lindsey, Mrs. Rayner, and others,
p. 274. — Mr. W. acknowledges his great obligation to Mr. Lindsey, ibid. note.
CHAPTER XIII.
Dr. Priestley emigrates to America. His reasons for this mea
sure. Mr. Lindsey's judgement in the case. Dr. Priestley's
Farewell Sermon at Hackney. Letters to Mr. Lindsey from
Gravesend, Deal, and Falmouth. Arrives at New York. Re
ception in America.
Dr. Priestley determines upon emigration to America, p. 275. — assigns
his reason in the Appendix to his Fast Sermon, ibid. — Remarks, p. 278. —
¦Dr. Priestley hopes to return to England, ibid. note. — Mr. Lindsey approves
Dr. P.'a resolution of going to America, p. 279. — Dr. Priestley takes his
passage on board the Sansom, p. 280. — delivers an excellent Farewell Dis
course at Hackney, p. 281. — Analysis of the discourse, ibid. — expresses, in
conversation with the author of the Memoir, his firm expectation of the
speedy personal appearance of Christ, p. 286. note. — passes his last Sunday
in E'jS.ex-street, and hears an impreoiive discourse from Dr. Toulmin, p. 286.

XIV CONTENTS.
—Dr. Priestley goes to Gravesend, p. 287. — Letter from Gravesend, ibid.—
from Deal, p. 288,— from off Falmouth, p. 289.— from New York, p. 290,
— giving an account of his passage, ibid. — and his reception in America,
p. 293. — Letter from Mr. Henry Wansey to Mr. Lindsey, giving some ac
count of Dr. Priestley's reception at New York, p. 293. note. — Dr. Priestley
accompanies his son to Philadelphia, p. 296. — and to Northumberland, ibid.
¦ — projected settlement on the Loyalsoc, p. 294. note. — Dr. Priestley refuses
offers of preferment, and fixes his residence at Northumberland, to the great
regret of his friends, p. 296. — but with an ultimate beneficial effect to the
cause, ibid. — he keeps up a regular correspondence with Mr. Lindsey, p. 297-
—his death, p. 298. CHAPTER XIV.
Dr. Priestley's Reply to Paine's Age of Reason ; reprinted in
England by Mr. Lindsev, with a Preface in vindication of Dr.
Priestley's character. Mr. Lindsey republishes another work of
Dr. Priestley's, with a short preface. Dr. Priestley's acknow
ledgement of Mr. Lindsey's kindness. Analysis of Mr. Lind
sey's last publication, entitled Conversations upon the Divine
Government.
Paine's Age of Reason makes great impression in America, p. 298. — Dr.
Priestley replies to it immediately after his arrival, p. 299. — Mr. Lindsey re
prints the work in England, with a preface in defence of Dr. Priestley, ibid.
— Analysis of the preface, p. 300. — Dr. Priestley esteemed and beloved by
many, ibid. — hostility to him accounted for, p. 301. — Bishop Hurd's illiberal
reflections upon the Unitarians censured, p. 302. — Mrs. Barbauld's elegant
verses addressed to Dr. Priestley, ibid. note. — Falsehoods circulated con
cerning him in England, ibid.— and America, p. 303. — Mr. Lindsey's reflec
tions on the prostituted talents of the editors of The British Critic in giving
currency to foul calumnies, p. 304. — Dr. Priestley's acknowledgements to his
friend, p. 305. note. — Mr. L. reprints Dr. Priestley's treatise on the know
ledge which the Hebrews had of a future state ; with a preface, p. 305. 
Dr. Priestley's thanks, and testimony to the value of religion, ibid. note. 
Mr.Lindsey publishes his Conversations on the Divine Government, p. 306.
— dedication, ibid. — design of the work, p. 307. — First Conversation, ibid.
— Photinus argues, that miracles result from general laws, p. 308.— Re
marks, p. 309. — Second Conversation, p. 310. — Photinus argues the good
ness of the divine government, ibid. — Third Conversation, ibid. — Photinus
defends the Mosaic history, p. 311. — The author rather too peremptory on
this point, ibid. — Extermination of the Canaanites considered, p. 312.  Im
perfection of heathen philosophy, p. 314. — Superior excellence of the Go
spel, ibid.— depraved by Mohammed, who was at first sincere, p. 315.  Mo
ral state of the world better than it is sometimes represented, p. 316. 
Archbishop King's original and valuable observations upon this subject,
p. 317- note.— Fourth Conversation most important, ibid. — Marcellinus
wishes to see it proved, that natural and moral evil are of divine appoint
ment, and permitted for gof-id, p. 318.— Photinus undertakes the proof, ibid,
— Volusian is delighted with the conclusion, and laments the errors of Fre
deric and D'Alembert, p. 320.— Photinus endeavours to reconcile this doc
trine with the responsibility of man, ibid. — a different solution, proposed,
p. 322.— In the Fifth Conversation Synesius recants his errors concerning
the Mosaic history, p. 324.— refutes the doctrine of eternal torments, p. 325;
— and defends the theory of universal salvation, ibid.— in which Photinus
concurs, ibid.— In the Sixth Conversation Syne&ius. argues .to. the .satisfao

CONTENTS.

XV

tion of his friends against the existence of such a being ns the devil, p. 326,
— The author's remarks upon Mr. Lindsey's last work, p. 328.
CHAPTER XV.
Mr. Lindsey suffers a paralytic seizure, but recovers. Dr. Priest
ley's reflections upon the situation of his friend, and upon Mr.
Lindsey's last work. Mr. Lindsey interests himself in the ap
pointment of the author to the chapel in Essex-street. En
courages and assists the Improved Version. His gradual decline
and death. Conclusion of the Work.
Mr. Lindsey is seized first with a slight and afterwards with a violent pa
ralytic affection, p. 330. — from which he recovers so far as to be able to
finish his last publication, p. 331. — Dr. Priestley's feelings upon the occa
sion expressed in a letter to Mrs. Lindsey, ibid. — and in another to Mr.
L. p. 333. — His joy at receiving a letter in Mr. L.'s own hand-writing,
p. 335. — Reflections of the author upon this correspondence, p. 337. — Let
ter from Mr. Jefferson to Dr. Priestley, p. 338. note. — Dr. P.'s letter to Mr3.
Lindsey, and testimony to the distinguished excellence of that lady's cha
racter, p. 340. — Plan of a subscription to defray the expense of Dr. Priest
ley's Church History, and Notes on the Scriptures, p. 341. note. — Bishop
of Elphin's letter and liberal subscription, p. 342. — Letter of thanks from
the Rev. C. Wyvill for Mr. L.'s Conversations on the Divine Government,
p. 344. — Dr. Priestley's death, p. 345. — Mr. Lindsey interests himself in
the appointment of the writer to Essex-street chapel, on the resignation of
Dr. Disney, p. 346. — and renews his attendance at the chapel, ibid. — Mr. L.
takes great interest in the publication of the Improved Version of the New
Testament by the Unitarian Society, p. 347. — Dr. Priestley's original plan
of a continually improving translation of the Scriptures, in 1789, ibid. —
great progress made in the undertaking, p. 348. — stopped by the destruc
tion of Dr. Priestley's papers at the Birmingham riots, p. 349. — Unitarian
Society take up the design, ibid. — resolve, at the General Meeting in 1806,
to carry it into immediate execution, ibid. — reasons for adopting Archbishop
Newcome's Translation as the basis, p. 350. — Bishop of Killala's expostula-
, tion with the author of the Memoir upon this subject, p. 352. note.— rea
sons for the introduction of explanatory notes, p. 352.— zeal with which this
undertaking was supported, p. 354. — liberal subscriptions by Mr. Lindsey,
the Duke of Grafton, and Mr. Prime, ibid. — Mr. William Smith distributes
many copies with a judicious preface for the use of students, ibid.note. — Ob
jections to the Improved Version, and answers, p. 355. — Mr. Lindsey ap
proves the execution of the Work, and takes great pleasure in reading it,
p. 359.— His health declines rapidly, p. 360. — his last sickness, ibid.— and
death, p. 361. — Brief recapitulation of his character, p. 362. — Reflections of
the author, ibid. — Death of Mrs. Lindsey, p. 363. — and of Mrs. Jebb, ibid.

XVI CONTENTS.

APPENDIX.

I. Letters of the Dutchess of Somerset to Mr. Lindsey, p. 365.
II. Letters of the Countess (afterwards Dutchess) of Northumberland,
p. 374.
III. Letters of Archdeacon Blackburne, p. 376.
Letter from Thomas Hollis, Esq. p. 380.
IV. Letter of Hans Stanley, Esq. refusing to support the Petition of the
Clergy, p. 381.
Correspondence between Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Markham, then bishop
of Chester, on Mr. Lindsey's resignation, p. 384.
V. Letters to Mr. Lindsey upon his resignation of the vicarage of Cat
terick, p. 388.
VI. Letters of Thomas Hollis, Esq., under the assumed name of Pierce
Delver, p. 391.
VII. Letters of the Rev. William Hopkins, p. 392.
IX. Letter of P. Courayer, p. 399.
X. Letter from William Wells, Esq., with some account of the present
state of the Unitarians in New England, p. 401.
XI. Letter of the Rev. Thomas Fyshe Palmer, giving an account of his
cruel treatment on board the Surprize, p. 403.
XII. Letters from Dr. Priestley to Mr. Lindsey ; and from Thomas Jeffer
son, Esq., President of the United States, to Dr. Priestley, p. 406.
XIII. List of Mr. Lindsey's publications, p. 422.

MEMOIRS OF THE LATE
BEVEREND THEOPHILUS LIN±)SEY.

CHAPTER I.

ACCOUNT OF MR. LINDSEY FROM THE TIME OF HIS BIRTH
TO HIS SETTLEMENT AT CATTERICK, IN YORKSHIRE.
1 he Reverend Theophilus Lindsey was born at Mid-
dlewieh, in Cheshire* June 20, 1723, O. S. His father,
Robert Lindsey, descended from an ancient family in
Scotland, was a mercer in that tbwn, and also possessed
a lucrative concern in the salt-works in that neighbour
hood. He was a man of excellent character, and origi
nally in easy circumstances ; but through the imprudence
of an elder son by his first wife, whom he had admitted
into partnership, his property was considerably reduced.
His second wife, the mother of the subject of this me
moir, was a lady of exemplary character. Her maiden
name was Spencer; she was distantly related to the
Marlborough family, and previously to her marriage had
lived upwards of twenty years in the family of Frances,
Countess of Huntingdon. By Mr. Robert Lindsey this
lady had three children, the youngest of whom was named
after his godfather Theophilus, Earl of Huntingdon, the
son of the above-mentioned lady, and the husband of
Selina, Counters of Huntingdon, sb well known as the

2 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE |_CH" I-
zealous and liberal patroness of Mr. Whitfield and the
Calvinistic Methodists*.
Lady Betty and Lady Ann Hastings, the^kind friends
of Mrs. Lindsey, who had lived with them from their
childhood, soon remarked the ingenuous temper, the pro
mising talents, the love of learning, and the serious spirit
of her youngest son, and took him under their own im
mediate patronage. From a school in the neighbour
hood of Middlewich, at which he had made considerable
proficiency in proportion to the advantages which he en
joyed, they removed him to Leeds,' and placed him under
the care of the Reverend Mr. Barnard, master of the free
grammar school in that town ; a gentleman of great emi-

* With this very respectable lady Mr. Lindsey lived many years in habits
of friendship. And though after his secession from the established church,
and the public avowal of his theological principles, all personal intercourse
was for many years suspended, yet when Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey, in the sum
mer of 1786, called upon Lady Huntingdon at Talgarth, in Wales, they
were received, as he expresses it in a letter to a friend, " most graciously, as
usual." Not only did she direct that every possible attention should be
shown them in their visit to her Academical Institution in the neighbourhood,
but she earnestly pressed them to prolong their stay. With her old and much
respected friend she had much serious conversation; and seemed particularly
impressed with a hint which Mr. Lindsey threwout, in reference to a dear and'
only surviving son, of the safety of whose final state her ladyship entertained
the most painful apprehensions, that possibly the state of future punishment
might be only a process of severer discipline, and that the greatest sinners-.
might ultimately find mercy. And when they parted, she took a most affec
tionate leave of them, and gave them her kind maternal benediction, express
ing at the same time her hope of meeting them in a better world. "Some good
I hope is done," says Mr. L. to his correspondent above referred to, "where
much is intended, by this praiseworthy lady, who has, for full forty years, de
voted her fortunes, time, and labours to promote, what she believes to be the
truth : though I cannot but hope it will be a place for more rational enquirers
after she drops into her grave." This venerable lady was at that time "turned
eighty, but hale and sensible for that age." And though she might for a
moment be soothed by a glimpse of hope of the ultimate restoration of a
darling child, it was not to be expected that Mr. Lindsey's conversation would
make any permanent impression upon her mind. He afterwards speaks of
his aged friend as " still in the depths of mysticism and methodism, though
she was become more moderate towards those who held different opinions."
Nor does it appear that any material change ever took place in Lady Hunting
don's religious views, though the abuse of her generosity by some persons in
whom she had placed a confidence which they did not deserve, made it ne
cessary for her, in some measure, to restrain her munificence, and gave rise
to a report that she had deserted the methodist connexion.

CH. I.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 3
nence both for learning and piety, who devoted himself
wholly to the honourable and arduous duties of his pro
fession ; and to whose superior talents and exemplary
assiduity his grateful pupil was wont to ascribe, under
divine Providence, not only all his literary attainments,
but almost all that was honourable and right in his per
sonal character. To the edifying instructions of Mr.
Barnard, in concurrence with the impressions of his
earlier domestic education, Mr. Lindsey was indebted
for that ardent love of truth, that firm integrity, that pu
rity of spirit, that early and deeply rooted principle of
piety, by which he was so eminently distinguished.
His vacations were usually spent at the mansion of
his noble patronesses, in the vicinity of Leeds, during the
life of Lady Betty Hastings, and after her decease, at
Ashby Place, near Ashby de la Zouch, in Leicestershire,
where Lady Ann then fixed her residence. To this
house, likewise, Mrs. Lindsey removed, together with
her only daughter, at the invitation of Lady Ann Hast
ings, after the decease of her husband in the year 1742,
where she continued to reside with her noble and pious
friend till her death, which took place A.D. 1747, after
having been gratified by the accomplishment of the first
wish of her heart, that of seeing her son in the pulpit.
Over the remains of this exemplary lady a neat monu
ment was erected in Ashby churchyard, with an inscrip
tion, purporting that " while a child she had been the
play-fellow, and a widow, the friend of Lady Ann Hast
ings, who erected that monument to her memoiy, and
was a sincere and affectionate mourner for her death."
With these advantages, public and domestic, for im
provement both in learning and piety, in concurrence
with a temperament cast in the happiest mould, " having,"
as he expresses it in the modest account of himself an-
b2

4 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. I.
nexed' to his Apology oh resigning the vicarage of Cat
terick, " been impressed from early youth with a love of
truth and virtue, a fear of God arid desire to approve
hiriiseTf to him, which never left him;" and having been
well instructed in classical literature, Mr. Lindsey was
well qualified for the university, and was admitted asJ a
student at St. John's College, in Cambridge, May 21,
1741, in the eighteenth year of his age. Here his lite
rary attainriients and exemplary conduct soon attracted
general notice and admiration . And when the late learn
ed and pious Dr. Reynolds, bishop of Lincoln, being de
sirous of sending his grandson, a promising youth of
fifteen, to the university, inquired after some senior stu
dent under whose care he might place him, to assist his
studies and to protect his morals at that early age, Mr.
Lindsey was the person recommended for the office. This
circumstance laid the foundation for a firm and tender
friendship, founded upon a thorough knowledge of each
other's character, and a consequent mutual affection and
esteem, which continued without interruption to the end
of Mr. Lindsey's life; and the recollection of which is
cherished by the venerable and grateful survivor as one
of the best blessings which heaven bestowed upon him.
Mr. Reynolds, after having finished his education at the
university, \vas taken by the late Lord Sandwich as his
private secretary to Aix la Chapelle, where he remained
during the negotiation of the celebrated treaty which
tafes its name from that city. After his return to En
gland, declining the engagernents of public life, he retired
to his estate at Little Paxion, in Huntingdonshire. There
he still resides (1812) ; and amidst the high estiihation
iri which he is universally and deservedly held both for
his public and his private virtues, he justly regards it as
no't the least of his honours to be known as brie of the

CH. I.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 5
earliest friends and warmest admirers of the venerable
Theophilus Lindsey *.
^ Having passed thrp^gh his acadeniicalcpurse and taken
his "degrees with high refutation, Mr. Lindsey was elected
a Fellow of St. Jqhn's ^College in April 1747 ; and had
he chosen to devote himself to literary pursuits, he was
well qualified to have a,ttauied considerable distinction ;
but his chief ambition was to be a minister qf the gospel.
Accordingly, he relates of liims^f that, ["" after the usual
time spent at school and in the university, he entered
into the ministry of the gospel, out of a free and delibe
rate chqice, and with an earnest desire to promote the
great e^nds of it. And having been educated in the esta
blished church, he d^d not at that time jfeel any scruples
either concerning the use qf the liturgy, or , subscription
to the artic^s."
leaving been or.dai.ned by Dr. Gqbson, the .learned and
exemplary bishop of London, he was in the twenty-third
year of his age presented to a chapel in Spital Square
by Sir ^George Wheeler °|f ;Otterden Place in £ent, at
the recommendation of his noble siste,r-in-,law, the un
wearied friend and benefactress of Mr. Lindsey, Lady
Ajpn Hastings.
In a short time after his settlement in London, Alger
non Duke of Somerset being in want of a discreet and
pious clergyman to officiate as his domestic chaplain, re
ceived such a character of Mr. Lindsey from Fraricis
Earl of Huntingdon, the nephew of Lady Ann Hastings,
that he inimgdi^tejly inyited him into his house. To
* " I recollect," says this gentleman in a letter with which he favoured
the writer of this memoir, "that Mr.Xindsey excelled in college exercises;
that he was singularly pious ; that he attended the chapel prayers, and
monthly received the sacrament. Flis manners were mild anil gentle, and
his conversation was of a serious turn, but agreeable, and sought byhis fel
low students. I have reason to believe that he obtained the highest ho
nours on taking his degree, I mean ^Vranglership, but this I cannot posi
tively assert." Mr. Reynolds died in 1814.

6 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. I.
this amiable nobleman and his accomplished lady, better
known as the Countess of Hertford, the honoured patron
ess of genius and virtue, he recommended himself to such
a degree, by his prudent and exemplary conduct, and by
the suavity of his manners, that he soon acquired the af
fection and confidence of his illustrious patrons ; and du
ring the short remainder of the Duke's life, who expired
in his arms, he was treated not with the distance and cold
ness of a dependant, but with the liberality and affection
of a friend.
After the decease of the Duke of Somerset, Mr.
Lindsey continued for some time in the family of the
Dutchess. And at her particular and earnest request,
he accompanied her grandson, the late Duke of Nor
thumberland, then about nine years of age, and in a de
licate state of health, to the continent, where he conti
nued two years ; at the expiration of which term he
brought his noble pupil back, restored in health and im
proved in learning.
Of the kind and successful attention of Mr. Lindsey
to Lord Warkworth, his illustrious parents entertained
a just and grateful sense, and from that time they were
set upon advancing his interest in the church*. Nor
* See Appendix, No. I. How anxiously these noble personages were bent
upon making a comfortable provision in the church for their highly esteemed
friend, appears from the following extract of a letter from the late Dutchess,
then Countess of Northumberland, to Mr. Lindsey, when he resided at Pid-
dletown in Dorsetshire :
" I dare not give you another invitation to come to us, though both my
lord and I wish much for the pleasure of seeing you, as you say it mav be
inconvenient to your affairs. I am truly sorry that it is so, and shall be'sin-
cerely glad to do any thing in my power to make it otherwise, and find my
self really obliged to you for believing I would do so. You say, dear sir,
that if any small matter fell in my way for your service, you are persuaded
I would think of you. Of this you may be assured. At the same time, I
could wish you would be so good as to hint to me of what kind ; whether in
the chuich, or a domestic chaplainship, or a private tutor would be most
agreeable to you. At the same time I must tell you, that I some years ago
told my lord that I desired he would give me the next presentation of Hasil-
bury Bryan, as I hoped its vicinity to Piddletown might make it agreeable
to you j and upon this you may depend whenever it shall become vacant :

CH. I.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 7
was his faithful superintendence lost upon the mind of
his noble pupil, who, to the latest hour of Mr. Lindsey's
life, entertained the highest esteem for his character, and
manifested his regard for his venerable preceptor by more
than empty professions.
Immediately after Mr. Lindsey's return from the con
tinent, he was presented by the Earl of Northumberland
to the valuable rectory of Kirkby Whiske, in the north
Tiding of Yorkshire, at first under condition to resign it
when the person for whom it was intended came of age;
hut this young man dying a short time afterwards, it was
given to Mr. Lindsey unconditionally in the usual form.
And Mr. Lindsey, declining the proposal of his noble
patrons to accompany Lord Warkworth to Eton as his
private tutor, hastened down into the north to take pos
session of his living, and to enter upon the office of a
parochial minister, which was the highest object of his
ambition; this being, in his judgement, "the way in
which he could best serve God and be useful to man ;"
and which, therefore, he engaged in, " with an earnest
desire that he might promote these great ends of the mi
nistry of the gospel*."
In this very retired situation Mr. Lindsey continued
tut, in the mean while, I beg you will let me know if any of these above
would suit you. And if I can be of any service to you in these, or any other
things, it will give me great pleasure. I will not trouble you now any longer
than to assure you of the sincere and affectionate friendship with which I am,
" Dear sir,
" Your most faithful humble servant,
"E. Northumberland.1*
It may be proper to mention here, that during his residence at the
Dutchess of Somerset's, Mr. Lindsey so recommended himself by his dis
creet and exemplary behaviour, that a worthy and pious lady, Mrs. Pearce,
a friend of the Dutchess, bequeathed to him without his knowledge the next
presentation to the rectory of Chew Magna, near Bristol. The living be
came vacant after Mr. Lindsey had left the church and was settled in Essex-
street. And, honourably resisting all the proposals which were made to himto
dispose of it to great advantage, he presentedit to a worthy clergyman, M
Hall, the brother-in-law of Mrs. Lindsey, who married Archdeacon Black
burne' s youngest daughter, and who is now (1812) the respectable incumbent.
* Apology, p. 217-

8 MEMDIR.S OF THE J.ATE [CH. I.
about three years ; and during h,is residence in Yorkshire
he was introduced to the acquaintance, and became a
visitor in the family, of the celebrated Archdeacon Black
burne, at Richmond, a circumstance t,o which he w,as.
afterwards indebted, under divip,e Proyiden.ce, for tfye
most valuable blessing of his life.
At the request of the Huntingdon fairuiy, who con
sidered themselves as haying a prjqr claim, which they
were unwilling to relinquish, to the honour of providing
for Mr. Lindsey, he resigned the living of Kirkby Whiske,
in the year 17p,6, in order to succeed Dr- Dawney in the
living of Piddle^own, in Dorsetshire, which was in the
gift of the Earl of Huntingdon. In this place he lived
and laboured in his parochial and official duties with high
reputation for seven years. While he was minister of
this parish, Mr. Lindsey was married, Sept. 29, 17,60,
to Miss Hannah Elsworth, the stepdaughter of Archdea
con Blackburne*, a lady whose principles aqd views were
congenial to his own 5 whose superior understanding and
exalted virtues were eminently calculated (as her excel
lent consort mq.st .cheerfully acknowledged) to aid arid
second him in all his schemes for the temporal and spi
ritual benefit qf his parishioners, and especially of the poor
and ignorant ; to go hand hi hand with him in his re
searches after divine truth ; to encourage him in every

* Archdeacon Blackburne, noticing this event in the memoirs of his own
life, prefixed to a new edition of his Works, published by his son, the Reve
rend Francis Blackburne, A.D. 1804, says, "The friendship between Mr.
Lindsey and Mr. Blackburne was not nearly so much cemented by this fa
mily connexion, as by a similarity of sentiment in the cause of Christian
liberty, and their aversion to ecclesiastical imposition in matters of conscience-
In the warfare on these subjects they went hand in hand." The Archdea
con, who did not, for reasons which were afterwards published, approve of
the magnanimous sacrifice which his relation had made, coldly adds, that
" when Mr. Lindsey left Yorkshire and settled in London, Mr. Blackburne
used to say he had lost his right arm." See Blackburne's Works, vol. i.
p. 48. Upon the subject of Mi\ Lindsey's marriage '.with Miss Elsworth see
an entertaining letter of the Countess, afterwards Dutchess of Northumber
land, Appendix, No. II.

CH. I.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 9
labour, in every profession, and in every sacrifice, to
which he might be prompted by a sense of duty ; and
to fortify and console his mind wider trials and privations
of no common sort, and which it required no ordinary
share of fortitude and magnanimity to support with dig
nity and to encounter With success*.
It was while Mr. Lindsey resided at Piddletown that
he first began to entertain serious scruples concerning
the Scripture warrant for Trinitarian worship, and the
lawfulness of his continuing to pfficiate in the established
church. His susceptible and inquisitiye mind had, in
deed, from -early youth disapproved of some things in the
thirty-nine articles ; and eyen while he was at the uni
versity, it struck him as a strange unnecessary entangle
ment, to put young men upon .declaring and subscrib
ing their approbation of such a large heterogeneous mass
of positions and doctrines, as are contained in the liturgy,
artiqles, and homilies. "But," fie adds, "I. was not
under any scruples or great uneasiness on this account.
I had hitherto no doubt, or rather I had never much
thought of or examined into the doctrine of the Trinity,
but supposed all. was right there t-"
Some years afterwards, many doubts concerning the
truth of this doctrine sprang up in his mind, which in
duced him to study the Scriptures with very close atten
tion, in order to settle his judgement and to relieve him
self from a painful state of suspense upon a question of
such high importance. The result of his learned, calm,

* Mr. Lindsey, who was deeply sensible of the high value of the inesti
mable treasure which he possessed, in a letter to a friend, when he had it
in contemplation to resign his benefice in the church, speaks of Mrs. Lind
sey as one who was ready to run any hazard or loss to prpmote t;he cause of
truth, and that in every step which he took in this business he had the full
concurrence of , his wife, "quae quoque currentem incitat." See Memoirs
of the Reverend T. Lindsey, published in the Monthly Magazine for Dec.
1808, drawn up by a friend from original papers in his possession.
t Apology, p. 2,17.

10 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE* [CH. I.
and diligent inquiries shall be stated in his own words :
"The more I searched, the more I saw the little foun
dation there was for the doctrine commonly received,
and interwoven with all the public devotions of the church,
and could not but be disturbed at a discovery so ill suit
ing my situation. For, in the end, I became fully per
suaded, to use St. Paul's express words, 1 Cor. viii. 6.
' that there is but one God, the Father, and he alone to
be worshiped.' This appeared to be the uniform unva
ried language and practice of the Bible throughout: and
I found the sentiments and practice of Christians, in the
first and best ages, corresponding with it*."
The scruples excited in Mr. Lindsey's mind from the
result of his inquiries, gradually rose to such a height as
to induce him, while he lived in Dorsetshire, to take some
previous steps with a design to relieve himself, by quit
ting his preferment in the church. The considerations
which chiefly weighed with him to relinquish this design
at that time, will be stated hereafter. It may be suffi
cient for the present to observe, that self-interest and
worldly considerations were not the motives; for by these,
as he truly observes, and as all who knew him and the
whole tenor of his life will testify, " he was never much
influenced." Beside which, "he had at that time a pro
spect of not being left entirely destitute of support if he
had gone out of the church |."
In the year 1762, upon the resignation of the Whig
administration, the late Duke of Northumberland was
appointed to succeed the Earl of Halifax as Lord Lieu
tenant of Ireland. Upon this occasion his illustrious con
sort, eager to testify her regard to distinguished worth,
at the Duke's desire wrote immediately to Mr. Lindsey
to offer him the place of chaplain to the Lord Lieutenant,

Apology, p. 218. T ibid. p. 221.

CH. I.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. H
accompanied with a request that he and Mrs. Lindsey
would reside with them in the vice-regal palace till some
preferment should offer worthy of his acceptance ; " at
the sariie time assuring him that the duke and herself
should consider his acquiescence as a favour conferred
xm themselves ; that they should want the society of so
kind and faithful a friend in a situation so new and un
tried*." That the acceptance of this offer would have
been a prelude to some exalted station in the church of
Ireland cannot admit a doubt. f But ambition of high
ecclesiastical dignity formed no part of Mr. Lindsey's
character. Eminently qualified as he was by learning
and piety, by prudence of conduct and politeness of man
ners, to have _ filled and adorned the most conspicuous
station in the church, his humility aspired to no higher
preferment than that of a parochial minister. With
much gratitude, therefore, but with equal firmness and
decision, he declined the splendid offer of his noble friends,
and contented himself with remaining for the present in
his beautiful retirement in Dorsetshire.
Not, indeed, that Mr. Lindsey felt any particular pre
dilection for the situation in which he was now placed,
however agreeable or advantageous. It was the secre1
wish both of him and of Mrs. Lindsey, to return to the
north, and to fix their residence in the vicinity of Rich-
* See the Memoir of the late Rev. Theophilus Lindsey, in the Monthly
Repository for December 1808, by Mrs. Cappe. This lady, the daughter of
Mr. Lindsey '3 worthy predecessor at Catterick, and the widow of the late
learned, pious, and eloquent Newcome Cappe of York, who is also herself
well known to the public by various works which equally display the superi
ority of her intellect and the ardour of her piety and benevolence, was the
early and faithful friend of Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey: and to her great honour
be it known, that this lady was one of the very few who remained firmly and
affectionately attached to them in the season of severe trial, and who, upon
all occasions, came forward as their generous and intrepid advocate, when
joiany who had formerly made great professions, stood aloof, and not a few
were disposed to cavil and condemn.
t Dr. Dodgsan, who accepted the appointment which Mr. Lindsey de
clined, was soon advanced to the bishoprick of Ossory, from which he was
afterwards translated to that of Elphin, where he died a few years ago.

12 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. I
mond, where they might enjoy the society qf many valu
able friends, aiid particularly of tb\e venerable Arc^ea-
,con Blackburne. Aq opportunity for effecting this pur
pose occurred in the year fohV?wing, by the yaqancy qf the
vicarage of Catterick, in Yorkshire, occasioned by tjtie
decease of the Rev. Jeremiah Harrisqn, in July 176?.
With the consent and by the interest of Lord Hunting
don, Mr- Lindsey was permitted to exchange his living
in Dorsetshire for the vicarage of Catterick ; a benefice
in every respect inferior to that of Piddletowq, excepting
that of its proximity to those learned and virtuous friends
whose society he was most anxious to cultivate*.
It may appear singular, that Mi'. Lindsey, who, whjle
he r£sid,ed in Dorsetshire, had, in consequence of his
more thfigent .study of the Hply Scriptures, .discarded the
doctrine of the Trinity, and other doctrines pf the esta
blished church which are connected with it ; who had
even proceeded so far a,s to have formed a Resign of resign
ing his preferment in the church, and had taken sqnie
steps towards the accomplishment of .this purpose, cquld
by any means reconcile his ingenuous mind to that re
newed subscription to the articles and declaration of his
assent, which were necessary upon his induction intp his
new living. And the case appears the more extraordi
nary, as many clergymen, whq in consequence of a revo^
lution in their opinions had become dissatisfied with the
articles, would never, for the sake of obtaining the most
valuable preferment, subscribe them again, though, while
they were permitted to remain unmolested, they did not
perceive it to be their duty to retire from the churchf.
With the frankness natural to his liberal mind, Mr.
* See Mrs. Cappe's Memoir in the Monthly Repository, ibid.
f In the foremost rank of these worthy confessors is the venerable Arch
deacon Blackburne, who, though he has opposed the Unitarian doctrine with
much more of acrimony than argument, in a small tract which he left for
publication after his decease, entitled An Answer to the Question, Why are

CH. I.] REVEREND THE6PHILTJS LINDSEY. 13
Lindsey himself gives the follbwirig solution of this diffi
culty. After having stated the' considerations which
at that time overruled his scruples of remaining in the
chnrch, he adds, "My great difficulty wsis the point of
worship. In comparison with this, subscription to the
articles, however momentous in itself, gave me then but
little concern. For as the devotions of the church are
frained in strict agreement with the articles, and corre
spond with them more especially in what relates to reli
gious worship, I looked upon my Continuing to officiate
in them as a cbnstant virtual repetition of my subscrip
tion : and therefore I needed not nor did decline the actual
repetition of it when occasion served; though I was not
forward in seelcing such occasions*." It cannot be de
nied that Mr. Lindsey's Conduct in this instance has the
merit of consistency ; for it seems hard to assign a satis
factory reason, why they who do not hesitate to use the
liturgy, should decline subscribing the articles of the
church. It would however be the extreme of unchari-
tablehess, to pass a severe censure upon those who ap
prove their integrity by rejecting preferment, when' it
eouid not be obtained but at the price of a renewed sub-
you not a Spcinian? has, in th^ same tract, advanced reasons for the conti
nued conformity of those who disapprove of many things in the doctrine and
discipline of the established church, whicli', if not completely satisfactory,
will at least induce a candid reader, who can make allowance for human
frailty, to pause before he passes a sentence of unqualified condemnation
upon those serious and inquisitive.persons, who retain their official situations
in the church so long as they continue unmolested in making those altera
tions which they judge to be necessary in the unscriptufal phraseology of the
public liturgy. Upon these principles, Archdeacon Blackbiirne continued
to' the end of life an officiating minister of the established church ; while at
the same time, though the' whole emolument which he derived from his pro
fession amounted to little more than the scanty pittance of a hundred and
fifty pound's a-year, he peremptorily and repeatedly refused to accept of bet
ter preferment, which required renewed subscription to the thirty-nine ar
ticles. On the other hand, he declined an offer of more than double that in
come from the numerous and respectable congregation of the Old Jewry, in
London, who were desirous of inviting him to be their pastor, in succession
to the learned Dr. Chandler. See Memoir of Archdeacon Blackburne's Life
prefixed to his Works, pp. 74, 75, and 120. See Appendix, No. III.
* Apology, p. 225.

14 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. I.
scriptiori to articles, even though (inconsistently as we
may think) they may continue to retain their stations in ,
the church, and to officiate in its devotions. Every man
has not the firmness of a Luther or a Lindsey, and to his
own master must every one stand or fall.
It may now therefore be proper to state those conside
rations which reconciled this venerable confessor's own
mind, to remaining in the church, and to the regular
performance of his official duties, for so many years after
.that by his own acknowledgement he had abandoned its
main doctrines, and regarded its forms of worship as er
roneous and unscriptural. Upon this subject, we are hap
pily not left to vague conjecture; for Mr. Lindsey himself,
with all his native modesty and candour, has clearly stated
in the last chapter of his Apology on resigning the vicarage .
of Catterick, the interesting process of his mind upon
this trying occasion. I transcribe his own words*.
1 , " Destined early and educated for the ministry, and
my heart engaged in the service, when the moment of
determination came, I felt a reluctance at casting myself .
out of my profession and way of usefulness that quite dis
couraged me. This was probably heightened by my ,
being alone at the time, having no intimate friend to
consult or converse with, and my imagination might be •
shocked by the strangeness and singularity of what I was
then going to do ; for such subjects, then upwards of fif
teen years ago, were not so much canvassed or become
so familiarized as they have been sincef.
" But I did not enough reflect, that when unlawful
* Apology, p. 220.
f The time alluded to must have been about the year 1/58. This was
previous to the resignation of the reverend and learned Dr. William Robert-
son, who, in January 1760, for the sake of a good conscience, gave up a va- '
luable living in Ireland. So that at the time when Mr. Lindsey first thought j
of relinquishing his station in the church, he had scarcely any example for
nearly a century back, of a similar act of self-denial to encourage and fortify
his mind. Those eminent divines of the established church, who, at the

CH. I.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 15
compliances of any sort are required, the first dictates of
conscience, which are generally the lightest, are to be at
tended to ; and that the plain road of duty and uprightness
will always be found to lead to the truest good in the end,
because it is that which is chalked out by God himself.
2. " Many worthy persons whose opinions varied little
from mine, could nevertheless satisfy themselves so as
to remain in the church and officiate in it. Why then,
it often occurred to me, and others did not spare to re
monstrate, why must I alone be so singularly nice and
scrupulous, as not to comply with what wiser and better
men could accommodate themselves to, but disturb
others and distress myself by enthusiastic fancies purely
my own, bred in gloomy solitude, which by time, and
the free communication and unfolding of them to others,
might be dispersed and removed, and give way to a more
cheerful and enlarged way of thinking ? It was worth the
while at least to try such a method, and not rashly to
take a step of which I might long repent.
3. " It was suggested that I was not author or con
triver of the things imposed and complained of. All I
did was ministerial only, in submission to civil authority,
which is within certain limitations the authority of God,
and which had imposed these things only for peace and
public good. That I ought not only to leave my bene
fice, but to go out of the world, if I expected a perfect

commencement of the eighteenth century, thought and wrote with great
freedom upon theological subjects, contented themselves, for the most part,
with declining to renew their subscription to the articles in order to obtain
further preferment, but did not feel themselves obliged to resign the stations
which they held. And though, as the century advanced, much had been said
and written in recommendation of greater liberality and latitude in the terms
of conformity, the lawfulness of clerical conformity had been but little can
vassed. It is not therefore surprising that Mr. Lindsey should have been at
first shocked, and in some degree intimidated, at the prospect of the strange
singularity of the measure which he had in contemplation. After the resig
nation of Dr. Robertson, he was much affected and encouraged by the exam
ple of that venerable confessor.

16 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. I.

state of things iri Which there was no flaw or hard
That if there was a general tendency iri what was esta
blished to serve the interest of virtue arid true religion,
I ought to rest satisfied and Wait for a change in other
incidental matters that were grievous to me, but not ge
nerally felt by others. That in the mean time 1 had it
in my power to forward the desired work, by preparing
men's minds for it, whenever there should be a disposi
tion in the state to rectify what was amiss. Therefore,
if I could in any way of interpretation reconcile the pre
scribed forms with the scripture in my own mind, and
make myself easy, I was riot only justified, but to be corii-
mended." Being influericed by these considerations to regard it
as a duty to retain his station in the church, the great'
difficulty now was, to devise some way of interpretation,
by which to reconcile the prescribed forrn of Trinitarian
worship with his own just and scriptural view of the pro
per unity of God, and that the Father alone is to be
worshiped. In comparison with this, the objection against
subscription to the articles appeared to Mr. Lindsey 10 be
of trivial account: or rather as a less intricate case under
the same problern . And the method which he took f o
satisfy his mind upon this subject, he thus describes.
" I brought myself to consider the Trinitarian for rns
in the liturgy, and the invocations at the entrance of the
litany, as a threefold representation of the one God, the
Father, governing all things by himself and by his Son
arid Spirit ; and as a threefold way of addressirig him as
a Creator and original benevolent cause of all things, as
Redeemer of mankind by his Son, and their Sarictifier'bf
his Holy Spirit*.
* This, which is usually called the Sabellian hypothesis, and which differs
only in words from the proper Unitarian doctrine, was advanced by the

CH. I.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 17
"I took all opportunities, both in public and privately,
to bear my testimony to this great truth of Holy Scrip
ture, that there is but one God the Father, with great
plainness and without any reserve. And I hoped I was
laying a good foundation to build on for those that come
after me, when the time of a further reformation should
come ; and that I might thus innocently continue in a
church where there were many things I disapproved, and
wished to have amended, as I knew not where I might
be in any degree alike useful."
These were the considerations, which, as Mr. Lindsey
expresses it, were of weight to divert him thm from the
thought of quitting his station in the church, and which
brought him in time to remain tolerably quiet and easy
in it. But however plausible these arguments might be,
and whatever real weight some of these considerations
might possess, they were not likely to maintain a perma
nent ascendency over the honourable, ingenuous, and
inquiring mind of this excellent man; and in his Apology,

learned Dr. Wallis, Savilian professor of mathematics at Oxford, and well
received by the university, in opposition to the hypothesis of three infinite
minds, maintained by the celebrated Dr. Sherlock, which underwent a pub
lic censure.
" This reasoning," says Dr. Wallis, alluding to the objections of the Uni
tarians, "is grounded on this silly mistake, that a divine person is as much
as to say a Divinity or a God, when indeed a divine person is only a mode, or
respect, or relation of God to his creatures. He beareth to his creatures
these three relations, modes, or respects, that he is their Creator, their Re
deemer, their Sanctifier: this is what we mean, and all that we mean, when
we say God is three persons. He hath those three relations to his creatures,
and is thereby no more three Gods than he was three Gods to the Jews be
cause he calleth himself the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob." See Considerations on the Explications of the Doctrine of the
Trinity, p. 7, 1693, apud Lindsey's Apology, p. 227. The learned professor
might have spared his supercilious reflection upon the understandings of his
Unitarian brethren, whose only error consisted in taking common words in
their common acceptation. Is Dr. Wallis 's doctrine that which still prevails
in the learned university ? If so, the pure Unitarian doctrine is much more
extensively diffused than many of its most zealous advocates imagine. Happy
would it be for the cause of truth, if, when error is detected and discarded, the
language of error were discarded with it.
C

18 MSMOIRS OF THE LAfE [CH. 1.
he frankly and with great humility acknowledges their
invalidity, and his own infirmity in yielding to them.
"Not," says he, p. 225, "that I now justify myself
therein. Yea, father I condemn myself. But as I have
humble hope of the divine forgiveness, let not men be
too rigid in their censures. Let those only blame arid
condemn, who know "what it is to doubt, — to be in per
plexity about things of the highest importance, — to be
in fear of causelessly abandoning a station assigned by
Providence, and being found idle and unprofitable when
the Great Master came to call for the account of the
talent received." He must be a Very severe moralist
whom such a concession does not satisfy.
These reflections however occurred at a subsequent
period. For the present, Mr. Lindsey had made up his;
mind to continue as an officiating minister in the esta
blished church; and with those views and in this posture
of mind, in the month of November 1763, he took pos
session of his vicarage of Catterick, fully determined to
seek out and accept of no other preferment, and expect
ing " here quietly to have ended his days*," though it
pleased God in his providence to order it otherwise.
No sooner was Mr. Lindsey settled in his new situa
tion than he applied himself with great assiduity, in his
extensive and populous parish, to perform the duties of
a parochial minister. He regularly officiated twice on
the Sunday in his parish church, and in the interval be
tween the services he catechized young people. He vi
sited the sick, he relieved the poor, he estahlished and
supported charity-schools for the children, he spent con
siderable sums of money in feeding the hungry, in cloth
ing the naked, in providing medicines for the diseased,
and in purchasing and distributing books for the instruc-
* See Farewell Address to the Parishioners at Catterick, p. 1.

CH. 1.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 19
tion of the ignorant. In his domestic arrangements, the
greatest oeconomy was observed, that he and his excel
lent lady might have the greater surplus to expend in li
berality and charity : for it was a rule with him to lay up
nothing from the income of his living. " It is a great
satisfaction," says he, in his Farewell Address, p. 7, " at
this, my departure from you, that I can truly say I have
coveted no man's silver, nor gold, nor apparel. In no
thing have I made a gain of you, or sought to enrich my
self; nor am I enriched by you at all; but what was over
and above the supply of necessary wants, has been freely
expended in what was thought might be most useful for
your present benefit and future happiness. I have not
sought yours but you."
His instructions, public and private, were judiciously
adapted to the state of his hearers. "I have endeavour
ed," says he, p. 8, "to teach you the truth which Christ
our Lord taught, as far as I was able to learn it by an
impartial and diligent search of the Holy Scriptures.
And I often reminded you, that you were not to believe
any thing because spoken by me, but to examine and
compare how far it was agreeable to Holy Scripture, our
only rule and guide."
His discourses were scriptural and practical, consist
ing, as he says, " altogether of expositions of large por
tions of the New Testament, with such inferences as
naturally and plainly flowed from them." In these dis
courses, he adds, "I was led continually to point out
to you that religion lay not in outward forms and ordi
nances, even of God's own appointment, though they be
helps to it; but in an entire conversion and devotedness
of the heart to God, influencing to sobriety, chastity, bro
therly love, kindness, integrity, in all your conversation ;
to do every thing out of a sense of duty to God, ever pre
sent with and supporting us in life; and chiefly for his
c 2

20 Memoirs of the late [ch. t<
infinite love to us in Christ Jesus our Lord, by whom he
hath called us to his eternal glory."
Mr. Lindsey often pressed upon his village hearers the
duty of family religion. " That every house should be
a Utile church as it were, wherein all the members of it
were carefully instructed in the things of God ; and once
at least at the close of each day called together to join in
a short prayer to God.*' This he represented as a con
stant check upon parents in their daily conduct; as a
means of inducing them to hasten home with pleasure
&fter their labours were over ; of making their families
orderly and happy; of preventing early depravity and cor
ruption in the youth of both sexes ; and of training them
up in habits of piety and virtue.
He still more inculcated upon them the necessity of
keeping the Lord's day holy. " As many of each family
as can be allowed, to attend the public worship of the
great Creator and heavenly Father, and to be mindful
afterwards of a suitable employment of time at home.
For the spending one part of this sacred day in unneces
sary worldly cares, or in sports and diversions, tends to
efface every serious impression made on the mind on the
other part ; and by degrees leads to spend the whole of it
in the same ungodly sort. Not that the service of God
is to make us morose, or sad and uncheerful at this or
at any time. There are ways of passing this holy day in
walking out and contemplating the works of God, in
pleasing charitable offices to our neighbours, and in in
nocent useful conversation, which will cheer and refresh
both mind and body far beyond all those noisy and riotj
ous games, always accompanied with profane oaths, and
generally ending in the alehouse or worse." — Ibid.
Thus did this truly apostolic man, at the conclusion
of his ten years ministerial labours in the parish of Cat
terick, modestly yet firmly appeal to those who had been

OH. I.J reverend theophilus lindsey. 21
the constant witnesses of his life and doctrine, to bear
their testimony to the simplicity, fidelity, and zeal with
which he had instructed them in the truths of divine re
velation, and to the unblameableness and the uniform
disinterestedness of his conduct. He laments that he
had not seen so much of the fruits of his labours among
them as he desired. But, he adds, "I would not now
complain. Let us all make haste to repent and airiend,
for the time is short. I would hope that more good may
have been done than I know of; and that there are more
truly pious than the few that appear to be so ; and that
some seed of the word which has been sown, may here
after spring up and bear good fruit." — Ibid. p. 11.
To the exemplary conduct of this venerable man in
the discharge of his official duties, and in particular to
his interesting and condescending manner of communi
cating instruction to the young and the ignorant, I will
ingly transcribe the eloquent testimony of an early and
attentive hearer and witness, who was also a frequent vi
sitor at his house, and through life an ardent and grate
ful admirer, to whose narrative I have before alluded.
" Young at the time," says Mrs. Cappe in her elegant
Memoir of Mr. Lindsey in the Monthly Repository, " un
informed, and accustomed to the society of those among
my general acquaintance who form their estimate of right
and wrong in the scale of commonly-received opinion, I
was little qualified to comprehend, or duly to appreciate,
the full excellence of such a character; yet I was exceed
ingly interested by the amiable unassuming disposition
of my new friend ; by the patience with which he endea
voured to set right every mistake or prejudice ; by his to
tal disregard of every personal indulgence; and by his
unwearied solicitude to make all around him good and
happy, It was the constant subject of his thoughts in

22 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. I,
what way he could most effectually benefit the people
committed to his care, whether in their temporal or eter
nal interests. And to this end a plan of great frugality
was adopted by himself and Mrs. Lindsey, who perfectly
acceded to his views, that they might have the power of
distributing books, in aid of personal instruction; of giv
ing medicines to the sick, and food to those who were
ready to perish with hunger. But it was on a Sunday
evening chiefly, when the labours of the day were over,
a day devoted to the public and private instruction of the
congregation at large, of the children of those who com
posed it, of servants and others who attended in his own
study, that the irradiations of a mind so heavenly were
the most striking. Never shall I forget, as he walked
across the room with cheerful and animated step, unmind
ful of weariness or fatigue, discoursing, perhaps, on the
beauties of creation, the goodness of God every where
manifested, the perfect example of Christ, or on the he
roism and virtue of martyrs and confessors gone to their
reward, how his eyes would sparkle with delight. When,
he would say, will the happy time arrive, that all men will
be virtuous and happy ?"
In this pleasing manner, and with these promising
prospects, did Mr. Lindsey commence his career at Cat
terick. Surrounded with parishioners who idolized him;
in the neighbourhood of friends who loved him, and whose
society charmed and edified him ; and engaged in offices
most delightful to himself and useful to others, he de
voted himself wholly to the duties of his ministry, and
aspired to no other preferment.

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 23

CHAPTER II.
FROM MR. LINDSEY'S SETTLEMENT AT CATTERICK, TO
HIS RESIGNATION OF THAT VICARAGE, A. D. 1773.
Jjut this sunshine of felicity did not continue long with
out interruption : Mr. Lindsey's ingenuous mind could
not satisfy itself in a compromise with sincerity, A dan
gerous fit of sickness roused his conscience, and he be
came secretly but firmly resolved to seek an opportunity
to relinquish a situation which was no longer supportable.
The further process of his mind upon this interesting
occasion I shall state in his own words*.
" I could not now satisfy myself with Dr. Wallis's and
the like softenings and qualifications of the Trinitarian
forms in the liturgy. I wondered how I had been able
to bring myself to imagine that I was worshiping the
Father in spirit and in truth, whilst I was addressing two
other persons, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost,
and imploring favours severally of them in terms that
implied their personality, and distinct agency and deity,
as much as that of the Father f-

• Apology^ p. 230.
t This miserable casuistry, for such it now appeared to the venerable man
who had formerly been entangled in its web, silenced the scruples of mahy
of the learned Unitarians at the close of the 17th century, and induced them
to acquiesce in conformity to the established form of worship ; while con
trary to the obvious meaning of the words, they interpreted the language
of the liturgy in a Unitarian sense upon the principles of Dr. Wallis s Ex
planation of the Trinity, and of the Oxford Decree. Amongst others, the
celebrated Thomas Firmin, the friend of Tillotson and the patron of the
poor, who made no secret of his Unitarian principles, from which, at the par,
ticular request of Queen Mary, the pious archbishop in vain laboured to re.
claim him, was influenced by these considerations to adhere to the commu
nion of the established church, and to dissuade others from separating from
it. His friend John Biddle appears to have seen the question in a juster
light; and rather chose to suffer imprisonment and banishment than to,
join in worship, the language of which, however he might interpret it to his.
own satisfaction, must necessarily convey an erroneous sense to the majority
of those who use it.— See the Life of Firmjn, p. 14, ed,. 1/91-

24 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
" If invocations so particular, language so express and
personal, might be sifted and explained away into prayer
to one God only, I might, by the like supposals and in
terpretation, bring myself to deify and pray to the Virgin
Mary, and maintain that I was still only praying to the
one God, who was thus invoked in his creature that was
so nearly united to him.
" It appeared to me a blameable duplicity, that whilst
I was praying to the one God the Father, the people that
heard me were led, by the language I used, to address
themselves to two other persons or distinct intelligent
agents : for they would never subtilize so far as to fancy
the Son and Holy Spirit to be merely two modes, or re*
spects, or relations of God to them.
" As one great design of our Saviour's mission was tq
promote the knowledge and worship of the Father, the
only true God, as he himself tells us, I could not think
it allowable or lawful for me, on any imagined prospect
of doing good, to be instrumental in carrying on a wor
ship which I believed directly contrary to the mind of
Christ, and condemned by him.
"If it be a rule in morals, quod dubitas ne feceris, it
is still more evident that we are not to do any thing that
we know to be evil ; no, not to procure the greatest good.
For God does not want my sinful act. It would be im
pious to suppose that he cannot carry on his government,
and promote the felicity of his creatures without it. And
although in his providence he may bring good out of any
evil, he will not let the doer of it go unpunished. And
if any thing be evil and odious in his sight, prevarication
and falsehood is such ; and most of all an habitual course
thereof in the most solemn act a creature can be engaged
in, — the worship of him, the holy all-seeing God."
While these thoughts were passing through Mr. Lind^,
sey's mind, and probably before he had formed an abso?

CH. II. J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 25
lute and final determination upon the subject, he had the
happiness to be introduced to the acquaintance of two
persons, like-minded with himself, whom he ever after-!
wards numbered amongst his most intimate and confi
dential friends, and whose friendship he with reason re
garded as among the greatest consolations and blessings
of his life. These were the Rev. William Turner, the
learned, liberal, and pious minister of the Presbyterian
congregation at Wakefield in Yorkshire, and the cele
brated Dr. Priestley, then a dissenting minister at Leeds.
Early in the summer of the year 1769, these gentlemen
met Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey by appointment at the house
of Archdeacon Blackburne at Richmond, where they
passed some days together in that unreserved and de
lightful interchange of sentiments, and in those free and
amicable discussions which would naturally take place
among persons of high intellectual attainments, in whose
estimation the discoveries of divine revelation held the
most honourable place, and who were all equally anii
mated with the same ardent love of truth, and with the
same generous zeal for civil and religious liberty.
This memorable interview made a favourable and last
ing impression upon the minds of all the parties, and was
followed with very important consequences. It gave
birth to friendships between the strangers who were then
first introduced to each other, which improved rapidly
upon 'further acquaintance, whioh were ever afterwards a
source of the highest mutual satisfaction and improve
ment, which continued unimpaired to the end of life, and
will no doubt be resumed under happier auspices in a
better and immortal state.
In a letter from the Archdeacon to Mr. Turner, which
is now before me, and which was written soon afterwards,
he says : "I have had Mr. Lindsey's thanks in form, for
bringing him acquainted with two valuable men. The

26 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. II.
company, of. such worthies as Mr. Turner and Dr. Priest
ley is one of my luxuries ; . and the last small taste I had
of it, will make me long till another opportunity affords
me a second course. And I had the less relish for the
dessert, (I mean the rambles,) as it was a kind of inter
ruption of that conversation for which I am always sharp
set. Friend Lindsey can talk and even dispute on horse-.
back. In that situation I am sure to fall into reveries,'
and often forget both myself and my company ; and for
something, of that sort which might look like ill manners,
I believe I ought to make an apology in our pilgrimage
to Master Buncle's cave*."
Dr. Priestley; in the interesting Memoir of himself,
mentions this introduction to Mr. Lindsey as one of the
greatest blessings of his life. Speaking of the connexions
he formed during his residence at Leeds, he adds,
., " Here it was that, in consequence of a visit which in
company with Mr, Turner I made- to Archdeacon Blacki
burne at Richmond, I first met with Mr. Lindsey, then
of Catterick^ and a correspondence and intimacy com-i
menced, which have been the source of more real satis-t
faction to me than any other Circumstance in my whole
life. He soon discovered to me that he was uneasy in
his situation, and had thoughts of quitting it. At first

* Mr. Turner was as eminent for prudence as he was for learning, piety,
and liberality of sentiment. An intimate friendship was formed between
this gentleman and Mr. Lindsey soon after the interview at Richmond, and
an interesting' and confidential correspondence took place, which onlytepi
minated by disability on the part of Mr. Turner from age and infirmity. It
'was then taken up by his son, the present highly respected minister of the
Unitarian congregation at Newcastle upon Tyrie, and continued till Mr. Lind
sey himself became disabled by the infirmities of age. To the kindness of
this gentleman the author is indebted for a sight of Mr. Lindsey's letters; of
• which it will be perceived that a liberal, though it is hoped not an improper
use has been made in the course of the narrative. It will easily be conceived
that Mr. Lindsey was not deficient in expressions of affection and esteem;
How high a value he set upon the friendship of these excellent men, will bq.
seen from various extracts of letters, to Mr- Turner, which will be introduced.
in the sequel of this Memoir.

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 27
I was not forward to encourage him in it, but rather ad
vised him to make what alteration he thought proper in
the offices of the church, and leave it to his superiors to
dismiss him if they chdse. But his better judgement and
greater fortitude led him to give up all connexion with
the established church of his own accord*."
Mr. Turner was not less sensible than Dr. Priestley of
the value of Mr. Lindsey's friendship ; and to these two
excellent men, of spirits congenial with his own, did this
venerable confessor first communicate his intention of
resigning his preferment in the church. And that, not
to ask their advice upon the subject, for his resolution
was already fixed, but to consult with them concerning
the proper time and manner of accomplishing this ex
traordinary design, and to derive that support and com
fort which a virtuous mind, in trying circumstances, needs
and seeks from the sympathy and kind suggestions of
enlightened and generous friends, who having adopted
similar principles enter cordially into all its views, feel
ings, and difficulties, and by seasonable counsel, and ten
der expressions of encouragementand approbation, soothe
and tranquillize the emotions of an anxious and disquieted
spirit. Mr. Lindsey was now in a situation to need all the
comfort which his friends could administer. This vene
rable man was no professed ascetic : he was no enthu-r
siast or visionary. He had ever lived in a station of ease
and affluence, and comparatively high consideration. His
company had been sought after by the opulent, the learn
ed, and the great. Nor was he insensible to the advan
tages and the comforts of an eminent and respectable
station. He had not been at all accustomed to struggle
with difficulties, or to endure the privations and the ob-

* Dr. Priestley's Memoirs, p. 61, London edition.

28 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II,
scurity of indigence. His delight had been to employ
his affluence in doing good, and he had even made con-.
science of saving nothing for his own use from the revei
nues of his living.
He was fully apprized, that if he carried his present
virtuous resolution into effect, the scene would soon be
changed. "To leave a station of ease and affluence,"
(he observes in his Farewell Address to his Parishioners
at Catterick,) " and to have to combat with various straits
and hardships of an uncertain world, affords but a dark
prospect." Instead of opulence and high estimation in
the world, he clearly foresaw that the step he was about
to take would entail poverty, contempt, neglect, and ca
lumny. He could not but be sensible that by the ma-.
jority of those who either knew him or who might hear
of his withdrawing from the church, and who could not or
would not duly appreciate his motives, his conduct would
be severely censured as rash, fanatical, and absurd. He
expected that his means of usefulness, whether in the
way of instruction or beneficence, would be exceedingly
reduced, if not entirely annihilated. Among the dissents
ers his connexions were very limited, and he had little
prospect of encouragement. By the great majority of
them his principles and his person would be regarded
with horror*. Not many even of those societies which

* They now are deem'd the faithful and are prais'd,
Who, constant only in rejecting Thee,
Deny thy Godhead with a martyr's zeal,
And quit their office for their error's sake.
Blind, and in love with darkness ! Cowpeb.
Such is the language of our admired poet, whose gloomy system of theo
logy cast a deeper shade upon the natural morbid tendency of his constitu-,
tion, and involved his innocent and tender spirit in the darkest clouds of re
ligious melancholy, under which he sunk in sad despondency to the grave*
Peace to his hallowed ashes ! VVhen the last trumpet shall summon the
sleeping sufferer from the tomb, free from the oppressive chain of ignorance
and infirmity, he will rejoice to find the Parent of the human race infinitely,
more kind and merciful to his erring offspring than his rigid system, so.
much at war with his gentle temper, led him to believe ; and will greet with,

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 29
call themselves rational and liberal would endure to hear
the pure Unitarian doctrine ; and very few indeed, would
justly appreciate the sublime principles and the exem
plary character of this faithful servant of Christ. And,
as he observes with great feeling, it was a severe aggra
vation of his distress, in the prospect of straits and diffi
culties, that he was not alone involved in them. The
person who was most justly the dearest in the world to
him must share in his privations and sufferings. And

'delight on their thrones of glory, those whom his rash and misguided zeal
had formerly consigned to regions of woe. — Let the reader forgive the above
almost involuntary effusion of respect to departed genius, combined with
high moral worth; but oppressed with melancholy, and entangled in a sy
stem the most sombre and terrific of all that have ever been grafted upon
the mild and benevolent doctrine of Jesus. As to the rest, the sentiment
expressed in the above quotation was certainly that of the great body of dis
senters at the time when it was written. It is so still ; but not to the same
extent. Happily within the last thirty years, owing under God to the la
bours and sacrifices of Mr. Lindsey and others his worthy coadjutors or fol
lowers, " the gospel light of the knowledge oi the one true God, and the
worship to be paid to him only, as taught by Jesus Christ, has been spread*-
ing its beautiful ray through the British nation : so that many of all ranks
begin to see with concern the striking opposition betwixt our public forms
of worship and those laid down in the word of God." (Apology, p. 236.) And ¦
among the dissenting churches in particular, where there were formerly
Only one or two solitary individuals who received the proper Unitarian doc
trine, and who were almost afraid of avowing their belief lest they should
be hunted out of society like wild beasts, flourishing congregations of pro
fessed Unitarian Christians have of late sprung up, whose conduct is an or
nament to their profession, and whose enlightened zeal is diffusing the sa
lutary odour of pure evangelical truth with a rapidity and success almost
unprecedented. Nevertheless, that all the dissenters who were Mr. Lindsey's contempo
raries, though differing from him in doctrinal principles, were not insensible
to his great moral worth, is evident from the correspondence of the late re
verend Job Orton, the able assistant and confidential friend of the late pious
and celebrated Dr. Doddridge ; who in one of his letters published by and
addressed to the Reverend S. Palmer, of Hackney, expresses himself in
these words : " Were I to publish an account of silenced and ejected mini
sters, I should be strongly tempted to insert Mr. Lindsey in the list which
lie mentions in his Apology with so much veneration. He certainly deserves
as much respect and honour as any one of them for the part he has acted.
Perhaps few of them exceeded him in learning and piety. I venerate him
as I would any of your confessors. As to his particular sentiments, they
are nothing to me. An honest pious man, who makes such a sacrifice to
truth and conscience as he has done, is a glorious character, and deserves
the respect, esteem, and veneration of every true Christian." Orton's Let
ters, vol. ii. p. 159.

30 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
though that excellent person, as soon as his pious and
honourable resolution was communicated,* expressed the
highest approbation of it, animated and encouraged him
to pursue it, and urged him on with a zeal almost supe
rior to his own, testifying the utmost readiness to forego
ease and comfort, and, what was the most dear of all,
the many opportunities of active benevolence, and to ac
company him into the shades of solitude and poverty ;
yet Mr. Lindsey did not on that account feel less sensi
bly the hardships and miseries to which his beloved and
worthy consort would inevitably be exposed. But none
of these things moved him. He fixed his eye upon the
line of duty, and determined to adhere closely to it, and
to leave the event to God.
These were the difficulties which Mr. Lindsey foresaw;
and. which he made up his mind to encounter. But
though the conflict of his feelings must have been inex-
pressibly great, the delicacy of his spirit would not per*
mit him to disclose them at large even to his most con- '
fidential friends, that he might not give them unneces*
sary pain ; and, chiefly lest, if they were acquainted with
all the circumstances of the case, they should endeavour
to dissuade him from that measure which was now be
come the fixed purpose of his heart. " It was not till
long after this," says Dr. Priestley, (Memoir, p. 61,)
" that I was apprized of all the difficulties he had to
struggle with before he could accomplish his purpose."
It had occurred to himself, and had been suggested
by Dr. Priestley and some other friends who knew the
embarrassment he was under, that " he might change
the public service of the church, and make it such as he
could conscientiously officiate in," leaving it to his su
periors to dismiss him if they disapproved his conduct.
And there was no ground to suspect that he would ever
have met with any molestation from them ; but, as Dr.

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. .31
Priestley observes, "Mr. Lindsey's better judgement and
greater fortitude led him to determine the contrary."
The foundation of this determination he has explained
in his Apology, p. 237-
" I could not," says he, " reconcile myself to change
the public service of the church, because I looked upon
the declaration of conformity and subscription at insti
tution to be such 'solemnities, that I could not be easy
under so great a violation of them. For I must have
adopted all Dr. Clarke's amendments, or even more ;
which would have been making almost a new service of
it*." " But, could I have brought my own mind to it, there
were some things in my situation in so large a parish,
with three chapels in it, which would have made such a
change impracticable. Not to mention also; that when
incapacitated by sickriess or removed by death, the people
in all probability must have returned back to their old
forms again. In short, such an attempt would have been
likely, in my place, . to have produced much confusion
and perplexity, to say the least : and I could not see any
adequate religious improvement or edification among my
people likely to arise from it ; the only justifiable end of
making such a change, and staying with them."
The venerable writer adds : " Upon the most calm
and serious deliberation therefore; and weighing of every
circumstance, I am obliged to give up my benefice, what
ever I suffer by it, unless I would lose all inward peace
and hope of God's favour and acceptance in the end."

* The following is the form of the engagement to conformity at institu
tion to a living before a bishop :
" I do declare that I will conform to the liturgy of the church of En
gland as it is now by law established." A. B.
"This declaration was made and subscribed before me by the said
A. B. to be admitted and instituted into the rectory or vicarage, &c. in
the year of our Lord — — and in the  'year of our consecration."

32 Memoirs of the late [ch. ii>
Mr* Lindsey was encouraged and fortified in his vir
tuous resolution* by the example of those pious and con
scientious clergymen, who in the year 1662, on the 24th
of August, the too memorable Bartholomew day, being
the day on which the Act of Uniformity was carried into
effect, to the number of two thousand suffered themselves
to be ejected and silenced, rather than submit to the new
impositions, and subscribe and conform to the liturgy and
articles against their consciences ; " a long list," conti
nues Mr. Lindsey, " that does honour to human nature,
and to our own country in particular, which has hitherto
taken the lead in the restoration of God's true religion."
But the example which if possible pressed with still
greater weight upon his thoughts, and which urged, and,
if I may so express it, even stung his tender and upright
mind to a decisive resolution upon the subject, was the
iecent and affecting but little noticed case of the Reverend
Dr. William Robertson, who in the year 1760, having
embraced Unitarian principles, though he had a large
family and very slender means of subsistence, for the

* Mr. Lindsey was particularly struck with the following pious and af
fecting soliloquy of Mr. Oldfield, an ejected minister of Carsington in Der
byshire, whose private papers fell into Dr. Calamy's hands.
" When thou canst no longer continue in thy work without dishonour to
God, discredit to religion, foregoing thy integrity, wounding conscience,
spoiling thy peace, and hazarding the loss of thy salvation ; in a word, when
the conditions upon which thou must continue (if thou wilt continue) in thy
employments are sinful and unwarranted by the word of God, thou mayest,
yea thou must believe that God will turn thy very silence, suspension, de
privation, and laying aside, to his glory and the advancement of the gospel's
interest. When God will not use thee in one kind, yet he will in another.
A soul that desires to serve and honour him shall never want opportunity
to do it ; nor must thou so limit the Holy One of Israel, as to think he hath
but one way in which he can glorify himself by thee. He can do it by thy
silence as well as by thy preaching : thy laying aside as well as thy conti
nuance in thy work.  It is not pretence of doing God the greatest service,
or performing the weightiest duty, that will excuse the least sin, though
that sin capacitated or gave us the opportunity for the doing that duty. Thou
wilt have little thanks, O my soul, if when thou art charged with corrupting
God's worship, falsifying thy vows, &c. thou pretendest a necessity for it in
order to a continuance in the ministry." Calamy's Account of ejected Mi
nisters, vol. ii. p- 175.

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 33
sake of preserving his integrity inviolate, resigned a va
luable preferment and the offer of much better in the
diocese of Ferns in Ireland. This venerable confessor,
in his affecting epistle to his worthy diocesan Dr. Ro
binson, afterwards the celebrated Primate of Ireland,
who was anxious to retain him in the church, expresses
himself thus :
" In debating this matter with myself, besides the ar
guments directly to the purpose, several strong collateral
considerations came in upon the positive side of the ques
tion. The streightness of my circumstances pressed me
close ; a numerous family quite unprovided for, pleaded
with the most pathetic and moving eloquence. And the
infirmities and wants of age, now coming fast upon me,
were urged feelingly. But one single consideration pre
vailed over all these — That the Creator and Governor
of the universe, whom it is my first duty to worship and
adore, being the God of truth, it must be disagreeable
to him to profess, subscribe, or declare, in any matter
relating to his worship and service, what is not believed
strictly and simply to be true*."
"The example of this worthy person," says Mr. Lindsey,
Apology, p. 239, " has been a secret reproach to me ever
^ince I heard of it. For I thought, and perhaps justly,
that he might not have all those reasons of dislike to our
established forms of worship that I had : and though
myself not without unknown straits and difficulties to
struggle with, and not alone involved in them, yet have
I not all those dissuasives and discouragements that he
paints forth in his affecting letter to the Bishop of Ferns,
subjoined to his instructive and learned work."
Mr. Lindsey's purpose being now irrevocably fixed

* This epistle is annexed to a small publication of Dr. Robertson's, en
titled An Attempt to explain the words Reason, Substance, &c. Of this ex
cellent man some further account will be given in the sequel of this narrative.

D

34 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
quietly to retire from the established church, he only
waited for a favourable opportunity of carrying his ho
nourable design into effect.
In the mean time an event occurred which induced
Mr. Lindsey for the present to postpone his intended
resignation. This was an Association formed in the year
1771, by some of the clergy of the established church
and a few of the laity, for the purpose of making an ap
plication to parliament to obtain relief in the matter of
subscription ; that a declaration of assent to the suffi
ciency of the Holy Scriptures might be substituted in
lieu of subscription to the thirty-nine articles and the
book of Common Prayer. Mr. Lindsey from the be
ginning " entertained very slender hopes of success.
Least of all did he expect that reformation in the liturgy
would be carried to such an extent as to make it practi
cable for him, with a safe conscience, to retain his situa
tion in the church. But he was anxious to avoid the
charge of precipitancy. He would not leave room for
cavillers to allege that he had deserted his post before
he knew that such a step would be necessary. And he
thought that after having waited the issue of this impor
tant measure, his resignation would be more justifiable
in the sight of the world, and would produce a better
effect*." This application to parliament originated in the great
impression which was made upon the public mind, and
especially upon the minds of many of the learned, liberal,

* " From the first that I engaged," says Mr. Lindsey, Apology, p. 235,
"with the associated clergy for procuring the removal of subscription to
formularies of faith and doctrine drawn up by fallible men, I foresaw that if
no relief was obtained, nor any prospect opened of a reformation of the liturgy
with regard to the great object of worship, or of a disposition to indulge a
latitude to private persons to make discretionary alterations in it for them
selves by the express rule of holy Scripture ; it would certainly terminate,
as to myself, in resignation of my office in the church ; and I thought this
would be a fitting season for it."

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 35
and serious clergy, by the celebrated work of Archdeacon
Blackburne, entitled The Confessional. At the desire
of some of his brethren the Archdeacon published in the
beginning of the year 1771, "Proposals for an applica
tion to parliament for relief in the matter of subscrip
tion, &c. humbly submitted to the consideration of the
learned and conscientious clergy." In consequence of
these proposals, a meeting of the clergy residing in or
near the metropolis was advertised for the 17th of July,
when it was unanimously agreed to form an Association
for the purpose of applying to the legislature for relief.
This from the place of meeting was called The Feathers
Tavern Association ; and an excellent petition having
been drawn up by the Archdeacon, was adopted by the
Association and circulated through the country with great
industry, in order to obtain signatures previous to the
meeting of parliament.
It is almost needless to add, that in a cause so right
and honourable in itself, and so congenial to his prin
ciples and feelings, Mr. Lindsey exerted himself with
more than his usual activity and ardour. He undertook
to solicit signatures in the extensive district where he
resided ; and for the purpose of adding names to this
venerable list, he spared neither labour nor expense*.
For this end, he travelled upwards of two thousand miles
•at the worst season of the year, and often through roads
which were almost. impassable. But his success did not
correspond with his labours and his hopes. The majority,
* In a letter upon this subject to his confidential friend Mr. afterwards
Dr. Jebb, Mr. Lindsey says, " I own to you, sir, I cannot but be greatly in
terested in a cause in which I bless God that I have an opportunity to engage
and declare myself; and for which I do not know, with the help of God, the
•pains or sufferings that I would refuse.  1 have offered, and if health
be permitted will carry the petition to Kendal in Westmoreland, to Newcastle
in Northumberland, to York and Wakefield ; all places at a very great di
stance from me, and in which labours I am alone without any assistance what-
ever."~-See Mr. Joyce's excellent Memoir of Mr. Lindsey in the Monthly
Magazine for December 1808.
g d2

36 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
as usual, saw no reason for any alteration ; the violent
and bigoted expressed their abhorrence of the under
taking, and calumniated the motives of the petitioners ;
the cautious and timid were unwilling to commit them
selves, and thought it more prudent to defer the appli
cation*; and some, of whom better hopes were enter
tained, and who were known to be in their judgement
friendly to the objects, unexpectedly hesitated and drew
back at the critical moment, and instead of their signal
tures they could only proffer their good wishes.
" These well-disposed and good sort of men," says
Mr. Lindsey in a letter dated November 19, 1771,
written just after his return from one of these fruitless
circuits, " have done the cause more harm than they in
tended. They may wait long before the season of refor-
hiation comes, and their brethren of the clergy and the
governing powers be more inclined to promote it than
they are at present. May they have no regrets in reflect
ing that Providence put it in their power to bring on the
desired season, and propagate the requisite dispositions
and zeal for relieving the oppressed truth of God by their
much-wanted example ! I really never expected success
in this our undertaking ; and still less, since I have had
cause to observe the desertion of many from whom one
might have expected better. And yet I do not give it
up for gone ; nor will those worthy persons who have
taken an active part in promoting it."
In another letter to the same friend, dated Decem
ber 21, 1771, and written soon after his return from a
general meeting of the Association in London on the
11 th, in which it was finally determined to present the
petition to parliament during the present session, after
stating the violent opposition which was expected froih
* It has been observed by an elegant writer, that the verb reform wants
the present tense*

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 37
the University of Oxford, from Lord North, from the
Methodists and others, Mr. Lindsey adds,
v Be the event, however, what it may, still good, much
good I am sure has arisen, and more will rise from this
shaking of the stagnant waters, and stirring up of better
principles. Political statesmen without any principle are
afraid of disturbances which may hurt the enjoyment of
their ease and emoluments. Political divines, and re
verend unbelievers and half believers,, are still more
haunted with fears of the like kind. Bigots are enraged
at the thought of a free rational examination of the Holy
Scriptures. Whilst serious and honest men, for such
there are in all places, rejoice at the Christian and Pro
testant undertaking."
The petitioners, though comparatively few in number,
not amounting to two hundred and fifty, were of high
consideration in point of talents, of learning, and of
moral worth. The names of Lindsey, of Blackburne, of
Wyvill, of Jebb, of Law, of Disney, of Chambers, and
many others, are such as would do honour to any cause.
The majority were clergymen ; the rest were gentlemen
of the professions of law and medicine, who thus entered
their protest against the yoke of subscription imposed
upon students at the universities who had no view to the
clerical office.
It being determined by the Association not to defer
the petition to another session, the petitioners and their
friends were very active in soliciting the support of those
members of the House of Commons who might be dis
posed to listen to their arguments. Their reception in
general was civil, but not very encouraging. Many re
garded the object of the petition as frivolous ; and many
believed, or pretended to believe, that it would be hazard
ous to meddle with the Articles. The prevailing opi
nion was, that the application was ill-timed, and that it

38 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
was best to let religion alone. Some, however, who
were in the foremost rank for talents, integrity, and elo
quence, took up the cause with great ardour, and pro
mised their most zealous support. The state of the bu
siness is thus represented in a letter from John Lee, Esq.
who was afterwards Solicitor General, to a friend in the
country, dated January 31, 1772.
" It will surprise you who live in the country, and con
sequently have not been informed of the discoveries of
the metropolis, to hear that the Christian religion is
thought to be an object unworthy of the least attention;
and that it is not only the most prudent, but the most
virtuous and benevolent thing in the world to divert
men's minds from such foolish subjects with all the dex
terity that can be. This is no exaggeration, I assure
you : on the contrary, it seems to be the opinion (and
their conduct will show it) of nine-tenths of both houses
of parliament. On Thursday a committee of petitioners
waited upon Lord North to apprize him of the nature of
their application, and to inform themselves of his inten
tion concerning this matter. He received them with
great courtesy, commended the decency of the petition
itself ; but before he parted with them, he told them that
all with whom he had conversed were of opinion that
innovations would be very improper. Mr. Pitt, the
nephew of Lord Chatham, has undertaken to second the
motion, and I am sure he will acquit himself ably. I
spoke with him on the subject, and he understands ' it
very well. Lord George Germaine is hearty in the cause,
has studied the controversy, and speaks admirably. Mr.
Dunning has promised me to attend it ; and as his abi
lities are unequalled by any man's I ever knew, I hope.
he will do honour to the cause and to himself. Some
others there are of less note, who will enter into the de
bate ; yet such a general confederacy is there against the

CH. II.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 39
measure, that I do not believe we shall divide forty mem
bers, perhaps not twenty ; yet the debate will do honour
to the petitioners, though at present no good to the cause.
Perhaps it may excite an attention to the subject ; and
who knows what time may do ? This may cure Dr.
Priestley of writing divinity, which, to be sure, hardly
any body minds. Yet I do not think our sons are more
honest, our daughters more chaste, our liberties more
sacred, or our property more secure, than in the days
when it was thought no dishonour to read or to believe
the Scripture."
This able advocate, whose powers were equalled by
few, and whose integrity was surpassed by none, the
worthy and confidential friend of Mr. Lindsey and Dr.
Priestley, and Mr. Turner, was engaged to exert his su
perior abilities and energetic eloquence in pleading the
cause which he so well understood, and which he had so
much at heart, if the petitioners had been permitted to
be heard by counsel at the bar of the House of Commons.
" If I attend at the bar," says he, " I will do my utmost
to serve the petitioners ; but I fear counsel will not be
permitted." On the 6th of February 1772, agreeably to the reso*
lution of the general meeting, the petition was presented
to the House of Commons. It was introduced with a
very neat and appropriate speech by Sir William Mere
dith, the member for Liverpool ; Lord John Cavendish
and Sir George Savile having declined the office, not
from any want of zeal for the cause, but because they
did not consider themselves as sufficiently masters of the
subject. It was intended by the minister that the peti
tion should be treated civilly, be laid upon the table, and
the consideration of it adjourned for six months. It was
Lord North's policy, if possible, to preclude debate upon
so delicate a subject. But the intemperate zeal or the

40 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. II.
secret instructions of Sir Roger Newdigate, one of the
members for the University of Oxford, a gentleman of
mild dispositions and exemplary character in private life,
happily defeated the artful policy of the noble Lord, and
gave rise to one of the most interesting and animated
debates that was ever heard in that house; " a debate,'"
as Mr. Lindsey expresses it in a letter to a friend, " which
entered gloriously into the whole merits of our cause ;
and which, was well worth going two hundred and forty
miles to hear." It lasted for eight hours. Of this de«
bate I will take the liberty to introduce a brief account
extracted from a letter of the learned gentleman above
mentioned to his friend in the country.
" Sir William Meredith in a few words informed the
House that he had in his hands a petition of a number
of respectable clergy and others, praying relief in the
matter of subscription ; and therefore he moved that it
might be brought up. Mr. T. Pitt seconded the mo
tion. On this, Sir Roger Newdigate rose up in great
anger, and demanded to know what the contents of the
petition were, and what the number and names of the
men who had subscribed it. Sir William then read the
petition in his place, and a few of the names, adding,
that the number was about two hundred and fifty. Sir
Roger Newdigate then began the debate, and opposed
with great vehemence the bringing up of this petition,
In his opinion it aimed at the destruction of the church,
whose existence depended upon the continuance of the
Articles. Sir Roger spoke contemptuously of the num-i
ber and quality of the petitioners, and sustained with
great fortitude the character of member for Oxford, He
was followed by Mr. Hans Stanley, who opposed the
bringing up of the petition, as it tended to disturb the
peace of the country, which, in his opinion, ought to be
the subject of a fortieth article, which would he worth

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOFHILUS LINDSEY. 41
all the thirty-nine*. He was succeeded by Mr. Fitz-
maurice, who is brother to Lord Shelburne, and spoke
on the same side, throwing out some very indecent re
flections on The Confessional and its author, and endea
vouring to prove the petitioners to be a parcel of canting
hypocrites, who, under pretence of reformation, meant
the ruin of our civil and ecclesiastical government. This
conduct roused the resentment of Mr. Pitt, who with
great dignity and good sense observed upon the inde
cency of calumniating any persons appearing in the cha
racter of petitioners for redress of grievances, more es
pecially the persons then applying for relief in a matter
that highly concerned the purity of religion, the integrity
of their own minds, and even the morality of the people.
He stated very well the principles of the Reformation, and
fairly inferred from them the propriety of the petition."
" The motion for bringing up the petition was also
supported by Lord George Germaine, Mr. Sawbridge,
Mr. Thomas Townshend, Lord John Cavendish, Mr.
Dunning, Sir Henry Hoghton, Mr. Solicitor General
Wedderburnef, and Sir George Savile. I believe Sir
George Savile's speech was one of the best that was ever
delivered in that house. I can give you no idea of its
excellence, unless by repeating some parts of it when I
have the pleasure of seeing you. I cannot help saying,
however, that I never was so affected with, or so sensible
* Upon this subject see a very curious letter of Mr. Hans Stanley to Mr.
Lindsey, Appendix, No. IV.
f The author of this Biographical Memoir is neither inclined nor called
¦upon to vindicate Mr. Wedderburne, afterwards Earl of Rosslyn, and Lord
High Chancellor of Great Britain, in the whole of his political conduct. But
let it be remembered to Lord Rosslyn's praise, that he was always the en
lightened advocate of a liberal toleration ; and that he was the steady zealous
friend and disinterested patron of the late learned Edward Evanson, A.M.
Vicar of Tewkesbury, whom he carried triumphantly through a mean and
savage persecution instituted against him by a few of his parishioners, in
opposition to the sense of a decided majority of the inhabitants of the town,
under pretence of heresy, and because of a few verbal alterations or omissions
in reading the Liturgy.

42 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
of the power of pious eloquence as while he was speaking.
It was not only an honour to him, but to his age and
country*. Mr. Solicitor General spoke very well, and
gave a very handsome testimony to the character of Mr.
Blackburne as a learned, pious, virtuous, and venerable
man, and vindicated his book as an excellent and enter
taining performance. The speakers on the opposite side
were Sir Roger Newdigate, Mr. Fitzmaurice, Lord Folk-
stone, Mr. Byrne, Lord North, Mr. Charles Fox, Mr.
Burke, Mr. Dyson, Mr. Jenkinson, Mr. Stanley, Dr.
* The speeches of Sir William Meredith and of Sir George Savile were
afterwards written down from memory by Dr. Furneaux, and corrected by
Sir W. Meredith himself. Of these speeches, so corrected, I am in posses
sion of a copy, from which I will trespass upon the indulgence of the reader
by presenting him with a few extracts of the admirable speech of Sir George
Savile, which he will easily perceive was well entitled to the high eulogium
of Mr. Lee. The earnestness and fervour with which it was delivered ma
nifested how deeply the honourable speaker was impressed with his subject,
and the House listened from beginning to end with silent astonishment.
The honourable speaker, after a few preliminary remarks, in which he
distinguishes between the Church of England and the Church of God and
Christ, (with which Sir Roger Newdigate had confounded it,) after having
stated that adherence to the Scriptures only, in opposition to human inven
tions, was the grand principle of Protestantism, and having made some judi
cious and pointed observations upon some of the doctrines which are con
tained in the Articles, proceeds to vindicate the character of the petitioners,
and to reply to the objections which had been started in the course of the
debate. It may be proper to premise that the zealous member for the Uni
versity of Oxford had in his speech used words to this effect : " Some per
haps may ask what is the use of requiring subscription to the Thirty-nine
Articles i All blind as they are, cannot they see that the Articles are bar
riers for the protection of the Church ? " It was also fully understood at the
time that the beautiful allegory, in reply to this allegation, though men
tioned as a quotation, was in fact the extemporaneous suggestion of the elo
quent orator's own vivid imagination.
" I must now, sir, express my very great concern at the manner in which
the petition, and they who signed it, have been treated. They have been
treated in a manner very unparliamentary, in a manner that none should be
treated who come to the bar of this House to represent grievances and to
solicit redress. Their characters have been aspersed : injurious suspicions
have been thrown out against their designs and intentions. I wish many
things not to have been said which have been said. The petitioners, sir,
are. clergymen ; men of respectable characters; I verily believe good and con
scientious men. We may treat their situation with indifference, because we
are strangers to it and feel not their difficulty. But let us for a moment put
ourselves in the place of these petitioners, who are required to bring them
selves under a solemn obligation on the one hand to preach according to
Scripture, (which, if it means any thing, must mean according to what they
apprehend to be the sense of Scripture,) and on the other, are required to

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 43
Hay, and Mr. Cooper. Nobody but Sir Roger Newdi
gate attempted to defend the Articles. And all the
House explicitly declared it was foolish to require sub
scription at the university, and expressed a wish that it
might be laid aside there.
" After a very fine debate the house divided; the num
bers for not receiving the petition were two hundred and
seventeen — for receiving it seventy-one, which, consi
dering the influence of the bishops and ministry, and the
character and weight of the minority, was thought a very
declare their belief of Articles which in their consciences they think contrary
to the Scripture, and which few will pretend to believe or to understand 
This, sir, is a debate in which the honour of God, the interests of religion
and virtue, our own consciences, and the consciences of others, are deeply
concerned. Let us, then, hear no more of private characters, of Confes
sionals, and Feathers Tavern. I have always thought that thepersons of men
who petition this House were under our protection. Their characters ought
to be still more so. I therefore beseech you — I become a humble and ear
nest supplicant to you, by the benevolent spirit of the Gospel, by all that is
serious, I beseech you by the bowels of Christ, that this affair be treated,
not as a matter of policy, not as a matter of levity, not as a matter of censo-
riousness, but as a matter of religion."
" Some gentlemen seem to apprehend that we are to make the doors of
the church as narrow and to exclude as many as possible. I think we should
make them as wide as we can to take in as many as possible. Others are
apprehensive that, in case the Scriptures are substituted in the room of the
Articles, it will be the means of admitting into the church a great number
of sectaries. Sectaries ! Sir: had it not been for sectaries, this cause had
been tried at Rome. Thank God, it is tried here.
" Some gentlemen fear that if we lay aside the Articles and place the
Scriptures in their stead, by throwing down all distinctions we shall admit
Papists, and together with them their religion too. But they forget that
Papists are excluded by the oath of supremacy, and by the declaration against
transubstantiation, against the invocation of the Virgin Mary and other saints,
and against the sacrifice of the mass. And if any other test be needful, let
them be made to acknowledge liberty of conscience and the right of private
judgement ; let them abjure persecution — that were a truly Protestant test.
But can any one seriously think that encouraging free inquiry and the study
of the Scriptures will issue in the Romish religion ? When I see a rivulet flow
to the top of a high rock, and requiring a strong engine to force it back again,
then shall I think that freedom of inquiry will be prejudicial to truth — then
shall I think that liberty of judgement will be prejudicial to the Protestant
religion — then shall I think that adhering to the Scriptures only will lead to
Rome. " Some gentlemen talk of ' raising barriers about the Church of God, and
protecting his honour.' Language that is astenishing, that is shocking, that
almost approaches to blasphemy. What ! Man ! a poor vile contemptible
reptile, talk of raising barriers about the Church of God 1 He might as well
talk of protecting Omnipotence, and raising barriers about his throne. Bar-

44 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
great affair. The clergy petitioners were delighted with
the debate, all of them that were in town being admitted
to hear it. Dr. Hallifax of Cambridge was in the gallery,
and seemed disappointed that his violent nonsense had
produced so little effect on the House. This scene was
acted yesterday, beginning at three and ending at eleven
o'clock." " The XXXIX Articles," says Mr. Lindsey in a letter
of nearly the same date to the same friend, " underwent
such a scrutiny, and had such a just exposition, that the
fiers about the Church of God, Sir? about that church, which, if there
be any veracity in Scripture, shall continue for ever, and against which the
gates of hell shall not prevail? If I may be allowed on so serious an oc
casion to recollect a fable, it puts me in mind of one which I have met
with, of a stately, magnificent, impregnable castle built on a rock, the basis
of which was the centre of the earth, the top of it pierced the clouds, the
thickness of the walls could not be measured by cubits. At the bottom of
it a few moles were one day very busy in raising up a little quantity of earth,
which when some mice saw, What are you doing, said they, to disturb the
tranquillity of the lord of this castle ? We are not disturbing his tranquillity,
replied the moles ; all blind as you are, you may see that we are only throw
ing up a rampart to protect his castle.
" The Church of God, Sir, can protect itself. Truth needs not be afraid
of not obtaining the victory on a fair trial. The lovers of truth will love all
sincere inquirers after it, though they may differ from them in various re
ligious sentiments. For it is to impartial and free inquiry only that error
owes its ruin and truth its success. Those who are penetrated with the
benevolent spirit of the Gospel will not condemn as heretics, will not reject
as unworthy of their affection, any who believe the Christian religion, who
search and endeavour to understand the Scriptures, though they may be
unable to comply with creeds and articles.
" Some gentlemen suppose that the Scriptures are not plain enough to be
a rule and centre of union to the Church. They must have articles and
creeds to supply its defects. But if the things which are necessary to sal
vation are not plainly revealed, there is no way of salvation revealed to the
bulk of mankind at all. Whatever is obscurely revealed will be always
obscure notwithstanding our decisions. It can never be authoritatively
determined by men. The only authority which can explain it, and make
the explanation a test of faith, is the authority of God. As to what he has
plainly revealed, it needs no articles to ascertain its meaning. We should
not then adopt views and measures which arc contracted and narrow. We
should not set bars in the way of those who are willing to enter and labour
in the Church of God. When the disciples came to Christ and complained
that there were some who cast out devils in his name, and said, We forbad
them because they followed not us — what did our Saviour do ? Did he send
them tests and articles to be subscribed ? Did he ask them whether they
believed this, or that, or the other doctrine ? whether they were Athanasians,
or Arians, or Arminians ? No. He delivered that comprehensive maxim
— He that is not against me is for me. Go ye, and say likewise."

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 45
civil power must soon be ashamed of imposing what not
one of our adversaries defended, except Sir Roger ; and
many of them gave them up.
" Burke declaimed most violently against us in a long
speech, but entirely like a Jesuit, and full of popish
ideas ; the multifarious strange compound of the book
called the Scriptures ; the uncertainty what were the
Scriptures ; the necessity of a priesthood ; of men in
society, religious as well as other, giving up their right
of private judgement, &c. &c.
" Can it be true ?" continued Mr. Lindsey, " I hope
not ; but it is said, and suspected, that this man spoke
the sentiments of his patron, Lord Rockingham. The
persuasion, however, does my Lord Marquis no good in
the esteem of judicious men.
" Though defeated," adds he, " we sing a victoiy ; as
truth and reason were all for us, and overpowered only
by power ; and we are not disheartened, but in high
spirits, with thankfulness to the good providence of God
so happily disposing things ; and shall certainly not give
up the cause, though what steps next are to be taken we
cannot say."
So little interest did the Dissenters take in this appli*
cation of the clergy, that only two of the General Body
of dissenting ministers happened to be present at this
memorable debate. These were, indeed, gentlemen of the
first eminence and respectability among their brethren :
the late reverend Edward Pickard*, minister of the con-
* Let it be permitted to one who, after an interval of more than thirty
years, entertains a grateful and unabated sense of many and important obli
gations, to bear a humble testimony to the distinguished, but retiring and
unobtrusive merit of the friend of his youth. The reverend Edward Pickard
was born at Alcester, in Warwickshire, A.D. 1/14, of reputable and pious
parents. He was educated in high Calvinistic principles, and after he had
finished his studies under the -reverend and learned J. Eames, F.R.S. he
settled with a congregation at Stratford upon Avon. The excellence of his
understanding and the benevolence of his heart, combined with a serious and

46 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II,
gregation at Carter Lane, a gentleman distinguished by
benevolence of heart and urbanity of manners, who was
afterwards Chairman of the Committee for conducting
the application of the Dissenting Ministers to Parliament
for relief; and the learned Philip Furneaux, D.D. mi
nister of the congregation at Clapham, well known to
the public by his Letters to Mr. Justice Blackstone upon
the subject of Toleration, and whose memory was so cor
rect and tenacious, that having taken down from recol
lection the celebrated speech of Lord Mansfield in the
House of Peers, in the great dissenting cause, concerning
diligent study of the Scriptures, soon led him to discard the gloomy system
in which he had been brought up, and to embrace the more rational hypo
thesis of Arianism, which was then in the zenith of its glory, being supported
by the great abilities, learning and reputation of Dr. Clarke, Mr. Whiston,
Dr. Daniel Scott, and others. To this opinion Mr. Pickard ever afterwards
adhered. His deviation from the orthodox creed having created uneasiness
in his situation at Stratford, he removed to London, and was at first settled
With a small congregation in the Borough. But his eminent talents were
not destined to remain long in obscurity. And in 1746, upon the accession
of Mr. Newman to the pastoral office in the flourishing congregation at Carter
Lane in the room of Dr. Wright, Mr. Pickard was chosen afternoon preacher ;
and, upon the death of Mr. Newman, A.D. 1 759, he was appointed sole pas
tor, and continued in that connexion happy, useful, and beloved, beyond the
common lot, till his own decease in Febi uary 1 778. Mr. Pickard had great
pulpit talents. He was, indeed, no professed orator ; and perhaps he enter
tained too great a prejudice against the artificial helps of public elocution.
But his voice was clear and strong: his matter was judicious, well com
posed, interesting, and practical. He spoke as one who deeply felt the
power of religious truth. In prayer, he chiefly excelled. In variety of
thought, in copiousness of language, in simplicity, in propriety and perti
nence to the occasion, in pathos, and in fervour of devotion, he was un
equalled. No one could hesitate in preferring free prayer to written or pub
lic forms, if all could pray like Mr. Pickard. He riveted the attention and
captivated the heart. And it was the same in the more private and family
circle as in public. His public services did not indeed attract the crowd,
(kit they delighted the intelligent, the judicious, and the devout; and have
been honoured more than once by the attendance of dignitaries of the highest
order in the established church.
Mr. Pickard possessed talent3 which qualified him eminently for conduct
ing business. What he planned with calm and cool deliberation and advice,
he executed with promptitude, with vigour, and with perseverance. And his
kindness of heart and conciliatory manners made it a pleasure to every one
to transact business with him. He was a leading and active member in
many important trusts. He was chairman of the committee for that ap
plication to parliament which originated with him, for the relief of protestant
dissenting ministers, tutors, and schoolmasters ; and in this office he con»
ducted himself with a degree of prudence and activity which commanded uni-

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 47
the liability of dissenters to serve the office of sheriff, and
having shown it to the noble and learned Lord for his
correction, it was returned by Lord Mansfield with very
few alterations, and with his express consent to publish
it as his genuine speech : which Dr. Furneaux has ac
cordingly done, in the Appendix to the second edition
of his Letters to the learned Judge. In the course of the
debate, many of the speakers who opposed the petition
of the clergy, and particularly Lord North, who having
with his usual good humour observed, that he saw no
ground to complain of intolerance in times when every
versal approbation. His conduct in this affair was, indeed, severely, not to
say rudely attacked, in an anonymous pamphlet, by an author who did not
at that time fully appreciate his worth. But at the next general meeting of
the three denominations, which was most numerously attended, Mr. Pickard,
as chairman, delivered a most excellent speech, which he was strongly so
licited to publish, stating and defending his own conduct and that of his
brethren of the committee, and repelling the attack which had been made
upon him and them, with a spirit, truth, and energy, which gave complete
satisfaction to the audience, and even to the accuser himself who was pre
sent, and who was ready frankly to acknowledge that he had not formed a just
estimate of Mr. Pickard s character and talents f.
In the American war, and in the party politics of the time, Mr. Pickard
took a side opposite to that of Dr. Price and most of his dissenting brethren.
This he did honestly and conscientiously, and without any improper or in
terested bias of mind. He was a man of a truly independent spirit, and dis
dained to be the tool of a party. And when the minister of the crown, know
ing his character, his political principles, and his weight among the dissent
ers, offered him the whole management of the regium donum, he absolutely
declined having any concern in it at all, that he might not give the shadow
of pretence for the allegation that he was warped in hi3 political principles
by court favour.
Mr. Pickard died after a short illness, in February 1 778, in the sixty-seventh
year of his age. And very few in a similar situation have been more justly,
more generally, or more deeply lamented. It is much to be regretted that
his great humility and modesty, together with his numerous avocations, did
not permit him to instruct and edify the Christian world from the press, as
well as from the pulpit. But he has left one splendid and lasting monument
of his philanthropy and piety, the Dissenters' Orphan School in the City
Road ; of which noble and useful institution, I believe that I am correct in
saying, that the idea originated with him ; at least, it will be allowed that
he was one of its first founders, and of its most able, most unwearied, and
most successful managers and advocates.
f The anonymous assailant was Dr. Priestley, who has, to the author
himself, acknowledged his error with respect to the qualifications and merits
of Mr. Pickard ; and the gentleman who requested that the speech might
be published, was Mr. Turner, of Wakefield.

48 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
one was permitted to go to heaven in their own way, re
marked, that had a similar application been made by the
dissenting clergy, who derived no emoluments froni the
church whose articles they were compelled to subscribe,
he could see no reasonable objection to it. These two
reverend gentlemen, talking the matter over with each
other after the debate was closed, and consulting with
some others of their brethren, summoned the General
Body of dissenting ministers of the three denominations,
who concurred in an application to parliament the next
year, for relief from the obligation to subscribe the arti
cles of the established church, in order to secure the be
nefits of the Toleration Act. And though they were for
a time vehemently opposed by bigots both of their own
body and of the establishment, and though the bill for
their relief, having twice passed the House of Commons,
was twice rejected by the Lords ; yet a few years after
wards, A. D. 1778, the times becoming more favourable,
the bill for their relief passed both Houses almost una
nimously, and received the royal assent. So that at pre
sent dissenting ministers, tutors, and schoolmasters, are
entitled to all the benefits of the Toleration Act, by
making a declaration, in addition to the oaths usually
required, that they receive the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testament as containing a divine revelation.
The associated clergy having resolved, notwithstand
ing their late defeat, to renew their application for re
lief the next session of parliament, Mr. Lindsey, though
his hopes of success were less than ever, did not deem it
expedient at this juncture to carry into effect his resolu
tion of resignation. This, however, he plainly foresaw
must soon happen ; and in the mean time he fortified
his mind by reading Calamy's Account of the Ministers
who were ejected for Non-conformity in the year 1662,
and by collecting materials for a history of persons who

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 49
had suffered for their profession of Unitarian principles.
Upon the former subject he thus expresses himself, in a
letter to a friend, dated April 12, 1772 :
"I never was more affected with any book than with
Calamy's History of those worthy confessors that gave
up all in the cause of Christ, and for a good conscience,
at the Restoration. No time or country ever did furnish
at once such a list of Christian heroes ; and I fear our
own country now would fall far short of furnishing so
large a number upon a like trying occasion. But it was
the effect of their Puritan education. They had learned to
fear God from their youth, and to fear nothing else."
He further adds to the same correspondent, in refe
rence to the plan which he was himself pursuing, of col
lecting materials for a similar history,
" As it was your own obliging offer, I need not ask
you, as it falls in your way, to inquire out, and to note
down for me, any such good witnesses of our own days.
And I will endeavour that their names and example may
not be wholly lost."
In another letter, dated May 10, 1772, he observes,
" If I did not sufficiently in my last, I ought to acknow
ledge myself highly indebted to you for the pains you
have taken, and are taking, in the inquiry first started to
me by you, though thought of by me, and to which you
so willingly lend your aid. Their names have gone up
for a memorial before God, who have suffered for the
testimony of Jesus, and nobly refused to worship the
beast and his image. But surely their memory should
live, and be preserved upon earth for the benefit of the
present and succeeding times. But such materials are
slowly collected, and hardly to be come at by us of the
church ; and, to our shame be it said, fall more in your
way. Therefore I will beg you, at your utmost leisure,
to go on as you have begun."

50 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II,
Mr. Lindsey, though his own mind was fully, made up
as to the step which he would take if. the application of
the Associated Clergy did not succeed, was very cautious
of dropping any hint of his intention, even to his most
intimate friends, till the time approached when it would
be necessary for him to take public and decisive mea
sures. The first allusion which he makes to his own,
secret purpose, in his correspondence with Mr. Turner^
is in a letter, dated June 2, 1772,
" What! will further be attempted in our affair," says'
he, "I know not; but I' trust we shall agree still to do
something. — For my own particular, if no disposition
to reformation appear, and nothing be done, I do not
know where things will end."
The associated clergy judging it expedient not to re
new their application to parliament at the ensuing sessions
in the spring of 1773, Mr. Lindsey, who "never expected*
any reformation to be introduced which would relieve
his scruples with respect to conformity, conceiving that,
he had now protracted his resignation to the utmost limit
that the most cautious prudence could require, and having
now an open course before him, determined forthwith to
relinquish his preferment at the close of the current year,'
And in the mean time he employed himself in prepara
tion for this, to him, very important event — not, indeed,
by hoarding up a purse of money for the support of him
self and Mrs. Lindsey while he continued out of office,
and unprovided with the means of subsistence : for this.
was not his chief concern. True to the last to the ge
nerous principle, that the income arising from a parish
should be employed for the benefit of < the parishioners,
both he and Mrs. Lindsey, as we are' informed by his
amiable biographer, who was eye-witness to the fact,;
continued their accustomed charities, and' had this year
the additional expense of inoculating all the poor chil-

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEV. 51
dren in the parish, the small-pox being then very fatal
in the neighbourhood. Mrs. Lindsey attended them in
person, gave them all their medicines, and was so suc
cessful in her attendance, that she did not lose a single
patient*. Mr. Lindsey, in the mean time, employed
himself in drawing up and printing a copious and learned
Apology to the public, which, in its original state, con
tained a large and comprehensive view of the arguments
for the Unitarian doctrine. But upon reconsideration,
and by the advice of his friends, he considerably reduced
the size of the volume, comprising what was most ma
terial, and what related to himself personally, in a smaller
work, which was to be ready for publication immediately
upon his resignation ; and judiciously reserving the more
elaborate portion of the argument to be published after
wards, at a more convenient season, as a Sequel to" the
Apology. In the mean time, as opportunity offered, he
communicated his purpose without reserve to his confi
dential friends.
In the beginning of the year 1 773, some letters in a
newspaper appeared under the signature Lselius, which
discussed the question concerning the conformity of cler
gymen who, in their judgement and conscience, disap
proved of the doctrine and worship of the established
church. Upon this subject Mr. Lindsey thus feelingly
expresses himself, in a letter to a friend dated March 2 :
" The subject of Lfelius's last letter may give one many
a pang. I cannot say that I have been, for many years,'
a day free from uneasiness about if|"."'
The interesting posture of his mind, as the crisis ap
proached, he thus pathetically describes to his friend Mr.
Turner, who seems to have been almost the only person
admitted to his entire confidence. The letter is dated

* Mrs. Cappe's Memoir of Mr. Lindsey; Month. Rep. vol. iii. p. "641.
f Monthly Mag. December f308, p-. 448.
E 2

52 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II*
June 13, 1773. " It is not possible to describe to you
the straits and anxieties of mind which one person daily
passeth through — not through any doubts of the thing
itself, but lest he should have deserved to be laid by, lest
there should be any thing to reproach himself with here
after, lest he should suffer unprofitably as to himself; for
a man may give all his goods to the poor, and his body
to be burned, and yet want charity; may make the
greatest sacrifices, and yet want the proper disposition
to make them acceptable. What need has one daily to
cry with the psalmist, ' Make me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me !' You will hence ob
serve, it was not lightly that the last word said at K. at
parting, was ' Ora, Orate pro nobis ;' and you gave, me
comfort in the assurance of this your way of remem
brance. And I would beg another person not to be for
gotten, who has indeed the true spirit of a Christian,
and has been more than ready to do every thing ; but
who must be exposed to one knows not what, and there
must be a great change from what is at present. Theso
things are hinted darkly to you, for which there is a rea
son. But there is a relief in it, and the more, as it is
to no one else whatsoever, now Dr. P. is gone."
To the same friend, at the same time, he sent his
Apology and its Appendix, now finished and ready for
the press, requesting at the same time his free and im
partial strictures. " You will find it run out," says he,
" longer than you would think. But one thing drew on
another. And it seemed to me necessary to complete
my plan. I will not be ashamed to own to you, that it
has cost me some pains. And some things seem to be
set in a stronger light than I have seen them ; and some
I had not seen observed before. When I have borrowed,
I have -fairly owned it. You know what severity of
judgement, perhaps unkind, it is to pass through; and

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 53
therefore I beg you will be severe before hand, and also
suggest any improvements which may occur to you."
And in his next letter, dated June 21, he says, " I beg
you will particularly mark any expression or sentiment
that savoureth of pride or obstinacy, or contempt of
others' opinions, or that is deficient in a proper and
humble sense of myself." So solicitous was this excellent
man that he might be influenced by none but the purest
and most disinterested motives in all he did, or suffered,
or wrote, through the whole of this arduous concern.
At the latter end of July Mr. Lindsey was invited to
preach the Assize Sermon at York ; of which oppor
tunity he availed himself to bear his testimony to the
cause of the petitioning clergy. This discourse gave
great satisfaction to a liberal and enlightened audience,
and the preacher was much solicited to print it. But
as the bulk of it had been composed only for his country
parishioners, to which a few additions had been made
for the purpose of adapting it to the occasion, Mr.
Lindsey did not think it worthy the public eye. Had
it occurred to him that he might possibly be requested
to publish, he would have been better prepared. And
he expresses his regret to his friend, that " an oppor
tunity of bearing a more public and useful testimony
}iad been lost by him."
Soon after his return from York he made a visit to
Alnwick Castle, «' the noble owners of it having invited
him in such a way, that in this juncture he thought it
wrong to decline it, however inconvenient." He re
garded it as proper upon this occasion to drop a hint to
Ikis illustrious friends of the important measure which
he had in contemplation, not without some faint hope
that, in, some shape or other* some little effort might
have been made to serve him, some temporary relief
might have been offered. Happily, no such idea entered

54 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE fjCH. II.
into the minds of the noble inhabitants of that princely
mansion. On the contrary, " his words seemed to them
as idle tales." Nor did it fall within the comprehension
of persons of their high rank and dignity, that it was
possible for a person of Mr. Lindsey's good understand
ing, for the sake of a few trifling scruples, to quit a si
tuation of respectability and affluence, and expose him
self and the person in the world who was the dearest to
him to all the miseries of poverty and dependence. The
disappointment of his expectations from the Duke, and
Dutchess of Northumberland does not appear to have
given Mr. Lindsey one moment's uneasiness. Before
he set out for Alnwick he had written to his friend, " If
God be with us and go along with us in all we do, and
wherever we go, we shall prosper. I trust, I desire to
do his will more ardently than ever." And after his re
turn, August 10, he briefly states : " My late journey
was undertaken in view of my approaching affair, and to
try something towards procuring a viaticum for the pil
grims. But I cannot say it has answered. Nobody will
believe any one can be in earnest to take such a step *."
Mr. Lindsey was no fanatic who fancied merit in vo
luntary poverty. He had enjoyed and had duly valued

* This disappointment was not owing to any personal dislike, or to any
indifference in his noble patrons to the concerns of their venerable friend.
On the contrary, they took a very lively interest in his future fortunes. And
after he came to reside in London, on the very day in which he opened the
chapel in Ess.ex-street, when there was some apprehension that Mr. Lindsey
might incur personal danger, the Dutchess herself called at his humble
apartments, after the morning service, to inquire after the safety of the re.
vered confessor. But these illustrious persons, having offered him the
highest preferment which it was in their power to confer, when Mr. Lindsey
resigned his connexion with the established church, probably considered him
as having placed himself without the sphere of their patronage. Nor did it
occur to theih, nor would Mr. Lindsey's delicacy permit him to insinuate
the most distant hint, to what a state of depression and dependence he had
reduced himself by his magnanimous conduct. Afterwards, when his situa
tion came to be better understood, a liberal present was made to his vene
rated preceptor by the late illustrious possessor of the title, which was con
tinued annually till Mr. Lindsey's decease.

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 55
and improved the blessings of affluence. Nor could any
thing but an imperious sense of duty have induced him
to forego them. He is not, therefore, to be blamed for
using any prudent and honourable means of saving him
self and Mrs. Lindsey from falling at once into an abyss
of poverty,, in which they would be left to struggle with
difficulties unaccustomed and unknown. It could be no
offence to say, " Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
away from me ;" provided that it was added, as in this
case it certainly was, with the most entire resignation of
spirit : " nevertheless, not our will but thine be done."
And it was the wise and merciful design of Providence
that this venerable confessor's faith and principle should
be tried to the utmost. Nor indeed would it have been
possible for Mr. Lindsey's character to have appeared. with
equal brilliancy and effect, nor could the nurity of his own
motives have been so evident, even to himself, if immedi
ately upon his resignation of the vicarage of Catterick he
had found a safe and splendid asylum in Northumberland
House. It was therefore expedient for him, and for the
cause which he had at heart, that he should be taught not
only to be ready, but actually to suffer the loss of all
things for the sake of truth and of a good conscience.
The disappointment at Alnwick Castle produced a very
slight and momentary impression. A far severer conflict
awaited Mr. Lindsey when he came to reveal his purpose
to Mrs. Lindsey's relations, to Archdeacon Blackburne,
her stepfather, who loved her as his own daughter, who
from principle utterly disapproved the measuie of leaving
the church, and who could. express, his disapprobation
with a strength and energy, of language, which, though
it could not shake Mr. Lindsey's purpose,. might greatly
agitate his feelings ; and to Mrs. Blackburne, who, if she
did not disapprove the principle of Mr- Lindsey's con?
duct, would feel most bitterly the inevitable consequence

66 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. II.
— that of tearing from her arms a beloved daughter who,
was the chief solace and support of her advancing years.
This disclosure, so much dreaded, was indeed deferred
by Mr. Lindsey perhaps beyond the time which strict pro
priety would justify, of which his friend at Wakefield ap
pears to have given him a gentle hint. In reply to which,
upon his return from Alnwick, he writes, " In my next
I shall perhaps be able to tell you how the notification is
received by one to whom you wished it to be made."
This communication was made in the month of Septem
ber ; and the result of it, and the impression it made
upon his mind, he thus concisely but feelingly describes
in a letter dated September 17.
" What I said to you then (alluding to his last letter)
I can ill recollect ; for I had been then, and was some
time after, under such agitations of mind in disclosing
a certain important matter to some friends, that I was
hardly master of myself to do any thing properly. Some
thing of this kind I could not avoid even at York. But,
all such trials are now over. Affliction, great, you will
readily believe on the side of a loving mother and justly
beloved daughter, on the prospect of so sudden a remo«
val to such a distance ! But it gives place to better sen
timents, and trust in Providence. I cannot say the matter
is so kindly taken by others. But such things are to be
expected ; and they may be of service to prepare for cold-,
ness, neglect, misrepresentation, and unkindness from
the world, and to lead to depend only on him who never
faileth those who in well doing put their trust in him."
It was about the same time that he communicated his
intention and his motives in a letter to another respect
able correspondent*.
* See the Memoir in the Monthly Magazine, ibid. p. 448. This corre
spondent was the celebrated Dr. John Jebb, so well known and so honour
ably distinguished by the learned and instructive Critical and Theological

OH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 57
" I think," says he, " you must have perceived in my
letters, perhaps in my conversation, a dissatisfiedness
with our ecclesiastical impositions, and a tendency to re
lieve myself from them. This indeed had taken place
long before our association was formed, and the execu
tion only suspended and retarded by it, though some
pleasing expectation was formed, that Providence might
unexpectedly give such a turn to our endeavours as might
make me easy, or give me liberty to make myself easy.
But as my chief dissatisfaction is with those Trinitarian
forms which pervade the whole liturgy, all hope of that
kind is entirely cut off. The resolution I have formed
of retiring has been absolutely fixed for some time, and
will take place in a few months. It was absolutely ne
cessary for my own peace with God, which is to be pre
ferred above all considerations. But I have found great
difficulties and opposition already, and expect to find
Lectures which he delivered at Cambridge ; by his zealous, active, and in
part successful exertions to improve the system of education in the univer
sity, and to excite a laudable spirit of emulation among the students by fre
quent examinations and honorary premiums ; Qnd to abolish or to mitigate
the yoke of subscription to the thirty-nine articles. This gentleman, how
ever, finding his efforts for reformation in a great measure fruitless, resigned
his preferment in the church, and afterwards took his degree in medicine,
and entered upon practice in the metropolis with great reputation and suc
cess ; but he died a few years afterwards, in the meridian of life, at the age
of fifty-three. — See Dr. Disney's interesting Memoir of Dr. Jebb, prefixed
to the collection of his works. Dr. Jebb did not actually quit his situation in
the church till some time after the resignation of his friend Mr, Lindsey.
But it is remarkable that the letters of the two friends, communicating to
each other their respective resolutions to that effect, crossed upon the road.
Dr. Jebb, as he was the active and energetic coadjutor of Mr. Lindsey iri the
business of the clerical association, so he was, with Mr. Turner, his confi
dential friend and adviser in all his subsequent proceedings and difficulties,,
particularly concerning the opening of the chapel in Essex-street, and the
alterations in the Liturgy. Mr. Lindsey also submitted his various publica
tions to the revisal of Dr. Jebb, and derived much benefit from his critical
remarks upon difficult and disputed texts. It was the earnest desire of Mr.
Lindsey that his pious and learned friend should have been associated with.
him as his colleague in Essex-street. But this Dr. Jebb declined ; though
afterwards, when he wa3 settled in London, he was a constant worshiper in
Mr. Lindsey's chapel, and a most zealous and decided advocate for Unitarian
principles, and supporter of the sole worship and unrivalled supremacy of
the One God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

58 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. II.
more. My greatest comfort and support, under God, is
my wife, who is a Christian indeed, and worthy of a bet
ter fate in worldly things than we have a prospect of;
for we leave a station of ease and abundance attended
with many other agreeable circumstances. But, thanks
be to God, we have not given way to ease and indulgence,
and can be content with little."
In the month of October Mr. Lindsey writes to his
friend, " that their courage and trust in God did not re
lax, though difficulties and discouragements increased ;
and that, if these produced the effect of bringing them
nearer to God, and to more entire reliance upon him,
whatever might befall them they would have reason to
be thankful."
On the twelfth of November Mr. Lindsey wrote to his
diocesan Dr. Markham, then bishop of Chester, after*
wards archbishop of York, to inform him of his intention
to resign his vicarage ; and that in a few days he should
wait upon his Lordship with the legal instrument of his
resignation. On the same day he wrote a long letter to
Dr. Jebb, in which he says, " I have never had the least
doubt, from the first moment I resolved on the step I am
now about to take, but that it was right, and my duty. I
have had some subsequent hope too, that it might serve
our cause, and the cause of God's truth. I bless the God
of heaven for myself, and my wife, who is destined to bear
a great part of the burden, that as difficulties increase,
(and they must increase the nearer the time approaches,)
our resolution and courage increase. And I have no
doubt but the promises made to the faithful servants will
be fulfilled to us ; that we shall have strength propor
tioned to our trial and want of it*."
* In another letter to the same friend, dated December 5, 1773, Mr.
Lindsey writes, "I have always had great satisfaction and information in
youf letters, and in your later ones much comfort and encouragement. If I

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 59
On the same day he wrote a letter to his friend Mr.
Turner, who had proposed to recommend him to a con
gregation of liberal dissenters at the Octagon Chapel,
Liverpool, which was then in want of a minister. In
this letter he expresses his deep sense of his friend's kind
ness, and his own further views and purposes, in the fol
lowing terms :
" I must ever say that I have had no such consolation
from any one as from you, during the conflict and trial
which the providence of God has cast upon me. You
have ever been leading to the right point of view, in
which to consider it, and suggesting the most animating
motives for encouragement under it. And not satisfied
with doing this, your last convinces me of your earnest
desire to contribute your endeavours to procure me an
establishment when I quit this, which may preserve some
degree of usefulness which I anxiously wish, and serve
for that worldly support which we shall want. But with
regard to what you kindly suggest, I believe it will be
best to wait, and not lay out for any thing of this kind
at present, though no less obliged to you than if you pro
cured me success in it. My reason is, that my design,
which I specify very particularly in my Tract, is to try to
gather a church of Unitarian Christians out of the esta
blished church. My hope is, that it may please Provi-

had been opposed and condemned by all my friends, by all the world, in what
I have been long meditating and have now accomplished, I must have done
it. The track of duty was so plain and straight, I must have been abandoned
to every moral principle not to have gone in it. I have no doubt I shall have
increasing >y in what I have done, to the latest day of my life. And I feel
myself delivered from a load which has long lain heavy upon me, and at
times nearly overwhelmed me. I shall be still more happy if what I thought
myself called upon to speak to the public in my own behalf, but more in the
cause of oppressed truth, may but serve its interests. The bishop of Ches
ter my diocesan, has behaved with great friendliness, and kindly wished and
sought to have prevented my taking such a step. And the same has been
endfavoured by other great friends lately, and various expedients proposed.
But I now only wonder I did not sooner make my retreat ; and I am per
suaded that will be the general cry of many when they see my book.

60 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
dence to excite some Philadelphians in our church to
favour such a design. And when I go to town, which
will be in the beginning of the winter, I shall do all I can
to forward it; with hope, I said before, not very sanguine
however, for serious religion is not the tone and temper
of the times. But attempts must be made in such mat
ters oftentimes when there are even greater improbabili
ties of accomplishing them. I could wish, and I think
it my duty, to be instrumental in bringing those who are
now in the darkness in which I was bred up, to the ac
knowledgement and worship of the One true God, through
the mediation and according to the true doctrine of our
Saviour Christ, rather than attach myself to those who
are already emancipated from that darkness. And we are
willing to expend what little we have for that end for a
year or two in town, and make the trial. Should it fail,
I should be glad to be useful in any congregation where ,
the worship of the true God is allowed and professed.
As to future provision, though gloomy thoughts for a mo
ment have sometimes come across the mind, we have no
doubt but our own industry and the friends that Provi
dence will raise will furnish every thing needful for it.
" On Sunday last I took my leave of two of the chapels
in my parish that lie at a good distance off, near the moors,
a poor simple-minded people, who much affected me by
the concern they showed and expressed in words at my
telling them that I should never more speak to them from
that place ; and all desired to have the little Tract which
I mentioned I should distribute amongst them, and which
would give them an account of the reasons why I left;
them*."

• This excel ent and affecting little Tract, from which large extracts have
been made in the preceding part of this Memoir, was originally intended for
private circulation only among Mr. Lindsey's parishioners, but bv the desire
of many judicious, friends it was afterwards published. Mr Turnw in a

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. fjl
"With such deliberate and cheerful resolution," say$
his worthy correspondent in a letter to a friend dated a
few days afterwards, "does this confessor to what he con
ceives to be the truth of the gospel resign a certain esta
blishment for dependence and poverty. The glorious
letter to a friend (Mr. Astley of Chesterfield) to whom he sent a copy of this
Farewell Address, says, " I think you will be pleased with the simplicity of
the composition, as well as With the integrity and goodness of heart mani
fested in it. In short, it bears the very spirit and character of the man." Of
the effect produced by it in the district where it was first circulated Mr. Lind
sey thus expresses himself in a letter to Dr. Jebb, dated December 5, 1 773 :
" I may not omit to mention, though I ought not perhaps to do it, but you
will be glad to know that my resignation has excited a spirit of serious in
quiry not only in this parish but in this neighbourhood to a pretty wide ex
tent. The little sheet I gave away is much Sought for, and all seem to think
it a sore thing that we should not be ruled by the Bible alone, and that their
ministers should be put on praying to any but the true God whom the holy
prophets prayed to, and our Saviour Christ not only prayed to himself, but
Ordered us to pray to the Heavenly Father and no other. ' He adds : " To
my great surprise I have found, at this trial of them, all my large parish, even
the honest and serious day labourers, not only petitioners, but Unitarians."
It may perhaps be doubted whether this excellent man was not somewhat too
sanguine in the credit he gave to the effect produced by his doctrine and ex
ample upon the mass of his parishioners. At any rate, it is to be feared that
the valuable impression is now almost if not altogether effaced. The good
seed fell by the way side and the fowls of the air devoured it, or among thorns
which grew up and choked it, or on stony ground' where it soon withered.
Haply some may have fallen on good ground, where in the shade of obscurity,
unknown and unnoticed by the world, but not unobserved by that eye to which
all things are open, it may still diffuse a refreshing fragrance and bring forth
abundant fruit.
How much the parishioners were affected by their separation from their
beloved and venerated pastor, may be learned from the following testimony
of one who was present at his valedictory discourse. " Indeed," says the
writer, " I think no one could hear that sermon without being struck and
affected. The whole congregation was dissolved in tears ; even children
caught the infection ; and the old men crowded about the church door when
the. preacher passed along, as if the peace of their few remaining days de
pended on a farewell benediction." " His life," says one of his near neigh
bours, a man of sense and education, in reply to some foolish and anonymous
calumnies in the York Chronicle, " and conversation have been uniform and
consistent, without spot or blemish, and his active and devout disposition of
mind has rendered him no less eminently gt;eat than useful. Those who
knew him best admired him most. He did not, like too many of his profes
sion, merely preach, but he practised virtue. His example was as worthy
imitation as his precepts. Most assiduous and attentive in every department
of his holy function, he was an ornament to the church, and the most rare ex
ample of disinterested integrity which this age or perhaps this country has
produced. Far unlike our modern churchmen, whose views are all directed
on preferments, the kingdom that he sought was not of this world. He
yearly expended in acts of noble benevolence the whole revenue of his vieai>

62 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. II.
triumvirate, Robertson, Chambers*, and Lindsey, do ho
nour to Christianity and the present age. You will be
surprised and grieved at the following particulars which
Mr.  of  lately gave me in a letter. Archdea-
age, which he reluctantly resigned- because he could not reconcile himself
to the glaring inconsistencies of a liturgy to which, while he continued in the
church, he found himself obliged to conform." — See a letter in the York
Chronicle for February 1 774, signed A Layman, written by Mr. Metcalfe, no-
tary public, of Richmond, who received Mr. Lindsey's resignation. Inalet-
ter to a friend at York, dated December 3, 1 773, Mr. Lindsey with his usual
humility and kindness of heart expresses himself thus : " Great are their la
mentations at our leaving them, far more than we expected. But I attribute
it chiefly to the great loss they will have in my wife, who will not soon be re
placed." * William Chambers, D.D. Rector of Achurch near Oundle in North
amptonshire, formerly of St. John's College in the university of Cambridge,
where Mr. Lindsey commenced a friendship with him which continued un
abated through life. Dr. C. is described by his friend as having a mind
above all sordid love of gain, who knew no other use of his fortune than to
make others happy. He was remarkable for a constant cheerfulness and
innocent pleasantry which much enlivened conversation. His mind was al
ways open to conviction ; he had a thirst after all useful knowledge, and
spared no pains nor cost to attain it. Yet still he was most concerned about
what related to God, how best to serve and make him known. He was
deeply impressed with a sense of the truth and importance of the doctrine
of the divine Unity ; and was zealous to diffuse and impart his light and
knowledge to others. He had long determined never to renew his sub
scription to the articles, and upon this ground had declined considerable
preferment in London, which had been offered him by a noble Earl his're-
lation. He did not, however, think it necessary to follow his venerable
friend's example of resigning his living; but he altered the liturgy in accom
modation to his own views of scriptural worship, and he made it so perfectly
Unitarian that Mr. Lindsey professes that the only time that he visited his
friend after his own settlement in London, he attended public worship in his
church with great satisfaction. If these innovations had been officially no
ticed, Dr. Chambers was fully prepared to have given up his living rather
than have violated his conscience. But such were the popularity of his cha
racter and the moderation of his worthy diocesan Dr. Hinchcliffe, that he met
with no molestation. This excellent man died of an apoplexy September 4,
1777- He left a widow who survived him upwards of thirty years, and
three children, two sons and a daughter, who inherit his virtues. Dr. Cham
bers had a near relation who was a merchant in London, who had a country
house at Morden in Surry, where he lived with two unmarried sisters, ladies
possessed of uncommon intellectual attainments, and whose characters were
most exemplary. In this family Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey were accustomed to
pass the greater part of the summer ; and to these ladies Mr. Lindsey de
dicated his last work, Conversations upon the Divine Government, " in gra
titude," as he expresses it, "for unwearied offices of the' most disinterested
friendship for near thirty years to himself and Mrs. Lindsey, and in testimony
for their enlightened zeal for the worship of the one true God, and a constant
unostentatious readiness to do good." See Mr. Lindsey's Historical View,
p.' 486.

CH. II.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 63
con Blackburne thinks Mr. Lindsey wrong ; that his re
signation will not benefit the common cause; that he
should have made it sooner ; that the public has nothing
to do with his reasons and apologies ; and says, that when
he has quitted Catterick he and his wife will have no more
than twenty pounds a-year, and the interest of, a very
small sum of monev."
This is a noble testimony from the best authority to
the disinterestedness of Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey, and to
the difficulties which they had to struggle with ; but for
a good conscience they left all, and for the sake of Christ
and his word they forsook father and mother. And hap-
pily the learned archdeacon himself, who now so much dis
approved their conduct, afterwards saw reason to retract
his judgement, and if he could not altogether approve,
at least he ceased to condemn and learned to acquiesce. •
The venerable diocesan received the intelligence of
Mr. Lindsey's intended resignation with much regret,
and endeavoured, by every argument and motive which
zeal and friendship could suggest, to retain in the church
so bright an ornament to the established priesthood. But
his efforts, though well intended, were unavailing. Mr.
Lindsey's resolution. had been formed upon deliberation
too mature, and upon principles too sacred and too firmly
riveted,, to be in the least degree shaken' by the argu
ments or expostulations, of the worthy prelate; who-
frankly and, honourably acknowledged, when the deed of
resignation . was at last delivered' in at the end of the
month, that he had lost the most exemplary parochial
minister in his diocese*.
Thus did Mr. and Mrs- Lindsey,' in obedience to the
voice of enlightened conscienqe, resign their beloved re
sidence at Catterick, with all its secular advantages and"
comforts, and with their little pittance of private property;"

* N. B. For.the interesting. correspondence between Mr. Lindsey and his
worthy diocesan, see Appendix, No. IV.

64 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. III.
set out in the bleak month of December in search of a
resting-place where they might be able to maintain them
selves by honourable industry^ and might best promote
the great doctrine of the Divine Unity and the sole un
rivalled supremacy of the Father.
The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide.

CHAPTER III.
FROM MR. LINDSEY'S RESIGNATION OF CATTERICK, TO
THE OPENING OF THE CHAPEL IN ESSEX-STREET.
Indeed they soon found that the diminution of income
was not the only difficulty with which they had to con
tend. In the days of their prosperity, and while they
continued in connexion with the established church, they
had many warm friends who gladly received them at all
times into their houses, and entertained them hospitably,
and many of whom concurred with Mr. Lindsey in the
application to parliament for relief from subscription.
But now the case was quite altered. Former friends
looked coldly upon them ; and some, of whom better
things might have been expected, whose conduct was
silently reproved by the magnanimous example of Mr.
Lindsey, were not sparing in loud and strong expressions
of disapprobation of what they were pleased to term the
precipitancy and imprudence of his conduct in aban
doning a situation of respectability and usefulness in the
church ; and not a few were willing to leave them to
their fate. Some indeed of Mrs. Lindsey's more opu
lent relations offered to provide for her an asylum and
competence, if she would abandon the society and the
fortunes of her husband. It is needless to say that such a
proposal'was rejected with the indignation it deserved.

CH. III.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 65
From Catterick "the pilgrims" first went to Bedale
to Mrs. Harrison's, and the next day to Wakefield, ac
companied by their accomplished friend who had drank
deeply into the same spirit, Miss Harrison, now Mrs.
Cappe, to pass a day or two in the society of the venera
ble Mr. Turner, to enjoy the benefit of his sympathy,
his counsels, his consolations, and his prayers. Of this
delightful and instructive visit this excellent man gives
the following account in a letter to an intimate friend :
" Since I wrote to you last I had the pleasure of Mr.
and Mrs. Lindsey's company one whole day and part of
another. They bath appeared very cheerful, consider
ing that they were launching into untried scenes of an
uncertain world, with hopes far from sanguine of the
success of the scheme they had proposed, and conse
quently of obtaining the very means of subsistence. But
confiding in the care of him who promised, ' Whosoever
shall confess me before men, him will I also confess,'
&c. they both, and particularly Mrs. Lindsey, seemed
to exult in having broke loose from ecclesiastical thral
dom and gained mental liberty, and expressed much in
dignation against those who, having been educated in
liberty of inquiry, and instructed in the value of it, have
for the sordid considerations of this world submitted to
shackles and to servitude."
From their hospitable friends at Wakefield, where they
took an affectionate leave of their amiable fellow-traveller,
Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey proceeded to Aston, near York,
the residence of the reverend William Mason, the cele
brated poet, the friend and biographer of Gray, who
entertained them for a week at his house with great cor
diality ; — though the conduct of Mr. Lindsey in resign
ing his living was much canvassed at York, where Mr.
Mason was precentor of the cathedral, and was much
condemned by some who were in repute for wisdom, who
F

66 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. III.
spoke of him "as a well-meaning person,, who would
have done much less harm to society if he had never
gone into the church at all*."
To York Mr. Lindsey had sent his library, which he
consigned to the care of his friend Mr. Cappe, to be sold
in order to raise a temporary supply for the support of
himself and Mrs. Lindsey; having reserved for himself
a small number of books only for immediate usef."
* Whatever might be the language of these wise judges in their select
parties concerning Mr. Lindsey, none of them were so indiscreet as to pub
lish their censures of his character and conduct excepting one, Dr. William
Cooper, a dignitary of the cathedral at York, and brother to Grey Cooper,
Esq. M.P. who had also been a college friend of Mr. Lindsey. This Dr.
Cooper, amongst others, made great interest to obtain the. vicarage of Cat
terick upon Mr. Lindsey's resignation. But not being successful in his
suit, the living being given to Dr. Chaytor, the brother-in-law of Mr.
Robinson, Lord North's private secretary, this worthy dignitary grew very
angry that the living was resigned at all : and in the York Chronicle of Ja
nuary 28, 1774, under the signature of Erasmus, he published a most foolish
and furious invective against Mr. Lindsey. It begins thus : " Before yoa
attempt to amend the liturgy, amend the articles, or amend any thing else,
— you would do well, in the judgement of all rational beings, to amend your
mode of writing, and, what is of more consequence, to amend your mode of
thinking. But I cry your mercy. You cannot err,- illuminated sir ; you
have had a divine impulse," &c. Andagain: "If you had either the courage,
or the goodness of heart, to let us know what your real sentiments are, 'tis
more than probable that we should deservedly hold you in extreme con
tempt," &c.
Such despicable and outrageous rant merited nothing but " extreme con
tempt." However, it had its use. It brought forward a host of advocates
in defence of the fair fame of the absent and calumniated confessor. In the
foremost rank of these were the reverend N. Cappe, of York, and the re
verend W. Turner, of Wakefield. To the credit of the order, and the still
greater credit of Mr. Lindsey's unimpeachable and spotless character, not
one of the clergy of the established church, how much soever they might be
offended with Mr. Lindsey's doctrine or his secession, stood forward to jois
in the attack, or to assist a distressed brother. They prudently and silently
left him to his fate. And the miserable assailant, having in vain attempted
under different signatures to maintain his ground and to defend his eharge,
after being detected, defeated, and exposed in every shape that he assumed',
was in the end compelled to retire from the field, humbled, confounded, and
disgraced. Nor does it appear that this officious, and malignant, zeal for.
the church was at that time thought worthy of additional preferment.
That every body did not entertain the same opinion of Mr. Lindsey's cost-
duct as Dr. Cooper and his associates at York, appears from some letters
written to Mr. Lindsey upon this interesting occasion, which are inserted id
the Appendix ; one of which is from Mr. Grey Cooper himself, the brother
of Dr. C. and the friend of Lord North. App. No. V.
f This, no doubt, select and valuable collection, at that time produced no
more than the scanty pittance of £38.

CH. III.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 6?
From Aston, Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey went to Swinder-
by, near Newark, where they made a transient visit to
Mr. afterwards Dr. Disney, a clergyman of great learn
ing and respectability, who was an active member of the
Association at the Feathers Tavern. He shortly after
wards married Miss Blackburne, the daughter of the
learned Archdeacon of Cleveland, and half-sister to Mrs.
Lindsey, who, much to her honour, expressed upon all
occasions her high approbation of the step which Mr.
Lindsey had taken ; and with the generosity and ardour
which belonged to her character, she defended the prin
ciples and the conduct of her calumniated friends. Dr.
Disney himself was at that time much dissatisfied with
many things in the established liturgy ; but he contented
himself with making the alterations which he thought
necessary, leaving it to his ecclesiastical superiors to ani
madvert upon him as they might think fit. This con
duct, however, did not prove ultimately satisfactory to
his ingenuous mind, and a few years afterwards he bore
his faithful testimony to Christian truth by following the
shining example of Mr. Lindsey, in resigning his prefer
ments and prospects in the established church. Of the
process of mind which led to this honourable conclusion,
Dr. Disney has given an interesting narrative in a small
tract, which he published upon the occasion *.
While Mr. Lindsey continued at Swinderby he met
with and transcribed the alterations proposed by Dr.
Clarke in the established liturgy, which he at that time
intended to print, but which he afterwards made the
foundation of the improvements in the reformed liturgy
which he introduced at Essex-Street.
From Swinderby the travellers directed their steps to
Achurch, in Northamptonshire, the rectory and residence

* This tract is in the Catalogue of those which are circulated by the Lon
don Unitarian Society. 1 2

68 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. III.
of their highly valued friend Dr. Chambers. In their
road, they passed one day with Mr. Lindsey's sister, who
was married to Mr. Harrison, an eminent grazier in
Leicestershire. This venerable lady, three years older
than her brother, and the exact model of him in piety
and benevolence, is still living, (A. D. 1810,) meekly
and with humble resignation bending under the infirmi
ties of ninety years.
From Achurch, he writes to Dr. Jebb in a letter dated
January 1, 1774, " I cannot but rejoice in your full ap
probation of my conduct hitherto, and future plan, and
feel myself continually encouraged by it. I have from
the first entertained a feeble imagination that, perhaps,
I might have an honourable coadjutor in the friend I am
writing .to for an Unitarian chapel, if it should meet with
the patronage which some promise it." He adds, " Our
common friend and present host is most heartily with
us in every thing." The patronage to which Mr. Lindsey
alludes, was probably that of which he received intelli
gence from Dr. Priestley, who was then in London with
Lord Shelburne, and indefatigable in his exertions to
serve his friend, and to promote his design of opening a
chapel in London, and whose sanguine spirit led him,
perhaps, to rely rather too much upon the promises of
the great. In a letter to Mr. Turner he writes : " All
my friends are very sanguine in favour of Mr. Lindsey's
Unitarian Chapel. Dr. Franklin says he knows several
persons of distinction who will wish to encourage it, and
several have proposed to subscribe to it. His Farewell
Address I have just read, and was much affected with it:
and so was Lord Shelburne, to whom I showed it. He
is very desirous to see him as soon as he comes to Lon
don." This, no doubt, was encouraging. But it will
appear in the sequel that the persons to whom Dr.
Priestley alludes, were not those to whose exertions and

CH. III.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 09
support Mr. Lindsey was most indebted for the execu
tion of the scheme which he had so much at heart.
At Achurch Mr. Lindsey finished the revisal of the
last sheet of his Apology, which was published the be
ginning of January, notwithstanding the remonstrances
of Archdeacon Blackburne, who was apprehensive that
it might be of disservice to the cause of the petitioning
clergy. To this objection Mr. Lindsey paid no atten
tion, justly remarking, that if the Apology was to pro
duce any effect, its publication must be immediate, while
the occasion of it was fresh in memory. " To suspend
it now," says he in a letter to a friend, " would be to
sink it for ever." And as he conceived that such a work
was necessary for his own vindication, and, what in his
estimation was of far greater moment, that it would be
of use for the promulgation of truth, he also hoped that
it would contribute to promote, rather than obstruct, the
object of the associated clergy.
The design of this excellent treatise, as set forth in
the preface, " was not barely to offer a vindication of the
motives, conduct, and sentiments of a private person
upon the subject of it, however important to him, but
to promote that charity without which a faith that can
remove mountains is nothing, and to excite some to
piety, virtue, and integrity."
It begins with some strictures upon the origin of the
doctrine of the Trinity, and the opposition it met with
to the time of the Reformation. It then treats of the
state of the Unitarian doctrine, in our own country more
especially, from the sera of the Reformation, with an ac
count of those Christians who have professed it; and
proceeds to prove that there is but One God, the Father,
and that religious worship is to be offered to this One
jGod, the Father, only. In the next chapter it states the
causes of this unhappy defection among Christians, from

70 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. III.
the simplicity of religious worship prescribed in the scrip
tures of the New Testament. It then shows how union
in God's true worship is to be attained, and concludes
with a modest and concise but affecting detail of the
writer's particular case and difficulties. The work, the
first in which the venerable author publicly adventured
to defend his unpopular tenets, is drawn up with great;
care, and with much simplicity and candour. It breathes
throughout an excellent spirit of piety and benevolence.
It was revised with great attention by Mr. Turner ; and
in the judgement of every serious and impartial person,
whether agreeing or disagreeing with the writer in his
peculiar principles, it contains a complete and masterly
vindication of his conduct in withdrawing from his si
tuation in the established church. This Apology, in
less than ten years, passed through four editions.
On the 10th of January, 1774, Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey
arrived at London, having spent a day or two in their
way at Paxton with Mr. Lindsey's old college friend,
Richard Reynolds, Esq. who having imbibed the prin
ciples and the spirit of the virtuous protector of his youth,
and his esteem and affection for his venerable friend
having been if possible increased by his late noble act of
disinterested virtue, received him and his fellow-traveller,
and fellow-sufferer upon the present occasion, with rer
doubled satisfaction*.

* While he was at Paxton, Mr. Lindsey received intelligence of the sudden
decease of Thomas Hollis, Esq. the celebrated and zealous friend to liberty,
civil and religious. Of this gentleman Archdeacon Blackburne published an
interesting Memoir in two volumes in quarto. He was the friend and con
fidential correspondent of Mr. Lindsey, under the assumed title of Pierce
Delver. He was the ready and liberal patron of all who were in distress,
aid particularly of those who suffered in the cause of civil and religious li
berty, or for the sake of truth and a good conscience. It cannot be doubted^
that, had his life been continued, he would have extended a liberal patron
age to Mr. Lindsey. Happily the venerable confessor did not stand in need
of it. Some curious extracts from the correspondence of this virtuous and
honourable man are cited in the notes to this work, and a specimen or two
in the Appendix, l^o. VI.

CH. III.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 71
Upon their arrival at London they proceeded by par
ticular invitation to Dr. Ramsden's, then in an inferior
situation, afterwards the worthy Master of the Charter
House, a gentleman of great learning and probity, and
of the most liberal principles ; who rose to the honour
able office which he occupied by no other interest than
that of personal merit, and who was not afraid of ha
zarding his reputation and his preferment by affording
an asylum to his ex-beneficed friend. Here they were
very hospitably entertained for ten days or a fortnight,
till they had provided themselves with decent but humble
lodgings, being two rooms on a ground-floor, in Fea-
therstone Buildings, Holborn, where they now fixed their
abode, and sold the plate which they had brought with
them to London to purchase necessaries for present sub
sistence. But the scene soon began to brighten. Though few
comparatively of Mr. Lindsey's former friends visited or
noticed him in his voluntary retirement ; though some,
whose principles nearly coincided with his own, but
whose timidity and half-measures were condemned, not
by his language, for he was the humblest and most
candid of mankind, and very far indeed from making his
own conduct a law to others, but by his bright and edi
fying example, not only gave no encouragement to the
plan he had in contemplation, but openly and without
reserve-expressed their disapprobation of it : he neverthe
less met with great approbation and support from quarters
where it was least expected. Many persons both of the
establishment and among the dissenters, perfect strangers
to Mr. Lindsey, deeply impressed with veneration for
his character, and admiration of the noble sacrifice which
he had made for the sake of truth and conscience, vi
sited him in his humble lodgings to testify their regard
to him, and to offer their services in any way in which

72 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. III.
they might be of use. And when they heard of Mr.
Lindsey's design of opening a chapel for the worship of
theone God, the Father of Jesus Christ, many expressed
their warm approbation and their active hearty concur
rence in 'the execution of the design. Some promised
to indemnify Mr. Lindsey in making the experiment.
Others, and chiefly among the rational dissenters, sub
scribed liberally towards the design. Dr. Priestley and
Dr. Price were active and zealous friends. Samuel Shore,
Esq. then of Norton Hall, now of Meersbrook, in York
shire, whose name ranks high among the advocates for
civil and religious liberty, the patrons of truth and sci
ence, and the friends of pure and practical Christianity,
called upon Mr. Lindsey with a present of a hundred
pounds from a friend whose name was then concealed,
but since known to have been Robert Newton, Esq. of
Norton House*, whose delight was to spend the income
of a large estate in doing good in the most private
manner possible, and from the shade of retirement to
* Robert Nevvton, Esq. of Norton House : of the character of this emi
nently benevolent roan, the following interesting sketch is given by his in
timate acquaintance the reverend W, Turner, of Wakefield, to Mr. Lindsey,
in a letter dated June 14, 1777 :
" Robert Newton, Esq. is a near neighbour to Mr. Shore in the same
village, aged about sixty-six or sixty-seven, and a bachelor of large fortune,
I have known him since the year 1 732, when, and for two or three years
afterwards, we were fellow«pupils under Dr. Latham, at Findern, near Derby.
His mother lost her husband when she was pregnant of this son, and gave
30 much way to grief for that event, as was supposed to have an ill effect
on the constitution of her child. He has always had very weak nerves and
uneven spirits, but generally a prevailing hypochondria. For many years
past he has been telling his friends that he should soon give them the slip :
but in the mean time he has looked well and grown bulky. When any ex
traordinary case, particularly for the service of his friends, called for it, he
could exert as much vigour, activity, and resolution as any man. To an ex
ertion of this kind the two Miss  owed their fortunes. They had an un
happy brother, of either defective understanding or capricious or bad tem
per, or both, who being passed his majority, and a student at Edinburgh,
died there. Immediately an episcopal clergyman, in whose house he had
boarded, pretended that Mr.  had married his daughter, and made a will
by which he had bequeathed all his fortune to her absolutely. When the
family was informed of this, Mr. Newton, having furnished himself with
proper power, and being also a guardian and trustee, set off express, met

CH. III.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 73
scatter blessings upon his fellow creatures. To this
princely donation of Mr. Newton, Mr. Shore generously
added a very liberal present of his own ; and to the end
of Mr. Lindsey's life he continued the warm personal
friend, and the firm and liberal supporter of him and his
cause. In this way a sum was very soon subscribed
adequate to every purpose which Mr. Lindsey had in
view. And by the exertions of the late Mr. Joseph
Johnson of St. Paul's Churchyard, a room was soon
found and taken in Essex House, Essex-street, which
having before been used as an auction-room might at a
moderate expense be fitted up as a temporary chapel.
In a letter to Mr. Turner dated February 9, 1774, Mr.
Lindsey thus expresses himself:
" Dr. Priestley is indefatigable in his endeavours ; and
to him, Dr. Price, and other friends of theirs, it will be
owing that the matter is brought to bear at last, as they
kindly offer by subscription of their friends to indemnify

the corpse on the road which they were bringing to be deposited in the fa
mily burying-place, arrested and secured it ; went forward to Edinburgh,
made diligent inquiry, discovered many suspicious circumstances, and partly
by remonstrances, and partly by threats of a legal discussion at the expense
of his own whole fortune, prevailed upon the Scotch pretenders, in consi
deration of a few ready thousands, to relinquish their whole claim. He then
returned with great satisfaction and honour, and ordered the corpse to pro
ceed to the family burial place. For such a service, all the connexions of
the family owe and pay him great esteem and gratitude. Mr. S. says, Na
ture formed him for a soldier ; and that as a commander, and especially as
a partisan, he would certainly have distinguished himself. When younger,
he made little of riding from his own house to Scarborough in one day ;
supping, and perhaps dancing there till midnight with a party of his friends,
and would then remount and return next day. Like sudden excursions and
returns, to and from London, Bath, Bristol, and even abroad, were common
with him, — and all the while he was dying. From all the above circumstances
you will easily conclude he must have had some humours, and even whims ;
but they have always been very innocent, and only laughable. He has al
ways been very steady in his friendships, of which Mr. H. a dissenting mi
nister at Mansfield, who for many years has been his most familiar friend
and companion both when at home and in many of his excursions, has had,
I doubt not, ample experience. — So much for your generous back-friend Mr.
Newton, who, as a friend of mine said of another person, delights to do such
extraordinary good deeds and nobody must know ! I need not caution, you
not to draw the curtain behind which he chooses to conceal himself."

74 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE ^ [CH. Ill,
me on the first outset. If it be of God, as I trust it is,
it will succeed. But should it fail, some good I still
persuade myself will result, and others will easier take it
up and proceed better. I desire the help of your prayers
for illumination and direction now and always." In
another letter dated March 17, to the same friend in re
ference to his Apology, he writes, " Your earnest prayers
are desired for the writer, that he may persevere to the
end and be found faithful unto death : and with him one
other also to be joined, whose trial has been and is the
same or greater." And in the same letter, after ac
knowledging Mr. Turner's kind and successful recom
mendation of his undertaking to some generous friends
at Wakefield and elsewhere, he adds, " I have reason to
say, and have said it to more persons than one of late,
that I have had the gospel promise of the hundred fold
in the number of friends increased in this world ; and
should an evil day of persecution come, they would be
a great consolation in it. This, indeed, is what some
forebode, especially when our new form of worship is
set up." In his next letter dated April 5, after acknow
ledging the liberality of Mr. Milnes, and relating the
munificence of the gentlemen of Norton, he writes, " We
compute that two hundred pounds will nearly fit up and
pay the rent of our chapel for two years. Behold then
this sum nearly supplied by a few generous hands. I am
thankful. But I am sorry to say they are all, one ex
cepted, not of the established church."
In this letter Mr. Lindsey notices to his friend a very
honourable invitation which he had lately received to
settle with a dissenting congregation at Norwich, which,
however, it did not comport with his present plans and
purposes to accept.
As soon as Mr. Lindsey was settled, and especially
after he had met with such great encouragement to pur-

CH. III.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 75
sue his primary purpose, he began in good earnest to
draw up his Reformed Liturgy, very much upon the plan
of Dr. Clarke's, but with considerable variations and im
provements adapted to his own more correct and ex
tended views of Christian doctrine, and of the mode of
conducting Christian worship. Many of his timid and
lukewarm brethren earnestly recommended to him to
adhere without any variation to Dr. Clarke's copy, that
every innovation might be introduced under the sanction
of the venerable name of that learned and eminent theo
logian. But Mr. Lindsey had advanced too far to be de
terred by the fear of calumny, or to adopt error because
it was supported by a great name. Indeed, though he
was far from wishing to introduce any unnecessary change
in the public service, he justly thought that it would be
very inconsistent in him, who had resigned a lucrative
situation in the established church principally because of
his objections to the public liturgy, now that he was at
full liberty to choose for himself, to compromise his
principles by adopting a form which was open to many
objections, solely because it was the work of Dr. Samuel
Clarke. Rejecting therefore every proposal of this na
ture, and judiciously resolving upon carrying Dr. Clarke's.
own principle of reform to what appeared to him to be
its proper extent, he requested the assistance of his friend
Mr. Turner in this important undertaking; but he chiefly
relied upon the able cooperation and prudent advice of
his friends.Dr. Jebb, Mr. Tyrwhit, and a few other learned
and liberal members of the university of Cambridge; and
with their aid, in conjunction with his own indefatigable
exertions, the Reformed Liturgy was compiled and printed
ready for use by the middle of April 1774.
When it came to be generally known that it was Mr.
Lindsey's intention to open a chapel upon principles,
strictly Unitarian, with a reformed liturgy, great offence

76 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. III.
was taken by many, and means used but without effect
to intimidate this magnanimous confessor from the exe
cution of his purpose. It was even intimated to him
that the civil power would interpose to frustrate his de
sign. But none of these things moved him ; nor could
any worldly consideration induce him to abandon what
he regarded as the line of duty. " Our church-superiors,"
says he in a letter to Mr. Turner dated February 9, " are
said to glory in laying every thing to sleep. I doubt not
but it will appear that their policy is as much mistaken
as their Christian principle is certainly defective in this
respect. Our design of a reformed liturgy is much spoken
against by them, and highly condemned as forward, schis-
matical, and I know not what, and intimations given as if
such an attempt would not be suffered. But these things
deter not one person, and I hope they will not others."
Of the methods which were used to intimidate and di
vert him from his purpose Mr. Lindsey mentions an ex
ample in a letter to Dr. Jebb, dated February 28 : " If
it were not making an obscure man of too much import
ance, I might tell you that two of the Commons' House
have desired to see me, and to divert me from a design
which will turn that general compassion now shown to
wards me, into open hostility and hatred. I wish no
other situation but that in which I may be made instru
mental in removing the shocking snares that are in the
way of conscientious men, and the impure idolatries of
Christian worship."
That many of the friends of the established hierarchy,
and that some persons who were of great consideration
in the government, entertained no small anxiety with re
spect to the consequences of Mr. Lindsey's public se
cession from the church, there is great reason to believe.
The spirit of inquiry and of reformation was then abroad,
and it could not be foreseen how far the generous con-

CH. HI. J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 77
tagion would spread. And who could say that another
glorious Bartholomew day might not be added to the ca
lendar of English martyrology, and that hundreds might
not be stimulated by the noble example of this truly pri
mitive confessor to resign their preferment, like their pre
decessors in the preceding century, for the sake of a good
conscience ! The time however was not yet come. And
there is no reason to believe that there ever existed in
the minds of men in power a design or a wish to molest
Mr. Lindsey. They had too much understanding, and
too accurate a knowledge of human nature and of his
tory, not to be aware that persecution, if it does not ex
tend to extermination, promotes the interest of the per
secuted sect. And in fact Lord North,- who was then at
the head of the administration, and the rigour of whose
high-church principles was counterbalanced by the sua
vity of his temper, avowed his wish without hesitation
that every one should be permitted to go to heaven in
his own way, provided that the public peace was not dis
turbed. And though, upon the opening of the chapel
in Essex-street, an emissary of Government was known
for some time to attend the public service regularly, in
order to communicate information to persons in power ;
yet when it was discovered that nothing was either taught
or done contrary to the allegiance due to the state, and
likewise that few of the dissatisfied clergy were disposed
to follow Mr. Lindsey's example, and that the obnoxious
principles were not likely to gain over many proselytes,
ministers of state wisely ceased to trouble themselves
about Essex Chapel, and suffered the new sect quietly to
immerge and to find its level in the vast mass of religious
dissentients. Nor indeed, if the governing party had
been so unwise as to have urged a prosecution, can it be
with reason supposed that a sovereign who began his
reign with the memorable declaration that he would

78 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. III.
"maintain the toleration inviolable ;" and who in the
course of a long, an agitated, and an eventful admini
stration has never in a single instance violated his pro
mise, would for a moment have lent his countenance to
so unjust and cruel a procedure.
But though the tolerant spirit of the times, together
with the wisdom and lenity of the superior and more
enlightened functionaries of the state, imposed a re
straint upon the spirit of persecution, there were not
wanting some busy ignorant people in the inferior de
partments of magistracy, who, " dressed in a little brief
authority," were anxious to show their zeal for the church,
their loyalty to the crown, and their own official conse
quence, by crushing Mr. Lindsey's design at the moment
of its execution, and by attempting with equal malignity
and folly to nullify the provisions of an Act of Parliament
by the decrees of a petty sessions. The Westminster Jus
tices hesitated to grant a license for opening the chapel.
The place was fitted up, the Liturgy was printed, and
all was in readiness for performing divine service early
in the month of April ; but as the Justices did not meet
till Easter Tuesday, April 5th, the place could not be
legally registered till that day, and it was necessary to
defer opening the chapel till the Sunday following. On
the day of meeting, application was made in due forrri
to the Justices assembled at Hicks's Hall to register the
chapel as a place of dissenting worship. But these gen
tlemen returned for answer, that they were holding a ses
sions for the county of Middlesex, and that, the chapel
being situated in Westminster, the application for a
license must be made to the Westminster magistrates,
who would not sit till Monday. This was a great dis
appointment ; and many of Mr. Lindsey's friends urged
him to open the chapel without waiting for the license.
But his great legal adviser John Lee, Esq. warmly re-

CH. III.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 79
monstrated against.it, as giving his opponents an undue
advantage, and earnestly recommended to him to keep
as closely as possible within the limits of the law. It
was therefore agreed to defer performing divine service
in the chapel till the Sunday following.
On the day appointed, application was made to the
Bench of Justices holding their session for Westminster,
at Hicks's Hall, for a license to open the chapel in Essex-
street as a place of worship. What passed upon that
occasion was so remarkable and instructive, that I shall
set it down as it is detailed in a letter from Mr. Lindsey to
Dr. Jebb, dated the very day that the license was promised.
" I have the pleasure of assuring you that our difficul
ties are over, and we certainly begin (may it be with the
divine blessing upon us!) on Sunday next. But we
have not succeeded without striking with the great ham
mer, if I may so speak. For this morning Mr. Johnson
the bookseller went, according as he was appointed, to
Hicks's Hall, and was there at the opening of the court.
He got the clerk to move for him that he was waiting to
have our entry recorded as the court had given him rea
son to expect. But Lord Ward, who was that day in
the chair, said it was a matter of some deliberation, and
must be set over till the next meeting, i. e. Saturday.
It appeared from hence that they would put us off civilly,
and leave us in the lurch at last. I met Johnson com
ing out of the court, and took him with me to Mr. Lee,
who was engaged at Guildhall, where I found him plead
ing before Chief Justice De Grey. I got to him, how
ever, and told him our situation. He said it did not
look well ; but that the Chief Justice's Court would soon
be up, and he would go immediately to Hicks's Hall and
see what was to be done. He came like a lion soon ;
' desired to see the entry that had been given in to the
' court to license a place of worship for a society of dis-

80 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. Ill,
' senters ; was sorry such unusual obstructions had been
' put to so legal a demand; that he understood it was
' said by some that the Justices had a discretionary power
' in such cases ; that they were mistaken ; that, on the
' contrary, they were merely official ; and if they refused,
' a Mandamus from the King's Bench would compel
' them ; that he hoped the great Magna Charta of the
' religious liberty of Englishmen was not now going to
' be attacked.' Upon this one or two of the Justices
said it was their opinion, and always had been, as Mr.
Lee's, that they had no discretionary powers. On some
thing being said concerning the doctrine to be preached,
and the officiating minister, that some inquiry was to be
made about them, he told them that ' those were sub-
' sequent facts and matters of inquiry ; that the house of
' worship was the object before them, and they were
' bound to make record of it as desired.' After this, on a
pause being made, he desired to know * whether the court
' would give him the trouble to come again the next day
' and move the matter and argue it before them, or would
' now grant it.' The latter was conceded, and our certifi-!
cate it was said should be ready next court-day. We begin
however without it on the authority of our counsel*."
Such was the triumph of firmness and good sense over
the narrow spirit of bigotry and persecution . And much
to the credit of the improved liberality of the times, and
of the government, this was the only obstruction which
Mr. Lindsey ever met with from the civil power during
the whole course of his ministry. All difficulties were
now surmounted. The vessel was afloat, and commenced
its voyage under the happiest auspices and with the most
propitious gales.
* The fact however was, that the certificate was never granted, nor was
the chapel registered or licensed as a place of worship till after the defect
had been noticed by Dr. Horsley in his Letters to Dr. Priestley ; after which
the neglect was immediately and without any difficulty rectified. .

CH. H\j REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 81

CHAPTER IV.
FROM THE FIRST OPENING OF THE CHAPEL TO THE PUR
CHASE OF THE PREMISES AND THE ERECTION OF THE
PRESENT BUILDING IN ESSEX-STREET.
On Sunday April 17, 1774, the chapel was opened, and
divine service was performed before an audience as nume
rous as could in reason be expected, and as respectable
for rank and character as were ever collected together
upon a similar occasion. In a letter to his friend Dr.
Jebb, dated the next day*, Mr. Lindsey writes : "You
will be pleased to hear that every thing passed very well
yesterday ; a larger and much more respectable audience
than I could have expected, who behaved with great: de
cency, and in general appeared, and many of them ex
pressed themselves, to be much satisfied with the. whole
of the service. Some disturbance was apprehended,, and

* It will not be uninteresting to compare Mr. Lindsey's account of -this
memorable event with that of his warm friend and supporter the late John
Lee, Esq. in a letter of the same date to Mr. Cappe at York.
"After a little difficulty in getting his chapel registered at the Quarter
Sessions, which I had the good luck to remove, he entered upon his ministry
yesterday. His chapel is a large upper room in Essex House, Essex-street,
in a very central part of London, and in my neighbourhood. The place is
convenient for the purpose of containing about 300 persons ; a greater num
ber would crowd it. He was well attended, considering that no public notice
was given of the intended service. There were about ten coaches at the door;
which I was glad of, because it gave a "degree of respectableness to the con
gregation in the eyes of the people living thereabouts. Of those that I knew
and remember were Lord Despenser, Dr. Franklin, Dr. Priestley, Dr. Calder,
Mr. Shore, jun., Mrs. Shore, •Mrs. Robert Milnes, Miss Milnes, and Miss
Shore ; Dr. Hinckley, Dr. Chambers, Dr. Primatt, and two or three other
clergymen, with a few barristers whom you do not know. All the rest were
to all appearance persons of condition, and in the whole were I think near
two hundred, and mostly of the Establishment. We were all pleased with
the service and with his manner of performing it. His sermon, which I
thought very good, will be printed, and you will of course see it. I begin
to conceive hopes that his scheme will be patronized, so far at least as to
produce him a comfortable subsistence. Indeed, I hope it will teach those
who ought not to have needed such teachings, that Reformation is both a
safe and an easy work."

82 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. IV,
forehpded to me by great names, — but not the least move
ment of the kind. The only fault found with it was,
that it was too small. From the impressions that seemed
to be made, and the general seriousness and satisfaction,
I am persuaded that this attempt will, through the divine
blessing, be of singular usefulness. The contrast be
tween ours and the church-service strikes every one. For
give me for saying, that I should have blushed to have
appeared in a white garment. No one seemed in the
least to want it. I am happy not to be hampered with
any thing, — but entirely easy and satisfied with the whole
of the service: a satisfaction never before known.— I
must again say it, and bless God for it, that we were
enabled to begin well. And we only desire to go on as
through his blessing we have begun. I must mention
one circumstance of yesterday to you and Mrs. J. and
confidential friends : that Lord Le Despenser was at our
chapel yesterday : whether he will come again we cannot
say : but he has subscribed handsomely towards indem
nifying us for the expenses of the chapel*, &c."
As Mr. Lindsey's professed design was to gather a con
gregation from the members of tha established church,
it was his desire and endeavour that the form of worship
should recede no further from that of the establishment
than was necessary to edification, and to reconcile it to
the pure scriptural doctrine concerning the supremacy
and the sole worship of the Father. The clerical dress
* This nobleman, as might naturally be expected, soon discontinued his
attendance. But it was considerate «nd liberal in him to contribute to the
expenses of the chapel at a time when assistance was particularly needed.
Other noblemen of still higher rank attended much longer and professed
great approbation, but contributed nothing. Not that the late Duke of
Richmond, or the present Duke of Norfolk,, would have hesitated to have
given whatever was right and liberal, if the idea had occurred, or if applies*
tion had been made to them. But to attend a place of worship supported
by voluntary contribution, was to them a novelty ; and- delicacy, perhaps
misplaced, prevented the friends of the new sanctuary from suggesting 4
hint to the illustrious visitors. Sufih- hints have Hot always been needful : and
liberality unsolicited has been sometimes as ample as it was unexpected.

CH. IV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 83
was retained with the exception of the surplice only. By
the recommendation of his friend Mr. Turner, a prayer
was introduced before and after the sermon *. And upon
this memorable occasion Mr. Lindsey composed an ap
propriate discourse, which was immediately published
together with the prayers. The Liturgy also was pub
lished at the same time. Both these works, as well as
the Apology, had a rapid and extensive salef.
The subject of the discourse was Ephes. iv. 3. "Endea
vouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of
peace ;" and the preacher shows, that by unity of spirit
is intended, " the kind affection, good order, and atten
tion to mutual edification, which ought to subsist among
those who profess the doctrine of Christ. The way in
which this is to be preserved, is ' in the bond of peace.'
To illustrate which principle it is observed, that it is a
maxim of undoubted truth, that in their religious capa
city, mankind are subject only to the authority of God
and of their own consciences, — that it has nevertheless
been the doctrine of too many in all periods of the church,
that peace and unity are not to be attained unless you
bring all Christians to be of one opinion in religion, —
that when other arguments have failed, the Scripture has
been pressed into the hard service of enslaving mankind
to one system of religious opinions, though such system
has been oft in direct opposition to it, — that God never
designed that Christians should be all of one sentiment,
but that there should be different sects of Christians and
* In a letter to Mr. Turner, dated April 5, Mr. Lindsey says, " I am highly
obliged to you for your hint about prayers before and after sermon. The
latter I have practised for some years, and shall attend to the other." In 3
letter dated June 13, he.writes : " I am happy that I adopted the idea which
you suggested, of introducing a short prayer of my own before and after
sermon. And I am more happy to find that it is not only approved by, but
seems to have a good effect in solemnizing the minds of the hearers."
f 01 the Sermon five hundred copies were disposed of in four days, and
of the Liturgy seven hundred copies were sold in six weeks. The Apology
passed through four editions.
G Z

84 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
different churches, — that while a friendly benevolent tem
per is cultivated towards each other, the different sects
and churches among Christians, far from being a hurt or
discredit to religion, are an honour, and of singular ser
vice to it : nor can it with truth be said, that different
sects of religion in a country have a tendency to disturb
the public peace and quiet. And though it must not be
dissembled, that the disputes and contentions of Chris
tians with each other have caused great miseries and dis
turbance in the world, yet the blame lies not on the mild
and gentle doctrine of the gospel, but on the civil powers
who have given life and importance to these disputes by
interfering with them. But that wise experience has now
taught them a better lesson." The sermon concludes
with stating, that "the peculiar reason of forming a sepa
rate congregation distinct from the national ehurch is,
that we may be at liberty to worship God alone, after the
command and example of our Saviour Christ. So that
if any ask what we are, or for what purpose we are joined
together in a Christian Society, our answer is with the
apostle, ' we are a people that worship God in the spirit,
and make our boast in Christ Jesus.'" Phil. iii. 3,,
To this discourse is annexed a Summary account of
the Reformed Liturgy used in the chapel in Essex-Street:
the principal object of which is to vindicate the devia
tions of this liturgy from that of Dr. Samuel Clarke, to
which many respectable friends of the author wished him
to have strictly confined himself, but which advice Mr.
Lindsey with his usual correctness of judgement and firm
ness of spirit declined to follow.
Upon this occasion Mr. Lindsey, by the advice of Dr.
Jebb and his Cambridge friends, but as he soon dis
covered without due consideration of the subject, pledged
himself in pretty strong language not to introduce dis
puted points into his public discourses. " Far will it be

CH. IV.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEV. 85
from my purpose," says he, " ever to treat of controversial
matters from this place." But if popular and pernicious
errors are not to be combated, and if the plain simple
doctrine of Christianity is not to be taught from the pul
pit, it is difficult to say how public attention is to be ex
cited: how the mass of hearers are to be instructed, and
how truth is to make its way. In fact it appears, that
where public teachers have confined themselves to mere
moral instruction, and have either not touched at all upon
Christian doctrine or have veiled their real opinions under
ambiguous language, the consequence has often been,
that the teacher by reading and reflection has become
enlightened while the hearer has been left in darkness ;
the preacher has reformed his speculative creed while the
hearers have retained all the erroneous and unscriptural
notions which their pastor has long ago renounced. And
as a natural consequence, when a vacancy has occurred,
a successor has not unfrequently been appointed whose
system has been directly opposite to that of the person
who immediately preceded him*. Those who hold sen-
* Dr. Doddridge's congregation refused to invite Dr. Ashworth, whom
he recommended as his successor both in the pulpit and in the academy, and
whose sentiments were in perfect unison with his own, and chose a gentle
man, a very worthy person, but whose orthodoxy was of a much higher tone
than that of his predecessor. A late minister, well remembered by many,
made his boast, that though he had officiated twenty years at the. same cha
pel, he defied any of his hearers to know what he believed concerning the
person of Christ. And it is a fact of sufficient notoriety, that a flourishing
congregation in the metropolis, in appointing a colleague to their respected
pastor, who had officiated among them with great acceptance for more than
thirty years, fixed their choice upon a person so opposite in sentiment that
he would not even hear his colleague preach, or ever join in communion with
him. Could such a case have happened had the hearers been properly in
structed in their religious principles, and rationally grounded in their Chris
tian faith ? It is absurd to say, that if these people had been better in
structed they would not have been equally serious. How does it appear that
they would have been less virtuous if they had been more consistent }
The writer of this note can bear testimony, from his own experience, to
the very opposite effects of different modes of public instruction. While he
resided in the country as minister of a congregation and divinity tutor in the
academy upon Mr. Coward's foundation, he gradually changed his theolo
gical views from an affinity to those of Dr. Doddridge, to perfect Unitarianism,

86 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
timents to which they give the pompous name of ortho
dox or evangelical, never decline to avow their systems
in the most manly and explicit manner. And they do
right while they believe those sentiments to be true and
important. How unbecoming then is it for those who
hold a better and a purer faith to shrink from the public
profession and defence of it, and to leave the adversary
master of the field ! It is a silly objection which is urged
by some weak, or timid, or indolent, I will not say in
terested persons, that speculative preaching, as they call
it, tends to diminish a serious and pious disposition, and
promote a sectarian spirit. As to the latter part of the
objection, let them read Sir George Savile's remark upon
the subject of sectaries: and with respect to the former, I
and a belief in the proper humanity of Jesus Christ. But not being at that
time so clearly convinced as he was afterwards of the duty of an explicit
avowal of important truth, he, like many others, satisfied himself with using
language, which though, not contradictory to, was certainly not explanatory
of his new opinions. The consequence was, that when he thought it his duty
to resign the connexion, a successor was chosen, a worthy young man, one
of his own pupils, but one who in Trinitarian orthodoxy far exceeded all his
predecessors from the first foundation of the chapel. Not so when he rei
signed his place at Hackney to succeed at Essex Street. That intelligent
Society, trained up under the candid and liberal instructions of Dr. Price and
the enlightened zeal of Dr. Priestley, to which his own humble efforts for
ten years in the same good cause had not been wanting, when a vacancy was
declared, acted in a manner worthy of themselves and of their teachers. To
them it was an object of the first consideration, to look out for administer
who should be disposed and qualified to support the doctrines in which they
had been instructed, and which from conviction they embraced and cherished,
Happily divine Providence directed them to a choice which fulfilled their uti
most wishes and hopes. And the very prosperous state of the congregation,
which required a larger chapel to accommodate the increasing number of
worshipers, demonstrates the energy and, if I may so express it, the omnia
potence of plain, simple, uncorrupted truth, when taught with openness, with
firmness, with ability, and zeal. May this glorious cause continue to proi
sper among the rising generation there and elsewhere, under the same or a
similar able, active, and eloquent ministry, when those who are now past the
burden and the heat of the day, and upon whom the shadows of the evening
are fast lengthening themselves out, shall be at rest with their fathers in the
land of silence and oblivion. And may the conduct of all who profess to hold
the pure and uncorrupted doctrine of Christ, at all times, silently, but power.,
fully and irresistibly, repel the unfounded and ungenerous charge, so trimm
phantly advanced by ignorance or malignity, that Unitarian principles and a
zeal for truth are inconsistent with seriousness of spirit, with fervour of
devotion, and with holiness of life,

CH. IV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 87
confess I could never see how the increase of knowledge
had a tendency to produce deterioration of practice; and
he would be a very injudicious teacher who did not com
bine practical exhortation with doctrinal instruction.
" Yesterday," says Mr. Lindsey, in a letter to Dr. Jebb
dated May 23, "I ventured to deviate from the idea
which you and my friends with you seemed to entertain
as right, of preaching merely practical discourses, and
enlarged with much earnestness on John xvii. 3. I find
it was acceptable to many, and that it was even looked
for, that I should sometimes treat upon the great object
and principle on which our new church is formed, in order
to confirm some that are already come out, and awaken
others to come out of Babylon. But I expect the greatest
effects by and by through the nation, from the thunder
of yOur's, of Mr.  's, and Mr.  's apologies, for
you can never go out in mute silence and without bearing
your testimonies against her witchcraft and idolatries."
Among the earliest hearers of Mr. Lindsey was Mrs.
Rayner, a near relation of the Dutchess of Northumber
land, and of Lord Gwydir. This lady was married t© a
gentleman of large fortune, and was attracted by curiosity
and the invitation of a friend to hear the new doctrine at
Essex Street, on the day when the chapel was first opened.
Through the whole service her eyes were fixed, and her
attention riveted upon the preacher; and when it was
over she and Mr. Rayner introduced themselves to Mr.
and Mrs. Lindsey, and from that time to the end of life
she became a constant hearer at the chapel, and a firm
and generous friend to Mr. Lindsey, and to the cause
which he supported and for which he suffered. Mrs.
Rayner was a lady of open and unaffected manners, of su
perior intellect, and of a well-informed mind. Shepos-
sessed unbounded generosity of spirit, and especially after
the death of Mr. Rayner denied herself almost what was

88 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
necessary to support her rank and station in life, that she.
might spend her money in acts of great but not indis
criminate munificence. She became a liberal and power
ful patroness of the cause of truth. And to this lady the
Christian world is indebted for the publication of one of
the most learned and most useful theological works which
the age has produced : Dr. Priestley's History of Early-
Opinions concerning Christ : a work which demon
strates in a manner which never has been and never can
be confuted, that from the earliest age of the Christian
religion down to the fourth century, and to the time of
Athanasius himself, the great body of unlearned Chris
tians were strictly Unitarians, and consequently that this
was the original doctrine concerning the person of Christ.
This most valuable treatise was a work of great labour
and expense, the demand for which would by no means
have defrayed the charge of the publication. But Mrs.
Rayner, with exemplary generosity, supplied the money,
and to her the work is with great propriety dedicated.
Many other acts of this lady's princely munificence might
be mentioned which almost exceed belief in a selfish and
irreligious age. But she sought not worldly applause;
and she is now gone where her works and virtues will follow
her to receive their appropriate and everlasting reward*.
, The cause now began to flourish beyond all expecta
tion. The chapel was always crowded with attentive
. * One instance out of many, and that by no means the greatest, of this
benevolent lady's extraordinary munificence is related by Dr. Priestley in
his Memoirs, p. 77, London edition. The Doctor mentions, that upon his
separation from Lord Shelburne he was barely able to support the expense
of removal. He addo, "But my situation being intimated to Mrs. Rayner,
besjdes smaller sums with which she occasionally assisted me,, she gave me
a hundred girneas to defray the expenses ofmyremoval; and deposited with
Mrs. Lindsey, which she soon after gave up to me, four hundred guineas,
and to this day has never failed giving me every year marks of her friend-.
ship. Hers is, indeed, I seriously think, one of the first Christian charac
ters I was ever acquainted with, having a cultivated comprehensive mind,
equal to any subject of theology, or metaphysics, intrepid in the cau.se. oi
trujth, and most rationally pious,"

CH. IV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 89
hearers, so that many who came late were obliged to go
away for want of room. Considerable numbers of very
respectable names were continually given in as subscri
bers to the expense of the chapel and to the support of
the minister. Among the rest were the late distinguished
patriot Sir George Savile, member for Yorkshire; Mr.
Serjeant Adair, with his father and mother; the late
learned and eminent scripture-critic Mr. Dodson, the
translator of the book of Isaiah ; and the present Sir
Thomas Bernard, the benevolent treasurer of the Found
ling Hospital. Nor must I omit to mention the name
of my respected friend Robert Martin Leake, Esq. the
present worthy Master of the Report Office in the Court
of Chancery ; who being then a young man, and having
by reading and reflection emancipated himself from the
Trinitarian and high-church prejudices in which he had
been educated in his father's house, the late Garter king
at Arms, was one of the first who called upon Mr. Lind
sey at his lodgings in Featherstone Buildings, and en
couraged him to persist in his design of opening a chapel
for Unitarian worship; and though not then in affluent
circumstances, offered a liberal contribution to the ob
ject, and has ever since remained a firm and enlightened
advocate of the cause: he is now senior Trustee of the
chapel, and one of the few surviving original founders
and supporters of the place.
But nothing of this kind gave Mr. Lindsey more plea
sure than a letter which he received in the beginning of
June from the late Sir Barnard Turner, who afterwards
distinguished himself so much in quelling the riots in
London in 1780, at the head of the London Association.
Of this letter the following is an extract communicated
by Mr. Lindsey to his friend Mr. Turner, to whom he
knew that it would give the same satisfaction which it
gave to himself,

90 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
" I have long been held from associating with any sect
of Christians with that sincerity which my conscience
and gratitude to the Supreme Being tell me are needful
in religion, from a thorough conviction that the adora
tion of any but the one true God was highly sinful. It
is therefore with the utmost earnestness that I beg to be
considered as one of your congregation, and also that
you will do me the favour of accepting my annual sub
scription of five guineas towards the welfare of the so
ciety and the making you some amends for the loss and
expense to which your love of truth will make you liable.
I shall, besides, be always ready with cheerfulness to bear
a reasonable share of any further expense that the future
exigencies of the society may make necessary."
In reference to this application from Sir Barnard Tur
ner, Mr. Lindsey expresses himself thus in a letter to
Dr. Jebb : " I have found this institution a means of
drawing out, and I hope will be of encouraging and per
fecting many excellent characters. Your heart would
rejoice in reading a letter I received this very week from
one of these desiring to become a member of our church.
We are still crowded on Sundays."
The satisfaction and comfort which this excellent man
experienced upon his deliverance from the galling yoke
of an establishment which he disapproved, in the perfect
liberty which he enjoyed of conducting the services of
religion in the manner which best approved itself to his
understanding and to his heart, and in the success of a
scheme for the accomplishment of which he had made such
strenuous exertions and such great and costly sacrifices,
a success so far beyond his most sanguine expectations,
may be more easily conceived than described. He often
gives vent to the pious and grateful emotions of his heart
in his communications to his confidential friends.
In a letter to Dr. Jebb dated March 31, a week before

CH. IV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 91
lie expected to open the chapel, he writes, " No one has
more fears or diffidences, and I think justly, of what I do.
I sometimes wonder how I came into the service in which
I am embarked. But I have met with such friends and
encouragement that I go on cheerfully and without fear."
In another letter to the same friend, dated July 24,
three months after the grand experiment had been tried,
and the success of it was complete, he thus expresses him
self : " I have not known what entire quiet of mind and
perfect peace with God was for many many years till now;
and I would not exchange it for a thousand worlds. En
couraged also as I am that good, extensive good to glo
rious Truth does arise and will arise from it. I must have
died much in the dark had I been called away before this.
How thankful ought I to be for that good Providence
which has conducted and preserved me ! You will be
glad to hear that last Sunday we had a more respectable
audience at the chapel than I ever saw, except the first
day. And to-day quite full." So mightily did the word
of God, and the cause of pure and uncorrupted Christia
nity grow and prevail under the ministration of this ve
nerable confessor, and so abundantly did his heart over
flow with consolation and delight in the success of his
benevolent and pious exertions.
It is not however to be concluded, that all was now
sunshine with Mr. Lindsey, and that the season of clouds
and darkness was completely over. The tide of preju
dice at that time set so strongly against the Unitarian
doctrine, that there was some reason to apprehend, at
least, many of Mr. Lindsey's friends did apprehend, that
some popular disturbance might take place at the open
ing of a chapel professedly upon Unitarian principles,
and that some personal insult might be offered to the
minister, or some interruption attempted in the service.
This, however, gave Mr, Lindsey little concern. He

92 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
did not indeed court, but neither did he shun persecu
tion in the performance of duty. But in truth, though
he had received many anonymous libels in the form of
letters, he had no considerable apprehension of personal
violence. Happily, under the mild administration of the
House of Brunswick, religious toleration was the wise and
liberal principle of government, and lawless outrage was
kept under severe restraint,
It gave Mr. Lindsey more concern that his motives
should be mistaken by some of his associated brethren,
who regarded the decisive step which he had taken as in
jurious to the object of their petition, a reformation in
the subscription and in the service of the established
church. Mr. Lindsey, though he much regretted that
offence was taken where none had been intended, con
soled himself with the conviction which he felt that his
brethren had formed an erroneous judgement in the case,
and that his secession from the establishment, so far
from being of disservice, would eventually be very bene
ficial to the cause of the petitioning clergy, by exciting
attention to it, and by interesting many in their favour,
" You and Jebb," says an eminent leader among the as
sociated clergy, in a letter to Mr. Lindsey, " have obliged
the Balguys and Randolphs by your integrity, but none
else, though more may commend. It has been the utter
ruin of the plan of the petitioners." Mr. Lindsey thought
far otherwise. "A few," says he to his friend Dr. Jebb,
" of our petitioning friends, and but a few, will have it
that my retreat has hurt our cause. But I am embold
ened to say from fact and knowledge in this great city
and a wide range elsewhere, that it has and does serve it
greatly — nay, has been a great means of keeping it from
dying entirely." And upon another occasion, alluding to
the same misconception of some of his petitioning friends,
he says, " These things must not move us. I hope to

CH. IV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 93
be enabled to go on in a way which promises to be of
some present use, nay, actually is so already, in removing
prejudices and enlarging the minds of some, and may be
of unknown benefit."
But nothing appears to have hurt Mr. Lindsey's mind
so much as the malignant reports which were industri
ously circulated by some that he had been influenced
throughout by mercenary views, that he was now in a
better situation than that which he had left, and that he
had a promise of this before he resigned his benefice.
Mr. Lindsey could not but feel indignant at the impu
tation of motives which his soul abhorred, of which his
conscience entirely acquitted him, and to which the whole
tenor of his life was a palpable contradiction. Upon this
subject he expresses himself with a very becoming and a
truly christian spirit in a letter to his kind friend at
Wakefield, dated June 13, 1774.
" We have about thirty names upon the list of our
society as members, who have signified their intentions,
and some of them what they shall contribute. This gen
tleman's (Sir Barnard Turner's) is much the largest. I
mention this not as if I had any doubt of a sufficient
provision for myself and the society, but that you may
know in a general way the whole of our state : because,
I find that it is said I have already an establishment of
four hundred pounds a year, and that I knew what a good
exchange I should make when I left Catterick. Such
reports we must expect. It is here spread about, and be
lieved by many, that my wife's uncle at our quitting Catte
rick, settled 200 pounds a year on me, though he has
never seen us, nor admitted us to write a letter to him
ifrom that time to this. I believe that with Mr. Shore's
and his friend's benefaction, and those of other friends,
I have received upwards of four hundred pounds. But
upwards of two hundred out of this was given purefy to

94 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
indemnify me for the expenses of fitting up the chapel ;
its rent, fifty pounds a year ; clerk's wages, &c. I am a
little sorry I have blotted so much paper and taken up
so much of your time on such a subject, but I was de
sirous you should be acquainted with it. And as I have
hitherto done, I desire to keep my hands and heart clear
of all mercenary views, though I cannot bind others from
imputing them to me."
Mr. Lindsey alludes feelingly to the same reports in
his correspondence with Dr. Jebb*. How little founda
tion there was for them is manifest from the following
extract of a letter from a friend, who about that time
visited them at their lodgings : " I had the satisfaction
of finding our worthy friends in pretty good health and
spirits : but by no means in the affluent situation in
which common fame in Yorkshire had placed them.
The lodgings they are in at present are close, inconve
nient, and expensive : nor have they yet been able to
meet with any thing more suitable to them. But the
cause in which Mr. Lindsey is engaged has power to
soften every difficulty, and he has need of such support."
It became now incumbent upon Mr. Lindsey to de
fend his principles from the press as well as from the
pulpit. The Apology was not permitted to pass without
animadversion and attempts at refutation. The first who
entered the lists was Mr. Burgh of York, a member of
the Irish parliament, a young man of some talents, of
estimable character, and of liberal political principles,
* " Nothing,'' says Mr. Lindsey in a letter to Dr. Jebb, dated May 22d,
"is yet settled with regard to those who are or will be members of our
church, and their contributions, though several of them have spoken to me
about it. But I am in no hurry on that account. And I wish ever to keep
at a distance from the suspicion of attention to money; though such sus
picions have been, are, and will be imputed by those who judge of others
by themselves." In another letter dated June 7th, he writes : '* You shall
know every thing when I see you, how we go on. In the mean time though
I have the highest cause to be thankful to God's good providence, there is
no foundation for reports which some put about with no good design."

CH. IV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 95
but little versed in theological controversy. He published
so early as the month of June 1774, a work entitled A
Scriptural Confutation of the Arguments against the
One Godhead of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, pro
duced by the Rev. Mr. Lindsey in his late Apology.
This treatise as an argumentative work was trifling in
the extreme, and must immediately have passed into the
oblivion to which it has long been consigned, had it not
been supported and puffed off by some persons of note,
who no doubt thought it was calculated to make an im
pression upon the numerous class of readers to whom
sounds are a ready substitute for sense *. Of this work
Mr. Lindsey thought it quite sufficient to take a slight
notice in the preface to the Sequel to his Apology. Iri
the same preface he also replied, as far as it was judged
* Of Mr. Burgh's argument the following are curious specimens. Because
we read in Scripture of the grace of God, and also of the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ ; because Paul calls himself a servant of God, and also of Jesus
Christ ; and because the gospel is called the gospel of God, and also the go
spel of Christ ; and " that which is God's is not another's," as the author
sagaciously remarks, "therefore Christ is God, one with the Father." Se
quel. Prep. p. x. xi. To attempt a refutation of such arguments would be
a prostitution of reason. Mr. Lindsey iri a letter to Mr. Turner, dated Julie
13, 1774, mentions that the pamphlet, then anonymous, had been sent hira
by the author ten days before. " I really took the book," says he, "to be
the work of some methodist at first perusing it, and nothingin it solidtir that
might require an answer. But I was much surprised the other day in con-
Versing with Mr. Mason, to find that he had been privy to the publication,
had revised some of the proof sheets, and approved the doctrine in the highest
degree. Nay, he told me that Dr. Hurd had just then told him that the
writer expressed his own sentiments upon the Trinity. But I Could not
help telling Mr. Mason that he and his friend were easily pleased. That he
boasted too much of the author's freedom from prejudice as being a young
man who had never read any controversy on the Trinity : as if we received
no prejudices but from reading. Mr. Mason added, ' the book must make
a great noise,' which I would easily believe if they cried it up." In a letter
to Dr. Jebb, dated June 1 7th, he writes : " The zeal to propagate the Lay-
mans (Mr. Burgh's) pamphlet is most extraordinary. A friend of mine on
Sanday, dining with- a very Jiigh personage, found the book- brought to the
Lady of the house by a noble Lord of the company, a friend of Mr. Mason.
With regard to the two origina lcommenders of it, I declare I am amazed
they can find no better salvo for their consciences in the use of our Trinitarian
forms. And it has much lessened them both in my estimation. Ifupoii
perusal of it yon should put a few thoughts together, and be disposed to let
them be printed, I should be -very glad : not for the importance of the piece
itself, bt}t for the vogue which it is to have given to it."

96 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
needful, to two other pamphlets which had been pub*
lished against his Apology ; one of which, by Mr. Bing
ham, of Dorsetshire, was entitled A Vindication of the
Doctrine and Liturgy of the Church of England, ocea*
sioned by the Apology of Theophilus Lindsey, M. A. : the
other by Dr. Randolph, Lady Margaret's Professor of
Divinity in the University of Oxford. These treatises
were written with more knowledge of the subject than
Mr. Burgh's, but their arguments contained nothing of
novelty which required particular attention*. The pas
sages of scripture which were alleged by these writers in
favour of Trinitarian doctrine and worship, and which
had not been adverted to in the Apology, were explained
in the Sequel.
This able and learned work appeared early in the year
1776. It is much more copious than was originally in-
tended, and contains, as the author expresses it, " a full
inquiry into the questions concerning the nature and
person of Christ, and what is the worship due to him ;"
also, " a further illustration of some things advanced in
the Apology to which objections had been made." In
his preface Mr. Lindsey acknowledges his obligations to
Dr. Jebb, who had lately resigned his situation and pro
spects in the church, for his trouble and assistance in re
vising the greater part of the work.
In this volume, the most elaborate of all Mr. Lindsey's
publications, the learned author in his first chapter states
the design of his work, and relates the sufferings and the
testimony of Mr. Blwall, who was tried for heresy and

* Save that Mr. Bingham discovered that the word Father, whein used by
our blessed Saviour in prayer, signifies the first person of the godhead, but
when used by us it signifies the same first person, together with two other1
equal persons, the Son and the Holy Ghost. And that the learned Margaret
Professor found out that every thing which the candid Whitby had to say in
his " Disquisitiones modestae," in reply to Bishop Bull, had been " fully an
swered by Dr. Waterland," though he acknowledges that he had never been
able " to obtain,a sight of the book." See preface to the Seq. p. xvi. xxi.

CH. IV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 07
blasphemy before Judge Denton at the Stafford Assizes,
in the reign of George the First ; and gives an account
of Hopton Haynes, a zealous and learned Unitarian, the
friend of Sir Isaac Newton, with copious extracts from
Mr. Haynes's excellent treatise on the attributes of God,
which Was then very scarce, but which has since been
published and very widely circulated by the Unitarian
Society, c. ii. The author treats at large of the Arian
and Socinian worship of Christ, and shows that it has no
foundation in the New Testament, c. iii. He argues,
that the Logos or word is not a divine person or intelli
gent agent, but that it is the wisdom and power of the
Father -by which the world was made, and by which Christ
and his apostles were inspired and were enabled to per
form their mighty works, c. iv. This doctrine, concern
ing the divine Logos, word, or wisdom, is further illus
trated by comparing it with various passages in the New
Testament, in which Christ is represented as being guided
and assisted by the spirit of God, which the learned writer
assumes to be the same as the Logos, c. v. He examines
distinctly and critically those passages in the New Tes
tament -which have been supposed to favour the pre-ex-
istence of Christ, and particularly those in St. John's
gospel, c. vi. He argues very forcibly and successfully
against the strange and unscriptural doctrine of two Je-
¦hovahs, the one supreme, the other subordinate : the
latter a great angel who personated the character and
assumed the name of the Supreme, who was the medium
of all the divine dispensations to mankind, and the im
mediate object of religious worship to the Jewish church;
which angel animated the body of Christ. This hypo
thesis, which had always been maintained by learned
Arians, ancient and modern, had lately been very plau
sibly stated, and very ably defended, in a learned work
by the reverend Henry Taylor, the rector of Crawley,
H

98 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IV.
under the assumed character of Benjamin Ben Morde-
cai, a converted Jew. To this treatise Mr. Lindsey
makes a calm, detailed, and satisfactory reply, c. vii. The
work goes on further to plead from the language of Moses
and the prophets, and from the explicit declarations of
the apostles and evangelists and even of Christ himself,
that he was really a man, and that the truth of this doc
trine is not impeached by the great and lasting errors of
Christians concerning it. c. viii. The author comment's
upon the testimony of the Apostolical Fathers concern
ing the nature and person of Christ ; and, Lastly, he
concludes with a critical examination of those passages
in St. Paul's epistles, in which creation is supposed to
be ascribed to Christ, and clearly shows that creation is
the proper work of God himself without any instrument
or deputy ; that this is the uniform doctrine of the scrip
tures, and that those expressions of Paul which are
thought by many to teach a different doctrine, are to be
understood of the new creation, and of the renovation-of
the moral world by the gospel of Christ.
In his interpretation of some of the controverted texts
all may not be entirely agreed, who nevertheless coincide
with the learned and worthy author in his views of the
person of Christ. But as long as that important con
troversy shall continue, Mr. Lindsey's Sequel must al
ways be regarded as a standard work, and as a bright
example of free and fearless discussion, blehding itself
with that amiable spirit of Christianity which softens the
asperities of theological controversy, and which allows to
all the equal right of private judgement.
From the commencement-of his arduous undertaking;
and especially from the time when success appeared pro
bable, Mr. Lindsey, modestly diffident of his owivpowefs
and qualifications- both- of body ahd-mihd, wets- anxiously

CH. IV. J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 99
solicitous to secure the aid of an able coadjutor. The
first person upon whom he cast his eye was Dr. Jebb,
to whom he suggested a hint of the business before he
left Yorkshire. But afterwards, when the prospect bright
ened at Essex-Street, and Mr. Lindsey was assured that
his friend intended speedily to execute his long-formed
determination of resigning his preferment and his pro
spects in the .church, he made the proposal to him in
more direct terms *. " I- must not forget to add," so
he writes in a letter dated October 20, 1775, "as it
need be said to yourself alone, that with Mr. Tayleur's,
Sir George Savile's and Mr. Smith's subscriptions, our
amount, all things paid, is one hundred poundsf, which
I should be most glad to share annually, and more that
I am sure would accrue .with such a coadjutor. I men
tioned this formerly, but your plan did not lead to the
pastoral line in London ; but I thought I would name it
again." Dr. Jebb, however, rather ehose the profession'
of medicine ; and though, after he had retired from the
¦ ¦ ._,___  " 'J . ¦ 
* In the mean time Mr. Lindsey, probably in consequence of Dr. Jebb's,
delay to 3ecede from the church, appears to have made an overture to Dr.
Robertson of Wolverhampton. This is hinted at in a letter to Dr. Jebb,
written in May 1775.
•f This was but a very moderate income, even when the necessaries of life
were at less than half the price which they bear at present, and far short of
what Mr. Lindsey relinquished at Catteriok. His willingness to divide this
pittance with his colleague- is an ample confutation, if such were needful,
of the calumnies which represented him as acting from mercenary motives.
But the tenor of his whole life demonstrated that his soul disdained the im
putation. It is tut justice to the liberality of Mr. Lindsey's friends arid sup
porters to add, that his income was rapidly increased, and that he was sOon'
placed in a situation, not only to live with comfort, but in which both he and
Mrs. Lindsey could gratify to a considerable extent the favourite wish of
their hearts, — to do good to others. The third name in Mr. Lindsey's list,
Mr. Smith, is probably that of Lord Carringlon, who continued his liberal
but unostentatious" patronage of Mr. Lindsey as long as Mr. 'Lindsey lived.
And it may now, March. 1812, be added, that his lordship's bounty was con
tinued to the widow of the deceased confessor, by, contributing largely to
an annuity of .£100, which was settled upon her for life, to enable that ex
cellent lady to continue her 'extensive and judicious charities, in which his
lordship was joined by a few, other friends of Mr. Lindsey, whose names
were never made known to Mrs.'X.
h2

100 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. IV.^
church he was regular in his attendance at the chapel,,
and retained all his zeal and his activity in the cause of
Christian truth, he declined to officiate as a nonconfor
mist minister.
Mr. Lindsey was also disappointed in his application
to another most truly excellent and learned person, emi
nent for his piety, benevolence, and zeal for truth, whose
assistance would have been most acceptable to Mr. Lindsey,
and to his friends, but who declined the office from prin
ciples most honourable to his feelings, and no doubt per
fectly satisfactory to his own ingenuous and enlightened
mind. Thus this venerable confessor was left to sustain
the conflict, and to fight the battle alone. But his God
was with him : a good conscience and a good cause bore
him up and carried him through, and " his strength was
equal to his day." For ten years he continued the sole
pastor of a numerous and flourishing congregation, all
the members of which held their revered instructor in
the highest estimation, and many of them gladdened his,
heart by their visible improvement in Christian know
ledge and virtuous practice.

CHAPTER V.
FROM THE ERECTION OF THE BUILDING IN ESSEX-STREET
TO THE APPOINTMENT OF DR. DISNEY TO BE THE COL
LEAGUE OF MR. LINDSEY, 1783.
As the congregation increased, and the interest appeared
likely to be permanent, it became necessary to provide
a suitable place of Worship ; and after much inquiry and
deliberation, it was agreed to purchase the premises in
Essex-Street, which by the liberal contributions of the

CH.. V.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 101
friends of the cause* Mr. Lindsey was enabled to ac
complish, and to repair and fit them up in their present
commodious form for the purpose of a chapel, and for a
residence for himself and Mrs. Lindsey. This great
work was completed early in the spring of 1778, and the
new chapel was opened March 29. Upon this occasion
Mr. Lindsey delivered an excellent discourse from John
iv. 23, 24, upon the unity of God and the spirituality of
divine worship, which, with the prayers before and after
the sermon, were immediately published.
Among the most zealous advocates of the divine unity,
and for the erection of a place of worship upon the avowed
principle that the Father alone is to be worshiped as
God, the late William Tayleur, Esq. of Shrewsbury, holds
a distinguished place. This gentleman, who by a careful
study of the scriptures had become a decided Unitarian
forty years before, who had in vain attempted to form a
society for Unitarian worship in his own vicinage, and
who began to despair that he should ever live to see the
accomplishment of his favourite object, concurred most
eordially in Mr. Lindsey's design ; and though from the
remoteness of his residence it was impossible that he
should derive any personal benefit, he was nevertheless
, * In the foremost rank of these were the generous inhabitants of Norton
Hall and Norton House, whose great and unexpected liberality to Mr. Lindsey
upon his first coming to town has been before mentioned. Upon the present
occasion, having communicated the intelligence to a friend, to whose kind
offices he thought himself much indebted for " the friendly disposition of
these worthy persons," he adds, " I cannot describe the feelings I had on
such an unexpected instance of generous and public spirit, especially when
contrasted with some from whom much might have been expected, but who
are too poor to do any thing." In a letter to the same friend, dated May 14,
1778, after having mentioned Mrs. Lindsey's frequent indispositions, he adds,
'f but nothing hinders her indefatigable attention to what she takes in hand.
It was owing to her that our new chapel was ready so soon. And she is
now no less busily engaged in the habitation underneath, which we are to
inhabit, and which requires much more to be done at it than we expected ;
in short, anew house and chapel might have been built for much less expense.
But it was convenient to have one place to assemble in while the other was
building : and we had no idea that the house was in sticli a ruinous, way as
we have found it,"

102 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. V.
extremely solicitous that the affairs of the chapel in Es
sex-Street should be placed upon a respectable and per
manent foundation. He hoped that the honourable ex
ample would be followed by many others both in the
metropolis arid in the country, and that houses for the
worship of the One God would be multiplied through
the nation. To this end he contributed very liberally
upon the present occasion ; and a few years afterwards
he had the satisfaction to see his pious and benevolent
expectation in some measure realised. A congregation
of Unitarian dissenters at Shrewsbury were induced by
his exhortations arid encouragement to adopt a reformed
liturgy ; and the last years of the life of this exemplary
christian were consoled and delighted by the q'uiet pos
session of a privilege, the hope of which he had hardly
permitted himself to indulge, that of joining at stated
seasons in the public worship of the One God, the Father
of all, in the way that his conscience dictated as most
rational, scriptural, and edifying*.
, * " It is now forty years," writes this excellent man in a letter to Mr.
Lindsey, dated May 1777, "since I was clearly convinced that the Father
alone ought to be worshiped as the only true God. Had any one then told
me that I should live to see a society of Christians openly professing that
doctrine, meeting together in a chapel of their own, and using a form of
prayer avowedly drawn up to perpetuate the honour due to the only true
God, I should have treated such a person as a well meaning visionary. Much
yet remains to be done, but what may not be expected from so prosperous
a beginning ?"• In another letter, dated November 13, after having made
over .£500 in the 3 per cent. Stock towards building the chapel, Mr. Tayleur
adds, " I have many opportunities of declaring that I cannot give my asseiit
to the Athanasian forms of worship, or join in the use of them ; but still it
is very disagreeable to appear to do this by frequenting the service of the
church. I have long sought a remedy against this inconvenience, but hitherto
I can find none ; for there is no dissenting congregation here, or here-about,
who profess to worship the Father as the only true God, or who would not
be offended if any of their members should make such a declaration. Could
such a congrega ion be found, I should think it my duty to join them, though
I think it tco much, at least for an old man, to hear, judge, and pray, at the
same time : and therefore wish for a form of prayer on the Unitarian plan.
I have endeavoured to prevail on some few persons, laymen, who think as I
do, to meet one Sunday at least in a month, to read together your liturgy,
and to declare openly, without blamingthosewhoare otherwise rriirided, our
reasons for doing this; but hitherto I have met with no success, nor have- 1'

CH. V.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 103
Of this excellent person Mr. Lindsey gives the follow
ing interesting account in a letter to a friend, dated Sep
tember 1, 1783, immediately after his return from making
him a visit :
" We took a long flight, you will call it, thence, (i. e.
from Richmond, in Yorkshire,) to Shrewsbury; but were
well repaid when we arrived there by the sight and so
ciety of one of the most valuable of mankind, Mr. Tay
leur, in whose house we lodged. He was educated at
Westminster, and went off Captain of the school to
Christ Church, Oxford, where he resided as Student or
Fellow seven years, a hard and real student all the while;
thence to the Temple for nearly as long a space. But
an elder brother then dying, and the family estate coming
to him, lie married the late Sir Rowland Hill's sister and
settled at Shrewsbury. An excellent classic scholar both
- — - — , — _ — _ * . ¦  •
much prospect of it till the laity take tne matter more to heart than they at
present do."
What an exemplary spirit of piety, zeal, and moderation ! It is easy to
conceive how delighted this worthy man must have been when his own plan,
which he had so long laboured in vain to accomplish, was at last, when he
was ready to abandon it in despair, unexpectedly carried into effect. Thus
we learn not to desist from generous efforts to promote truth and virtue,
though they may for a time be ineffectual. This excellent man modestly
assigns his reasons for preferring a liturgy to free prayer. Let those blush
who j ndge harshly of their brethren for differing from them in forms of prayer
or modes of worship. The prayer of the upright will be accepted, whether
it be offered in language which occurs upon the occasion, or in a written or
a printed form.
Mi-. Tayleur was possessed of a large estate, and his generosity was un
bounded. He. settled a handsome. annuity upon the chapel at Shrewsbury for
the support of Unitarian worship. And Dr. Priestley acknowledges himself
indebted to the liberality of this gentleman for the most material assistance
in the publicationof mapy of his theological works, without which he would
not have been able to publish them at all. — Dr. Priestley's Memoirs, p. 104.
English edition.
This excellent Christian died May 6, 1796, in the eighty-fourth year of
his ..age. An eloquent and instructive discourse was delivered upon the oc
casion at the High Street Meeting, in Shrewsbury, by his accomplished friend
Theophilus Houlbrooke, LL.B;. F.R.S. Ed. originally a clergyman in the
established church, but who .became, one of the honourable band of confes
sors in the glorious cause of the-Divine Unity. This sermon was published.
It is muck to- be wished that the learned author had fulfilled his original in
tention of prefacing his discourse with an account of Mr. Tayleur, as the
public has in vain waited for the -Memoir expected from another quarter.

104 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. V.
in Greek and Latin, which he retains, and not unskilled
in the Hebrew language.. A very good mathematician
also. His time and talents have been always much turned,
but entirely of late years, to the scriptures, of which he
is a great master. A strict Unitarian, but of deep piety
at the same time ; without which,, opinions are of little
value. If you have not heard of it. you will be glad to
know, that some years past, when he could no longer
attend the Trinitarian worship of the Chureh of England,
and could not through long association join with edifi
cation in extemporary prayer, he had service for many;
Sundays in his own house in which he officiated, at which
some gentlemen of the Church of England attended, and-
some of Mr. Fownes's congregation who preferred a form
of prayer ; and this continued till Mr. Fownes yielded to.
the requests of many of his congregation to admit the
form they now use, with some additions made by him.
One cannot but wish that other gentlemen of the Church
of England would follow his example. Were there to
be many instances in different places, I apprehend it
would be one of the most likely means to put the church
men on reducing their liturgy nearer the scripture model
of worship."
Another very eminent person, who was indeed from
the beginning a zealous encourager and supporter of Mr.
Lindsey's design, was Richard Kirwan, Esq. F.R.S. the
late venerable President of the Royal Society in Ireland;
a gentleman of the first eminence in Europe in chemical
and geological science, and of whom Dr. Priestley was
wont to say, that he was the best general scholar he ever
knew, and particularly able in theology. This distin
guished philosopher, being from principle and a profound
study of the sacred scriptures zealously attached to the
great doctrine of the divine unity, and that the Father
alone is the proper object of religious worship, constantly

•CH. V.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 105
rattended divine service in Mr. Lindsey's chapel during
his residence in London.
From the summer of the year 1778, when he took
possession of the premises in Essex-Street, Mr. Lindsey
may be considered as fully settled. All difficulties were
completely removed ; every thing went on comparatively
in a smooth, easy, and equable tenour : and the suc
ceeding years of life were not more diversified than those
of other studious persons and ministers of religion com
monly are. Mr. Lindsey was in general blessed with a
good share of health, and a natural equal flow of good
spirits. His circumstances, if not affluent, were at least
easy.and comfortable. His friends were numerous, and
he was in the habit of daily familiar and delightful in
tercourse with persons of the highest respectability for
rank, talent, character, and information. His public
services were attended by as large a congregation as the
chapel would admit, all of whom revered and loved their
venerable pastor, and listened to his words as though he
were an apostle of Christ. He was engaged in an office,
to himself the most delightful, and to others the most
instructive and edifying; at full liberty to search the
scriptures without any controul, and to speak his senti
ments without the least reserve to a people candid, af
fectionate, and warmly prepossessed in favour of what
ever he addressed to them, as the result of his own pious
and diligent researches, and of what he seriously and
conscientiously believed to be the genuine doctrine of
Christ. Happy in a consort who felt a lively sympathy
in all his sorrows and his joys, whose principles were in
perfect unison with his own, and whose prudence, acti
vity, and energy of mind relieved him from every secular
care, and left him at perfect liberty to devote all the powers
pf his mind to the great object in which his whole soul
was engaged. If ever any person resigned a situation

10G MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cil. V.
of .ease and affluence from principles the most pure and
disinterested, with expectations the most humble, and
with prospects the most gloomy and uninviting, it was
Mr. Lindsey. And if any person ever experienced the
accomplishment of the evangelical promise, that he who
should voluntarily forsake all for Christ and for his words',
should even in the present life receive remuneration a
hundred fold, Mr. Lindsey was the man. Of this mark
of divine goodness this truly excellent man, who from
his cradle had been taught to see the hand of God in
every thing, was most deeply sensible ; and without any
affectation of humility, or parade of piety, he was ever
most ready upon every proper occasion, and especially in
correspondence with his intimate friends, to express the
gratitude and admiration which he felt for blessings so
far beyond his expectations and .deserts.
In the autumn of the year 177S Mr. Lindsey was
seized with a violent fever, which for some days excited
the greatest alarm amongst his friends, lest they should
lose their revered and beloved instructor, while, for a time,
the important die
Of life and death spun douhtful, ere it fell
And turned up, life.
The pious and becoming posture of his mind upon
this trying occasion he thus describes in a letter to his
friend Mr. Turner, dated October 4, 1778.
"I never remember to have had an -illness, and I have
had many, for which I .could not see reason to thank the
hand that sent it. I have reason to say so of this last
on -many accounts ; but I would add to you on this-:
because it has given me such convincing proofs not only
of the tenderness of my old friends, but of the kindness
and attachment of all the congregation to their minister ;
and of others not so nearly connected. I desire the help
of your prayers that I may live, while I do live, if -it so

CH. V."] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 107
please God, to be useful in promoting the truth of the
gospel." After expressing his great concern at Mrs.
Turner's illness, and his joy at her recovery, he adds, " I
do not know whether the tender husband or wife that is
a by-stander, does not endure more than the patient on
the sick bed. My wife I am persuaded slept as little as
I did for the three weeks nearly that I was confined to a
bed ; and during all that space, when my head was so
apprehensive and sore with continual watchfulness, that
the least noise was a torture to me, she admitted no one
into the room but the physicians. During my illness
happily she kept very well ; since she has been much
otherwise, which is not to be wondered at, considering
what she underwent, but I bless God she is now tole
rably recovered."
May the writer of this memoir be permitted to men
tion, that soon after this, in January 1779, being at that
time the minister of a congregation in the country, and
upon a visit in London, he was taken by a friend to
attend the evening service in Mr. Lindsey's chapel. The
subject of the discourse was a good conscience ; and the
Seriousness and gravity with which it was treated con
firmed him in the opinion which he had already formed
from the perusal of some of Dr. Priestley's writings, that
it was possible for a Socinian to be a good man. At
the same time he felt a very sincere concern, that persons
so highly respectable as Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Priestley,
should entertain opinions so grossly erroneous as he then
conceived, and so disparaging to the doctrines of the gosp«l .
This he ignorantly imputed to the little attention which
they paid to the subject of theology. Little did he then;
suspect -that further and more diligent and impartial in
quiry would inducehim to embrace a system from which
his mind at that time shrunk with horror. And hadit
bmh foretold to him that in the eourse of years, -and the

108 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [t'H. V.
revolution of events, he should himself become the dis
ciple, the friend, the successor, and the biographer of the
person who was then speaking ; that it should fall to his
lot from that very pulpit to pronounce before a crowded
assembly of weeping mourners the funeral oration of
Theophilus Lindsey, he would have regarded it as an
event almost without the wide circle of possibilities, and
as incredible as the incidents of an Arabian tale. So
strange are the vicissitudes of human life, and so little
does man know of what lies before him, or of the path
in which the mysterious wisdom of divine providence
may conduct him. 1;
At the time when Mr. Lindsey came to settle in Lon
don the American contest was carrying on with the
greatest animosity. It was an awful crisis for the country.
The nation was torn asunder by the conflicting parties,
and it was on all sides portended that the separation of
the colonies must be inevitably followed by national
bankruptcy, if not with the loss of national independence.
Not to be deeply interested in a state of affairs so gloomy
and alarming, would have indicated a deficiency in some
of the most generous and honourable feelings of human
nature. Mr. Lindsey felt deeply for the miseries of his
country, and for the errors or misconduct of the govern
ment. And though, standing at the head of a religious
party which was exposed to popular prejudice, and ame
nable to the laws of the land, he Wisely abstained from
rendering himself personally obnoxious by taking a public
part in political meetings; and though, being chiefly intent
upon the great object which he had in view, to restore the
simplicity of Christian truth, he seldom or never made the
pulpit the vehicle of party politics, he nevertheless thought
and felt as a man and aBriton, and hesitatednot to express
his opinions upon all proper occasions with freedom and
warmth. Thenart he took in the political contests may

CH. V.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 109
easily be inferred from his intimacy with Dr. Priestley,
Dr. Jebb, Dr. Price, Dr. Franklin, Mr. John Lee, and
many other eminent writers and partisans of the times :
and Mr. Lindsey was one of those patriotic alarmists
who augured much worse of the issue of the contest than,
the event justified, and who perhaps attributed worse
motives to the authors of these unfortunate measures
than in fact they deserved. " For my own part," says
he, in a letter to Dr. Jebb, dated June 1774, "I must
own I have been so much dejected at the present mea
sures and condition of our country, that it has broke my
rest and peace both night and day. Instead of teachers
of knowledge, wisdom, virtue, and true religion, which
we might and ought to have been, to be a nation the-
most debauched in principle and practice, exerting its
powers to extinguish light and liberty wherever its vast
power reaches, is a melancholy reverse of what we ex
pected." Happily the American war terminated in the indepen
dence of the United States : and this event, contrary to
the predictions of boding politicians, so far from proving
the ruin of the two countries, has been found by expe
rience to be the greatest blessing which could have hap
pened to both. America for upwards of twenty years
has enjoyed peace and liberty, both civil and religious,
to an extent unknown in the world before. And Britain,
exonerated from the expense and trouble of governing a
distant empire, and forming a liberal commercial con
nexion with her emancipated colonies, far from sinking
into bankruptcy and servitude, soon emerged from her
difficulties and rose to a state of opulence and prosperity
unparalleled in the annals of history. Thus she stood
the admiration, and envy of the world, till the portentous
Revolution of France involved her as some think un
wisely, and as others believe inevitably, in a contest infi-

110 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. V.
nitely more hazardous, and the termination of which it
is impossible to foresee*.
The gentle and pacific spirit of Mr. Lindsey was averse
to all personal and angry controversy : nevertheless, he-
regarded it as his duty to watch over the cause of which
he had avowed himself the advocate, and particularly to
notice any remarks which might be made upon his own
publications, and which might give birth to any further
corrections or illustrations of his arguments. The feeble
and intemperate ' attacks of Burgh and Randolph had
been sufficiently exposed by the Rev. A. Temple, M.A.
a worthy clergyman of Richmond in Yorkshire, and so
lid' evidence produced by him to prove that the universal
church for a good part of the two first centuries was de
cidedly Unitarian. This gentleman, however, was not
satisfied with Mr. Lindsey's interpretation of the proem
to St. John's gospel ; and in the year 1776 he published
a pamphlet entitled " Objections to Mr. Lindsey's In
terpretation of the first fourteen Verses of St. John's
Gospel, &c." And two years afterwards another pam:
phlet was published entitled "A Letter to Dr. Jebb about
the unlawfulness of all religious Addresses to Jesus
Christ." These works gave rise to a publication by Mr.
Lindsey, in the year 17/9, entitled " Two Dissertations,
i. On the Preface to St. John's Gospel, ii. On Praying?
to Jesus Christ." In the first of these Dissertations the
learned writer has alleged further evidence in favour of
the interpretation of this difficult passage, which, after
Le Clerc, Lardner, and others, he had advanced in the
Sequel to his Apology, viz. " that the Logos in this1
Preface to St. John's Gospel is not Christ, but the word,'
wisdom, and power of God, communicated to him and
manifested by him." This interpretation, though adopted1
* This was written in 1812. The unexpected issue of this disastrous con
flict is now well known.

CH. V.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. Ill
by many learned moderns, differs from that of the Polish
Socinians, who by the Logos understand Jesus Christ,
who at the commencement of his ministry was admitted
like his great predecessor Moses to intercourse with God,
from whom he received his commission, and by whom
he was appointed to introduce that great change in the
moral world which is figuratively represented by the new
creation. This hypothesis has been lately revived and
ably defended by Mr. Cappe in the first volume of his
ingenious and learned Dissertations, and the arguments
on both sides are stated and abridged in the notes to the
Improved Version of the New Testament. In the second
Dissertation Mr. Lindsey shows with great force of rea
soning that religious worship is not due to Jesus Christ.
For, that God is one person, the sole object of prayer —
that Jesus Christ is a man, and not God — that he never
taught men to worship or pray to himself — that the
worship of Christ is not dedticible from his offices and
powers— that the apostles never teach that prayer is to
be offered to him — and that there is no sufficient prece
dent or example of 'praying to Christ recorded in the New
Testament: under which head the learned writer gives
an able, and, in general, a very satisfactory analysis of
those texts which are commonly produced in favour of
the worship of Jesus Christ. This pamphlet concludes
with a postscript by Dr. Jebb, in which, though he denies
the assertion of the letter-writer that he had referred to
Mr. Lindsey's book in support of his opinions in the
pamphlet containing the reasons for his resignation, he
adds, "I will freely own that I entirely assent, both in
general and particular, to the arguments by which Mr.
Lindsey establishes the proper Unity of God, as well as
to those by which he demonstrates the offering of ad
dresses to Christ Jesus to be destitute of all scripture
foundation : and that notwithstanding what his oppq-

112 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. \j
nents have objected, I am persuaded he has sufficiently,
and very ably, proved these points."
In the year 1781 Mr. Lindsey published a small worb
in duodecimo, called The Catechist*, or an Inquiry into
the Doctrine of the Scriptures concerning the Only True
God, and Object of Religious Worship. In the preface
he obviates the insinuation of Mr. Gibbon, that the evan
gelist John had borrowed the doctrine of the Logos
from the philosophy of Plato. The work itself is cast
into the form of dialogues between Artemon, an Uni
tarian Christian, and Eusebes, a virtuous inquirer after
truth, who being dissatisfied with the popular opinions-
in which he was educated, is solicitous to gain in
formation concerning the character of God, and the pro
per object of religious worship. The dialogue is well
supported, and the argument is treated clearly, popu
larly, and concisely, of which the following is a fair spe
cimen. In the sixth dialogue the question proposed is,
" Whether Christ had not two natures, so that he was
God and man at the same time, and all the depreciating
things which he speaks of himself as being a creature be-
* " The title, Catechist," says Mr. Lindsey, in a note to a Work published
two years afterwards, "prefixed to the work, and which occurred to the
writer from the idea of the famous Origen being Catechist of the church of
Alexandria, has, it seems, misled and disappointed some persons, as if it
were a composition fitted only for very young persons : whereas it was in
tended, whether it will answer the purpose others must judge, for those of
mature age, who have not had sufficient leisure to attend to the subject ; not
without striving at the same time to make the whole plain to ordinary capa
cities." Historical View, Pref. p. 1. In a letter to Mr. Cappe, dated.
October 22, 1782, Mr. Lindsey says, "the title has long displeased me. It
was taken up indiscreetly and in haste at first. A grave man the other day
told me that he thought it related only to children, and therefore had not
sent for it. As soon therefore as I have got off my hands what engages me
at present, I shall profit by your hints, and new mould the work in some
measure, adding the second part to it, and, if life be continued, may add
other parts, and particularly consider the doctrine of the pre-existence in
the same way." The title which the learned author proposed to give to the
new-modelled work was, "Dialogues concerning the true God, and the
Object of religious Worship." He did not however complete his design, the
demand for the work net being sufficient to encourage a second edition until
it was taken into the catalogue of the Unitarian Society.

CH. V.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 113
longing to his human nature only, as it is called ?" Arte-
nion replies, "The supposition of Christ's having two
natures, a divine and a human nature, taketh for granted
the very thing in question which ought to be proved."
" It is a supposal which has no countenance whatever
in the sacred writings. Our Saviour most assuredly used
no reserve or ambiguity in what he said of himself. When
he averred that he received life from the Father and
Creator of all things, that he could do nothing of him
self, he meant what he said most sincerely, and would
have us so to understand him. When he prayed to God
for help and strength, he stood in need of what he prayed
for, and wanted that assistance which was given him."
" It is a thing in itself utterly impossible that a being
should be God and man ; creator and creature ; self-
existent, eternal, independent, and limited, dependent,
and having beginning of existence at the same time;
omniscient and omnipotent, and yet ignorant and weak.
These things are not compatible : we should be shocked
at their absurdity, if they were not instilled into us before
we began to make use of our reason, and if many were
not afterwards afraid to make use of it about them, suf
fering themselves to be dazzled by great names and au
thorities, and imposed on by high antiquity, which can
give no prescription to what is unintelligible and impos
sible. In short, this doctrine of Christ being possessed
of two natures, is the fiction * of ingenious men, deter
mined at all events to believe Christ to be a different
being from what he really was and uniformly declared
himself to be ; by which they solve such difficulties of
scripture as they cannot otherwise get over, and endea
vour to prove him to be the Most High God, in spite of
his own most express and constant declarations to the
* See Mr. Lindsey's Answer to Mr. Robinson, p. 172, note.
I

114 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. V.
contrary. And as there is no reasoning with such per
sons, they are to be considered and pitied, as being under
a debility of mind in this respect, however sensible and
rational in all others."
From the commencement of Mr. Lindsey's connexion
with the congregation . in Essex-street, it had been his
earnest desire to obtain an associate whose principles,
views, and feelings were congenial with his own, mighty
in the scriptures, zealous and intrepid in the. cause of the
divine Unity, who might actively co-operate with him in
diffusing the light of Christian truth. While he could
entertain the least hope of engaging the able assistance
of Dr. Jebb, he could fix his attention upon no other
person. But when every expectation of this kind vanished
upon the determination of his learned and pious friend to
enter upon the profession of medicine, his views and en»
deavours were directed to another most excellent and
amiable person, a very respectable and learned member
of the University of Cambridge : but in this application
he was also disappointed. He was now almost ready to
give up the point in despair, when to his great, surprise
and joy he received a letter from the Rev. Dr. John Dis*
ney, the rector of Panton, and vicar of Swinderby, in the
diocese of Lincoln, an intimate friend, and a near relation
by marriage, informing him of his resolution to resign
his situation in the church, and offering to unite with him
in officiating to the congregation in Essex-street. This
was in the autumn of the year 1782. Nothing. could
be more agreeable to Mr. Lindsey than this proposal.
He had indeed long been acquainted with Dr. Disney's
scruples ; but while his friend could reconcile himself to
continuing in the church, Mr. Lindsey did not conceive
it to be his duty officiously to solicit him to quit his pre-?
ferment; especially as he knew how offensive this step
would be to Dr. Disney's own connexions, and particu-

CH. V.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 115
larly to the venerable archdeacon of Cleveland, whose
daughter he had married. The trustees of the chapel
and the friends of Mr. Lindsey cordially concurred with
the wishes of their beloved pastor, who with bis usual
liberality offered his colleague, who had a growing family,
a certain income nearly equal to that which he had re
signed. And in return, some of his friends, subscribers
to the chapel, had the consideration to increase their
annual subscriptions, and Mrs. Rayner, with a liberality
peculiarly her own, added to her former annual donation
fifty pounds a-year, which she continued till Mr. Lindsey
resigned his pastoral office at the chapel. Of Mr. Lind
sey's feelings upon this happy occasion we may form a
judgement from the following expressions of them in
correspondence with his friends, " I must not delay to
tell you," says he, in a letter to a friend* dated Nov. 28,
1792, "lest you should hear of it less directly, that Dr.
Disney, who left us last week, was here somewhat more
than a fortnight, and during that interval resigned two
livings to the bishop of Lincoln, preached afterwards with
great acceptance both parts of the day to our congre
gation, and the next day was approved as my colleague
by as many of the benefactors to our building as were
* The Rev. Dr. Toulmin, then minister of a small congregation of protes-
tant dissenters at Taunton, now settled with a very large and flourishing
society of Unitarian Christians at Birmingham, the same which formerly
enjoyed the privilege of Dr. Priestley's instructions. In this place persecu
tion has produced its usual effect of multiplying the persecuted sect. Un
der the prudent, affectionate, and pious labours of their present venerable
minister, and of his able and equally zealous colleague, the Reverend John
Kentish, the cause of pure uncorrupted truth, and of serious and practical
religion, without which knowledge is of no use, is advancing with a celerity
most encouraging, and almost without example. Dr. Toulmin for many
years kept up a regular correspondence with Mr. Lindsey, of which he has
had the goodness to permit the author to avail himself in drawing up this
memoir. N.B. This amiable and useful man died July 23, 1815, univer
sally beloved and regretted. He is succeeded in office by the Rev. James
Yates, well known by his able and learned reply to Dr. Wardlaw of Glas
gow. i 2

116 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. V,
•in town. This you will believe has made me very happy,
I am the more so, because it was an event unlooked for
a few months ago. In the autumn when I was at his
house at Swinderby, I was in treaty with another friend
and very eminent person to become my colleague. But
I said not a syllable of it to Dr. Disney, for I knew how
sore he was; and for six years past have never by letter
or in conversation touched the subject of conformity,"
The Doctor, however, having heard by othermeans that
this negotiation was at an end, "wrote to me," continues
Mr. Lindsey, " to offer himself, and the result has been
as I have told you. I have been enabled to allow him
something handsome, and some few friends have come
forward to enable me, and so I trust every thing will turn
out as we wish it. We expect them in January. They
have a journey first to make to the good archdeacon,
who thinks that the original sin lies with me in drawing
his son-in-law out of the church. But I have told you
the truth and nothing but the truth."
In a letter to Mr. Turner, dated January 1, 1783,
Mr. Lindsey writes, " My new colleague is this week
arrived with his wife and three children. The inclosed
(viz. Dr. Disney's Reasons for resigning the Rectory of
Panton, and the Vicarage of Swinderby) which I present
you with in his name, will give you pleasure, as a mark
of good sense and a good heart, and likely to do good
in our common cause. I am the more pleased with
this connexion, as it was both unthought of and unex
pected."

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 117

C II A P T E R VI.
MR. LINDSEY PUBLISHES HIS HISTORICAL VIEW. SOME
ACCOUNT OF DR. WILLIAM ROBERTSON. SOCIETY FOR
PROMOTING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCRIPTURES.
In the spring of 1783, Mr. Lindsey being now more
at liberty, committed to the press a work, the materials
of which he had been collecting for some years. This
work is entitled " An Historical View of the State of
the Unitarian Doctrine and Worship from the Reforma
tion to our own Times ; with some Account of the Ob
structions it has met with at different Periods." This
is an elaborate work ; and one of the most interesting
and important of Mr. Lindsey's publications*. The
* The plan and title of this work is somewhat different from the author's
original intention, as announced to his friend Mr. Cappe, in a letter dated
October 22, 1783.
" The title of my intended work will be Impediments to the Acknowledge
ment and Worship of the One living and true God the Father, caused by
(or arising from) Christians themselves, especially Socinians and Unitarians,
from the Reformation to our own Times,,
" Chap. I. will contain,
" 1. The state of the Unitarian doctrine at the Reformation.
" 2. The state of the Unitarian doctrine in England at that time.
"Under the last section will be an opportunity of comparing the advantages
enjoyed from the liberal interpretations of scripture given on the point in
question, with the narrow and systematic turn of our interpreters in general.
"Chap. If. will contain,
" 1. Impediments from Socinus, and Socinians properly speaking. This
wil^ he a large discussion. Socinus will be proved, as he is really be-r
lieved to be, an idolater; and consequences will be intimated with respect
to other Christians.
f * 2. Impediments from English Unitarians. Mr. Firmin ; a good deal con
cerning him, and the Unitarians of his day.
" 3.  from Dr. Clarke, Bishop Hoadley, &c.
'.* 4.  from Mr. Tucker, who was a complete Unitarian, but out
of good though mistaken motives, endeavoured to quiet himself and others,
by giving an Unitarian sense to Trinitarian language.
" Chap. III. will consider,
if 1. The general pleas for Unitarians attending Trinitarian worship which
they disapprove.
" 2. The part they ought to take."
. One cannot help wishing that the learned and pious author had more com-

118 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VI.
professed design of it is to establish the great truth, that
the One Almighty Father of the universe is the only
God of Christians; and that he alone is the proper ob
ject of worship. With this view the author intermixes
Mlustrations of scripture with historical facts, many of
which are little known, and are well calculated to excite
the attention of those who are interested in theological
inquiries, in detecting the corruptions and in recovering
the genuine doctrines of the Christian religion.
" These facts," says Mr. Lindsey, Pref. p. 5, " it is
apprehended, will be reckoned curious by such as wish
to know what passes and has passed upon the stage of
this world of our's, concerning a point of so sublime a
nature, the diversity of opinions that have been enter
tained upon it, the warm passions it has excited, and the
singular events to which it has sometimes given occasion,
in whatever light they look upon the religion of Christ.
But to those who believe that religion to come from
God, it is presumed they will appear both important and
curious. " The history of virtuous upright minds and inquirers
after truth, emerging out of the long night of antichris-
tian darkness, seeking the great Source of being and be
nevolent Father of all, and having found Him, yielding
themselves to torture and death rather than disown him,
rather than not confess and maintain, and declare to
others his transcendent majesty and excellency, and su
periority to the things he has made, presents the most

pletely executed his plan, especially under the two last divisions. This is
indeed an interesting and a painful subject; concerning which it is greatly
to be feared that many err, not for want of knowledge "but of firmness of
mind. For, of what avail is the still small voice of reason and duty in oppo
sition to the loud clamours of self-interest, fashion, and the estimation of
the world? How few, lay it seriously to heart, that a day is coming when
the Man of Nazareth will be " ashamed of those who are now ashamed of
him ! "

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 119
instructive, awful, and animating spectacle and lesson of
all others, tending to inspire the reader with the like un
shaken courage and love of truth, and loyalty to the
righteous and moral governor of the world.
" It would be great satisfaction to be made an instru
ment in any the least degree, to lead others out of the
mazes of impenetrable mystery and polytheism to this
parent mind, to the first Good, first Perfect, and first
Fair, alone worthy of the highest love, adoration, and
gratitude." In pursuance of his design, the worthy author begins
with representing the state of the Unitarian doctrine at
the beginning of the Reformation, and exhibiting the
superior advantages then enjoyed for understanding the
scriptures in this respect ; — he then notices the promising
state of the Unitarian doctrine in England at the time of
the Reformation, with the violent means used to suppress
it; — he next treats of the worship of Jesus .Christ by So
cinus and his followers, and particularly enlarges upon
the controversy on this subject between Faustus Socinus
and Francis David, and upon the severity exercised to»
wards David, and others, for refusing to acknowledge
Christ as an object of religious worship. In this chapter
Mr. Lindsey introduces a section in reply to some severe
and unfounded remarks of Bishop Newton upon the
Unitarians. — The succeeding chapter exhibits the state
of the Unitarian doctrine in the reign of Queen Eliza
beth and of the Stuarts : and the author here explains
the cause of the great silence concerning the Divine
Unity during this period, and gives some account of that
truly eminent confessor John Biddle, M.A. of the univer
sity of Oxford, who, for the profession of his principles,
was banished by Cromwell to the Scilly Islands, and after
wards died in prison. — Then follows an account of the
state of the Unitarian doctrine and worship from- the Re-

120 MEMOIRS Of THE LATE [cH. VI.
storation to the close of the seventeenth century, in which
is included a brief memoir of the celebrated Mr. Thomas
Firmin, merchant of London, a disciple of Biddle, and
his protector and friend; a man eminently useful in his.
day, the friend of Whichcote, Burnet, and Tillotson, an
avowed and zealous Unitarian, but who hesitated not to
conform to the worship of the established church, justi
fying his conduct, but surely erroneously, upon the prin
ciples of Dr. Wallis and the Oxford divines in the con
troversy with Dr. Sherlock, that the three persons in the
Trinity were nothing more than three different charac
ters or relations of one and the same Being. — In the fol
lowing chapter the author describes the state of the Uni
tarian doctrine and worship in the eighteenth century :
and here he gives a particular account of the opinions and
writings of Emlyn, of Whiston, of Dr. Samuel Clarke,
of Bishop Hoadley, of Sir Isaac Newton, and of Abra
ham Tucker, the author of a curious and profound work
entitled The Light of Nature pursued, by Edward Search,
Esq. — The concluding chapter contains a relation of
some circumstances favourable of late years to the pro
gress of the doctrine of the Divine Unity, in which the
worthy author, after representing the benefit accruing to
the cause of truth from an open defence and maintenance
of it, records some recent public declarations in favour
of the Unitarian doctrine and worship, by an open and
avowed separation from the worship of the church of En
gland. And in particular, he relates the circumstances
of the first rise of the church of Unitarian Christians as
sembling in the chapel in Essex-street, to which he an
nexes a brief memoir of some eminent persons who had
honourably, and from a sense of duty, avowed Unitarian
principles, and some of whom had for conscience' sake
resigned lucrative situations and fair prospects of prefer
ment in the national church. In this honourable cata*

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 121
logue are the highly respected names of Dr. Robertson
Dr. John Jebb, Dr. Chambers, Mr. Tyrwhitt, of Jesus
College, Cambridge; Mr. Evanson, Mr. Maty, Mr. Har
ris, and Dr. Disney*.
Of the first of these venerable worthies Mr. Lindsey
thus writes in the concluding paragraph of the Introduc
tion: "Whilst I am finishing this sheet, I have -an ac
count sent me from Wolverhampton of the decease of
my ingenious, amiable friend, Dr. Robertson, mentioned
near the close of the following work. He was born in
Dublin, October 16, 1705, and died May 20, 1783."
Of this truly eminent person, " this venerable, father
of Unitarian nonconformity of our own days," as he is
styled by Mr. Lindsey, I will here subjoin a few anec
dotes which may serve to illustrate the uncommon. ex
cellence of his character. The following account of him
is given by the late celebrated Thomas Hollis, Esq.
under the fictitious name of Pierce Delver, which he
assumed in his correspondence with Mr. Lindsey, in a
letter, dated February 2, 1768. It appears that Mr.
Hollis had requested an interview with Dr. Robertson.

* The following letter from the late learned and venerable bishop of Car
lisle, Dr. Edmund Law, was received by Mr. Lindsey in return for a present
of this valuable work, dated Cambridge, September 23, 1783 :
Dear sir,
I received the favour of your Historical View, and read it with satisfac
tion. You appear to have cleared up all the passages of Scripture usually
alleged in favour of the contrary opinion, and to have exhausted the subject.
As a small return for the obligation, I must desire your acceptance of a new
Cumberland edition of my Theory, purged of some ancient prejudices relative
to pre-existence, &c. I have recommended to my executors to procure a
publication of Dr. Bullock's two Discourses which clear up the doctrine of
atonement, and which I think I communicated to you formerly. The Bishop
of Clonfert was returned to Ireland before your letter reached us. He
would have been delighted with seeing your account of his favourite author
A Tucker, whose work I have often said wanted methodising and abridging
to be of more general use. My compliments to your worthy coadjutor, and
to my old friend Dr. Jebb. That, all the success and satisfaction may attend
your labours to which they are so justly entitled, is the most hearty wish of
your sincere friend and servant. E. C.

122 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. VI.
" The Reverend William Robertson, author of a work
entitled An Attempt to explain the Words Reason, &c.
&c, was with a certain person lately at his own desire,
and stayed with that person from eleven till two. That
person talked him over closely, so as to get informed of
his family, education, situation throughout life, and pre
sent views. He found him to be in all respects a learn
ed, ingenious, cheerful, polite man ; a voluntary martyr
to the Candid Disquisitions, and religious liberty. He
presented him with ten guineas, assured him of all his
general good offices, with open doors at all times ; and
though very sensible, yet a suckling to the. world, sug
gested to him the likeliest means of his attaining some
civil post, by what interest he possesses. At parting
Mr. Robertson was pleased to say, he should esteem that
day as one of the most interesting of his whole life.
And indeed so, in a certain sense, he might say, as the
informations given him must necessarily appear new,
many of them useful and determining.
" He is of a Scottish family, born in Ireland, was
bred regularly for the church, was some years at school
in Dublin, where his father lived, under Mr. Hutcheson,
the after celebrated Scottish Professor at Glasgow, —
studied several years in Glasgow, was presented so soon
as he was capable of holding them to Ravilly and other
adjoining livings, by a then bishop, his patron. These
livings are worth, on my poor memory, about 150/. a
year. On them he resided till about the year 1760,
when he resigned them on account of his scruples in
relation to some parts of the public service. Some art
was used to induce him to resign these livings on his
evidencing those scruples, with promise, in case he did
quietly, of providing for him decently in some way suit*
able to himself. On such resignation no care was taken
of him, but at best, much coolness shown towards him;

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 123
nor will, he thinks, and one person believes, any care
be -taken of him. Before his scruples he was a favour
ite of Lord Primate Stone, who recommended him to
Dr. Robinson, then Lord Bishop of Ferns. — Became a
favourite of the bishop's, who offered him the livings
mentioned in his letter, value, I think, about nett 80/.
a year, 40/. a year being allowed for a curate, with pro
mise of further countenance. And he thinks, had he
continued in the church and in favour of the bishop,
now Lord Primate of Armagh, he should be probably
possessed of church preferment at this time to the amount
of 1 000/. a year. When he waited on his patron under
scruples, he was told, ' You are a madman : you do. not
know the world.'
" He has several children which are all tolerably set
tled, save one daughter single, who lives with another
married. Himself alone has no subsistence. After having'
sought it years at Dublin in vain, he came over here in-
August last to that end, with tolerable recommendations
to two persons of some influence, and will to assist him.
These, however, had the indiscretion at best, to tender
it on the church line, to the amount of 100/. a year or
so ! which he declined at once, and so matters rest with
him at present. One person has put him on a new
plan, and hopes it may issue to subsistence. He is aged
sixty-three, middle-sized, and tolerably hearty. The
same person recommended to him to maintain his cheer
fulness, and was thanked for so doing.
"My dear sir, I scribble off-hand and tired, but you
cannot, I think, but perceive a colossus of a good man.
In our age, he should indeed be miserable. There is
great simplicity with ease in his behaviour; but I suspect
under it, for my time was but short with him considering
what I had to throw out to him, strong parts."
The pains which this respectable gentleman took to

124 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. VI.
serve this worthy friend in procuring for him some civil
establishment, were however unsuccessful. But in the
same year a provision was made for him by the Merchant-
Taylors Company of London, who presented Dr. Ro
bertson to the office of head-master of the free grammar
school at Wolverhampton, in Staffordshire. A laborious
employment, and not very lucrative at best; and at this
time charged with an annuity to a superannuated incum
bent who had retired, and who lived some years after
wards. To this humble station did the venerable con
fessor repair, now in his grand climacteric, when an office
requiring less exertion might have better suited his ad
vanced age; and here he resided content and thankful for
fifteen years, discharging the duties of his office with great
reputation ; and though in this situation he survived all
his children, and was left alone and unpropped, he still
retained, as Mr. Lindsey expresses it, " that serenity and
cheerful trust in the divine Providence, which can only
belong to the virtuous and innocent mind*." But the
malice of bigotry pursued him even into this retreat.
It has been before stated, p. 32, upon Mr. Lindsey's
own authority, that no consideration pressed more
strongly upon his mind, nor urged him more forcibly to

* In a letter to Mr. Lindsey, dated March 9, 1769, Pierce Delver (Mr.
Hollis) communicates to his friend the following interesting intelligence con-
cerning this venerable confessor :
" Dr. Robertson, I believe, at first thought the school in Staffoi dshire to
be better circumstanced than it really was; and afterwards having been
chosen to it with great good will and earnestness of the trustees of it he
then thought it a kind of shame to decline it. A little before the Doctor went
out of town, he communicated to me the following singular and very fine
anecdote, but in his own finer manner : ' That a country clergyman, of a
good look and great simplicity of manners, had then lately called upon him
one morning at his lodgings, and asked him if his name was Robertson?
On being answered in the affirmative, he seized his hand, shook it heartily,
said he had heard much of him, had read and approved his book, rejoiced
to see him more than any man in England, and that having brought four
score pounds to town to lay out by way of addition to some Stock which he
already possessed in the Funds, there it was, pulling out a bag of money

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 125
resolve upon his resignation, than the sentiments express
ed by Dr. Robertson in his letter to the Bishop of Ferns.
And when at last Mr. Lindsey had given up his prefer
ment, and had succeeded so far beyond his expectation
in opening a chapel in Essex-street and establishing an
¦interest which offered a good prospect of permanence,
Dr. Robertson appears to have been one of the first per
sons to whom he directed his thoughts and wishes as an
associate in his labours. To this he was prompted more
perhaps by motives of veneration and gratitude, than by
his usual sense of propriety and expedience; for Dr. Ro
bertson, though vigorous and active for his years, and
not unwilling to listen to the application, must at that
time have been turned of seventy. To this application
Mr. Lindsey appears to allude in a letter to Dr. Jebb,
dated May 10, 1775.
"R. was to have preached for me the last Sunday afr
ternoon ; but on Friday he came to tell me he was not
quite provided. He is, however, to do the duty on Sun
day next. I shall be glad to engage him if approved by
our congregation, and have told him so. But as what I
can allow him will not be sufficient for his support, he
is looking out for some that may be consistent with it.
N-.B. Half of what I at present receive from our subscrip-
from his pocket and laying it upon the table by Dr. Robertson, — he could
never dispose of it so usefully, so excellently, as to him. The Doctor, as
tonished, entreated him many times to put up his bag again, for that he had
no need of it, being without want ; which at length, with very great reluc
tance, he did, after having repeatedly exclaimed, Why ! man, I have no
use for it, at least take a part.' The name of this clergyman was William
Hopkins, of Cuckfield, a gentleman, it seems, who has long since distin
guished himself for good sense, learning, and public spirit, by his writings.
Archbishops of England ! Ireland ! who declare difference of opinion from
your small sect to be a misfortune, match, if ye can, in your like, this' pair 1
I could not help saying to Dr. Robertson, that forboth's sake, I thought he
should have taken ten guineas."
So far Pierce. Delver. After Mr. Lindsey's resignation, when he came to
reside in London, Mr. Hopkins became his friend and correspondent. A few
of this excellent man's letters are inserted in the Appendix, No. VII.

126 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VI.
tions, the expenses of the chapel deducted, I propose to
give him if we engage."
What steps were afterwards taken do not appear. For
when Dr. Jebb had fixed to leave the church and to re
move from Cambridge, Mr. Lindsey could think of no
other colleague till he had peremptorily declined. After
this, Mr. Lindsey's attention appears to have been again
turned towards his venerable friend at Wolverhampton,
who thus addresses him in a letter dated April 5, 1778:
" Some weeks ago I had prepared boxes, and had ac
tually packed up some of my luggage, and was saying to
myself, Transmigratio hinc sit felix faiistaque ! when I
was privately informed that there were some people here
consulting together, what methods they should take in
putting the laws in execution against me for teaching a
school without a license. The Company of Merchant-
Taylors, London, who presented me to this school, 1/68,
had a bill filed against them in Chancery three years ago,
by some very troublesome people of this town, to com
pel them to give an account of the issues and profits of
the manor of Rushock, which was bequeathed in trust to
them for the support of the school. The Company have
set forth in their answer, that they have expended 1200/.
upon this school more than they received out of the es-
' tate. And this I verily believe to be true. I have, there
fore, upon every occasion vindicated the Company, and
have spoken my mind very freely here with respect to the
persons who are plaintiffs in this suit. This, I find, has
drawn upon me their displeasure; and as religion- must
be brought into every dispute, public and private, they
have now, I am told, taken it into their heads to prose
cute me on account of non-subscription. To this in
deed, I believe, they have been instigated by some ortho
dox clergymen, whose zeal is without much knowledge.

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 127
— And shall I now decline the contest ? No ! — I am re
solved either to gain the victory over these assailants, or
to fall gloriously in defending the most noble privilege
of human nature : Liberty of Thought ! To fly now
would look like cowardice. I cannot, therefore, avoid
abiding the event. If they should proceed, you shall be
informed of every step taken on either side. The cause
between the Company and their accusers is to be heard
by the Lord Chancellor next Term. If he makes a de
cree as is expected, it may either animate or discourage
these warm gentlemen. A little time will therefore de
termine that. I long to be with you, but I think it is
my duty in present circumstances to continue here a lit
tle longer at least. I am but poorly in health ; both the
gout and stone have been lately very pungent. But sub
mission to my God, gratitude to my friends, afford the
greatest comfort to your most obliged and most affec
tionate, W.R."
Who can read this excellent letter without admiring
the piety, the fortitude, the magnanimity of this extra
ordinary man, this aged confessor, this veteran champion
of Christian truth ? How dignified, how sublime, does
Dr. Robertson appear, at the age of seventy-three, clad
in the armour of innocence and truth ; collecting the re
maining vigour of his powers, firmly resolved to stand his
ground in the day qf trial, and to perish in the conflict,
rather than tarnish the honours of his former years, or
to recede a tittle from that good confession to which he
had cheerfully sacrificed all his temporal possessions and
prospects ! In comparison with this Christian hero, how
mean, how contemptible do his persecutors appear, in
sidiously and maliciously plotting in their dark cabals to
deprive an old man of his bread, and to consign him to
the horrors of a gaol! And why ? Was it because he had
offended against the laws of eternal justice and commit-

128 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VI.
ted crimes worthy of bonds and imprisonment ? Was
Dr. Robertson a bad neighbour, a faithless friend, a dis
honest citizen, a disloyal subject ? This was not even pre
tended. What was it then that provoked the zeal, that
roused the malignant passions of these holy inquisitors ?
It was this : that Dr. Robertson professed himself a wor
shiper of the Father only ; of that Being whom Jesus
worshiped, and of whom he speaks as his Father and our
Father, as his God and our God. For the sake of this
object, he had quitted his situation and all his hopes and
prospects in a church, where this pure primitive worship
was not allowed, and had cast himself and a large family
upon the wide world to seek their bread, without any
friend but a good conscience, and without any patronage
or protection but that of divine Providence. His enemies
" could find nothing against him, except it were touch
ing the law of his God." The crime charged upon
this venerable confessor was the same which was alleged
against the apostle before him ; " after the way which
they called heresy, so did he worship the God of his fa
thers." O Persecution, what a hideous fiend art thou
in every shape, in every place, and in every age ! But
never, surely, more hideous, more disgusting, nor more
contemptible, than when enlisted in the service of men
calling themselves Christians, to fasten thy venomous
fangs upon such a character as Dr. Robertson.
Happily, in this case the success of the enterprise did
not correspond with the malignity of the purpose. A
flourishing school of Papists subsisted in the neighbour
hood, zealously patronized by the lord of the domain,
the same nobleman who being chairman to the bench of
Westminster justices demurred to register Mr. Lindsey's
chapel, Lord Dudley and Ward ; and bigotry herself did
not think it decent to prosecute a Protestant clergyman
for keeping a school, while a popish seminary was left

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 129
unmolested. Happily the danger of such persecutions
is now passed ; and in this enlightened age, and in this
tolerant reign, both Protestants and Catholics are pro
tested by law in the exercise of that indefeasible right,
that primary duty of parents to educate their children in
the principles and habits which they judge to be most
conducive to their virtue and happiness. But now let
this excellent man teU his own story in his letter to Mr.
Lindsey, dated April 27, 1778:
" I congratulate you most heartily upon getting again
into your chapel. But I hope you have too much pru
dence to go to dwell in the house till it gets the next
summer's seasoning at least. My friend Mrs. Abernethy
tells me she has got a seat in the chapel, and invites me
to sit there. But you invite me to a higher station.
It is possible I may accept of both. This day was our
visitation, to which I was cited. I expected articles would
have been exhibited against me, but none appeared.
Our Official very civilly invited me to dine with him, and
placed me next himself. I asked him if he had heard
aiiy thing of the design against me that was whispered
about. He made no direct answer to my question, but
said I might be quite easy in that respect. There is a
popish school set up in our town within this half year,
¦ — but one of much greater importance within two miles
of 'us, kept in a house in which the Lords Dudley resided,
and was set up by the late lonL, whose lady was suspected
of popery, for that purpose. This school is supported
by large contributions from Catholics both at home and
abroad, and contains now one hundred and fifty scholars,
who are taught, and most of them clothed and fed, gratis.
Now I find that a prosecution could not be carried on
with any decency against me, without obliging the same
persons to prosecute the masters and supporters of the
popish school qpdn the satne principles, and this design

130 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VT.
they know would meet with all possible discouragement
from the ruling powers. Therefore, under the protec
tion of popery, wonderful event ! I find myself safe. It
was the profound policy of the counsellors of James II.
to grant an universal toleration to all dissenters from the
established church, amongst whom were included the
Papists, and thus popery became tolerated at least, and
highly encouraged. Protestant dissenters are more the
objects of popish persecution than the established epi
scopalians. But though the devil shows sometimes as an
angel of light, yet he is a devil still, and only puts on that
appearance that he may the more effectually deceive, and
in the end more surely destroy*."

* This expression may be thought harsh, and to savour of a persecuting
spirit, in one who was himself at that very time threatened with persecu
tion. But let it be recollected, that the venerable septuagenarian was born
in the reign of the last of the Stuarts, who earnestly sought to set aside the
Act of Succession and to introduce a popish successor. And through the.
reigns of the two first princes of the House of Hanover the Papists were
regarded, and as a body justly, as enemies to the family upon the throne*
and decided partisans of a.popish pretender; and were, therefore, properly
considered by the friends of civil and religious liberty as political enemies ;
who, if tbey gained the ascendency, would subvert the government and re
ligion of the country, and introduce popery, tyranny, and persecution. The
state of things is now materially changed. The Pretender's family is ex
tinct ; and the present generation of English Catholics are as good and loyal
subjects as the Protestants, and equally entitled to civil rights and to reli
gious liberty. And though popery, as a system of faith and an enormous
corruption of Christianity, ought still, to to be attacked by every argument
of reason and scripture, the professors of that corrupt religion ought not to
be laid under -political restraint. Many of the Catholics themselves have
learned in the school of adversity the true principles of religious liberty.
And the Christian petition for universal religious freedom, originating with
that eminent patriot and clergyman of the established church the Reverend
Christopher Wyvill, presented to Parliament in June 1810, and ably sup
ported by Samuel Whitbread, Esq. and W. Smith, Esq. was signed not only
by Protestants of all denominations, but by many gentlemen of distinction
among the Catholics. Popery, as a political system, is no longer an object
of terror. Babylon the great is fallen. In this event the professors of ra
tional Christianity must rejoice, and the friends of civil and religious liberty
must share iri the triumph. But this is a very different thing frominsulting
the individuals of the catholic persuasion. Andnothing, surely, can be more
ungenerous than rejoicing in the calamities of the aged and respectable
pontiff; who is now (J 812) a victim to a merciless tyranny. We exult in
the fall of an anticliristiap domination; but we pity the sufferings of the
man, and execrate the cruelty of the oppressor. •' '•'

CH. VI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 131
In September 1783 a society was instituted "for pro-'
moting the knowledge of the Scriptures." The meet
ings were held at Essex-house. Among the original
members of the society were Mr. Lindsey, Dr. Disney,
who accepted the office of Secretary, Dr. Jebb, Dr. Kippis,'
Dr. Price, Dr. Calder, Mr. Dodson, Mr. Lee, &c. in
London ; and in the country, Mr. Tayleur of Shrewsbury j
who generously remitted 100/. to the society for imme
diate use, and entered himself as a subscriber of five gui
neas annually ; Mr. Shore, and Mr. Newton of Norton,
Mr. Turner, Dr. Priestley, Dr. Toulmin, Dr. Law, bishop
of Carlisle, and others, in all about thirty or forty mem
bers. The society limited its object to the illustration
of the Scriptures, and declined all tracts which were
wholly controversial, or which were formal defences or
confutations of specific doctrines. A veiy able sketch
of the society's plan was drawn up by Dr. Jebb, in which
he states and illustrates what he calls the analytic plan
of interpretation which the society proposed to pursue1
and to recommend, viz. Having selected a passage of
scripture for the purpose of illustration, to begin with
discussing preliminary questions relating to the con*
nexion, &c. These being settled, the judicious inter
preter is to proceed, by settling the text by a comparison
of various readings; by accurate translation, division, and
punctuation ; by a concise, well-digested commentary ^
by notes philological and explanatory ; and finally, by
adding doctrinal and moral conclusions. This, which
is unquestionably a most excellent plan of interpretation,
was laid down as a general rule, without meaning to re
quire from their correspondents a rigid conformity to it,
or to any other specific model ; but to admit any com
munication which tended to the advancement of scriptural
knowledge. This society did not flourish in the degree nor to the
J5L 2

132 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. VI.
extent of the desires and expectations of its learned and
benevolent founders*. Its members were never nume
rous, and they were very sparing in their contributions:
the plan was too circumscribed, and interfered too much
with the larger, the more comprehensive, and more useful
plan of the Theological Repository, at that time resumed
by Dr. Priestley : and after languishing a few years, it
was altogether given up. Not, however, without be"
queathing a valuable legacy to the theological student,
consisting of two volumes of Commentaries and Essays.
Among these are a curious dissertation of Mr. Lindsey's
upon John xiv. 1 — 3 ; and a gleaning of remarks on Mr.
Travis's attempt to revive the exploded text of 1 John v. 7.
A translation with notes, by Mr. Dodson, of the twelve
first chapters of Isaiah, and likewise of the fifty-second
and fifty-third chapters, which were all afterwards repub
lished by that learned writer in a complete translation
of the whole book, with notes. Another communication
was added by Mr. Dodson in the second volume, in the
form of a letter to Mr. Evanson, in defence of his hypo
thesis concerning the spuriousness of the gospels of Mat
thew, Mark, and John. Also two inestimable dissertations
of the Rev. Robert Tyrwhitt, one upon the " Creation
of all things by Jesus Christ," and the other upon the
"Resurrection of the dead through the Man Jesus Christ."
The bulk of the second volume is made up of remarks,
many of them very ingenious, upon select passages in the
Old Testament, by the late Rev. Henry More, of Leskiard
in Cornwall.

• " This circular letter which our secretary sends," says Mr. Lindsey in
a letter to Mr. Turner, dated December 5, 1785, " will but too much pi-dye
.that our society does not flourish at present. Not that we receive no con
tributions to it ; but unless they have something original in them, and are
ingenious, it would not answer our design to give them admission. You
have well earned your dismission from such labours, though we cannot but
lament it."

CH. VII .J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 133

CHAPTER VII.
CONTROVERSY WITH ROBERT ROBINSON. ANALYSIS OF
THE VINDICIiE PRIESTLEYANAE. MISUNDERSTANDING
AND RECONCILIATION WITH DR. RICHARD PRICE.
In the beginning of the year 1776 the late celebrated
Robert Robinson, minister of a Baptist congregation at
Cambridge, published a book entitled " A Plea for the
Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ." This treatise, writ
ten with great ingenuity, and which breathes throughout
a most amiable spirit of candour, is considered by many
as one of the most plausible and imposing defences of
the popular doctrine concerning the person of Christ
which ever issued from the press. So far indeed as
argument is concerned, it is egregiously trifling, and
contains a sort of defence of the deity of the Son of God
which the learned Trinitarians, the Bulls and Waterlands
of a former age, would have blushed to avow. It con
sists chiefly of a collection of texts arranged under dif
ferent heads as suited the author's purpose, without any
inquiry into their genuineness, without any attention to
the connexion, and even without any attempt to ascer
tain the correctness of the translation. These texts so
arranged, the worthy author commented upon and ex
plained agreeably to his own preconceived opinions, and
with all the confidence of inspiration itself. He even
goes so far as to denounce Jesus and his apostles as
':' idiots and impostors," if they intended any other mean
ing than what he was pleased to annex to their language*.
* " Notwithstanding so many reasons for precision, Jesus Christ declares,
Ail things that the Father hath are mine, a very dangerous proposition if be
were not God." Robinson's Plea, p. 14. Again, p. 17 : " If they who ascribe
the perfections of deity to Jesus Christ have fallen into an error, they
have been led into it by the writers of the New Testament. If Jesu?.~hrf'
be God, the ascription of the perfections of God to him is proper ; if he be
not, the apostles are chargeable with weakness or wickedness, arid either

134 MEMOIRS. Of THE LATE [CH. Vlfc,
This specious and dogmatical style, combined with much
ingenuity, and wit,: and eloquence, and accompanied
with great liberality towards those who held a different
opinion, and particularly with many expressions of
marked respect to Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Jebb, rendered
the treatise extremely popular, and made a considerable
impression upon many who ought to have been better
informed ; but who were not forward to pry with too
curious an eye into the validity of arguments in support
of doctrines which they dare not disbelieve. " Accord
ingly," says Mr. Robinson's biographer, " a profusion.
of compliments followed the publication, as well from
several dignitaries of the church as from the dissenters.
Dr. Hinchcliffe, bishop of Peterborough, Dr. Hallifax,
afterwards bishop of Gloucester, Dr. Goddard, master of
Clare Hall, Dr. Ogden, Woodwardian professor, Dr.
Cooke, provost of King's College, Dr. Beadon, afterwards
bishop of Gloucester, at that time public orator, and
Dr. Tucker, dean of Gloucester, courted his acquaintance.
And it was pretty generally agreed that the Plea was the.
best defence of the divinity of Christ which had been
published." Handsome compliments likewise were paid
would destroy their claims to inspiration." Further, p. 18 : " Consider now
into what contradictions these writers must fall if Jesus Christ be not God.
They contradict one another: they contradict themselves. They degrade
writings which they pretend are inspired, below the lowest scribbling of the
meanest authors."
Such is the censure which this ingenious and well-meaning but mistaken-
writer passes upon Jesus and his apostles if they did not mean to teach the
doptrine which he imputes to them, not a suspicion of which ever entered
into their imaginations, not a single trace of which is to be discovered in
their discourses or in their writings ; and from the very idea of which they
would have recoiled with horror.
¦ "The fen- who examine and decide for themselves," says Mr. Lindsey,
" are not to be dazzled and overawed by these confident declarations, know
ing that mortals are oftentimes most ignorant where they are most presump
tuous and assured. But it is not so with others ; especially if their pre
judices lean that way already. Such violent language overpowers them be
fore they are aware of it, and puts an end to all cool and fair inquiry, so that
they will hear no reason from those of a contrary sentiment : and it will be
well if even their resentments are not instantly kindled against thernJ>
Exam, of Robinson's Plea, p. 4,

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 135
to the author by ministers of his own persuasion, par
ticularly Dr. Stennet, Dr. Evans, Daniel Turner, and
several others of the moderate Calvinists. The Rev.
Josiah Thompson, late of Clapham, in particular, writes,
" I have read your Plea with singular pleasure, but not
more than I expected from it. Every thing you write
never fails to entertain and delight me." This good
man showed the Plea to Dr. Furneaux and Dr. Kippis;
but though these learned and judicious divines express
themselves in handsome and becoming terms of the
author's superior abilities, and his great talents for ori
ginal composition, they understood the controversy too
well to pay any compliment to his argument*.
Of the admirers of this celebrated Defence of the Di
vinity of Christ, though not in the number of Mr. Ro
binson's correspondents, the learned Archdeacon Black
burne is one of the most conspicuous. This eminent
divine, who, it is plain, had paid more attention to the
subject of Christian liberty than of theological contro
versy, thought but slightly of the arguments contained
in Mr. Lindsey's Apology ; and at the same time, he
had too much good sense to be satisfied with the super
ficial replies of Burgh and Randolph. But after he had
read Mr. Robinson's pamphlet, which he did not see till
it came to a second edition, the good archdeacon, in the
warmth of his zeal, began to think that the controversy
was by this unanswerable work completely settled, that
Unitarianism was now silenced for> ever, and that all her
learned advocates were humbled in the dust by "the
sling and the stone" of this new champion of the ortho
dox faith. But let the worthy dignitary speak for himself.
In a tract written in the year 1782, and printed in an
Appendix to the Memoir of his Life, (prefixed to an

See Dyer's Life of. Robert Jlobiuson, p. 109.

136 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII.
edition of the Archdeacon's Works in seven volumes, in
the year 1804, published by his son, the Reverend Franeig
Blackburne,) entitled an Answer to the Question, " Why
are you not a Socinian ?" Mr. Blackburne expresses him-;
self thus : " When Mr. Lindsey's Apology came out I
read it, and thought some things in it w.-li enough. In
other passages he seemed to me to be infirn t in his proofs:
I then read several answers to him, which, among a few
tolerable hits, had a considerable mixture of weakness
and absurdity. About five years ago, I know not what
chance threw in my way a pamphlet entitled A Plea for
the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. I perused this
pamphlet with care and attention, and was both surprised
and concerned to find so many of my friend Lindsey's
arguments and positions totally subverted, a fundamen-
tis, provided the pleadings, reasonings, and authorities
were well-grounded. To prove this to myself I consulted
a number of the texts he had cited, and found his su
perstructure bottomed upon a rock. It is now six year's
tince this pamphlet was first published. I have looked
in every newspaper, review, magazine, &c. I met with,
and could never find an answer to it either from Mr.
Lindsey, Dr. Jebb, Dr. Priestley, or even Mr. Evanson,
who I think is one of the best writers among the Soci
nians, either ancient or modern. Indeed, so far as con
cerns the Socinians, I think it unanswerable*."
Such was the judgement of the venerable Archdeacon
of Cleveland ; and in- this judgement he was supported

* Whether the archdeacon was ever convinced of the futility of the argu
ments of the " Plea ' by that forcible train of reasoning which converted the
candid author himself, does not appear. His worthy biographer concludes
the contrary. It appears, says he, that in the year 1785 an Examination of
Mr. Robinson's Plea was published by the Rev. T. Lindsey, but without b
name, and by him presented to Mr. Blackburne. We have not however
been able to discover that the archdeacon's sentiments of Mr. Robinson's
work underwent any change, as he recommended the serious perusal of it
to "some young clergymen, a very few weeks before his death. Blackburne' j
Works, vol. i, Memoir, p. exxvi.

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 137
by the multitude, who always find it to be less trouble
to take a doctrine upon trust than to examine its evi
dence with care. Thus was this spirited assailant for
many years left master of the field, and his work not
being answered was of course reckoned unanswerable.
In the mean time the Unitarian divines were not neg
ligent of what was passing, nor inattentive to the tem
porary triumph of orthodoxy in one of the chief seats
of science and learning. Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Jebb were
the principal persons whose writings were attacked in
this popular publication ; and the author with much good
nature had sent to each of those gentlemen a copy of his
work, accompanied with letters professing his high re
gard for their talents, their learning, and their character,
and apologizing for any expression which might through
inadvertency have dropped from his pen, and which was
capable of being construed into personal disrespect.
Courteous answers were of course returned*. But nei
ther of the gentlemen so addressed entertained at that
time any thoughts of writing a confutation of the Plea ;
Dr. Jebb being fully engaged in preparing for the new
-profession to which his views were then directed, and
Mr. Lindsey being always averse to personal controversy,
and neither of them regarding this superficial attack as
deserving of a serious reply.
The " Plea," however, excited greater attention, and
made a deeper impression than these gentlemen expect
ed, and than its intrinsic merits deserved, and it soon
became apparent that a reply of some kind was advisa
ble. Mr. Lindsey, conceiving that, as the author resided
at Cambridge, an answer to his work would come with
the best effect from " that famous seat of learning," in
quired from time to time of some of his literary and the-

* Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 116.

138 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VIL
ological friends at the university whether any notice was
likely to be taken from the press of this new (i Plea,"
which for a time had so much vogue. All however that
he could learn was, " that it was looked upon as so very
superficial, and had so little argument in it, that it could
not long deceive any one, and needed no confutation*."
Mr. Lindsey's learned friends probably thought, and
indeed justly, that his own writings having been the prin
cipal object of attack in the " Plea," it was more parti
cularly incumbent upon him to draw up a reply ; and
they knew that they could rely with confidence upon his
prudence, his learning, his zeal, and his moderation.
Mr. Lindsey himself, perhaps, was conscious that the
task properly devolved upon him ; and his sense of duty,
and zeal for the cause which was, as he thought, so pe
tulantly and dogmatically impugned, overcame his na
tural aversion to personal controversy, and determined
hiin at length to put on the harness and to enter the
lists with his courteous but presuming opponent, and in
the year 1785 he published, anonymously, " An Exami-

* Examination of Robinson's Plea, p. 3. A brief account of the origin of
this, publication is contained in the following extract from a letter to Mr,
Cappe, dated early in the year 1785, in which Mr. Lindsey requests Mr.
Cappe to apply to Dr. Leechman, the principal of the university of Glasgow,
for some authentic account of Professor Hutcheson.
" Did you ever read Mr. Robinson, minister of Cambridge's Plea for the
Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, printed first in 1776, which has under
gone three editions ? Mr. Archdeacon Blackburne has often asked me, in
triumph, how we could go on in Essex-street without confuting this work?
It is also much commended by several dignitaries in the church ; and held
as gospel very generally among dissenters. I have been formerly and often
pressed to take some notice of it. I asked the Cambridge men at the time
and since, but they declined. Very much importuned by some persons
lately, I have undertaken it, and am actually in the press. Unless I put
my name to the work, about which I am net decided, not loving to appear
in controversy, the title will be," &c. In another letter to the same friend,
dated the 25th of February, he says, " I often wonder at myself, and am
often not a little drooping, to think how I should venture on the public, when
certain persons, so much more able and capable, are silent. But then it
recurs, that it is fit something should be opposed to such triumphant non
sense and declamation, which seems well received because many know no
better."

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 139
nation of Mr. Robinson of Cambridge's Plea for the Di
vinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, by a late Member of the
University." In his preface, Mr. Lindsey remarks, that " the Au
thor here examined has seldom given himself the trouble
of doing any thing more than barely to bring together
texts of Scripture, without explaining them, or even
showing how they apply to his purpose in proving Jesus
Christ to be truly and properly God ; presuming that it
would be taken for granted, at sight and upon his au
thority, that they prove the point for which he assigned
them ; so that the title of this tract of mine might with
very great propriety have been, ' An Explanation of all
the Texts of Scripture produced by Mr. Robinson in
proof of the Divinity of Jesus Christ.' How far it may
afford any thing new or useful the reader will judge.!'
The learned writer, in his Examination of the Plea,-
pursues Mr. Robinson's method, and examines and sifts
his popular opponent's defence of the divinity of Christ
argument by argument, and text by text. Accordingly,
he inquires in order, whether the sacred writers speak of
God in peculiar appropriated terms, — whether Jesus
Christ is the Supreme God, — whether the same titles
are given to Christ in the Christian Scriptures which are
given to God in the Jewish Scriptures, — whether the
perfections which are ascribed to Christ are the same
with those which are ascribed to the "Supreme God, —
whether the like worship is given, or commanded to be
given, in the Scriptures to Jesus Christ as to Almighty
God, — whether there, be any passages in the Old Testa
ment, and applied to Jesus Christ in the New, which
prove Jesus Christ to be Jehovah the Supreme God, —
whether the Scriptures which foretell the destruction of
idolatry by the Gospel have not been fulfilled, although
Jesus Christ be wrongly worshiped as God, — whether,

140 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [c'H. VII.
if Jesus Christ be not the Supreme God, Mahomet has
written more clearly on the nature of Jesus Christ than
the Apostles have, — whether numberless passages of
Scripture have no sense, or a very absurd one, if Jesus
Christ be a mere man, — and, finally, what is the source
of men's erroneous opinions concerning the person of
Christ, according to the author of the " Plea." After
having with great ability and learning discussed these
important questions, explained and illustrated the several
texts, confuted his opponent's arguments, and occasion
ally animadverted with a warmth and severity more than
was usual with him upon the presumption, the ignorance,
and the dogmatical spirit of the writer, and particularly
upon his unbecoming abuse of the sacred writers if their
meaning is different from what he chooses to represent,
Mr. Lindsey concludes his treatise with some pertinent
observations upon the inattention of the author of the
" Plea" to those numerous passages of Scripture which
in direct terms exclude Christ and every other person
from all pretensions to deity, — on the general tenor of
the Scriptures, from which no man of plain understand
ing would ever suspect more gods than one to be therein
revealed, — and on the great injury which is done to true
religion and the gospel by such representations of it.
The success of this Examination was complete. From.
the time that it was published no person who had the
least pretension to Biblical learning was heard to open
his lips in defence of this famous Plea for the Divinity
of Christ ; not a syllable was written in confutation of
the Reply. Those who would not retract were at least
compelled to be silent ; and it seemed to be universally
conceded, that if the divinity of Christ was to be defend
ed at all, it must be upon a very different ground from
that which was occupied by this much vaunted perform
ance.

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 141
The impression made by the Examination upon the
ingenuous mind of the author of the Plea was very con
siderable. Mr. Robinson was stung to the quick by the
grave, and, as his conscience must have testified, the not
unmerited rebuke of his unknown opponent. His friends
urged him, his opponents challenged him, to stand upon
his defence, or to fulfill his promise, — that "if ever he
discovered his deception he would retract his error." He
resolved, however, to keep a prudent silence. " I do not
intend," says he, in a letter to a friend, "to answer the
anonymous examiner. He hath not touched my argu
ments ; and his spirit is bitter and contemptuous. His
faith stands on criticisms ; and my argument is, that if
the doctrine required critical proof, it is not popular, and
therefore not divine. Yes, they will have the last word,
and let them*." This amiable man, however, soon re-
* See Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 1 13. It is said to have been a favourite
maxim of this extraordinary man at one time of his life, " Criticism is a
good tiling in its place ; but woe to the system which depends upon it ¦"
And from this it has been weakly inferred by some of Mr. Robinson's ad
mirers, whose zeal exceeded their knowledge, that a doctrine supported by-
criticism must be erroneous, because, forsooth, the common people could
not understand it. These wise men, it seems, are not aware that the mairl
object of Scripture criticism is to discover the sense which would be most
obvious to those for whose immediate use the Scriptures were written, which
must no doubt be the true sense, however contrary to modern ideas and pre
judices. That Mr. Robinson was not serious in this sarcastic reflection upon
criticism, or that he afterwards thought more rationally upon the subject,
is evident from the following extract of a letter to a friend :
" I have remarked only a few of the many ministers who are sincerely
studying the New Testament, the four gospels I mean. I want a man who"
vindicates the book, and ascertains the fact, that the history of the incarna
tion is not an addition ; and this, by sober just criticism. I do not want au
thorities of great names ; I want reasons to convince my understanding, —
I want one who gives me the genuine doctrine of the four gospels, before
the epistles were written ; a man as familiar with Palestine as with his own
country. I do not want a qaoter of texts and a packer of ecclesiastical news ;
I want a good sound logician, who knows how to reason, and who is no
novice, — a cool, deliberate, honest disciple of Jesus, vvho pauses and weighs",
and admits the refining fire of inquiry to burn freely." Speaking of Mr.
Winchester, who taught the doctrine of universal salvation, he says of his
opponents : " They preach and print against him. They pretend that God
is of their temper, and will not bate a day of eternity. They never Miew
what crtticisfo was ; and they do nothing but chuuht for ever, and for ever,
and for ever, poor homes 1 Servants who know riot What their Lord "ddeth.'r
Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 287. 289.

142' MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII.
covered the tenor of his mind ; and wisely profiting by
rebuke, he paid greater attention to the important ques
tion, not disdaining to call in the aid of sober and just
criticism, and in a short time reformed his. opinion and
became decidedly anti-trinitarian. This is a known fact.
I shall mention but one proof of it. In a letter to a friend,
dated March 4, 1789, speaking of an aged minister who
had applied for relief to the Baptist-board, he says : " In
stead of sending him charity they sent him faith, and
informed him that they had made a law not to relieve
any except they subscribed a creed, a human creed which
they sent him ; and the first article of which is : There
are three divine persons in the Unity of the godhead !
Absolute nonsense! supported by tyranny over men's
consciences*." It is not quite clear to what distance from the stand
ard of orthodoxy this ingenuous and inquisitive man
carried his speculations upon the subject of the person
of Christ. " For many years," says one of Mr. Robin
son's family and congregation in a letter to Dr. Priestley,
dated three days after his decease,- "but especially for
the last two or three of his life, he taught the doctrine
of the unity of the great Cause of all things expressly and
effectually." He had promised himself much pleasure-
from an interview with Dr. Priestley ; and in a letter
addressed to Dr. Priestley a few weeks before the in-.
terview, and the only one which Mr. Robinson ever
wrote to him, he says : " I am indebted to you for the
little I know of rational defensible Christianity. But for
your friendly aid I fear I should have gone from enthu
siasm to deism : but a faith founded on evidence rests ;
upon a rock." In the admirable sermon which Dr.
Priestley preached and published on the melancholy oc
casion of the sudden death of this excellent man, the.
 ,  ,  .—  ;-  -^-T  ¦  ¦=  ,  r-
* Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 300, 301.

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 143
author expatiating upon the character of his deceased
friend justly remarks, that " what most of all distin
guished Mr. Robinson was his earnest love of truth, and
his laborious search after it. Notwithstanding his long
attachment to the doctrine of the Trinity, yet continuing
to read and think on the subject, he came at length to
change his opinion, and before he died he was one of the
most zealous Unitarians. The subject of the Divine
Unity was ever uppermost in his mind, and he urged it
not only in season, but, as you would observe, out of
season. Such also was his power of persuasion, such
the excellence of his character and the just esteem in
which he was held, that in time his congregation came
almost universally to embrace his opinions, as I was my
self informed about a year ago, by one of them who had
himself* been a Trinitarian, but who was then a Unita
rian." Dr. Priestley in a letter to a friend, expressing
his delight in Mr. Robinson's conversation and his dis
appointment in his preaching, says, " His discourse was
unconnected and desultory, and his manner of treating
the Trinity savoured rather of burlesque than serious
reasoning. He attacked orthodoxy more pointedly arid
sarcastically than I ever did in my lifef."
Upon the whole, it is evident that Dr. Priestley and
his friends regarded Mr. Robinson as decidedly an Uni*
tarian in the sense in which Dr. Priestley always used the
word, that is, as a believer in the simple humanity of
Jesus Christ. And there can be no doubt that these,
were the sentiments which he expressed in his last visit
at Birmingham. Nor does it appear that Mr. Robinson
was ever inclined to the Arian hypothesis concerning the

* Dr. Priestley's Sermon on the Death of the Rev. R. Robinson, p. 20-21.
This excellent man was found dead in his bed on Wednesday morning, June,
2, 1790, after having preached twice at Birmingham the Lord's day before*
f Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 397-

144 . MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII.
person of Christ; His plea for the divinity of Jesus
Christ is framed more upon the Sabellian than the high
Arian scheme ; and he tells Dr. Jebb, in a letter written
at the time of its first publication, " It is not impossible
that our sentiments, much as they seem to differ, may,
after all, differ less than they appear to do*." And in
this very treatise he scouts the Arian doctrine as utterly,
unseriptural and inadmissible f.
It is however.certain, that Dr. Priestley must have been
misinformed with respect to the state of Mr. Robinson's
congregation ; for, though many of them had become
decided Unitarians, many, and perhaps the majority!
thought differently. And this mixture of jarring and
inconsistent opinions in a religious society is always to be
expected where the eloquence of the speaker, and not the
* Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 118.
•f In reply to the proposition which he puts into the mouth of a supposed
opponent, " that God may enable an inferior being to create a world ; that
Jesus Christ is such a delegated God ;" he answers, " My concern is not
with what God may do, but with what he declares he has done. I am Je
hovah, AND THERE IS NO GoD BESIDES ME. I AM GoD, AND THERE IS
NONE LIKE ME. YeA, THERE IS NO Got), I KNOW NOT ANY. This IS the"
God of my Bible. But besides this God there is in my proposition another^
God, a delegated God. Here are two Gods. Here is a supreme God, aha"
a subordinate God ; a natural God, and an artificial God ; a great God, and
a little God. A Philosopher has one God, a Jew has one God, but a.Chris-
tian it seems has two Gods. What a world of difficulties belong to this-
proposition 1 Is this delegated God entitled to worship ? The idea cf a
God without a title to religious worship is an idea inadmissible. Is all wor
ship to be paid to the subordinate God, or does the supreme God claim any I
Which acts of devotion belong to the one, and which to the other ? A mis
take would be dangerous, and I have no guide. Every inspired writer for
sakes me. Jesus Christ, it seems, created all things in heaven and earth j
and a Creator, it seems, proves by creating his eternal power and godhead;
The proposition says, God may empower a creature to create. Perhaps he
ifcsy : But God declares he hath not done so. Hast thou not heard that the
Lord, the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth,fainteth not, &c.
(. 8m then obliged to reject the notion of a subordinate God, a delegated
Creator, and to admit that the living and true God united himself to the.
man Jesus." Robinson's Plea, p. 66—68.
It seems very improbable, that a person who argues 30 forcibly and un
answerably against the Arian hypothesis should himself soon afterwards be
come an. Arian. The natural process of such a mind, after discarding the
divinity of Christ, Would be to adopt that of his simple' humanity: SiidH'
Was the progress of Mr. Lindsey's reflectionsj arid such probably was that
of Robert Robinson.

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 145
truth of principles, is the bond of union. The advocates
of Mr. Robinson's expiring orthodoxy maintain that he
never did in the pulpit directly avow the doctrine of the
mere humanity of Jesus Christ ; and that, if he professed
this opinion at Birmingham either in the pulpit or in the
parlour, it is to be recollected that at that time he la
boured under great infirmity both of body and mind ;
and that of this he was himself so very sensible, that to
a person who was then introduced to him he made the
affecting declaration, " You are only come to see the
shadow of Robert Robinson*." It is argued therefore,
and with some degree of plausibility, that, iri this debi
litated state of health and intellect, it is not easy to col
lect the last deliberate result of the calm judgement and
mature reflection of his better days. It is however said
that Mr. Robinson had avowed Unitarian principles in
conversation before his constitution was impaired: at
the same time he might not be so far confirmed in these
principles, or think them of such great importance, as
to feel it to be his duty explicitly to avow and to defend
them before a mixed assembly of persons holding a great
diversity of sentiments.
Dr. Priestley, in his Defences of Unitarianism for the
year 1786, having taken occasion, from his controversy
with Dr. Home, then dean of Canterbury and president
of Magdalen College Oxford, afterwards bishop of Nor
wich, to address a series of letters to the young men who
are in a course of education at the Universities of Oxford
and Cambridge, upon subscription to articles, the doc
trine of the Trinity, and on the difficulties attending an
open acknowledgement of the truth, a smart letter in
reply to Dr. Priestley was published under the signature
* Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 397-
L-'

146 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII.
of an Undergraduate, which was however soon discovered
to have proceeded from the pen of the worthy President
of Magdalen. To this letter the learned champion of
the Unitarian faith made a very suitable and spirited
answer in his Defences of Unitarianism for the succeed
ing year, under the . impression that the pamphlet had
been really written by a youth of the lowest form in the
University. But Dr. Home, though a good-natured
inan, and upon the whole a candid disputant, had oc
casionally followed the illiberal practice introduced by
those controversial, bravos, who having first entered
the lists with Dr. Priestley, soon discovered that it was
by much the easiest and shortest method of dealing with
their formidable antagonist to assume a lofty and super
cilious air, and to arraign his literary character, instead
of disproving his stubborn facts, and refuting his potent
arguments. In this crisis Mr. Lindsey generously stood
forward in defence of his insulted friend; and in the
year 1788 he published a volume entitled "Vindiciee
Priestleianae, an Address to the Students at Oxford and
Cambridge, occasioned by a Letter to Dr. Priestley from
a Person calling himself an Undergraduate, &c." "The
idea of drawing up this tract first arose," as he informs
his readers in the preface, " from observing a studied af
fectation in many persons of treating Dr. Priestley's the
ological and metaphysical writings with slight and con
tempt, and an endeavour in others particularly to infuse
the like sentiments o$him in the rising generation.
" I had no view therein," continues Mr. Lindsey, " was
I capable of it, of lending hirii any aid against the attacks
made upon him, as if he were in danger of being over
powered by his opponents. For he is more than equal
to a whole host of them, which they have all experienced
in their turns ; Bishop Horsley, one of the most violent
of them, the least of all excepted. .. But I thought it might

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 147
be possible for another to suggest some circumstances,
and to say certain things in his behalf, which he would
never think of offering, and which indeed could not so
properly come from himself, by which the edge of pre
judice might be taken off, and a juster estimate foriried
of him and his writings."
In the progress of the work the learned author vindi
cates Dr. Priestley's conduct in addressing his letters to
the youth of the two universities, and represents sub
scription to articles and creeds as a grievance which had
long been complained of. He enters at large into the
defence of his friend's character as a philosopher and a
theologian. In the department of philosophy he intro
duces a very high encomium upon him by Mr. Kirwan,
the late venerable and learned president of the Royal
-Society of Ireland, drawn up in the year 1787, of which
I shall take leave to transcribe an extract.
" To enumerate Dr. Priestley's discoveries," says this
eminent philosopher, " would be to enter into a detail of
most of those that have been made within the last fifteen
years. How many invisible fluids whose existence evaded
the sagacity of foregoing ages has he made known to us !
To him pharmacy is indebted for the method of making
artificial mineral waters, as well as for a shorter method of
preparing other medicines ; metallurgy, for more power
ful and cheaper solvents; and chemistry, for such a-va-
riety of discoveries as it would be tedious to recite : dis
coveries which have new modelled that science, and drawn
to it and to this country the attention of all Europe."
Mr. Lindsey adds, " that Dr. Priestley's genius is
equal to all subjects; that he is remarkable for selecting
only the strongest and most suitable arguments, and ap
plying and arranging them with exquisite method arid
simplicity, and seldom to fail to work conviction in the
unprejudiced mind." l 2

148 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII.
He then proceeds to vindicate a declaration of Dr.
Priestley's in his debate with Dr. Price, that he could
not pretend to say when his creed would be fixed ; a
declaration which the soi-disant undergraduate affects to
ridicule, but which Mr. Lindsey plainly proves to be a
truly just and philosophic maxim, and confirms by the
testimony of Archbishop Tillotson, who mentions it to
the commendation of his deceased friend, Dr. Whichcote,
"that he was so wise as to be willing to learn to the last."
The learned author next proceeds to justify Dr. Priest
ley's sentiments concerning the inspiration of the Scrip
tures, the imperfection of the Mosaic account of the fall
of man, and the occasional inaccuracy of the apostle
Paul's reasonings. And upon these subjects he intro
duces some curious extracts from a work of the celebrated
Casteilio, but little known, entitled ' De arte dubitandi .et
confitendi, ignorandi et sciendi,' and which was published
by Wetstein at the end of the second volume of his New
Testament. " The title itself," says Mr. Lindsey, " has
more in it to be learned than you find in many large
books. For it is no ordinary attainment to know when to
doubt, and when to be assured, and when to be ignorant."
In the course of this excellent little treatise, amongst
other pertinent observations, the learned and liberal writer
remarks, that " men with difficulty admit at first, what
they have been ignorant of, however most true it be. For,
as Christ says, those that are used to old wine do not
immediately take to the new, though it be better. But
we must not be discouraged in our attempts, when per
suaded of the truth of what we have to offer, if we would
in earnest serve mankind. Otherwise, if we go on in the
same track with those who have never benefited the world,
we shall like them be wholly useless." ;
The Dean of, Canterbury having- in his undergradu
ate's letter represented Dr. Priestley's notion concerning

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 149
the simple humanity of Christ to be as incredible as the
" stories of the Alcoran*," Mr. Lindsey remonstrates
upon the indecorum of the remark, and shows that the
simple humanity of Jesus is the doctrine both of the
Hebrew and the Christian Scriptures ; and he cites a
passage from the Last Sentiments of Pere Le Courayer,
a work of that celebrated Catholic refugee given by the
author to the late Princess Amelia, and bequeathed by
her to Dr. Bell the publisher, in which that learned divine
avows his opinion concerning the person of Christ, which
nearly coincides with the proper Unitarian doctrine.
This excellent man was under the necessity of leaving
France on account of a treatise which he published in
vindication of the validity of English episcopal ordi
nation. " He was a person," says Mr. Lindsey, " of re
markable, simplicity of manners and sweetness of dispo
sition, and of a constant even cheerfulness, befitting the
innocence of his life, and his well-grounded hope of ex
changing it for a better. I lived formerly for months
together under the same roof with him, in a noble
family who had been his friendly protectors from the
time of his being forced to fly his country for his reli
gious opinions." This venerable man lived to the age
of ninety-three, and continued to the end of his life in
the communion of the Roman church "j",
In reply to the supposed undergraduate Mr. Lindsey
further pleads, that Christ being a human person, his
power and knowledge were necessarily limited, and that
Dr. Priestley is right in ascribing to him the frailties
and moral imperfection and peccability of human nature.
Also, that the question concerning his miraculous con
ception has nothing to do with his qualification for his
* Undergraduate's Letter to Dr. Priestley, p. 25.
f See an excellent letter from this amiable and learned ecclesiastic %Q
Mr. Lindsey, Appendix, No. IX.

150 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII.
office. He maintains, that Dr. Home errs widely from
the doctrine of the New Testament, in his notions con
cerning the atonement and intercession of Christ. And
he justly rebukes the worthy President of Magdalen for
the false and invidious light in which he has represented
Dr. Priestley's opinions concerning the nature of the
soul and the state of the dead, which nevertheless were
perfectly consonant to the doctrine of the holy Scrip
tures, and had been very zealously supported by Luther
the great reformer, and more lately by two very learned
dignitaries of the established church not long since de
ceased, viz. Dr. Law, bishop of Carlisle, and Archdeacon
Blackburne, to both of whom he pays a tribute of de
served applause. The work closes with some just anU
madversions upon Dr. Home's fanciful interpretation of
many passages of Scripture, and particularly of his strange
and extravagant commentary upon, the book of Psalms*
in which he applies almost every thing to Christ which
the writer addresses to the Supreme Being ; and a neat
and very proper form of reply is proposed from the stur
dents of the University to Dr. Home. A postscript is
added, containing a very high and justly merited cha
racter of Dr. Priestley's History of early Opinions con
cerning Christ.
To the large account which I have already given of
this work, I will take leave to add a short extract which
exhibits a striking view of the feelings and character of
the pious and benevolent author. He is remarking upon
the sad and sombre view of the physical and moral state
of ,the world, which the learned Bishop Butler exhibits
in his celebrated Treatise upon the. Analogy of Reli
gion, natural and revealed. Of this eminent prelate Mr.
Lindsey had some personal knowledge ; and he speaks
of him as a person that had great piety, but of a gloomy
cast, and tending to superstition, which he seems to

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 151
have caught from reading the lives of Romish saints.
He always appeared dissatisfied with the public state of
things and of the world ; which probably originated in
the erroneous opinions which he entertained of the cha
racter of the divine Being, and of his governing provi
dence. In his Analogy he represents the world as having
the appearance of a ruin, and that mankind, according
to the Scriptures, are in a state of degradation*.
Upon this Mr. Lindsey remarks, p. 253, "Surely this
is an exhibition of the dark side of things, giving a par
tial and untrue account of our present state." He adds,
p. 254, " Far, very far is it from being a miserable world
that we now live in, but very much the contrary : nor, I
apprehend, has there ever been any the least reason to
call it so in general, however some individuals may have
suffered much in it."

* Mr. Lindsey occasionally met this respectable prelate at the Dutchess
of Somerset's. The following extract from a letter written by the Bishop
to the Dutchess soon after his promotion to the see of Durham, and which
she transmits to Mr. Lindsey in a letter dated July 23, 1751, exhibits, as
the noble writer expresses it, " a pleasing picture" of the bishop's mind.
" I had a long letter last Friday," says her grace, " from the good Bishop
of Durham, and will transcribe a paragraph of it, as I think you will like to
know what his thoughts are amidst the novelty of pomp which surrounds
him. " ' I had a mind tQ see Auckland before I wrote to your grace; and as
you take so kind a part in every thing which contributes to my satisfaction,
I am sure you will be pleased to hear that the place is a very agreeable one,
and fully answering expectations, except that one of the chief prospects,
which is very pretty, (the river Wear with hills much diversified rising
above it,) is too bare of wood. The park not much amiss as to that. But I.
am obliged to pale it anew all round, the old pale being quite decayed..
This will give an opportunity, with which indeed I am much pleased, to
take in forty or fifty acres competently wooded, though with that enlarge
ment it will scarce be sufficient for the hospitality of the country. These, with
some little improvement's and very great repairs, take up my leisure time.
Thus, madam, I seem to have laid out a very long life for myself; yet ir»
reality every thing I see puts me in mind of the shortness and uncertainty
of it ; the arms and inscriptions of my predecessors, what they did, and what
they neglected, anc), from accidental circumstances, the very place itself;
and the rooms I yalk through and sit in : and when I consider in one view
the many things of the kind I have just mentioned which I have upon my
hands, I fee} the burlesque of being employed in this manner at my time of
life. But in another view, and taking in all circumstances, these things, as

152 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII,
" For my own part," says he, p. 256, " I am bound-
to say, that my condition has been most happy from the
beginning of my existence to the present day. Happily
preserved from great calamities, I have not been exempt
from hardships, reverses, and sicknesses ; but the kind
hand of Providence has been discernible in them all,
leading to good by them. I have most particularly
cause to speak well of those of my fellow-beings whom
I have been acquainted with, and among whom my lot
has been cast ; and I would desire no better company
for ever than those I have known, and loved, and
esteemed, and heard, and read of, especially when di
vested more of all selfishness and terrene concretions, as
Edward Search calls them, which we expect, nay, rather
are persuaded will take place in our future progressive
state. Indeed, was there to be no such state, and all
was-to end here, though so dark and abrupt a conclusion
of the fair promising scene is not credible, and would be
wholly unaccountable, I must for my part take my leave
and depart as a well satisfied guest : satur conviva re-
cederem: thankful that I had passed so many happy
days, and lived, and seen, and experienced so much of
the goodness of my Creator, and been favoured with the
knowledge of so many amiable and valuable characters

trifling as they may appear, no less than things of greater importance,
seem to be put upon me to do, or at least to begin : whether I am to live to
complete any or all of them, is not my concern."
The Dutchess adds, in a style that does credit to her piety, " I thought
this so pleasing a picture of this excellent prelate's mind, that I could not
deny you or myself the satisfaction of sending you. a copy of it. Libertines
may lay schemes and talk as much as they please of happiness, but it can
only reside in the breast of the sincere humble Christian."
It may not be amiss to add, as one proof among thousands of the vanity
of human grandeur, or, to use Mr. Burke's memorable language, " what
nothings we are and what nothings we pursue," that this excellent prelate
enjoyed his splendid preferment but for a short time. He was translated to
the see of Durham in 1750, and died at Bath of a decline in June 1752,
within less than a year after he had written the above letter, and in the
jslxtjeth year of his age,

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 153
among my species, though concerned to take a farewell
for ever of the one and the other, and to know nothing
any more."
Mr. Lindsey having in this work connected the name
of Dr. Price with that of Bishop Butler, p. 249, as
having " fallen into and adhered fixedly to this gloomy
and unscriptural doctrine, that repentance alone is not
sufficient to restore sinful mortals to the favour of their
Maker ;" and having, contrary to his usual moderation
of language, ascribed this to their " not keeping strictly
to the doctrine of Scripture concerning the Divine Unity
and the proper humanity of Christ, there delivered in
the clearest characters to all who come not to the read
ing of it under a rooted and fixed contrary persuasion ,•"
and having in other parts of his book expressed himself
in terms which bore rather hard upon his Arian brethren,
this unprovoked attack drew from Dr. Price, who felt
himself not a little hurt upon the occasion, the follow
ing spirited letter to Mr. Lindsey, dated Hackney,
May 26, 1788 :
" Dear Sir, — I know not how to avoid writing to you
a few lines to return you thanks for your book in de
fence of our friend Dr. Priestley. I have read it with
pleasure, and been instructed by it. If contrary to my
apprehensions the Socinian doctrine is true, I wish you
success in your endeavours to propagate it ; but whether
true or not, good must be done by all fair arid candid
discussions of it. — You have done me honour by join
ing me to Dr. Butler: but will you excuse me if I
tell you that I am sorry that, in your animadversions on
him, you have not intimated that I do not think as he
does on the subject of worshiping Christ, and that I
have given an account of the divine character and govern
ment, and human life, very different from that which
yqu censure ? I am afraid that, from your not distin-

154 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VII.
guishing between him and me, those who read you only
will be led to very wrong ideas of my sentiments on these
points, and also on the dignity of Christ, and our re?
demption by him.
" My convictions, generally, are only a preponderance
on one side, attended with a feeling of difficulties ; and
I am often, ready to wish I was more assured of the
truth of my opinions. But in forming this wish I am
checked by reflecting, that this assurance is most enjoyed
by those who are most in the wrong, Trinitarians, Cal-
vinists, Papists, &c. And that were I possessed of it
with respect to my opinion of the dignity and offices of
Christ, I might possibly be led to a sad loss of candour
by charging Socinians, as you do Arians, with ' resist
ing an evidence so insurmountable that all the rational-
are seeing it every day more and more,' p. 189, and
' so vast that every eye must see it that is not wholly
blinded by prejudice,' p. 177- And also by saying of
some of the ablest and best men who differ from me,
but of whom I have every reason to believe that they
inquire as fairly and as diligently as myself, that ' they
see things through a mist,' that they are ' ignorant and
gloomy,' that ' they have narrow minds bound down to
a system,' and ' have never properly searched the Scrip
tures to see what Christianity is.'
" I am, Dear Sir,
" With affectionate and sincere respect, Yours,
" Richard Price."
The venerable advocate of the Unitarian doctrine felt
the justice of the rebuke, and immediately returned the
following answer:
" Dear Sir, — As there is no one living for whom I
have a higher respect and esteem than yourself, I am

CH. VII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 155
proportionably concerned that you should think yourr
self at all intended or involved in what I say of Bishop
Butler and his system. To make what reparation I
can, if my book should ever come to a second edition,
I will either omit your name entirely, p. 249, and I now
wish I had done it ; or, when I publish Part II., which I
hope to be able to do in the course of the next year, I
will do that justice which is due to your very different
sentiments to those of Bishop Butler.
"For that perhaps too vaunting style in which I
speak of Christ being purely one of the human race,
and of no other order of beings, I make some apology
to my young men, p. 168, and am sorry that any con-
elusion should be drawn from it but that of speaking
from the fullness of my own mind, without the least
thought of casting blame on those of different senti
ments, or impeaching their judgements or understand
ings." This letter gave complete satisfaction to the ingenu
ous and liberal mind of Dr. Price, and produced in re
turn the following candid reply, dated June 2, 1/88 :
" Dear Sir, — Accept my best thanks for your kind
letter. It is extremely satisfactory to me, and leaves in
my mind no room for any other sentiments than those
of affection and respect which I have always entertained
for you. If my letter discovered any degree of unreason
able sensibility, I hope you will forgive me. Indeed, I
care not what strong expressions of dislike are applied to
my opinions concerning Christ, provided they are pro
perly represented, and I am not understood to hold that
he is almost equal to the Supreme God, a sentiment at
which I shudder, and which probably no Arian now
holds." Thus did these two Christian worthies of congenial
spirits, equally lovers of truth, of virtue, of unrestrained

156 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. VII,
freedom of inquiry, and of political and religious liberty,
by mutual forbearance, explanation, and concession, put
an end to the misunderstanding which for a short time
cast a cloud upon their countenance and interrupted
their accustomed harmony.
Mr, Lindsey, agreeably to his promise, performed his
amende honorable in the Introduction to his Second
Address to the Students of Oxford and Cambridge, pub
lished in the year 1790, where, p. xxx. he " takes
blame to himself for having in the former part, without
just grounds, included Dr. Price in Bishop Butler's
gloomy conclusions concerning the character of the
moral governor of the world, whose notions in this re
spect that excellent person is as far from approving, as
from countenancing the bishop's metaphysical super
ficial way of introducing two new deities among Chri
stians, without ever in any proper way consulting the
Bible about them." Mr. Lindsey adds, " I should in
deed be in pain if in any thing of importance to morals
I should differ from Dr. Price, whose judgement and
heart I must ever honour ; who from the first of my
coming to settle in this great city has been one of my
chief friends, and whom to know is the same as to
esteem and love."

CHAPTER VIII.
analysis of mr. lindsey's second address. dr.
watts's unitarianism. mr. lindsey's alarm at
' dr. priestley's bold assertions, and ultimate
conversion to his doctrines.
1 he Second Address to the Students of Oxford and
Cambridge, relating to Jesus Christ and the Origin of

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 157
the great Errors Concerning him," was originally de
signed to trace the invention of these errors to the
honest enthusiasm of Justin Martyr, and to exhibit a
List of false readings and mistranslations of the English
Bible which contribute to support them. But in the
mean time, the Rev. John Hawkins having published
his Bampton Lectures, which contained some curious
arguments in favour of the doctrine of the Trinity, Mr.
Lindsey regarded it as not travelling much out of his
road to introduce a few animadversions upon this gen
tleman's doctrine, and to exhibit to serious and inquir
ing youth a better mode of reasoning from the evan
gelical writings.
The doctrine of the Trinity, as Mr. Hawkins describes
it, maintains the existence of "three efficient living in
telligent persons, the sovereign causes and rulers of all
things ;" and he strangely presumes that this was the doc
trine of the church previously to the publication of the
holy writings; and that, if this fact be allowed, the Scrip
tures " are sufficiently full and intelligible ;" but if other
wise, they contain " more than enough to perplex and
misguide the readers, and to lead them into errors of the
first magnitude*." So that, upon Mr. Hawkins's hypo
thesis, the Scriptures do not teach the doctrine of the
Trinity, but only allude to it, and that obscurely. From
whence it follows, that no one who takes his creed from
the New Testament only, will believe in the doctrine of
the Trinity.
Mr. Lindsey,. justly regarding it as a vain attempt to
reason with a person who advanced an hypothesis so ar
bitrary and unfounded, thought that he should engage
the attention of his readers to better purpose by present-

* Mr. Lindsey's Second Address, Introd. p. vi. Hawkins's Discourses at
the Bampton Lecture, p. 59.

158 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. VIII.
ing them with " a sample of the right method of inter
preting the sacred writings." Accordingly, he exhibits
in his first chapter the evidence concerning the person of
Christ contained in the four Evangelists and in the Acts
of the Apostles, and thanks Mr. Hawkins for putting him
upon the inquiry; as, says he, "it has given me an oppor
tunity of drawing forth and exhibiting, even beyond my
own expectation, the most overwhelming evidence of the
following facts, clear and plain to every understanding,
and which all men who believe the Scriptures sooner or
later must bow down to and acknowledge : namely,
1. "That there is One God, one single person who
is God, the sole Creator and Sovereign Lord of all things.
2. "That the holy Jesus was a man of the Jewish
nation, the servant of this God, highly honoured and
distinguished by him.
3. "That the Spirit, or Holy Spirit, was not a person
or intelligent being, but only the extraordinary power or
gift of God, first to our Lord Jesus Christ himself in his
lifetime, and afterwards to the apostles and many of the
first Christians, to impower them to preach and propa
gate the gospel with success*."
In the second' chapter the learned author produces evi
dence to prove, "that Justin Martyr was the first person
who ascribed -divinity to Christ, by maintaining, that be
fore his works of creation God produced frOm himself a
rational power or agent, in scripture God, the Word, the
Son, &c. who was his instrument in the creation, and his
substitute and representative afterwards iri the appear
ances made to the patriarchs, and at the giving of the law
to Moses, and was afterwards united to the man Christ
Jesusf." Justin Martyr was a Platonic philosopher, an honest

* Lindsey's Seeond Address, Introd. p. xix. f Ibid. p. xx.

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 159
and zealous inquirer after truth. He embraced Christi-
anity as a more excellent system of philosophy than that
of Plato, but he wished to reconcile his new doctrine as
nearly as possible to his former opinions. And some pe
culiarities in the phraseology both of the Jewish and
Christian scriptures being, as he imagined, favourable to
his hypothesis, he easily persuaded himself that this hy
pothesis was true ; and the rather, because the doctrine
which he maintained exalted, as he thought, the person
and the character of the founder of the Christian philo
sophy, and entirely effaced the reproach to which the
Christian religion was exposed from the low birth, the
humble circumstances, and the ignominious death of its
author. This hypothesis he defends in a dialogue, real
Or fictitious, with one Trypho, a Jew, whom he intro
duces as declaring that his whole nation expected the
Messiah to be a mere human being, brought into the
world in the ordinary way : and that " it was to them a
thing unheard of, and the height of folly, to suppose him
to have preexisted before the ages as a God, and to have
submitted afterwards to have been born and to become
man*." Justin, however, undertakes to prove the truth
of the doctrine, which to the Jewish nation appeared so
extravagant. And to this end he appeals to their own
scriptures in a series of arguments which Mr. Lindsey
has detailed, and which have been borrowed from age to
age by all who have adopted a similar opinion, viz. That
it is to the Son that God speaks when he says, " Let us
make man ;" that Christ was the Jehovah who appeared
to Abraham ; and that he was the angel who spake to
"Moses in the burning bush, and who delivered the law
from mount Sinai. Nor does this Christian philosopher
appeal either to the authority of Christ or his apostles
• Justin Martyr, Opp. p.. 143, 144. Lindsey's Second Address, p. 153.

160 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VIII.
for the truth of his doctririe or the correctness of his in
terpretation, but without any hesitation he declares him
self inspired to explain the Scriptures of the Old Testa
ment, and expects his readers to believe it upon his own
word. " I shall tell you plain fact," says he, " without any
art or embellishment of words, for which I have no talent.
But it hath pleased God of his especial favour to impart
to me the gift of understanding his Scriptures. And of
this his grace to me I call all to partake freely and with
out reward, lest for not communicating so great a benefit
to others I should myself be condemned in the judge
ment which the Creator of the world will exercise by our
Lord Jesus Christ*."
Mr. Lindsey upon this with his usual candour and
judgement remarks, that "as Justin was a person of
unquestioned probity, we cannot doubt of his sincerity
in believing himself to have had an extraordinary insight
into the Scriptures given him by the Almighty, though
he most wretchedly imposed upon himself in it. His
alleging that he himself was inspired, is no proof to us
of it; and we can no more admit any new revelation from
his own word without the stamp of divine authority, than
we can pay respect to the waking dreams and revelations
of Baron Swedenborgf ."
The third part of the work contains a copious cata-

* Justin. Dialog, cum Tryphon. p. 154. Second Address, p. 176.
,f Second Address, p. 177, 178. Mr. Lindsey, in a note, mentions an
anecdote which he had " received from a person of great worth and credit:
thata friend of his several years ago walking with Baron Swedenborg along
Cheapside, the baron suddenly bowed very low down to the ground ; when
the gentleman lifting him up and asking what he was about, the baron re
plied by asking him, if he did not see Moses pass by, and told him-that he
had bowed to him." After this anecdote, one may easily admit that the ba
ron himself was a'sincere believer in his own doctrines and visions. But
that any persons who are not in the same state of mind can be induced to
give credit to his extravagant reveries, and to profess themselves his dis
ciples, is a problem of very difficult solution. It is not, however, morewbn-

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 161
logue of False Readings and Mistranslations in the En
glish Bible which countenance the doctrine of the divi
nity of Christ ; in the room of which the learned writer
substitutes those readings which are supported by the
best authorities, and the translations which appear to him
to be the most correct. This very valuable portion of his
work was afterwards republished in a separate pamphlet^
in order to give it a more extensive circulation.
In the First Part of this Second Address to the Youth
of the two Universities, Mr. Lindsey introduces some
curious and affecting passages from Dr. Watts's " So
lemn Address to the great and ever-blessed God, on a re
view of what he had written in the Trinitarian Contro
versy." It is well known that this learned and pious
writer, (who paid very great attention to the ques
tion,) in the latter part of his life receded very far from
those mystical opinions concerning the doctrine of the
Trinity, and particularly the person of Christ, which he
held in his youth. His well-known volume of Hymns
and Spiritual Songs, so much used in Calvinistic con
gregations, was published when he was very young, and
contains many expressions and many sentiments from
which, though regarded by great numbers as the standard
of Christian verity, his judgement revolted in maturer
years, and which he would gladly have altered if he had
been permitted by the proprietors of the copyright, who
knew their own interest too well to admit the proposed
improvements. His sentiments concerning the person of Christ were
believed by many to approximate very nearly to those of
derful than the confidence which has been placed of late years in the inspira
tion of Richard Brothers and Johanna Southcote, and that not only by per
sons of the lowest rank in society, but by men of sense and education. How
lamentable is it that religion, which is the most rational thing in the world,
should thus, by the errors and weaknesses of its friends and advocates, be
brought into contempt and made the laughing-stock of unbelievers !
M

162 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VIII.
the old Socinians. But it is not certain that Dr. Watts
ever regarded himself as a Socinian.
On the contrary, there can be little doubt that, owing
to early prejudice, he would to the latest day of his life
have started from the imputation with horror. How
nearly soever his opinions might really approach to the
Socinian scheme, possibly he himself apprehended that
he still kept at an inaccessible distance from them, by
contending for a mystical personal union by which a true
and proper deity was communicated to the human na
ture of Christ. Absurd as ,this supposition is in itself,
and as it must be viewed by all unprejudiced minds, it
did not appear in that light to Dr. Watts, nor to many
others who, influenced by his authority, have since em
braced the same strange hypothesis. He and they were
serious believers in this modern notion, and have thought
that they have discovered in it a salvo for their falling
orthodoxy. And they have no doubt as good a right as
others to retain and to defend their own system. Dr,
Watts's latest opinions concerning the Trinity are sup
posed to have been contained in some papers prepared
for the press, which were left to the discretion of Dr.,
Jennings and Dr. Doddridge, and which were committed
to the flames, (very much, as the author of this Memoir
has been credibly informed, against the judgement and
inclination of the latter,) probably because it was sus
pected that they would give offence to the zealots of or
thodoxy. At any rate, Dr. Watts's last sentiments con
cerning the person of Christ cannot, perhaps, now be
absolutely ascertained ; but the feelings of his humble,
pious, and inquisitive mind are beautifully exhibited in
that devout Address to the Deity from which Mr. Lind->
seyhas made some copious extracts, of which the follow^
ing are an interesting specimen :
" Hadst thou informed me, gracious Father, in any

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 163
place of thy word that this divine doctrine is not to be un
derstood by men, and yet they were required to believe
it, I would have subdued all my curiosity to faith. But
I cannot find thou hast any where forbid me to under
stand it, or make these inquiries. I have, therefore, been
long searching into this divine doctrine, that I may pay
thee due honour with understanding. Surely I ought to
know the God whom I worship, whether he be one pure
and simple being, or whether thou art a threefold deity,
consisting of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
" Thou hast called the poor and the ignorant, the
mean and foolish things of this world, to the knowledge
of thyself and thy Son. But how can such weak creatures
ever take in so strange, so difficult, and so abstruse a
doctrine as this, in the explication and defence whereof,
multitudes of men, even men of learning and piety, have
lost themselves in infinite subtilties of disputes and end
less mazes of darkness? And can this strange and per
plexing notion of three real persons going to make up
one true God be so necessary and so important a part of
that Christian doctrine which, in the Old Testament and
the New, is represented as so plain and easy even to the
meanest understandings*?"
* See Mr. Lindsey's Second Address, p. 5, 6. The extracts are taken
from a work published in. 1785, entitled " The Life of the Rev. Isaac Watts,
D.D. by Samuel Johnson, LL.D. with Notes, containing Animadversions and
Additions." The following extract from a letter written by the late reverend and learned
Samuel Merivale of Exeter, to Dr. Priestley at Leeds, exhibits the most:
authentic account of Dr. Watts's last sentiments concerning the person of
Christ ; from which it appears that, in Dr. Lardner's estimation, Dr. Watts
became in the strict and proper sense of the word an Unitarian.
" What I mentioned to Mr. Aikin," (the late Rev. Dr. Aikin, Professor of
Divinity at Warrington,) " concerning Dr. Watts, I had from Dr. Lardner,
who told it me as a thing known. to few, though without enjoining me se
crecy. — Having mentioned in the course of my correspondence with the lat
ter the difficulty of fixing my sentiments with regard to the person of Christ,
though I had formerly thought the doctrine of his preexistence sufficiently*
proved by Dr. Clarke, Dr. Watts, and others, he replies, ' I think Dr. Watts
never was an Arian, to his honour be it spoken. When he first wrote- of the
Trinity, I reckoned he believed three equal divide persons. But in the latter
M 2

164 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE ' [CH. VIIT;
Dr. Priestley, who was very sensible that his ardent
spirit, his haste in writing, and his reluctance to revise
and to correct, occasionally betrayed him into inaccu
racy in his reasonings and sometimes in his faets, and
into an unguardedness of language of which his enemies
were glad to avail themselves to the utmost, was accus
tomed to submit his more important publications to the
cooler judgement of his calm and prudent friend, and
part of his life, for several years before his death, and before he was seized
with an imbecility of his faculties, he was an Unitarian'. How he came tC
be so I cannot certainly say, but I think it was the result of his own medita
tions on the Scriptures. He was very desirous to promote that opinion, and
wrote a great deal upon the subject'. But his papers fell into good handsr
(meaning Mr. Neal's,) and they did not think them fit for publication. I also.,
saw some of them.' "
"As there seemed some ambiguity in the word Unitarian, though I knew
very well in how strict a sense the Doctor generally used it, and being aware
that Dr. Watts in his later publications quite gave up the notioh of a three
fold Deity, though he contended earnestly for the preexistence of Christ's-
human soul, originally1 possessed of powers superangelical, on which how
ever he is< silent ir* his solemn' Address to the Deity, printed in the quarto-
edition of his Works, I begged leave to be informed, whether in his unpub
lished papers he had appeared to have given up that point ; in answer to
which Dr. Lardner wrote :
'" I question whether yon have any where in print Dr.' Wafts's last
Thoughts upon the Trinity. They1 were known to very few. My nephew
Neal, an understanding gentleman/ was intimate with Div Watts, and often
with the family where he lived. Sometimes in an evening when they were
alone, he would talk to' his friends in the family of his new thoughts con
cerning the person of Christ, and their great importance ; and that, if he
should be able to recommend them to the world, it would be the most con
siderable thing that ever he performed. My nephew, therefore, came to
me and told me of it, and that the family was greatly concerned to hear him
talk so much of the importance of these sentiments. I told my nephew that
Dr. Watts was in the right in saying they were important^ but I was of opi
nion that he was unable to recommend them to the public, because he had
never been used to a proper way of reasoning on such a subject. So it
proved. My nephew being executor had the papers, and showed me some
of them. Dr. Watts had written a good deal, but they were not fit to be
published. Dr. Watts's last thoughts were completely Unitarian.'"
One cannot help regretting that such should have been the judgement of
Dr. Lardner, and such the decision of the executors with respect to> the pub
lication of Dr. Watts's last essays upon a subject on which he had thought
and written so much. The j udgement of Dr. Doddridge, one of the trustees
for Dr. Watts's papers, himself a professed Trinitarian, but a lover of truth
and a friend to inquiry, was, as I have mentioned above, very different, and,
as many think, more correct. How interesting and instructive would it have
been to have traced the mind of this great and good man through the various
steps of his progress, from the darkest shades of error to the clear light of
rational and evangelical truth !

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LTNDSEY. 165
very frequently he yielded at discretion to every erasure
or alteration which Mr. Lindsey recommended. But he
was not always equally passive. Where he believed the
cause of truth to be at stake, no advice of friends, no
earnest expostulation, no serious representation of the
offence which would be taken, or the supposed injury
which might accrue to himself or to the cause, could de
ter the learned, zealous, and inflexible detector of the
Corruptions of Christianity from exhibiting what he be
lieved to be important truth, and from exposing what
he thought gross and pernicious error, in language the
most direct and explicit, without giving himself the least
concern about personal consequences, or the offence which
might be taken by the political supporters of corrupt
systems or the partisans of orthodox creeds.
And it is happy for the interest of rational Chris
tianity, that this intrepid champion of truth had the
resolution at times to persist in his own judgement, in
opposition to the remonstrances of his less informed
and more timid friends. In the year 1^84 Dr. Priest
ley, then residing at Birmingham, resumed the Theolo
gical Repository, a work which had been discontinued
for upwards of twelve years, chiefly it should seem with
a view to bring forward for open discussion some origi
nal ideas which he had long entertained concerning in
spiration, the gradual formation and improvement of the
character of Christ, and the history of the miraculous
conception. These papers, as usual, he put into the
hands of Mr. Lindsey for his perusal and correction.
And it is amusing to see how anxious this venerable
confessor, who had exposed himself to so much hazard
by the frank and unreserved avowal of the proper huma
nity of Jesus Christ, was, to warn his friend, and tq
gave him from the odium which he apprehended would

166 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. V1II.
accrue from pursuing this principle to its just con->
sequences, which at any rate could not be so obnoxious
as the principle itself. For, if Jesus Christ be in truth
one of the human race, can any thing be more reason
able than to admit that his character, however exalted,
was the result of the discipline through which he passed;
and that his inspiration, how superior soever to that of
other prophets and messengers of God, did not extend
beyond the purposes of his mission, and might leave
him involved in the common misapprehensions of his
contemporaries and countrymen upon physiological or
philosophical subjects ? And as to the case of the mira
culous conception, which is a mere insulated fact upon
which no one important conclusion depends, it is surely
a very fair question of historical research.
These questions, however, were at that time quite
new, and the discussion of them alarmed Mr. Lindsey
lest it should be attended with ill consequences to his
friend, by creating enemies, injuring his character, or
impeding his usefulness. In a letter to Mr. Cappe,
dated Dec. 2, 1784, in reference to the papers in the
Theological Repository concerning the Inspiration of
Moses and of Christ, he adds : " He was so good as to
send me the whole; but I expressed myself so vehe
mently against the latter part, that he yielded to defer
the publication in the first Number, but I apprehend it
will be brought forward in the next."
" Concerning it I would first say, in general, that
granting him to have proved his fact, that our Saviour
was as much in the dark as the most vulgar among the
Jews about possessions, and believed them in the gross
literal sense ; and if also he was in ignorance of the
Scriptures of the Old Testament and misapplied them :
¦" Yet our frieud has no call whatever to tell this to

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 167
the world, because it would increase the prejudices of
multitudes against him, and hinder others less indis
posed from reading his works."
" I do not, moreover, apprehend that the persuasion
of Christ being an infallible teacher, and perfectly sin
less, does now stand in the way of any one's embracing
Christianity. If our friend had been pushed upon this
point in the way of controversy, I should have said
nothing against his delivering the sense of his own
mind ; but as things now stand, to go on to attack a
character held in such different universal estimation,
unprovoked, seems to me likely to do harm and no
good." " But still more will the outcry be increased against
him, if it should appear that he has not proved his facts,
and made good his accusation ; which may be reason
ably questioned in some instances. And not only my
self, but Dx. Jebb, and one other whom I have con
sulted, are persuaded that his chief argument fails him,
when he would prove Christ's mistaken imperfect cita
tion of the Old Testament similar to that of the rest of
his countrymen, from Luke xxiv. 27."
" I own I am unwilling that he should let any thing
fall from his pen that might cooperate with the endea
vours of many to prevent the reading of his works, which
are so calculated to open the eyes of many, and have
had and have that effect with all that can be brought to
read them."
These animadversions, which are tinged with some
thing which appears more like asperity than was usual
with Mr. Lindsey, prove at least, that if he was partial
to the merits of his inquisitive and learned friend, he
was not blind to his failings, and that he did not hastily
adopt all his opinions. Nor was he deficient in that
sure criterion of true and virtuous friendship, faithful

168 MEMOIRS Of THE LATE [CH. VIII.
reproof, where he thought it needful ; for there can be
no doubt that the sentiments which he here expresses
to Mr. Cappe he had previously expressed in language
at least equally strong to Dr. Priestley himself.
Yet, after all, it may be doubted whether the over
cautious spirit of the friendly monitor, and his anxious
apprehension lest the uncommon boldness of his friend's
remarks should swell the tide of popular prejudice
against him, have not induced him to overcharge the
picture. Dr. Priestley was as far as his friend could be
from desiring to make an unprovoked attack upon the
character of Christ. But holding the character of Jesus
perhaps in as high estimation as Mr. Lindsey himself,
he did not think it necessary to presume, nor did he find
evidence to prove, that our Lord, being in all other re
spects a man like other men, was born into the world a
perfect character, or that his character was miraculously
superinduced. On the contrary, believing that Jesus
was in all respects like unto his brethren, and pursuing
his principles to. their just consequences, he argued that
our Saviour came into the world with the frailties and
infirmities of a human being, moral as well as physical,
and that, by the peculiar process of mental discipline to
which he was subjected, he grew up to that consummate
dignity and elevation of character under which he ap
pears in the writings of the evangelists. And this truly
Christian philosopher believed it to be not only a more
rational way of accounting for the excellence of our.
Lord's character, and more agreeable to the language of
the New Testament, which represents him as growing
in wisdom and in favour with God and man, but, in
truth, more honourable to our Lord himself, that his
perfect moral excellence should be the result of his own
exertion, vigilance, and fortitude, rather than of a su
pernatural operation. And upon this supposition, the

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 169
example of Jesus becomes far more interesting and
efficacious than upon the common hypothesis. Dr.
Priestley's doctrine was new and original, and at first
very obnoxious and startling even to those who thought
with him upon most subjects. And as his generous
mind was above courting popularity, he took no pains
to avoid offensive language in expressing his ideas : but
in the present day, the alarm having subsided, and a
cooler examination of the subject having taken place, it
would I believe be hard to find any considerate and con
sistent Unitarian who does not adopt Dr. Priestley's
ideas concerning the formation of our Lord's moral cha
racter, and who does not rejoice that he did not yield to
the prudent timidity of his worthy but less adventurous
friends. Mr. Lindsey acknowledges to his learned cor
respondent that " he had not then paid much attention
to the subject." Afterwards, when he reflected more
deliberately upon it, there is reason to believe, that his
alarm ceased, and that he became convinced that his
difference with his friend was more nominal than real.
Whether, as Dr. Priestley apprehends, our Lord was
mistaken with respect to the cause of epilepsy and insa
nity, or whether, as Mr. Farmer maintains, knowing the
falsehood of the popular opinion, he still thought fit,
and indeed found it necessary, to use the popular lan
guage, is a more doubtful question than that concerning
the natural perfection of our Lord's character. But
surely it is a question highly worthy of public discussion
among those who are desirous of obviating objections to
the credibility of the New Testament. The language of
Jesus to those who were believed to be possessed by
demons, that is, by human ghosts, and especially in the
case of the Gadarene demoniac, Luke viii. is hardly re-
concileable to the simplicity and sincerity of our Lord's
character, if he at the same time knew that the sym-

170 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [t'H. VXII.
ptoms were occasioned by natural disorder, not by demo
niacal possession ; nor can it be regarded as any objec
tion to his prophetic authority, or to the reality of the
miracle, that his inspiration did not extend to the know
ledge of the nature and causes of the diseases which he
was empowered to heal. On the contrary, it may be
urged with great appearance of truth, that it cannot
with any reason be admitted that our Lord was so grossly
ignorant of the state of the -dead, as to believe that the
souls of bad men were permitted to enter into the
bodies of living men and to torment them. Upon the
whole, with the exception of the case of the Gadarene
demoniac, it seems more easy to admit that our Lord
used the popular language without adopting the populaT
philosophy, than to suppose him chargeable with such
an egregious error upon a subject so closely connected
with the proper object of his mission. The contrary
hypothesis is, however, more generally adopted by those
who inquire freely into the subject, as I believe I am
warranted to say it certainly was by Mr. Lindsey, not
withstanding the alarm he expresses at his friend's insi
nuation, that " our Saviour was as much in the dark as
the most vulgar among the Jews, about possessions ;
and believed them in the gross literal sense."
That our Lord misunderstood and misapplied the
prophecies of the Old Testament, relating to the Mes
siah, is a position maintained by Dr. Priestley, which
did not meet with the general concurrence of those who
were disposed to think with him upon other subjects.
Dr. Jebb and Mr. Lindsey had some reason to say that
" here his main argument failed him." Our Lord so
expressly asserts his knowledge of the true sense and
application of the prophetic scriptures ; he so frequently
interprets without the least hesitation, and with the
highest tone of authority, those prophecies which relate

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 171
to the'Messiah ; he so gravely rebukes his disciples for
not understanding what he had so plainly and repeatedly
taught ; and after his resurrection he so explicitly as
sumes an authority to " open their understandings that
they might understand the Scriptures ; " that to deny to
Jesus a power which he so directly challenges, looks
like an attack upon his veracity, and is little less than
charging him with vanity and arrogance. Nor are we
by the necessity of the case driven to this conclusion.
For it is not allowed that Dr. Priestley, though he has
attempted it, as indeed his argument required, has suc
ceeded in any one instance in proving that our Lord has
actually fallen into error, in his explanation and applica
tion of the prophetic scriptures. This however is a fair
and interesting topic of discussion ; and the friends of
scriptural knowledge will rejoice to have the question
set in a satisfactory light.
Dr. Priestley, unawed by the remonstrances of his
friends, and fearless of personal consequences in the pur
suit of Christian truth, and in the detection and expo
sure of the corruptions of the Christian doctrine, or of the
sacred text, and justly thinking that nothing would prove
more favourable to the discovery of truth than fair and
animated discussion, proceeded in his open and manly
way, under the signature of Ebionitain the Theological
Repository, to urge his objections against the narrative
of the Miraculous Conception in the introductory chap
ters to the gospels of Matthew and Luke. This bold at
tack upon an article of faith which had maintained its
ground undisputed for upwards of a thousand years, not
only renewed the clamours of bigots against the insolence
and impiety of the hardy assailant, but excited consider
able apprehensions among many professed friends to free
inquiry, who not only feared that the author's own re-

172 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VIH,
putation might suffer, and his writings be brought into
discredit, and that his usefulness might thereby be greatly
impeded, but that the credibility of the Gospel history
itself might be impeached, if so large a portion of itshould
be regarded as spurious. Nor were the apprehensions of
any one upon this occasion more vivid than those of the
venerable subjeet-of the present Memoir; who thus exr
presses his feelings and his fears, in confidence, to his
learned and estimable friend the Rev. Newcome Cappe,
at York.April 30, 1785. " I wish some able hand would send
him some remarks on his account of the miraculous con
ception; for no one I believe would sooner relinquish
any opinion, was he made to see cause for it. A friend
told me that he thought the Doctor seemed somewhat
moved, when he remarked to him that an extraordinary
event of that kind might be most important in forming
the character of Christ, by inducing his parents to pay
particular attention to him in this respect, and by the
early impressions it might make upon his own mind;
neither of which had occurred to him. However, whether
he or any one retains or rejects the notion, is of little con
sequence. A man may be most fully persuaded that Jesus
is the Christ, whether he hplds him as the son of Mary,
orof Joseph also. Only, I have much wishedDr. Priestley
could restrain' himself from appearing the patron of the
latter opinion, lest it might hurt his usefulness in pre*
venting the reading of his many valuable theological
writings." These are the natural and liberal reflections of Mr<
Lindsey's candid mind upon the first proposal of the sub
ject. But his own correct feelings appear to have been
in some degree aggravated, and, if I may so express it,
acidified, by the less candid observations which he oc-

CH. Villi] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY, 173
casionally heard from others. He thus expresses him
self in a letter to his friend at York, dated December 8,
1785; " I am exceedingly gratified by your leaving your let
ter to Dn Priestley unsealed, and permitting me the
perusal of it. When you but barely intimated your senti
ment at York, but now much more from your further
enlargement upon it, I think I see a new light thrown
upon our Saviour's language and manner of address to
Almighty God throughout the gospels, though I have
not considered yet at all, how the idea of his extraordi
nary birth at times pervades the language of his apostles
concerning him. I shall, however, most earnestly long
for your full discussion of the subject, and I hope it will
please Providence that nothing will prevent your going
on to finish this disquisition in the manner in which you
have planned it. I do not however imagine, as you for
merly expressed yourself, that the suggestion of any ar
gument of this kind will have such an effect on our friend
as to work any change in his sentiments ; though I hope,
if he attends to it, as I trust he will, the remarks on
Ebionita pointing out so many mistakes, and several less
fair (however undesigned) methods of application to his
readers, will prevent him exhibiting his opinion in such
a disgusting form, and with so wrong a spirit, in his
greater work now printing."
" Besides the ardour of his own natural temper, I am
sure that he has been hurried on further than that would
have carried his judicious mind, by the vehemence of
some persons about him, so as to look upon the mira
culous conception as one of the great corruptions of
Christianity. So that he set out without weighing the
consequences ; and as his method of treating the subject
did not affect himself nor disturb him, he thought it
would be the same with others. And having happily got

174 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VIII.
over "the outcries raised against him on other like points,
as he conceived, he believed it would be the same here.
I will, however, entertain hope that your most candid
but strong manner, at the conclusion of your letter, of
representing to him your own and the opinions of others
concerning his treating the subject, will prevail with him
to treat the matter with a better temper, as not a day
passes but I meet with one or other friends that earnestly
wish it for his own, and for the truth's sake."
Dr. Priestley, in his Essay upon the Miraculous Con
ception, in the Repository, expresses his sentiments upon
this' subject, as upon all others, unequivocally, and with
out disguise; and certainly, though not with intention
to give offence, yet without any precaution to guard
against it. But surely his language, and his manner of
treating the subject, hardly deserve the severe censure of
making " unfair applications to his readers, and of exhibit
ing his opinion in a disgusting form, and with a wrong
spirit." In an argument so novel, the prejudices of some
would undoubtedly be shocked. But there were many
who, though not converted to his opinion, were by no
means offended with the argument or the spirit of the
writer, but rather admired the ingenuity which could
give plausibility to an hypothesis in their apprehension so
unfounded, and so inconsistent with what they judged to
be the plain declaration of the New Testament. Such
was unquestionably the first impression upon the in
genuous mind of Mr. Lindsey; and nothing but a too
great facility in yielding his own judgement to that of
his friends, could have induced him to think and to ex
press himself with such unusual asperity upon the temper
and spirit of his honest and able fellow-labourer in the
field of truth.
It is, however, of more consequence to remark, how
widely Mr. Lindsey differed from his inquisitive friend

CH. VIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 175
upon the subject of the miraculous conception, and how
unlikely he was at that time ever to be reconciled to hi3
sentiments. But an upright inquirer will never think it
too late to learn, and will be always ready to embrace doc
trines the most opposite to his preconceived Opinions, if
after mature examination he sees reason to believe that
they are founded in truth. Such was the character of the
venerable subject of this Memoir ; and in the following
extract from a letter to his friend Mr. Cappe, he ex
presses himself in a more hesitating tone.
April 10, 1787. " I am much concerned to find you
have such a multiplicity of business and of avocations ;
but I hope you will steal time to give us your arguments
for the miraculous conception, which I have not hitherto
seen any cause to give up, though some inconsistencies
with -which the evidence for it is encumbered have dis
turbed me a little ; and I should be happy to see your
further positive scriptural proofs for it made out at full
length." In a letter dated nine months before, in July
1786, Mr. Lindsey had importunately urged the same
request : " I cannot conclude without entreating you, my
most worthy friend, to give us, and give the public, your
valuable thoughts on the miraculous conception. If Dr.
Jebb had been alive, he would have joined with me, and
would have told you it was a duty for you to do it. He
had not attended much to the argument ; but he had no
doubt about the fact, or the genuineness of those scrip
tures which relate to it, any more than you have. Adieu.
But I beg you will think of this seriously and in earnest."
Notwithstanding, however, these repeated and urgent
calls, the oracle remained silent. Whatever might be the
reason, whether, upon further inquiry, he found that, when
he first promised the answer, like his precursor Dr. Jebb,
he had not attended much to the argument, or from some
other unknown cause, this truly learned and acute theolo-

176 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. VIII7
gian, who was looked up to as the only person competent
to advocate the sinking cause of the suspected narrative,
declined to enter the lists *, and the historian and
detector of the corruptions of Christianity was left the
undisputed master of the field. His venerable friend,
thus deserted by his principal ally, after a few more inef
fectual struggles, found himself compelled, by the power
of truth and the irresistible force of argument, to lay
down his arms and surrender at discretion ; and, like
the man of Tarsus, to become the champion of the faith
which he once disapproved. In other words, Mr. Lind
sey, upon further consideration of the subject, and seeing
no satisfactory reply to his friend's arguments, gave up,
though not without some reluctance, his belief in the
miraculous conception : and in the next edition of his
Liturgy, in the year 1789, he omitted that creed, erro
neously called the creed of the apostles, which contains
this unscriptural article.
This doctrine, that Jesus of Nazareth, the great
prophet of the Most High, was the son of Joseph
and Mary, which was so alarming when it was first
asserted by Dr. Priestley, is now perfectly familiar
ised, and is I believe generally received by those who
maintain the proper humanity of Jesus Christ. In
deed the direct assertion of Luke, which can by no
fair and legitimate criticism be set aside, that our Lord
had just completed his thirtieth year f, in the fifteenth
* Mr. Cappe's first remarks upon Dr. Priestley were published in the
fifth volume of the Theological Repository, under the signature of Nazaraeus.
The principal object was to prove that the miracle, though in its own na
ture necessarily private, might nevertheless have its use.. Dr. Priestley
in the same volume adverts to this objection, in a paper signed Nazarenus.
Whether Mr. Cappe, like his ingenuous correspondent, ever abandoned the
miraculous conception, does not appear from any of his posthumous publica
tions. The " Connected History of the Life of Christ," published by his
excellent widow, leaves the fact in a state of considerable doubt.
f Aex.'f1'" u* 1Ta"' '•{"'*<»*¦«, est incipio jo-nx esse tricenarius, quod non diei-
tur nisi post impletum annum tricessimum. Giotius.

CH. VIII. ] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 177
year of Tiberius, fixes the birth of Christ at least two
years after Herod's death. This single undeniable chro
nological fact at once invalidates the introductory narra
tive to Matthew and Luke. And the uselessness of the
train of splendid miracles there recorded ; the very little
attention which they excited to the object of them; the
apparent fabulousness of many of the circumstances ;
the irrelevance, not to say the absurdity, of the quota
tions from the Old Testament ; the inconsistency of the
two narratives with each other; the entire omission of the
whole transaction by Mark and John ; the want of the
introduction to Matthew in the Ebionite copies, and to
Luke in those of Marcion ; the rejection of the miracu
lous conception by the Gnostics, with whose system it
would so well have harmonized, and by the Ebionites or
Jewish Christians, whose history supplied so many prior
accounts of miraculous births ; the prevailing desire of
Christians to aggrandize their master, and in every pos
sible way to diminish the disgrace of his extraction and
the reproach of his cross ; and, in fine, the general
credit given to the narrative in distant countries, and
the discredit under which it laboured in those regions
which are represented as the very scenes of these extra
ordinary events ; all concur to establish the conclusion,
that the introductory narratives to Matthew and Luke
were not written by the evangelists to whom they are
ascribed. By whom they were written, and at what
time they were prefixed to their respective histories, it
may not be easy to ascertain : but as we are certain,
from the date of Luke's history, that the facts cannot be
true, we may be equally certain that they could not have
been related by the apostle of Jesus, or the faithful and
accurate companion of Paul.

N

178 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. IX.
CHAPTER IX.
UNITARIAN LITURGY ADOPTED BY THE CONGREGATION
AT THE KING'S CHAPEL AT BOSTON IN NEW ENGLAND.
MR. LINDSEY CORRESPONDS WITH DR. FREEMAN, MR.
VANDERKEMP, ETC. PROGRESS AND PRESENT STATE
OF THE UNITARIAN CHURCHES IN AMERICA.
1he grand theological controversies which excited so
much attention, and were conducted with so much
animosity, in England, could not fail to attract notice
in America, and especially in the New England States,
where a manliness of character, a decency of morals,
and a serious though not universally enlightened spirit
of piety, dispose the minds of considerable numbers to
religious inquiries, and where freedom of investigation
suffers no restraint from the civil power. It was with
great pleasure that Mr. Lindsey received information in
the year 1786, from a respectable correspondent, (the
Rev. J. Smith, afterwards librarian to the University of
Cambridge in New England,) that the principal episco
palian church in Boston had consented to 'the introduc
tion of a Liturgy reformed nearly upon the plan of that
which had been adopted in Essex-street, and perfectly
Unitarian*. The minister of this congregation, which
* In Mr. Freeman's first letter to Mr. Lindsey, dated July 7, 1786, he
4ells his venerable correspondent, " The Liturgy of our church was.during
a long' time unpopular. But your approbation, the note of Dr. Price an
nexed to aletter of Dr. Lush, and the mention which Dr. Priestley is pleased
to make of it in his sermon upon the fifth of November, have raised it in
esteem. It now seems to be acknowledged that that book cannot be very
absurd which is praised by gentlemen of such great learning and abilities,
who have been so long known and so justly admired in this country. I
wish the work was more worthy of your approbation. I can only say that I
endeavoured to make it so by attempting to introduce your Liturgy entire.
But the people of the chapel were not ripe for so great a change. Some
defects and improprieties I was under the necessity of retaining, for the
sake of inducing them to omit the most exceptionable parts of the old ser
vice, the Athanasian prayers. Perhaps in some future day, when their
minds become more enlightened, they may consent to a further alteration."

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 179
assembled at what was called the King's Chapel, was
the Rev. James Freeman, and is described by his friend
as " a young man of a great deal of knowledge and
good sense, and of an excellent disposition." Some of
his hearers left him on account of the change introduced
into the service ; but the majority adhered to him, and
the congregation flourished under him. He was for
some time under considerable embarrassment for want
of episcopal ordination, upon which some of his hearers
laid much stress, though in the estimation of the more
judicious members of his congregation, as well as of Mr.
Freeman himself, it was rather a matter of expedience
than necessity. To avoid, however, giving unnecessary
offence, he applied for orders first to Bishop Seabury,
who had lately been consecrated by the non-juring
bishops of Scotland, and who exercised his jurisdiction
over the episcopal churches in Connecticut. But this
prelate, being a rigid Calvinist, would not lay hands
The writer of this Memoir is happy to add, that the day of .increased light
and liberality, foretold by this enlightened reformer, is no w arrived, and that
Dr. Freeman has himself lived to see his own prediction verified. In a new-
edition of the Boston Liturgy, printed in the year 1811, a copy of which
the writer has had the honour to receive as a present from the Ministers,
Wardens, and Vestiy of the King's Chapel, nothing is to be found which
is inconsistent with the purest principles of Unitarian worship as such, and
with a very few alterations, chiefly verbal, it might be made perfectly unob
jectionable. May it long be the efficacious . means of supporting the purity
and simplicity of Christian worship, and diffusing a spirit of rational piety!'
Mr. Freeman-further proceeds to state the progress which Unitarian prin
ciples were making in the United States, and particularly in New England.
•This he imputes to the many excellent books published in England, and to
Mr. Lindsey's Works in particular, which were much read and with great
effect. The sermons and conversation of some clergymen in New England
also contributed their share : and amongst these he mentions the Rev. Mr.
Hazlitt, a pious, zealous, and intelligent English minister, who after his re
turn to England settled at Wem in Shropshire. Mr. Freeman speaks of
himself as particularly indebted to the instructions and conversation Of this
respectable person. " I bless the day," says he, "when that honest man
first landed in this country." In another letter, dated June 1789, Mr. Free
man writes, " Before Mr. Hazlitt came to Boston, the Trinitarian doxology
was almost universally used. That honest good man prevailed upon several
.respectablejninisters to omit it. Since his departure, the number of those
who repeat only scriptural doxologies has greatly increased, so that there
are now many churches in which the worship is strictly Unitarian:"
n2

180 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
upon his suspected brother. Application was then
made to Dr. Provost, who had been elected bishop of
the province of New York, and who, together with Dr.
White, had been consecrated to the episcopal office by
the prelates of the Church of England. This gentle
man, who had been a pupil of Dr. Jebb, was a man of
great learning, of liberal sentiments, and of deep piety.
At the Convention of the episcopal clergy at Philadel
phia, he had himself proposed a very important altera
tion in the Litany, viz. to leave out the invocations to
the Son, the Holy Ghost, and the Trinity ; and to re
tain only the first, which is addressed " to God the
Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth." To
this worthy prelate, therefore, the members of the con
gregation at the King's Chapel repeatedly applied to
obtain episcopal ordination for their respected minister,
But the bishop, perhaps unwilling to give offence to his
weaker brethren, referred the matter to the next Conven
tion at Philadelphia ; which determined Mr. Freeman's
friends, who had reason to apprehend, that, whatever
might be the information and liberality of some in
dividuals, the majority would decide against him, to
ordain their< own pastor at home. This solemn rite,
therefore, was performed, with the previous approbation
of many persons of high character and worth who had
been Consulted upon the occasion, on Sunday the 1 8th
of November, 1787, according to a form suggested by
Governor Bowdoin, a gentleman whose learning, good
sense, and merit, as Mr. Freeman expresses it in his
letter to Mr. Lindsey, " would give a sanction to any
sentiment which he espouses," though the honourable
Governor was not a member of the King's Chapel con
gregation. " The whole ceremony," says Mr. Freeman,
" was performed with great decency and solemnity in the
presence of a very numerous assembly. Deep attention

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 181
was impressed upon every countenance, and many of the
advocates for religious liberty, of our own and other
churches, could not forbear expressing their sensibility
by tears of joy." The form used upon this interesting
occasion is published by Mr. Lindsey in his Vindiciae
Priestleianae, who there expresses his entire approbation
of it. All difficulties were at length surmounted : the
remaining scruples of those who were advocates for epi
scopal ordination gradually subsided *, and the cause of the
congregation continued to flourish under the auspices
of this pious and exemplary preacher for upwards of
twenty years. Since January 1809, Mr. now Dr. Free-
man has been associated with a colleague, the Reverend
* In tenderness to the prejudices of some worthy members of the con
gregation, a' vote was passed by the Society, that Mr. Freeman's ordination
should be confirmed by an episcopal imposition of hands, if it could be at
any future time conveniently procured without sacrificing their own religi
ous sentiments. But a circumstance occurred shortly afterwards which
contributed more effectually to overrule the scruples of those who were
unsatisfied, than any thing which Mr. Freeman or his friends could say or
write upon the subject. This was the ordination of a clergyman at Boston
by Bishop Seabury.
" If any prejudices remained upon the minds of my people in favour of
episcopal ordination," says Mr. Freeman in a letter to Mr. Lindsey, dated
October 15, 1788, "what you say in your book, the Vindiciae Priestleianae,
Would effectually remove them. But they are already cured of all prepos
sessions of that nature. I mentioned in a former letter, that Bishop Sea-
bury had ordained a priest in Boston. The members of my congregation in
general attended. They were so shocked with the service, particularly with
that part where the bishop pretends to communicate the Holy Ghost and
the power of forgiving sins, which he accompanied with the action of
breathing on the candidate, that they now congratulate me upon having
escaped what they consider as little short of blasphemy. Few of them had
ever read, or at least attentively considered, the Ordination service. Since
they have heard it, I have frequently been seriously asked by them, whether
I would have submitted to so absurd a form. I confess that I am convinced
I should have acted wrong if I had done it. I shudder when I reflect to
what moral danger I exposed myself in soliciting ordination of the American
bishops, for I certainly never believed that they had the power of conveying
the Holy Spirit."
Bishop Seabury might he, and probably was, a very honest man. How
far his wisdom kept pace with his honesty, the following anecdote may as
sist the reader to judge. This venerable prelate, after having been invested,
or imagined himself to be invested, with extraordinary powers by the ma
nual imposition of a few obscure priests in Scotland, -when he had returned
to Connecticut, wrote to Dr. Styles, the president of the college, the learned

182 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
Samuel Cary, who, if we may judge by the specimen of
his .talents and spirit in the sermon which he delivered
on the day of his ordination, and by the esteem and af
fection expressed in the charge of his revered associate,
is worthy of the honourable situation which he occupies,
and is well qualified to carry on the cause in wich his
excellent colleague has been so long and so successfully
engaged. May this holy cause continue to prosper in
their hands, and when the chief Shepherd shall appear
may they receive a crown of glory * !
As a further means of diffusing the important doc
trines of the proper Unity of God and the simple hu
manity of Jesus Christ, Mr. Lindsey made a present of
his own and of Dr. Priestley's Theological Works to the
library of Harvard College, in the University of Cam
bridge in New England ; for which, " as a very valuable
and acceptable present," he received the thanks of the
President and Fellows. These books were read with
great avidity by the students. But though there is great
friend and correspondent of Dr. Price, that it was hi3 intention to be at the
annual meeting of the Institution, but that he " hoped he should be re
ceived with proper distinction, andthat his precedency would be allowed in
the place allotted to him." To which the learned president sent back a
courteous answer : " That they should be very glad to see Bishop Seabuiy,
but that he could not promise him any such mark of distinction as he ex
pected. One thing, however, he could engage for and would assure him
of, that he would meet with a hundred and ninety-one as good bishops as
himself." * This sincere and ardent wish it was not the will of Providence to ratify.
Mr. Cary's connexion with his affectionate flock and his revered colleague
was of very short duration. In the autumn of 1815, he fell into a deep
decline from a neglected cold ; and being advised to try a milder climate, he
came to England with his wife in October. For a few days he appeared a
little revived ; but the disorder soon returned with increased violence, and
on Sunday October 22, he expired at Royston on his road to London, in the
thirtieth year of his age. He was interred in the burial ground belonging
to the Unitarian Chapel at Hackney, and the service by his particular de
sire Was performed by the minister of Essex-street Chapel, who delivered a
discourse upon the melancholy occasion the next Lord's day. Mrs. Cary,
whose christian fortitude and pious' resignation under this severe trial was
the admiration of all her friends, returned to Boston in the spring. The
removal of such a person as Mr. Cary, in the prime of life and in the midst
of usefulness, is one of the unsearchable mysteries of divine Providence.

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 1 8>3
reason to believe that the seed thus sown took deep root,
and that in many instances it produced a correspondent
harvest ; and though many persons eminent for rank and
talent in the New England States* openly avowed the
Unitarian creed, it does not appear that any numerous
societies of Christians have hitherto followed the exam
ple of the congregation at the King's Chapel in making
a public profession of the Unitarian doctrine.
In March 1792, an Unitarian congregation was formed
at Portland, a considerable town of the district of Maine,
in the north-eastern part of the State of Massachusetts.
The worthy founder of this society was the Reverend
Thomas Oxnard, a man of good talents, of sincere piety,
and of ardent zeal, who had for some years officiated as
minister of the episcopalian church at Portland, and who
ha4 been convinced of the truth of the Unitarian doc
trine by reading the works of Dr. Priestley and Mr.
Lindsey, with which he had been supplied by his friend
Mr. Freeman. Through the same means, and by the
public and private instructions of this good man, in the
course of a few years, many other persons of property
and respectability of character embraced and avowed the
same principles. " I cannot," says this worthy man in a
letter dated November, 1788, "express to you the avi
dity with which these Unitarian publications are sought
after. Our friends here are clearly convinced that the
Unitarian doctrine will soon become the prevailing opi-
* " Governor Bowdoin," says Mr. Lindsey's worthy correspondent, " is a
critic in biblical learning. General Knox, one of the most distinguished
officers in the late war, is an admirer of such authors as Edward Search,
General Lincoln, our present worthy Lieutenant-governor, appears uniform
ly and openly the friend of those doctrines that you approve. There are
many others besides, in our legislature, of similar sentiments. While so
many of our great men are thus on the side of truth and free inquiry, they
will necessarily influence many of the common people. As we have no
establishment to oppose, the same zeal which is felt in'England cannot be
expected in this country ; but rational Christianity will, I doubt not, make a
rapid though not very visible progress." This letter was written in 1788,

184 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
nion in this country ; which must afford great pleasure
to those good men Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Priestley. Three
years ago I did not know a single Unitarian in this part
of the country besides myself: and now, entirely from
the various publications you have furnished, a decent so
ciety might be collected from this and the neighbouring
towns. When you again write to Mr. Lindsey, you may
assure him in the most positive terms that his and Dr.
Priestley's publications have had, and probably will have,
great effects in this part of the country ; which I am
sure must afford him great satisfaction."
Agreeably to this account, the doctrine of the proper
Unity of God made a progress so rapid in the town and
vicinage of Portland, that in the beginning of the year
1792 an effort was made to introduce a reformed Liturgy
into the episcopal church ; which being resisted by one
or two leading members of the congregation, the Uni
tarians, who constituted a considerable majority of the
society, seceded from the rest ; and forming themselves
into a separate church, they chose the Reverend Mr.
Oxnard to be their minister ; and being denied the use
of the episcopal chapel, they assembled for religious wor
ship at one of the public school-houses which was large
and commodious, and where they carried on the worship
of the One God with increasing popularity and success.
About the same time another society for Unitarian
worship was formed at Saco, a populous village about
twenty miles distant from Portland, under the auspices
of Mr. Thatcher, a gentleman of considerable property
and of excellent character, who was repeatedly returned
as representative in Congress for the northern district of
the State of Massachusetts. Mr. Thatcher it is said was
originally an. unbeliever; but possessing a candid and
inquisitive mind, he became a very sincere and rational
Christian in consequence of reading Dr. Priestley's

CH.'lX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 185
Works ; and, as Mr. Lindsey's correspondent expresses
it, " the influence of our divine religion became very
evident in his life and manners." This gentleman, by his
conversation, his occasional publications, by lending
Unitarian books, and by the great influence of his moral
and religious character, contributed much to diffuse ra
tional and pure Christianity in the vicinity of his resi
dence, and formed at Saco a congregation of Unitarian
Christians which was for some time connected with that
at Portland, but afterwards became sufficiently numerous
and respectable to maintain a separate minister. In
England the spirit of the times is more liberal than the
spirit of the laws. In America it is the reverse ; and the
bigotry of individuals sometimes labours to counteract
the unlimited freedom of faith and worship, which is
the glory of the Constitution of the United States. The
active zeal of Mr. Thatcher, in promoting the worship
of One God in opposition to unscriptural formularies
and creeds, excited the malignant efforts of some of his
bigoted neighbours to oppose his re-election to a seat in
Congress. But the high character, the approved pa
triotism, and the distinguished talents of that honour
able gentleman secured him an easy triumph over the
mean attacks of ignorance and envy, and he was again
returned by a great majority.
Upon the formation of the first Unitarian Society in
the district of Maine, Mr. Lindsey's intelligent corre
spondent makes the following just and important obser
vations, in a letter dated May 21, 1792 :
" I consider the establishment of this society as an
event peculiarly favourable to the progress of Unitarian
ism in this country. The eastern division of this State,
commonly called the province of Maine, of which Port
land is the capital, is one of the most flourishing parts of
the United States. It is rapidly increasing in population

186 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
and in wealth. Portland, which under the name of Fal
mouth was almost totally destroyed during the last war,
has now become a large and respectable town, and bids
fair in the course of half a century to rival Boston. Like
other capital towns, it will probably influence the opi
nions of the surrounding country. It may be expected,
therefore, that Unitarianism will grow with its growth,
and be widely diffused. What favours this expectation
is, that one of the ministers of the town, a very liberal
and enlightened man, is upon very good terms with the
Unitarian Society, and not disposed to discountenance
them. In sentiment he professes to be a Sabellian. The
other ministers in the neighbourhood are in general ig
norant, and some of them vicious. The consequence is,
that there is less appearance of religion in the province
of Maine than in any other part of New England. I have
no doubt, therefore, that a number of Unitarians pos
sessing that purity of morals for which they are generally
distinguished will have a great effect, not only in dif
fusing rational sentiments, but also in reforming the
practice of their fellow-citizens. I give this not merely
as my own opinion, but as the opinion of some gentle
men who are best informed in the State of the province
of Maine. The establishment of a rational Christian
society, and the happy changes which are to be expected
in future, must, sir, in a great measure be ascribed to
the books which you have sent over. What, therefore,
must be your triumph when you reflect that you have en
lightened the minds of your fellow-christians, and that
you will probably be the means of turning many to
righteousness ! "
How far this worthy and ardent correspondent of Mr.
Lindsey was warranted in the sanguine expectations he
expresses of the success and beneficial effects of the
Unitarian doctrine in the New England States, does not

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 187
very distinctly appear. In 1788 he states to his venerable
friend, that the Socinian scheme is less frightful than it
was some years ago, and begins to have some public ad
vocates. The only minister, however, who then preached
in favour of it was Mr. Bentley, of Salem, a fellow-
collegian and intimate friend of the writer, who describes
him as " a young man of a bold independent mind, of
strong natural powers, and of more skill in the learned
languages than any person of his years in the State."
This gentleman had the good fortune to be connected
with a congregation uncommonly liberal, who were not
alarmed at any improvements, and who were pleased with
the introduction of Bishop Lowth's translation of Isaiah,
and of other improved translations of the prophetic
Scriptures, in preference to the common English version,
which was a liberty that few of the ministers in New
England would be allowed to take. In 1793, Unitarianism
remained at Portland in the state in which it had been
settled the preceding year : but the clergy in the neigh
bourhood of Saco having passed a censure upon these
opinions as unsound and heretical, the consequence of
this attack was an able defence of the doctrine by its ad
vocates in that vicinage, and a subscription for building
an Unitarian church. In the year 1794, the same re
spectable correspondent communicates to his venerable
friend the progress which the doctrine and worship of the
One true God, the Father, were making in the southern
districts of the State of Massachusetts. " The counties
of Plymouth, Barnstable, and Bristol, were the first part
of New England settled by the English ; and till the
year 1692, when they were annexed to Massachusetts,
constituted a distinct province. The first settlers were
a religious and industrious people, of more candid minds
and less disposed to persecution than the settlers of
Massachusetts. Though the country is barren, yet it

188 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
has become one of the most populous districts of the
United States. The inhabitants are enlightened and vir
tuous. Crimes are unknown ; and there has not been a
capital execution for upwards of sixty years. Such cha
racters are valuable acquisitions to the cause of truth, It
must give you pleasure, therefore, to learn that two
ministers, one in the county of Plymouth, and the other
in the county of Barnstable, have lately come forward
and openly opposed the doctrine of the Trinity. Their
preaching has made a deep impression, and converts have
been multiplied. In Barnstable county in particular,
there is a very large body of Unitarians."
This letter was written not long after the worthy writer
had received intelligence of Mr., Lindsey's resignation of
the pastoral office on account, not of declining health,
but of advanced age ; and I cannot deny myself the grati
fication of transcribing Dr. Freeman's excellent and ju
dicious reflections upon that occasion: " I fervently pray,
dear sir, that your health may long be preserved, and that
your old age may be as happy as the meridian of your
life has been active and useful. You now enjoy the fruits
of your labours. You have reclaimed many from the
errors of idolatry and superstition. You have diffused
knowledge and truth not only in England but in America.
But what is most to your honour, though you have
displayed all the zeal of a reformer, yet you have pos
sessed none of that bitterness of spirit with which re
formers are too often infected. In your numerous works
I find no harsh expressions or malignant censures. I con
template this part of your character with peculiar pleasure ;
and though I am conscious I am frequently more angry
with error and bigotry than a Christian ought to be, yet
I ardently desire to imitate your candour and mildness of
temper. Excuse this praise ; it is suggested to me by
your two last excellent discourses." This is a high and

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 189
at the same time a discriminating and justly merited
eulogy, and must no doubt have been gratifying to the
venerable person to whom it was addressed ; whose great
humility would, however, lead him to disclaim in part,
at least, his title to it.
In a letter dated May 24, 1796, the amiable and can
did writer expresses some little doubt, whether his zeal
may not have induced him inadvertently to exaggerate
the success of Unitarian principles in the United States ;
and he endeavours to give a correct account of the actual
state of the public mind upon this subject. As this is
the last of Dr. Freeman's letters upon the state of Uni
tarianism in America which is in my possession, and as
it contains a more general view of the case than he had
before exhibited, I shall make no apology for the length
of the extract :
" I consider it," says this intelligent correspondent to
his venerable friend, " as one of the most happy effects
which have resulted from my feeble exertions in the
Unitarian cause, that they have introduced me to the
knowledge and friendship of some of the most valuable
characters of the present age ; men of enlightened heads,
of pious and benevolent hearts ; * quibuscum vivere
amem, quibuscum obire libens.'
" Though it is a standing article of most of our social
libraries, that nothing of a controversial nature should
be purchased, yet any book which is presented is freely
accepted. I have found means, therefore, of introducing
into them some of the Unitarian Tracts with which you
have kindly furnished me. There are few persons who
have not read them with avidity ; and when read, they
cannot fail to make an impression upon the minds of
many. From these and other causes, the Unitarian doc
trine appears to be still upon the increase. I am ac
quainted with a number of ministers, particularly in the

190 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE. [CH. IX.
southern part of this State, who avow and publicly
preach this sentiment. There are others more cautious,
who content themselves with leading their hearers by a
course of rational but prudent sermons gradually and in
sensibly to embrace it. Though this latter mode is not
what I entirely approve, yet it produces good effects. For
the people are thus kept out of the reach of false opi
nions, and are prepared for the impressions which will be
made on them by more bold and ardent successors, who
will probably he raised up when these timid characters
are removed off the stage. In the eastern part of this
State, or what is called the district of Maine, the Uni
tarian doctrine also makes progress, as I have just been
informed by a worthy and judicious minister from that
quarter. The clergy are generally the first who begin to
speculate : but the people soon follow, where they are so
much accustomed to read and inquire.
" In the accounts which I give you of the state of re
ligious opinions in this country, I always endeavour not
to exaggerate, sensible that every zealous man (and I
confess that I am zealous) is naturally disposed to rate
his own party as highly as he can. It is possible that
Unitarianism may be losing ground in one quarter while
it is gaining it in another, and that I may not perceive or
may not attend to the former. Indeed, I confess and
lament that the opinion is scarcely known in the largest
part of this vast republic. It flourishes chiefly in New
England ; but not much in Connecticut, Rhode Island,
New Hampshire, and the western counties of Massa
chusetts. A few seeds have been sown in Vermont, and
an abundant harvest has been produced in the vicinity
of Boston and the counties directly south of it. In
Pennsylvania, much may be expected from the labours
of Dr. Priestley."
It was in the year 1796 that this letter was written ;

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 191
and though it cannot reasonably be doubted that the im
portant doctrines of the unrivalled supremacy and sole
worship of the Father, and of the proper humanity of
Jesus Christ, have since that time been gradually ad
vancing in a country so favourable to freedom of inquiry;
yet it may justly be questioned whether the progress of
truth has been quite so rapid, visible, or extensive, as
the zeal of this ingenuous and ardent lover of truth
prompted him to expect. Dr. Priestley's personal mi
nistry in the United States was attended with very lit
tle apparent success. In Northumberland, where he re
sided, he collected but few proselytes ; and in Philadel
phia, where the chapel in which he preached was at first
crowded with the principal characters in the United
States, he was afterwards for some reason or other al
most deserted. Yet here his labours were not wholly
ineffectual. Since Dr. Priestley's decease a small but
highly respectable congregation has been formed, in
which, till a regular minister can be procured, a few of
the most intelligent and best informed members conduct
the service by turns ; and the society, upon the whole,
is increasing, though some who once professed zeal in
the cause have turned their backs upon it. The Uni
tarians in Philadelphia have erected a chapel for religious
worship, to which many of different persuasions contri
buted liberally.
Another Unitarian congregation has been formed at
Oldenbarneveld, a new settlement in the back country
of the State of New York, under the patronage of Co
lonel Mappa, a gentleman of a truly respectable cha
racter, and of considerable property and influence in
that district, aided by the exertions of the Rev. Frederic
Adrian Vanderkemp, a learned and pious emigrant from
Holland, whose zeal for the doctrine of the Divine
Unity has exposed him to many difficulties and priva-

192 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
tions. This church was, for a few years, under the
pastoral inspection of the Reverend John Sherman, who
in the year 1805 was dismissed, orVaccbunt of his Uni
tarian principles, from his office as minister of the first
church at Mansfield in Connecticut, where he had offi
ciated upwards of eight years with great and increasing
acceptance and success. Of the circumstances which
led to this separation, and of the inquisitorial spirit
which was exerted against him by the bigoted clergy
in his neighbourhood, he published a plain and affect
ing account, a copy of which now lies before me. And
if some expressions of irritation have escaped him, which
it would perhaps have been better to omit, it requires
but little charity to make allowance for them where the
provocation was so great and unmerited.
This gentleman, in consequence of an attentive per
usal of the works of Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Priestley, be
came a sincere and zealous convert to the doctrine of the
proper Unity and sole Supremacy of God, to the simple
humanity of Jesus Christ, and to the appropriation of
religious worship to the Father only. A doctrine of such
high importance, and so materially differing from the
popular creed, he justly conceived it to be his duty to
avow and teach*. And in the first place, he commnni-

* This worthy confessor's plain and artless narrative of the feelings of his
mind upon this occasion is well deserving of being here transcribed, and may
it make a due impression upon all who are placed in similar circumstances
and called out to similar trials !
" Settled," says he, " in the sentiment that God is one person only, and
that Jesus Christ is a being distinct from God, dependent upon him for his
existence and all his powers, I was involved in much trial and perplexity of
mind with respect to the course which duty required me to pursue. I was
aware of the prejudices of my brethren in the ministry, and foresaw that,
should my sentiments be made public, they would certainly exert themselves
to destroy my ministerial and christian standing ; that my standing with the
people of my charge, whose confidence I was so happy as to possess, would
be endangered, if not by their own prejudices, yet by the influence and exer
tions of others ; and, considering the state of the American churches, that I
could hardly expect an invitation to minister to any people on this side of the

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 193
cated his change of sentiments to the congregation with
which he was connected; when, to his great surprise and
satisfaction, he found that, with a single exception, they
were all earnestly desirous that he should continue his
connexion with them, and that each should quietly allow
to others the right of private judgement in this and every
other case. This however did not satisfy his clerical
brethren, with whom, as residing in the neighbourhood,
he had joined in a voluntary association. Being duly in
formed by Deacon Southworth, the dissatisfied member
before alluded to, of his reverend pastor's departure from
the faith, they first in a formal session, held in October
1 804, excluded him from their society, and disavowed
ministerial connexion with him. And in this measure
was no injustice; for the associated ministers had as good
Atlantic. Poverty, a diminution of my usefulness, and the unhappy condi
tion of my beloved family, staved me in the face, and conjured me to be. si
lent respecting, my opinions.
"On the other hand I considered that, having avowed different sentiments
at my Ordination, it could not be reconciled to a frank and open honesty to
allow the world to be deceived as to my real belief; — that it is the duty of
the minister of the Gospel to instruct men in the knowledge of its important
doctrines; — that I was accountable to God for my conduct in this matter,
who requires of stewards that a man be found faithful, and who certainly
must desire his people to be acquainted with the truth, or he would never
have revealed it ; — that no reformation from prevailing errors could take
place, if those who are acquainted with the truth should, through the fear
of persecution, conceal it from public view ; — and, finally, that it is base, and
unbecoming the dignity of man; in this 19th century of the Christian aera, in
this land of liberty and free inquiry, to bow down to popular absurdities and
superstitions, and quietly to abandon the unalienable right of private judge
ment. These considerations determined me to put all temporal things at
hazard, and to place my trust in that wise Providence which had always been
kind, and which will either deliver us from the evil, or inspire us with fbrti-
tude.to endure it." Upon these generous and pious principles did this Chris
tian confessor act throughout the whole of this arduous conflict; and how
ever hi3 ignorant and malignant persecutors might injure his good name, and
deprive him and his family of the comforts of society, and leave them desti
tute of the necessaries of life, they could hot rob him of the' inestimable trea
sure of an approving conscience. Hqw rapidly and extensively must the
cause of Christian truth prevail, if all who were convinced of it possessed the
fortitude and zeal of Mr. Sherman ! But this is an elevation of character to
which every one cannot attain. Different persons have different gifts, and
are called to different duties. Let every one judge impartially for himself,
and candidly for others. O

194 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cil. IX.
a right to judge of the truth and importance of their opi
nions as Mr. Sherman of his. But the zeal of these pious
inquisitors did not stop here : they, wrote an official let
ter to the church at Mansfield, stating, that they, had
judged it to be their duty to withdraw from their hereti
cal brother their own ministerial connexion, and pretty
plainly intimating their expectation that the society would
follow their example, and dismiss their pastor, who stood
Convicted by his own confession of many capital errors.
This advice, though treated with merited neglect by a
majority of the church, nevertheless made a considerable
impression upon a small number of feeble-minded mem
bers, who in April 1 805 addressed a letter to the vene
rable Association, expressing their dissatisfaction with
their, worthy pastor for denying, as they express it, that
"the man Christ Jesus is truly and properly God ;" whieh,
say they, "is a doctrine which we cannot be persuaded
to give up but with the Bible which contains it." And
they further profess that " the doctrine of a trinity of
persons in the Godhead, as held by Caltiinistie divines
for ages, is a doctrine clearly taught in the hoiy Scrip
tures;" and that, "however mysterious and incompre
hensible, it lies at the very basis of Christianity." Under
these difficulties they implore, the advice of the reverend
Association. But notwithstanding all the activity of
Deacon Southworth, and the artifices and intrigues of
some bigots in the neighbourhood, only ten signatures
could be procured to this address. Such however was
the eagerness of the venerable body, and such their zeal
to exterminate heresy, that they immediately directed an
answer to be sent to the complainants, advising them to
have recourse to a Council or Consociation, which is an
ecclesiastical court consisting of mimsters and messen
gers, and invested by law with great and indefinite powers .
But as the Consociation was to consist in a great mea-

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 195
sure of the same ministers of whom the Association was
formed, who had already prejudged the cause, and as the
congregation at Mansfield had never acknowledged the
jurisdiction of this court, they rejected the advice with
the contempt it deserved. Nevertheless, as this worthy
confessor saw that his unrelenting adversaries were de
termined to pursue every possible method to disturb the
peace of the society, and to accomplish his ruin, and be
ing desirous of preventing the disastrous consequences
of religious discord, he came to the resolution qf resign
ing his pastoral office. This resolution he communi
cated to his friends; and at his desire the church and con
gregation concurred with him in inviting, according to
the custom of the country, a Mutual Council of respect^
able ministers to give their advice in the case, and, if
they should judge it expedient, to grant Mr. Sherman
an honourable dismission and recommendation."
This council assembled in October 1805, and Mr.
Sherman first stated his case, and the reasons which led
him to wish to resign his connexion with the congrega^
tion at Mansfield. After which a deputation from the
church, that is, from the communicants*, were heard on
!* It may not perhaps be known to the generality of readers, that in the
strict independent form of church government, the whole power of ecclesi
astical discipline, the entire management of the property, and the sole right
of choosing or dismissing a minister, is vested in the church, that is, in the
body of communicants, of those who have been admitted into the communion
of that church in particular, according to its prescribed forms, or who hdve
been received by regular dismission from other churches. Mere subscribers
have no Vote, however numerous and opulent. Mr. Howard the celebrated
philanthropist was the richest member and the most liberal supporter'of the
-congregation at Bedford j he also joined statedly in communion with the
Church: but hot having been regularly admitted into the chureh, he \vas
*>nly-regBrded as an occasional communicant ; and in the choice of aminister
not the least attention wa3 paid to his expressed opinion and desire, and a
minister Was chosen who was by no means acceptable to him.
In Northamptonshire I recollect another instance in which a venerable
minister of irreproachable character, of most amiable manners and unim-
peaOhed Orthodoxy, was dismissed from his office by the church under some
trifling "pretence, in opposition to the sense of by far the most respectable
partof the congregation. His friends appealed to a court of law to reinstate
their respected minister iu his office. But Lord Mansfield, who, whatever
02

196 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
their own behalf; who stated, that though the discon
tented party did not constitute more than one third of
the church, yet they plainly perceived that their design
was first to exclude their pastor, and then to excommu
nicate their brethren. That, in order to prevent this
schism, they had offered to the complainants either that
they should remain unmolested with the majority ; or,
that the majority, for the sake of peace, should dismiss
their pastor, in order to remain unmolested with them ;
or, if this would not satisfy their opponents, Mr. Sher
man's friends would retain and maintain their own mi
nister, and let the discontented party have theirs. This
concession however, liberal as it was, did not satisfy the
dissidents. Lastly, a deputation from the congregation
were heard before the Council, who stated, that not less
than nine-tenths of the society were well satisfied with
their minister, and had no desire to part with him, or to
restrain him in his inquiries. " Being," as they express
it, "tenacious of the right of private judgement, they
wish to indulge their minister in the same: neither would

might be his political delinquencies, was a most liberal and impartial judge
in all cases in which the rights of Protestant- Dissenters were concerned, de
manded to see the writings of the place ; and finding that they vested the
communicants with the discretionary power of choosing aud deposing a mi
nister, he dismissed the cause immediately, and the worthy veteran was
obliged to resign his claims. Another chapel however was provided for him
where he continued to officiate, and was supported by his friends as long as
he lived.
In America, it is presumed that where the Independent form of church
government prevails this principle is in general maintained. But in Connec
ticut they have strangely deviated from the original freedom of the separate
churches, by the institution of what is.ealled the Consociation, a sort of spi
ritual court, which was established in Connecticut in the beginning of the
last century. This court has power to interfere " upon all occasions eccle
siastical," and its censures are authorised and supported by the civil power.
Each Consociation Gonsists of ministers and messengers from every congre
gation which- belongs to it. But no congregation is compelled to join it. As
far as its power extends it is properly a court of Inquisition ; and in some
cases the members have discovered too much of an inquisitorial spirit. 
N.B- 1820, it is said that in consequence of the popular party having gained
the ascendancy in the. State of Connecticut, thc<e inquisitorial courts have
licen put down.

CH. IX. J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 197
they wish that he should act the hypocrite to gain the
approbation of any man : and they apprehend that, in
case Mr. Sherman is dismissed, the society will soon be
found in a most unhappy situation, not likely to be set
tled with another minister for many years."
Notwithstanding however these strong facts, this
noble profession, and this conciliatory spirit, the prudent-
Council proceed, as a matter of expediency, to dismiss
Mr. Sherman from his connexion with the society : and
while they bear honourable testimony to his character
and talents, and " recommend him to the kind reception
of those who may see fit to employ him," they cautiously
subjoin, that they " do not consider themselves as giving
their approbation of Mr. Sherman's peculiar phraseology
or circumstantial difference of sentiment on the subject
of the Trinity." And in their subsequent advice to Mr.
Sherman they admonish him to " guard against a bold
spirit of speculation, and an inordinate love of novelty."
It is not a little curious to contrast those differences
of opinion which this venerable Council coolly describes
under the soft expressions of peculiar phraseology and a
circumstantial difference of sentiment. The man whom
they gravely caution against a bold spirit "of speculation
and inordinate love of novelty, asserts the doctrine, that
there is One God, the sole object of religious worship,
and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ
Jesus, who is the prophet and messenger of God. While
his orthodox opponents, to accommodate whom the
Council think it expedient to dismiss their exemplary
pastor, maintain as a doctrine essential to salvation, and
which they " can never give up but with the Bible which
contains it," that " the man Jesus is truly and properly
God." Is the venerable Council serious in stating dif
ferences so glaring and so substantial as these, as nothing
more than a " peculiar phraseology," and a " circum-

198 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
stantial difference of sentiment? No! No! Opinions
such as these can no more harmonize with each other
than light and darkness, than Christ and Belial. They
who hold doctrines so diametrically opposite cannot be
fellow-worshipers in the same temple. It was expedient
that they should separate. So far the Council judged
right. But the difficulty lies in discovering the expedi
ence, the justice, the common sense of making the
greater submit to the less; in deciding in opposition to
the declared principles and wishes of two-thirds of the
church and nine-tenths of the congregation. It is not
to be doubted that the members of this Council were
upright and honourable men. But as the case now
stands it is impossible to approve of their decision. Why
is the majority to be sacrificed to the minority ? — Why
is 'the upright conscientious inquirer after truth to fall a
victim to bigotry, ignorance, and intolerance? This
surely is a miserable way-o'f 'promoting either truth or
peace. So the members of this truly respectable but '
too timid and cautious Council have themselves seen
reason to acknowledge; and one of them at least has
amply redeemed his character, and has himself very
lately become a fellow-sufferer in the cause of truth *.

'• This geiitlemanis the Rev. Abiel Abbot, late pastor of the first church
in ' Coventry in the state of Connecticut, where he was settled in February
1795, and continued to exercise his ministry peaceably and acceptably far
fifteen years. In February 1810 some of the membersof his church disco
vered in their worthy pastor symptoms of heresy, and after some discussion
the church applied for advice to the Association whichassembled in October,
who; again referred them to the Consociation- which assembled in April 181-1.
The Consociation summoned the worthy pastor to reply to the charge: but
Mr. Abbot protested against their jurisdiction; neither himself, nor. the
chureh of which he was .pastor, nor the congregationhaving ever joined, the
Consociation, or acknowledged its authority. The society likewise-entered
a "similar protest. The Consociation however, nothing daunted, voted its
own competency and authority, and in their way proceeded toiexamine the
merits of the case ; the result of which was, that the Rev. Abiel Abbot does
neither preach nor believe the doctrine of .the-sacrerl Trinity j^that he does-
neither preach nor believe the divinity of Jesus Christ; — that" he does
neither preach nor believe the doctrine of the atonement by the blood of

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 199
Mr. Sherman being thus dismissed frqm a con
gregation where he had passed eight years in harmony
and usefulness, now found himself past out upon the
world destitute almost of the necessaries of life, and

Christ, norof justification by his imputed righteousness ; — and thatdoctrines
contrary to these, and subversive of the Christian's faith and hope, are by
him taught and inculcated. Voted, That the man who neither believes nor
preaches the doctrine specified, is disqualified for the office of the Gospel
ministry; for he has essentially renounced the Scriptures, has made ship-
Wreck of faith, has denied tlie Messiah, &c. The Council therefore feel
themselves required by Jesus Christ, the great God and Saviour, &c. to de
clare, and they hereby do declare, that the ministerial relation between the
Rev. A; A. and the firstchurch at Coventry ought to be and is dissolved, &c.
Such at the commencement of the nineteenth century was the language,
and such were the extravagant claims, of an assembly of Protestant Christian
ministers assuming the title of the Consociation of the county of Tolland in
the State of Connecticut. Neither the Fathers of the Council of Trent, nor
those of Nice, nor of any intervening Council, whether General or Special,
ever pretended to higher authority, nor made a bolder claim to inspiration
or infallibility.
Mr. Abbot however, and his friends, the great majority of his society, not
feeling themselves inclined to submit to the dictates of the inspired Council,
resolved that the unwarranted censure of the Consociation should have no
effect upon their mutual connexion; and he still continued to officiate among
them as before. Nevertheless, to guard on the one hand against the inter
position qf the secular arm, and on the other to testify his respect to the
Council itself, the members of which were individually respectable, this
amiable and persecuted confessor thought it advisable to invite a mutual
Council of grave and learned divines from the State of Massachusetts to
deliberate how far it was his duty to respect the decision of the Tolland
Consociation. The very sensible and pious answer of Dr. Osgood, who de
clined attending, contains many very just and pertinent observations; "For
myself," says he, " I have little faith in, or respect for, Ecclesiastical
Councils. I have long thought them unauthorised in Scripture, and for the
• most part worse than useless, excepting as mere referees or arbiters mutu
ally chosen by parties atvariance to settle their disputes." Speaking of the
censure of the Consociation, he adds, "It is indeed a most extraordinary
procedure in this land' of republican liberty, where all Ecclesiastiqal-Estar
hjishments are explicitly disclaimed. This consideration; however, assures
-you, that though the tongues and pens of Ecclesiastical Councils .be as free
^and unrestrained as those of any other description of citizens, yet they have
no power to execute their decrees ; and you have no more reason to tremble
at the anathema of the Consociation of Tolland county, than at a bull of the
Roman Pontiff. It might therefore, perhaps, be advisable to let it pass with
as little notice ; suffering it to have no other effect than to render you §
better christian and a better man."
These are the observations and advice of a wise and good man; whieh
perhaps it would have been most prudent to have followed. The Mutual
-Council, however, convened by Mr. Abbot and his friends, assembled at
Coventry on the 5th-of June 1811, the venerable- Dr. Lathrop.in the ehair;
and after due deliberation they conclude.that " the Consociationhad no right
to dissolve the connexion between the pastor and the society, the greatma-

200 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. IX.
under the ban of a powerful party, who were determined
to the utmost to obstruct his future exertions, and to
drive him from the ministry. Happily, though the will
was good, the power was wanting. The pastor and the
congregation appear to have regarded it as their duty to
acquiesce in the decision of the Council, however pain
ful : and in an affecting address which was presented by
the society to Mr. Sherman, they express their deep
regret at the unexpected dissolution of their connexion,
when they most wished for its continuance, — when they
most wanted his ministerial services and friendly counsels,
— and when he stood highest in their esteem, and had
engaged their warmest affections. This address was
voted November 1 2, ¦ 1 805, and the answer to it is dated
from Oldenbarneveld, January 1, 1806. Mr. Sherman's
talents were not suffered to remain long unemployed ;
and he appears almost immediately after his dismission
to have been invited to undertake the pastoral charge of
the small congregation which had been collected chiefly
by the labours of the excellent Adrian Vanderkemp.
And to enable him to remove his family to this distance
jority of whom manifest a warm attachment to his person and ministry j'but
that from considerations of expediency they do dissolve it, and" declare that
it is dissolved accordingly." Thus again we see the sacred cause of Christian
truth sacrificed to a mean and temporizing policy; and the faithful champion
of truth, the amiable, useful, and beloved pastor torn from his weeping
f.ock, and consigned to poverty and solitude for the sake of preserving a
hollow, deceitful, temporary peace. But this cannot last long ; nor. can such
a measure be approved by the great Head of the Church. Of this strange
event the virtuous sufferer has published a fair aud interesting narrative,
which is written with a temper and spirit truly Christian. " I will bring,"
says he, " no railing accusation. The men from whom I have differed, I
have loved: the men from whom I have suffered, I have respected; and to
none am I conscious, to this hour, of feeling an unfriendly sentiment. From
the heart I wish them grace, mercy, and peace." It is however but justice
to the members of this perhaps too cautious Council; to add, that they do
not presume to judge of the faith of 'their unfortunate brother; that they
express the highest respect for his moral character, and that they cordially
recommend him to the pastoral office .in some other church. And if there
be, as I am sure there is, a love of truth, virtue, and liberty, in the New
England States, this able, honest, and pious sufferer for truth will not be
suffered to remain long in silence and seclusion.

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 201
he received a very handsome pecuniary present from his
friends at Mansfield, which he acknowledges with warm
gratitude. At last this respectable society seems to have
roused itself from its slumber, and to have taken the
step which it might have been expected that their affec
tion would have dictated immediately upon their worthy
pastor's dismission. The church and the congregation
invite him to resume the pastoral office at Mansfield.
This invitation was dated December 19, but it was then
too late. A scene of greater usefulness had, in his esti
mation, opened before him, and to this consideration
he regarded it as his duty to sacrifice personal gratifica
tion and social enjoyment. But, in his reply to this ap
plication, he introduces a very judicious summary of the
evidence of the Unitarian doctrine, and concludes with
expressing his grateful sense of the kindness of his friends,
and with a very impressive address to the youth of the
congregation*. For some years afterwards Mr. Sherman
remained at Oldenbarneveld ; and in a letter to Mrs.
Lindsey, dated November 5, 1807, the worthy Mr. Van-
derkemp expresses himself thus favourably of the exer
tions and success of his respected coadjutor:
* The conclusion of this worthy confessor's address to the youth of his late
congregation at Mansfield is so excellent, that no apology can be necessary
for inserting it.
" To the great question in dispute undoubtedly your minds are also
directed. The subject is of primary importance, and demands your serious
' and attentive consideration. Surely you ought to know whether you are to
, be the worshipers of Three Gods, or of One God only. Let me exhort you
to search the Scriptures diligently on this point, and see whether they teach
you that three divine persons, three distinct moral agents, make, when added
together, only one individual being. Should the result of your investigation
' comport with the doctrine which I have taught you from the Scriptures, I
wish you' may be duly impressed with the importance of openly avowing it,
and appearing as its advocates; that as you rise into public life you will
never be ashamed of the interesting truth, but boldly and faithfully stand in
its defence, though the multitude should be against, you. Let your zeal,
' however, be well tempered with Christian charity. Be- moderate and can
did, liberal and catholic, iri your treatment of those who may differ. Above
all, always remember that the best orthodoxy is a faithful'observance of the
sacred precepts of that One God, whom- you-profess and.acknowledge."

202 MEMOIRS QF THE LATE [Clf. IX.
" It must fill Mr. Lindsey's heart with gladness that
his labours are blessed here in the wilderness, through
'the means of those whom he enlightened and confirmed
in the gospel doctrine by his writings. Our pastor with
his amiable arid worthy wife has the greatest reason for
gratitude to the Divine Being, being beloved, respected,
and useful in spreading religious knowledge far and
wide. Our situation, in a religious point of view, is
very gratifying. Notwithstanding, our pastor has to
struggle with furious bigotry and ignorant superstition,
¦which blacken his character and slander his innocence,
while infidelity has her adherents through the whole
country. That kind of writings are spread every where,
and peddled round the .country by hawkers in the wil
derness, sometimes under spurious' titles; Volney and
Paine and Hollis are found in miserable cots and hovels,
.while it is ;often difficult to meet the "sacred Scriptures.
This evil has been nursed through the. misconduct of
•high-flying Caivinist teachers in New England, in choos
ing/their missionaries from the most stupid and bigoted;
perhaps from necessity: while jcoen of talents among
them decline the task. It is .therefore not surprising
that our pastor is heard with delight wherever there re
mains any claim to virtue and religion. His plain affa
ble manners, his energetic manner of preaching, his vast
superiority over his antagonists in disputes whenever
they attack him, increase his influence everyday. He
preaches in the week twenty miles round, and is sanguine
in his expectations that he shall form another society
twelve miles from hence. Few weeks are passing in
which sqme one or other of the vicinity do not join our
church, and those by far the most respectable among
them,. Disney's Tracts and Seddon's Sermons have ope
rated a great deal of good : so too have the works of my
worthy friend, who .now ere Jong shall receive the glo-

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 208
rious reward of his labours. Our minister has instituted
a school of moral instruction, in which every subject of
nataral and revealed religion is discussed freely."
In a letter dated April 1809, Mr. Variderkemp writes
in a less sanguine, yet not altogether discouraging strain.
" The Gospel cause gains slowly here and at Philadel
phia. We have at length succeeded to re-engage our
worthy minister," who it should seem was about to leave
them for want of necessary support for his family. " His
ministerial labours are not in vain. Well supplied with
a tolerable library, he has seen it enlarged, by Mr. J.
Priestley and Mr. J. Taylor from Philadelphia, by some
valuable additions. He deserves fully this encourage
ment. His talents are bright : his sermons are plain and
persuasive ; his prayers devout and ardent ; — and his con
duct -struck his slanderers dumb."
Unfortunately, whether it were owing to the -inability
of the congregation at Oldenbarneveld to raise an ade
quate income for the support. of their worthy pastor; or
whether, as is often the case with persons of genius, and
whose minds are devoted to intellectual pursuits, there
might he on his part too little attention paid to ©econo
mical arrangements ; in the next account we learn that
Mr. Sherman was under the necessity of dissolving his
t;onnexion with this society, and that the flock was at
that time left without a shepherd, and in a state ,by no
means encouraging. " The best that I can say about
our situation is," says the excellent Mr. Vanderkerhp,
in a letter to Mrs. Lindsey, dated August 1810, fC that
we are in a very torpid state. Since March we have ho
minister. Though a few doubled their subscriptions,
though twice we took the defalcations -of others on our
account, we could not raise a sum adequate to his sala
ry: so 'the connexion was dissolved, to our great grief
and the irtepar.aJjle.loss of. this community. Weh^ve,

204 MEMOIRS OP THE LATE [CH. IX.
resolved, however, and continue steadfastly our religious
meetings. Some of us have engaged to read in turns ;
so that we are edified sometimes by Clarke and Tillot-
son, sometimes by Blair, and sometimes by Lindsey,
Priestley, Price, and Toulmin."*
Of the present state of the Unitarian doctrine in the
district (now the state) of Maine, the author of this Me
moir is not informed. Whether the congregation at
Portland collected by the worthy Mr. Oxnard, or that
at Saco, under the patronage of the truly excellent Mr.
Thatcher, still exist, or in what state they now are, he
has not heard. At Hallowell the first families in the
place are in their principles decidedly Unitarian ; and it
is hoped that they will find some opportunity of erect
ing an altar to the One God, and that by the powerful
influence of instruction and example they will diffuse
the blessings of rational religion in a district which,
under their auspices, is rapidly rising into opulence and
distinction. In the State of Massachusetts, and particularly in the
environs of Boston, the great cause of Christian truth is
making a silent but rapid and irresistible progress. From
the inquisitive and liberal spirit which prevails in the
University of Cambridge, which has never been checked
at any time, but which there is reason to expect will
receive every requisite aid and encouragement from the
present learned and accomplished Principal Dr. Kirkland,
the happiest consequences may be expected to ensue.
* In a letter which I received from Mr. Sherman, dated Oldenbarneveld,
August 25, 1818, he states that his sole reason for resigning his connexion
with the congregation, was the necessity of providing for a large and grow
ing family. He now keeps a nourishing academical school, by the profits
of which his circumstances have been retrieved : and he expresses a hope
that, if life be spared,- he may again be called to preach the Gospel of the
grace of God. Mr. S. likewise states, in justification of the Council at Mans
field, that it was at his own desire that he was dismissed ; — this fact, how
ever, should have, been more clearly stated in his publication.

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 205
The edition of Griesbach's Greek Testament with se
lect various readings, and with the accurate and laborious
author's latest corrections, a copy of which was procured
in Germany by the late reverend, learned, and eloquent
Joseph S. Buckminster, which under his inspection was
elegantly and correctly reprinted in America as a text
book for the students of Harvard College, cannot foil to
contribute essentially to the true interpretation of the
Sacred Oracles. And a large and beautiful impression
of the Improved Version with the Notes, published by my
intelligent, learned, and valuable friend and correspondent
Mr. W. Wells, of Boston, whose zeal for truth is be
yond all praise, will, it is hoped, contribute to the better
understanding of difficult and doubtful passages in holy
writ. The Monthly Anthology, the General Repository,
and of late the Christian Disciple, and other valuable
periodical publications conducted by gentlemen of di
stinguished talents and liberality, tend very much to dif
fuse a spirit of inquiry. Bigotry is discountenanced ;
and divine worship in many of the principal churches
at Boston is carried on upon principles strictly, if not
avowedly Unitarian*. Being myself a friend to inge-

* A very correct, certainly, not a partial account of the present state of
professed Unitarianism in the State of the Massachusetts, and particularly
in Boston, has lately been published in the Monthly Repository for March
and April 1812, in a letter addressed by my highly esteemed friend the
Reverend Francis Parkman, of Boston, to the Reverend John Grundy, in
reply to a flattering account of the state of Unitarianism in Boston and its~
vicinity, contained in the Appendix to Mr. Grundy's eloquent Discourse at the
opening of a new place of worship at Liverpool. This account appears to have
been communicated to my worthy friend by' some person whose zeal in a
good cause led him to see the objects of his wish in rather too favourable a.
light. See Appendix, No. X.
The following extract from a letter written by a minister in America to
his friend in England, dated October 1810, though somewhat long, will, it is
hoped, be found both entertaining and important ; it will throw much light
upon the state of religion in Boston, and may give rise to some useful re
flections. " In my return home I spent the Sabbath at Templeton, and I preached
twice. There arc not more than forty or fifty families near the meeting ;
but thoy come iu all directions from the woods and mountains in such nuiu-

206 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. IX*
nuousness and candour, I could wish to see all who aid
truly Unitarians openly such, and to teaeh the doctrine
^^  „^_____  ,  , 
bers, as to make all together a goodly company. There being in almost
©very parish, especially in Massachusetts and Cohnecticut, a settled minister
always of good morals, and generally of real piety, to administer divine or
dinances to them and lead them in the way of truth and duty, can scarcely
fail having a good influence upon the people at large, in preserving them
from that gross ignorance and grievous profligacy so prevalent in many *run-
tries that are called Christian. Nothing would satisfy my son but I must,
whilst in Boston, have my picture drawn : this cut up my time so very much
that. I could not attend so many of their private meetings as I otherwise
should,. It was the general election for the State ; the Democrats gained the
ascendancy. I heard the Election Sermon preached by Dr. P., a very warm
Federalist. He'made it his business to expose the nefarious proceedings of
the opposite party, in truth, a most copious subject ; and was heard by the
people in the galleries with high approbation, and almost clapping. The
Convention Sermon (i. e. the sermon preached before the general Assembly
of Ministers) was preached by Dr. Porter. Full two hundred ministers were
in town. Their public business is transacted in the -Court House. The
Convention has no ecclesiastical authority. Their proceedings and i esolu--
tions are merely advisory, but are not without considerable effect. The
principal thing that came before them was a complaint against -some Mission'
(tties for going into parishes where there were settled ministers, holding
meetings without their knowledge, and even in opposition to their advice.
The1 conduct of the Missionaries was highly disapproved. The Monday after
the General Election for the State, there is always a sermon preached to the
Artillery Company. Mr. L., I was informed, , gave them an excellent disc
course,- but I did riot hear it. I went to the Meeting door, but the crowd
was so great that I did not go in. The two Legislative Bodies, the Go
vernor, and a number of the principal Gentlemenand Clergy, after the ser*
vice was over, dined at FamielHall, a large.building over the market-house,
where they have their town meetings indtransact theirtown business. Mr.
Jaciksonthe late British minister was there. I was invited to dine with
them,._but declined it. I was, however, introduced to Mr. Jackson at his
lodgings, and once dined with him at Mr. B.'s. Mrs. Jackson with four
other ladles Were there, the rest of the party were gentlemen, about, thirty
in all. We had a splendid entertainment. Two courses of all the delicacies
money could procure. Among the rest a dish of green peas, the first brought
to market, which, the papers Said, cost four dollars a bushel. The Boston
iiians paid Mr. Jackson great attention, and were much pleased with his
behaviour while among them. I preached for Dr. E. Mr. B. Mr. L. and
Mr. F. at the Stone chapel. The last-mentioned gentleman was never epi"
Scopally ordained ; of course, the ministers who have been so never exchange
\vith him. In his place the Governor used to worship when the State was
a British colony. It is a large stone building, just like an English church.
The other three are large and costly buildings, and have numerous assenv
blies meet in them. The galleries were designed principally for Negroes ;
but there is now a meeting built for the Africans to worship in by them
selves. A mulatto minister preaches to them. There are said to be eleven
-or twelve hundred people of colour in the town. It was Communion day at
Mr. B.'s ; there were about one hundred and fifty communicants. At Dr. E.'s
there must have been two hundred. Never did I see such a display of plate
on the Communion Table. At Dr. E-'s there were five or six flagons which
held from three to four quarts each ; six t*«kards, eaqh containing a full

CM. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 207
of the simple indivisible Unity of God as well as to prac
tise the rites of Unitarian worship. But I would not
quart j two dozen of cups of various sizes awl forms, with six large plates
for the bread ; all handsome, arid as bright as Silver can be made. No per
son of a grain of sense can suppose these thingB to be of any importance.
But as many of these people display great opulence in their own houses, I
see nothing improper in their 'expending a portion of their superfluous
wealth upon theh'ouse of God. A Charity Sermon is preached once a quartet
for the benefit of the poor belonging to the congregational Societies in this
town. The ministers of that denomination pi'each it in their turns, and the
-money is equally divided among the Societies for- distribution. About fouri
teen hundred dollars are collected-in this Way in the year. Mr. C. preached
tin excellent discourse, and is in truth a charming preacher ; being remark
ably serious and sensible, and universally liked. " The place was quite full,
though it will accommodate upwards of two thousand people. There is al>
'ways a collection at the'Convention Sermon for the relief of poor ministers
and their famiSes. About six hundred 'dollars were collected on that Occa*
sion. — Though the people in Boston have lost much of their ancient rigidity
respecting the Sabbath, great attention is paid to that day. Few resort into
•Vhe country, and those who do, go early in the mowing that they may not
foe noticed. Very few visit on tfltit day, and but few a'i-e to be seen In the
Streets, except when going to Or from public worship, and then the Streets
'are crowded. At sun-set their Sabbath is considered as ended ; the gentle
men often visit their friends, arid the ladies sometimes take their work. Ih
Veligiobs families the Saturday evenings ai'e Observed with strictness ; but
some, as might Be expected, under- pretence of keeping Saturday evening
in preference to the other, keep neither. It is customary in the gayest, and
even the mdst profligate, to connect themselves with Some religious Society,
so far as to contribute to- its support, and occasionally to attend. This is ne
cessary if they^wbuld be thought of any Consequence in soci&ty, and even" to
-preserve themselves frdrh ridicule and repl-o'ach. Dr. E., Who has been S.
minister at Boston above thirty years, tells rile, he never knew a greater fe-
g4r<3"paicl to religion in that town "than now, nor does bethink there ever was
•in his time more real goodness among them. Oh Election day I dined with
'about thirty gentlemen at Mr. P.'s.'orie of the deaedfls of Dr. E.'s church.
We Had a'most sumptuous entertainment. Wheji they had drunk two or
'three glasses of wine after dinner the company dispersed. This I find'ig a
'pretty general practice, and thus all temptation to drink to excess-Is avoided..
Their graces before and after meals are generally ldfiger than with you.
That office is assigned to the minister of the host, or to the oldest minister
present. Episeopalianism is at most only upon a level with other dehoirii'-
nations. The Bpstonlahs are very commendable for keeping Very ffluSh to
"their own places of worship, "and for speaking of their own minister as efle
[oi the best preachers iri the town. The clefgy'seem to be comfortably sup
ported, their salaries being from 1500 to 2000 dollars 'a year, and' they are
'constantly receiving handsome presents. They very generally wear in the
'Slimmer a silk gown andcassbek, with a band; in the winter a Cloth one ; and
"altogether their worship is kept iip'in a splendid style. The'pulpits through
out the countiy will hold frdm four to six ministers -;' and in Boston their
rich cushions and curtains, or Venetian blinds, drnamental pillars and splen
did chandeliers, give their Meetings a magnificent appearance. I think
those which have been lately built are too large ; a minister must have a
good voice to fill them. Boston is said to contain 30,000 people, and is in
creasing very fast. The ground on which the town stands is greatly elevated

208 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
presume to judge for another. There may possibly be
reasons for caution which do not occur to me, and of
on the south-west. It makes a noble appearance from the country. The
State House on Beacon Hill is a magnificent structure. All their Meetings
have steeples with one bell. That to the new Meeting in Park-street is very
lofty, and one of the handsomest I ever saw. It stands on high ground at
the top of the Mall, is seen all round the country, and indeed beyond the
Light-house far into Massachusetts Bay. The High Calvinists who built
this Meeting expected to have lessened the other congregations, but I atn
- told they have riot yet done it. Should they get a popular minister, I have
no doubt there will be a large Society ; the disposition of the people for at
tending public worship being such, that I expect all their Meetings will be
well attended. In the old part of the town the streets are narrow and crook
ed, but are much improved and improving in that respect. Formerly they
were much exposed to depredations from fire, the houses being mostly built
of wood. The danger from this quarter is lessening daily, as no buildings
higher than fourteen feet are permitted to be erected of wood now. The town
stands on a peninsula, joining to the main land only by a narrow neck on the
south. They were, therefore, obliged to make use of boats to get to and
from town. But since the war, five bridges have been built over the different
waters that surround Boston and Charleston, which are a vast convenience
to the inhabitants. These bridges are all built of wood, and some of them
are above a mile in length. The ministers of Boston and that vicinity discover
considerable accuracy and taste in their compositions, and, generally speak
ing, may be considered as well furnished divines. Dr. O. is a man of- very
strong powers of mind ; and though he distinguishes himself upon all public
occasions, and especially those of a political nature, his general manner of
preaching is very pious and edifying. The clergy are invited to a great many
good dinners. A Boston merchant would hardly think of making a dinner
for his friends without inviting three or four clergymen. Some that I once
knew I believe injured their health and shortened their days by eating and
drinking too much. Those now on the stage do not give into any excess."
For this long, but curious and interesting extract, I trust that the reader
will require no apology. I will only add two brief reflections : First, that
the ministers of the church of England are not the only persons who dislike
itinerant intruders into parishes which are served by regular clergymen.
The spirit of all establishments is the same, whether the favoured sect be
episcopalian, presbyterian, or congregational. Secondly, May it be per
mitted to put the question without offence : Can it upon the common prin
ciples of human nature be reasonably expected of a body of clergy, nursed
in the lap of ease and affluence, and placed in a station of such high secular
consideration and comfort as that of the ministers of Boston, that they
should come forward and by an open profession of unpopular truth volunta
rily risk the loss of all their temporal dignity and comfort, and incur the
contempt and enmity of many who are now their warmest admirers and
friends ? I say not this by way of disparagement to the present body of mi
nisters in Boston and its neighbourhood. Some of these I have the pleasure
to call my friends, and know them to be possessed of talents the most di-
stinguished,-of piety the most fervent, and of benevolence and zeal the most
ardent, active, and laudable ; and of the rest I have heard a most favourable
character. It is the situation, not the men, which excites my apprehension.
And who will venture to say of himself,, that his virtue would be equal to the
trial ? Yet still it cannot reasonably be hoped that Truth will make any
visible and rapid progress till her advocates rise above the fear of man and

CH. IX.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 209
which I am not competent to judge. The time must
however come, perhaps it is near, when Truth will no
longer endure confinement, but will burst forth in all her.
glory. The dull hollow rumbling at the bottom of the
sea, which is scarcely noticed by the inattentive traveller
who is gliding carelessly over the solid plate of ice which
encrusts the surface, is, to the wary and experienced ob
server, a sure presage of the speedy and sudden explosion
of the immense superincumbent mass, and of the resto
ration of the imprisoned waves to their native freedom,
to the consternation and often to the utter destruction of
those who refuse to listen to the friendly premonition*.

APPENDIX to CHAPTER IX.
1 have republished this chapter without any material alterations;
though I have learned with regret, that some -worthy' persons
have taken offence at it, and that it has given birth to a warm,
not to say an angry controversy on the other side of the Atlantic-
It should seem that many who claim' the honourable title of
Unitarians in the American States, are very desirous to have it
known that they are not " Unitarians in Mr. Belsham's sense of
the word." Of this I have no right to complain: I never desired
to set myself up as the head of a party : nor have I the slightest
pretensions to it ; being nothing more than a humble disciple
in the sctiool of Lardner, of Lindsey, and of Priestley; having
learned of them- and of a few others, particularly Locke, how to
read and examine the Scriptures, and being a follower of them
the love of ease, and are willing, with the apostles of Christ and the re
formers of every age, to forsake all and to sacrifice their dearest interests
in her glorious cause. The encouragement and success which such faith
ful confessors would meet with in that populous and opulent city would, I
doubt not, be veiy great. The harvest truly is plenteous, it is ripe and
ready to be gathered in. Highly honoured will that servant be to whom
thegreat Master of the field shall communicate a portion of his energetic
spirit, and shall say, " Put in thy sickle and reap. "
* See the interesting narrative of the very narrow escape of two Mora
vian missionaries in travelling over the ice, in consequence of neglecting
the advice of some friendly Esquimaux, in the History of the Mission of the
United Brethren to Labrador. ..-.;,

210 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX,
so far as they appear to" me to be followers of Christ and his
apostles. But I do complain of palpable misrepresentation of
ftiy opinions, and of an exaggerated account of my sentiments
Concerning the person of Christ, to which I am by no means.
disposed to subscribe.
In perfect concurrence with the three first-named venerable
men, I believe that Jesus of Nazareth was a human being, in all
respects like unto his brethren, only distinguished from the rest
of mankind as the greatest of all the prophets of God, chosen by
the -Most High to be the founder of a new and universal dispen
sation, the prince and the leader of life, the first begotten from
the dead, to whom the spirit was communicated without measure.'
By which' I mean^ that he was fully instructed in the nature, ob
ject, and extent of his divine mission, and that he was endowed
with a voluntary power of working those miracles which were
necessary to excite attention, and to demonstrate the divinity of
his mission.
In this definition of Unitarianism i perfectly harmonize with
Dr. Lardner, Mr. Lindsey, and Dr. Priestley: it is no more my
definition than it is theirs: and I have no right to the honour of
being represented as its author. They who disclaim Unitarianism
according to my definition, disclaim the Unitarianism of Lardner,
Lindsey, and Priestley— men of the greatest distinction for theo
logical learning, for their researches into the Scripture, and for
the unblemished sanctity of their character.
I agree with Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Priestley in rejecting upon
critical grounds the story of the miraculous conception, and in
believing that Jesus Christ was the son of Joseph arid Mary,
And being in all respects like other men, he must originally have
been a peccable, or he could not have been a moral agent : and the
perfection of his characterwas owing to moral discipline. Though'
he was a. Son, he learned obedience by the things he suffered;
and he grew in wisdom as he grew in stature. And though in
spired with a perfect knowledge of every thing relating to las
divine mission, it would be absurd to suppose that a human being '
was inspired with omniscience. In those philosophical, histoii-"
cal, and other topics which were not immediately connected with
the objects of his mission he probably entertained opinions similar
to those of his countrymen in similar circumstances. This is all
that is meant, when it is said that Jesus was fallible: and in this
conclusion all consistent believers in the proper humanity of Jesus
Christ must agree. Dr. Priestley thought that Jesus had erred
in the interpretation of Scripture prophecy, and in the case of the
Gospel demoniacs. I do not completely agree with my late
learned and pious friend in all his conclusions upon these subjects :
but if they were true, they would not at all affect the authority

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 211
of Christ in those points to which his divine mission properly ex
tended. If Unitarianism is a belief in the existence of one God only, in
opposition to a plurality of deities, I am decidedly of opinion,
with Dr. Lardner, Mr. Lindsey, and Dr. Priestley, that genuine
Arians have no claim to the title of Unitarians. Dr. Lardner, with
all his mildness, had such a dislike to Arianism that he could
hardly speak of it with temper. " Dr. Watts/' says he, " to his
honour be it spoken, never was an Arian." And though he lived in
an age when Arianism was triumphant, so profound was his know
ledge of Christian antiquity, and so clear his discernment of Scrip
ture theology, that it was a well known maxim with him, ' The
pride of Arianism will have a fall.' " Mr. Lindsey, " to his ho
nour be it spoken," never was an Arian. Dr. Priestley and others
descended from the heights of orthodoxy to the plains of Unita
rianism through the medium of Arianism. I am therefore very
far from intending the slightest disparagement to those who hold
the Arian doctrine, as 1 myself for many years very honestly did,
with perhaps a slight modification of what is now called the in
dwelling scheme, in whatever language I may now think it right
to enter my protest against it. No one surely who thinks rightly
concerning the Unity of God will ever admit that Dr. Clarke's
scheme, of an eternally begotten Logos, or the proper Arian
doctrine of a created Logos, who is the sole former, preserver and
governor of the whole created universe, which completely ex-'
dudes God from all concern in his works, is consistent with just
notions of the Unity of the Supreme Being. Upon both these
hypotheses, if the Father is nominally God, the Logos is really'
and the only God. And as to modern Arianism, such as that
of Dr. Price, which supposes the Logos to be only the former,
supporter, governor and judge of this world, or of the
planetary system, if ever polytheism existed in the world, this
doctrine is such. For not only does it exclude God from his
works, like the theories of Arius and Dr. Clarke, so far as this
world is concerned ; but it naturally and necessarily leads to the
conclusion that there are as many Logi as there are systems, and
that each Logos is endowed with infinitely more power than all
the gods and goddesses of the heathen world put together ; who
yet were also subject to one great Supreme. Arianism therefore
is polytheism in its strictest sense. But modern Arians, as if they
were determined to recede as far as possible from the letter of
Scripture, having thus deified their Lord and Master, and raised
him into the situation of a substitute for the Supreme Being,
strangely, and in direct opposition to the dictates of common
bense and to the plainest languages of Scripture, deny him the
woibhip and homage due to the rank and character to which they
p2

212 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
have elevated him. For while the Scripture expressly requires
that we shall worship and bow down and kneel before the Lord
our Maker, for he is our God; the modern Arian replies "No,
we will not worship the Lord our Maker, for he is not our G0^;
and to worship him would be an act of downright idolatry: but
we will worship our Maker's Maker, for he alone is our God :" .a
strange doctrine; for which if any one can find any foundation
in the Scripture, he must read with very different eyes from mine.
It, is indeed astonishing that so many wise and good men should
be so blind to the plain consequences of their own opinions, and
should fancy that they are Unitarians, when they believe not only
in two, but in two hundred thousand gods. But, as Dr. Price
says, we are apt to wonder at one another : and it is almost im
possible to make sufficient allowance for the strength of early
prejudice and the influence of fixed principles. But at least I
think it will be allowed me that, while I entertain these sentiments
of the Arian hypothesis,. I cannot very consistently class Arians
with Unitarians*. As to the very modern doctrine of the simple
pre-existence of Christ, the abettors of it have certainly no
claim to the title of Arians, but have a very good right to be num-»
bered with Unitarians, though, as I think, under a cloud of erron
No small share of credit is claimed by many on both sides the
Atlantic for being what they call practical preachers, and for not
troubling their hearers with what they represent as speculative no-i
tions. And not unfrequently, a sarcasm or an innuendo is thrown.
out against those of their brethren who think it their duty to in
struct, as well as to exhort. If such practical teachers satisfy their,
own conspiences, and are useful to others, it is well. Happy is
.  ,   , sr'1  .  .,
* Nothing can be more extraordinary and unaccountable than the zeal
with which modern Arians explode the worship of Jesus Christ. For up-,
wards of twenty years of my life I was an Arian, or a Clarkist. I believed
that the spirit, the Logos which animated the body of Christ, was the makei'
of heaven and earth and sea, and all things therein : I believed that he was
my makei-, supporter, benefactor and governor, in whom I lived and moved .
and existed : I believed that he descended from his celestial glories ; that he
became incarnate ; that he took the form of a servant ; and that by under
going the severest pains of body and mind he satisfied Divine justice and
expiated the sins of men. I believed that after his resurrection he ascended
into heaven ; that he resumed his original glory ; and that he ever lives ~fo
make intercession for us, in the usual sense of the words. I believed that
the first duty of a Christian was to commit his immortal interests into the,
hands of Christ, who was ever willing to take the charge of them ; and who
was always at hand to sympathize, to strengthen, to console, to advise, and
to keep what was committed to him to that day. With these views of
Christ, was it possible to suppress the feelings of veneration, of gratitude,-
of hope,, of confidence, of joy and, the like; or to restrain the naturalex*.
pressions of those feelings, in the language of prayer .and praise ? It was . ,
utterly impossible; And never shall I forget the delight with which I have

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDEY. 213
he who condemneth not himself in the thing that he alloweth.
Theirs is comparatively an easy task. Others are placed in cir
cumstances of greater difficulty and severer trial. Enlightened by
a serious, long, and painful study of the Scriptures in the know
ledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, they feel themselves not only
called to resign their most cherished prejudices, but to abandon
their dearest connexions, to exchange affluence for poverty, and
reputation for contempt. Being themselves happily possessed of
the simplicity of evangelical truth, discerning its inestimable
value, and feeling its enlivening and consolatory power, they be
lieve it to be their duty to enter their solemn protest against
popular and prevailing errors, and to be as explicit in teaching
God's sacred truth, as others are in publishing their unscriptural
and pernicious errors. In thus fearlessly obeying the dictates of
conscience they often incur severe privations, and are censured
and even abandoned by some from whom they would have ex
pected more liberal treatment. It is however enough for them that
God knows their heart ; and that his approbation will make am
ple amends for every loss which they may sustain, for every
pang which they endure, for all the calumny and reproach
which they encounter from the world, and from the unkind cen
sures of their mistaken brethren. If they are honoured as the
humblest instruments of promoting the truth of God and the
purity of the Gospel, none of these things move them.
As to the rest, I trust that this discussion has been the happy
means of promoting the great cause of the proper Unity and the
sole unrivalled glory of God in the United States. I am happy to
a thousand and a thousand times repeated the language of Grove's Sacra
mental Meditations : " Do I not love thee, O my Saviour ! thou knowest all
things, thou knowest that I, love thee. I love thee, O Jesus ! but .not as I
would, not as I ought to love thee," &c. Or of that beautiful hymn- of .Dr.
Doddridge :' " Do I not love thee, O my Lord !
Then let me nothing love ;
Be dead, my heart, to every joy,
If Jesus cannot move."
And even now I hardly dare trust my feelings with those recollections;
even though, in consequence of having acquired correcter notions of the
person of Christ, I am fully convinced that our exalted Master would not
think himself honoured by those affections and addresses which are alone
due to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God. But how it is
that modern Arians can possibly entertain these sentiments of Jesus Christ,
and yet refuse him the correspondent homage ; and hot only so, but make
their boast of it, and glory in it as a circumstance which entitles them to
the honourable title of Unitarians, is utterly beyond my comprehension.
When I entertained their sentiments concerning the person and offices of
Christ,! should rather have "said, " Perish Unitarianism ! if it requires a sa
crifice so costly as that of the affection, and homage which are dud to the
Redeemer."

214 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. IX.
learn that ministers both of the Arian and Unitarian persuasions
are now in the habit of openly" professing thedoctrines which they
believe: and I do noc wonder that, in consequence of this fearless
integrity in a land of perfect religious liberty, Christian truth is
flashing like lightning through that highly favoured empire, from
Boston to Baltimore, and from Philadelphia to the Illinois. And I,
doubt not that in less than a century the belief of one God even
the Father, apd of one Mediator between God and man, the man
Christ Jesus, will become the prevailing religion of the Western
world*.

CHAPTER X.
ACCOUNT OF THE NEW COLLEGE AT HACKNEY. THE
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION TO, AND INTIMACY WITH,
MR. LINDSEY AND DR. PRIESTLEY. LONDON UNITA
RIAN SOCIETY. WESTERN UNITARIAN SOCIETY. REV.
TIMOTHY KENRICK. UNITARIAN FUND SOCIETY.
.T rom this long but I trust not irrelevant nor unin
teresting digression, concerning the present state of the
Unitarian doctrine in America, it is now time to return
to the venerable subject of the present Memoir.
In the year 1786, the Dissenting Academical Insti
tutions at Exeter, Warrington, and Hoxton, having
been lately dissolved, and no place of education for dis
senting ministers remaining where freedom of inquiry
upon theological questions was allowed, excepting that
at Daventry, which was by no means equal to supply the
demands of the nonconformist churches, some gentle
men in London formed a plan for erecting an Acade-
" The admirable discourse of the Rev. W. E. Channing, delivered at the
Ordination .of the Rev. Jared Sparks, the respectable minister of the new
Unitarian .church at Baltimore, in May 1819, and the explicit language used
upon that occasion, are amply sufficient to redeem the liberal theologians in
America from the censure of concealing what they believe to be the truth :
and the discussion excited by this eloquent address cannot fail to be greatly
conducive to the cause of free inquiry and the propagation of Christian
knowledge.

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 215
mical Institution in the vicinity of London for the pur'
poses of general education, and to supersede the necessity
of sending the sons of dissenting parents to the English
Universities, where they are under an obligation of sub
scribing to articles which they do not believe, and of at
tending upon forms of worship which they do not ap
prove. The design was generous and noble ; and it
could not have failed to produce the most beneficial and
permanent effects, had the wisdom of the execution been
proportionate to the beneficence of the plan, and to the
disinterested liberality, the zeal, and the public spirit of
the original founders. The Dissenters through the coun
try took up the case most warmly, and subscribed most
liberally; so that, if the sums raised had been judiciously
applied, an Institution might have been founded and
endowed which would have bid defiance to opposition
and calumny, and the duration of which would have been
equal with that of the nation. Some have objected to its
vicinity to London : but the true and conclusive answer
to this is, that other very nourishing Academical Insti
tutions have existed, and do exist, in the vicinity of the
metropolis : there is, therefore, no impossibility, phy-1
sical or moral, why an Institution of this kind, established
upon liberal principles and aided by a vigorous system
of discipline, might not have been equally successful.
And the advantages of the vicinity of London are obvious
and numerous, particularly as it affords the greatest fa
cility of obtaining the best means of instruction in every
art and science. If the funds of the Institution had been
permanently established and ceconomically applied, any
error, however great, in the internal management might
have been corrected without affecting its existence. It
was a grand experiment ; in the conduct of which it
might reasonably be expected that, from the want of

216 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [t'H. X.
experience, errors would, arise -without any imputation
of blame to individuals. And from my own knowledge
of the case, having been personally connected, with the
Institution for the last seven years of its existence, I will
.presume to say, that it did not fail from any deficiency in
attention or zeal, either, on the part of the committees or
the tutors. The spirit of the times was against the In
stitution. And the mania of the French Revolution,
which began so well and ended so ill, pervaded all ranks
of society, and produced a general spirit of insubordi
nation. The ferment of the times gave birth to insi
dious and even to daring attacks, upon natural and re
vealed religion, which produced mischievous effects upon
-uninformed and undisciplined minds. And the founders
of the Institution, with the best intentions in the world,
introduced a principle which they held up to the public
as the peculiar and distinguishing excellence of the plan,
and which was to render this Institution paramount in
discipline and order to all others ; but which, in fact,
sapped the very foundation of all discipline, and was the
bane of all salutary authority, viz. that a superintending
committee should be always at hand to watch over the
conduct of the students, and to support the authority of
the tutors. This regulation, in fact, left the tutors totally
destitute of all authority; for whatever happened amiss,
they had no other power to rectify but by an appeal to
this committee. Every one who is in the least degree
acquainted with the dispositions of young men, must see
at once, that such a constitution is directly and neces
sarily productive of anarchy. And in fact it did produce
it to a considerable degree ; and it was owing to the good
principles and habits which many of the students brought
with them to the college, that this spirit was not more
prevalent.

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 217
Vet, after all, every thing might have been rectified
.had the funds been properly managed. The principal
and in truth the only cause of the failure of the Insti
tution was the unfortunate purchase of the estate at
Hackney, which involved the committee in an expense of
building and a load of debt which the funds of the In
stitution never were nor could have been able to support.
The creditors became clamorous, and it was necessary to
sell the estate to great disadvantage in order to pay off
-the debt.
The principal of this debt has been long since dis
charged ; and by the accumulating interest of the resi
duary funds, during the suspension of the Institution,
under the management of the worthy and respectable
treasurer John Towgood, Esq., a sum has been raised
sufficient to discharge the interest of the debts, and to
relieve the College honourably and faithfully from every
just demand upon its assets. A considerable permanent
fund still remains, agreeably to the Resolution of the
General Meeting, July 1, 1786 *, which is now vested
* The Resolution is expressed in the following words, extracted from
the Minutes annexed to the Discourse delivered by Dr. Price in April 1787
before the Supporters of the College : viz. " That one-third of the present
and future donations, benefactions, and bequests to the New Academical In
stitution in the neighbourhood of London, the same not being annual sub
scriptions, shall go to create a Permanent Fund, the capital whereof shall
Be preserved for ever inviolable and unalienable, in the hands of
Trustees." A subsequent Resolution purports, " That the annual income
arising from the Permanent Fund shall alone be paid from time to time as
it arises towards the support of the said Institution, in such manner as the
General Committee shall direct. Or if the said Institution shall at any time
hereafter be dissolved, or be discontinued for the space of three years, to
the founding or to the support of any other Academical Institution, or of any
Institution preparatory to such among the Protestant, Dissenters for the
liberal education of youth in.any part of England or Wales ; or in giving ex
hibitions to students for the ministry, or in supporting one. or more tutors at
any such Institution or Institutions within the same limits as the General
Committee shall direct."
As the annual subscriptions have been discontinued for many years, the
only persons who now have any interest in or control over the funds of the
Institution are the Life-Governors, out of whose.donations the Permanent
fund has been formed.

218 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. X.
in public securities in the names of four trustees: the
dividends upon which are applied by them to" the pur
poses for which that fund was appropriated.
Of this Institution Mr. Lindsey was from the begin
ning a sincere well-wisher, and an active and liberal sup
porter : no one more ardently desired its success, nor did
any one more sincerely lament the circumstances which
led to its suspension.
It was his connexion with this Institution which first
introduced the writer of this Memoir into an intimacy
with the revered friend who is the subject of it. As a
minister whose principles were known to be what is com
monly called evangelical, the author of this Memoir had
been appointed in the year 1781, Theological Tutor in
the academy at Daventry, which was a continuation of
the academy under the late pious and celebrated Dr.
Doddridge at Northampton, and was supported by the
trustees of the late William Coward, Esq., who be
queathed a considerable estate for the education of dis
senting ministers, and for other religious purposes*.
The office of pastor of the independent congregation at
Daventry was at that time held in connexion with the
* William Coward, Esq. was a merchant in London, a man of large pro^
perty, and a zealous Calvinist. He left his great fortune to pious purposes,
intending however that it should be limited to the support of the Calvinistic
doctrine. But the professional gentleman who drew up the will, who was
a man of great talent and liberality, expressed it in such terms as to leave
the trustees at full liberty to apply it to the support of whatever th,ey might
judge to be the cause of Christ among Protestant Dissenters. The trustees,
consist of three dissenting ministers and one lay-gentleman; and when a
vacancy occurs the survivors appoint a successor, and this important trust
has always hitherto been filled by persons, of high respectability. For many
years this fund supported two very respectable and flourishing institutions
for the education of dissenting ministers ; one in the vicinity of London,
first under thedirecti on of Dr. David Jennings, and afterwards of Dr. Savage,
and Dr. Kippis, and Dr. Rees ; the other in the country, first at Northamp
ton, under the care of Dr. Doddridge, and afterwards at Daventry, under Dr.
Ashworth, the Rev. T. Robins, and finally the wrjs|er of this Memoir. And.
it was during this interval that Mr. Coward's trust was in the meridian of
its glory. - To them the whole dissenting interest looked up as its patrons
and benefactors ; and from one or other of their institutions most of the re-

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 219
office of divinity tutor, and to this he was also invited*
The Unitarian controversy, revived with so much ani
mation by the writings of Mr. Lindsey and Dr. Priestley,
and brought home so closely to the feelings by the truly
christian and disinterested conduct of the former, in the
resignation of his vicarage, was at that time in its zenith.
And the tutor regarding it as a question of the highest
importance, conceiving it to be his duty to state it fairly
before the theological students, and observing that the
question concerning the simple humanity of Christ,
which was now become the great controversy of the age,
was scarcely glanced at in Dr. Doddridge's Lectures,
which were the text-book of the Institution, he deter-i
mined to draw up a new course of lectures upon the sub
ject. And to this he was impelled by an additional
motive, namely, the hope of putting a speedy termi
nation to this newly revived controversy ; since, what
ever respect he entertained for the abilities, the learning,
and the character of the great champions of the Uni
tarian faith, he felt a perfect confidence that their argu
ments would be found capable of an easy and satisfactory
spectable congregations were supplied with well-educated ministers. Indeed
it may be questioned whether more good has ever been done for so great a
length of time at so moderate an expense. For though they exerted them
selves to the utmost of the powers with which they were vested, the allow
ance which they were able to make to the tutors was never such as to
enable them to make any considerable provision for their families, never
amounting, I believe, upon an average, including board, tutors' salaries,
house-rent, &c. to more than 301. a head for each pupil, and in the country
not so much. But there was no complaint, and the tutors performed the
duties of their office with cheerfulness, looking for remuneration, of a dif
ferent kind, having never entered upon the dissenting ministry with the ex
pectation of aggrandizing their fortune. In the year 1785, upon the resig
nation of the tutors of the Hoxton Academy, Mr. Coward's trustees, feeling
the support of two institutions as a burden too oppressive, determined upon
uniting them together at Daventry, under the charge of the writer of this
Memoir, under whose direction the United Institution remained till his re
signation in 1789 ; after which it was placed for some years under the care
of the Rev. John Horsey at Northampton; and upon his resignation it was
removed to Wymondelyin Hertfordshire.

220 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. X.
reply ; and whatever might be the errors of his own edu
cation, he had been happily instructed and firmly fixed
in the grand principle, that freedom of investigation
must ultimately be favourable to truth. The method
which he pursued in instituting this inquiry he has de
tailed at large in another place. It is therefore suffi
cient at present to mention, that he first selected all the
texts of the New Testament upon which the controversy
is allowed to depend ; most certainly not omitting any
which appeared to him favourable to the pre-existence
and divinity of Jesus Christ. These he arranged under
distinct heads ; and under each text he introduced the
explanations of the most approved commentators of the
Trinitarian, Arian, Socinian, and Unitarian hypotheses,
very rarely introducing any theological comments of his
own, choosing rather to leave the remarks of the different
expositors to make their own impression upon the
minds of his pupils. The labour was considerable ; but
it was not thought burthensome either by the teacher
or the learner; the consciousness of honest unbiassed
inquiry, and the gradual opening of light, was ample
compensation for all. But the result was widely dif
ferent from what had been expected. First, the pupils,
whose ingenuous minds not so firmly bound by preju
dice were more open to conviction, began to discard the
errors of education ; and some of them, much to the
regret of their worthy friends, and not least to that of
their tutor, became decided Unitarians. The tutor's
habits of thinking were more firmly riveted ; and though
from the beginning of the inquiry he was a little sur
prised at discovering so few direct, and, as he thought,
unequivocal, assertions of his favourite doctrine, and
though in the process of his labours he found himself
obliged to abandon one text because it was spurious,

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 221
another because it admitted of a different and more pro*
bable interpretation, and so on, and. was thus driven by
degrees out of his strong holds ; yet such was the as
cendancy which the associations of education had ob
tained over his mind, that he does not believe it would
have been in the power of. argument to have subdued it,
had not the nature of his office, which made it neces
sary for him to repeat the lectures to successive classes,
and which thereby compelled his attention again and
again to the subject, eventually, and almost, imperceptibly
over-ruled his original prepossessions, and brought him
over to the faith to which he had certainly no previous
partiality, to the profession of which he had no interest
to induce him, and which he had fondly flattered him
self that he should Without much difficulty have -over
thrown. Those who have never changed their opinions*
who are not much in the habits of inquiry,or who have
not watched the vacillations of the mind when it -is deli
berating upon subjects of high . importance, when it -is»
anxious to form a correct judgement, when much de
pends upon the decision, and when- it <mce begins to-
suspect as erroneous what it has long regarded as > sacred
and essential truth, may wonder, that the teacher- should
be so long in making up his own mind, and that he--
should not be able jto mark the day and the hour of
his conversion. The fact, is, that he was not himself
aware of it, till, upon the repetition of a sermon which he
had preached a few years before, and in which the pre
existence of Christ and its concomitant doctrines were
assumed as facts, -he found himself so embarrassed from-
beginning to end, by his sceptical doubts, that he deter
mined from that time to desist from teaching what he
now first discovered that- he .no longer believed. This'
was in the autumn of i'?88; 'And" conceiving that, his

222 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [ch. X.
mind being now made up upon the subject, it was his
duty no longer to hold his peace, but to bear his public
testimony to the truth; and at the same time being
conscious that he no longer possessed the qualifications
which were deemed essential to the offices he sustained,
and regarding it as both unhandsome and unjust to put
his friends under the disagreeable necessity of dismissing
him from his office, which they probably would have*
thought it their duty to do ; at least, being fully per
suaded that it was right to give them their option in
the case, he determined to resign both the Academy and
the congregation. His resignation of the former he
sent into the trustees in January 1789, requesting them
to keep it concealed till March, as it would be impos
sible for him to quit his situation till midsummer ; and
he had no desire to make himself the topic of conver
sation till it became absolutely necessary. The trustees
with great propriety expressed their acceptance of the
resignation, in a respectful letter of form by the late ex-,
cellent and benevolent Joseph Paice, Esq. the lay trustee,
accompanied with a kind, affectionate, sympathetic let-.
ter of his own, — like himself *. Nor were the rest of
the trustees deficient in expressions of sympathy and
friendship. In March 1789 the writer of this Memoir went up to
* Of this gentleman, so long and so well known in London, and so highly
esteemed for his amiable manners, his unimpeachable integrity, and his un
bounded, disinterested, and almost romantic benevolence, an elegant memoir
was printed by his intimate friend and executor James Gibson, Esq. address-,
ed to Mr. Gibson's only child. Mr. Paice was a dissenter upon principle;
and for many years a distinguished ornament of the highly respectable con
gregation at Carter-lane, under the pastoral care of Mr. Pickard and Mr. •
Tayler, arid now of the Rev. Joseph Barrett. He was eminently pious, and
of a truly catholic spirit. He died on the fourth of September 1810, and
on the 16th of the same month an excellent and impressive discourse was
delivered upon the occasion, by the Rev. T. Tayler, at Carter-lane, before
a numerous, respectable, and much-affected auditory, at whose request it wad
given to the public.

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 223
London to officiate at the ordination of his friend and
pupil the Rev. Edmund Butcher*, at Leather Lane, and
for a few days he resided in lodgings in Essex-street. It
was upon this occasion that he took the liberty of intro
ducing himself to the venerable patriarch of the Unita
rian church. His visit was short : as a stranger he was
received with the politeness and benignity which were
inseparable from Mr. Lindsey; but nothing confidential
passed. It was a visit of form, perhaps it may be said
of curiosity, not, it is hoped, wholly unwarrantable, in
the new proselyte, to see the holy confessor and cham
pion of truth, whose doctrine he had embraced, and
whose dignified example he had endeavoured, in his hnm-
ble measure, to follow. But his intended resignation
was not then known ; and he did not choose to be the
first notifier of it to this excellent man. While he con
tinued with Mr; Lindsey a gentleman came in, who,
without knowing the stranger present, announced to -Mr.
Lindsey that the ordination was to. take place at which
that stranger was to officiate. Upon this solemnity Mr.
Lindsey attended : but no further personal intercourse
passed between them while the writer of this Memoir con
tinued in town ; and he returned into the country gratified
with the opportunity which he had enjoyed of visiting
Essex House, but little expecting that this interview would
be introductory to the happy intimacy with which he was
afterwards honoured by its distinguished inhabitants.
For at that time, Unitarianism was far from being a
popular doctrine; and the highest ambition of the tutor,
c * This gentleman in the course of a few years was obliged to resign his
office on account of ill health, and the weakness of his voice. jHappily, . by
the blessing of Divine Providence, on the use of proper means, he gradually
recovered both. He islnow the respected-anil useful minister of a congre-'
gation of liberal dissenters at Sidmouth; and having upon more mature in
vestigation seen reason to abandon'the system of Arianism, to which he was
formerly much attached, he yery honourably' rnade a public profession of his
conversion to the pure Unitarian doctrine, in a sermon preached before the
Western Unitarian Society two years ago, 1810.

224 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE > [CH. X;
when he quitted a connexion which had existed for eight
years with great harmony and comfort, and to which from
principle and from habit he was fondly attached, was to
reside in a cottage in the vicinity of Birmingham, where
he had many kind and excellent friends, and where he
flattered himself that he should enjoy the society and
the interesting and instructive conversation of Dr. Priest
ley. But Divine Providence ruled otherwise. It was
thought by many of the respectable friends and sup*
porters of the New College at Hackney that his labours
might, be of use to that rising Institution. Some, in
deed, of the old school objected to the new proselyte ;
and his own expectations of usefulness or of comfort, in
a situation, so materially different from that which he had
left, were not sanguine. But being now in an uncon
nected and. insulated state, he had. nothing to lose, and
he sacrificed nothing, though his labours might be in
vain. He was urged by many respectable persons to em
bark in the undertaking. , Many objections were obvi
ated, sacrifices, made, and difficulties removed, to make
room for him. Di\ Priestley and Mr. Lindsey both con
curred in pressing his acceptance; and what perhaps
weighed more than all the rest, a prospect was opened,
by residing in the neighbourhood of, London, of culti
vating the friendship of Mr. Lindsey. This, it must be
confessed, was the favourite wish of his heart ; and in the
accomplishment of this wish his mind was completely
gratified, and every sacrifice which he had been called
upon to offer upon the altar of truth and integrity was
compensated a hundred-fold. He settled at the College
in August 1789; and from that time his intimacy with
the venerable subject of this Memoir commenced, and
continued without interruption or abatement till the end-
of his days. Two years afterwards, in the year 1791,
Dr. Priestley, the most spotless and innocent of men, as

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 225
well as the most sagacious of philosophers, and the
most laborious and ingenuous of theologians, having
been driven from his home by the insane riots at Bir
mingham, and having been invited to succeed his learned
and virtuous friend Dr. Price in the pastoral care of
the congregation at Hackney, he voluntarily and gra
tuitously undertook to deliver to the students at the Col
lege his admirable lectures upon history and chemistry.
This was the consummation of every wish which the
writer of this Memoir could form for intellectual, moral,
and social felicity and improvement. To be received into
the familiar intercourse and admitted to share the confi
dence of these venerable men, whose honourable exertions
and generous sacrifices in the cause of truth had placed
them so much above the level of ordinary characters, and
even of celebrated divines, was a blessing to which he had
indeed earnestly aspired, but the enjoyment of which he
had never ventured to anticipate. Few days passed with
out some personal intercourse with one or other of these
estimable men, and often with both. And the usual to
pics of conversation, besides the great events of the time
which arrested every one's attention, were some subject
in theology, some passage of Scripture, the elucidation
of some point of doctrine, the solution of some objection,
the present slow progress of Christian truth, the antici
pation of a day of greater light and knowledge, and hap
piness and peace. The friends did not entirely agree in
opinion upon all points ; but the discussions, sometimes
animated, were always amicable, for all were lovers of
truth, and they sought after no other object. To disco
ver truth was to gain the victory.
How oft did they talk down the summer's sun !
How often thawed and shortened winter's eve,
By conflict kind, that struck out latent truth* !
* It is pleasing to see that the society which was. so truly interesting to
a

226 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. X.
i But this felicity was too pure to last : and in a short
time these two eminent veterans in the service, whose
friendship had been the growth of thirty years, and whose
writings had, for the greater part of that time, been the
food and sustenance of the revived primitive Unitarian
church, were destined to be separated, never to see each
other's face again. But of this more hereafter.
. In the year 1791 was formed the Unitarian Society
for promoting Christian Knowledge, and the Practice of
Virtue, by the Distribution of Books. The object of this
society was two-fold : — the first was, that the few who
then professed the unpopular doctrine of the unrivalled
supremacy of God, and that the Father alone is to be
worshiped, and of the simple humanity of Jesus Christ,
might have some common bond of union, that they
might know and support one another, and that they
might thus publish their profession to the world, and ex
cite that serious inquiry which would lead to the diffusion
of truth. The second object of the society was, to print
and circulate, at a cheap rate, books which were judged
to be best calculated to propagate right views of the
Christian doctrine, and to apply it to the direction of the
practice. It was proposed at first to combine this Society
with that for promoting the Knowledge of the Scriptures,
of which some account has been already given. But
this combination was opposed by Mr. Lindsey and Dr.
the writer of the Memoir, contributed, in a considerable degree, to the gra
tification of the other parties. Upon this subject Dr. Priestley thus expresses
himself in the Memoir of his Life, p. 107-
". On the whole, I spent my time even more happily at Hackney than I
had ever done before ; having eveiy advantage for my philosophical and theo
logical studies in some respect superior to what I had enjoyed at Birming
ham, especially from my easy access to Mr. Lindsey, and my frequent inter
course with Mr. Belsham, professor of divinity in the New College, near
which I lived. Never, on this side the grave, do I expect to enjoy myself so
much as I did by the fireside of Mr. Lindsey, conversing with him and Mrs.
Lindsey on theological and other subjects; or in my frequent walks with
Mr. Bejshain, whose views of most important subjects were, like Mr. Lind
sey ':>, the saint with my own."

CH. X.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 22/
Priestley, who thought it best that the societies should
be kept distinct ; and as the writer of this Memoir was
the person who first suggested the plan, it was allotted to
him to draw up the preamble to the Rules. And as the
object of the society was by no means to collect a great
number of subscribers, but chiefly to form an association
of those who thought it right to lay aside all ambiguity
of language, and to make a solemn public profession of
their belief in the proper Unity of God, and of the sim
ple humanity of Jesus Christ, in opposition both to the
Trinitarian doctrine of Three Persons in the Deity, and
to the Arian hypothesis of a created Maker, Preserver,
and Governor of the world, it was judged expedient to
express this article in the preamble, in the most explicit
manner. This was objected to by some, as narrowing
too much the ground of the society, which, as they
thought, ought to be made as extensive as possible. But
the objection was easily over-ruled, it being the main
intention artd design of the society to make a solemn,
public, and explicit avowal of what in the estimation of
its members was christian truth ; to enter a protest
against the errors of the day ; to unite those who held
the same principles, and who were scattered up and down
in different parts di the country, in one common bond of
union ; and to encourage theni to hold fast their profes
sion, and to stand by and support one another. '
, A much more plausible objection against the preamble
was urged from the introduction of the word idolatrous.
The obnoxious sentence is thus expressed: "While,
therefore, many well-meaning persons ar6 propagating
with, zeal . opinions which the members of this , society
judge , to be unscriptural and idolatrous, they think it
their duty to oppose the further progress of such perni
cious errors, and publicly to avow their firm attachment
to. the doctrine of the Unity of God, of his unrivalled
a 2

228 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. X.
and undivided authority and dominion," &c. Now, as
the proper definition of idolatry is the worship of a being
who is not truly God, and more especially the worship of
a deified man, nothing can be more evident than that the
worship of Christ must, in the estimation of Unitarians,
be in that sense idolatrous ; and no persons are more
ready to allow this consequence than Trinitarians them
selves are, upon the supposition that their doctrine is er
roneous. Yet nothing appears to give greater offence
than the use of this epithet by the Unitarians, though
they adopt it chiefly to excite the attention of their fel-
low-christians to the importance of the question ; and
are at the same time solicitous to point out the wide dif
ference between Christian and Pagan idolatry ; the for
mer being solely an error of judgement, upon the culpa
bility of which they presume not to decide ; while the
other is essentially connected with the most odious vices,
is branded in Scripture with the most contemptuous epi
thets, and justly threatened with the most awful punish
ments. The introduction of this expression into the
preamble gave very great offence to many of the friends
of the infant Institution, and it was very seriously de
bated, whether it should be retained or not. Perhaps
it might have been prudent to omit it, as the doctrine
which the society desired to hold forth as their common
faith might have been expressed with equal distinctness
and precision without it. But as it had been introduced,
many were unwilling to abandon it ; they even consi
dered the omission of it as little less than a dereliction of
principle. Among these were Mr. Lindsey, Dr. Priest
ley, Mr. Russel, of Birmingham ; and Mr. Tayleur, of
Shrewsbury. On the other side were some gentlemen of
Cambridge and elsewhere, whose names would have been
an ornament to the society, but who either declined
joining it,..or withdrew from it when they heard that it

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 229
was decided to retain the offensive epithet. And, in
fact, some who still continued in the society were not
well pleased with the expression, which they regarded as
having a tendency to fix an opprobrium upon their fel-
low-christians*. The first annual dinner of the Unitarian Society was
held at the King's Head, in the Poultry, in April 1791 :
the number assembled was between forty and fifty:
among these were Mr. Lindsey, Dr. Priestley, Dr. Kip-
pis, &c. and several eminent political characters were
* As the preamble to the Rules of the Unitarian Society is not of any great
length, and has been the subject of much discussion, it may not be amiss to
introduce it in this place :
" Christianity, proceeding from God, must be of infinite importance ; and
a more essential service cannot be rendered to mankind, than to advance the
interests of truth and virtue ; to promote peace, liberty, and good order in
society ; to accelerate the improvement of the species ; and to exalt the cha
racter and secure the greatest ultimate happiness of individuals, by disse
minating the right principles of religion, and by exciting the attention of men
to the genuine doctrines of revelation.
" This is the chief object of the unitarian society tor promoting
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE AND THE PRACTICE OP VIRTUE, BY DISTRIBUTING
such books as appear to the members of the society to contain the most ra
tional views of the Gospel, and to be most free from the errors by which it
has long been sullied and obscured. Error, voluntary or involuntary, so far
as it extends, must have a pernicious influence. The members of this society
think, therefore, that they are doing signal service to the cause of truth and
good morals, by endeavouring to clear the Christian system from all foreign
incumbrances, and by representing the doctrines of revelation in their primi
tive simplicity. Truth must ultimately be serviceable to virtue.
" The fundamental principles of this society are, That there is but one
God, the sole Former, Supporter, and Governor of the universe, the only
proper object of religious worship ; and that there is one mediator between
God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who was commissioned by God to in
struct men in their duty, and to reveal the doctrine of a future life.
" The beneficial influence of these truths upon the moral conduct of men
will be in proportion to the confidence with which they are received into the
mind, and the attention with which they are regarded. Consequently, all
foreign opinions, which men have attached to this primitive system of Chris
tian doctrine, and which tend to divert their thoughts from these fundamen
tal principles, are in a degree injurious to the cause of religion and virtue.
While, therefore, many well-meaning persons are propagating, with zeal,
opinions which the members of this society judge to be unscriptural and ido
latrous, they think it their duty to oppose the further progress of such per
nicious errors, and publicly to avow their firm attachment to the doctrine of
the unity of God, of his unrivalled and undivided authority and do
minion ; and their belief that Jesus Christ, the most distinguished of the
prophets/is the creature and messenger of God, and not his equal, nor
his vicegerent in the formation and government of the world, nor copart-

230 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH, X.
also" present who were not members of the society. It
was at a time when the French Revolution was in its
glory, when it excited the highest hopes, and when its
success was the object of the most cordial wishes of the
best friends to civil and religious liberty in this country.
Mr. Burke had published his celebrated book six months
before; and Dr. Priestley and Mr. (now Sir James)
Mackintosh and others had written or were preparing
answers to it. The subject so occupied the public atten*
tion, that.it ahnost engrossed the conversation in every
company. Unfortunately, upon this occasion many po
litical toasts were given ; and, amongst others, " Mr:
Burke, and thanks to him for the discussion which he
has provoked." And still more unfortunately for the so
ciety, ' they were published the next day in some of the
Morning Papers, from which they were transferred into
the Moniteur and other French Journals. The right ho-
nourablegentleman whose namehad been introduced with
such distinction animadverted upon the meeting the next
day in the House of Commons with great indignation.
And twelve months afterwards, when a petition was pre
sented to the House, which, though it originated with
nek with.him in divine honours, as some have strangely supposed. And
they are desirous to try the experiment, whether the cause of frue religion
and virtue may not be most effectually promoted upon proper Unitarian prin
ciples ; and whether the plain ^unadulterated truths of Christianity, when
fairly taught and inculcated, be not of themselves sufficient to form the minds
Of those, who sincerely embrace them, to that true dignity and excellence of
character to which the Gospel was intended to elevate them.
." Rational Christians have hitherto been too cautious of publicly acknow
ledging their principles ; and this disgraceful timidity has been prejudicial to
the progress of truth and virtue. It is now high time that the friends of ge
nuine Christianity should stand forth and avow themselves. The number of
such, it is hoped, will be found to be much greater than many apprehend-
And their example, if accompanied with, and recommended by, a corre
spondent purity of life and morals, will naturally attract the attention of
others, and produce that freedom of inquiry, that liberal discussion, and that
fgarless profession of principles embraced after due examination, which can
bg formidable to nothing but to error and vice, and which must eventually
^subservient to.the cause of truth and virtue, and to the best interests of
mankind."

CH. X;] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 231
the Unitarian Society, had been signed by persons of all
persuasions, churchmen and dissenters, for the repeal of
the penal laws relating to religion ; though it was intro
duced and supported by Mr. Fox with all his superemi-
nent powers of reason and eloquence, it was most ve
hemently opposed by Mr. Burke, who made the house
merry, and at the same time alarmed their prejudices, by
reading and commenting upon the toasts which had been
given at the dinner, and which he, with some humour,
described as the articles of the Unitarian creed. This
faux pas of the society at its commencement, in mix
ing politics with religion", gave much and reasonable
offence to many of its friends and absent members, and
induced the society afterwards to hold their meetings
more privately, to decline all publicity in their proceed
ings, and to determine that, as a body formed upon a
religious principle and directed solely to a religious ob
ject, they would not intermeddle with temporary politics.
This society, the dawn of which was thus ushered in
with clouds, soon emerged from its obscurity. It was
joined by numbers of high respectability in different parts
of the kingdom, who were not afraid or ashamed to be
enrolled in the catalogue of Christians who were the
avowed worshipers of the One God, the Father, through
the one mediator between God and man, the Man Christ
Jesus. And the success of the society, thus constituted,
greatly exceeded the most sanguine expectations of those
by whom it was originally formed. It made Unitarians
known to one another. It diffused the doctrines of un
corrupted Christianity, by the extensive circulation of
hooks which were calculated to check the progress of
popular errors. It encouraged the public profession of
these long-neglected truths. And what was of the greatest.
importance, it gave birth to many similar societies in dif
ferent parts of the country; aome of which are in a state

232 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. X.
as prosperous, or even more so than the London Society
itself. The first of these affiliated societies was the Western
Unitarian Society, which was formed under the auspices
of that truly excellent man the late Reverend Timothy
Kenrick, of Exeter, a gentleman equally distinguished
by the soundness of his judgement, the accuracy of his
learning, the piety and rectitude of his character, and the
warmth and inflexibility of his zeal in the cause of truth,
virtue, and liberty. Having after long and rigorous in
quiry seen reason to adopt the doctrine of the proper
humanity of Jesus Christ, and the unrivalled supremacy
of the Father, he regarded it as an imperious duty to
bear his testimony to the truth, to communicate the
light which he had received, and to eradicate from the
minds of the people of his charge the deeply-rooted errors
which they had derived from the writings and instruc
tions of the learned Peirce and the venerable Towgood,
of a second and inferior God, a delegated Creator, Pre
server, and Governor of the Universe. This erroneous
and unscriptural doctrine Mr. Kenrick gradually under
mined by judicious discourses and plain and practical ex
positions from the pulpit, and attacked still more directly
in the familiar lectures which he delivered to the young
men of his congregation, and by the formation and zeal
ous support of the Western Unitarian Society. He saw
with much regret that few young persons were in a train
of education for the christian ministry among the rational
dissenters. And he himself opened an Institution for
that purpose at Exeter, in connexion with the Reverend
Joseph Bretland, and received students into his family,
gave up his time and labour to their instruction, and
boarded them upon terms from which it was impossible
for him to gain any thing. He can hardly be said to
have done justice to his own family in thus expending

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 233
his time, his talents, his vigour, and even his substance,
with so little prospect of adequate remuneration. But
this was to him an object of light consideration, in com
parison with the great end he had constantly in view, the
diffusion of christian truth, and the extrication of the
christian doctrine from the mass of rubbish in which
it has been for many centuries overwhelmed. In this
great work he met with much opposition ; with opposi
tion from those who, from early habit and education,
were sincerely and zealously attached to the errors which
he was labouring to eradicate, and who of course believed
it to be their duty to oppose him in all his measures ;
and with opposition from some wise men of the world,
who, though their opinions perhaps were not much at
variance with his own, did not think it prudent to excite
religious dissensions and to give public offence ; arguing
in the same way, and acting upon the same principles,
as the first opposers of the Reformation, and even of
Christianity itself. Mr. Kenrick's vigorous mind was in
no respect daunted by this opposition ; but persevering
in his object with inflexible resolution, he ultimately ob
tained complete success. It pleased the Almighty, in
his mysterious providence, to put a stop to this excellent
man's exertions by an awful and unexpected stroke in
the midst of his career. While in full possession of his
health and faculties, and rejoicing in the increasing suc
cess of his pious and benevolent schemes, he was sud
denly cut off by an apoplectic seizure at Wrexham, in
Denbighshire, August 22, 1804, in the forty-fifth year of
his age. The success of Mr. Kenrick's labours in his
congregation appeared by their choice of a successor of
similar ability and zeal in promoting the same great and
good cause of christian truth, the Reverend Dr. Lant
Carpenter— and in his Academical Institution, by the re
verence and affection in which his name and character are

234 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. X.
held by his pupils, and by their zeal and usefulness in the
respectable stations which they occupy in the dissenting
churches. The Western Unitarian Society has continued
to flourish since Mr. Kenrick's decease, and Arianism
seems to be nearly expelled from one of her strongest cita
dels. Mr. Kenrick left three sons: the eldest of them, after
his father's decease, passed a few years at Birmingham
under the tuition of the Reverend John Kentish, his fa
ther's friend ; and, having afterwards finished a brilliant
career at the University of Glasgow, is now settled as a
tutor in the College at York, an Institution of deservedly
high reputation, under the able direction of the Reverend
Charles Wellbeloved. And at this Institution Mr. Ken
rick's youngest son is in a course of education for the mi
nistry*. Two volumes of posthumous Sermons and three
of Exposition of the Evangelists, published at the desire
of his congregation, are ample proofs how well qualified
the learned and pious author was to teach the pure un
corrupted doctrine of Christ. Let the reader pardon what
it is hoped may be considered as a not totally irrelevant
digression, which the author has introduced to testify his
respect and veneration for one in whose education he had
the honour to sustain no inconsiderable share, and with
whom he had afterwards the happiness to be connected
as a colleague, a friend, and a brother.
His saltern accumulem donis, et fungar inani
Munere. i
The Southern Unitarian Society was formed soon after
the Western, and a few years afterwards the Northern
and other similar societies. These gave birth to Unita
rian Tract Societies in different parts of the kingdom,
the design of which was to distribute small tracts for the
*_The Reverend George Kenrick is now (1820) settled with a respectable
congregation at Hull, where he is discharging his official duties with a zeal
and activity- worthy of the descendant of such a- father; • : . ' .' "

CH. X.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 235
purpose of diffusing just principles of religion among the
inferior classes of society. With these have been united
what are called Christian Tract Societies, which are in
tended to spread among the inferior classes interesting
little compositions wholly practical, and entirely uncon
nected with controversy. These societies have met with
great encouragement, and many have contributed to
them who by no means agree in sentiment with the ori
ginal founders of these useful associations. But the So
ciety which at present holds the foremost rank, and en
gages the most general and the warmest support of the
Unitarian body, is that which is called the Unitarian
Fund Society ; the professed object of which is to encou
rage popular preaching, and to engage missionaries to
visit different parts of the country, and, wherever there is
an opening, to preach pure and uncorrupted Christianity
in opposition to popular and prevailing errors. Some of
the ministers employed in these missions, though not
possessing the advantage of regular education, are men
of very popular talents and very extensive information ;
and by the great success with which their labours have
been attended they have abundantly proved, that simple
unsophisticated truth has charms to captivate even the
most ordinary minds, when it is exhibited to them in a
clear and affecting light, and have demonstrated the fal
lacy of the commonly received opinion that Unitarianism"
is not a religion for the common people. This being
a new experiment, in which unlearned ministers were
chiefly employed, many of the more learned and regular
members of the Unitarian body stood aloof, and declined
t.d giVe countenance to a proceeding, of the prudence' and
propriety of which they stood in doubt. Some do not
even yet approve it ; and others who wish well to the de
sign do not regard it as withinthe'neld'of their personal
exertions. But after the success which has attended the

236 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. X.
efforts of this Society, no person who is a real friend to
the cause can consistently be hostile to its principle.
How far the venerable patriarch of Unitarianism, who is
the subject of this Memoir, would have patronised a
Society of this description, cannot now be ascertained.
That he was in the highest degree favourable to the main
object of it, is evident from the following extract from
a letter to a friend, dated October 23, 1789: *' I find
that your son's account of the Unitarian street-preachers
is true, and that he was with Dr. Priestley at Manchester
when he saw them. It will be very desirable to have
their numbers increased. We want much to have the
common people applied to, as enough has been done, and
is continually doing, for the learned and the higher ranks."
The parent Institution, the London Unitarian Society,
still exists upon a very respectable footing ; and though
its numbers may not be so large nor its funds so ample,
nor its proceedings attended with so much eclat as those
of some associations of later date, it still retains the
honour of having set the first example of a Society pub
licly professing Unitarian principles, and constituted with
an avowed design of supporting and diffusing them. One
of its main objects no longer exists. The title of Uni
tarian, then a term of general reproach, is now, in con
sequence of the extensive diffusion of Unitarian princi
ples, become a mark of honour, and is courted rather
than shunned. The Society still continues to distribute,
every year, a very considerable number of Unitarian
books and tracts. And if its numbers should decline,
of which however there is no immediate prospect, the
members of the Society whose only object is to promote
the cause of truth, and who have no personal or party in
terest to consult, will rejoice to see it superseded by any
institution which promises to be of greater utility to the
general cause.

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 237
CHAPTER XL
ANALYSIS OF THE CONVERSATIONS UPON CHRISTIAN
IDOLATRY. THE DUKE OF GRAFTON CORRESPONDS
WITH AND VISITS MR. LINDSEY, AND ATTENDS UNI
TARIAN WORSHIP. A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PRO
GRESS OF THE DUKE'S OPINIONS, AND OF HIS REASONS
AND MOTIVES FOR SECEDING FROM THE ESTABLISHED
FORM. REFLECTIONS.
Ihe introduction of the charge of idolatry into the
Society's Preamble having been much misunderstood
and given great offence; to obviate the objections and to
correct the error, Mr. Lindsey published a small work in
octavo, in 1792, entitled Conversations upon Christian
Idolatry. The scene is laid in the house of Marcellinus,
a gentleman of large fortune and great liberality of sen
timent, and the conversation is supposed to have taken
place in his library after breakfast, between himself;
Volusian, an eminent barrister and moderate churchman ;
Synesius, a person of great worth, who seldom attended
public worship, but who was a zealous friend to a re
ligious establishment; and Photinus, an enlightened and
zealous Unitarian, who writes an account of the conver
sations to his friend Victorin. And the author leads his
reader to understand, that the whole transaction had
some foundation in fact.
The dialogue begins with some severe animadver
sions upon the late disgraceful riots at Birmingham, the
whole blame of which Marcellinus imputes to the opeKa-
tion of the Test Act, and other laws against the dis
senters ; but is interrupted by Volusian, who, while he ex
presses his entire disapprobation of the Test Laws, and
his indignation at the insults and injuries offered to Dr.
Priestley, nevertheless expresses his suspicion, that " Dr.

238 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XI.
Priestley had contributed to excite the bad spirit which,
however wrongly, had appeared against him ;" and par
ticularly by his late sermon at Hackney, in which he had
u bluntly and peremptorily declared the worship of Jesus
Christ to be idolatrous." Marcellinus defends Dr. P. Upon
his own principles, and represents him as " worthy to be
remembered as a benefactor to mankind, particularly for
the light which he has thrown upon theological subjects."
But Volusian, without impeaching his moral character,
regards a restless love of novelty as " evidently'his fail
ing;" and " having been bred up in the belief that Jesus
Christ is God, and to be worshiped, he cannot endure
the rudeness and impertinence of the man who tells him
that he is an idolater." Here Photinus interposes and
puts the question seriously to Volusian, " whether he
had ever searched the Scriptures to know how many
Gods there are, and whether Jesus Christ was one?"
This leads Volusian to the confession, that " he had not
made the Scriptures his particular study;" — 'that, " in
general, these theological matters are left to be set
tled by the divines, those especially of the upper ranks;"
and that, " at his time of life, he had no leisure, and less
relish, for such intricate inquiries." This confession
introduces from Photinus a serious remonstrance, and
an' earnest exhortation to study the Scriptures for him
self, in which he would very soon attain entire satisfac
tion concerning the God he is to worship. This ends
the first Conversation.
. Volusian, much impressed with his friend's advice,;
goes home for a week under pretence of business, but
passes the greater part of his time in reading and
studying the Scriptures with the greatest attention; in
consequence of which he becomes a sincere proselyte
to the faith, that there is but One God, the Father, the
only proper Object of religious worship, and that Jesus

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 239
Christ is the servant and faithful messenger of God, but
not the object of worship; and, upon bis return, he
embraces the earliest opportunity of communicating his
conversion to his friends. This constitutes the subject
of the second day's Conversation ; in which Volusian is
almost the only speaker, and details to his friends the
> principal arguments both from the Old Testament and
the New, by which he was led to the conviction that " God
is. strictly One, one person : and the blessed Jesus no
thing but his favoured creature and servant." ." Still,
however wrong, he could not look upon himself as an
idolater in the worship he had hitherto paid to Jesus
Christ ; and though mistaken, he could not look upon
himself to have been a wicked man, which that language
implies." This of course forms the subject of the third day's
Conversation ; in which Photinus replies at large to
Volusian's objection, that " idolatry is represented in the
sacred writings as a heinous sin, an idea which he could
not entertain of any who are sincere, however erroneous,
in their worship of Jesus Christ." Photinus very justly
remarks, that the idolatry against which the judgements
of God were denounced, was that of the heathen, which
was not a mere " speculative error, but attended with
the most shocking vice and immorality;" whereas, " no
thing of this kind can be charged on the idolatrous
worship of Christians, though the Almighty and infinite
Being is dishonoured and degraded by it." And in
answer to the question of Volusian, " to show wherein
their idolatry lies," he states, that "idolatry consists in
paying divine honours to a creature;" the doing which
is a direct violation of the first commandment in the de
calogue, which is not only not repealed, but is solemnly
confirmed by Christ. If, therefore, Jesus Christ be a
creature, " to call him God, and to worship him, can be

240 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XI.
nothing less than idolatry." Synesius now interposing
the observation, " that the members of the church of
England are not idolaters ; because, though charged with
worshiping three Gods, they are themselves persuaded
that they worship only One," Photinus replies, that " if
men's own thoughts will exculpate them, there never was
such a thing as idolatry in the world;" for all idolaters,
the worshipers for example of the Virgin Mary, are per
suaded that their worship is allowed by God. " Our con
victions concerning actions cannot make that right which
is in itself wrong, though they will excuse us in doing it
in proportion to the insuperable ignorance under which
we labour." And in answer to Volusian's expression
of anxiety at the great prevalence of christian idolatry,
Photinus reminds his friend of the innocence of those
who, through the error of education, are involuntarily
involved in it; but adds, that " how far those are inno
cent who believing Jesus Christ to be a creature, do
nevertheless customarily join with others in the worship
of him as the Supreme God, is a very serious question."
He then observes, and produces some very remarkable
instances to prove, that the most orthodox in our own
country have had no scruple of terming the worship of
Christ to be idolatrous if he be a creature*; and after a
few general remarks the Conversation closes.
* See Waterland's Defence, p. 231. 252. Dr. Hughes's Sermon at Salter's
Hall, vol. ii. p. 8. Whitaker's Origin of Arianism, p. 4, 5. The expressions
of the last-cited author are very remarkable. " If," says he, " this doctrine
of the Trinity be false, then nine-tenths of the Christians throughout every
age and every country are guilty of idolatry, of idolatry more gross than that
of the Papists at present; because, not merely the worship of saints and
angels in subordination to God, but the worship of a creature along with the
Creator; placing him equally with God on the throne of the universe^; giving
God a partner in his empire, and so deposing God from half his sovereignty. '
These are the words of a zealous Trinitarian: surely, then, it becomes every
one who offers divine worship to Jesus Christ, well to consider the ground
upon which he stands : much more does it become the decided believer in
the proper Unity of the great Object of worship, to flee from that which must'
in his own estimation, and even in that of those who are themselves wor
shipers of Christ, be gross idolatry.

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 241
The fourth Conversation discusses the question which
Volus'ian tells his friends presses with much weight upon
his mind, viz. " how a person should act upon discovering
that the established worship of the country in which he
was bred was idolatrous?" Synesius gives it as his
opinion, that public worship should be abandoned alto
gether. For " all right worship is in the heart, and the
moment you mix with others in the worship of God,
you are in danger of being misled by a thousand fancies,
and idle superstitious forms and practices." Photinus, in
reply, vindicates public worship as a duty enjoined even
by natural religion to keep up the knowledge of him in
ourselves and others, and to cherish in our breasts that
attention to him which is necessary for our present right
conduct and comfort, and to qualify us for his favour
hereafter;" that it was expressly required under theMosaic
institution, and authorized by the example of Christ and
the practice of the apostles. Synesius, conceding this
point to Photinus, contends, nevertheless, for joining in
the established worship " out of the general principle of
doing homage to the Creator. If there be any which
you cannot conscientiously join in and repeat, you have
only to adopt what you like, and pass over the rest,
leaving it to those who are edified by it." Photinus
allows that, for lesser matters, it would be peevish and
hypercritical to dissent; but he maintains, and he sup
ports his argument by the authority of Archdeacon Paley,
that, with respect to the Object of worship, there seems
to be no latitude." And having been charged by Synesius
with having spoken disrespectfully of the public Liturgy,
he expresses high approbation of \t as an excellent form
of prayer; but at the same time enters his strong protest
against many parts of the Litany in particular, " which is
ordered to be read every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday,
throughout the year;" in which " a variety of beings are
R

24-2 • MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [_CH. XI.
addressed in a manner utterly inconsistent with the first
commandment; and our Saviour in particular " is wor
shiped as the Supreme God, and is addressed in such
gross degrading language, as nothing but custom from
early youth could reconcile any to use ;" and he con
cludes his argument with asserting that all worships
excepting that addressed to the Supreme Being, is a
direct violation of our Lord's express precept to his
apostles, that they should teach men to observe all things
whatsoever be commanded them . Volusian, who through
the whole of this conversation had been a hearer only,
now expresses his obligations to Synesius and Photinus
for their temperate discussion of this important subject,
and declares his entire conviction " that he can no longer
with a quiet mind continue to frequent the worship of
the church of England, or say one thing with his mouth
to the all-seeing God, while his heart and better know
ledge mean another." Here the Conversation ends.
In the beginning of the next letter Photinus describes
to his correspondent Victorin the rise and progress of
idolatry in the Christian church, and represents how very
imperfectly the Reformation recovered the great body of
Christians from this enormous error. He then proceeds
to relate the subjects of the fifth day's Conversation,
which Volusian begins with expressing his hope that the
public sentiment would soon change, and a correspond
ing change be adopted in the public forms of worship.
Marcellinus expresses very little expectation of this happy
event, and relates to his friend the steps which Dr. Sa
muel Clarke had taken to reform the Liturgy, and the
approbation of his plan by Archbishop Herring ; and in
reply to the animadversion of Volusian he defends the
character of Dr. Clarke, in continuing to officiate in the
church; whieh however it is not improbable that be
might have relinquished, if he had not succeeded in his

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 243
plan of reform. And to the inquiry of Volusian, how it
would be advisable to act, especially in the country, with
regard to public Worship, Photinus refers with high ap
probation to the conduct of a gentleman, Mr Tayleur of
Shrewsbury, who had used the reformed Liturgy first in
his own house, and afterwards in a separate place of wor
ship; an example which had been followed by some others,
and which it was hoped would continue to spread. The
Conversation concludes with an interesting quotation
from a late publication by a gentleman who had, upon
principle, retired from his connexion with the established
church. " Christian reader, this is no matter of barren
speculation ; it strikes directly on our conduct through
life, on a point of serious importance. The public wor
ship of God we all consider as a duty of indispensable
obligation : and whether we shall perform this worship
in the way most acceptable to him, and most conform
able to the precepts of the Sacred Writings, or in that
way which best suits our indolence, or coincides with our
interest; whether we shall pay to God the homage of an
upright heart, or with gross negligence and solemn
mockery publicly repeat what we cannot understand, and
join in professing what we do not believe ; are subjects
of inquiry which (however easy to determine) every Chris
tian, of whatever denomination, must acknowledge to be
of high concern."
In this work a question of considerable importance is
treated with great judgement, impartiality, and modera
tion ; the characters of the speakers are well sustained,
and every argument and objection are allowed their due
weight. And no person can rise from a serious and at
tentive perusal of the Conversations upon Christian ido
latry, without feeling the conviction, that whatever al
lowance may be made for error* which is the result of in-
' vincible prejudice, it is the indispensable duty of every

244 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XI.
one who believes in the Unity and Supremacy of God,
and that he is the proper and sole object of religious
worship, and in the simple humanity of Jesus Christ, the
servant and messenger of God, to withdraw from wor
ship which must to him necessarily be, and appear, ido
latrous, and, wherever opportunity presents, to join with
those, however small their number, however humble their
condition, who, agreeably to the precept of their great
master, associate for the worship of God the Father only.
Some years before the venerable subject of this Me
moir retired from his office at Essex-street chapel, his
ministiy was statedly attended by the late Duke of Graf
ton. This illustrious nobleman appears, after his retire
ment from public life, upon the accession of the famous
Coalition ministry in 1783, to have devoted a very con
siderable portion of his leisure hours to serious inquiry
into the evidences of divine revelation, and into the con
tents of the holy Scriptures. To this he was impelled,
as he himself declares in the papers which he drew up
and printed chiefly for the information of his family, by
the suspicion which his intercourse with the world raised
in him, and which the observation of every day confirmed,.
that many persons, in the more elevated ranks of life
especially, had little or no belief in the truth of the Chris
tian religion. The result of this inquiry was, that the
Christian religion had been promulgated to mankind by
a person sent by, and acting under, the authority of the
Supreme Being ; and that this religion, having been cor
rupted from very early times by various means, and these
Corruptions having been mistaken for essential parts of
it, had been the cause of rendering the whole religion
incredible to many men of sense. The noble inquirer
soon discovered that one of the plainest precepts, both
of the Jewish and Christian revelations, was the worship

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 245
of one God ; and that the public forms of worship in all
the established churches in Christendom, not excepting
that of our own country, contained a grievous deviation
from this fundamental precept, by prescribing the wor
ship of two other persons, called the Son and the Holy
Ghost, jointly with that of the Almighty Father, as being
in all respects equal to him and consubstantial with him.
And it soon occurred to the inquisitive mind of this vir
tuous nobleman, that this was not a speculative discovery
of little practical importance, but that to one who was a
firm believer in the divine origin of the Christian reli
gion, it was attended with very serious consequences,.
Convinced upon the highest authority that Christianity
required the worship of One God only, the Duke could
no longer satisfy his mind to attend the worship of three
Gods ; and it became a subject of anxious and even di
stressing inquiry, how far it was his duty, in the situation
and rank which he held in his country, not only to de
sert the established mode of worship, but to join a sepa
rate congregation whose sole and professed bond of union,
and ground of dissent, was the worship of the Father only.
Upon this subject, and upon some others of a personal
kind, this nobleman opened a confidential correspondence
with the venerable Founder of the Essex-street congrer
gation ; in consequence of which, his difficulties being
satisfactorily removed, he became a regular attendant at
the chapel in Essex-street, and continued a serious and
exemplary worshiper there till bad health and increasing
infirmities confined him at home.
It was not till some time after the Duke became a wor
shiper in Essex-street chapel that his peculiar intimacy
and personal intercourse with the venerable pastor com-
menced, which continued unabated through the remain
der of Mr. Lindsey's life. This will be evident from the
following extract of a letter from his Grace dated June 4,

246 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XI.
1759 : "The Duke of Grafton is much gratified by the
acquaintance of Mr. Lindsey ; and though he would be
very desirous to profit from it by taking the liberty of
calling on him now and then for half an hour's conver
sation on serious subjects, he would at the same time be
very unhappy to obtrude on his time. But if Mr. Lind
sey is so obliging as to allow him that advantage, the D.
of G. would be much obliged to him if he would point
out about what time of the morning or evening he is com
monly least engaged, and at which he is most likely to
be found at leisure." The Duke after this became a fre
quent morning visitor at Essex House, and to the end
of life he maintained a character worthy of his profession.
After a long and painful decline the Duke expired at
Euston, Suffolk, March 14, 181 1. A sermon was preach
ed upon the afflicting occasion at Essex-street chapel on
the 24th by the author of this Memoir, which was af
terwards published, and which contains some further par?
-ticulars of this venerable and lamented nobleman.
The Duke of Grafton at different times set down in
writing the result of his inquiries, and his own reflections
upon them. These extended from the year 1788 to the
year 1797, and they contain a simple and interesting ac
count of the progress of a virtuous and intelligent inqui
rer in his pursuit after truth. These papers were printed
in his own lifetime, but not published. A few copies
were given by his Grace to select friends, but they were
principally intended for the use of his own family. And
he desires that six copies may be given to each of his chil
dren, hoping that these may remind them of the true and
honest sentiments of their father at different times in his
better days, and that they may accustom themselves there
by to improve their lives more and more every day by a
6tudy of the Scriptures.
The first paper is dated December 1788, The Duke

CH. XI.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 247
was at thai; time, from the best search he was able to
make into the holy writings, confirmed in the belief that
"there is but One God only who ought to be acknow
ledged and worshiped as such by all his creatures, and
that he is the Creator and Governor of the Universe."
But at this time he appears not to have completely made
up his mind upon the subject of the pre-existence of
Christ. "I do," says he, " most sincerely believe in Jesus
Christ, and am convinced that he was the Messiah, and
sent by our heavenly Father that the glad tidings should
be made known to all mankind." The noble writer adds,
" Whether Christ pre-existed at all or not, in what man
ner, or from what time, I find in Scripture no sufficient
-ground or necessity to make this point a matter of faith,
and this both comforts and rejoiceth me. It may not,
perhaps, be displeasing to God that pious or learned, and
well-intentioned persons should ruminate and form their
conjectures upon these high subjects ; but I conceive that
no man should offer, for the belief of others, his opinions
on them, but with the utmost deference, and adducing
proof from Scripture sufficient to justify his way of think
ing." He concludes this paper with great humility and
piety in the following words : " If I am in any error, and
under any mistake in these sentiments, I earnestly beg
;of Almighty God that I may be convinced of it, and that
he will pardon in me my ignorance, and that he will en
lighten my understanding by his Holy Spirit and lead
me into the way of truth, establishing me in the same
more and more every day." In a sort of postscript to this
paper the Duke expresses his " humble judgement," that
the example of Christ is more impressive and efficacious
upon the supposition of his " having been a man liable
as we are to all the weakness of human nature, but to
whom God gave not the spirit by measure."
> In another paper, dated December 25, 1789, his.Grace

248 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XI.
remarks, " that the service for the Lord's Supper is not
cleared from some things which deter numbers from join
ing in that holy rite. A few omissions in the prayers
would render this service very suitable to comprehend
large denominations of Christians, who cannot join with
the congregation at present and acquit themselves to their
own consciences, and who cannot bring their minds to
do as I have this day done, by joining devoutly where I
could, and in humble silence submitting myself, where I
could not join, to the direction of that light which it has
pleased God to grant unto me."
This practice of joining in a religious service in many
respects so very exceptionable, and, as a Unitarian must
think, even idolatrous, cannot perhaps be strictly justi
fied, even with the mental reservation which this virtuous
nobleman exercised when he joined in the solemnity.
But it is most evident that he acted under a sense of duty;
and that, far from condemning those who could not in
consciencejoin in communion with the established church,
he wishes that the service might be so altered as to ob
viate their objections. Surely, then, it ill becomes those
who judge perhaps more correctly, and who act more
consistently in abstaining from such worship, to censure
others with severity who think it their duty to attend
what they justly deem a corrupt, and in many respects
an unscriptural form of worship, rather than entirely fore
go the benefit of religious institutions, or exhibit an ex
ample of the total neglect of christian ordinances which
may be misunderstood, and may mislead the lower orders
of society. Happy is he who condemneth not himself
in the thing which he alloweth. Let every one be a se
vere judge of his own conduct, and candid in his estimate
of others.
In a paper dated December 30, 1790, the noble writer
declares his now firm conviction, that " Jesus was a man,

CH. IX.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 249
one in our own nature, and that his example and pre
cepts were designed to direct us in our duty, as well as
to afford the greatest possible consolation and encourage
ment in the regular discharge of it."
In the next paper, which is dated January 1791, the
Duke, having stated that he by no means would be unr
derstood to represent the proper humanity of Christ as
a doctrine essential to salvation, adds, " yet I cannot but
think that a belief in the divinity of Christ, and the invo
cation of him as God, is displeasing to the Almighty, as
breaking his first great and unrepealed command ; and
that every man who wilfully neglects to inquire has much
to answer for ; and much more those who have presumed
to fetter his creatures by forcing them in their belief.
Let ministers and teachers of religion, let fathers of fa
milies and others who are enforcing the belief of a mys
tical union in the godhead, let them be aware, that they
are using a most unwarrantable authority over the con
sciences of their fellow-creatures, for which they will be
ultimately to answer to the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to the One only true God, who on this very head
has been pleased to style himself a jealous God; and also,
that if they should be in an error, as I conceive them to
be, they become, dangerously responsible for the restraints
which they have presumed to lay upon the consciences
of others."
I transcribe the whole of the memorandum dated
March 5, 1791, as expressive both of this virtuous noble
man's enlightened views and deep humility. "On the
truth of the Christian dispensation and religion I confi
dently rest my hopes of immortality; and with thankful
ness for so great a boon I trust to the mercy of God to
wards me, who stand so much in need of it."
In a paper dated January 1, 1792, the Duke expresses
a belief that the exaltation of Christ to dominion and

250 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [_CH. XI.
authority, was the consequence of his submission to those
sufferings which "were so efficacious, perhaps so neces
sary, to his own glory and to the future happiness of man
kind." His mind seems at this time to have been per
plexed with some obscure notion of. the unscriptural doc
trines of meritorious sufferings, and of the external au
thority of Jesus Christ ; which, however, he regards as a
mystery which " it will probably never be given to man
in the present state" to understand, and which therefore
" must consequently be ranked among those articles the
belief of which cannot be necessary to salvation."
In a paper dated April 2 1 , of the same year, the Duke
jepresents himself as differing from some with whom he
generally agrees, in believing that Jesus Christ in his
present state can hear and help us. At the same time
he adds : " I presume, and do firmly believe, that he
would be offended at being addressed by any of his fol
lowers as an object of that divine worship which, as I
•conceive, the Scriptures represent to be due only to the
Almighty Father and Creator, the ever-living God."
. The difference upon this subject between his Grace and
the theological friends to whom he refers, was probably
'merely nominal. Agreeing with the noble writer in the
great principle that Jesus Christ is not the proper object
of worship, they would be far from presuming to limit
the extent of his knowledge or his power in his present
exalted state.
In a paper dated June 10, of the same year, the Duke,
after expressing his firm belief in the inspiration of the
prophets, and of the information communicated to the
apostles by the instructions of Christ and the gifts of the
holy spirit, proceeds to state his objections to "the no
tion generally inculcated concerning the perpetual inspi
ration of the apostles and evangelists, which," says he,
." I humbly conceive has much more assisted the cause of

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 251
infidelity : which, in its turn, will recede in proportion
as our divines, becoming every day more liberal in their
opinions, shall advance to a candid admission that the
apostles were fallible, and not at all times directed by the
holy spirit."
In a paper dated June 10, 1794, the noble writer states,
that his " own unenlightened reason had ever revolted
against the church doctrine of Original sin, as wholly in
compatible with the attributes of a benevolent and om
nipotent God." He adds : " and my mind received great
comfort when I found that Scripture, so far from justi
fying an idea so derogatory to the honour and glory of
the Deity, does, through its whole tenour, furnish ample
ground for concluding against this sad and, I trust, un
supported doctrine." After this he proceeds to state
some of those passages which, in his view, appeared to
be most irreconcileable to this popular opinion, particu
larly Matt, xviii. 3. xix. 4. Luke xviii. 17-
The paper dated March 1795, contains* rather an ela
borate disquisition upon the subject of the redemption of
sinners by the death of Christ, which seems to have
pressed very much upon the mind of the noble writer.
He discards the common notion of vicarious suffering and
satisfaction. He conceives that " Scripture redemption
consists in a deliverance from the practice and guilt of
sin to be effected by sincere repentance, followed by total
amendment of life, to which the merciful goodness of
God has vouchsafed to annex the forgiveness of all past
sins and offences." " That which propitiates God, is the
forsaking of sin and newness of life. If so, may not
Christ, who teaches us this method of being reconciled,
be fairly and properly called the propitiation of our sins?"
In a paper dated April 17, 1796, the noble writer ex
presses his decided conviction, that if doctrines are un
intelligible, the belief of them cannot be necessary to sal-

252 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XI.
vation. " Arrogant indeed," says he, " is the theology
of those who would inforce the belief of superstitious, or
inexplicable, opinions as divine truths, annexing the hard
alternative of eternal punishment. Far otherwise, I be
lieve, speaks the conciliating language of the gospel of
our benevolent Lord and Master."
The paper dated March 14, 1797, represents the ex
pectation of a future life, founded on the natural immor
tality of the soul, as involved in inextricable difficulties;
"whereas he who believes in the truth of Christianity,
and who confides in the assurances of the gospel, has no
occasion to fly to any metaphysical disquisitions ; for he
feels at once that God, who was able to create him origi
nally, has promised through Jesus Christ to raise him
again to life at the last day ; that he who has done the
first has equally power to perform the second, and has
given an irrefragable proof of it by the resurrection of
Jesus himself from the dead."
The conclusion, which, though it has no date; appears
to have been written in the year 1797, begins with a most
ingenuous and affecting apology to the noble writer's
friends, acquaintance, and to the world in general, for
embracing a form of public worship differing essentially
from that of the church in which he was bred; expressing
his deep sense of the responsibility which he incurred by
it, his entire satisfaction in the choice which he had made,
his earnest regret that he had not turned his serious at
tention to the subjects of religion earlier in life, and his
ardent desire that what he writes may be instrumental; in
rousing others to an earlier attachment to the pure reli
gion of the gospel. As this introduction has been cited
at length in the discourse which was published by the
author of this Memoir upon occasion of the lamented
decease of the noble Duke, it is unnecessary to repeat it
here.

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 253
The noble writer goes on to animadvert upon the egre
gious error of those who, regarding religion chiefly as an
engine of state, expect to establish good order by the help
of it, without " reviewing the Articles and Liturgy, and
presenting to the people a purer Christianity not liable to
the formidable attacks which are daily made upon the
present system." The remainder of this paper is taken
up in commenting upon the first article in the Church
of England, which teaches that " in the Unity of the
Godhead there be three persons of one substance, power,
and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;"
and in showing how repugnant this doctrine is to the de
claration of the apostle that "there is One God, and one
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."
After this the noble writer severely condemns the dam
natory clauses of the Athanasian creed, which, though it
still remains as a creed required from those who profess
to be of the Church of England, had no existence till a
hundred years after the Council of Nice, and was not
admitted even into the Church of Rome till the tenth
century. Having expatiated somewhat at large upon these sub
jects, he adds : " My objections are weighty against the
Article of the church on original or birth sin, against the
doctrine maintained relative to good works done before
justification having the nature of sin, against that on pre
destination, and some others. But I trust I have said
enough, without now entering on these, to prove that, if
I be in the wrong, it is with an honest and firm desire of
searching for the truth." " It is from the Scriptures
alone," continues this illustrious inquirer after truth, and
with these remarks he closes his interesting volume, "it
is from the Scriptures alone that we can know the re
vealed will of God ; and it is from thence I venture to
draw my justification for wishing to join in communion

254 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XI.
with a church which will admit of no article of faith that
is not expressed in the very words of Scripture ; no creed
which disclaims the right of private judgement in the
concern of religion, and still more, which allows the right
of persecuting any human creature for conscience sake."
As there is little reason to expect that these interest
ing papers will be soon published, the writer of this Me
moir thought that it would be acceptable to his readers
to exhibit this brief abstract of their contents, accompa
nied with a few specimens of the observations them
selves ; and in so doing he is convinced that he complies
with the expressed desire of the noble writer, that " not
only his friends and acquaintance, but the world in ge
neral, might know that he embraced a form of public
worship essentially different from that of the church in
which he was bred, not hastily and through levity, but
with all the consideration and investigation which so aw
ful a decision required ;" and that what he wrote " might
be instrumental in rousing others to an earlier attachment
to the pure religion of the gospel, and to remember their
Creator in the days of their youth." And it cannot be
doubted that the noble writer's vindication of his conduct
must be perfectly satisfactory to every serious, liberal, and
enlightened mind, how strange and unaccountable soever
such conduct and such reasoning may appear to a gay
and a thoughtless world.
Indeed, that a person of the Duke of Grafton's elevated
rank in society, who had filled the principal offices of
the state, and who was allied by birth, and associated by
habits of familiar intercourse, with the first nobility of
the land, should, in the vigour of life, sit down calmly to
study the Scriptures ; that, in consequence of this, he
should embrace a system of Christianity widely different
from the popular creed; that, impelled by a commanding
sense of duty, he should secede from the church esta-

CH. XI.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 255
blished by law, in which he had been educated, and to
the worship and constitution of which he was affection
ately attached ; that he should publicly unite himself to
a society of Christians not then tolerated by the state.
which existed by connivance only, and the principles of
which are held in public disrepute ; whose primary prin
ciple and professed bond is the unrivalled supremacy and
the sole worship of God the Father, as revealed and
taught by his faithful servant and messenger Jesus
Christ, indicates perhaps as pure a principle of integrity*
and as high a degree of mental vigour and christian. for
titude, as can be conceived to exist. It may even be
questioned, whether the noble sacrifice made by Mr.
Lindsey of all his preferments in the church and his pro
spects in life, or the calm and dignified self-possession of
Dr. Priestley under calumny and persecution, discovered
a more generous and intrepid spirit in the cause of Truth ?
In all the changes of their fortune, and amidst the se
verest trials of their constancy, these christian heroes
were encompassed with friends who stood by them, who
kept them in countenance, who protected them from, or
who shared with them in, the contumely and the insult
of their misguided opponents. But the Duke of Grafton
stood alone — the Abdiel of the sacred cause. He had no
one to join him, no one to stand by him, no one to share
in the reproach ; and yet he persevered. And though he
fully understood, and feelingly describes, the delicacy and
responsibility of his situation, he at the same time attests
the unspeakable satisfaction which he experienced from
a faithful adherence to the dictates of an enlightened
conscience. Had the Duke been a religionist only, and
without inquiry or discrimination continued a believer in
the popular creed and a frequenter of the established wor
ship, his conversion, so far from being a subject of re-

256 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XI.
proach, would have been blazoned to the world with
every mark of honour and applause. Nor would he have
wanted associates even among persons of his own rank,
who generally, and almost unavoidably, confounding the
Christian religion with the creeds and catechisms and
other articles of human device to which they are accus
tomed, when they become religious, too often degenerate
into narrow bigots to the tenets of their childhood. But
the Duke of Grafton disdained to take his religion upon
trust. His superior mind examined the Scripture for it
self. And having discovered Truth, he valued it most
highly; he held it fast, and would upon no consideration
part with it. By an habitual attendance upon a form
of public worship addressed exclusively to the One God,
even the Father, he calmly but firmly avowed his princi
ples ; and to all who had the happiness of knowing him,
he exhibited their powerful and benefieial influence in a
virtuous and christian life.
Some have affected to believe that this virtuous noble
man was not thoroughly consistent, and that he did not
carry his principles to their proper extent. Suffice it to
say, in reply to these ungenerous insinuations, that the
Duke of Grafton at all times acted up to his own ideas
of consistency and rectitude, though his judgement might
not entirely correspond with that of his accusers. Let
such persons recollect what this illustrious nobleman did,
before they presume to arraign him for what he did not.
And it may not be unbecoming those who are so very
sharp-sighted in discovering a mote in the eye of ano
ther, to consider well whether there may not at the same
time be a beam in their own.

CH. XII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 257

CHAPTER XII.
MR. LINDSEY PUBLISHES A NEW AND REFORMED EDI
TION OF HIS LITURGY ; RESIGNS HIS OFFICE AT ESSEX-
STREET CHAPEL. HIS FAREWELL SERMON PUBLISHED,
BUT NOT PREACHED. INTERESTS HIMSELF IN FAVOUR
OF THOSE WHO SUFFERED BY UNJUST STATE PROSE
CUTIONS. CASES OF FYSHE PALMER, MUIR, AND WIN-
TERBOTHAM.
HiARly in the year 1793, Mr. Lindsey, at that time ap
proaching the term assigned by the sacred writer as the
usual limit of human life, or at least of the active and
useful portion of it, and being secretly but firmly resolved,
though in a high state of health and vigour corporeal and
intellectual, to retire from public service in his seventieth
year, he revised and printed a fourth edition of the Re
formed Liturgy, that he might bequeath it to his bereav
ed flock, as containing the last corrections, and the most
approved sentiments, of their faithful and affectionate
pastor. He introduced it with a sermon delivered upon
the occasion in the month of April in that year, and
which he afterwards published. In this sermon, after
giving a judicious account of the duty, the reasonable
ness, and the efficacy of prayer, he proceeds to state the
nature and the grounds of the alterations which he had
made in this new edition of the Reformed Liturgy. They
were indeed not inconsiderable. He had omitted what
is called the Apostles' Creed, and the three invocations
in the Litany.
After stating the preference which the Society in Es
sex-street give to Forms of prayer, he observes that "one
capital inconvenience belongs to this mode of worship :
viz. that forms of prayer drawn up in one age, through
greater improvements made by the study of the sacred,

258 MEMOIRS JOF THE LATE [CH. XII.
writings, may become improper to be used ; and things
of this nature once established, are too apt on that very
account to be held sacred, and by no means to be changed:
by which, serious thinking persons are often brought into
great difficulties. The proper remedy would be, fre
quently to revise public devotional forms of human in
stitution, and to 'correct and bring them nearer to the
Scripture model." And having glanced at the ineffec
tual attempts which had been made in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries for the reformation of the esta
blished Liturgy, he reminds his readers that Dr. Samuel
Clarke's amendments of the Book of Common Prayer
had been adopted by the Society in Essex-street chapel*,
* Mr. Lindsey observes in a note, that it is very probable that Dr. Clarke's
Reformed Liturgy was approved by King George II., certainly by his consort
Queen Caroline ; that Dr. Herring, archbishop of Canterbury, gave it the
fullest and highest commendations in a letter to the amiable and excellent
Dr. Jortin ; and that it also received very signal tokens of approbation from
a learned and venerable prelate, lately deceased, (probably Bishop Law,) the
intimate friend of Dr. Jortin. " And I cannot suffer myself to doubt," con
tinues the venerable writer, " that whenever the people of Great Britain
shall calmly weigh the reasons offered, they will be earnest to attain such an
important alteration in their public form of prayer, so easily accomplished :
a circumstance fervently wished for by many of the clergy of the church of
England twenty years ago, when I ceased to be one of them, and now much
longed for by many of its lay members."
May I be permitted to suggest, how much wiser it would be, in the pre
sent critical period, when the church is alarmed, and not without reason, at
the rapid growth of nonconformity in various shapes, instead of anxiously
devising means to shore up a system of doctrine, and worship, which no
effort of human ingenuity can support in opposition to the liberal and inqui
sitive spirit of this enlightened period, to open the doors of the established
church to learned and conscientious inquirers, by substituting the Scriptures
in the place of the Articles, and reforming the Liturgy upon the plan of Dr.
Clarke's, so as to contain nothing unscriptural, or offensive to the judicious
and serious worshiper ? The Church of England would then be built upon a
rock, and might bid defiance to all assailants. Nor would it then exhibit the
extraordinary phasnomenon of the whole body of the clergy setting them
selves in array against the laudable efbrts of a humble individual for the in
struction of the poor, assigning for their conduct this singular reason, that of
a system which teaches the Scriptures-Bnly, without the aid of the Catechism
and Liturgy, "the natural consequence must be to alienate the minds of the
people from, or render them indifferent to," the " doctrine and discipline of
the established church." See the Preamble to the Catalogue of Subscribers
to the National Society for the Education of the Poor, in the Morning Chro
nicle for Dec. 23, 181 1.

CH. XII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 259
but not without " some alterations and improvements in
the different editions of the Reformed Liturgy," which
had hitherto met with the approbation of the Society, he
had no doubt that the same approbation would be ex
tended to the changes introduced into the present edi-,
tion; the reasons for which he proceeds to state.
" The first omission is that of the Creed, concerning
which I would observe to you that I had thought of leav
ing it out when our worship first began in this place ;
but it was retained at the suggestion of judicious friends,
lest without further examination or inquiry we should on
that account be represented as a society of mere Deists,
and other Christians be deterred from uniting with us.
But I persuade myself that it has been long seen that
there are no grounds for such an imputation,"
The author then proceeds to assign the following rea
sons for not continuing this creed as a part of public
worship. " 1 . It was not written by the apostles, and
therefore is of no authority. 2. It is very wrong and un
warrantable to put persons upon making a profession of
their faith in assemblies for christian worship. 3. No
man, or number of men together, have any authority to
make a creed for others. 4. The imposition of creeds in
all ages has been the cause of great mischief and dissen
sion, and a constant snare to honest minds who are tied
down to them." ;
" The other omission is in the beginning of the Li
tany, where the three invocations are changed into ortp.
Many persons of high estimation for learning; judgement,
and piety, favourers of Dr. Clarke's Liturgy, have always
esteemed it a great oversight and blemish therein, that
when that celebrated person rejected the Trinity from the
Liturgy he should so far accommodate himself to the doe*
trine he exploded as to, retain three different invocations
s2

260 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XII.
in form, which carry to common heedless persons a sort
of appearance of the Trinity."
The Liturgy thus amended was gladly accepted by Mr.
Lindsey's congregation, and continued to be used in the
Chapel till the year 1802, when it was superseded by a
Liturgy drawn up and introduced by his successor the
Rev. Dr. John Disney. But though this Liturgy was ju
dicious, unexceptionable, and, as many thought, in some
respects an improvement upon the former, yet, from the
modern style of the language, and other circumstances,
and particularly from its wide deviation from the esta
blished Liturgy, it Was not so acceptable to the congre
gation, as that of the venerable founder of the Society.
And upon the choice of a successor to Dr. Disney, upon
that gentleman's resignation in the year 1805, the gene
ral wish of the Trustees and the congregation was ex
pressed to resume Mr. Lindsey's Liturgy ; which was ac
cordingly acceded to ; and a few alterations, chiefly ver
bal, being made, to which that excellent person gave a
cordial assent, a new edition was printed, a copy of which
was locked up with the writings of the Chapel, and a re
solution passed that no further alteration should be made,
nor any new form of worship be introduced, without the
express consent of a majority of the Trustees*.
Mr. Lindsey having now completely made up his mind
upon the subject of his resignation, in the beginning of
the summer addressed a circular letter to the Trustees,
of which the following is an extract :
" Dear Sir, — I beg leave to address you in the capa-
•This cannot with justice be regarded as any infringement upon the rights
of conscience; for, as the Trustees have the disposal of the Chapel property,
they have a right to annex what terms they please to the grant, consistently
with the tenor of the trust with which they are invested. And this condition
was approved by the original grantor of the premises, Mr. Lindsey, who was
then living.

CH. XII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 261
city of a Trustee for the Chapel in Essex-street, and to
inform you of my intention of resigning my office of mi
nister of it.
" My advanced age and growing infirmities have for
some time intimated to me the Tightness and necessity
of this step ; but as I was enabled to perform the service,
I thought it my duty to accomplish two points previous
to my retiring from my station."
The points to which the writer alludes were a renewal
of the Trust, and a complete repair of the whole premises,
which had been done in the best manner possible. Hav
ing stated these circumstances for the information of the
Trustees, Mr. Lindsey adds, " I have fixed the middle of
July next for the time of my resignation : — and I am
happy in having a candidate as a successor in my col
league, Dr. Disney, whose zeal for the principle upon
which the Society was founded, and whose abilities, as
siduity, and acceptableness to you and the congregation,
in the discharge of his duty, have been for a long time
ascertained." In this simple and unostentatious manner did this
pious veteran resign his connexion with a congregation
which he had served faithfully for nearly twenty years,
during which period he had enjoyed the unintermitted
veneration and attachment of every member of the So
ciety, both old and young, and had been witness to the
progress of those principles, to the propagation of which
his life had been devoted, and for the sake of which he
had made the greatest sacrifices, to an extent far exceed
ing his most sanguine expectation, both in his own So
ciety and in the world, and in a great measure by means
of his own labours and writings.
To Mr. Lindsey's letter of resignation the Trustess of
the Chapel returned the following appropriate and re
spectful answer:

262 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XII.
" The Trustees for the Chapel in Essex-street at this
time in London, having received a circular letter from
the reverend Mr. Lindsey declaring his intention to re
sign his office as minister of that Chapel on the fifteenth
day of July next, resolve, That together with their sin
cere regret on the occasion, their very affectionate ac
knowledgements, in the names of themselves and the
absent Trustees, be presented to him for the rare and
noble example which he gave to the professors of genuine
Christianity, when he sacrificed the honours and emolu
ments of the Established Church, in compliance with
the dictates of his conscience ; for his active zeal in the
cause of truth, manifested by the institution of the Re
ligious Society in Essex-street; for the able and disin
terested services by which he has raised it to its present
state of prosperity ; for the distinguished spirit of bene
volence and piety which hath uniformly marked his dis
charge of the duties of his office, and endeared him to
all under his pastoral care ; and also for his attention
to the future prosperity of the Institution by introdu
cing to the Society his worthy colleague the Reverend
Dr. Disney."
Upon this interesting occasion Mr. Lindsey com
posed a judicious and suitable discourse, which, how
ever, he would not trust himself to deliver from the
pulpit, finding himself, as he expresses it, " too tenderly
impressed with taking leave of so many indulgent friends
to be capable of personally addressing them with any
tolerable degree of vigour*." This discourse, there-

* In a letter to Dr. Toulmin, dated July 8, 1793, Mr. Lindsey thus ex
presses himself: " I take my final leave of the pulpit in this chapel on
Sunday next, in the morning, and shall endeavour to say something suitable,
though without any hint of bidding farewell, which my own nerves would
not bear ; and many kind friends of those who are not yet gone into the.
country say, that they must keep away from the chapel if I do any thing of
this kind."

CH. XII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 263
fore, was published and distributed among his friends,
and to the members of his congregation. In the exor
dium he states, that " having now attained the term of
life when the human faculties naturally lose their vigour,
and decay, and being in the twentieth year of his happy
services as their minister, it is now time to withdraw,
and meet the unavoidable infirmities of nature in a pri
vate station ; " and having assigned his reasons why he
declined the pressing solicitations of many of his friends
to continue his public services, with any additional as
sistance that he might require, he takes for his text
those words in the Lord's Prayer, " Thy kingdom," or
rather, " Thy reign come," professing his ardent wish
upon this occasion to impress his readers with a sense
of the importance of the principle by which we distin
guish ourselves from other Christians, and of the obliga
tions which it lays upon us to the practice of piety and
all virtue." In the progress of his discourse the pious
and learned writer professes to show that the Gospel
being from God it must prevail ; — that its success is to
be gradual ; — that a principal obstacle to the progress of
the Gospel is the making of Jesus Christ the Supreme,
God, and worshiping him. Here he introduces a brief
history of the long and lasting corruption of so funda
mental a doctrine of the Gospel as the Unity of God,
and of its revival after a seemingly total extinction of it ;
and shows that this corrupt doctrine concerning Christ
is the cause of atheism and infidelity among Christians;
from which he infers that it is only by the revival and
spreading of the strict doctrine of the Divine Unity that
the kingdom of God, or the Gospel of Christ, can be
fully established in the world : — and upon this the vene
rable writer justly and forcibly remarks, that " it is not
any religious sentiment, any opinion of our own, which
is frequently objected to us, that excites our zeal. In

264 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XII.
contending for the strict Unity of God, and that Jesus,
his messenger to us, was a man like ourselves, we con
tend for the gospel itself, as in this enlightened age
serious and rational inquirers are not likely to be recon
ciled to any other form of Christianity *."
Having thus established the great importance of the
Unitarian doctrine, this venerable apostle of primitive
truth proceeds to state, that holiness of life is indispen
sably necessary for promoting the success of the Gospel ;
and especially, " the most perfect benevolence towards
all other Christians, and all men." He laments over
the prevalence of an intolerant spirit among Christians
in all ages, and particularly alludes to the disgraceful
scenes which had been lately acted at Birmingham. " He
flatters himself, notwithstanding, that this hostile, bar
barous temper is by no means generally prevalent, but
that a spirit of candour and gentle forbearance is gone
* Under this head the venerable writer remarks, " You will perceive
that your duty to Christ and to truth requires you to do nothing whereby
youmay encourage such undue sentiments of him, especially not to frequent
the worship of him as God, when you are absolutely convinced that he is
not entitled to such regards, and expressly requires you to pay them to God
only." In a note the author observes that " the apostle Paul, in his adjudication
of a case where any doubt remained upon the mind concerning the lawful
ness of an action, has given it entirely against compliance. Whatever is
not of faith is of sin." Rom. xiv. 14, 22, 23. He adds, " It must be
owned, however, that there maybe peculiar situations in life, which may
incline some to doubt whether greater good may not accrue from an Unita
rian Christian sometimes attending Trinitarian worship. The instances can
be but rare. But where this is done, the persons should act without dis
guise, and let their real sentiments be known — as in the remarkable case
of the captain of the army of the king of Syria. 2 Kings v. 17, 18. The
safe side, however, is to refrain entirely."
The question is indeed of very difficult solution. The case of Naaman, to
which the writer alludes, will scarcely be allowed to have much weight in
the decision. The Syrian courtier states his own purpose : and the pro
phet, having no authority over a heathen, dismisses him courteously. But
this will by no means amount to a justification of a Unitarian joining habi
tually in Trinitarian worship. How far this may be lawful when no other
worship is accessible, is a question of great nicety, of which every one must
form a judgement for himself; nor has any one a right to arraign the con
duct of another. Happy is he who condemneth not himself in the thing
which he alloweth.

CH. XII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 265
forth, and spreading itself silently through the nation;"
of which " the place of public worship in which we as
semble is no small proof. Although it is founded upon
the principle of the worship of the church established
being directed to wrong objects, and such as we cannot
conscientiously frequent, there is not perhaps a Christian
society in this great city, for its numbers, more respec
table or more respected than ours ; and such it has been
from the very first of its institution." The pious writer
adds, what it is to be hoped that all his successors in
office, and all who do now, or who may hereafter join in
the religious services of that society of which he was the
founder, will practically remember, " I have no doubt of
our going on to be more and more respected, whilst we
adhere to the just and liberal principle with which, we
first set out, and from which I have never knowingly
deviated, viz. never to arraign or condemn other churches
or Christian societies for their different worship or opi
nions, who have a right to judge for themselves as much
as you have."
• The conclusion is interesting and very appropriate.
It is too long to be wholly transcribed, but. it is hoped
that no apology will be thought necessary for inserting
a few extracts.
" And now, brethren, I bid you finally farewell. And
having for many years earnestly desired and endeavoured,
however weakly, to serve you in the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and to promote your virtue and everlasting
happiness, I commit you to God and his over-ruling
providence ; for, however diligently others may plant and
water, the increase and the fruits are to be expected from
him. " I can never be sufficiently thankful to the bounty
of Divine Providence in raising up a number of serious
and generous friends, when alone, and destitute of all

266 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [VH. XII
means to set on foot this place of worship, to concur in
the design, and for all the support continued by them
and others to the present day.
" Happy, thrice happy, if both they who have been
called away before us, and we that are left, may be found
worthy objects of the divine mercy, and meet together
at the resurrection of the last day, never to be separated
more ! And as no energies in the cause of truth and
virtue are lost, we may perhaps have the felicity to per
ceive, that we, in our narrow spheres, have been honour
ed with being made instruments of good in the hands
of our Maker. And particularly, that our humble and
honest testimony against so early and lasting a corrup
tion of the honour and worship due to him alone, had
its beneficial effects in the great scheme of his provi
dence, in bringing forward that more perfect state of
things which we look for, when knowledge shall increase,
and benevolence be universal."
Such were the pious and benevolent sentiments which
this venerable teacher of truth and righteousness express
ed, and endeavoured to inculcate upon the minds of his
congregation when he took his final leave of the pulpit,
and closed those public and paternal addresses of which
they had so often been the attentive and delighted
hearers. Some of Mr. Lindsey's friends who were witnesses to
his almost unabated vigour, both of body and mind,
could hardly excuse him for thus prematurely, as they
thought, withdrawing himself from an office the duties
of which he was so fully competent to discharge. But
this resignation of his public ministry was no hasty step.
It had long been a settled principle with Mr. Lindsey
and his friend Dr. Priestley, and, to the best of the au
thor's recollection, of their common friend Dr. Price,
that at the age of seventy it was expedient for ministers

CH. XII.j REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSFY. 267
to retire from public service, even though their faculties
should appear to be in full vigour, and that they should
not wait till resignation became necessary in consequence
of bodily or of mental decay. After the age of three
score and ten the faculties cannot long remain unim
paired, and the decline of physical or intellectual capa
city is often more apparent to others than to a, person
himself. Often were they accustomed to speak with re
gret of ministers whose age and infirmities would have
made retirement eligible, but who were necessitated to
continue in. office for the sake of a scanty subsistence;
and still more did they deplore the case of those whose
incapacity and incompetency to the duties of their office
were obvious to every one but themselves. They disap
proved the injudicious, partiality of friends who were
urging aged ministers to official duties to which their
strength was not equal ; and they highly applauded the
discretion and firmness of those ministers, who, like their
late friend, the learned Hugh Farmer, having once re
signed the pulpit upon account of age and infirmity, re
solutely declined upon any consideration whatever offici
ating again in public. Upon this principle Mr. Lindsey
thought proper to act ; and having, for reasons which
he judged satisfactory, taken leave of his public charge,
he took leave of it for ever, and could never be persuaded
to ascend the pulpit again *.
* Upon this subject Mr. Lindsey thus expresses himself, in a letter to a
friend, dated June 13, 1793 : " I ought not to keep secret any longer from
you what was known to one or two friends a year ago, and lately been sig
nified to the. Trustees of the -Chapel, that I intend very soon to resign my,
office of minister in it. On the first of July I enter into my seventieth year:.
and though I have cause of all thankfulness for the health and strength
I enjoy, being able tolerably to go through the duty, yet I find infirmities
coming, and have had some nervous spasms, particularly in my head,
that have long satisfied me that it is right to retire with a good grace. I
have recommended my worthy colleague, and he will certainly be chosen to
succeed me. But we shall continue to live on in our present situation. For
the whole premises being, purchased, and the chapel, &c. built by money
collected by me from various friends, with not less than five hundred pounds

268 r MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XII.
The venerable subject of this Memoir, though neither
his judgement nor his inclination led him to take a pro
minent part in the politics of the time, was nevertheless a
warm advocate for civil and religious liberty, and his ge
nerous feelings and principles upon this most interesting
of all subjects he scorned to disguise. He sympathized
deeply with those political characters who, whatever in
discretions some of them might be chargeable with, suf
fered, from that which in Mr. Lindsey's estimation was
the overstrained rigour of the law both in Scotland and
England, penalties far beyond the demerit of any crime
which could be proved against them. Among these suf
ferers, the person on whose behalf Mr. Lindsey was in
the highest degree interested, was the Reverend Thomas
Fyshe Palmer, a gentleman descended from a respecta
ble and opulent family in Bedfordshire, who having been
destined to take orders in the established church had
been educated at the University of Cambridge, and was
a Fellow of Queen's College. This gentleman, in con
sequence of perusing the writings of Dr. Priestley and
Mr. Lindsey, became a decided Unitarian : and being a
man of an ardent active spirit, he devoted himself to
the propagation of those principles which to him appear
ed scriptural and evangelical. In the year 1792 he was
preacher of the Unitarian doctrine in Scotland, where
his official labours were chiefly employed in the town of
of our own, and the accommodations, &c. being much owing to my wife's
attention, skill, and daily superintendance, when I gave up the fee of the
whole, which was vested in me, and made choice of the Trustees in the trust
deed, which perpetuates the premises for the proper uses, they settled the
house rent-free to my wife for her life."
To the same purpose Mr. Lindsey writes to another friend, September 9,
1793 : " We shall still continue to reside in the house in Essex-street ; for
the Trustees of the Chapel would not appoint a successor, but under the li
mitation of my enjoying the house, &c. for life, as was appointed in the
original Trust deed for my wife if I had died the minister and she had sur
vived me. This was thought reasonable, as by collections from our friends,
with no small sum of our own, we had purchased, built, and furnished the
premises."

CH. XII .^ REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDEY. 269
Dundee, in which a considerable Society of Unitarian
worshipers had been formed by the united exertions of
himself, Messrs. Christie, Millar, and other respectable
inhabitants. Mr. Fyshe Palmer was a man of excellent
understanding, unimpeachable morals, and of great sim
plicity of character ; and being a zealous friend to liberty
and upon all occasions ardent, he, perhaps inconside
rately, was concerned in the republication of an Address
to the People of Scotland concerning the Reform of
Parliament; for which, in the autumn of 1793, he was
tried by the Circuit Court of Justiciary ; and being con
victed, a sentence of banishment was passed upon him,
which was interpreted, and executed, as a sentence of
transportation for seven years to Botany Bay. After this
inhuman sentence Mr. Palmer experienced very rigorous
treatment. He was confined for some weeks in the com
mon gaol of Perth; from which, without any previous no
tice, he was hurried away at four o'clock in the morning
in the month of November, and taken on board a cutter
which brought him to London ; where he and Mr. Muir, a
gentleman of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, (who
for a similar offence had been subjected to a still severer
sentence,) were for some time lodged in Newgate, and
were afterwards confined in the hulks at Woolwich,
where they were treated by the governor with much hu»
manity, and were allowed all the accommodations which
their situation would admit *. They were permitted to.
* " Mr.-Muir and Mr. Palmer," says Mr. Lindsey in a letter to Dr. Toul
min, dated December 14, 1793, " are on board the hulks with the felons,
and many of my friends have' been to see them. I also hear from Mr. Pal--.
mer, and have sent him some books. Neither of them, I believe, is in want
of ilny thing, the place considered. But the situation is, upon the whole,
horrible. Mr. Palmer, however, is most cheerful in the midst of it, and Mr.
Muir not otherwise." In another letter to the same friend, dated January
10, 1794, Mr. Lindsey writes: " Since I last wrote, opinions have varied
about the destiny of Mr. Palmer and Mr. Muir, as the Scotch judges have*
upon revisal, adhered to the sentence pronounced upon them. - Mr. Palmer's
health and spirits are most cheerful : Mr. Muir far from well in health since

270 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XII.
see their friends. Here they were visited by Mr. Lind
sey and Dr. Priestley, and by many other virtuous friends
of liberty and reform, who contributed by their sympa
thy to alleviate their sufferings, and who with others
raised a very handsome subscription to provide neces
saries for their voyage, and requisites to their future esta
blishment when they had reached the place of their des
tination. The extreme inhumanity of the sentence passed
upon these reformers, and the unparalleled severity of
the penalty annexed by the barbarous law of North Bri
tain to an offence which, if proved to its utmost extent,
was punishable in the South only by a few months im
prisonment, considered in connexion with the excellent
characters of the defendants, who could not in reason be
regarded as capable of intentionally involving the coun
try in confusion and anarchy, excited general indigna
tion and horror ; and that not only in England, but in
-foreign countries.
" The trial of the Scottish advocate T. Muir," says a
respectable writer in the Altona Journal, A.D. 1794,
" who, for various endeavours to effect a reform of the
Parliament of his country, was condemned to be trans
ported to Botany Bay, must excite in the breast of every
German an esteem for his native land. We here see a
man sent to Botany Bay on account of an accusation to
tJie cold weather set it : both of them supported by their integrity and fu
ture hopes. Some friends who visited the hulks on Wednesday had a com
mission from some others to offer a purse to Mr. Palmer and Mr. Muir.
The former declined taking any thing, but Mr. Muir thankfully accepted it."
Mr. Palmer afterwards saw reason to alter his mind, and accepted the prof
fered kindness of his friends. In a subsequent letter Mr. Lindsey1 informs
his friend, that the amount of the contribution was between five and six
hundred pounds, and that it was vested in the hands of a Committee of seven
foi- the benefit of Messrs. Palmer, Muir, Skirving, and even Margarot,
" who, as a joint sufferer, was not to be overlooked, though his general
character was not so high as the others." How true this observation of Mr.
Lindsey's was, and how justly this person was entitled to participate in the
bounty of Mr. Palmer's friends, those who were witnesses to his conduct to
Jtat gentleman on board the transport in the passage to South Wales could
.properly appretiate.

CH. XII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 271
which a German court of justice would have been asham
ed to listen."
The legality of the sentence was called in question by
many distinguished advocates at the Scotch bar; the
punishment for leasing-making, i. e. libelling, being ex
pressed by the word banishment in the Scotch Statute,
not transportation to another country. Upon this ground,
when Parliament was assembled in the beginning of
1794, various motions were introduced by an honourable
member eminently learned in Scotch jurisprudence,
William Adam, Esq. with a view to a revision of the
Scottish law relating to sedition ; to an inquiry into the
legality of the sentence ; and, finally, to the regulation
of the justiciary courts of Scotland. These motions were
overruled ; but from the interest which many persons of
great weight and influence in the country appeared to
take in the fate of the prisoners, the sufferers and their
friends fondly flattered themselves with the hope that the
punishment would be mitigated *. But the Adminis-
* " The sentence against Mr. Muir and Mr. Palmer," says Mr. Lindsey
in his letter to Dr. Toulmin, dated February 20th, "is so unjust, that I can
hardly persuade myself still that it will be executed, at least till their case
has undergone the intended parliamentary discussion. My friends say this
is hoping against hope. At present they are at Portsmouth, and it is said
are to remain there a fortnight." In a letter dated March 8th, Mr. Lindsey
writes : " I hear that Mr. Palmer was not quite so well at Portsmouth on
board the ship, and that their fare and accommodations were not such as
were expected. However, some of my friends still flatter me with hope
that Government will not take such a bold step as to send these men away
whilst the legality of their sentence is questioned, and its discussion pending
in the national legislature." These flattering hopes, however, proved abor
tive. And in a letter to the same friend, dated May 3, 1794, Mr. Lindsey
states, that they had then actually set sail and taken leave of their native
eountry, never, alas ! to return again. " A letter from Mr. Scott this day
mentions the whole fleet being at length out of sight yesterday morning with
a very fair wind down the channel ; and whatever some intend, I trust a
good Providence carries some to Botany Bay for most important purposes
of human virtue and happiness."
The correspondent from whom Mr. Lindsey received this intelligence was
the Reverend Russell Scott of Portsmouth, a gentleman of most active be
nevolence, who was indefatigable in offices of kindness to these persecuted
reformers while the ship which conveyed them remained at Spithead. "Mr.-
Scott cannot enough be commended," says Mr. Lindsey to Dr. Toulmin,

272 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XII.
tration of that day had determined upon ruling by a sy
stem of terror unprecedented since the accession of the
House of Brunswick : and while the conduct of the
Scottish courts of justice was under discussion in Par
liament, in the month of March 1794, these two upright
and respectable sufferers, and others in the same predica
ment, were hurried on board the Surprize, a government
transport, and dispatched to Botany Bay among a crowd
of felons of various descriptions, who were for their crimes
condemned to the same punishment*. The treatment
of Mr. Fyshe Palmer on board this ship was so gross
and inhuman, as to excite a suspicion that it was never
intended that he should reach the place of their desti
nation alive ; nor would it have been possible for him to
have survived the hardships he endured, had it not been
for the humane attentions of James Ellis, a young person
who, from affection and sympathy, volunteered his ser
vices to Mr. Palmer, and accompanied him to the colony
as a free settler. Mr. Palmer's own affecting narrative
of the barbarous severities which he encountered on his
passage, is contained in a letter to Mr. Lindsey imme
diately after his arrival in New South Wales, and is in
serted in the Appendix f .
" for his exertions to serve those worthy martyrs; and to see them accom
modated with every thing needful."
* " The case of men of education and reflection,'' says Dr. Priestley,
" and who act from the best intentions with respect to the community,
committing only what state policy requires to be considered as crimes, but
which are allowed on all hands to imply no moral turpitude so as to render
them unfit for heaven and happiness hereafter, is not to be confounded with
that of common felons. There was nothing in the conduct of Lewis XIV.
and his ministers that appeared so shocking, so contrary to all ideas of j us-
tice, humanity, and decency, and that contributed more to render their me
mory execrated, than sending such men as Mr. Marolles, and other eminent
Protestants who are now revered as saints and martyrs, to the galleys, along,
with the vilest miscreants. Compared with this, the punishment of death
would be mercy. I trust that, in time, the Scots in general will think these,
measures a disgrace to their country." Dr. Priestley's Fast Serm. 1794.
Pref. p. xviii. Note.
f See Appendix, No. XI. In order to justify the severities used to Mr.
Palmer, and even the infliction of capital punishment if that had been re-

CH. XII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 273
This excellent man lived to complete the period as
signed by his sentence for his banishment in this dreary
country, enduring many hardships, but highly respected
by all who were themselves respectable in this motley
community. When the term limited for his residence
was expired, heand the faithful companion of his for
tunes, James Ellis, fitted out a small ship to convey them
to England, meaning in their way to carry on some ad-
vantageous traffic in the islands of the Southern ocean :
but their little bark was not equal to the undertaking,
and in a gale of wind it was wrecked upon the coast of
Golam, one of the Ladrone islands belonging to Spain,
with which this country was then at war. The Spanish
governor made prisoners of the ship's crew, and during
•his imprisonment Mr. Fyshe Palmer fell a victim to a
fever. Mr. Lindsey interested himself very feelingly in behalf
of many other respectable characters who at this period
¦suffered by the harsh measures of Mr. Pitt's administra
tion. The Reverend William Winterbotham, minister
of a Calvinistic congregation at Plymouth Dock, was ac
cused of uttering seditious language in two discourses
which he delivered from the pulpit; and upon the slight
est evidence, such was the ferment of the times, he was
found guilty, and sentenced to four years imprisonment
sorted to, the most infamous calumnies were industriously circulated against
that virtuous sufferer, viz. that he was exciting the felons to seize the ship
and to take it to America; a report which, for a time, gained too easy
credit, but which, as it afterwards appeared, had not the least foundation in
truth. " Serious apprehensions," says Mr. Lindsey in a letter to Dr. Toul
min, dated November 8, " are entertained by Mr. Palmer and Mr. Skir-
ving's friends, I am concerned to mention it, that they have been engaged
in some mutinous intention of rising and seizing the ship on their parting
from the grand fleet and going off to America ; I wish there may be no truth
in this report." In a succeeding letter dated December 15, Mr. Lindsey
expresses his conviction that these worthy men were wrongfully accused.
" There is reason to believe there have been disturbances on board the
Surprize, and that Messrs. Palmer and Skirving have been very injuriously
accused, as principally concerned in fomenting "of them."

274 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XII.
in Newgate. " I have not read Mr. Winterbotham's
trial," says Mr. Lindsey in a letter to Dr. Toulmin dated
February 8, 1794: "but lawyers, and others whom I
have seen, declare that there never was a more iniquitous
verdict." It reminded many of the conviction of Mr.
Rosewell, a Presbyterian minister in the reign of Charles
II., for treasonable words uttered in the pulpit, upon the
evidence of two notorious prostitutes; concerning which,
a noble Lord who had attended the trial immediately re
ported to the King at the levee, that he had just seen one
of his majesty's subjects, a man of learning and piety,
convicted of high treason upon evidence on which he
would not hang a dog. And when Jefferies came in soon
afterwards and bragged to the King of the feat which he
had performed in inducing the jury to convict Rosewell,
the King ordered him to arrest the judgement, and the
prisoner was soon afterwards set at liberty. It was hoped
by the friends of liberty and justice, that a sentence so
glaringly outraging every feeling of equity and humanity,
as that passed upon Mr. Winterbotham, would not have
been carried into execution. But Administration were
inexorable; not a single day of confinement was remitted;
-and the innocent sufferer was compelled to drink the cup
of bitterness to the very dregs. During his confinement
he was visited occasionally by Mr. Lindsey, who, by his
kind sympathy and by his own great liberality, and his
influence with his good and generous friends, and parti
cularly the excellent Mrs. Rayner, contributed very ma
terially to the mitigation of Mr. Winterbotham's suffer
ings*.

• The following extract from a letter of Mr. Winterbotham's, dated Ply
mouth, Augiwt 31, 1802, will show the grateful sense which that gentleman
entertained of the kindness of Mr. Lindsey and his other benefactors :
" Reverend and dear sir— Although I am far separated from you, and pos-
sess bukfew opportunities of Tutereourse with you, yet my heart ever con
templates you with affection and gratitude ; nor, indeed, can it be otherwise ¦

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 275

CHAPTER XIII.
DR. PRIESTLEY EMIGRATES TO AMERICA. HIS REASONS
FOR THIS MEASURE. MR. LINDSEY'S JUDGEMENT IN
THE CASE. DR. PRIESTLEY'S FAREWELL SERMON AT
HACKNEY. LETTERS TO MR. LINDSEY FROM GRAVES
END, DEAL, AND FALMOUTH. ARRIVES AT NEW YORK.
HIS RECEPTION IN AMERICA.
J. he time was now arrived in which the venerable sub
ject of this Memoir was destined to experience the se
verest privation which had ever yet fallen to his lot, by the
emigration of the approved friend of his heart, his fellow-
labourer and fellow-sufferer in the cause of divine truth,
Dr. Priestley, to America. This memorable event took
place in the spring of 1794. In the preface to his Fast
for while I feel myself surrounded with comforts I cannot, I trust, ever for
get the man to whose kindness so many of them are owing. Indeed, my dear
sir, your name, and that of dear Mrs. Rayner, borne by my two eldest boys,
has added pleasure even to the sensations they naturally inspire, and a pa
rent's heart has dared to indulge the hope that they may one day imitate the
virtues of those after whom they have been called.
" Permit me here to thank you also for the present of your last publica
tion. I have perused it with pleasure and profit, although every sentiment
therein may not accord with my own. And I feel thankful to the Father of
mercy, who thus kindly continues to you the faculties of the mind so entire,
while your advanced period of life forbids the more active labours of the
house of God.
" Whatever differences of opinion may exist between us on religious sub
jects, I hope and trust that I shall be enabled to imitate that sincerity of soul
of which you have given me and the world so bright an example. My heart,
I can truly say, is alive to the duties and the importance of Christianity, and
I trust that I am not altogether a stranger to its pleasures. I continue my
public labours, and my aim amidst my little flock has been to cultivate that
mind that was in Christ Jesus, and to promote those dispositions which ren
der obedience to the divine will delightful. I do not labour in vain, although
my success is not adequate to my wishes.
" I trust I shall yet have an opportunity of seeing you in the flesh : but if
this favour is denied, I will cherish and indulge the pleasing hope of meeting
you in the world of spirits, and enjoying your friendship in a state of immor
tality through the ages of an eternal world."
It 13 to be remembered, that Mr. Winterbothamis a minister of the Cal-
v-inistic p'ersuasion. The letter does great credit to the head and to the heart
of the writer; it shows that the spirit of Christianity is not limited to any
sect or party of Christians. *-
T 2

2/5 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
Sermon preached in February that year, Dr. Priestley
states the reasons which induced him to leave his coun
try : the principal of which were, the removal of his sons,
the transfer of the greater part of his property to Ame
rica, and the apprehended insecurity of his own person in
consequence of the rancorous spirit of the times, and the
violent measures of the Administration. Dr. Priestley
naturally enough concluded, that the same bitter and ty
rannical spirit which dictated, or enforced, the cruel and
unjust sentences upon Muir, Palmer, and Winterbotham,
and especially the latter, who was convicted, upon evi
dence the most suspicious, of an offence of which no rea
sonable person could believe him guilty, and condemned
to four years confinement in Newgate, might, upon a
similar pretext, which could never be wanting if it was
sought for, deprive him of his liberty, or expose him to
political persecution. It is not indeed probable that the
government of the country, who knew his innocence, ever
meaned to disgrace itself by the direct prosecution of the
most enlightened and most virtuous of its philosophers.
It was sufficient for them, that a hireling crew had raised
against him a popular hue and cry ; and it cannot be
doubted that the men then in power would have been
better pleased, if, after having been burned out of his
house by a hired mob of ruffians at Birmingham, he had
fled the kingdom instead of finding an honourable asylum
at Hackney. Warned, however, by the terrible example
of 1780, and even by that of the late riots at Birmingham,
there is no reason to believe that they would have encou
raged a mob in the vicinity of the metropolis to have
pulled down Dr. Priestley's house a second time> And
iu fact, though the venerable sufferer met with a few per
sonal insults at his first settlement at Clapton from some
of the lowest of the rabble, that spirit had entirely sub
sided ; arid had he chosen to have remained at Hackney,

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 277
it cannot be doubted that he would have lived in equal
security and tranquillity with the rest of his fellow-citi
zens ; admired, beloved, and revered, by a numerous, re
spectable, and continually increasing circle of hearers,
pupils and friends. But the high spirit of Dr. Priestley
could not brook to hold his liberty and security upon what
appeared to him to be so precarious a tenure ; and he
therefore resolved to seek an asylum in a country where,
if civilization has not attained to so high a polish as in
older countries, thoughts and words and consciences are
free ; and no restraint is laid upon freedom of inquiry, la
titude of disquisition, or openness of profession upon the
most important subjects of religion or politics. It was
not, however, without much regret that this much*injured
man bid adieu to his native country, nor without indul
ging the fond hope that he might eventually return and
end his days in peace in the land which gave him birth.
But the circumstance which most touched his feelings
was the loss of the society pf his old, tried and beloved
friend, Mr. Lindsey, '.'. in whose absence," says he, " I
shall for some time at least find all the world a blank* "

* The eoncjudipg paragraph of this interesting preface is so truly cha
racteristic of Dr. Priestley's amiable, affectionate, and ingenuous mind, that
I trust I shall be excused for inserting it here.
" The sentence of Mr. Winterbotham for delivering from the pulpit what
I am persuaded he never did deliver, and which similar evidence might have
drawn upon myself, or any other, dissenting minister who was an object of
general dislike, has something in it still more alarming. But I trust that
conscious innocence would support me, as it does him, under whatever pre
judiced or violent men might do to me, as well as say of me. But I see no
occasion to expose myself to danger without any prospect of doing good, or
to continue any longer in a country in which I am so unjustly become the
object of general dislike, and not retire to another where I have reason to
think I shall be better received. And I trust that the same good providence
which has attended me hitherto and made me happy in my present situation,
and all my former ones, will attend and bless me in what may still lie before
me. In all events the will of God be done !
'* I cannot refrain from repeating again, that I leave my native country
with real regret, never expecting to find any where else society so suited to,
my disposition and habits ; such friends as I have here, whose attachment
has been more than a balance to all the abuse I have met with from others ;

278 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XIII.
But though many of Dr. Priestley's friends, those es
pecially who resided in the vicinity of Hackney, and who
were naturally most anxious to retain him in the coun
try, allowed perhaps too little weight to the arguments
for emigration ; there were others, possibly, equally well-
informed, and certainly not less interested in the result
of his deliberation, who thought him fully justified in the
resolution which he adopted of abandoning, at least for
the present, a country which no longer knew how to ap
preciate his transcendent merits, and in which his pro
perty, and even his person, was believed to be no longer
safe. In the number of these was the venerable subject
of this Memoir, to whom the emigration of Dr. Priestley
must have been a most afflicting event. He thus ex
presses himself upon the subject in a letter to Dr. Toul
min, dated January 10, 1794, before Dr. Priestley had
made up bis mind to leave the country :
" We have seen Dr. Priestley very frequently of late,
as also Mrs. Priestley, and they are both very well. If
his sons do well in America, I have no doubt of his fol
lowing them, but do not apprehend that he will remove
thither at any time but upon some opening or prospect
of being provided for, so as to be useful in his own way
as a teacher of philosophy. He is now preaching at Hack-

and especially to replace one particular christian friend, in whose absence I
shall, for some time at least, find all the world a blank. Still less can I ex
pect to resume my favourite pursuits with any thing like the advantages I
enjoy here. In leaving this country I also abandon a source of maintenance
which I can but ill bear to lose. I can however truly say, that I leave it
without any resentment or ill-will. On the contrary, I sincerely wish my
countrymen all happiness ; and when the time for reflection, which my ab
sence maiy accelerate, shall come, my countrymen I am confident will do me
more justice. They will be convinced that every suspicion which they have
been led to entertain to my disadvantage has been ill-founded, and that I
have even some claims to their gratitude and esteem. In this case I shall
look with satisfaction to the time when, if my life be prolonged, I may visit
my friends in this country ; and perhaps I may, notwithstanding my removal
for the present, find a grave, as I believe is naturally the wish of every man,
in the land that gave me birth:"

CH. XIII.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 279
ney a Course of Lectures on the Evidences of the Mosaic
and Christian Revelations, which he intends afterwards
to print; and which, from what I have seen of the former,
will be most useful and highly seasonable at a period when
many in tlus country, and the greater part upon the con
tinent, count all revealed religion as a fable, which might
be well intended at first, but has proved most destructive
to the morals and happiness of mankind."
In his next letter to the same friend, dated February 8,
1794, he thus communicates the intelligence of Dr.
Priestley's final resolution : " I return your son's two let
ters, which I like much, as every thing which comes from
him*. They show a good mind, sensible, active, and
ever attentive to the proper business of his journeyings.
At Dr. Priestley's request I let him take them home with
him a day or two since to show to Mrs. Priestley, as they
are every day more and more interested in what relates
to America ; and I now believe, iri the course of not
many months, will both of them remove thither. This

* The Reverend Henry Toulmin, who was settled with a large and re
spectable congregation in Lancashire. This gentleman, when a violent spirit,
not discountenanced by the Administration of the day, broke out against the
dissenters, and particularly the rational dissenters, soon after the riots at
Birmingham, emigrated with his family to America ; and after some time
settled at Kentucky, where he was appointed to the high office of Secretary
of State, with a salary of about eighty pounds a year ; but this being thought
too extravagant, it was reduced to fifty. The Governor of the State was Mr.
Toulmin's friend, He had been a Baptist Minister, and a Colonel in the
army. Hi3 revenues were in proportion to those of the Secretary. The fact
is, that he was a man of a liberal and enlightened mind ; and while he con
tinued at the head of the government, he and his Secretary introduced many
wise and salutary regulations, and contributed to the utmost of their power
to establish order and tranquillity in a state of society which was but few de
grees removed from a state of nature and barbarism. But their patriotic
administration was not permitted to continue long. After a few years, in con
sequence of one of those political revolutions to which empires are liable,
another party gained the ascendancy, — the administration was changed, and
the Governor and Secretary retired to private stations. The President of
the United States, however, Mr. Jefferson, to whom the abilities and merits
of Mr. Toulmin were well known, soon afterwards appointed him to the office
of Judge in a district of the United States upon the river Mobille, which he
now fills with great reputation to himself and advantage to the community.

280 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
full decision I have come to the knowledge of since I last
wrote, though I have for some time suspected it. It will
cut off a great source of the highest satisfaction to me
amongst many others. But I hope it will be for his
greater good and contentment upon the whole, as his fa
mily have gone before him ; and I have for some time
thought that his chief business was done here and we were
no longer worthy of him, and that he may be of eminent
service to that other country, retaining still in great vi
gour his powers of body and mind ; and there can be no
doubt of the intimate friend of Franklin's being there Well
received." In this manly way does Mr. Lindsey express his appro
bation of his friend's emigration, though mixed with deep
regret. In the following extract of a letter to Dr. Toul
min, dated February 20, it appears that other intimate
and judicious friends of Dr. Priestley entertained similar
sentiments : " The Doctor has received letters Which are
very encouraging. The family of V — here, who have
two sons (that were both the Doctor's pupils) in America,
one well settled in Philadelphia, the other in Kennebec,
but who is part of the year at Boston, all advise and rather
press him to go, though greatly grieved to lose him hence.
As to the Doctor, his purpose is certainly fixed to leave
England towards April, and he is making preparations
for the purpose."
In a letter to the same correspondent, dated March 8,
Mr. Lindsey states : " You will be pleased to know that
our friend, though we cannot think of losing him without
deep concern, has taken places for himself, Mrs. Priest
ley, and two servants, in the Sansom, which is to be ready
to sail the latter end of this or the very beginning of next
month- Happily the other persons, all of them emi
grants, who are going Jn the same ship, are known to him;
or his friends."

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 281
On the 21st of February, 1794, Dr. Priestley sent in
his letter of resignation to the congregation at Hackney ;
to which after some time, when they found all efforts to
induce him to remain with them unavailing and hopeless,
they returned an answer expressive of their veneration and
gratitude for his person and his labours, their poignant re
gret at the dissolution of the connexion, and their affec
tionate good wishes for his future welfare. On the 30th
of March he delivered to a crowded auditory a farewell
discourse, from Acts xx. 32. The subject of it was the
" Use of Christianity, especially in difficult times." It
begins with stating " the great design of the gospel to
raise the sons of men to the high character and honour
of sons of God, and make them heirs of a happy immor
tality ;" — -it represents " the situation of dissenters, and
especially of Unitarian dissenters at that time, as calling
in a particular manner for the exercise of christian prin
ciples : and that the insult and outrage to which they
were then exposed, though not to be desired, was most fa
vourable to the cultivation of that temper of mind which
is most eminently christian, to the virtues of patience,
fortitude, forgiveness, and heavenly-mindedness." The
• preacher then shows how much superior these virtues are
to that courage and zeal which is so generally applauded in
heroes ^and martyrs, and of how much more difficult at
tainment ; and in the true spirit of christian philosophy
he remarks, that " we shall be the less disturbed at the ma
lignity of others, when we consider that our enemies, as
well as our friends, are acting the part assigned them by
the Supreme Ruler of the Universe : that they are in their
proper place as well as we in ours ; though, being insti
gated by their own bad dispositions, this is no apology
for their conduct ; and that the plan of the great drama
an Which we are all actors is so arranged, that good will
Anally result from the evil -which we experience in our-

282 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
selves or see in others." He adds, that " all the oppo
sition we meet with makes part of the useful and neces
sary discipline of life, and no great character could be
formed, or any great good be done, without it ; — our Sa
viour, the apostles, the reformers from popery, the Puri
tans, and Nonconformists, were equally exposed to it.
And shall we complain ? — We must not forget that it is
only by discipline, and often very severe discipline too,
that great and excellent characters are ever formed ; and
there is a source of satisfaction even in adversity, or nearly
connected with it, that persons in prosperity and affluence
have no idea of."
In proof of this observation he cites his own example :
" Of this I am myself not without some experience. My
violent expulsion from a favourite situation at Birming
ham was to appearance sufficiently disastrous, and I was
not without feeling it to be so. Yet I have had more
than a recompense, internal and external, so as to make
me consider it even now as no evil upon the whole : and
I am far from wishing, if it were possible, that it might
not have happened." The preacher then proceeds to
show, " that a state of suffering is a state of usefulness ;
no less than one of most active exertion."- — Also, that
" such a state of persecution as that to which we are eXT
posed, will tend to purge our Societies of lukewarm and
unworthy members; of men who prefer the world and
the things of it, to the cause of truth and a good con
science ; and such are many of the richer sort among us,
and in all societies ; men who, by associating with other
rich and worldly-minded men, and especially those who
are within the influence of a court and the honours and
emoluments derived from it, catch too much of their spi
rit, become assimilated to their manners, and adopt their
views. Let all such go to their proper place ; — we want
them not ; — we want not even their wealth. True chrisr

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 283
tianity does not suppose nor require it. But in all cases
of persecution, some of the most wealthy have proved the
most zealous." It is further remarked, that " true chris
tians, devoid of superstition, will meet for public worship
and edify one another, even without the aid or expense
of regular ministers ; — in situations in which ministers
cannot be had, christian laymen will, I hope, have the
good sense to do themselves every thing which has been
usually done by their ministers : and this excellent lesson
will be taught more effectually in a season of adversity
than of prosperity." — " It is our pride that, as Unitarians,
our religion has been so far from being befriended, that
it has in all ages been frowned upon by the civil magir
strate: and yet in these seemingly unfavourable circum -
stances it has constantly gained ground." As an evidence
of their having imbibed the true spirit of Christianity, the
preacher recommends that his hearers should " exert
themselves in their several spheres to extend the know
ledge of it to others, and not to imagine that this is
the business of ministers only. Gladly," continues he,
" would unbelievers have it to say, that all men of sense
are with them. On the contrary, I am confident that
men of real knowledge and reflection, as well as men of
virtue and integrity ; men who have given the most se
rious attention to the subject, and men of the most up
right and. unbiassed minds, are with us. But to recom
mend Christianity to men of reason and reflection, it must
be made to appear a rational thing. Men cannot embrace
as sacred truths any thing at which their common sense
revolts." Hence he infers that it is our duty, "if we have
any real value for Christianity, to exert ourselves to free it
from those great incumbrances which have already done
it the greatest injury, and have. endangered its very ex
istence." He congratulates the congregation upon its
honourable denomination of an Unitarian Society, and au-

284 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII,
gurs the happiest effects from the public avowal of their
christian principles. " The opinions," says he, " of single
persons are often overlooked or disregarded, but a chri
stian church is a city set on a hill that cannot be hid."
And the congregation having, chiefly upon his recom
mendation, chosen as his successor the writer of this
Memoir, the preacher is pleased to say, " I cannot con
clude this discourse without expressing my satisfaction in
your choice of my successor :" and after expressing, in
language which it does not become the writer to repeat,
his persuasion that this successor would carry on plans
of instruction, public and private, on the same principles
with himself, he adds, " by making choice of such a per
son, you have greatly lessened the pain that I shall feel
from our separation. It will appear to me that I am still
with you in his person. May the connexion be long and
happy !"
Having thus finished what he had to say to his regular
audience, he closes his discourse with addressing a few
hints of advice to the numerous strangers which thronged
to hear bim upon this interesting occasion. The intro
duction to this address is most judicious and conciliatory.
" Most of you, I presume, are come hither from an in
nocent curiosity to see and hear a person of whom you
have heard much evil, and perhaps some good, and whom
you do not expect to see or hear any more. Others,
though I hope not many, may have come for some less
innocent purpose. These, let them have come whenever
they pleased, must have found themselves disappointed,
and I hope agreeably so ; as instead of finding any occa
sion of harm to me they may have found some good to
themselves. Nothing else can they have heard here ; no
thing but what is calculated to confirm the faith of all chris
tians, and. to inculcate those sentiments of the heart, and
that conduct in life, which are the proper fruits of that

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 285
faith." The preacher having said a few words to justify hirf
doctrine, though deemed heretical, defends it briefly from
the charge of sedition. " Nothing," says he, "that can by
any construction be supposed to have that tendency has
ever been delivered from this pulpit, unless it be sedition
to teach what the apostles taught before, viz. that we are
to obey God rather than man ; and that in what relates
to religion and conscience, we disclaim all human autho
rity, even that of king, lords, and commons. In these
things we acknowledge only One Father, even God, and
one master, even Christ, the messenger or ambassador of
God. If any doctrine be really false, being contrary to
reason and the Scriptures, it is not an act of parliament
that can make it true. Or, if any action be morally
wrong, as being contrary to natural justice and equity, it
is not an act of parliament that can make it be right. But
while we thus ' render to God the things that are God's,'
we render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. We are
subject to every civil ' ordinance of man for the Lord's
sake,' though not their ordinances relating to religion.
Learn then not to give ear to mere calumny. As to us,
I trust that we have learned of Christ to bless them that
curse us, and to pray for them that despitefully use and
persecute us."
The peroration is beautiful and appropriate, and strong^
ly indicates the truly christian spirit of the venerable fu
gitive. " Whether then you come as friends or as ene
mies, whether we shall ever see one another's faces again
or not, may God, whose providence is over all, bless,
preserve, and keep us ! Above all, may we be preserved
,in the paths of virtue and piety, that we may have a hap
py meeting in that world, where error and prejudice will
be no more, where all the ground of the party distinctions
which subsist here will be taken away; where every mis-

286 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XIII.
understanding will be cleared up, and the reign of truth
and of virtue will be for ever established !"
Such was the posture of mind, such the dignity of spi
rit, of this first of philosophers and of christians, when
taking leave of a country whose reputation he had ex
tended, and to whose intellectual and moral improve
ment he had devoted his superior energies ; but which,
too little sensible of his pre-eminent worth, treated him
with neglect, and refused redress to his cruel and unme
rited injuries ; and, if she did not absolutely banish from
her shores the worthiest of her sons, she at least appeared
to withhold from him that protection which he thought
essential to his security, and to the peaceable and success
ful pursuit of his professional duties and his philosophical
inquiries. But the spirit of Christianity carried him
through all ; and Dr. Priestley in the possession of a good
conscience, and in the exercise of the mild, forbearing,
forgiving spirit of the Gospel, was more truly happy in
his mind, and more enviable in his exile, than the most
violent of his enemies and persecutors on their couches
of preferment, or their thrones of state*.
The following Sunday, April 6, Dr. Priestley passed
* After Dr. Prie3tley had given notice of his intention to leave the coun
try, the writer of this Memoir had frequent opportunities of accompanying
him in his Walks to tfisit and to take leave of his friends. The conversation
upon these occasions usually turned upon some interesting subjects. Upon
one occasion the topic of discussion was the second advent of Christ : and
Dr. Priestley, who had studied the Apocalypse with great attention, inferred,
from the state of the world, compared with the language of prophecy, that
the second personal appearance of Christ was very near at hand. " You,"
say3 he, " may probably live to see it ; I shall not. It cannot, I think, be
more than twenty years." Of these twenty years, eighteen are now (1812)
elapsed, and the signs of Christ's appearance are not more perceptible now
than they were twenty years ago ; and he must be a sturdy believer who now
expects the visible appearance of Christ to restore the Jews to their country,
and to assume the government of the world within two years. Mr. Evanson,
who did not in all points coincide with Dr. Priestley, agreed with him in ex
pecting the early personal appearance and reign'of Christ. But his inter
pretation, with greater prudence, postponed the event for sixty years. I have
not however heard that either of these gentlemen was quite so unreasonable

.CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 287
with his friends in Essex-street, whose faces he was never
more to behold again in this world. Dr. Toulmin that day
preached for Dr. Disney a judicious, seasonable, and af
fecting discourse, which made a very deep impression
upon a respectable and numerous audience. The next
day Dr. Priestley and his family went to Gravesend, from
which place he addressed the following short letter to his
venerable friend :
" Dear friend, — We were rather unexpectedly sum
moned by the captain to be with him here at two in the
afternoon yesterday ; and here we met him and all the
company, expecting to sail that evening. However, we
are now actually about to take a boat and go to the ship,
which lies at the Hope, about six miles below this place.
We spent an agreeable evening, all things considered ;
Mr. Russell arid Mr. Vaughan being of the party. The
morning is fine, but the wind still west. When we get
to the Downs it is to be determined whether we go north
round Scotland or through the Channel. The Pigou
sails at the same time ; and we hope to keep company.
" Poor Sally (Mrs. Finch, his only daughter) is most
affected, as Mr. F. seems more determined than ever not
to follow us ; but she hopes that circumstances may arise
and inconsistent as the celebrated W. Whiston, who having foretold that the
world would come to an end in twenty years, asked thirty years purchase for
a small estate which he had to sell. I mention these facts to show how grie
vously the molt enlightened minds may err when they attempt to' apply the
language of prophecy to passing events, and to become prophets themselves,
instead of waiting till time unfolds the mysterious volume of divine dispen
sations, and points out the true sense of the prophetic vision. Joseph Mede
himself is a -memorable instance of the egregious mistakes into which learned
and inquisitive men are liable to fall upon this subject ; who, having sup
plied the best key to the mysteries of the Apocalypse, and given the most
rational Solution of the symbols which are supposed to refer to events which
had long bepn past, interprets two of the symbols as relating to the defeat
of the Spanish armada, and to the wars in Germany against the House of
Austria; events which, however important to the British nation, make little
figure in the history of the world, and are far beneath the dignity of prophe
tic notice.

288 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
which will change his resolution. However, that resolu
tion will be guided by a will wiser than his or ours ; and
this is my greatest consolation, especially in parting with
you and Mrs. Lindsey.
" Trusting to Mr. J; who said he would take my ther
mometer to Gravesend himself, I shall be obliged to go
without it. I wish however you would see him, and de
sire him to send it by Johnson's packagej if it will bear
that conveyance. Take also any number you please of
any of my publications, and dispose of them as you think
proper. " I will write again from Deal, where the pilot leaves
us. Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectionately,
Gravesend, April 8, \7Q4. " J> PRIESTLEY."
The next day, April 9, Dr. Priestley wrote to Mr.
Lindsey, as he promised, from Deal.
" Dear friend, — This I hope will be the last time I
shall write to you from Old England,. Yesterday we had a
fair wind to carry us off Margate. We lay to, the greatest
part of the night, when a fair wind sprung up to carry
us, they say, within an hour of Deal, by half-past eight,
which it now is. Most of the passengers yesterday were
ill ; my wife most of the day ; and I did not wholly
escape, though I am better than most of them. To-day
we seem to be all pretty well, just ready for breakfast.
" The cabin passengers are only nine, and promise to
be sufficiently agreeable, though almost all unknown to
each other. I have barely learned their names.
" Mr. Lyon, who had but little time to speak to Mr.
Russell on the subject of our purchase of land, desires t©
have one share with us, if the subscription be not full.
He will be a valuable associate, on account of his being
an excellent farmer.

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 289
" Our captain has just informed us, that if he falls in
with the fleet of merchantmen at Portsmouth he will join
them for the sake of the convoy : if so, I will write from
that place.
" With my best wishes and prayers for our reunion
here, or hereafter, yours and Mrs. lindsey's, in which
my wife joins me, most affectionately, " J. Priestley."
The next letter is dated off Falmouth, on Friday even
ing, April 11.
"Dear friend, — We came in a very short time oppo
site to the Start, but then, which was last night, the wind
changed, and turned west ; so that on this account, and
likewise apprehending a storm from that quarter, we have
just dropped anchor in Falmouth Road, where we shall
stay till to-morrow morning, and then sail or not accord
ing as the wind shall be.
"On Wednesday evening we had a strong gale, which
continued all night and part of the next day. This made
all the passengers very sick, and my wife and myself
among them. I could eat nothing till supper. But the
next night Was calm, and we rose recruited, and all this
day have been in very good spirits, but much disappointed
at not being able to proceed on our voyage, when we had
got further in three days than the captain says he got in
three weeks and five days the last voyage. We begin to
be acquainted with all our cabin, and many of the steer
age passengers, and like them very well. They are all
well-behaved, and good company. The only woman cabin
passenger is come from France; knows our friends there,
and seems well acquainted with the politics of the coun
try. " On the whole, I think we shall pass our time pretty
-u

290 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE | CH. XHI.
well during the voyage. I have much time for reading,
and shall be able to write. I am meditating a discourse
on the causes of infidelity, led to it by reflections on that
of Mr. C. and other intelligent men.
"I think I shall nearly read my Greek Testament
through before I get to New York ; and I think I read it
with more satisfaction than ever. Unbelievers, I am con
fident, do not read it except with a predisposition to ca
vil. A person waits for our letters, and therefore I am
in haste yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectionately,
"J. Priestley."
Here we see what was uppermost in the mind of this
truly apostolic man. An exile from his country, to which
he was never more to return, writing in confidence to his
most intimate friend, whose face he was never to see
again, instead of giving Vent to his feelings in effeminate
and unavailing lamentations, he thinks of nothing but
how he may best fortify his own mind, and confirm the
minds of others in the grounds and principles of the
Christian faith as the only solid foundation of virtue and
peace. Nothing further was heard of Dr. Priestley till
his arrival at New York. The following is the first let
ter addressed to his venerable friend from the shores of the
western continent. Its contents are too interesting to
require an apology for its length. "New York, June 6, 1JTQ4.
" Dear friend, — 1 hope you received the letters I wrote
from Gravesend, Deal, and Falmouth. I now write from
New Yorki where we are safely arrived, after a passage
of eight weeks and a day, owing to our having had none
but westerly winds after we got clear of the Channel till
the last fortnight* We also found the coast covered with
a thick fog, very unUsUal at this time of the year, so that
we were three days before we Could get into the bay after
we reached the coast.

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 291
" We had an excellent ship ; but the captain was not
the man he had been represented to me. He swore much,
and was given to liquor ; and the crew very disorderly.
However, he made a point of behaving in his best man
ner to us ; and is naturally very generous and good-na
tured. Unfortunately the mate and he did not agree ;
and no care had been taken of the water-casks, so that
the steerage passengers suffered much in consequence of
it ; and we had many complaints : and if the voyage had
been much longer, the consequence might have been se
rious. "Our society in the cabin was agreeable enough, though
the majority were aristocratically inclined ; but all in the
steerage were zealous republicans, and persons of good
character, and several of good property. In the steerage
also was more religion than in the cabin ; but they were
universally Calvinists, though the majority very mode
rate, as you will suppose, from their applying to me to
perform divine service to them ; which I did with much
satisfaction when the weather and other circumstances
would permit, several in the cabin joining us, though
some of them were unbelievers — but for want of infor
mation. This is the case with Mr. L., a most excellent
man, who is now reading my sermons on the evidences
of revelation, — and I hope to good purpose. He, like
thousands of others, told me, that he was so much dis
gusted with the doctrines of the church of England, es
pecially the Trinity, that he considered the whole busi
ness as an imposition, without further inquiry.
" The confinement in the ship would not have been
disagreeable if I could have written with convenience.
But I could do little more than read. I read the whole
of the Greek Testament, and the Hebrew Bible as far as
the first book of Samuel, and I think with more satisfac
tion than ever. I also read through Hartley's second vo-
u 2

292 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
lume; and for. amusement I had several books of voy
ages, and Ovid's Metamorphoses, which I read through.
I always admired his Latin versification. If I had a Vir
gil, I should have read him through too. I read a great
deal of Buchanan's Poems, and some of Petrarch's and'
Erasmus's Dialogues. All Peter Pindar's poems, which
Mr. L. had with him, and which pleased me much more
than I expected. He is Paine in verse.
" Though it was particularly inconvenient to write long
hand, I composed about as much as will make two ser
mons, on the causes of infidelity, which will make a pro
per addition to the volume of my discourses. If I do not
print them here I will send you a copy. Now that I have
access to the first volume of Hartley, in the fine edition
Mrs. Lindsey gave me, I think I can improve what I
wrote. The second volume I had in the ship was an odd
volume of the set that was destroyed in the riots.
" We had many things to amuse us in the passage, as
the sight of some fine mountains of ice, water-spouts,
which are very uncommon in those seas, flying fishes,
porpoises, whales, and sharks, of which we caught one,
luminous sea-water, &c. I also amused myself with try^
ing the heat of the water at different depths, and made
other observations which suggest various experiments,
which I shall prosecute whenever I get my apparatus at
liberty. " We had some very stormy weather ; and one gust of
wind as sudden and violent as perhaps ever was known.
If it had not been for the passengers, many of the sails
had been lost.
" I had not much sea-sickness ; but owing to our
wretched cookery had no appetite for any thing till within
a fortnight or three weeks of our landing; but then I was
perfectly reconciled to every thing. My wife was really
very ill a great part of the time ; but at last grew very

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 293
svell, and looks better almost than ever. On the whole
the voyage has done us no harm, but good.
"J — and his wife had been waiting for us some time.
They and their brothers are well ; which is a great satis
faction to us. We shall probably go with them to Phi
ladelphia before we go any where else, as I hear there are
proposals to be made to me about establishing a new col
lege in some part of Pennsylvania, about which you shall
know more when I know more.
" I never saw any place that I liked so well as New
York ; it far exceeds my expectation, and my reception
is too flattering ; no form of respect being omitted. I
have received two formal addresses, to which I have given
answers. More, I hear, are coming, and almost" every
person of the least consequence in the place has been or
is coming to call upon me. This is rather troublesome,
but it shows the difference of the two countries. I am
lodged in the house which was the head-quarters of Ge
nerals Howe and Clinton, in view of the Bay, which is the
finest prospect that I remember ever to have seen.
" This must be a glorious country ; and I doubt not of
finding a peaceable and useful establishment in it. When
that is accomplished, my only wish will be to have you
and a few other christian friends to come and end their
days with us. But we must not promise ourselves too
much in this world.
" Say for me every thing that a grateful heart can dic
tate, both from myself, my wife, and my son, to Mrs,
Rayner. "Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectionately, "J. Priestley."
Dr. Priestley made but a short stay at New York*,

* It will not perhaps be uninteresting to read the account of Dr. Priestley s
reception at New York, by a gentleman who was present at the time, and

294 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
where, notwithstanding all the respect shown him by the
laity, there was not one clergyman who offered him his
pulpit, and some thought it their duty to caution their
hearers against Unitarian errors. Many persons were,
who soon afterwards returned to England, Mr. Henry Wansey, who wrote
the following letter to Mr. Lindsey from Salisbury, August 28, 1794 :
" Dear Sir, — A packet was given me by Dr. Priestley to deliver to you,
and I fully intended calling upon you with it, but could not get my boxes and
baggage passed through the custom-house, and was obliged to leave London
at last without accomplishing it ; your parcel, from over care, having been
put into it. I lodged at the same house with the Doctor and family at New
York, Mrs. Loring's, where you have, no doubt, heard how well and respect
ably he was received. All the families of consequence, even some of the
clergy, called to pay their respects, though the latter did not carry their ci
vility so far as to offer any pulpit to him during the two Sundays he was there.
Dr. Rodgers from his pulpit declared his abhorrence of all those who denied
the divinity of Christ, and he hoped none such would come to his admini
stration of the Lord's supper. Yet Dr. Priestley was not prevented attending
divine service there the Sunday after he arrived. The violence of the clergy
against this doctrine, particularly on Trinity Sunday last, has been of as great
service as a persecution ; for many principal families of New York, chiefly
English, have stepped forward, and determined to have an Unitarian chapel
there. That at Boston, under the care of Mr. Freeman, I observed was well
attended, and Mr. Freeman told me, considerably increased. He (Dr. P.)
requests you will get a minister of pleasing address and a good delivery to
come to New York immediately. The Doctor, whom I accompanied out of
New York, across Hudson's river, in his way to Philadelphia, assured me re
peatedly he was perfectly satisfied with the change he had made. His re
ception far exceeded his expectation ; his health and spirits were good ; but,
however, that he should not enter into public life. At Princeton College,
I learned from Dr. Smith, the Vice-president, that he would be offered the
Presidency of a new college erecting in North Carolina ; but he told me he
should positively decline it, and, after a very short stay at Philadelphia, go
up the Susquehanna to Northumberland, while his sons went on about forty
miles further to put forward the new settlement of which I have so good an
opinion that I have taken two shares. Many families of my acquaintance are
going to the Loyalsoc, and my only fear is that they do not proceed with
clearing and building till next spring, which is certainly losing time. For
though the settlement will be rapid after a beginning is made, yet losing
this season may induce some of those respectable families now going out to
fix elsewhere.
" It is a pleasant country; and the people I found every where friendly
and hospitable ; a great sobriety of manners ; equality exemplified in its true
sense ; nor do I once remember to have seen either a beggar or a ragged
person. Adieu, Dear Sir, and believe me, &c, &c."
This settlement upon the Loyalsoc did not answer expectation, and upon
further inquiry it was given up. The State prosecutions commenced soon
after Dr. Priestley left England; and many of his friends were the more re
conciled to his emigration, as thinking that he might have been some way or
other involved in them. But this was not probable. A man who joined no
political society, who attended no public meetings, and who wrote no politi
cal books or pamphlets, was not likely to be the object of the vindiqtive ani-

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 295
however, much displeased at the bigotry of their mini
sters ; and the venerable exile was given to understand,
that if he would fix his residence in New York a chapel
and a congregation would not be wanting. But his de-
madversion of an attorney-general. Even Mr. Lindsey's fears seem to have
been needlessly alarmed upon this subject. In a letter to the Rev. William
Turner of Newcastle, dated June 10, 1794, he writes, " Nothing has been
known of or from Dr. Priestley since his being off Falmouth ; between seven
and eight weeks since. But under the protection of a good Providence we
persuade ourselves that he has ere this touched the American shores. And
such have been the changes since, that some of his best friends who sought
to detain him here are now glad at his departure. For the prejudices against
dissenters, especially of the more liberal sort, as enemies to their country be
cause they are against the present war, are so violent, and would have been
so much heightened against him, that it might have ma,c|ehis life unpleasant,
though I hope not insecure."
I shall add but one extract more upon this subject from Mr. Lindsey to the
same excellent person, the son of his ojd revered confidential adviser and
friend at Wakefield. The letter is dated November 9, 1 794, and strongly ex
presses the affectionate feelings of the venerable writer's heart :
" I rejoice to hear that you have so favourable an opportunity of bearing
testimony to such injured worth in exile from our unworthy country, and of
recording that intimate friendship and union of studies and pursuits, which
subsisted between that excellent person and your most worthy father. To
have any place in the niche with two such eminent characters is a real ho
nour. No satisfaction do I know beyond that of recollecting the hours passed
and benefit received in friendly communications with both. For some years,
particularly when I resigned Catterick, there was no step of importance
which I took without consulting both ; and the sketch of the Apology, soon
after published, they were so good as to take the trouble of meeting, and
passing a day with me at an inn in Knaresborough, when I read it to them.
" I have been made happy by several letters received from Dr. Priestley
since his arrival in America. In his last he mentions a very important mat
ter : the large purchase of lands on the Susquehanna was all over. They had
been deceived by the proprietors, and by evidence which did not turn out sa
tisfactory, and thus after much delay, and some expense, many will be dis
appointed. " In tiie same letter he says he had an invitation from New York, to read
lectures philosophical, and to open aji Unitarian congregation. But he had
declined on account of the distance from the place where his sons would be
likely to settle. I am grieved at it, because New York was the place for him,
the English American metropolis, the inhabitants more cultivated, of most
easy access from Europe, &c. &c. This concern, however, was a little abated
by the subsequent paragraph of his letter, relating that the Chemical Pro
fessor of the College in Philadelphia was believed to be on his death-bed, and
that Dr. Rush had told him that he believed he would be invited to succeed
him. This he adds will oblige him to four or five months residence in Phila
delphia. And as there is a certain prospect of being able to establish an Uni
tarian congregation in the place, he shall not hesitate to accept the offer."
This Offer was made and declined much to the regret of many of Dr. Priestr
ley? friends at the time ; but, as there is now reason to believe, not with
any eventual detriment to the cause of christian truth.

296 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
stination was otherwise. He accompanied his son, who
met him at New York, to Philadelphia, where he met
with the same flattering attention from the laity, and the
same repulsive spirit from the clergy ; and after remain
ing there a few weeks, he went with Mrs. Priestley to
Northumberland, a small settlement upon the banks of
the Susquehanna, near the western boundary of Pennsyl
vania ; and here, to the great disappointment and ex
treme regret of all his friends, both in Europe and Ame
rica, he determined to fix his residence. Nor could the
inconvenience of a new settlement, the want of literary
and polished society, the many and great obstructions to
epistolary intercourse with his philosophical and theolo
gical correspondents, the difficulty of obtaining books and
philosophical instruments, nor even the offer of the che
mical professorship, and ultimately of the presidency of
the College of Philadelphia, prevail with him to change
his resolution. The reasons upon which a choice so ex
traordinary and unexpected, and so universally regretted,
was founded, were never made known to the public. But
whatever these might be, and though Dr. Priestley's reso
lution to fix his residence at Northumberland was at that
time generally disapproved and lamented, the event has
shown that it was a most beneficial choice. In no other
situation would it have been possible for him to have
commanded the leisure which was necessary for drawing
up those important, learned, and instructive works which
occupied his attention to the last hour of his life, and by
which being dead he yet speaketh, and will probably con
tinue to speak, and to promote the great cause of chris
tian truth, and particularly the glorious long lost doctrine
of the divine Unity, for ages to come. I particularly re
fer to his excellent Ecclesiastical History, and his judi
cious and valuable Notes upon the whole Bible, which
are the result of much reading and reflection, though he

CH. XIII.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 297
makes no parade of authorities, a species of ostentation
which he always despised, and the neglect of which, to a
proper extent, may be regarded as a defect in his work
much to be regretted.
In this sequestered wilderness the venerable exile main
tained a regular correspondence with his revered and be
loved friend the subject of this memoir, which continued
with little or no interruption till within a fortnight of his
decease. He numbered his letters : there are one hun
dred and four; all of them now in possession of the wri
ter of this work. They are interesting to those who knew
and admired and loved the writer, but few of them would
be interesting to the public. Dr. Priestley thought little
of himself. He seldom touches upon personal concerns ;
and gives little account of what it would have been par
ticularly interesting to know, the mode of life, in a situa-
. tion so remote from, and so unlike to, that of civilized
and polished Europe. His great mind was occupied in
greater things. His whole soul was absorbed in the ac
quisition of knowledge, in the search after truth, and in
devising and executing the best means of communicating
information to others. And his letters are chiefly occu
pied in stating what he has done, is doing, and further
intends to do, for promoting this great object : they
breathe throughout a spirit of ardent zeal, of rational
piety, and of active and disinterested benevolence. In
the Appendix a few are given, as a specimen of his ge
neral manner, and of the style and spirit of his corre
spondence*. Dr. Priestley, who had originally an excel
lent constitution, and who generally enjoyed uninterrupt
ed health, and an uniform flow of good spirits, naturally
and reasonably expected to outlive his aged friend, who
was ten years further advanced in life than himself. But
* Appendix, No. XII.

298 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIII.
Divine Providence ordered otherwise. This great man
gradually declined in health, after a severe fever which
attacked him in Philadelphia, in the spring of 1801, and
from which he was by copious bleeding with much dif
ficulty recovered. He expired in the bosom of bis family
on the 6th of February 1804. A most interesting ac
count of his last sickness was written by his son Mr.
Joseph Priestley, in a letter to Mr. Lindsey, which by
some means found its way into the public papers, and
was, it is believed, copied and circulated in all the pe
riodical publications in Europe, Asia, and America, to
testify to the world how a well-informed philosophic
christian can die.
His aged friend bore the intelligence with the calm
dignity and pious resignation of one who placed entire
confidence in the hopes and promises of the Gospel ; and
who, feeling the infirmities of age advancing fast upon
him, expected soon to rejoin his beloved fellow-labourer
in happier circumstances, and in an improved and per
manent state of existence, where virtue that has been tried
and perfected shall receive its appropriate reward.

CHAPTER XIV.
dr. Priestley's reply to paine's age of reason re
printed IN ENGLAND BY MR. LINDSEY, WITH A PRE
FACE in vindication of dr. priestley's character.
MR. LINDSEY REPUBLISHES ANOTHER WORK OF DR.
priestley's, with a short preface, dr. pRiESTr
LEY'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MR. LINDSEY'S KIND
NESS. ANALYSIS OF MR. LINDSEY'S LAST PUBLICA
TION, ENTITLED, CONVERSATIONS ON THE DIVINE GO
VERNMENT.
When Dr. Priestley arrived in America he found that
Paine's Age of Reason had been lately imported into that

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 299
continent, and that by its bold dogmatical spirit, and by
its successful attack upon those corruptions of the chris
tian doctrine which usually pass for Christianity, and which
in this treatise were assumed as such, a deep impression
had been made upon the minds of the unthinking and
the unwary ; and that many were seduced by this plau
sible and popular performance from the christian faith.
No sooner, therefore, was this zealous advocate for reveal
ed truth settled at Northumberland, than he published
an answer to Paine's work in the form of Letters to a Phi
losophical Unbeliever, in October 1794, a copy of which
he sent over to Mr. Lindsey, who reprinted it in England,
in the beginning of the year 1795, with a preface, the
chief design of which was to vindicate the character of
his absent and much-injured friend.
" As every event whatever," says this able advocate of
exiled merit, "every circumstance of the life of every man,
is ordained and over-ruled by the infinitely wise and good
Creator, for the virtuous improvement and present and
final happiness of the universe, and of each individual in
it, we may be fully persuaded, that where man intends
evil, God intends and brings forth good, and that the
best purposes of the divine government will be promoted
by the means of those unworthy passions which compelled
this eminent person to take refuge in America." He
adds, that " they have begun to show themselves in the
reception which has been given to Dr. Priestley, arid in
the general estimation in which he is held, notwithstand
ing the base arts which have been used to poison that
people's minds, and to turn them against him."
Mr. Lindsey then states, that it was desired and ex
pected by the friends of divine revelation in America,
that he should reply to Paine's Age of Reason, and un
dertake a cause he was so well able to defend ; and he
flatters himself that the republication of it in England

300 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIV.
may contribute .to rescue some who are " hastening to
the dreary gulf" of infidelity.
-' He puts the question, "What could raise up such a
storm against so respectable a character, as to constrain
him to retire a voluntary exile from his country, where
he was so justly loved and esteemed by some of the most
exalted characters ?". He instances in Dr. Price, ¦ Sir
George Savile, and Mr. Lee, the late solicitor-general,
who particularly admired his Letters to Mr. Burke, and
at whose house " in Lincoln's-inn-fields for near twenty
years the friends were Wont to spend their Sunday even
ings together,- whenever they were in town; in cheerful
pleasantry, and free discussion of all subjects, for two men
more formed and furnished for social converse than Dr.
Priestley and Mr. Lee are rarely found." To the cata
logue of Dr. -Priestley's friends he also adds the respected
names of Dr. Shipley, bishop of St. Asaph, and Dr. Law,
bishop of Carlisle, "who was in perfect accord with him
in his sentiments on most subjects." He concludes with
the name of Dr. Jebb, to whom Dr. P. dedicates his
Treatise upon Philosophical Necessity. "In that beau
tiful and luminous composition," says Mr. Lindsey, "pro
ceeding from the fulness of the heart, and conviction of
the truth of that glorious principle in which they both
agreed, you read the true character of the men, and what
all may become who are under the like influences."
It is obvious to remark here how cordially Mr. Lind
sey concurs with his learned and virtuous friends in the
belief of the truth and importance of what he calls the
"glorious principle" of philosophical necessity, ' and in
admitting those grand and consolatory consequences
which flow from it, " that every circumstance of the life
of every man is ordained and over-ruled by the infinitely
wise and good Creator," for the best purposes. What
childish simplicity and ignorance does it betray in some

)H. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 301
o feign or to feel alarmed at the tendency of those doc-
rines which are avowed by such men as Lindsey, Priest-
ey, Hartley, and Jebb, and which are represented by them
,s lying at the foundation of all right views of the divine
jovernment, of all rational piety and virtuous practice,
,nd of all rational and substantial consolation ! And yet
uch persons feel no alarm at the vulgar notion of phjlo-
ophical liberty, or the power of acting differently-in cix-
:umstances precisely similar ; a notion, the fond persua-
ion of which encourages men to venture into circum-
tances of moral danger, and to which thousands of the
roung and inexperienced, especially, are daily falling vic-
ims. To account for the hostility against Dr. Priestley, which
:ventually compelled that great and good man to . seek
in asylum in America, his friendly advocate states most
ruly, that " Dr. Priestley had an ardent active zeal for
¦eformation ; that penetrated with the most absolute con
viction of the reality of the Divine Unity, and of the con
nexion which the belief of it had with the peace, the vir-
;ue, and happiness of mankind, he hesitated not in hi?
mmortal writings from the press in the smallest size,
ind to the level of the lowest capacities, as also in larger
ind more learned volumes ; from the pulpit also, on pub
lic and proper occasions, to maintain and defend that
;here was no God but the Father; and that the, worship
)£ Jesus by protestants was equally idolatrous with the
vorship of his mother Mary by the papists." He adds,
bat " in nothing did Dr. Priestley give more offence, or
more excite the ill-will of many against him-, than by
:hose freedoms in censuring the interference of the civil
power in thing3 of religion, all usurpation upon consci
ence, wherever lodged, or by whomsoever exercised." And
tie instances particularly in the Doctor's Familiar Letters
to the Inhabitants of Birmingham.

302 Memoirs of The late [ch< xiV.
Mr. Lindsey then introduces some just strictures upon
the illiberal reflections cast upon the Unitarians by Bishop
Hurd in his Life of his friend and patron Bishop War-
burton. Such obloquy, however, so far as Dr. Priestley
was the object of it, he states as abundantly compensated
by the grateful and admiring testimony of numbers, both
in and out of the established church, " to his exalted
character and extraordinary merits." As a specimen he
introduces some beautiful lines addressed to Dr. Priest
ley by Mrs. Barbauld, whom he justly styles " a genius
of superior order, and the strains such as Milton himself
might have been proud to own." The reader, and I trust
the elegant and accomplished writer will excuse me for
inserting them at the bottom of the page. They were
written when a panic was for party purposes spread through
the country, of a plot to overturn the government, and
when many fulsome addresses were carried up to the
throne, and many foul and unfounded calumnies were
circulated against the dissenters, as conspiring to over
turn the government, though they have always shown
themselves firm friends to the illustrious family upon the
throne*. The friendly advocate next animadverts upon the in
famous paragraphs circulated in The Times and other
ministerial papers, charging Dr. Priestley, who was not
present at the dinner, with having given as a toast at the
hotel at Birmingham, on the 14th of July, "Destruc-
* Stirs not thy spirit, Priestley, as the train
With low obeisance and with servile phrase
File behind file advance with supple knee,
And lay their necks beneath the foot of power ?
Burn3 not thy cheek indignant when thy name,
On which delighted science loved to dwell,
Becomes the bandied theme of hooting crowds ?
With timid caution, or with cool reserve
When e'en each reverend brother keeps aloof,
Eyes the struck deer, and leaves thy naked side,
A mark for power to shoot at ? Let it be,

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 303
tion to the present government, and the King's head in
a charger ;" which, though it could neither be given nor
received by any persons who were not insane, was never
theless currently believed, and contributed to inflame the
phrensy of the day. Another paragraph inserted in The
True Briton and The Sun, replete with falsehood and
calumny respecting Dr. Priestley's reception in America,
is cited by Mr. Lindsey, who also introduces Mr. Lyon's
distinct contradiction and confutation of it.
The generous and spirited advocate then proceeds to
notice a cruel attack upon Dr. Priestley, published in
America soon after his arrival there, entitled, Observa-
;ions on the Emigration of Dr. Joseph Priestley, &c. the
lesign of which was to represent Dr. Priestley as a fire-
jrand, an open and avowed enemy to the constitution of
lis country, &c. It was doubtful whether this scurrilous
ibel was the production of an author on this or the other
side of the Atlantic. Mr. Lindsey justly remarks, that
' from whatever quarter it issued, it is the work of a man

' On evil days though fall'n and evil tongues,'
To thee the slander of a passing age
Imports not. Scenes like these hold little space
In his large mind, whose ample stretch of thought
Grasps future periods. Well canst thou afford
To give large credit for that debt of fame
Thy country owes thee. Calm thou canst consign it
To the slow payment of that distant day,
If distant, when thy name to Freedom's join'd
Shall meet the thanks of a regenerate land. December 1792.
It is truly gratifying to all the admirers of taste and genius to find that this
ady's muse, though long silent, has not deserted her. The same genius
chich inspired the strains which immortalised the patriots of Corsica in their
truggles with their French and Genoese tyrants shines forth resplendently
i the beautiful and sublime poem of " Eighteen Hundred and Eleven." But
s in the former case, the muse, too sanguine in her expectations of success,
pologized for having "read the book of destiny amis3," so may it prove with
egard to the gloomy forebodings of the latter poem ! And may centuries
fter centuries elapse, as we trust they will, before the traveller from the
restern continent shall have occasion to inquire, Where once stood, the re-
owned seats of the Muses, the opulent emporiums of Commerce, or the
iroud Metropolis of the world f

304 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIV.
who showed himself void of truth and of every moral
principle, if he were an Englishman ; if an American, a
gross and ignorant calumniator." This pamphlet, by the
falsehood of its assertions and the foulness of its abuse,
was rather of use than otherwise to Dr. Priestley, in
America : and upon this side of the Atlantic it could do
him no harm. The British Critic, indeed, with its wonted
malignity, gave it all the currency it could, by a formal
review of this " atrocious attack on the most virtuous of
men," in the month of November 1794. Mr. Lindsey
ably exposes the disingenuous and immoral conduct of
this band of critics in " deliberately adopting and recom
mending what they could not but know to be a tissue of
abominable calumnies." And it being understood that
some persons of literary eminence were then concerned
in the conduct of that monthly journal, the author spiri
tedly expostulates with them upon the baseness of their
conduct, so unworthy the estimation in which upon other
accounts they were held. " O moral degradation ! O
shame to science ! when its votaries can lend their rare
abilities, Heaven's gift for better purposes, to please the
great, and gain their favour, and to lower and depress
eminent virtue, and hinder others from reaping advan
tage from that example and those writings by which they
might be formed to goodness, and excellence, and hap
piness for ever!"
As to the work to which this defence of absent and
injured merit is a preface, Mr. Lindsey says that " a copy
of it haying been put into his hands, he resolved to re
print it immediately." He adds, " it soon occurred, that
it would be desirable and proper for me, if I could ac
quit myself in it in any tolerable manner, to take the
opportunity that offered, of saying. something in behalf
of an honoured and beloved friend, that might remove
or soften the violent prejudices entertained against him

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 305
in this country and in this country only: for in all others
his fame is great, and his character revered." And hav
ing justly animadverted upon the mean unmanly conduct
of his enemies and slanderers, he adds, with much truth
and pertinence, "Dr. Priestley's enemies, however, by
their ignorant malevolent detraction, cannot make him
unhappy, but only hurt themselves. Changing his coun
try, he changes not those habits which form the virtuous,
the holy, the benevolent, the upright character. These
constitute happiness ; these accompany a man wherever
he goes, of which no malice orviolence can deprive him*."
In the year 1800 Dr. Priestley published in America
a treatise upon the knowledge which the ancient Hebrews
had of a future state, which Mr. Lindsey republished in
England with a short preface, in which he notices with
high satisfaction his honoured friend's continued activity,
as the advocate of true religion; and augurs that "his
writings will continue to promote this great end in his
native country and America, and wherever the English
* It will not be uninteresting to the reader to see what Dr. Priestley writes
to his friend upon the subject of his own work and Mr. Lindsey's preface.
In a letter to Mr. Lindsey, dated Northumberland, October 16, 1794, Dr.
Priestley says, " I have neaily printed the Continuation of my Letters to the
Philosophers of France, and to a Philosophical Unbeliever ; the latter in anr
s .ver to Mr. Paine's Age of Reason, which is much read, and has made great
impression here. Nor will you wonder at it when you consider what kind of
Christianity is preached here. I am told that the Quakers read it with great
aridity ; and they have no knowledge at all of the proper evidence of Christi
anity, or the doctrines of it. Many of them, therefore, in this country either
actually are, or are easily made, unbelievers. There are great expecta
tions, I am told, from my Answer to Paine, and I hope it will do good."
July 12, 1795, Dr. Priestley writes, "I am exceedingly glad that you have
at last got my Answer to Mr. Paine, and that you like it. I wish to see your
Preface. It cannot give more pleasure to you than it does to me to have
our names connected in every possible method. I hope they will be for ever
inseparable. One of my greatest mortifications is, that I cannot show you
what I write, and be directed by you as usual."
Dr. Priestley's modest and grateful acknowledgement of his venerable
friend's kind and zealous vindication of his injured character is thus ex
pressed in a letter dated Northumberland, December 6, 1795 :
"It is not long since I received the copy of your edition of my Answer to
Paine. I read the Preface with much emotion, from a sense of the friendship
^o me expressed in it. If I had laboured ten times more than I have, I should
riot have thought it too much for such a reward."
X

306 MEMOIRS, OF THE LATE [CH. XIV.
language shall prevail, when he shall be no more. A
rare privilege of Heaven's chosen favourites, and the truly
good!" Dr. Priestley was highly delighted with this kind
testimony of his venerable friend, and in a letter dated
June 11, 1801, he thus expresses his grateful sense of
Mr. Lindsey's friendship :
" I thank you for your very friendly preface. When
shall I acknowledge my many obligations to you in per
son ? Not,. I now fear, on this side the grave. I there
fore think the more of the state beyond it. But while I
remain here I am thankful that you continue here too.
I sometimes think, and not without pain, how I shall feel
when you are gone ; though our separation cannot be of
long continuance, the difference in our ages not being
quite ten years ; and I do not expect to survive you so
long as that, if indeed at all. Of what unspeakable value
is religion in circumstances like mine ! Without this, I
think I should hardly have been able to support myself ;
but with it all difficulties^ troubles, and disappointments
are as nothing, being enabled to look beyond them."
Such was the christian spirit which animated the cor
respondence of these virtuous friends, who were equally
distinguished as lovers of truth, and examples of piety:
Mr. Lindsey now declining far into the vale of years,
being upon the verge of fourscore, but in the enjoyment
of perfect health, and the full possession of his intellec
tual and active powers, seems to have taken up the de
sign of his old friend Dr. Courayer, and- to have corne to
a resolution of laying before the public his last thoughts
concerning the doctrines of revelation, and particularly
concerning the wisdom and goodness of the divine acU
ministration ; and with this view, in the year 1 802 he
published a small volume, entitled " Conversations- on
the Divine Government ; showing that every thing is from
God. and for Good to all." This volume is dedicated to

:H. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 30?
VIrs. Sophia and Mrs. Frances Chambers, the sisters of
the late Dr. Chambers, rector of Achurch in Northamp
tonshire, Mr. Lindsey's early friend, of whom mention
has been made in a former part of this Memoir. An
other brother was an eminent merchant in London, who'
had a country house at Morden, where these ladies re*
sided ; and in this house Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey found a
quiet and hospitable retreat during the summer season,
when they did not take any considerable journey. In the
repose and leisure of this delightful mansion, Mr. Lind
sey appears to have composed and written this his last
present to the public ; and he inscribes it to his worthy
friends, " in gratitude for unwearied offices of the most
disinterested friendship for near thirty years, to himself
and Mrs. Lindsey, from them and their worthy brother ;
and in testimony for their enlightened zeal for the wor
ship of the one true God, and a constant unostentatious
readiness to do good."
In his preface he observes, that the following work re
sults from the study and experience of a long life ; and
he apologizes for the introduction of some repetitions by
the remark, that " till a full conviction is wrought in the
mind, that the government of this world is the wisest that
could have been adopted, and that the evils and distresses
of life are not permitted but for the good of all, the at
tention of the public cannot be too often solicited for the
vindication of our Creator. Under the hope of promot
ing, in some degree, the interest of his fellow-creatures
jn so noble a cause, and of leading them to their hap
piest state, a full confidence and satisfaction in the ne
ver-ceasing love of their maker and God, the following
remarks, imperfect as they are, are committed to the can
dour and serious attention of the benevolent reader."
The Conversations are supposed to be held at the same
place; and conducted by the same parties, as those upon
x2

308 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XlW
christian idolatry, published ten years before. Victorin,
in a letter to his friend Volusian, requests him to give
some account of a very curious and interesting question,
upon which they had come to an unanimous resolution,
viz. "That there is nothing really and ultimately ill,
in the state of man, but every thing ordered for the best
for all." Volusian's reply contains an account of each
day's conversation. Though this incident seems to be
lost sight of in the course of the work.
Volusian informs his friend, that the company "having
fallen into conversation upon the very low repute in which
the religion of Christ was every where held, at home and
abroad," one of the party mentioned, that " in Holland
and other parts of the continent, a little before the French
Revolution, a general persuasion prevailed, that the chris
tian religion would soon be at an end." And he imputes
that indisposition to Christianity which appeared to be
rapidly increasing, to the corruption of the christian doc
trine. Photinus, in reply, expresses his confidence that Chris
tianity would maintain its ground; and ascribes the ha
tred which the philosophers upon the continent bore to
revelation, to the interference of the civil power in sup-
, porting it by pains and penalties, which led them to con
ceive that all means, however dishonest, were lawful to
overthrow a sanguinary and pernicious superstition. Pho
tinus however maintains, that the religion of Jesus will
remain unshaken, being confirmed by miracles. He af
firms the same of the Mosaic revelation, which also rests
upon the basis of miracles, and of prophecy which is even
now receiving its accomplishment. He makes some just
. observations on the nature, use, and proveableness of mi
racles. He then briefly states, what he calls " the plain
old argument for a Deity : via. that otherwise, the world
we live in, with all its furniture and inhabitants, must

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 309
have come into being of itself, without any original de
signing mind." He adds, that the most serious diffi-
, culty with relation to the divine existence, arises from
the existence and prevalence of vice and misery in the
world ; and that if this state of things could by any means
be reconciled to perfect goodness, it would provide the
best remedy against scepticism. Marcellinus, in the
name of the company, requests Photinus to undertake
this task ; to which he consents, and the conversation is
adjourned. In the process of the preceding Conversation the au
thor, under the character of Photinus, obviates the ob
jection against miracles as inconsistent with the divine
immutability, by the supposition that "those events
which we call supernatural, may be the result of esta
blished laws, and a more comprehensive plan of things,
though unperceived by us ; so that those operations call
ed miraculous, are as much the result of general laws as
the most ordinary events." But the learned writer does
not seem to have adverted to the fact, that this supposi
tion destroys the very existence of miracles, and subverts
the argument founded upon them. The resurrection of
Lazarus, upon this hypothesis, is no more miraculous
Jhan an eclipse of the sun ; and the prediction of the for
mer, which, according to this theory, would have hap
pened whether foretold or not, no more proves the divine
mission of Christ, than foretelling an eclipse proved the
inspiration of Thales. This hypothesis is in the high
est degree arbitrary and incredible. The essence of a
miracle consists in its being a deviation from the esta
blished course of nature ; and the existence of a miracle
proves a divine interposition, because no being but the
Author of Nature himself could control its laws ; and
this violation of the law and course of nature in any given
case, is perfectly consistent with the divine immutability;

310 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIV.
because, at the instant when the laws of nature were
fixed, the Supreme Being foresaw and determined that
in this instance he would, for just and sufficient reasons,
deviate from that rule of conduct to which it was his
pleasure generally to adhere.
The second Conversation begins with a vindication by
Photinus of the character of Lord Shaftesbury, the au
thor of the Characteristics, as a believer in revelation ;
though his Lordship speaks lightly of the characters df
Abraham, Moses, and others of the Old Testament Saints,
expresses doubts concerning some of the narratives con
tained in the Pentateuch, and hesitates to admit the ex-*
istence of miracles. This is advanced in reply to Volu
sian, who represents Lord Shaftesbury as one of those
infidels who entertain right views of the character and
government of God. How far the candid writer, under
the character of Photinus, has succeeded in his chari
table purpose, is not material to inquire. The remake
der of the Conversation is employed in a very pleasing
dissertation by Photinus upon the great goodness of God,
as manifested in the wise and kind provision which he
has made for the preservation, support, and enjoyment
of animal and rational beings ; at the conclusion of which
Marcellinus, after expressing his high approbation of his
friend's doctrine, intimates his apprehension that " it
would all be regarded merely as a beautiful theory, and
these fine capacities of the rational nature to be bestowed
in vain, and never likely to be brought to maturity, when
we take a survey of the world at large, and scan what
mankind have been, and still are, in a moral view ;" and
he concludes with expressing his hope, that Photinus will
continue to give his kind help in *' exploring this mo?
nientous subject."
In the third Conversation Marcellinus begins with
making some remarks upon the account of the Creation

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 311
and the Fall, in the Book of Genesis, much of which he
acknowledges to be " undoubtedly couched in allegory ;'*
while it is " to be taken literally in other parts, which
are at the foundation :" the moral instruction intended,
is, however, " not difficult to be understood." Photinus,
who is the chief speaker in these Conversations, haying
expressed his high satisfaction in the suggestions of his
friend, proceeds to inquire what the history of man
teaches concerning his attainment of that virtue and hap*
piness for which he is intended. To this end, he enters
into a brief detail of the dispensations of God to mankind,
as they are related in the Jewish scriptures, first offering
remarks upon the incidents which occur from the crea
tion to the deluge, by which " the almighty and mer
ciful Being judged it expedient to destroy the whole race
of men from off the earth, all, except one righteous man
and his family.'*
The venerable writer then proceeds to comment upon
the divine communications to Noah, to Abraham, and
to Moses, and the effect which they produced in restrain
ing the vices of mankind, and in promoting virtue and
piety. He contends earnestly for the excellency of the
character of the Jewish legislator, the credibility of his
history, and the divine authority of his institute, and re
presents those persons as (f true objects of pity who,
through some unfortunate bias on their minds, are led
to reject a history df facts so well authenticated as those
Which have Moses for their Author." He adds, not alto*
geiher in that spirit of candour which Was habitual to Mr,
Lilldsey, that "one is the more concerned for this incre*
dulity, because the rejection of the important truths con
veyed in these books, most commonly springs from a
fixed determination not to admit any accounts, however
Well attested, of divine extraordinary communications and
revelations to mankind." But, surely, if the venerable

312 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIV.
writer had for a moment reconsidered the case with his
usual calmness and impartiality, he would have seen
that a person may be a very firm believer in the divine
mission and doctrine of Christ, and be well satisfied with
the general evidence of the divine legation of Moses,
while he at the same time may entertain very serious
doubts, whether the books commonly attributed to Moses
were really throughout written by him, and whether
either the narrative or the institute exist at present ex
actly in the form in which he delivered them. And these
doubts may be so far from springing " from a fixed deter
mination to admit no doctrine as revealed," that they
may originate in an anxious concern to extricate revealed
truth from those human additions by which it is cor
rupted and disgraced. The respectable writer, therefore,
may perhaps be regarded as not quite correct when he
adds, in a tone of sarcasm unwonted with him, that " so
long as such a person cannot be brought to see his error
.by the arguments laid before him, you can only be sorry
for him, and wish him a mind more teachable and better
informed." Photinus next goes on to justify the extermination of
the Canaanites by the Israelites as an act of obedience
-to a divine command, and makes light of an argument
sometimes offered in defence of this command, as being
analogous to events which take place under the natural
government of God, where human beings are " destroyed
•promiscuously by earthquakes and the like : as this is a
defence which some are dissatisfied with, not holding the
cases to be parallel." And it cannot be doubted, that if
a divine command is proved, all objections must give
way. If- God required this great public execution, it must
be consistent with the divine character to issue this de
cree ; and if he manifested his pleasure by repeated mi
raculous interpositions, the conduct of these chosen ex-

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 313
ecutioners of the divine will must be justified to them
selves, to the world, and even to the miserable sufferers,
by the terrific mandate. So that the history is consist
ent. God does what he has a right to do ; and the Is
raelites are the innocent, and even meritorious, instru
ments of executing his sovereign pleasure. The case,
however, is attended with difficulty ; and it must be al
lowed to be a very alleviating circumstance, if it can be
shown that the order thus issued is analogous to what
happens frequently under the divine government. He
that made, has a right to destroy ; and the wise and just
Being, who makes use of natural calamities for the pro
miscuous extermination of myriads, has an equal right
to use voluntary agents as the instruments of inflicting
similar calamities. But the fact which applies still more
closely to the case in question is, that the righteous Go
vernor of the world does continually employ voluntary
agents as the executioners of his will in the promiscuous
destruction of their fellow creatures. Nebuchadnezzar
is the rod in the divine hand to execute his vengeance
upon Tyre and Egypt ; and a Caesar, or a Napoleon, are
equally the instruments of spreading desolation and de
struction among the human race, as a Joshua or a David,
though not equally innocent : one, if we credit the his
tory, acting under a divine commission ; the other,
prompted by bad passions and sanguinary ambition. The
purposes of infinite wisdom are fulfilled as well by the
evil actions of evil men, as by the good actions of the vir
tuous. And this, without any diminution of the respon
sibility of the agent. Such is the express doctrine of the
Scripture, in perfect harmony with the true philosophy
of the human mind.
The venerable author supports his own assertions and
views of the institutes of Moses and the conduct of the
Hebrew nation, by an appeal to the authority of Dr.

14 MEMOIRS OF THE BATE [CH. XIV.
Priestley. " See," says he, " that last and most in
valuable work, his Comparison of the Institutions of
Moses with those of the Hindoos, of my most beloved
friend Dr. Priestley. Although now for separated du
ring this transitory life, on the verge of which we both
stand, there is humble hope of meeting -again when the
sleep of death is over. His numerous works will con
tinue to enlighten the world till the only true God will
be more universally known, and the pure gospel of
Jesus, his messenger, have its natural influence."
Photinus next proceeds to state the great moral benefit
which the heathen world derived from its enlightened
philosophers and legislators, particularly Socratfes and
Cicero, the distinguished moralists and instructors of
Greece and Rome in the ages in which they flourished ;
at the same time acknowledging, that the fairest charac
ters in heathen story were clouded with many inconsist*
encies and imperfections, and that their instructions
were ineffectual for the reformation of mankind : " no
thing was done to recover men to the knowledge of the
true God and their obedience to him," nor " to put
men upon attending to the inward principle of their
actions, and amending their dispositions."
This naturally introduces the necessity and advantage
of the gospel dispensation which was now introduced
into the world, and which was to be made known to the
whole human race. " This was the new doctrine pro*
mulged from heaven, holding forth the supreme love of
God, the common creator and benefactor, manifesting
itself in the love of their fellow creatures and seeking
their good as their own, as the sum and substance of all
human duty and of all true religion, and leading to the
highest perfection and happiness." This divine religion,
however, was soon corrupted, " objects of worship tverfe
multiplied, the mother of Christ and Other dead persons,

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 315
male and female, a trinity of three persons in God, in
stead of the single person of the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and of all mankind." So that, " to
preserve the important doctrine of the Divine Unity from
being overwhelmed and lost in christian idolatry, divine
Providence seems to have permitted the impostor Mo
hammed to succeed in spreading his new religion over
a great part of the globe." This religion professed to
stand upon the great doctrine of the. Divine Unity; in
which, as some think, he was at first sincere; but being
elated with success he grew ambitious, insolent, and
cruel, and propagated his religion by fire and sword.
Volusian here interposes, and enlarges upon the folly
of ascribing to God " a religion, whose first article is a
direct violation of the first law of nature, in compelling
by force to acknowledge and worship him." He insists
Upon the absurdity of persecution in every shape ; and he
observes, that christians cannot, with any decency, " con
demn the Mohammedans for intolerance and cruelty,"
being themselves equally guilty; and represents it as a
very great error, and that which lies at the foundation of
all religious bigotry and persecution, to teach that chris
tians only can be saved, much more, " christians only
of this or that particular church or sect;" whereas the
truth is, that c? all persons will be saved who are made
pious and good by their religion, and none else."
Photinus in his reply expresses his approbation of
Volusian's principles; and, proceeding in his history of
divine dispensations, he takes notice of the increased dik
fusion of light and knowledge by the dispersion of learned
Greeks through Europe, after the taking of Constanti*.
nople by the Turks in 'the fifteenth century, and by the
invention of the art of printing. He adds, that much
good had been done " by the noble efforts of many ex*
cellent christians, at the hazard,, and sometimes the loss,

316 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XIV.
of life, to revive and restore the worship of the true God,
and to vindicate the unalienable right of all men to judge
for themselves of the things of God." And he expresses
himself in terms of high commendation concerning the
religious liberty which had lately been established in
France. Photinus concludes his long discourse with
the general inference that, though the little effect of
genuine virtuous principle, and the defective knowledge
of God, too much appears in wars and persecutions, yet,
" it would be unfair, and unjust, not to admit that
knowledge and virtue have been upon the whole pro
gressive, and that very many eminent examples of both
have been formed, and are forming, in every age and
country." Photinus, after a pause, expresses his apprehensions,
that " the account which had been given of the moral
state of the world, might not be acceptable to those who
look for perfection all at once in every thing that comes
from God. But as we are convinced that a Being of all
goodness has, in fact, appointed otherwise, and as we
certainly do not love our fellow creatures nor desire their
improvement and happiness more earnestly than he
that made them, and his wisdom can best judge and
direct how to attain that happiness, we may probably
find that the methods he has actually chosen are fully
suited to answer this end, though we may not immedi
ately see it."
He then proceeds to give a brief detail of the disci
pline by which the moral character is usually formed ;
the result of which he states to be, that " the bulk of
mankind are, and have ever been, employed in useful
labours for their families, and in doing good offices to
others, their friends, neighbours, and acquaintance, and
in giving or procuring relief and assistance where needed,
and in a thousand beneficent actions." This favourable

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 317
view of the human character he confirms by a curious
quotation from Archbishop King, on the Origin of Evil*. ¦
And 'Photinus concludes the Conversation with obser
ving, " that thus the wisdom and goodness of the
Creator are vindicated; that he was not disappointed in
the noblest work of his creation here below ; and that
the world has been from the first, and all along, a nursery
for virtuous, noble, and useful characters."
The fourth Conversation is short, but by far the most
interesting and impressive of the whole. In this the
venerable author states and argues, with a warmth of
feeling which shows how deeply his own heart was im
pressed with the magnificent speculation, and with a
cogency of argument which can never be refuted, that
all things are from God; that evil as well as good,
moral as well as natural evil, are not only permitted,
* The sentiments expressed by the learned prelate are so uncommon,
and at the same time so just, and so exactly coincident with those which
the writer of this Memoir has offered to the public in a work printed some
years ago without any consciousness that they had before met with so able
an advocate, that he will take the liberty of transcribing a considerable part
of the quotation alluded to above.
The Archbishop is replying to an anonymous opponent who had said,
" that the prevalence of wickedness or moral evil is a thing so certain, that
he was con6dent no one could have the least doubt of it, and he durst say
the author (the Archbishop) himself believed it."
" The author professes himself to be of a quite different opinion," replies
the Archbishop. " He firmly believes, and thinks he very well compre
hends, that there is much more moral good in the world than evil. He is
sensible there may be more bad men than good, because there are none but
do amiss sometimes, and one ill act is sufficient to denominate a man bad.
But yet there are ten good acts done by those we call bad men, for one ill
one. Even persons of the very worst character may have gotten it by two
or three flagrant enormities, which yet bear no proportion to the whole se
ries of their lives. The author must profess, that among such as he is ac
quainted with, he believes that there are hundreds who would do him good
far one that would do him hurt, and that he has received a thousand good
oflices for one ill one. .He could never believe the doctrine of Hobbes, that
all men are bears, wolves, and tigers, to one another ; that they are born
enemies to all others, and all others to them ; that they are naturally false
and perfidious ; or, that all the good they do is out of fear, not virtue. Nay,
the very authors of that calumny, if their own character were called in ques
tion, would take all possible pains to remove the suspicion from them, and
declare that thoy were speaking of the vulgar ; of the bulk of mankind, and

318 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XlV.
but appointed by infinite unsearchable wisdom and
benevolence. . The Conversation is introduced by Marcellinus, who
observes, that if evil be the result of the " untractable
nature of matter," or of " a powerful evil Being whose
interference is unavoidable, we must submit, and make
the best of what we cannot avoid or amend. But all
gloom would vanish, if it could be shown that the great
whole of things is in such sort from God, that natural
and moral evil are all of his appointment,, and permitted
for good."
Photinus with great solemnity replies, " Be assured,
my friends, that we do not, any of us, deem so highly of
the boundless mercy and goodness of the sovereign
Creator and parent of all things as his works and deal
ings with us and with all his creatures call for and de
mand, or we should entertain more exalted thoughts of
him, and live under his government with a more un-
not of themselves. Nor, in reality, do they behave in this manner toward
their friends and acquaintance; if they did, few would trust them. Observe
some of those who exclaim against all mankind for treachery, dishonesty, de
ceit, and- cruelty, and you will find them diligently cultivating friendship and
discharging the several offices due to their friends, their relations, and their
country, with labour, pain, loss of goods, and hazard of life itself: even where
there is no fear to drive them to it, nor inconvenience attending the neglect
of it. This you will say proceeds from custom and education. Be it so.
However, the world then has not so far degenerated from goodness, but the
greater part of mankind exercise benevolence : nor is virtue so far exiled as
not to be supported and approved, praised and practised, by common con.
sent and public suffrage, and vice is still disgraceful. Indeed, we can scarce
meet with one, unless pressed by necessity or provoked by injuries, who is
so barbarous and hardhearted as not to be moved with compassion and
delighted with benevolence to others ; who is not delighted to show good
will and kindness to his friends, neighbours, children, relations, and dili
gence in the discharge of civil duties to all ; who does not profess some re
gard to virtue, and think himself affronted when he is charged' with immo
rality. If any one take notice of his own or another's actions for a day toge
ther, he will, perhaps, find one or two blameable, the rest all innocent and
inoffensive. Nay, it is doubted whether a Nero or Caligula, a Commodus
or Caracalla, though monsters of mankind, and prone to every act of wicked
ness and fury, have done more ill than innocent actions through their whole
lives." See Bishop Law's Translation of Archbishop King's Origin of Evil,' p. 388,
fifth edit. See also Belsham's Elements of the Philos. of Mind, p. 3<*7-403.

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 319
interrupted joy and confidence than we seem to do ; so
as not to admit any the least doubt or mistrust, that
his goodness will in the end bear down every oppo
sition." After this eloquent exoiidium, having stated that " we
behold every where^ and in all things, wise contrivance
and intentions, of kindness," also, that the rational
creation are formed by their great Creator " to be happy
with his own happiness," kit " supreme love to hina and
invincible affection to. all our fellow creatures ™ he lays
it down " as a safe and solid foundation @fi reasoning;
that as the universe and> all things in it are made to pro
duce happiness,, and as there was nothing to overrule
him in his operations, such a discordant revolting mix
ture as vice and misery would not have been admitted,
but because he saw it neeessary for the Wfiltaaent of his
benevolent purposes, or rather because those purposes
could not be obtained without it."
This-, which is probable in theory; Photinus pnoves-
, to be true in fact;" fotv, if there had been no moral
evil, mankind would have been* destitute of those dis
positions and affections which are their highest perfec
tion, and the source of their purest happiness!.. Where
would have been patience and forgiveness of injuries,
where the godlike disposition of returning good for evil,
if there had been no fraud, or cruelties, or oppression ?
" Had the good and. vijituous of mankind been wholly
prosperous," says an excellent person, " had goodness
never met with opposition, where had been the trial, the
victwy, the: crown of virtue?" He concludes with the
important and sublime inferences, " So that, as it has
been justly said of natural evil, pain^ diseases;, and the
like,, in vindication of the divine goodness, that there is
no useless evil; so must we say of moral evit sin, and
wiqkedness, that, isi the hands of God, every evil of every

320 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIV.
kind is made an instrument of greater good and higher
felicity than would otherwise have been enjoyed."
Here Volusian, in a kind of ecstasy, interrupts Pho
tinus to express his delight in the satisfactory solution
which his friend had given of this most difficult of all
problems, the introduction of moral evil. And he la
ments that the great Frederic and his friend D'Alembert,
rather than acquiesce in this easy and probable hypo
thesis, should have assumed that the Deity, if -he exists
at all, is an evil and imperfect Being ; that Christianity
is untrue; and that there is no future life in which the
difficulties and obliquities of the present state would be
solved and rectified; while he applauds the opposite con
duct of M. Turgot, the able and disinterested minister
of Louis XVI, who, though, under the influence of in
vincible and inevitable prejudices, he rejected the chris
tian revelation, entertained just ideas of the. divine cha
racter, and was a believer in a future life.
Photinus, resuming his discourse after Volusian had
finished, observes, " that it is matter of the highest
exultation and joy, in which we may justly triumph, to
be fully assured that mere arbitrary will and sovereignty,
from which we could never know what we were to expect,
has no sway in the divine government under which we
are placed; and that original love and goodness are the
beginning and end, the spring and measure, of all the
actions of the Deity, and of all his dealings with us.
Hence we conclude, that every evil of every kind is
ordained for present or ultimate good. All natural
and moral evils are from God, and under his sovereign
control." To guard against the abuse of this sublime doctrine,
Photinus remarks, that " we frail ignorant creatures are
on no account to transgress the plain rule of moral duty,
and to do evil that good may come ; because our under-

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 321
standings are weak and limited, and we cannot be sure
that the good we intend will happen. But our Maker,
Out of that limited quantity of evil which he judges fitting
to appoint or permit, continually produces virtue and
every good." And he offers some observations to obvi
ate the common objection, that this doctrine represents
God as the author of sin.
" We shall avoid," says Photinus, " some of the per
plexity and difficulties in which good minds are wont to
be involved, from the idea of the evil actions of men
being of divine appointment, as though God himself
were the immediate author of sin and wickedness : if we
consider that the Almighty Being, if we may so speak,
acteth not immediately himself in directing the actions of
men and influencing them to good and evil, but by the
intervention of second causes ; in other words, it is by
the different riiotives which arise in our minds from our
situation and circumstances, which are all of divine ap
pointment, that we are led to evil and to good." Upon
this supposition he explains the case of Lydia, whose
heart the Lord had opened, and that of Pharaoh, whose
heart was hardened. He afterwards adds, that " though
we cannot but be persuaded that all the actions of men
are under the antecedent appointment and direction of
God, (for how could he otherwise govern the world ?)
yet mankind are not a mere piece of clock-work, a set
of unconscious machines. They acquire voluntary pow
ers, by which they do what they please, choose for them
selves, and follow their choice ; take blame to, and con
demn, themselves when they do what is wicked; and,
more than this, think themselves not unrighteously dealt
with in being made to suffer for their evil dispositions
and actions in order to correct and amend them; nor,
if they continue unreformed, to expect to escape punish
ment in a future state. So that, if God be charged in

322 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XIV.
any way with being the author of men's sins, it is not in
any such sense as to acquit the perpetrators, or to excuse
them even in their own estimate from being responsible."
Photinus sums up his argument by stating, that " we are
conscious that we are not mere puppets acted upon, but
agents responsible for what we do. We are also fully
persuaded, that all we do is beforehand known to God,
and appointed by him. How this divine knowledge and
appointment are to be reconciled to the freedom and
responsibility of our actions, is beyond our comprehen
sion; nor need we be at all concerned about it." And
he pleads Mr. Locke's declaration and example for giving
it up as an inexplicable difficulty.
The venerable writer's solution of this famous difficulty
does not appear to be perfectly satisfactory. The ques
tion may be considered either popularly or philosophi
cally. As a popular question, it is sufficient to state,
that vice and wickedness, arising from the bad passions
of men, will and ought to be punished here or hereafter;
and, which is indeed true, that the foreknowledge of God
makes no difference either in the crime or the punish
ment. But if the inquisitive mind, pursuing the inquiry
in a philosophical way, is brought to the conclusion,
which the venerable writer so clearly and forcibly states,
that all evil, natural and moral, proceeds from God, and
that vice, as well as misery, is of divine appointment; it
becomes a serious question, and appears under the shape
of a formidable objection to this sublime doctrine, Does
it not make God the author of sin ? And is not God
unrighteous in punishing sinners ? Nor will such an in
quirer be satisfied with being told, that God does not act
directly upon the will, but through the medium of mo
tives ; and that we are conscious that we are not puppets,
but responsible agents, and that guilt is deserving of
punishment. For in the first case it will immediately

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 323
occur, that the cause of the cause is the cause of the
foreseen effect; and that to leave a child upon a bank,
from which it will inevitably roll into the river, is the
same as to push him in. And, in the second case, it
is asked, Where is the justice of punishing what was
inevitable ?
The true solution of the first difficulty, whether God
be the author of sin ? appears to be this : that God is,
strictly speaking, the author of evil ; but that, in the first
place, he never ordains or permits evil but with a view
to the production of a greater good, which could not
have existed without it. And, secondly, that though
God is the author of evil both natural and moral, he is
not the approver of evil; he does not delight in it for its
own sake; it must be the object of his aversion, and
what he would never permit or endure if the good-he
intends could have been accomplished without it. As
to the second question, concerning the justice of punish-.
ment, the best and only philosophical solution of it is,
that under the divine government all punishment is
remedial. Moral evil is the disease, punishment is the
process of cure, of greater or less intensity, and of longer
or shorter duration, in proportion to the malignity and
inveteracy of the distemper, but ultimately of sovereign
efficacy under the divine government to operate a perfect
cure ; so that those whose vices have been the means of
proving, purifying, and exalting the virtues of others,
shall, in the end, share with them in their virtue and
their triumph, and the impartial justice and infinite bene
volence of the divine Being will be made known, adored,
and celebrated to all eternity, through the whole created
universe. But to return to the author:
• Photinus having finished his discourse, Synesius rose
to speak; but the company agreed to defer the Conver
sation to another opportunity.
y2

324 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XIV.
In the fifth Conversation Synesius takes the lead.
This gentleman, a real character it should seem, in the
Conversations upon Christian Idolatry is represented as
a blunt man, of sound understanding, zealous for the
church, though seldom seen within its walls, and not
much attached to its peculiar doctrines. He introduces
the conversation with a profession of his conversion, and
a recantation of his past errors, particularly in his doubts
concerning the divine character, his scepticism concern
ing the Mosaic cosmogony, his account of the primitive
dispensations of God to the human race, and the destruc
tion of the Canaanites : he expresses his great satisfaction
in the " vast care and attention" which the writers of the
Old Testament display in " teaching and holding forth"
the Unity of God ; and wonders that at this time of day
Mr. De Luc should take so much pains to " deprive us
of the one true God, and introduce in lieu of him a God
consisting of three persons," upon the authority of the ex
ploded text of the heavenly witnesses, which the Bishop of
Lincoln, " to the credit of his judgement and integrity,"
gives up as spurious. Synesius further expresses his
satisfaction in the solution given to the great difficulty,
that Christianity " should have done so little to reform
the world:" and he particularly admires Dr. Adams's
judicious and temperate reply to the severe and un
founded sarcasms of Mr. Hume upon the Jewish nation,
and their sacred writings, citing at length both the ob
jection and the reply. Synesius then notices the cha
racter of Abraham, and enters into a defence of the ac
count of his offering up his son Isaac, first in the words
of Archbishop Tillotson, and afterwards by some1 obser
vations of his own.
In conclusion Synesius observes, that his friends, after
all, " had left untouched a main difficulty which Christi
anity puts in their way, by teaching the doctrine ofend-

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 325
less punishments." They had indeed shown, that virtue
naturally leads to happiness, and vice to misery ; and
that in the state after death, as we continue under the
same laws and divine moral government, those severe
punishments which await evil-doers must, in the pro
gress of infinite ages, produce a return to virtue and
goodness," He further submits to their consideration,
that " as the Scriptures teach that all the dead shall be
raised and judged according to their works, and do there
by implicitly give us hope, may we not rather say, give
us humble assurance, that the gloomy sentence of anni
hilation will not pass on any of our species; for we cannot
entertain a thought that our benevolent Creator would
bring back his creatures to life to put them on the rack
as it were, and make them suffer for a time and then con
sign them to their primitive nothing; we may, therefore,
make this inference, that none of the human race will
be consigned to fruitless, unavailing suffering and misery
for ever, but that, by the discipline to which they will be
doomed, all will be brought to repentance and be saved."
He further professes, that " the thrsptenings pf eternal
punishment in the gospel have long since ceased to make
any impression upon his mind, being counterbalanced by
contrary declarations that God loveth all his creatures,
and would not that any should perish, but that all should
have everlasting life ;" and he cannot be disappointed in
his purposes.
Synesius having ended his harangue, Photinus ap
plauds the observations of his friend, and particularly
" what he had done to relieve the gospel from the im
putation of holding forth the doctrine of eternal tor
ments, a miU-stone which some mistaken christians had
hung about it, and thereby alienated the minds of many,"
He then proceeds to state, that " the words eternal, everr
lasting, for ever, and the like, generally signify limited

326 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE ]_CH. XIV.
periods of duration : so that our Saviour meant only to
express, that the sufferings of a future state would be of
an exceeding long duration, and thereby to enforce the
necessity of attending to the divine laws, and the dreadful
danger of violating them ;" and he concludes the Con
versation with a pertinent quotation from Dr. Hartley's
Observations on Man, in which that great philosopher,
with his usual acuteness and strength of argument,
establishes the joyful doctrine of " the ultimate unli
mited happiness of all mankind."
In the sixth and last Conversation, Synesius is again
almost the only speaker. Having observed to Marcelli
nus, that after having hinted at the existence of an evil
spirit as one of the supposed causes of the " great misery
and wickedness complained of in the world, he had after
wards been wholly silent about it;" he represents the
vindication of the divine goodness as very " lame and
defective," unless they can show the insufficiency of the
evidence produced to prove " the existence of such a foul
malignant fiend," and " begs permission to state his own
thoughts upon thcsubject which he had with some dili
gence put together." The company having expressed
high satisfaction, Synesius enters with alacrity upon the
interesting argument.
He first expresses his surprise that it should be so
generally current with the learned as well as the un
learned, that the serpent who tempted Eve was a wicked
spirit, when Moses gives no such intimation, and never
alludes to the esistence of any such evil being in any of
the five books ascribed to him.
The word Satan in the Old Testament is only used
to signify an adversary, which is its proper meaning.
And that the Jewish scriptures contain no revelation of
the existence and agency of an evil spirit is evident, be
cause " we perceive not in them any religious exhorta-

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 327
tions or cautions to beware of the wiles and power of
such an evil being from first to last."
Synesius further argues, that " as the christian scrip
tures certainly contain no new revelation of an evil being,
and as the Jewish scriptures did not teach it, the Jews
must have acquired this notion during the captivity, and
probably from the Chaldeans among whom they dwelt."
This doctrine was incorporated into their theology, and
their language framed and accommodated to it ; and
this would remain in common use even after the doctrine
itself was given up. " And to this language our Saviour
and his apostles would conform themselves, though there
be no good reason to think that either the one or the
other gave credit to the reality of this evil being."
The speaker having remarked, that no evil being had
any concern in Christ's temptation, proceeds to state bur
Lord's own sentiments concerning Satan; and shows,
1 . " That Christ very commonly uses the word in its pri
mary sense, as signifying an adversary, as when he said
to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan." 2. " There is
no reason to believe that he ever means to imply that
there was in reality any such being :" . for example, by
the expression I saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven,
he means nothing more than selfish worldly desires,
hatred of God and goodness, &c* He then adduces
many passages in which the word Satan, devil, &c. are
used figuratively to express the principle of evil in ger
neral, or evil habits and affections in particular. And
from various citations from the Acts and the Epistles he
draws the conclusion, that " the apostles of Christ, like
* Satan, i. e. the enemy, the principle of hostility, the opposing persecu
ting power : Christ, by the spirit of prophecy, foresaw that his Gospel should
make a rapid progress in the world, and triumph over all opposition. Thi3
interpretation seems better to suit the primary sense of the word and the
connexion in which it is introduced, than that of the venerable writer in the
character of Synesius.' See the Improved Version on Luke x. 17, 18.

328 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XIV.
their great master, seem not to have understood that ¦
there was any devil or evil being without them whom
men need to be afraid of."
" The sum of all is this: There is no evil in the world
but what takes its rise from men themselves ; nor any
devils, but so far as men extremely wicked and aban
doned may deserve the name. And to uphold such evil
beings is to engraft heathenism on Christianity*."
" To these conclusions of Synesius the whole company
gave their hearty concurrence; and after these friendly
conferences, they returned to their respective homes and
duties, more fully impressed with their obligation as
Christians to study the word and works of God, to, add
practice to knowledge, and to communicate to others
that light and truth which lead to eternal life."
The " Conversations upon the Divine Government''
are not, perhaps, equal, as a composition, to those upon
Christian Idolatry, which were published ten years before.
The speeches are rather too long, and too formal ; and
the sentiments of the speakers are not sufficiently con
trasted to keep up the spirit of the dialogue.. Also, the
arguments and criticisms are such as will not in every case
satisfy the critical reader. And the venerable writer has
needlessly encumbered his work, and in some degree
* The venerable author in a note, highly gratifying, though too partial
to the writer of this Memoir, has referred to a passage upon the subject of
this Conversation in his Review of Mr. Wilberforce's Tieatise. A more
complete and accurate view of the subject may be found in the Rev. John
Simpson's Dissertations on the Language of Scripture. The writer of this
Memoir has also treated the subject much more at large In a series of Dis
courses delivered from the pulpit, which may perhaps at some future time
be offered to the public. In the mean time, may he be permitted to express
the high gratification he feels at the recollection that when his venerable
friend, bending under the weight of years, was taking his final leave of the
public, almost the last sentence that he penned should be a public testimony
of affection and friendship to the writer of this Memoir, which that writer
esteems as the highest honour and happiness of his life, and an ample com
pensation for all his exertions and sacrifices, whatever they may have been,
in the cause of truth and undefiled Christianity, even (as Dr. Priestley ex
presses it on another occasion,) had they been ten times more and greater
than they were.

CH. XIV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 329
weakened his argument, by assuming, and that in rather
too lofty a tone, the credibility of the whole, or at least
of too great a proportion, of what is commonly called the
Mosaic history. But the work is curious and interesting
as containing the last thoughts" of an eminently pious,
benevolent, and inquisitive mind upon a variety of sub
jects of great practical importance. Much of the philo
sophical part of the work is admirable, and the arguments
are irresistible. In his conclusions he sometimes falters
by adopting popular rather than philosophical language.
But in the grand conclusion of all, the assertion of the
great and sublime doctrine of the ultimate unlimited
virtue and happiness of all mankind as the glorious con
summation of the divine government, and the illustrious
and magnificent display of infinite and impartial good
ness over-ruling, absorbing, and extinguishing all vice
and misery in the creation, the venerable author is ex
plicit and decided. The work exhibits a most interesting
view of the aged patriarch's pious, candid, benevolent,
and cheerful mind, of his humble and devotional spirit;
and of the happy influence of that rare combination of
the principles of a sublime philosophy with the doctrines
of a pure and unsophisticated Christianity, which, when
they become the ruling principles of conduct, elevate the
human character to its highest dignity, and ensure the
most substantial, exalted, and permanent felicity. Thus
gently, thus usefully, did this eminent servant and
minister of Christ pursue his way to that quiet abode
which is the house appointed for all the living.

330 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XV.
CHAPTER XV.
MR. LINDSEY SUFFERS A PARALYTIC SEIZURE, BUT
RECOVERS. DR. PRIESTLEY'S REFLECTIONS UPON
THE SITUATION OF HIS FRIEND, AND UPON MR.
LINDSEY'S LAST WORK. MR. LINDSEY INTERESTS
HIMSELF IN THE APPOINTMENT OF THE AUTHOR
TO THE CHAPEL IN ESSEX STREET. ENCOURAGES
AND ASSISTS THE IMPROVED VERSION. HIS GRA
DUAL DECLINE AND DEATH. CONCLUSION OF THE
WORK-
Mr. Lindsey, after the resignation of his office in
1793, continued for some years to enjoy an uncommon
portion of health, vigour, and activity, and that uniform
flow of cheerfulness which is the natural result of a
good constitution, and the recollections of a well-spent
life. His retrospects were most gratifying ; his antici
pations delightful, his principles most rational and
consolatory, his circumstances easy. He was happy in
the affection and attention of the best of women, in the
society of chosen and virtuous friends of principles and
spirit similar to his own, in frequent correspondence
with the man after his own heart, in an ardent but
unostentatious piety and confidence in God, in unli
mited resignation to the divine will, and in the growing
success of the great cause which was nearest to his
heart, the cause of christian truth and christian virtue,
to the revival of which he could not but know that his
own exertions and example had in a considerable degree
contributed ; he possessed his faculties entire, bodily
and mental, and seemed to be in a degree privileged
with exemption from the infirmities of age. The first
alarm was excited in the spring of 1801, when Mr. and
Mrs. Lindsey were upon a visit for a few days at Rei-

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 331
gate, the residence of their learned and estimable friend
Francis Maseres, Esq. Cursitor Baron of the Exchequer*.
The weather being uncommonly warm for the season,
Mr. Lindsey experienced a slight paralytic affection on
one side, which however disappeared in a few days.
But in the latter end of December of the same year he
suffered a severe stroke, which at first excited the great
est apprehension. From this indeed he soon recovered
surprisingly, so as to be able in the beginning of
January following to finish his last interesting work,
the Conversations upon the Divine Government. After
this seizure he gradually declined in bodily strength
and vigour, though he was generally free from pain,
and his faculties for a considerable time were not sen
sibly impaired.
The writer of this Memoir first announced the painful
tidings to the venerable exile at Northumberland. Soon
afterwards Mrs. Lindsey wrote, and at that time Mr.
Lindsey was so far recovered as to be able to add a
postscript. The feelings of Dr. Priestley's affectionate
heart, upon the sad intelligence of his friend's illness,
are expressed with so much simplicity, and in a strain
of such exalted piety, founded upon such just and
philosophic views of the christian revelation, in the
following letters, that they cannot fail to be exquisitely
gratifying to the serious reader.

* To Mr. Baron Maseres Mr. Lindsey acknowledges himself indebted
for many favours for near thirty years, and describes his friend as " one
whose liberal, benevolent, and generous labours are constantly exerted in
various ways to benefit mankind, and promote the cause of true religion
and virtue." And he adds that to this gentleman's " suggestions jointly
with those of John Lee, Esq. was owing the variation made in the last
edition of the Reformed Liturgy in 1793, after the model of the excellent
Dr. Samuel Clarke, by changing the threefold address retained in the
liturgy to one solemn and appropriate one. They justly observing, that a
.threefold address would keep up the old impression of a threefold nature
in the Deity, so contrary to the Scriptures." Conversations on the Divine
Government, p. 140. Note.

332 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [c'H. XV.
(To Mrs. Lindsey.)
" Dear Madam, Northumberland, May 8, 1802.
" I cannot express how much I was affected on read
ing your letter ; though I was apprized of the situation
of my best friend by the letters of Mr. B., so that I had
no reason to expect any different account. But the
few lines he added with his own hand quite overcame
me; and if I read them, as I shall do, a hundred times,
I shall have the same emotions. Such friendship as
his and yours has been to me can never be exceed
ed on this side the grave ; and, independent of the
real emolument, has been a source of such satisfaction
to me as I have not derived from any other quarter.
And yet what I feel is not properly grief. For, con
sidering how near we both must be to the close of life,
in which we could not promise ourselves much more
enjoyment, or be of much more use, what remains
cannot according to the common course of nature be
of much value, and therefore the privation of it is no
great loss. And considering how soon we may expect,
and I hope without much presumption, to meet again
in more favourable circumstances, the causes of joy may
almost be allowed to balance those of grief. The loss
to you will be much greater than to any other person,
as that of such a constant companion and christian
friend necessarily must be. How few couples are there
so suited to one another in dispositions and views, and
those of the best and noblest kind, as you are ! I have
never known the like. You have therefore every reason
to expect a renewal of your union, though in some other
way, hereafter.
" If you saw me now, you would not flatter me with
the prospect of long surviving my excellent friend.
Judging from my illnesses last year, and my present
feelings, I am far from expecting it myself. And

CH. XV.J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 333
indeed, as it will be the will of God, whatever the event
be, and therefore no doubt for the best, I cannot say
that I greatly wish it. My labours, of whatever kind
and whatever be their value, are nearly over ; and I have
now hardly any wish but to see the printing of my
Church History and Notes on the Scriptures.
" I beg, dear Madam, you would not fail to continue
the correspondence of your excellent husband, and write
as you say upon all sorts of subjects. Whatever interests
you will interest me, and I hope Mr. Lindsey, whenever
he is able, will add his signature.
" Yours and Mr. Lindsey's most affectionately,
" J. P."
(Rev. T. Lindsey.)
" Dear friend, Northumberland, June 26, 1802.
" Whether it be you or Mrs. Lindsey that is my
correspondent, I consider it as the same thing. You
are alike my friends, and my best friends ; and whoever
survives, this correspondence will not, I hope, cease,
while it is possible to continue it, on this side the grave.
This great change to which we are making near ap
proaches, I regard, I hope I may say, with more curi
osity than anxiety. It is the wise order of Providence
that death should intervene between the two different
modes of existence, and what engages my thoughts is
the change itself, more than the mere manner of making
it. I look at your portrait, and that. of Dr. Price and
Mr. Lee, which are always before me, and think of my
deceased friends whose portraits I have not, with pecu
liar satisfaction, under the idea that I shall at no great
distance of time see them again, and I hope with plea
sure. But how we shall meet again, and how we shall be
employed, we have little or no ground even for conjecture.'
It should satisfy us, however, that we shall be at the dis
posal, and under the government, of the same wise and

334 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XV.
good Being who has superintended us here, and who
knows what place and employment will best suit all of
us. The more I think of the wonderful system of
which we are a part, the less I think of any difficulties
about the reality or the circumstances of a future state.
The resurrection is really nothing compared to the won
ders of every day in the regular course of nature : and
the only reason why we do not wonder is, because the
appearances are common. Whether it be because I
converse less with men in this remote situation, I con
template the scenes of nature, as the production of its
great Author, more, and with more satisfaction, than I
ever did before ; and the new discoveries that are now
making in every branch of science, interest me more
than ever in this connection. I see before us a bound
less field of the noblest investigation, and all we yet know
appears to me as nothing, compared to what we are
wholly ignorant of, and do not as yet perceive any means
of access to it. I now take great pleasure in my garden,
and plants as well as other objects engage more of my
attention than they ever did before; and I see those things
in a more pleasing light than ever. I wish I knew a
little more of botany, but old as I am I learn something
new continually. I admire Dr. Darwin's Phytologia, and
amreadingitasecondtime. But this work, which I believe
contains all that we yet know of this part of nature, shows
me how little that all is. Before he died, I am inform
ed he was about to publish another work, in which he
maintained the doctrine of equivocal generation ; and of
all absurdities this appears to me to be the greatest, if
by it they mean to exclude intelligence from the system
of-nature. And I cannot see any other reason why un
believers in revelation should lean as many now do to
that doctrine. Their faith has certainly less evidence
than ours.

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 335
"I have written a dedication of the second part of my
History to Mr. Jefferson, and have sent him a copy of
it for his approbation. The preface is the longest I ever
wrote ; but I hope you will not dislike it. It consists
chiefly of reflections on the middle and dark ages. As
soon as a copy can be made up, one shall be sent to you.
In the Monthly Magazine I see an account of your late
publication. How I long to see it ! and surely it might
have been here as soon as that magazine.
"I have not heard from Mr. Johnson for near two
years. My time is short and uncertain, and consequent
ly my want?, though not many, are urgent.
"Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectionately,
"J. P.
"I have just received yours of March 23, I need not
say how happy it makes me."
Dr. Priestley's next letter is an answer to this of Mr.
Lindsey's ; the insertion of it will need no apology ; the
sentiments contained in it must be acceptable to every
friend of the christian religion who has a head to think,
or a heart to feel.
"Dear friend, Northumberland, July 3, 1802.
"How rejoiced I was to receive your letter written
wholly with your own hand, after your late alarming at
tack ! I now hope I shall have more of them ; and no
thing on this side the grave gives me more satisfaction,
And yet, considering how soon we may hope to meet
again, the separation by death should not give us much
concern. While we live we ought to value life and friend
ship, especially christian friendship, as the balm of it.
But we have a better life in prospect, and therefore
should not regret the parting with the worse, provided
we have enjoyed it properly, and improved it so as to have

33(5 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
ensured the better. Absolute confidence does not be
come any man, conscious, as we all must be, of many
imperfections, of omissions, if not of commissions. But
surely, a general sincere endeavour to do what we appre
hend to be our duty, will authorize so much hope as may
be the reasonable foundation of joy, with respect to a
future state, without being chargeable with arrogance or
presumption. "You could not have made choice of a more pleasing
or interesting subject than that of the work which you
have happily completed, and which, as 1 believe it is in
Philadelphia, I expect very soon to receive. It occupies
my own thoughts, I may say almost constantly, and is
the greatest source of satisfaction that in my present si
tuation, and under my late trials, I enjoy. Indeed the
reflection that we are under the government of the wisest
and best of Beings, and that nothing can befall us with
out his permission, is sufficient to balance the very idea
of evil, and make us regard every thing as a good, for
which we ought to be thankful. At the moment, none
who have the hearts and feelings of men but must grieve
for many things that he sees and feels. But christian
principles soon bring relief, and are capable of converting
all sorrow into joy. But this will be in proportion to
the strength of our faith, in consequence of the exercise
of it ; when, according to Hartley, speculative faith is
converted into practical.
"We have printed one volume of the History, and, as
I told you, I have dedicated it to Mr. Jefferson. I in
close his letter on receiving a manuscript copy of it. I
have since altered it, I hope, to his mind, and shall very
soon send it, together with the volume. I do not mean
to dispose of any of the copies till all the three volumes be
completed, which, if I do not take a journey in October,
will be done about Christmas. I now hope you will see

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 337
this work, and even the Notes on the Scriptures which I
hope you will like still better. As I wish you particu
larly to see the Preface and Dedication, I shall send a
copy by the next post. The latter will not please you,
as not calculated for England. But I have done with
that country ; and am indifferent to what my enemies
may think of me. I shall always appear, as I am, a sincere
friend to the country, and shall not with intention say any
thing offensive of its constitution, or the administration
of it. I rejoice that its situation is much better than I
feared such a war would leave it.
"Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectionately,
" J. Priestley."
How great must be the excellence of those principles,
which in circumstances that to a common mind would
be most depressing, could produce this habitual conso
lation, peace and hope, and could convert evil itself into
good, and sorrow into joy ! How infinitely superior to
that sad and cheerless scepticism which can meet the
troubles of life, the evils of oppression and persecution,
and the separation or death of friends, with nothing bet
ter than a stern and stoical apathy, and is destitute of
every pleasing and consolatory hope of a life to come ! It
was a just observation of Lord Rochester, that if Chris
tianity be a delusion, it is a pleasing delusion. And
strictly true is the remark of Dr. Price, that the worst
which can happen to the christian is the best which. can
be expected by the unbeliever. On the other hand, how
much more dignified that equal tenor of mind, that tran
quil and sublime satisfaction which is the result of en
larged and comprehensive views, and of a sober and ra
tional faith, than those ecstatic raptures of which some
make their boast, which result from a fancied arbitrary

338 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
election of themselves to happiness, and the unintelligible
imputation of another's righteousness as a substitute for
their own, while millions are left to perish, and even
doomed to eternal torments, for the sin of a remote an
cestor ! One marks the fond credulity of a child ; the
other, the cultivated intellect of the man. How much to
be desired, how pleasing to look forward to, that new and
happy sera which the word of prophecy authorizes us to
anticipate, when all those puerile conceits, those anti-
christian doctrines, which are the crude offspring of ages
of ignorance and superstition, which obscure and disgrace
the fair form of true religion, shall be dispelled as mists
before the rising sun, and genuine uncorrupted Christiani
ty with its beautiful and animating ray shall enlighten
every understanding, and enliven every heart !
Mr. Jefferson's answer to Dr. Priestley's letter, in
closing a copy of it for the President's perusal, previous
to its publication, is given in the Notes as an interesting
document, highly creditable to the character of that emi
nent person*. The original letter, with Mr. Jefferson's
signature, is in the author's possession.
* (To the Rev. Dr. Priestley.)
" Dear Sir, Washington, June 19, 1802.
" Your fivour of the 12th has been duly received, and with that pleasure
which the approbation of the good and the wise must ever give. The sen^
timents it expresses are far beyond my merits or pretensions. They are pre
cious testimonies to me, however, that my sincere desire to do what is right
and just is received with candour. That it should be handed to the world
under the authority of your name is securing its credit with posterity.
" In the great work which has been effected in America, no individual has
a right to take any great share to himself. Our people, in a body, are wise,
because they are under the unrestrained and unperverted operation of their
own understandings. Those whom they have assigned to the direction of
their affairs have stood with a pretty even front. If any one ot them was
withdrawn, many others, entirely equal, have been ready to fill his place with
as good abilities. A nation composed of such materials, and free in all its'
members from distressing wants, furnishes hopeful implements for the ir-
terestingexperiment of self-government, and we feelthat we are acting undei*
©bligations not confined to the limits of our own Society. It is impossible

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 339
In the letter inclosing this from Mr. Jefferson, dated
August 28, 1802, and addressed to Mr. Lindsey, Dr.
Priestley tells his friend that he had just been very happy
by the receipt of a letter from him, dated May 5, and ex
presses his great satisfaction at hearing of a scheme which
had been formed and adopted for defraying the expense
of printing his two great works. In noticing Mr. Jef
ferson's letter, he adds, " Such things as these give us a
better idea of a man's principles and character than more
public documents. I shall not be able to visit him as he
wishes. Indeed the state of my health is such as warns me

not to be sensible that we are acting for all mankind : that circumstances,
denied to others but indulged to us, have imposed on us the duty of proving
what is the, degree of freedom and self-government in which a society may
venture to leave its individual members.
" One passage in the paper you inclosed me must be corrected ; it is the
following : ' And all say that it was yourself more than any other individual
that planned and established the Constitution.' I was in Europe when the
Constitution was planned and established, and never saw it till after it was
established. On receiving it I wrote strongly to Mr. Madison, urging the
want of provision for the freedom of religion, freedom of the press, trial by
jury, habeas corpus, the substitution of militia for a standing army, and an
express reservation to the State3 of all the rights not specifically granted to
the Union. He accordingly moved, in the first session of Congress, for
these amendments, which were agreed to and ratified by the States as they
now stand. This is all the hand I had in what related to the Constitution.
Our predecessors made it doubtful how far even these were of any value. For
the very law which endangered your personal safety, the Alien Act, as well
as that which restrained the freedom of the press, were gross violations of
them. However, it is still certain, that though written Constitutions may be
\iolated in moments of passion or delusion, yet they furnish a text to which
those who are watchful may again rally, and recall the people. They fix too
for the people principles for their practical creed.
, " We shall all absent ourselves from this place during the sickly season,
say, from the 22d of July to the last of September. Should your curiosity-
lead you hither either before or after that interval, I shall be very happy to
receive you, and shall claim you as my guest. I wish the advantages of a
mild over a winter climate had been tried for you, before you were located
where you are. I have ever considered this as a public as well as personal
misfortune. The choice you made of our country as your asylum, was ho
nourable to it ; and I lament that, for the sake of your happiness and health,
its most benign climates were not selected. Certainly it is a truth, that cli
mate is one of the sources of the greatest sensual enjoyment. I received in
due time the letter referred to in your last, with the pamphlet it inclosed,
which I read with the pleasure I do everything from you. Accept assurances
of my highest veneration and respect. << Tiios. Jefferson;"
z2

340 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
that I have no time to lose ; and I am desirous of doing
all I can in what remains of life. If well spent, longer
or shorter, makes no difference ; but mine has been a
long life, though not so long as yours. Whenever we die,
we shall start together at the same time hereafter. May
it be in the same place, and our happy connexion be re
sumed !"
In the next letter, dated September 25, after express
ing his anxiety to hear about his friend's state of health,
Dr. Priestley adds, " It would be extreme folly for either
of us to flatter ourselves with the prospect of many years
to come ; nor at our time of life is it in general desirable.
Before this time, the business of life, whatever it has
been, must be over, and nothing can remain but retro
spect ; and with respect to neither of us, I trust, is this
very painful; though no man ever lived who might not
have done more good in the world (and for that end we
came into it) than he actually did. Of late, but not more
than a fortnight, I have had a better prospect of health
than I have had for a considerable time, having no ague
or indisposition of any kind, and I feel nothing of the
languor which I did for some time past, but as much ar
dour in my pursuits as I generally have had, though I
find I am not capable of doing as much. I now hope,
that with care, I may see through the printing of both
my works, and I have hardly a wish to live longer, espe
cially as I shall hardly be capable of undertaking any thing
more of much importance."
I shall insert the next letter almost entire ; not only
because it contains Dr. Priestley's opinion of Mr. Lind
sey's last work, and expresses many fine sentiments con
cerning the wisdom and goodness of the divine govern
ment, but because of the strong testimony which, after a
friendship of thirty years, the venerable writer bears to
the excellence of Mrs. Lindsey's character, and her vi-

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 341
gorous and successful exertions in doing good, which can
hardly be conceived by those who only saw that extraor
dinary woman in the last year or two of her active and
useful life, when her health and faculties were in a rapid
decline. The letter is dated October 16, 1802, and is
addressed to Mrs. Lindsey :
" Dear Madam, — What do I not owe to you and Mr.
Lindsey, and at present more particularly to yourself? If
I have been of any use in the world since my acquaint
ance with you, one half of it at least must be placed to
your account. I have, I hope, endeavoured to improve
my opportunities and means, but these have been in a
great measure furnished by you. Without your active
assistance I find that the works which I have now in hand
would hardly have been printed in my lifetime, unless I
should live longer than I have any reason to expect*.
* Dr. Priestley here alludes to the exertions which were made by his
friends in England, to raise a sum of money to defray the expense of printing
his two great works. The writer of this Memoir learning, from his own and
Mr. Lindsey's correspondence with Dr. Priestley, the difficulties which had
occurred upon this subject, and apprehensive lest, after all, the christian
world might be deprived of the benefit of his most valuable labours for want
of a sufficient fund to enable him to publish the work, it occurred to him that
if a hundred persons could be found to subscribe five pounds each for a copy
of the whole of both the works, and to pay their subscriptions in advance,
every difficulty would be surmounted. No sooner was the proposal made
than it was adopted with great ardour and zeal by Dr. Priestley's numerous
friends, and the friends of freedom of inquiry in general; so that the sum
wanted was very soon far exceeded, and the venerable exile's mind was made
perfectly easy. Mrs. Lindsey exerted her usual energies in the cause, and
his friends at Birmingham and Hackney were not deficient ; and among these
no one was more indefatigable or successful than Benjamin Travel's, Esq.
then resident at Clapton. The list of subscribers was numerous and respect
able. The Duke of Grafton, with his accustomed liberality, subscribed fifty
pounds, and his noble friend Lord Clarendon twenty, Mr. Lindsey twenty,
and Robert Slaney, Esq, of Tong Lodge, the generous friend of all that is
liberal and good, thirty guineas, with a promise of more, if more should be
wanted. And now that he is at rest beyond the reach of envy and of calum
ny, from which neither exalted station nor exalted merit could have protect
ed him here, it may be permitted to mention, that by far the most liberal
subscriber to this object was the late Right Reverend Dr. John Law, bishop
of Elphin, one of the numerous able and prosperous family of the late learn
ed and liberal prelate of Carlisle, and brother to the late Loid Chief Justice

342 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
Dr. Doddridge used to say, he was confident there would
be more women in heaven than men ; and certainly you
excell in the milder, and, what are more peculiarly call
ed, the christian virtues -of paiience, meekness, sympa
thy, and kindness ; and I think that the history of per
secutions proves you have your full share of the more he
roic virtues, and have shown as much true courage as
men. When I reflect, as I often do, on the character of
my good aunt, that of Mrs. Rayner, and to those let me
add yours, I do not think that I can find many of my ac
quaintances to compare with them among men : and yet
I have known many of great excellence. Of these, the
foremost in my list are Dr. Price, Mr. Tayleur of Shrewsr
bury, and Mr. Lindsey, Those in a lower class, how
ever, are numerous ; and I doubt not but that hereafter
we shall find there has always been more virtue than vice
in the world, and that the vice has had its use in vio-
ducing virtue, The more I contemplate the great sy-
of England, and to the Bishop of Chester. An extract from the Bishop of
Elphin's interesting letter shall close this note. It is addressed to Mr.
Lindsey, who had sent him a copy of his last publication, dated Elphin, Octo
ber 7, 1802.
" My dear sir, — Want of health, and indisposition, have prevented me
from thanking you for your letter and obliging present sooner. I have read
your valuable work with as much attention as pains in the head and stomach,
arising from a flying gout, would let me; and think it is calculated to do- a
great deal of good.
" Inclosed is a draft for one hundred pounds, which you will apply in aid
of Dr. Priestley's publication, in any way he chooses ; but my name must on
no account be mentioned to him, or any one else, as it would involve me
with some acquaintance here, and do me more mischief than you can imagine,
and which I am sure you would not wish. Our religion hereabouts is evi
denced chiefly in hating and abusing those that differ from us ; and except
ing this zeal we scarce show in other things that we have any. You will
be surprised at it, but neither Papery nor Methodism are losing any ground.
" Reprint my father's Life of Christ whenever you please, and believe me
to be, with the sincerest esteem, f Your very faithful and obedient servant,
" J. Elphin."
Mr. Lindsey availed himself of the bishop's permission to reprint the Life
of Christ, and this small but valuable tract is now upon the catalogue of
books circulated by the Unitarian Society.

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHIL17S LINDSEY. 343
stem, the more satisfaction I find in it: and the structure
being so perfect, there cannot be a doubt but that the end
and use of it in promoting happiness will correspond to
it. These views, as I take more pleasure than ever in
Natural History, contribute much to brighten the even
ing of my days. But my great resource is the Scrip
tures, which I have not of a long time passed a single
day without reading a portion of, and I am more inter
ested in it continually. I seem now to see it with other
eyes, and all other reading is comparatively insipid.
" But I shall tire you with my moralizing. You are
very kind to interest yourself about my health. On this
day se'nnight I wrote to Dr. Disney, and told him I was
much recruited. But this week I have relapsed again,
but without fever. The least thing disorders my power
of digestion : and when I have any thing amiss there, it
is a long time before I get right again. At present, a
long continued indigestion seems to have affected the li
ver. I feel in several respects as I did when I was sub*
ject to the gall-stones ; and being further advanced in
life, I am less able to struggle with disease of any kind.
My flesh and muscular strength are greatly impaired. I
hope, however, that with care I may live to print the two
works, and then my mind will be entirely at ease. What?-
ever may be thought of them, I have spared no pains to
make them as perfect as I could, and both the works are
of a kind that I am sure are much wanted.
ff I find by Mr. Lindsey that my Tract on Baptism is
arrived : and his two words of approbation are a sufficient
reward for my labour. I hope he will live to see what I
am now printing, as the History will probably be printed
before the winter be out, and another year will be suffi
cient for the Notes on the Scriptures. I no more expect
fame than I do profit from either of these works, but nei
ther of them is any object with me at present. I have

344 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XV.
had enough of every thing that this world can give me,
and consider my lot as having been a s'nigularly happy
one. But I flatter myself that my writings, which are
overlooked at present, will be found useful some time
hence. " Mr. Lindsey's last work I read with peculiar satis
faction ; it is excellently adapted to gain its object, and
discovers a happy and most desirable state of mind, with
which to take leave of the world : praising the great and
benevolent Author of it, and looking forward to the same
excellent disposition of things hereafter.
" Give my best respects to the ladies at Morden. I
shall never forget their excellent characters, or their kind
ness to myself. Remember me also to Dr. Blackburne*.
I often wish I was under his care.
" Yours and Mr. Lindsey's most affectionately,
" J. Priestley."
Many letters of thanks and testimonies of approbation
were sent to Mr. Lindsey upon the publication of his last
excellent work : of these I shall take the liberty of insert
ing an extract from one by the Rev. Christopher Wyvill,
of Burton Hall, near Bedale in Yorkshire, a name that
will be ever dear to the friends of civil and religious li-"
berty, the celebrated Chairman of the Yorkshire Asso
ciation tor the Reform of the Commons House of Par
liament, and who is terminating his long career of pa
triotic exertion by a series of vigorous and benevolent ef
forts in the cause of universal religious liberty, to which
few would be equal even in the meridian of life. Nor is
it to be despaired of, considering the changes which have
lately taken place in the political world, that the veteran
champion of the rights of conscience may live to see the
complete success of his generous exertions, at a time
* An eminent physician in London ; the Archdeacon's youngest son, and
half-brother to Mrs. Lindsey, now resident near Wells, in Somersetshire.

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 345
when success was the least expected. In a letter dated
from Burton Hall, March 31, 1802, he thus addresses
his aged friend, whose views and principles upon almost
every subject were congenial with his own :
" My dear Sir,— -Last night I finished the perusal of
your Conversations on the Divine Benevolence, and other
subjects connected with it, and I hasten to return you my
cordial thanks for the pleasure and benefit I have derived
from it. I think your last work, if it is to be your last
work, closes your labours with great honour to yourself
and utility to the world, by presenting such an amiable
picture of religion, as must, one would hope, win the af
fections of many who are at present disinclined. I saw
nothing in which I could not agree with you ; as I have
long been accustomed, like yourself, to consider the good?
ness of God as the true foundation of religion. It is the
principle of St. John ; for God, he says, is love. It is the
principle of our Lord ; for God so loved the world that he
gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through him might be saved.
That is the gracious design of Providence we see : and
what Providence designs, as you justly argue in your book,
must come to pass. On this principle, therefore, of Di
vine love, I have raised a structure nearly similar to, that
which you have built upon the same ground. I have
found it the consolation of my mind, and it will be still
more so from having read what you have so well drawn
together to illustrate that Great Truth. I will, only add,
that the temper of your mind in the whole course of. your
composition well accords with the amiable principle you
are recommending."
In the beginning of the year 1 804, Mr. Lindsey lost
his admired and beloved friend and correspondent Dr,

346 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
Priestley ; an event which he felt as deeply as any cala
mity which could have happened to him in his declining
state of health and vigour, but the tidings of which he
bore, as has been already observed, with the christian
fortitude and resignation of one who was hastening apace
to the same quiet and undisturbed abode, and who hoped
for a speedy and happy reunion in a better state, and in
more auspicious circumstances.
Two events occurred after the decease of Dr. Priestley,
which, from the light in which they were viewed by the
venerable patriarch, contributed greatly to cheer and en
liven his closing day.
The first was the very lively interest which he took in
the appointment of the writer of this Memoir to he the
officiating minister at the Chapel in Essex-street, in
succession to Dr. Disney, whose infirm state of health
obliged him to resign his charge in the spring of 1805.
This event, the idea of which first occurred to Mr. Lind
sey, and to the accomplishment of which both he and
Mrs. Lindsey contributed their utmost and united ef
forts, seemed for a time at least to infuse fresh vigour
into his debilitated frame ; and upon this occasion
he resumed his seat in the chapel, from which he had
for some time withdrawn on account of his declining
health. This attendance upon public worship Mr. Lind
sey continued with exemplary regularity for upwards
of two years and a half : he often expressed himself as
particularly gratified with the attendance of the young
persons upon those Lectures on the evidences and doc
trines of revealed religion, which were introduced by the
preacher after the morning service ; and he augured the
best consequences to the interests of truth and goodness
from that spirit of inquiry which discovered itself in the
rising generation. May those favourable prognostications
be happily verified in the e ent ! After the first Sunday

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 347
in November 1 807, Mr. Lindsey's feeble state of health
and his growing infirmities compelled him finally, but
reluctantly, to withdraw from the chapel worship.
The other event alluded to was the publication of the
Improved Version of the New Testament by the Unita
rian Society, of which it will be proper to give a brief
account. In the spring of the year 1789, Dr. Priestley, whose
active and benevolent mind was always engaged in some
scheme for the instruction and improvement of mankind,
formed a project, which he communicated to Mr. Lind
sey, for a continually improving translation of the Scrip
tures of the Old and New Testament. This plan was
matured at the annual interview which he had with his
friend in the month of April ; and it was determined im
mediately to engage a competent number of coadjutors,
and to complete the work within the year. The general
idea was, that the whole Scripture should be distributed
among a certain number of translators ; that the trans
lators should adhere to certain rules which were laid down
for the purpose ; the principal of which was, not to de
viate from the public version without an evident neces
sity ; and superintendants were appointed to revise and
correct the translation previously to its being sent to the
press*, Dr. Priestley undertook to translate the Hagio-
* The following is the Plan, accompanied with the Rules of translating,
which was printed, and circulated among those whose assistance was soli
cited, or to whom it was thought expedient to communicate the design :
A Plan to procure a continually improving Translation of the Scriptures.
I. Let three persons, of similar principles and views, procure the assist
ance of a number of their learned friends, and let each of them undertake
the translation of a portion of the whole Bible, engaging to produce it in
the space of a year.
II. Let each of the translations be carefully perused by some other person
than the translator himself ; and especially let each of the three principals
peruse the whole, and communicate their remarks to the translators,

348 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [fH. XV.
graplia, and engaged the writer, of this Memoir to assist
him in the book of Job. Mr. Frend, whose abilities and
learning are well known, and who had lately seceded from
the established church, and resigned all his well-founded
hopes of preferment in it for the sake of truth and a good
conscience, undertook to translate the Pentateuch, or the
historical books. Mr. Dodson was applied to for trans
lating the prophetical writings ; but that gentleman not
III. Let the three principals have the power of making what alterations
they please ; but if the proper translator prefer his own version, let the
three principals, when they print the work, insert his version in the notes or
margin, distinguished by his signature.
IV. If any one of the three differ in opinion from the other two, let his
version be also annexed with his signature.
V, Let the whole be printed in one volume without any notes, except as
few as possible relating to the version, or the phraseology.
VI. Let the translators, and especially the throe principals, give constant at
tention to all other new translations of the Scriptures, and all other sources
of information, that they may avail themselves of them in all subsequent edi
tions, so that this version -may always be in a state of improvement.
VII. Let the three principals agree upon certain rules of translating, to be
observed by all the rest.
VIII. On the death of any of the three principals, let the survivors make
choice of another to supply his place.
IX. Let all the profits of the publication be disposed of by the three prin
cipals to some public institution in England, or any other part of the world,
or in any other manner that they shall think most subservient to the causes
of truth. RULES OF TRANSLATING.
I. -Let the translators insert in the text whatever they think it was most
probable that the authors really wrote, if it has the authority of any ancient
version or MS. ; but if it differ from the present Hebrew or Greek copies, let
the version of the present copies be inserted in the margin.
II. If the translators give the preference to any emendation of the text
not authorized by any MS. or ancient version, let such conjectural emenda
tion be inserted in the margin only.
III. Let the additions in the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch be inserted
in the text, but distinguished from the rest.
IV. Let not the present English version be changed, except for the sake
of some improvement.
V. In the Old Testament, let the word Jehovah be rendered by Jehovah,
antl also the word xugms in the New, in passages in which there is an allusion
to" the Old, or where it may be proper to distinguish God from Christ.
VI. Let the present division of chapters be adhered to with as little va
riation as possible, and the whole be divided into paragraphs, not exoeeding
about twenty of the present verses ; but let all the present divisions of chap
ters and verses be noted in the margin.
VII- To each chapter let there bo prefixed a summary of the contents,
as in the common version,

CH. XV. 1 REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 349
having leisure sufficient, Dr. Priestley undertook the
whole. Mr. Garnham, a learned, liberal, andrespectable
clergyman at Bury St. Edmortd's in Suffolk, engaged for
and executed, the translation of the whole NewTestament.
Mr. Lindsey and Mr. Dodson were to revise the work.
The task, however, was found to be too great even for
Dr. Priestley's energies to accomplish within the year ;
and it having been postponed till the summer of 1791,
the riots of Birmingham unfortunately intervened, and
the ruffians who broke into Dr. Priestley's house, among
other valuable papers, demolished his translation of the
New Testament, and in their demoniac fury they left not
a wreck behind *.
This disastrous event put an entire termination to the
promising project of a new and continually improving
translation. But the design was never lost sight of for
a moment ; and when the Unitarian Society was institu
ted in 1791, and especially after the destruction of Dr.
Priestley's manuscripts, the translation of the Scriptures,
and particularly of the New Testament, was a main ob
ject of their attention.
With this view, application was first made by a depu
tation from the Society, consisting of Mr. Lindsey, Mr.
Dodsou, and the writer of this Memoir, to the late cele
brated and learned Gilbert Wakefield for leave to intro
duce his valuable translation into the Society's' Cata
logue : to which request Mr. Wakefield not only gave
his cordial consent, but promised to revise his transla
tion with the utmost care, and to render it as perfect as
* For a complete account of the irreparable loss which the theological,
the philosophical, and the learned world sustained from this unparalleled
outrage, see Dr. Priestley's Appeal to the Public on the Riots in Birming
ham, p. 36. Of these losses, if the writer of this Memoir may presume to
judge, the greatest and the most irreparable is a manuscript volume con
taining Illustrations' of Hartley's Doctrine of the Association of Ideas, and
further Observations on the Human Mind. No one ever understood Dr.
Hartley's Theory better than Dr. Priestley, and no writer ever exceeded him
in simplicity and clearness of exposition, or in appositeness of illustration.

350 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE j/JH. XV;
he was able for the Society's use. In this generous pur
pose he was defeated by the contract which he had made
with his bookseller, who had not then disposed of all
the copies of the second edition. Afterwards, the Uni
tarian Society in the West of England formed a project
for a new translation of the New Testament, which was
soon abandoned in consequence of the sudden and un
expected decease of the Reverend Timothy Kenrick, who
took the lead in that and. every other scheme for promo
ting learning, truth, and genuine Christianity in prin
ciple and practice in that district of the united king
dom. Here the matter rested till the General Meeting of
the London Unitarian Society in April 1806, when it
was unanimously resolved, that this important under
taking should be no longer deferred ; and a committee,
consisting of all the ministers who were members of the
Society, and of a certain proportion of lay gentlemen,
was nominated to carry the resolution into effect. It
was also unanimously agreed, that instead of a transla
tion entirely new, some respectable Version already in
existence should be adopted as the basis of the new pub
lication, into which might be inserted the alterations
which were judged necessary. The principal reasons
for this decision were, that a new translation would re
quire a considerable length of time ; that few persons
had leisure sufficient for the purpose, or were willing to
incur the responsibility ; and that such a version, how
ever impartially conducted, would be exposed to the vul
gar cavil of an intentional warping of the Scripture to
support an unscriptural hypothesis.
As Mr. Wakefield's Version could not be obtained,
Archbishop Newcome's Translation was selected with
the full consent of the late Mr. Johnson, to whom it
was understood that the copy-right belonged. And the

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 351
reasons for selecting this Version were, that, though not
faultless, it was in the main excellent ; that the style in
general was simple and unaffected ; that the translation
was fair and impartial ; that it rectified many errors in
the public Version ; but chiefly, because the learned
prelate had, in his translation, followed the corrected
text of Griesbach. And though it was taken from Gries-
bach's first edition, the variations in the second, though
numerous, are in general very inconsiderable ; that learn
ed and laborious critic having himself remarked, that
his later inquiries had in general served only to confirm
the critical principles and to justify the variations which
he had introduced into the first edition. Another in
ducement for adopting the Primate's Version was, that
it was out of print, without the least probability of its
ever being printed again*. In order to preserve the uni
formity of style, it was resolved that no alterations should
be made in the Primate's language but those which were
judged to be absolutely necessary. And, to preclude
every possibility of misleading the reader, wherever it
was thought proper to give a different translation of any
passage, or to deviate even in a single expression from
the Primate's text, his own words, with the initials of his
name, were required to be set down at the foot of the
page. So that the editors of the Improved Version, far
from desiring to cast a slur upon the Primate's or
thodoxy, or to avail themselves improperly and disho -
nourably of his truly respectable name, to give currency
to opinions contrary to his avowed sentiments, really
* It is very well known that the Translation was printed while the Primate
was living, but that it was withheld from the public at the request, and by
the influence, of some in high station, who thought it not expedient for an
Archbishop to let the public into the secret, that the common Version is ca
pable of improvement, and that the received text, formed by the meritorious
but not infallible labours of Erasmus, Stephens, Beza, and Elzevir, is not
inspired. Unfortunately, the impression of the Primate's Works was much
damaged in crossing the water, in consequence of b,eing carelessly pacKea.
So that the copies which were left for sale were comparatively very tew.

352 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
considered themselves as entitled to thanks for having
rescued a meritorious work from oblivion, and having .
given a wider extent to its circulation ; and they consci
entiously believed that the pious and venerable prelate
himself, had he been living, would not have condemned
the'liberty which they have taken with it*.
It was an object of primary consideration with the So
ciety, that the Version published under their sanction
should contain Notes explanatory of those passages which
are Commonly understood as giving the greatest counte
nance to popular errors, and especially of those which
bear upon the Unitarian controversy. And it was judged
expedient that these Notes should commonly be extract
ed from the works of authors who are esteemed by Uni
tarians as the most judicious expositors of the Scriptures,
and, as far as might be, should be expressed in their
*The onlyperson, excepting the possessor of the copy-right, who had aright
to be offended at the liberty taken by the editors in adopting the Primate's
Version as the basis of their own, wa3 Dr. Stock, the late venerable Bishop of
Killala, and afterwards of Waterford, who published an interesting account-
pi the invasion of Ireland by the French, who seized the episcopal palace at
Killala, and made it their head quarters, detaining the Bishop and his family
prisoners. This worthy and learned prelate also distinguished himself by
his new Version of the books of Job and Isaiah ; and being a near relative
by affinity of. the venerable Primate, he may be regarded as the proper guar
dian of his reputation. From this learned and respectable prelate the author
of this Memoir received the following mild and polite expostulation, very
different from the gross language in which the Improved Version is com- :
monly attacked : '
"Reverend Sir, Bath, Aug. 7, 1809.
" I shall with pleasure avail myself, when occasion offers, of. your kind .
invitation to call on you at Hackney. I may then, perhaps, be allowed to i
expostulate with you, not on the religious opinions you maintain, for tliese t
I leave to every man's own conscience, but on the covert, I had almost said,
the unfair manner in which your Society have endeavoured, by the means of
the New Translation, to instill those opinions into the minds of the common
people. Two things I mainly object to you ; the name your Society has as
sumed, which is calculated to deceive by its resemblance in sound to that of
another, and more ancient Society in London, whose labours have been con
fined to the spreading of Gospel truths without any mixture of opinions dis
puted among christians. And, secondly, your adopting through the great
er part of your work the Version of Arclibishop Newcome, while, by al*
terations of your own, and by your comments, you endeavour to lead the
reader into opinions which that respected Father of our church entertained'no
more than I do. It is true yon have sought to obviate this charge, by mark*

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 353
own words ; and, at any rate, without any asperity of
censure upon Christians of different sentiments who in
terpret the Scriptures in a different manner. By the
introduction of these Notes, in which brevity was to be
consulted as far as was consistent with perspicuity, it
was intended that Unitarian Christians who might be in
possession of the Improved Version, might at all times
be able to recur to the most approved interpretations of
difficult and disputed texts, especially those which are of
the greatest importance for establishing the doctrine of
the Unity and unrivalled supremacy of God, and of the
proper humanity of Jesus Christ ; arid others who wish
ed to know what the real sentiments of the Unitarians
are, and how they explain those texts which are com
monly understood as contradicting their opinions, might
gain the information which they desire.
It was determined to publish two large editions at
ing in your Notes the difference between your interpretation and our Pri
mate's : but common readers will not be ready to advert to such distinctions;
neither can the friends to Primate Newcome's reputation be pleased to see
his name coupled, as it was sometimes most untruly in his lifetime,;with those
of the Unitarians and Socinians. I have the honour to be, with respect, Re
verend Sir, your most obedient humble servant, "Joseph Killala."
The author of this Memoir wrote an answer to the venerable and liberal
prelate, which, he trusts, satisfied his Lordship that the editors, even if they
erred in their judgement, intended nothing disingenuous or unfair. He hoped
to have had an opportunity by personal intercourse to have effaced every
remaining unfavourable impression. But his Lordship's infirm health, and
his professional avocations, did not admit of his return to the metropolis.
The reader will judge how far the Bartlett's Buildings Society, who do
not venture to circulate the Bible itself but in connexion with the Common
Prayer Book, are entitled to the worthy Prelate's encomium, of "confining
themselves'to spreading gospel truths without any mixture of disputed opi
nions:" And as to the rumour that the late learned Primate favoured the
Unitarian principles, it is acertainfactthatthePrimate'sownbrother, whowas
a worthjrtradesmanin London, not perhaps deeply versed in theological lore,
did assure Dr.- Priestley that his brother's opinions coincided with Dr. Priest
ley's, and that he had heard the Primate say it. The Primate's Works, and
Dr. Stockys testimony, pi-ove that this respectable gentleman was mistaken.
Perhaps, however, the learned Primate, who was certainly a profound theo
logian, and mighty in the Scriptures, might satisfy his mind, as Mr. Lind
sey once did, with Dr. Wallis's hypothesis, sanctioned by the University of
Oxford, that the three names in the Trinity,, of Father, Son; and Holy SpU
lit, were nothing more than three different titles of the same indi vid ual per
son ; like the God of Abraham, the God of I^aac, and the God of Jasob ;
which is, in fact, the purest Unitarianism.
2 A

354 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XV.
the same time; one in royal octavo, the other for com
mon use in royal duodecimo. And as some expressed
a wish for the Version without the explanatory Notes, a
numerous edition in a smaller form was printed for their
satisfaction. It was also resolved, that a subscription
should be opened to defray the expense of the undertak
ing, and that the money should be paid in advance ; that
the Committee, who were appointed to superintend the
publication, might be in possession of ready money to
enable them to go to the best market.
This plan of an Improved Version with explanatory
Notes was adopted by the Unitarians and their friends
with the greatest ardour. The subscription was filled ra
pidly. The venerable patriarch, who is the subject of
this Memoir, delighted and grateful to divine Providence
that he had lived to see the accomplishment of the fer
vent and favourite wish of his heart, approving most
heartily, in concurrence with his intelligent and zealous
consort, of every part of the plan, was eager to open the
subscription with a liberal donation of fifty pounds ; the
Duke of Grafton gave fifty guineas, and a second dona
tion of fifty pounds. Samuel Prime, Esq. in whom
every scheme for the improvement and happiness of
mankind found an enlightened and munificent patron,
gave fifty guineas to the first and twenty to the second
subscription *. The example of liberality set by these
* The laudable example of William Smith, Esq. (whose manly, indepen
dent, and persevering exertions in the cause of civil and religious liberty, in
that honourable house of which he is now a veteran member, are universally
acknowledged and admired,) ought not to be passed over in silence ; who, in
addition to his own liberal subscription to the Improved Version, purchased
a considerable number of copies, which he sent down to the tutors of the col
leges at York and Wymondely, to be distributed as presents among the candi
dates for the ministry in those respectable institutions : to which copies were
prefixed the following judicious remarks :
" Search the Scriptures ;"fbr- m them ye think that ye have everlasting life ;
and they bear witness of me."
It havingbeen thought expedient to attempt an Improved Version of the New
Testament, for the reason stated in the Introduction to the following worV»

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 355
eminent characters was followed by many others equally
willing, if not equally able to contribute ; and in a short
time the sum requisite for the commencement of the un
dertaking was raised, and the press was not delayed for an
hour by the want of necessary funds. In two years the work
was complete; and the several parts, as they were printed,
were placed in Mr. Lindsey's hands, who was pleased to
express his high approbation both of the plan and of the
execution ; and it may truly be said, that the perusal of
the Improved Version, reading it himself or hearing it
read by others, constituted the principal part of Mr.
Lindsey's enjoyment during the remainder of his life.
Of a work in which many are so deeply interested,
and of which every one thinks himself competent to
judge, it is impossible that there should not be a great
thisjcopy of.it is presented to the student, not with any view or wish unduly
to influence his opinion by authority, or to entrap him by tbe charm of no
velty into any change ; but merely to afford him additional motives and fa
cilities for the careful and anxious study of the Sacred writings. — This, in
proportion to his opportunities, is allowed to be the duty of every Christian ;
but more especially of those dedicated to the ministry, who, before they
commence teachers of others, should themselves be diligent to learn ; and
should resolve not to rest satisfied with any system which, from education,
connection, example, or authority, may have been their early creed, unless.by
serious, and, as far is permitted to human frailty, impartial inquiry, they shall
have acquired for themselves a conviction of its truth.
The writer of this notice may be supposed himself to have settled opi
nions ; but he has ever been adverse to the practice, too prevalent among
all sects, of usurping to themselves epithets, in their very terms decisive of
all controversy. Who but the infallible shall presume to arrogate to himself
alone the title of orthodox Or evangelical ? — who, duly conscious of the
weakness of his reason and the strength of his prejudices, shall claim to. be
exclusively rational and liberal ? — The question still remains, as in our Sa
viour's time, "What is the truth?" i. e. the true doctrine of the Gospel.
That which is not such cannot be either orthodox or evangelical. Nor is it pos
sible that this truth of God as it is in Jesus, when ascertained, should not be
found sufficiently rational and liberal for his creature man : — rational, — ;for,
"He that giveth understanding, shall not he know?"' — and liberal, — (if in
deed in such a connection the word be at all allowable) for it is of the essence
of that truth to "make us free," — free from error — free from prejudice —
free from uncharitableuess. — While then to the Gospel all Christians equally
appeal, it is surely equally incumbent on all to scrutinize its contents, with
patience and reverence indeed, but without that servile fear which, as it pa
ralyses man's intellect, can surely never be pleasing to God who gave it,
commanding us therewith to "search the Scriptures' "that we may know
Him and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent."
2a2

35b' MEM01R5 OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
diversity of opinion, both as to the design and execution.
Accordingly, when the Improved Version made its ap
pearance, it soon became an object of rigid criticism and
severe animadversion.
The " Title " was objected to as arrogant and assum
ing. The editors, however, are not conscious of being
influenced by an improper spirit. They called it an Im
proved Version, because they regarded Archbishop New-.
come's translation as a very great improvement upon the
public Version, and they conceived their own alterations
to be an improvement upon the Version of the learned
prelate. Nor did they see that there was greater arro
gance in calling their work, or rather, that of the Primate,
an Improved Version, than in calling Dr. Clarke's Litur
gy, a Reformed Liturgy, or the Protestant Church, a Re
formed Church.
The editors are also blamed for stating that their Ver
sion is " upon the basis of Archbishop Newcome's," as
though they intended to impose upon their readers, and
to make the Archbishop responsible for their opinions.,
But the reasons which induced them to adopt the learned
Primate's Version have been assigned already : and not
to have acknowledged the obligation, would have justly*
exposed them to the charge of fraud and plagiarism. — *
That they intended to shelter their own peculiar opinions
under the authority of the Primate's name, cannot be be
lieved for a moment by any person of common under-.
standing who reads beyond the title page*.
It has even been surmised, that the editors, professing
that the Improved Version is " published by a Society
*The enemies of the Improved Version may well be sngry with the editors
for having assumed the Archbishop's Translation as the basis of their own,
for it has been the means of leading unwary critics into some egregious mis
takes. Grievous have been the wounds which the unfortunate Primate has
receii cd from the hands of his undiscerning friends through the sides of his
heretical editors. One accomplished critic wonders, forsooth, .that a Uni
tarian Version should not be more elegant and classical : not adverting to

CH. XV. J REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 357
for promoting christian knowledge and the. practice of vir
tue by the distribution of books," intended to insinuate,
that they published under the patronage of the Society
at Bartlett's Buildings for distributing Bibles and Com
mon Prayer Books. But the venerable Society may rest
assured that it was an object the most remote from the
thoughts of the editors to take shelter under their fos
tering wing. They did not even know that the title of
the Society, under whose direction they acted, so nearly
accorded with that of any other Society. In fact, they
thought it needless to insert the word Unitarian in the
title page, which would deter some ignorant and preju
diced people from looking into a work from which they
might otherwise derive instruction. The learned and the
honest Whitby did not think it necessary to write Armi-
nian in his title page ; nor Guyse, nor Doddridge, Cal-
vinist in theirs ; but each of those pious and laborious ex
positors explained the sacred text to the best of his own
judgement: so do the editors of the Improved Version.
It has been alleged as a great offence, that these edi
tors have " given up the authenticity of the prefaces of
Matthew and Luke." But they have assigned their rea
sons for this conclusion, and let their adversaries refute
them if they can.
It is further objected, that " they appeal to Lardner as
favourable to their hypothesis," though he decides directly
against them. But all which they appeal to Lardner for,
is, to prove, which he has done most abundantly, that
Herod died at least seventeen years before Augustus ; but
the fact that the Version, in the main, is not theirs, but the Primate's. An
other learned and sagacious opponent cites the Archbishop's own words, as
a proof how the Unitarians pervert the Scriptures to support their own u n-
scriptural tenets. Some future opportunity may perhaps be taken to ani
madvert upon these and other misrepresentations. In the mean time it may
be sufficient to remark, that these pitiable and ludicrous blunders cannot fail
forcibly to remind the reader of the wisdom of those discriminating judges
in the fable, who hissed the pig itself.

358 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [CH. XV.
* - :
Luke himself informs us, that Jesus was but lately turned
of thirty in the fifteenth year of Tiberius * : and conse
quently he must have been born two years after Herod's
death. And as to the idle fiction of the double date of
Tiberius's reign, it is well known to all who are conversant
with Roman history, that this is a distinction which ne
ver existed till the time of the Lower Empire,
It is further charged upon these daring editors, that
they have presumed to "print the suspected chapters in a
different type." Had they, indeed, left out a passage that
is found in all manuscripts which are now extant, howr
ever suspicious in itself, there might have been some rea
son for charging them with indiscretion. But it was their
fixed rule not to remove from the text any passage which
was supported by the consent of manuscripts, however
doubtful upon other grounds, and whatever proof there
might be of its omission in copies of greater antiquity.
But being convinced by the evidence alleged that these
chapters are a palpable forgery, they considered them
selves as fully justified in fixing the mark of reprobation
upon them, though they would not wholly omit them.
Some have objected to the introduction of any " theo
logical Notes" whatever, as savouring too much of a sec
tarian spirit, and of dogmatism. But it has been already
observed, that the main object of the Society in publish
ing the Improved Version, was to represent what they
believed to be the genuine sense of the sacred writings,
and to guard against popular delusions. And of course
the editors, being from inquiiy and conviction Unitarians,
would interpret the text in the Unitarian sense. And
what should hinder them from doing so ? It is a practice
in use among all parties, and laudably so. Had they, in
deed, distorted the Scriptures, or forged texts to support
* See Grotius in Luc. iii, 23;

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 359
their doctrines, they would have been justly liable to cen
sure ; but of this they are either not accused, or not con
victed. The editors of the Improved Version are further ac
cused of not having " strictly adhered to Griesbach's text,
and of not adopting all the improvements of his second
edition." But every one who is acquainted with Gries-
bach knows that more than nine tenths of his various
readings are of the most trivial kind, and make not the
least alteration in the sense. But to have introduced
every trifling variation into the text, and to have support
ed it by notes and references in the margin, would have
wasted much time ; would have answered no one valuable
end ; and would either have swelled the work to too large
a size, or would have occupied the space of more useful
exegetical Notes. The design of the editors was to in
troduce the variations of Griesbach's interior margin :
and if they have omitted even one which would make a
difference in the sense of the text, it was on their part
wholly unintentional, and they will feel obliged tp any
friendly critic who will point out the error that it may
be corrected in succeeding editions. As to various read
ings by which the sense is not affected, a very minute
attention to these was not within the scope of their de
sign. Yet they do not deny that where gentlemen have
leisure and inclination to undertake the task, a transla
tion including all Griesbach's preferable readings, sup
ported by his authorities, would be a gratification to the
curious*. The exertions, however feeble, which Mr. Lindsey
inade in concurrence with the more active energies of
* In the fourth edition of the Improved Version a very minute attention
has been paid to all the various readings of Griesbach's second edition, by
the late reverend and much to be lamented T. B. Broadbcnt.

3(30 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XV.
Mrs. Lindsey to encourage the progress and to extend
the cireulation of the Improved Version, may be regarded
as the last public act of Mr. Lindsey's life ; as the peru
sal of that work, when it was complete, was his last and
greatest delight. To its composition it was too late for
him personally to contribute. But to his valuable writ
ings and comments upon the Scriptures, the Notes of
the Improved Version are deeply indebted. And to the
aged saint it was an exquisite gratification to see, that
though he was now about to obtain his dismission from
the world, his writings, and particularly his accurate and
learned observations upon the Scriptures, would continue
to support christian truth after he was gone. This bright
star, which had so long diffused its mild and benignant
influence, was now rapidly hastening to its horizon. Mr.
Lindsey's strength declined apace, and his infirmities vi
sibly increased. But though at times he suffered much ;
yet through the constant attention and great professional
skill of Dr. Blackburne, (who had thoroughly studied his
case, and who watched and prescribed for his revered re
lative with filial solicitude,) and by the tender, judicious,
and unwearied care of Mrs. Lindsey, his sufferings were
greatly mitigated, so that he continued upon the whole
in a comfortable state ; and to the last week of his life he
enjoyed the company of his friends, though he was not
able to support much conversation with them. Mr. Lind
sey's strength declined so fast through the summer of
1808, as to allow little hope that he would be able to
struggle through the severity of the winter. But no sym
ptom of immediate danger appeared till the latter end of
October, when he was attacked with a complaint which
was judged to be a pressure upon the brain : and though
the disorder appeared to yield in part to the usual appli
cations, it was nevertheless attended with a very consider
able degree of fever, which made it necessary for him to

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 30 1
take to his bed on Thursday the twenty- seventh. The
fever now increased rapidly, and it soon became evident
how it would terminate. After Monday he lay in a state
approaching to stupor and insensibility; he took little no
tice of any thing, and spoke little or nothing. Thus he
was prevented from bearing that testimony to the truth
and power of christian principles in his last hours, which
his friend Dr. Priestley had done, and which Mr. Lindsey
himself, notwithstanding his great natural reserve, and
his abhorrence of a loquacious and ostentatious piety,
would no doubt have been glad to do. It is however
said, that some of the last rational expressions which he
was heard to utter, were, " God's will is best ;" but whe
ther he spoke these words or not, we are sure that the
principle was uppermost in his thoughts as long as reason
and thought remained ; for a mind more resigned and
more devoted to the will of God, more desirous and dis
posed to sacrifice all its fondest wishes and views to the
decrees of all- governing wisdom and goodness, never ex
isted*. He appeared to suffer little bodily pain ; but his
respiration grew gradually shorter, till at six o'clock in the
eveningof Thursday the third of November he ceased to
breathe ; and left the world destitute of one of the most
upright, consistent, and eminently virtuous characters
which ever adorned human nature. Mr. Lindsey died in
the eighty-sixth year of his age. He was buried in Bun-
hill-fields on Friday the eleventh of November, agreeably
to his own request, in the most private manner, in a vault
the property of which he had purchased twenty years be
fore, and where the remains of his kind and generous
* When Mr. Lindsey was a little recovered after his severe paralytic seiz
ure in the beginning of the year 1802j Mrs. Lindsey thus expresses herself-
in a letter to the author, who was then upon' a visit to a friend in the coun
try: " He said this morning, after reading family prayer in his usual good
manner, ' I wish, if it is the will of God, to be enabled to finish my little
work ; but should be sorry any moment, that the will of God should not take
place of mine, either by incapacity or by death.'"

362. MEMOIRS OF THE LATE [cH. XV.
friend Mrs. Rayner had, by her express desire, been al
ready deposited ; and in the vicinity of which reposed his
learned and venerable associate in labours and in self-
denial, Dr. John Jebb. A sermon upon the occasion was
preached at Essex-street on the following Sunday to a
crowded audience of attentive and deeply-affected mourn
ers, which was afterwards published *.
Of the character of Mr. Lindsey, if the writer of this
Memoir has succeeded in giving a faithful exhibition of
his mind and of his works, no large recapitulation is ne
cessary. Disinterested glowing benevolence, springing
from rational, ardent, and deeply-rooted piety ; supreme
solicitude to discover truth ; unwearied pains in search
ing after it ; and inflexible firmness in what, after due in
quiry, he believed to be right; just views of revealed re
ligion, combined with earnest but not obtrusive zeal for
their promulgation, and blended with the most unaffect
ed humility, and a singular courteousness of manners,
formed by early and familiar intercourse with the great j
finally and eminently, a commanding sense of God and
duty, constituted the principal lineaments in the charac
ter of this excellent and truly venerable man. To have
been his coadjutor in the cause of divine truth, his friend,
his successor, and his biographer, is a privilege of no com
mon value : and to be admitted hereafter into the society
of such men as Lindsey, Priestley, Price, and Jebb, and
of other eminent lovers of truth, and confessors in the
glorious cause, and to share in their lot, whatever it be,
is the highest felicity of which the writer of this Memoir
can form a conception, or to which he presumes to aspire.
* Discourses were delivered upon the same mournful occasion by many
other ministers, friends and admirers of Mr. Lindsey, some of which were
published ; particularly by the Rev. Robert Aspland, at Hackney ; the
Rev. Dr. Toulmin, and Rev. John Kentish, at Birmingham ; and the Rev.
J. H. Bransby, at Dudley : and Memoirs of Mr. Lindsey were published by
Mrs. Cappe in The Monthly Repository, Mi. Joyce in The Monthly Maga
zine, and by Mr. Fiend.

CH. XV.] REVEREND THEOPHILUS LINDSEY. 363
And happy will he think himself, and amply rewarded for
all his labour, if this imperfect delineation of the character
of his venerable friend shall excite the ambition of any of
his readers, and especially among the rising generation of
ministers, to emulate the spirit of the departed prophet,
and like him to be ready, when duty calls, to sacrifice
every secular consideration upon the altar of truth and in
tegrity, leaving consequences without dismay in the hands
of governing wisdom and goodness ; which, if their fu
ture services be needful, will open a different and perhaps
a more extensive sphere of usefulness ; or, if that should
be denied, will not forget in the day of final remuneration!
the generous self-denial, the dutiful submission, nor the
virtuous purpose, of the pious and upright heart.
Mrs. Lindsey survived her venerable husband three
years and two months, The health of this excellent lady
was completely broken up by her close and anxious at
tendance upon Mr. Lindsey during his long illness and
growing infirmities : so that had he lived a few months
longer he would probably have been the survivor. And
though her constitution seemed for a time to recover it
self, and gave reason to hope for continued life, yet the
stamina appear tp have been worn out ; and a gradual
decay both of corporeal and mental vigour soon began to
take place, till after a short illness she expired January
18, 1812, in the seventy-second year of her age, and was
buried the week following in the same vault with Mr.
Lindsey and Mrs. Rayner. A funeral discourse bearing
testimony to the uncommon merits of this admirable wo
man, was delivered to a numerous and sympathizing au
dience on the Sunday after the funeral, and has since been
published. It maybe added, that Mrs. Lindsey's intimate
friend, Mrs, Jebb, the relict of the celebrated Dr. John

384 MEMOIRS OF THE LATE THEOPHILUS LINDSEY.
Jebb, a lady of the highest intellectual attainments and
accomplishments, a fellow labourer and fellow sufferer in
the same righteous cause, died two or three days after
Mrs. Lindsey, and was buried with her husband in the
contiguous grave.

THE END.

APPENDIX.

No. I. p. 6.
The following letters exhibit a specimen of the terms
upon which Mr. Lindsey stood with his noble patron
esses, and of the high estimation in which he was held
by them : — they also contain no mean illustration of the
piety and virtue of the illustrious writers.
FROM THE DUTCHESS OF SOMERSET.
SIR, Percy Lodge, July the 9th, O. S. 1751.
X received your letter last week, and intended writing on Sun
day as usual, but when that day came I found it impracticable ;
Mr. Saunders having found it more employment than I chose, by
sending a long letter of business which I was obliged to answer.
I hope your little pupil is well, though you did not name him in
your last. Mrs. Pearse * dined here yesterday, in her way to the
Forest ; she looks thin, but otherwise well, and in pretty good
spirits. She owns that Mrs. Scot has done more for her than she
could have expected from the best daughter, and has taken the
whole trouble and business off her hands. I find she thinks her
circumstances will be easy, though not great ; the house in the
Forest is to be sold ; she is not yet resolved about that in London.
As things generally happen crossly, Lord Bateman and Mr.
Bateman came in a little before three, and old Saunders just at
twelve, but we left him to himself: however, he chose to stay din
ner. Mr. Cowslad says you write to us because you think it civil,
when you are not a bit inclined to it : he is a good deal better,
and so am I, but we can neither of us yet boast of our activity.
My doniesticks go on pretty peaceably, though Edward met
with a trial of his patience last Saturday, which would have stag
gered yours or mine. He was almost mad with the pain of a hol
low tooth, and went to Colebrook to get it drawn ; but the cruel
operator, instead of it, drew the only sound one in his head. I
do not know what you will think of me when 1 tell you I am going
t6 try the Glastonbury water here, and own to you that I am in-
*' This is the lady referred to in p. 6, who bequeathed to Mr. Lindsey the
next presentation to the rectory of Chew Magna.

366 APPENDIX. [NO. 1.
duced to it by a persuasion that the discovery of it is in some de
gree miraculous; and if one may believe affidavits, witnessed by
ministers of parishes and churchwardens, the cures it has perform
ed are so too, in scorbutic cases, king's evil, and asthmas, of many
years standing, as it is witnessed by their nearest neighbours.
I have had no letter from Lady Huntingdon, but I hear she is at
Cheltenham, and pretty well. Clavering has done plaguing me,
but I have sent his son ten guineas this morning. I have heard
but twice from Lady Northumberland since she left London, by
which I conclude, she finds diversions and company are not con
fined to the town. You judge very rightly that a little spirit and
resolution would contribute greatly to my, tranquillity ; and I often
lament the want of it, not only as a misfortune, but as a fault,
since it is often necessary, to enable one to support one's inte
grity through a wayward and designing world, where few are what
they appear to be : yet even that would be of little consequence,
was one perfectly assured of being in the right one's self.
My gentlemen send you their compliments ; and I desire my
compliments to little H. who, I hope, improves in more things
than his French; for, though that is a very proper accomplish
ment of a gentleman, there are yet higher titles to be aimed at,
those of an humble christian, and lover of all mankind. I am glad
you find the air you are in agrees with your health. Lord Albe
marle is made groom of the stole, and Lord Rockingham lord of
the bedchamber. I am, Sir,
Your affectionate friend and humble servant,
F. Somerset.
A Monsieur
Monsieur Lindsey, chez Monsieur Pillard,
a Elois. FROM THE SAME.
SIR,
We were all very sorry to find by your last letter that you have
had so violent a cold ; but if your weather has been (as I think by
your letter it has) like ours in England, it is no wonder that vou
have suffered from it, for I never remember so cold and wet a sum
mer. You may depend upon my silence, in regard to your ob
servations on Lord W — 's constitution, as I know the ticklishness
of treating some subjects without giving offence, which I am sure
neither you or I intend to do. I am so far from thinking you
oddly employed, when you were contemplating the storm of thun
der and lightning, that I rather envy you for the fortitude which
Is necessary to be a calm spectator of so awful and noble a scene.
My own want of that virtue often makes me apprehensive that I
am in the number of the wicked, who flee when no man pursueth,

NO. 1.] APPENDIX. 367
while- the righteous are bold as a lion ; yet I do not despair of be
coming better, and consequently more courageous, as 1 can with
truth affirm it is the only point I have in view ; and my most ear
nest desire, to keep God in all my thoughts. Yet how apt are
the cares, and even the amusements of life, to displace his image,
and obtrude their own vexatious impertinence in his room ! Poor
Lady Thanet is dead. I am told that when Lady Huntingdon
heard of her illness, she sent to offer her to come and prepare her
for that solemn hour : but Lady Thanet sent her word it was in
vain, for she could neither be prepared to live or die. Her great
care upon her death-bed was the fear of being buried alive ; to
prevent which, she ordered herself not to be taken out of her bed
for twelve days. She has left her daughters ten thousand pounds
a-piece. The last we heard of the Dutchess of Richmond was,
that her doctors had little or no hopes of her. The mortality
which within two years and a half has been so remarkable amongst
men of the first rank, seems beginning amongst the ladies, but
still the same eternal round of dissipation is pursued ; cards and
gay parties are the great business of the modish world. The Duke
of St. Albans died last Saturday se'nnight, and I am afraid has
left his family in very indifferent circumstances. If going abroad
is a preservative for health, I may expect to be very well ; for
within these last three weeks I have been at London, twice at
Siou, dined with Mrs. Mordaunt, been at Thorpe with Mrs. Fo
ley, visited at Bulstrode, and, in short, tired myself and my horses
sufficiently. To-morrow Lord and Lady Brooke, Lady Archi
bald and Miss Hamilton, Mrs. Mordaunt, and Mr. Hamilton,
are all to dine here ; and on Thursday Lord Guernsey and Ladv
Charlotte. I dined last week at Isleworth with the Dutchess of
Somerset, and saw my little nephew, who is a fine child. Mr.
Bernard spoke of you in a very friendly manner ; I think he ap
pears a modest pretty kind of man. A sermon of his is much talked
of at Isleworth for the singularity of the text, which was "Re
member Lot's wife ;" and his discourse greatly admired for the
piety and good sense of it. I am with very sincere friendship,
Sir,
Your most faithful humble servant,
F. Somerset.
To the Reverend Mr. Lindsey. FROM THE SAME.
' SIR, Michaelmas Day, O.S. Sunday, 1751-
I fully intended writing to you, either by Sunday or Tues
day's post, but was prevented by a swelled face and pain in my
head, which put me extremely out of order : it is not yet quite
gone; but as it is something better, I would no longer defer tell-

368 APPENDIX. [NO. I.
ing you that I am very glad to see Lord and Lady Northumber
land lay hold of the first opportunity in their power of showing
their regard for you. I only wish that the living of Chattpn were.
of greater value, or that in Yorkshire Were entirely free, whichever
you choose; they have had the kindness to tell me they will not
think of your leaving my family; but I know your thoughts in re-
lation to' the duty of a parish too well to reckon upon keeping
you in it ; for which reason I must apply to you whenever it be
comes necessary for you to change your situation, that you will
be so good as to choose a successor who will conduct himself as
nearly like you as possible, for I am as little fond of a pretty gen^
tleman in a gown as out of one. I opened Mr. Comber's letter
because you desired me ; it did not contain above eight lines, com
plaining of not hearing from you, begging to do it soon to relieve
his fears for your health ; and telling you he had met with many
mortifications, that he feared he had lost Almira's correspondence,
by no fault of his, but her over delicacy. The huge paper en
closed was two or three hundred lines, on the immensity of the
Divine Being, which appeared to me unequal to a much humbler
subject. I had a very agreeable letter last week from Dr. Oliver, who
tells me that Lady Huntingdon is pretty well, and much employed
in attending Dr. Doddridge, who is in a deep consumption at
Bath, but is to set out in a few days in order to embark at Fal
mouth for Lisbon, from whence, it is Dr. Oliver's opinion, he will
never return. Lady F. Shirley was with me two days ago ; she
told me that Mr. Hervey is quite recovered: but Lady Pembroke's
marriage with a man of no birth or money (though, it is said, a
very sensible agreeable man,) pinned us down to mere worldly
conversation ; and to tell you the truth in a whisper only for your
own ear, her ladyship seemed to think, that as Lady Pembroke
could not be easy to live without him, she had acted more pru
dently if she had taken him on any other terms ! You will easily
believe this doctrine amazed me in the mouth of so pious a person,
and that I have not thought fit to mention it to one of my com
pany, as he needs no new motives to censure whatever he fancies
aims at being more serious than the fine world in general. Mr.
Wilkins writes me word that Mrs. Wilkins is almost well, and pro
poses being here himself a few days after Michaelmas.
A. C. is ill at Oxford, and his wise father has wrote to desire
he may come hither (o be taken care of and drink asses milk, and
desires me to send for Dr. Hayes as often as is necessary. This
1 must beg to be excused from, as Lord and Lady N. will be here-
this week, and I expect Mrs. Pearse and Mr. Scot very soon. I
have only one milch ass, of which my poor gardener is drinking
the milk, though I doubt to very little purpose, for he appears

NO. I.J APPENDIX. 369
quite spent in a consumption, though James's; powder did cure
his fever. I thank you fdr the epigram, which I read without
blushing. I should have been glad to see the young nun take the
veil, but at the same time have felt some concern lest, in so ten
der an age, she might have been influenced or awed into it by
her friends ; or supposing it were her inclination at present, how
little it could be depended upon to last fifty or sixty years, which
she may probably live. I saw Lady Pomfret last Saturday, and
said all I could think of to express your gratitude and my dwn,
both to her and the Bishop of Blois, for his civility to you and
your little charge, to whom I desire my blessing. I think the
King of France disposes of his money in giving portions to young
women much better than if it were to procure fire-works, mas
querades, &c.
I had left all the space betwixt these two lines to direct my let
ter, that it might not be a double one ; but Lord and Lady N.
came in just as I was finishing it on Thursday and staid till eleven
o'clock this day : they bid me make their compliments to you,
and send Lord W. their blessing. Lady Pomfret sent us a let
ter in English, which she has received from the Bishop of Blois,
where he expresses himself so kindly on Lord W.'s account, that
Ins father and mother as well as myself are extremely obliged by
the notice he takes in it both of him and you.
The Duke of Bolton I fancy will find a stronger restorative in
his Dutchess's death than from all the air in France; she died
last Monday was se'nnight. How widely do the great and little
folks differ in sentiments ! Poor Obadiah is in the deepest afflic
tion for the loss of his wife. . They tell me you will be obliged to
come over, if you accept either of the livings, in which case I
hope you will find a few hours, if not days, to let us see you at
Percy Lodge, where you may always be assured of a most friendly
and sincere welcome from, Sir,
Your most faithful humble servant,
F. Somerset.
FROM THE SAME.
SIR, Downing Street, March 14th O.S. 1 752.
I heartily wish my constitution would as readily enable me
to comply with the -desires of my friends ad my inclination sub
mits to what they prescribe, but I am afraid I have .little reason
to indulge so flattering a hope ; I have hardly enjoyed an hour's
health since I- came hither, and though I have been out four or
five times I am now confined again with great pain and lameness :
a great inflammation upon my leg cannot be produced by fancy !
2b

370 APPENDIX. [NO. I.
and sitting- continually in one place has brought an almost con
stant pain in my stomach, attended with great oppression and
shortness of breath : these are not good ingredients to give me
spirits for mixing with the beau monde ; and indeed were I in
better health, I believe I should as easily enter into the manners
of the fine folks in the moon, as into the present fashionable way
of life in London, so different it is from what it was when 1 left
it three years ago. I have had a letter from Lady Huntingdon,
who seems very much pleased with Lady Rawdon's marriage, and
says that Lady Selina is much better. Lord Coventry was mar
ried to Miss Gunning this day se'nnight, and Lady Charlotte
Capel is to be so very soon to Mr. Villiers, Lord Jersey's brother,
and Lady Di. Egerton to Mr. Seymour's son by Lady Hinch-
inbrooke. The Chapter is to be held on Friday for giving away the
-garters, the new knights a.re declared, and they are not all those
who were first talked of: they are Prince Edward the little Stadt-
holder, Lord Lincoln, Lord Winchelsea ? and Lord Cardigan.
The constant good accounts you send us of Lord W. are very
encouraging ; pray assure him of my blessing, and tell him his
papa has won the service of Dresden china, which was raffled for
at White's, and valued at 400Z. 1 see by the advertisement that
Mr. Mason is going to publish a poem called Elfrida, which I
shall certainly buy if I am alive at the time it comes out. Miss
Blandy is condemned for the barbarous murder of her father, and
you will wonder at me for being discontented that she is only to
be hanged. H. is marched off at last, though I could not get her
out of my house till the new housekeeper had been two days in it.
I hope she will prove more peaceable. It signifies little what out
ward appearances and ceremonies are observed, if the heart and
intentions remain inflexible ; and yet some shadow of regard to
the mere observances of religion, may serve to renew the remem
brance that there is the reality of such a thing in nature, though
laid aside for the present ; but here the names of times or seasons
are never thought of, unless when the fine ladies are expressing
their gratitude to Lady Cobham for comforting them in the Dut
chess of Dorset's absence by having an assembly on Sundays.
The Dutchess of Somerset, my mother-in-law, did me the ho
nour of a visit yesterday morning; she is not well, and is to go
to Bristol as soon as Lady Charlotte is brought to bed, which is
expected about the beginning of May.
I am with sincere friendship,
Sir,
Your most faithful humble servant,
F. Somerset,
A Monsieur
Monsieur Lindsey, a Orleans.

NO. I.]

APPENDIX. 371

FROM THE SAME.

SIR, Downing Street, March 19, 1752.
As I do not love to have any of my bright actions pass unob
served by my friends, and as I am afraid they may be neglected
by the foreign news-writers, I had a mind to let you know under
my own hand, that I was last night at a ball at Northumberland
House, where all the people who are famed for beauty, youth,
gaiety, and grandeur, were assembled ; the house and suppers in
three rooms were truly magnificent, and the owners did the ho
nours with a politeness and cheerfulness which I think could not
fail to please, at least it ought not, for it must have given them
infinite trouble as well as great expense, and poor Lady Northum
berland had a violent cold. I saw Lady Coventry there, who is
certainly very handsome, but appears rather too tall to be gen
teel, and her face rather smaller than one would wish, consider
ing the height it is placed, and her dress appeared more in the
style of an opera dancer than an English lady of quality. Lady
Di. Egerton and Mrs. Selwyn's grandaughter, Miss Townshend,
appeared either of them full as pretty in my eyes with the addi
tion of great modesty.
The pure and eloquent blood spoke in their cheeks :
which it could do in very few there, for they cannot paint more
in Fiance than our ladies do here ; and as we always run into ex
tremes, white is as liberally laid on as rouge : poor Lady Mary
Capel had, I believe, only the latter, but that in such abundance
that it made her look older and plainer than ever I saw her. Now
Imust tell you, under the seal of confession, that from some civi
lities I had received from Lady Lincoln, I thought it proper to
make her some compliment ; but when I came near her with that
design, she was so very immodestly stripped that I was ashamed
to look toward her and forced to drop my speech. The wind last
Sunday alarmed me extremely here, but did me much greater in
jury at Percy Lodge, where it blew down the high elm behind
King Edward's bench, turned the bench itself topsy-turvy and
broke it all to pieces, blew down several rod ofpaling, and some
of the best trees in my fields ; it broke a very tall fir-tree near the
Gothic bench, above fourteen feet above the ground, and carried
it over the wood into the Abbey walk, where it set it upright. Here
some bricks were blown off Payne's chimney, who was dressing
me, and rolled along the room over our heads ; and at that in
stant we heard the most dreadful yell below stairs that you can
conceive : but what was our amaze when, upon running out, we
found the staircase so filled with smoke and soot that we could
scarce see one another or breathe ! and Lady C. Petersham, with
her hair about her ears, four children, and five or six maids with
2 b2

3/2 APPENDIX. [NO. I.
another woman whom 1 did not know, all screaming as if they
were bewitched ! A stack of chimneys had fallen there, and the
fire catched in two or three places ; but by the mercy of God no
body was hurt, and the fire soon stopped. The woman T did not
know was Mrs. Cibber, who was reading a new farce to Lady C.
when this accident happened. I meant to have dined alone that
day, so my meal was slender ; but I could not help asking Lord
Petersham and Lady Caroline to partake of it, as they could have
nothing dressed at home, and none of their acquaintance (though
Lady Lincoln lives but two doors off and was alarmed at the noise)
had the humanity to invite them, which Lady C. seemed to re
sent, and I thought with reason. As I have now wrote sooner
than my usual time, perhaps I shall exceed it before I write again;
and if the date of my next should not happen to please you, I hope
you will not tear the letter before you read it. Pray assure your
little charge of my blessing, and Mr. Thierchen of my remem
brance. I am, Sir,
Your very sincere and faithful humble servant,
F. Somerset.
A Monsieur
Monsieur Lindsey, a, Orleans. FROM THE SAME.
SIR, Percy Lodge, March 5th, 1754.
I feel myself extremely obliged to you for both your last let
ters, and would have told you so sooner if I could have resolved
to send you half a side of paper with nothing but formal; thanks,
which I think is not an, obliging way of corresponding with one's
friends. I was surprised to meet Lady Huntingdon upon the road last
Saturday was fortnight ; she was on her way to London, but her
coach drove by so fast that I had only time to send Lomas after her
with my compliments; she seemed to me to look as well as ever
I saw her.
Poor Mr. Thierchen has been laid up with the gout almost
these three weeks, but insists it is only the effect of having worn
too short a stocking, in spite of the apothecary. A. has passed a
month with me since Christmas : if he is not quite so droll as he
was, he makes.amends by displaying the seeds of every virtuous and
generous disposition, with the most docile temper 1 ever knew :
he would not tell a lye to avoid the severest punishment that he
can- have a notion of, and has no peace if he thinks he has offend
ed the lowest person about the house. Poor Lord G. is the me
lancholy reverse of all these amiable qualities : with the face of
a cherub, he is one of the most perverse, obstinate, ill-disposed,

NO. I.] APPENDIX. .373
children that ever was born. He is severely and constantly whip
ped, at least once a week, but discovers no fear of punishment,
and (what is much worse) no sense of shame when he is detected
in lies that he has stood in for a week together, or for taking
other people's things unknown to them ; and this last week lie
even ventured to sell a reading-glass for two shillings, and there
is no making him confess how he came by it.
1 am yet far from being in a good state of health, though, I bless
God, in a much less painful one than I was some months ago ;
I have now no remains of lameness, but I am, from the shortness
of my breath, obliged to be always carried up stairs and often
down ; yet this is not to excuse me from a London journey. I
have promised to make my appearance there next Friday se'n-
night, if no unforeseen accident happens ; but hope not to make
a longer stay than I did last year, unless I am detained in West
minster Abbey.
I was much obliged to you for sending that fragment of Milton,
which pleased me much, and I took the liberty to copy and con
vey it to Miss Talbot, who was delighted with it, but made the
same objection with yours, that he was wrong in regard to that
part of the Bible account of David's misfortunes and their source !
I must now, under the seal of confession, own to you, that after
reading the Bible every day of my life for forty years together, I
always understood it as Milton seems to have done. But since I
received your letter I have read the history of David in Samuel,
with all the attention I am mistress of, to find some other cause,'
and rummaged the library to find some commentator who would
explain it — but they all seem to be in Milton's error — and even
consulted the only divine in myreach (Clavering), who stared, and
said he had always thought as Milton did. 1 hope you have some
neighbours that you can converse with ; for, as partial as I am to
retirement, I think absolute solitude is too melancholy a way of
life for creatures intended by the wise ruler of all things for society.
Our excellent friend Dr. Courayer has been very ill, but is got
qtrite well again, and I had a very good and cheerful letter from
Mm on Sunday morning. Indeed he has the only true cause for
cheerfulness, the reflection on a well spent life, and having pre
pared himself to leave it whenever its great Author shall call him
from hence. This preparation I hope I have been seriously en
deavouring after for many months and some years past ; but we
are so apt to flatter and deceive ourselves, that. I dare not trust
myself too far, and find such continual defects in my best meant
actions, as would take away all hopes of their efficacy if I did not
trust in the merits and sufferings of our ever blessed Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.
I have told you I am better, and to outward appearances I am

374 APPENDIX. [NO- l'
so ; yet I should not be surprised myself, nor would have my
friends be so, if I should be dead before this letter reaches you.
Dr. Hayes calls my disease a nervous asthma, in which case I may
possibly suffer on some years longer ; but by my own feelings,
epecially the violent beating of my heartand jugular veins, I should
suppose it some great obstruction in my blood. I have hardly
left room to subscribe myself, Sir,
Your verv sincere friend, &c.
F. Somerset.

No. II. p. 8.
FROM THE COUNTESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND.
DEAR SIR, Stanwick, June 17,
I KNOW your friendship for me will prevent your thinking a
letter troublesome, though it comes fraught with no other news
but that of my safe arrival at this place, which happened on Wed-<
nesday last, after I cannot say a pleasant (for the first day we
were choaked with dust, and the second deluged with rain) journey
of three days, one of which we spent at York with Mrs. Smithson,
where we have deposited Elizabeth. I find the vvhole country
here in an uproar, as they say their former Archbishop (the late
Metropolitan) Hutton died an Arian ; they own they do not know
what that is, but are sure it is something that is not the right
religion. We are impatient to hear of the taking of St. Malo's ;
which good news I hope a few days more will bring us. We leave
this place for Newcastle to-morrow, where we shall stay a week
and then proceed to Alnwick. I had the ill luck to sprain my
knee in such a manner at York, that I am not able to stir a step,
without a stick, which confines me from walking ; which, how
ever, I the less regret, as the weather is thoroughly disagreeable,
being both damp and cold. As I am in some doubt about your
direction, I shall send this to Northumberland House, and order
them to carry it to Lord Huntingdon, where, I conclude, they will
be able to learn how to convey it safely to you. My Lord desires
his compliments to you, and I beg to trouble you with mine to
Lady Huntingdon, Lady Selina, and Mrs. Hastings. I am with
the truest friendship, Dear Sir,
Your most affectionate humble servant,
E. Northumberland.
To the Rev. Mr. Lindsey. FROM THE SAME.
DEAR SIR, Alnwick Castle, July 25th.
I am very much mortified to find that you have entirely forgot,
me, for J verily think that if you had not, you would have let me

NO. 1 1. J APPENDIX. 3/f)
have had the pleasure of hearing from you before now ; to no other
cause can I assign it but your being in love, and to that account
will I place it, as I think love the only justifiable excuse for for
getting one's friends; and where that passion is divested of some
of its sensual attributes, I think such an oblivion far from blame-
able, highly praise-worthy, as I am convinced no passion exalts
the soul so much as it does, nay, even in great measure, spiritua
lizes it ; but this being a subject I am much more versed in the
theory than the practice of, I am liable, like other theoretical and
aerial castle-builders, to have no foundation for my sparkling edi
fices ; but as they in beauty resemble the bubbles blown by chil
dren, they probably do the same in fragility and short duration.
Thus far had I talked wisely without meaning (as many wise peo
ple do), when I received the favour of your letter, for which I
heartily thank you, and assure you, your letters are always truly
welcome to me, come they often or seldom ; arid though I am
always glad to hear from you when you have nothing else to do,
yet I am far from wishing you to write when you have either busi
ness, company, or what you allow me to guess at to prevent you.
I was, as you observe, at Stanwick for two nights only; but notr
withstanding the shortness of the stay, I had time enough to hear
a most admirable character of Mrs. Lindsey elect, which gave me
extreme great pleasure ; and I also heard of a chance for a certain
four thousand pounds, which (though I assure you, in an inferior
degree) gave me great pleasure also. We set out for Scotland the
sixth day of next month, but of how long a duration our stay there
will be I know not. We go from Berwick by Haddingtoun to Edin
burgh, and from thence by Stirling and Glasgow to Air, so that
we shall entirely cross that part of the island from east to west ;
but as we do not proceed to the Isle of Skey, I fear I shall return
without the gift of second-sight. Something of after-sight I be
lieve I have mentioned to you that I really think I have of a night
when I go to bed, a very odd instance of which I had lately; but
the story is not interesting, and is besides too long for a letter. The
last accounts we had of Lord Warkworth were from Minden,
where he arrived July the 16th, after a most tedious march of
twenty-five days, (through miserable roads, in wretched weather,)
in perfect good health and spirits, and hoped to join the army
the 18th or 19th. You may believe I am under the greatest an
xiety for a sou so deservedly dear to me ; but to the care of the
Almighty I commit him, who, I hope, will cover his bead in the
day of battle, and afford me the unspeakable pleasure of receiving
him again after the campaign safe and with honor. I am sure
be has not only my daily but hourly prayers, and I also beg to
recommend him to yours. You are very good to have wrote to
him ; I have sent him your letter, the receipt of which I am sure

376 APPENDIX. [NO. II.
will make him very happy. I am very sorry any company I had
deprived me of the satisfaction of seeing you, or wishing you a
good journey, before you left London. Lord Uchester's estate is
a noble one, and I hope he bestows it nobly ; otherwise I am sure
he does not deserve it. You have no notion how glad I was to
hear of Sir Harry Heron ; I was very desirous to know if any of
that family (one of the most ancient in this countv) were yet in
being. If ever you, Sir Harry, and myself are in London at the
same time, I desire you will present me to him. I have often
heard Mr. Delaval (the member for this county) say, that his
mother frequently told him that in her memory nothing but tren
chers were in use in Northumberland, and that his grandfather
had seventeen dozen of them ; and that in all the gentlemen's fa
milies an officer called a trencher-scraper (for they were not to
be washed) was kept for that purpose only : anil that Seaton De
laval (the seat of Long Delaval) and Chipchase (the seat of the
Herons) were the only houses where they had pewter (and theirs
was only dishes, and but few of them), which was only used on
high days and holidays, and was admired by the whole country as
an unusual piece of magnificence. This anecdote of his ances
tors' grandeur I dare say Sir Harry never heard. Supper bell
rings ; so I have only time to add my lord's compliments, and
that I am ever, Dear Sir,
Your faithful friend and humble servant,
Elizabeth Northumberland.

No. III. p. 13,
FROM^ ARCHDEACON BLACKBURNE.
MY DEAR FRIEND, March 1, 1756.
I AM much obliged to you for your last kind remembrance of
me from Bristol ; and if you had not made me a sort of promise
that it would be followed presently by another, you would pro
bably have had this acknowledgement a post or two sooner. A
gentleman, whose correspondence does me honour, lately trans- "
mitted to me a most curious case of a British dissenting clergy-*
man, who went to Geneva to be ordained, that he might avoid
subscription to the Westminster Confession, or any suc/i tests of
human orthodoxy. He was chaplain to the Scots Greys (being
yet unordained), travelled as tutor to two young gentlemen of the
first rank, was himself a fine gentleman and excellent scholar, and
yet, when, after having made the tour of Europe, and displayed
his ministerial talents in Holjand with the greatest applause, he

NO. III. J APPENDIX. 377
came to settle in a congregation in Ireland, he met with rather
worse treatment than Mr. Emlyn, being, as I understand him,
persecuted and put to flight for opinions which he really held not,
mere)v because he would not subscribe to those he did hold. By
the way, this account (if 1 mistake not) was sent me upon a chi-
jnerieal suspicion which my friend, himself a dissenter of eminence,
has entertained that I am secretly pushing for a settlement among
his brethren ; among whom he finds himself as uneasy as we find
ourselves in the church of England. And lest you should think
I have any such aim, it may not be amiss to inform you, that all
these surmises have arose from a letter 1 wrote to a loquacious
man, to enquire after the character of a dissenting academy in his
neighbourhood, with a view of furnishing a young man for whom
I am concerned, with a little mathematical learning. You must
not expect long letters from me from hence to the other side of
Easter, as 1 have not only additional sermons weekly, during
Lent, and catechising, &c. but am pressed on all hands to dispatch
the Confessional, the plan after much debate, ah intus el extra,
being now settled, and all occasions cut of squibbing at the fun-
gose Doctor, otherwise than as his solutions are considered in form
among those of other men.
March 2. No letter but one from Watson, announcing his safe
arrival, and transmitting a curious MS. (wrote by a lady) and
tending to prove an indispensable obligation upon Christians to
keep two Sabbaths in the week. When one sees what different
opinions are founded upon the Scriptures, by different heads, and
nons of them void of plausibility, I am strongly tempted to parody
a striking passage in the Gospels thus : Except your charity ex
ceed the charity of the Athanasians, methodises, mystics, and
zealots of every sect, ye shall in nowise enter into the kingdom of
heaven. O my friend, what shall we do to unlade our hearts of
the world, and to fill them with God, So as to do, think, and say
all to his glory ? I am so far a mystic as to think this attainable,
and am miserable, wretchedly miserable, in finding myself so far
behind those who have already attained hitherto. Pray for me,
dear Mr. Lindsey, as I do daily for you, that we may be really in
strumental in doing some of that good which is well-pleasing to
God ; and, at least, that this evdoxia may receive no let, either
from our indolence, or the incongruity of our doctrine or manners.
0, what a glory to carry with us one soul to heaven for seraphs to
rejoice over, and to raise the exultations of the heavenly host !
What are all the cares, riches, pleasures, or anxieties in the world,
compared, to this ? Teach me, for 1 know you can, how that frame
of mind is to be put on which must carry us to our utmost perfec
tion in Christ. I am, with unabated love for you, the unworthiest
of all vour fellow servants, F. B,

378 APPENDIX. [NO. III.
FROM THE SAME. Richmond, Nov. 15th, 1757.
The choicest blessings of heaven on your noble and thrice
worthy patroness for espousing, and on my dear good friend for
recommending, the cause of the fatherless. If any thing farther
remains to be done on our part towards forwarding the relief of
these orphans you will let me know, and in the mean time I beg
you would, with all humility, tender my sincerest acknowledge
ments to her good ladyship, to whose humanity and christian
charity I hold myself the more obliged, as some other would-be-
good ladies were applied to without success. Lady Northum
berland indeed would have delivered our petition, but that was
to the other court, which we thought not so expedient as at Lei
cester House. My lord, too, has done an act of humanity and
gratitude to a poor shoe-maker of this town, who was his school
fellow, and often assisted him in his exercises at Richmond school,
which will make me love him as long as I live. How shall I ex
press the sense I have of the parental feelings of the good lady for
her afflicted son ! Would to God my poor intercessions might
take place, either towards removing, or alleviating what cannot
be removed ! I was lately in company with a physician who told
me he had been so fortunate as to prevent guttse serenae in two
ladies (one of them his own wife) by gentle and seasonable mer
curial purges, at proper intervals. He says the sight of both is
weak in general, and they have returns of the visual obstructions;
but the cinnabar pills have as yet never failed to remove them,
and they pass their time very comfortably, so comfortably, that
if he had not told me this circumstance I should never have sus
pected his lady (whom I see very often) of any such infirmity. He
added, that in some other cases he had known this malady at
tended with a defluxion, in which case a solution of camphire in
French brandy, softened with an emulsion of almonds, has done
service, by way of outward application. He adds, that he knew
an infirmity of this kind brought upon a young lady by over-
bathing in Harrowgate waters. If any farther information I can
get about these cases will be of use, let me know, and depend
upon my utmost endeavours.
Be ingenuous, my good friend : were any of the noble family
with which you are connected, to be opposed in a borough, where
your situation were the same as mine, could you be an indifferent
spectator ? I wish I had time to tell you the beginning and whole
progress of my engagements ; but Heaven has heard my prayers,
and I trust the disagreeable contest is now at an end for this time.
For such has been the firmness and unanimity of Mr. Yorke's
friends, that Sir Conyers Darcy thought proper the other day to

NO. III.] APPENDIX. 379
send a message to the corporation, that, " in consideration of the
peace of the /own, he would acquiesce in any person the burgesses
should make choice of." This has amazed some people, who
knew not our preparations, of which the old knight had some in
timations from London. Though, indeed, as he had secured the
returning officer, I for my part expected he would have put us to
our petition. Yesterday it was reported that the borough was
sold to a young baronet, who has made some purchases of that sort
in his own county. But this is so very dishonourable to a certain
principal officer of state, that I cannot tell how to believe it,
though apart from the circumstance of honour, it might not per
haps be improbable. My good friend will be cautious of men
tioning these matters as from me. However, take notice, all I
have been concerned in has been fair and upright, and void of all
corruption, which our worthy candidate abhors so much that he
could not be brought into some measures. recommended to him bv
some very honest friends as merely prudential, which if he had
taken, he might have secured his seat beyond all dispute ; but his
answer was, " That he had lived to the seventy-first year of his
life without one reproach from his heart of contributing to the
public corruption, and he would not sow the seeds of those thorns
at this time of life." You will now collect perhaps an apologv
for me, without taking in my particular obligations and alliance
to this family. But after all, alas ! I find too feelingly, that all
this is but to busy ourselves about burying the dead, when we
should be preaching the kingdom of God ; and it is impossible to
tell you the oppressions of my heart under a load of trash, which
my soul abhors, and from which it shall ever be my study for the
future to escape, if possible.
I have not time to collect all the scraps I have of David Hart*
tey's meditations, which are chiefly dispersed in M. P. H.'s letters
to me. But you may expect a summary of them from me within
a very few posts. What good may be done in our parishes, and
by whom the most, is a problem that I cannot undertake to solve
for myself, much less for you. Pray God direct you in every
thing ; your present avocation is not to be found fault with, and
if Heaven had given me talents such as yours for consolation, I
should surely have dispensed with my public province (at least
for a time) when the occasion called me to the relief of such suf
ferers. For the rest, you know I put the whole upon a prior obli
gation to him who called me; an obligation I mean prior to all
engagements, to church-modes and church nonsense in support
of them. My principle of attachment to the Scriptures would
make me uneasy in any other church I know of. If I can be of
any service in this, God have the praise, it is a reason why I
should press forward. He will reform all in his good time, and

380 APPENDIX. [NO. III.
will not impute a failure in duty to those who would but cannot.
In the mean time, I trust as to sincerity we have a good con
science. We fail not on all proper occasions to bear our tes
timony. We scruple not to acknowledge our own weakness in
being drawn in to subscribe, especially the last time, when we
fear the good opinion we had of a dear friend, and the regard we
paid to his judgement, prevailed more with us than any convic
tion from the weight of his arguments, which we have since found
to be feeble and insufficient. In the mean time, this we know,
if we know any thing of ourselves, that though we labour under
manifold difficulties, arising from a large family, and a scanty in
come, and the necessity upon us of spending every shilling of it
to answer the expectations of the world in our station, and to
avoid the least suspicions of avarice, yet would we not repeat our
subscription, to gain the wealth of the Indies, or the honour and
power of a popedom. Some people, my dear friend, would be
much mortified that they could not give their children that polish
of education which is necessary to recommend to respectable con
nexions with the world. I do not boast when I say that I am
got above all this. My endeavours shall not be wanting to create
them the most important connexions with God : if I succeed
there, I and they are happy; happy in our obscurity and disen
gagements from many temptations ; happy in seeing our own in
firmities, and ten times happy in the protection of a wise and gra
cious Providence, who will never leave us nor forsake us. Here
come three of them to call me to dinner.
Grace and peace from the fountain of both be with you,

The following letter from Thomas Hollis, Esq. under the
fictitious name of Pierce Delver, throws some light
upon the reported invitation of the Archdeacon to suc^
ceed Dr. Chandler at the Old Jewry.
DEAR SIR, Saturday morning, Oct. 18, 1 766.
It gives me great pleasure to hear of the perfect recovery of
the excellent A. D. (Archdeacon.) I fear he studies, labours too in
tensely, though to such noble purposes and great effects; and the
human machine though a very fine is yet a very delicate one. Let
us applaud his magnanimity, however, and wish him every good !
At my visit to worthy Mr. Fleming, he told me, that he had
been assured the people of the Old Jewry were inclined to invite
the excellent A. D. B. to their chair, in the room of the late Dr.
C. if they thought he would accept it. The same was told me
more generally afterwards in mixt company.
September 27. Worthy Dr. H. (Dr. W. Harris) wrote me as

NO. IV. J APPENDIX. 381
follows : " What think you of A. D. B.'s succeeding the late Dr.
C. at the Old Jewry ? I saw Mr. Amory at Taunton, and he tells
me it is talked of by that society. The Confessional is much
read and admired." To this I replied generally, as I remember,
for I cannot copy every thing, as follows :
That I had avoided writing to you on the subject.
That I knew the incomparable A. D. had a real and high esteem
for the body of Protestant Dissenters.
That whatever his resolution might be, I was confident the pro
position, if made, would be treated by him with perfect civility
and respect.
That for my own part, I should be sorry the A. D. should ac
cept the proposition, however handsomely tendered, for his own
sake and the public ; as I was persuaded it would render uncom
fortable, and shorten his valuable life by town air and customs ;
and lessen his power of doing great public good, by taking him
out of the alone, precise situation in which, with his powers and
magnanimity to effect it, he
" Rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm."
From Dr. H. I have not since heard.
For the rest. The Dissenters are, it may be, best seen in their
principles and not individually ; though the people of the Old
Jewry rank, not only in point of wealth, but of sense and polite
ness, among the first of them.
I am, with highest respect to two gentlemen, Dear Sir,
Your affectionate friend and most obedient servant,
To the Rev. T. Lindsey, Catterick. PlERCE DELVER.

No. IV. p. 41.
A LETTER FROM HANS STANLEY, ESQ. TO MR. LINDSEY, ASSIGN
ING HIS REASONS FOR DECLINING TO SUPPORT THE CLERICAL
PETITION. DEAR SIR, Paultons, Nov. 12, 1771.
You certainly need no apology for addressing yourself to me
upon any subject; your own merit and our long acquaintance
entitle you to my attention, and give you a right to expect that
answer, which you are pleased to ask as a favour.
You will give me leave to follow your introduction of this mat
ter, by assuring you on my part, that if your request related, to
any private interest of your own within my small power, I should
heartily wish to serve you; but in the present case it cannot weigh
with me .to promote innovations in the law, which I think not
only unnecessary, but extremely mischievous.

382 APPENDIX. [no. IV;
The peace of mankind is a fortieth article of my religion, which
1 hold to be much more important than any of the thirty-nine
objected to by those who with a very blameable indiscretion (and
some, I believe, from worse motives) are willing to disturb it. I
shall not easily concede that any alteration either in these or the
Liturgy is necessary, unless they contain doctrines contrary to
s"ound morality and civil obedience, but even then I should by no
means concur in the prayer of your petition : I should rather be
led to a conclusion totally different, for I should think that the
specific article ought to be amended, and not the vvhole set aside ;
but this is a work in the first instance for synods and convocations:
many preparatory steps, which 1 have not wisdom enough to in
dicate, ought to precede the parliamentary consideration.
I deny that any of the Reformers whose names are transmitted
to posterity with respect, ever adopted so wild an idea as that of
a Christian society without an established church holding certain
defined tenets. The liberty of judging for yourselves of the sense
of Scripture is a possession, which, you say, all men have a right
to enjoy; I not only agree with you in this proposition, but I
will add, that you have a right to teach and inform others ac
cording to your own sense of Scripture, provided your lessons are
conducive, or at least indifferent, to the happiness of mankind
and the tranquillity of the state ; but these concessions do not
exclude every government from giving the preference to such
forms, or to such doctrines, which appear most eligible in their
united public sense, which constitutes the law. Therefore the
ministers of Separatists are maintained at the expense of their
congregations ; dignities and preferment belong exclusively to
the established church alone ; this has been, is, and ever must
be the rule in the most tolerant states, and even in the freest
republics. The wisdom of Providence seems in its dispensations to have
reserved this authority for the future succession of Christian
churches: it never could be supposed that the poor, and the ig
norant, who compose the greater number of the laity, could
give up their labour for, and pass their lives in, the investigation
of this divine system. It may perhaps be asserted, that the Scrip
ture is so clear, and so full, that it wants no interpretation, nor
any supplementary addition. If this be true, how happens it,
that we are hitherto not better agreed ? Why has the world been
disturbed by so many leaders of sects and heresiarchs, who (if
they were all now alive upon the face of the earth) might com
pose as large an army as that with which Alexander the Great
conquered the Persian empire? Yet, all these men were convinced
and maintained that their opinions were founded in, or derived
from, Holy Writ.

NO. IV.] APPENDIX. 383
If the Scripture needs no explanation, I will turn Quaker, and
join in any measure which tends to set aside your whole order as
an useless expense. But if it does require explanation, I chuse
to trust that task rather to the well digested and mature studies
of our venerable Hierarchy, than to the crude transient notions,
which caprice, vanity, self-conceit, and folly may suggest to every
idle coxcomb, who wants to be taken notiee of for his singulari
ty. I am therefore (within the bounds of toleration which I have
laid down) an advocate not only for strict subordination, to over
awe and coerce such dangerous impertinences, but for written ca
nons, creeds, and articles to warn rash unthinking men of the
future censure and punishment they may incur ; for it is essen
tial to justice to mark out plainly- offences of every kind, and it
is an arbitrary exertion of power to inflict penalties without such
notice. I should at the same time strenuously oppose the com
pelling any individual to sign any article of faith whatever. But
nothing of this kind is at present done: every man is left to his
own free choice, and every honest man will therein follow the
dictates of his own opinion ; nor will there arise the slightest in
convenience if (from peculiar objections to the Liturgy, or the 39
Articles) some few persons more should chuse in the various pro
fessions of laymen to follow an active life of virtuous industry : I
thank God we live neither in a desart country, nor an illiterate
age, and I hope we are not likely soon to want a decent and worthy
succession in our priesthood.
If (as you are pleased to inform me) bishops and others have
in their writings, preachings, &c. receded from what they have
signed, and what the law has enjoined, I do not think the pre
cedent so good as to wish the practice general; nor does the ex
ample of a College in Cambridge weigh greatly with me: I have
quite accidentally heard somewhat of the secret history which
has passed within those walk; if I am not deceived, that signa
ture has been chiefly promoted by a factious abetter of those
senseless seditious disputes which have divided us upon political
subjects, and which are already enough envenomed without your
throwing in the fresh' corrosive of religious controversy. How
total a fermentation such a mixture may produce is well known
to all those who have read the history of this country for the last
century. As no church is so purely of divine institution as not to smell
a little of humanity, our Establishment may be liable to some er
rors ; yet does it leave you sufficient scope to be, as you actually
are, a very good man, and to contribute greatly to render your
parishioners such. The wisdom of government, ever since thehouse
of Hanover ascended the throne, has maintained your order in
the possession of sufficient respect, and has kept you perfectly
quiet; neither the good treatment you have enjoyed nor your

384 appendix. [no. iv.
want of power have been founded on the plan of aiiy particular
administration, they haYe arisen from the general sense and tem
per of this' age. The reign of the Angelick and Seraphick Doc
tors is past and gone; were they now to appear again, the
world would busy itself very little about their subtilities ; nay, I
am sanguine enough to believe that Prynne, Burton, and Bast-
wick would at present have few partizans unless they were: per
secuted, which I think very unlikely to happen to any man., The
vice of the present times is rather too much indifference about
religious matters, and opinions : if I might, therefore, as a real
friend, presume to advise the Clergy, they ought not, while total
infidelity is gaining ground upon them, to expose any partial
weaknesses of their system, and thus by trivial and frivolous dis
agreements among themselves perhaps endanger the whole fa-
brick. I have sometimes in my more serious hours regretted that
the poor Apocrypha found no better advocate, because by re
jecting those books the rest of the Bible was perhaps brought
under some degree of doubt ; and if the Liturgy or the Thirty-
nine Articles Were now deserted, who knows where the growing
incredulity of mankind would stop ?
Upon the whole, my dear sir, I heartily wish it was possible
for you to desist from a design which I so highly disapprove and
must so entirely discountenance; but I well know the warmth
with which these speculations are pursued by those who have
once adopted them. I trust, however, there Will be found so
briety and understanding enough in the House of Commons to
reject your petition without any more debate than what every sin
gle member has a right to command upon every question how
ever improper to be moved. I beg you will believe that though
we differ so widely upon this public point, which I have endea
voured to treat with all possible candor and frankness, I shall
ever be ready to receive your commands with regard to all mat
ters which regard yourself, or in which I can prove to you the
affection and esteem with which I am, dear sir,
Your most obedient and most humble servant,
H. Stanley.

&

Correspondence of Dr. Markham, Bishop of Chester, af
terwards Archbishop of York, with Mr. Lindsey, upon
his Resignation of the Vicarage of Catterick.
FROM THE REV. T. LINDSEY TO THE BISHOP OF CHESTER.
MY LORD, Catterick, Nov. 12, 1773.
It is my duty, and full time that I should acquaint your Lord
ship with my intention of resigning the vicarage of Catterick, in
your diocese of Chester, the latter end of this month.

NO. IV.] APPENDIX. 385
If your place of residence had been within any convenient
distance, as it would have been more respectful, I should have
been desirous to have waited on your Lordship, and made my
resignation into your own hands.
I am obliged to take this step, after long deliberation, for the
relief of my own mind, not being able in any way to satisfy mv-
self with officiating according to the present forms of our church,
and not thinking myself at liberty to make those very material
alterations that would satisfy me : I mean in changing the object
of worship, which to me appears to be sadly mistaken in many
parts of the service. I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most humble and obedient servant,
T. Lindsey.
FROM THE BISHOP OF CHESTER TO THE REV. T. LINDSEY.
REVEREND SIR, Sion End, near Brentford, Nov. 16, 1773.
I received this morning the favour of your letter, acquaint
ing me with your intention to resign your vicarage, and at the
same time signifying your motives. The business is so important,
and the time you mention so very short, that I am using the first
moment to give you my sentiments, in hopes that I may possibly
put the question in such a light, as may at least procure a sus
pension of your design. For, to say the truth, my heart has
taken a very serious and sad concern in this transaction, not
only from the charity which I owe to you, as my brother, and
because I seek the truth, as I believe you do, but from the im
pressions which I have received of your character from two very
good men, Mr. Cooper and Mr. Smelt. I have heard from them
that you are a sincere believer of the Holy Scriptures: upon that
ground I speak to you : the question is not to be tried at the bar
of human reason, but depends entirely upon a true explanation
of the divine writings, which those who have supported the opi
nions which you seem to hold are used to interpret in such a
manner as the original languages can no wise suffer, and without
it they could never have contrived to get over a number of texts
which are as strong and explicit as any in the Bible. But car
nal wisdom is followed. Philosophy will know every thing, and
has as yet discovered nothing; it is still a stranger to the essence
of the meanest thing about us, and yet will know the essence of
the Deity, and will say this and this is contrary to it. Our
religion is supported by the fullest and clearest testimonies, and
yet the whole of it is truly incomprehensible from the creation
of man to his final resurrection ; but the filiation of our Saviour
is not only a great mystery, but though explained to us as far as
2 c

386 APPENDIX, [NO- IV.
is useful i" our present state, is from the nature of the subject
particularly involved. We are prepared for this difficulty by the
prophet Isaiah ; his words are, as quoted in the Acts, tijxSs
ysvectv coitov rif Sivjyijo-eTai ? But the embarrassment has chiefly
risen from the number of texts that seem to militate against
his divine nature; which must necessarily happen, as he is most
commonly spoken of in his inferior capacity, the man Jesus, the
visible Agent on earth, the Teacher, the Redeemer, in which
characters he has a more immediate relation to the human
race; and in which his office and ministration were exemplified.
But there are other texts which are very express. I will men
tion a few of such as occur to me, and which I think least
liable to disputation, because they appear in both the Old and
New Testament, in the first applied to God, in the second to our
Saviour. When Moses asks the name of God, he is told in those words
which denote eternal existence that his name is I am. Our Sa
viour answers the Jews, Verily before Abraham was, lam.
Isaiah says of God, At his name every knee shall bow, of things
in heaven, &c. which very words are by St. Paul used directly of
our Saviour.
God is continually spoken of in the Old Testament, by the
names* of the just one, the holy one, &c. The same are applied
to our Saviour. The appellation of the Lord is given to God
throughout the Old Testament, by which Christ is constantly
named in the New.
Indeed I do not know what they would make of that person,
who is so often declared to be far above all angels, and whose
shoes St. John Baptist (who had been declared greater than a.
prophet) was not worthy to unloose.
I cannot flatter myself that this slight discussion of a great
subject should have so much weight, as, at once to determine
you against your former deliberate reasonings; but it may call
to your memory, how often we are told jxrj \iirsq$gomv nap, 6 fe
tpgomv, that without humbleness of mind our faith is always in
danger. It may prevent your taking a hasty step, by which, if
I do not misconceive your character, you of ajl men may be;
made most miserable, if you should see occasion to change your
opinion, and then reflect that you had not only deserted your
station,, but had encouraged schism and heresy. Indeed, if you<
reflect that the words In the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost were given by our Saviour to the Apostle^
and that St. Stephen called upon Christ to receive his sou)„ you,
cannot think yourself unauthorised in the use of our forms, and.
may satisfy, your conscience in acquiescing, at least, till all that
is said in support of them can be disproved, I write this for

NO. IV.] APPENDIX. 387
your own use, and confidentially. I detest tho wrangle of con
troversy. Et ti; doxet sivai (jSiAovsixoj, ^usij oux eyofj.ev toi«utj)v
o-uvrfieixv. I quote by memory, probably incorrectly. Prav, con
sider this, and give me your answer.
I am, with a true regard,
Your affectionate brother,
W. Chester.
EXTRACT FROM MR. LINDSEY's REPLY.
1 am surely obliged to the friends your Lordship mentions
for giving your Lordship such a favourable representation of my
character, and feel the serious concern and kindness which dic
tated the letter I have the honour to receive from you this
morning. It was natural for your Lordship with these dispositions to
wards me to bid me beware of precipitation in a matter of such
moment. But though suddenly and so lately communicated to
your Lordship, this resolution is no hasty step, but the result of
many years anxious enquiry and deliberation, and trying every
expedient that might give me ease.
And my faith is built not on a system of philosophy, but on
an impartial examination of the mind and will of God, as dis
covered in the Old and New Testament. And I am constrained
on this occasion to tell your Lordship, that I am so persuaded of
the strict unity of God, taught by Moses and the prophets, and
last of all by our Saviour Christ, that though no one is further"
from condemning others that differ, I should hold it impiety hi
me to continue to worship Christ, or any other being or person.
I cannot, therefore, continue to lead the devotions.of a congre
gation in the church of England, who esteem it sinful in myself
constantly to use that worship and abet it.
Your Lordship will believe, all those texts which you point
out to me have fallen under consideration, and which if I note,
it is not in the spirit of dispute, whieh ill becomes me towards
you on such an occasion, but out of respectful attention to what
you are pleased to select.
[Mr. Lindsey having suggested the usual explanations of the
texts alleged by the worthy prelate, proceeds as follows :]
Whatever be the distressing consequences of this determina
tion with regard to worldly things, I can never repent of it, as
led to it by no motive but a desire to approve myself to God, and
what' my duty to him required.

2c2

388 APPENDIX. [NO. V.
No. V.
Letters to Mr. Lindsey upon his Resignation.
FROM THE RIGHT HONOURABLE GREY COOPER.
MY DEAR SIR, Kew Lane, Nov. 6, 1773.
I HAVE received your letter, which filled my heart with grief,
and made my eyes glisten with tears ; I have not a word to say
or an argument to offer against your resolution to quit your pre
ferment; I must however lament the cruel necessity that forces
you out of a situation in which you and your good wife might
have continued blessings to your parish and neighbourhood';
I will add only this short but sincere assurance, that it would
give me the utmost satisfaction to have it in my power to assist
you in any new course of life which you may think proper to
follow. Lord North has seen your letter, and was affected by
reading it: he has an excellent heart, and a just feeling for every
act of honour and conscience. It is not yet decided who is to
have Catterick; Mr. Chayter has applied for it, and his brother-
in-law Mr. Robinson, my colleague; — will you allow me to ask
what is the annual income of it, and on what account it is as
you say eligible ? Perhaps it may be better than my brother's
at Mansfield, and in that case I would try to manage an exchange
between Mr. Chayter and my brother. I beg pardon for trou
bling you with such things at this time; but as soon as 1 receive
your answer I shall be able to inform you with certainty who
will be your successor; at present I am rather inclined to think
it will be Mr. Chayter. My wife sends her best compliments to
you; she was much moved with the contents of your letter.
I am, my dear sir,
Your affectionate friend and servant,
Grey Cooper.
from earl percy, late duke of northumberland,
nov. 1773.
DEAR SIR, Stanwick, Wednesday morning.
I am sorry to find by your letter which I received just now,
that I have been deprived of the pleasure of seeing you by a cold.
When my mother was so good as to shew me her answer to your
letter, I told her I thought she had said all that could be said on
that subject, but that I knew your way of thinking on that affair
much too well, to suppose any thing on earth could prevent you
from resigning a living, which your conscience told you, you
could no longer hold as an honest man, void of time-serving
hypocrisy. I hope, however, I shall have the pleasure of seeing
you here before you leave the country, as I do not think of going

NO. V.] APPENDIX. 389
to town till after Christmas. At any rate I shall wish much to see
your Reasons, when they are published; and have not the least
doubt but they will give me great satisfaction. I beg my respects
to Mrs. Lindsey, and be assured I am and ever will be
Your sincere friend,
Percy.
from the rev. newcome cappe.
DEAR SIR, York, Nov. 1, 1773.
Your truly christian and heroical determination is above my
praise, and will afford you such hope and joy in God as will
render human praise unnecessary to you, and human censure
insignificant. I thank God from my heart, that there are men
in the world who will buy the truth and sell it not. Your ex
ample, I think, cannot fail to increase the number of them.
Sure, it must impress some hearts with a conviction that there
is something serious in religious truth and liberty, and some
thing real that is not of this world. The comfort and reward of
confessing Christ you must have, and your name I trust will be
held in everlasting remembrance by the friends of truth and vir
tue, and will continue to do good when your personal services
are over. Those who esteem you as they ought, cannot be unaf
fected with the inconveniences you may suffer, and that not in your
own person only, from your integrity. It is an afflicting thought ;
but the utility of your example is connected with this circum
stance, and I hope in God that the righteous will not be for
saken. As to the business you mention, Mr. Hotham (who
presents to you his most respectful compliments and the sin-
cerest tenders of his service) will join with me to do the best we
can for you. If you will send either the books or a list of them,
we will treat with a bookseller about them. If his proposal
comes not up to your idea of their value, and the books are nu
merous enough, it may be worth while to sell them by a marked
catalogue, and this, if you approve of it, we will do. I am
greatly obliged to you for the tender regard you express toward
me and my little family, and I remain with the highest esteem,
and all manner of good wishes for you and every one that is dear
to you, Your affectionate humble Servant,
N. Cappe.
To the Rev. Mr. Lindsey, at Catterick.
FROM THE REV. SAMUEL BADCOCK OF BARNSTAPLE.
REV. SIR, June. 11, 1774.
Having read your Apology with peculiar pleasure, I cannot
resist the impulse of writing to you. There' was a time when,
shackled by the bonds of intellectual slavery, I should have shud
dered at your freedom, and have forgot your' h'onev-ty amidst your

390 appendix. [n.o,v,
heterodoxy. But now I measure mankind on a larger scale, and
if I see the former I forget the latter. My travels in the theo-
logic region have been variously conducted : but amidst every
intricacy I never lost sight of sincerity. When reason was hood
winked, that like a faithful companion attended even my wan
derings; and I hope I shall never forfeit the protection of such
a friend. I enter into your feelings with a sympathy which I
cannot express. I insensibly catch your spirit as it shines forth
in the mild lustre of primitive simplicity; and pray that I may
be a follower of those who through faith and patience pursue
the promises.
Most heartily do I congratulate you on that exalted superiority
of mind, which, abstracting you from the world, must inspire
you with such joys as the world cannot give nor take away.
They flow from that noble independence which is the first gift
of heaven. Go on and prosper. May the influence of your
example be as diffusive as corruption hath been ! Truth like the
sun may be clouded, but cannot be extinguished — No: it will,
when it begins to dawn, pursue its course till it gains the perfect
day. Then will the sons of ignorance and bigotry fly with dis
may, when the Lord shall scatter the one with the breath of his
mouth, and eclipse the other in the brightness of his coming.
Fox's letter at the end of your Apology is really an excellent
one. I have translated it, to gratify a friend; and have been
urged to publish it for general entertainment in some paper or
magazine. .1 beg leave to ask you one question, — Was you the author of
a paper in the Theological Repository, signed Socrates Scho-
lasticus ? I think I trace Mr. Lindsey in it. Barnue^tsis is
the very person who is now writing to you ; and it would not in
the least lessen my esteem and love of you, if I was sure that you
had opposed me. In one respect I merited correction; though
in another respect it was doing me too much honour. Let thi$
plead for my pertness. I was scarcely two-and-twenty when t
writ that paper, and did it in a hurry, urged on by the warm
solicitations of bigotry.;
I suppose you are acquainted with that worthy man Dr.
Priestley. I am happy in his friendship, and owe much to his
writings. I love every good man with the most sincere affection;
and in proportion as he is distinguished for the noble qualities of
disinterested zeal and sincerity, so proportionably do I value and
esteem him, as the highest character that earth- can be blessed
with. On these principles I am, dear Sir,
Your most affectionate brpthsr and friend.,
S. BabcojQK.
To the Rev. Theoph. Lindsey.

NO. VI.] APPENDIX. 391
No. VI.
Extracts of Letters from the late Thomas Hollis, Esq.
under the title of Pierce Delver, to the Rev. T.
Lindsey.
As I think to be well informed, Mrs. Macaulay has lately
sold to Messrs. Dilly, booksellers, in the Poultry, the power of
making an octavo edition of her Works, she reserving her right
afterward in those works for 9001. ! Also, the right of every
future volume which she shall write, for one thousand pounds
each volume !
It seems this lady thinks there will be three more volumes to
the elevation of the house df Hanover. When those are written,
she purposes to write the History (if the Tiidors. And then, to
place a large Introduction before her History, ivhich shall begin
with the earliest -account of Britain, and stride down to her his
tory of the Tudors.
The bargain seems to be a good one on her part. But, to
me, it would be a sad case to write of liberty, magnanimity, at
a price, and against a season, at any price !
It seems for some time past, when only three volumes of Tier-
History were published, Mrs. M. Wanted Mr. Cadell to buy the
copyright of them, &c. ; but he chose not to meddle with her
History in so imperfect, uncertain a state.
On the present occasion, she has hot said one Word to him,
though always in every shape most respectful toward her and
vigilant to promote her interests. Mr. C. is rather concerned
at her behaviour; and tells me that he should have been glad
to have taken share in the octavo edition, but not in the agree
ment for the future unbegotten volumes at any rate.
The other day I paid her a visit at her house i'n Berners Street,
Oxford Road, on a particular occasion, by desire. That house,
a new one, she has bought, and furnished handsomely. She had
the air of a princess, out-Cornelis'ed the Cornelisians, and had
the frank Bath air upon her countenance.
It seems she keeps two servants in laced liveries, treats cle
verly and elegantly, and in short, author or fine lady, surpasses
all her sex.
All this in confidence, for I respect her exceedingly, and she
is to be maintained in much just commendation for her many
extraordinary qualities and the cause sake.
I am, with great esteem,
Dear Sir,
Your affectionate friend and
most obedient servant,
Pierce Delver,

392 appendix. [no. vii.
from the same.
The writer considering the uncertainty and accidents of life, is
desirous of sending a copy of a curious letter written to him
by a worthy person, August 3, 1767.
" Thomas Secker was born about the year 1693 or 4, son of
a reputable shopkeeper at Chesterfield, in Derbyshire. His sister
married Sam. Wildbore, of Brewhouse-yard, near Nottingham,
a protestant dissenter, and by trade a dyer. His brother George
was put to the Coventry business, where he lived many years, a
professed protestant dissenter; and, for aught 1 know, may yet
live ; though the ABP has one of his sons in the church.
" Thomas Secker, after he left the Grammar-school, I think
went to the Academy at Attercliff, and, however this, he finished
at Sam. Jones's Academy in Tewksbury. There it was he
wrote some letters in the controversy between Dr. S. Clarke
and Leibnitz, on Liberty and Necessity, which gained him the
Doctor's favour.
"After this, he was some time with his sister aforesaid, in
Brewhouse-yard, where he constantly attended the worship of
the protestant dissenting church, under the pastoral care of the
Rev. Mr. Bateson, with whom he was very familiar.
" He then went to study physic at Leyden ; and then took the
degree of M.D.
" Becoming acquainted with one of the sons of Dr. Talbot,
Bishop of Durham, he travelled with him; when great affection
for T. S. led the son to recommend him so strongly to the patron
age of the Bishop, that he gave him expectation of providing
for him in the church: whereupon he went to Oxford, studied
there some time, and would have exchanged his diploma of M.D.
for that of D.D., but could not obtain any higher than LL.D.,
which is his signature to this day.
" Bishop Talbot gave him a rich prebend in the Durham
Cathedral, and also soon a great living. He married a lady in
the Talbot family, as was thought by some in gratitude. Chan
cellor Talbot was his friend; and he thus had the ladder of pre
ferment made easy to him."

No. VII.
Letters from the Rev. W. Hopkins.
DEAR SIR, Cuckfield, March 29, 1784.
I have lately perused your Historical View of the State of
the Unitarian Doctrine and Worship, and take an early oppor
tunity to express my grateful thanks for this useful and entertain-

NO. VII.] APPENDIX. 393
ing history. But before I proceed to take any notice of the
contents of it, I cannot help sending my sincere congratulation
upon the victory you and Mrs. Lindsey have gained over one of
the greatest temptations of human life, and have set a noble
example of christian fortitude, even in these times. You have
laid a glorious foundation for the establishment of genuine Chris
tianity amongst all protestants, which of course will prove an
excellent means to demolish the gross corruptions of popery,
which derive some support from the flagrant errors yet remaining
in protestant churches. In your Historical View I meet with
many curious anecdotes with which I was unacquainted ; though
several years ago, I was engaged in a scheme something resem
bling the Historical View, but was interrupted after some little
progress made in it. I was very much surprised to find that the
eminent Dr. Doddridge should contend for that very absurd
notion of Christ's being-possessed of two natures ; but the vast
convenience of being provided with a solution, well accommo
dated to reconcile the most palpable contradictions, had too
much influence upon his mind. Philpot's case affords a strik
ing instance of a cruel persecuting temper, at the very time he
was suffering himself for his religious principles. The cause of
Christianity was at first supported and propagated by fair and
open professions, though frequently attended with terrible evils.
But it is to be lamented, that during the corrupt state of the
apostate church, many nice arts have been employed to palliate
established forms, and hinder the progress of the plain simplicity
of the Gospel of Christ. Your strictures upon those great and
good men, Sir Tsaac Newton, Dr. Clarke, and Bishop Hoadly,
are, I think, very just. What persecution could the bigots have
inflicted upon such persons, since this family came to the throne,
if they had taken very bold steps in maintaining the cause they
certainly had at heart ? It may perhaps appear not impertinent
to take notice of a conversation that passed many years ago,
when I was very young, at a worthy clergyman's house, who had
been preferred by Bishop Hoadly, and likewise was intimate with
Dr. Clarke. The clergyman was speaking in a soft and cautious
way of his friend Dr. Clarke, and observed that he could mit
make it do very well: in other plainer terms, it was difficult to
make the Athanasian Creed consistent with subscription. But
the Doctor, he said, could say as much for a bad cause as any
one. This declaration made a strong and lasting impression
upon my mind. It only shows that the Doctor was an able
pleader, and at the same time the cause was bad : and indeed
I found by dear-bought experience, that it proved a bad cause
to me. The learned Mr. Wasse, of whom you make mention,
gave a noble example to the members of Oxford and Cam-

o94 APPENDIX. [NO. VII.
bridge, by his open professions and declaration of holding a
debate with Dr. Potter, late Abp. of Canterbury, at that time
Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford. I have been always of
opinion, that the method proposed by Mr. Wasse was an excel
lent one, and am really concerned that this plan has never been
imitated and reduced to practice. Of what use are theological
debates, as commonly held by the Professors of Oxford and
Cambridge, when the disputants are tied down to determine
the questions proposed by established standards of orthodoxy?
I cannot help my hearty approbation of your inserting Abp.
Herring's letter to Dr. Jortin : I am of opinion that this letter
will be of service to the cause. I have the satisfaction to find
In the list of your worthies, names which I never heard of before :
viz. Mr. Maty, Mr. Harries, and Mr. Ross of Scotland. May
the number of such worthy persons perpetually increase ! My
own story relative to the cause is not. worth relating, and I pass
it off in silence. But I would just remind you, that you have
omitted some Unitarians worthy of notice, viz. Gilbert Clerke,
fellow of a college in Cambridge before the Restoration. As
the statutes obliged him to go into orders by a particular time,
he made it his choice to resign his fellowship, and all pretensions
to church preferment. The great Mr. Locke, the Rev. Mr. Tom-
kins, the Rev. Mr. Gibbs, two dissenting ministers who were
ejected from their congregations upon account of their Unitarian
principles. Unitarians, as they are uniformly agreed in the grand points
of the question, should carefully avoid disagreeable altercations
upon their lesser differences. Upon a review, the whole of what
I now maintain is no more than this, that the direct invocation
of Christ is lawful upon some occasions, and that J cannot pro
test against the lawfulness of it, as I have openly done against
the third and seventh petitions of the Litany, and all passages of
a similar nature. It is now high time that I should make my
sincere acknowledgements to you and Dr. Disney for the trouble
you have given yourselves about my translation, which I find is
done in an handsome manner. I heartily wish all possible suc
cess to your ministry at the Chapel in Essex Street, and likewise
to the Society; and am, dear Sir, with my respectful compli
ments to Doctor and Mrs. Disney, to Dr. and Mrs. Jebb, and
Mrs. Lindsey, Your much obliged friend,
W. Hopkins.
P. S. Unless my memory deceive me, for I am not in pos
session of the tracts, Dr. Price and Dr. Priestley had a friendly
debate upon liberty arid necessity. I profits mysejf strongly

NO. VII.] APPENDIX. 395
attached to the cause of moral liberty in the strictest sense, in
opposition to necessity of every kind, whether arising from ex
ternal or internal causes. If I remember right, Dr. Price main
tained his point, viz. liberty, in an able and rational way; but
when he came to the grand difficulty, which has perplexed the
best writers upon the subject, viz. how to reconcile prescience
with liberty, he seemed distressed. It has generally been taken
for granted on both sides, that divine prescience must be admit
ted as a truth. But really I entertain very great doubts, occa
sioned by a careful perusal of a chapter in Crellius De Sapientia
Dei, which does not seem to have engaged the attention of the
learned so much as it deserves. A rational and sensible person
was going to write upon this subject, to whom I recommended
this chapter of Crellius ; but as he was unacquainted with the
learned languages, I engaged to translate part of the chapter.
If Dr. Price has never seen this chapter, and Crellius's works
have not fallen in his way, I should esteem it as a favour if you
would present my respects to him, and beg of him to accept of
this translation, if not disagreeable, which possibly may tend to
illustrate a subject he has frequently considered. The person
for whom it was originally intended has been dead some time.
If the Doctor be in possession of Crellius's works, I must ask his
pardon for this impertinence, as I am sensible he understands
the language much better than the translator. JTis proper to
add that I did not translate the whole chapter.
FROM THE SAME.
DEAR SIR, CuckfieM, April 29, 1784.
Last week your extraordinary favour came to hand, and I
think myself obliged to take an early opportunity to acknowledge
with gratitude the kind and friendly manner with which you treat
me. I thought it not improper to take notice of some names
omitted in your very useful work, and am really surprised that
the learned Mr. Peirce should escape my observation, of whom
I had conceived an high opinion, and some of whose excellent
works 1 have in my possession. With respect to Mr. Gilbert
Gierke, I can communicate no other particulars than what you
may find in Mr. Nelson's Life of Bishop Bull (pag. 497, 499,
502, 508 — 513). He seems to have given an impartial account
of the Life and Character of Mr. Gilbert Clerke ; but what was
naturally to be expected, he speaks slightingly of his perform
ances, in part of which he presumed to differ from the celebrated
Defender of the Nicene Faith. The Bishop, as you rightly ob
serve, treats poor Mr. Clerke in an indecent manner, more espe
cially as Mr. Nelson himself has given him a good character;
I call him poor, for in one part of his life he ran the hazard, for

396 APPENDIX. [no. vii.
the sake of conscience, of wanting the common necessaries of
life. As I have the tract of Mr. Clerke, upon which Bishop Bull
made animadversions, I compared them together many years ago,
and I find this observation in a vacant space before the title page,
" The famous Bull wrote animadversions upon this treatise, but
he has left many arguments without the least appearance of an
answer, which strongly support the Unitarian cause; this cause
indeed is founded upon such powerful evidence, as cannot be
overthrown by the wit of man." I am inclined to judge, that
Bull saw something which he could not answer, and this raised
his indignation. I entirely agree with Mr. Clerke, that Bull, in
the last section of his Defence, relative to the subordination, had
yielded great part of the question up to the Unitarians or, rather,
had given it quite up. Subordination, in any sense, absolutely
demolishes the Athanasian system. All that appears of Mr.
Philip Gibbs is, that as he had been bred up in the Calvinistic
plan, upon a more exact examination of Scripture, and the study
of the best authors, he became an Unitarian, and gave up pre
destination, original sin, &c. In consequence of his conviction,
he addressed a letter to his congregation, wherein he openly and
fairly delivered his sentiments : upon which they desired him
to withdraw peaceably from their communion. He was after
ward taken into partnership with a considerable tradesman, and
died within a few years in that station.
Be pleased to return my best respects to Dr. Price, for taking
in good part what I thought might prove useful to his design.
But I find a disinclination in many learned persons to give up
the divine prescience. Crellius, I really think, has argued the
point with sagacity and deep penetration, and has stated the
case in such a guarded manner, as not to break in upon om
niscience itself, when understood in a perfectly rational sense ;
and has likewise made it consistent with prophecies delivered in
the Old and New Testament. I did not translate the whole
chapter, but am of opinion that the whole" deserves the careful
perusal of curious Bersans. I perused several years ago with
peculiar satisfaction Dr. Price's Review of the principal Ques
tions and Difficulties of Morals, and likewise his four Disserta
tions. I objected only to one sentence in his dissertation on
Providence, which it is not necessary to mention, as it has been
taken notice of by ethers; and the Doctor, I dare say, ean guess
at my meaning. I gave my hearty assent to his Political Trea
tise, published at a seasonable time, well calculated to answer
those purposes the worthy author had in view, and which, I be
lieve, have been eventually answered. I sincerely wish him joy
of his success. Upon the whole I ought to acknowledge with
gratitude, that I have received considerable improvement and

NO. VII.] APPENDIX. 397
much rational pleasure from the excellent writings of Dr. Price,
which .have engaged my attention, but am not qualified to form
a proper judgement of that part of them which are taken up in
curious and nice calculations, as being deficient in that branch
of science. I must beg the favour of you to express my parti
cular satisfaction to Dr. Priestley, for the very candid observa
tion he has made on our difference of sentiments, which shews
a disposition to promote peace and harmony among Christians,
and possibly an uniform agreement in some grand and essential
points through the whole Christian world. If Dr. Priestley judges
that there is no real difference betwixt him and Dr. Price, the
same thing may be 6aid of myself, as, unless I am mistaken, we
are very nearly of the same sentiments. I certainly have ex
pressed myself in a way different from that of Dr. Priestley,
with regard to some opinions he has published, and at the same
time have esteemed him for several of his practical treatises,
which have fallen in my way. I sincerely believe that he is well
disposed to promote the cause of natural and revealed religion,
which plainly appears from his tracts on that subject, and which
I had an opportunity of reading some time ago with satisfaction.
I am a stranger to his philosophical discoveries and disquisitions,
as having never acquired any thing farther than a superficial
knowledge of that science, which he has so happily cultivated
and improved. I heartily wish him success in all his commend
able undertakings : philosophy, when in the hands of a truly
religious and ingenious person, has a natural tendency to display
the glory of the One Supreme God and Father of all. You
guess right about the book relative to the controversy of neces
sity betwixt Dr. Price and Dr. Priestley, it not being in my pos
session, and so should be glad to accept of your kind offer.
With respect to Dr. Priestley's present undertaking, by that little
acquaintance I had formerly with the primitive fathers, I am
induced to believe that the Doctor will be able to prove his point
to the satisfaction of unprejudiced inquirers.
It gives me peculiar satisfaction, that any thing I haye done
relating to the book of Exodus has your approbation ; only I
would observe, that your candid opinion of the author has pre
vailed upon you to pass a too favourable sentence. I thought it
right to speak my mind freely of Dr. Kennicott's short attempt
to please the reputed orthodox, and presume he could not have
taken it amiss, if he had been alive. You are so very obliging
as to think of mentioning my name among the worthies, if your
very useful work should come to a second edition, which I heartily
wish it may for the public good ; but I make this request, that,
if upon a review you should judge it improper in any respect to
mention my name, you would suppress it. I am very much

398 APPENDIX. [no. VII.
concerned to hear of Dr. Jebb's precarious state of health ; but
you express some hopes- that he may get the better of it, which
I sincerely wish may prove the case. You tell me great news
concerning the Bishops : surely a review will be attempted at
last, and possibly I may have the pleasure of seeing something
actually done in the glorious cause before I die, though far ad
vanced in years.
I am, dear Sir, with my kind respects to Mrs. Lindsey, Doctor
and Mrs. Disney, Doctor and Mrs. Jebb,
Your very affectionate friend, and
deeply obliged humble servant,
W. Hopkins.
PROM THE SAME, AND MARKED BY MR. LINDSEY, " THE
EXCELLENT MR. HOPKINs's LAST LETTER."
, DEAR GOOD SIR, Cuckfield, December 17, 1735.
I HOPE to be able to send you some sort of answer to your
very kind and christian letter, which I received the last post.
With respect to my scruples relating to church matters, they
are entirely removed by your determination. Your solicitous
concern for my welfare is very engaging, and which you have
plainly shoWn by procuring for me a very handsome present from
a Worthy member of the Society. I accept of it with grateful
thanks, as my imprudent son has very much wasted my substance
by his vicious extravagance; but still I am provided with a de
cent support by proper management. I will take care to employ
a person some day next week to call at your house for the gene
rous gift. And as you- think my name may be something in the
Society book, though- a poor something, I revoke my design', of
having it struck out, and refer the time of my little payment to
you and the Society.
I cannot conclude without taking notice, that your charity in
duces you- to- entertain a more favourable opinion than I really
deserve; neither ought I!to put myself upon a footing with such
worChy persons as yourself, who have maintained an unblemished
character all their lives; that of a poor humble penitent is all
that I can justly claim'.
May the One Supreme God- and Father of all' give a blessing
and success to all your s-mcere endeavours' to promote the cause
of his- true religion, and likewise those of your worthy associates !
and- may all- possible suecess- attend the Christian Society which
you have formed for the same excellent purpose! which is the
earnest prayer of, Good; sir,
Your highly obliged friend^ and humble- servant,
W. Hopkins'.

NO. IX.] APPENDIX. 3(J!»
No. IX.
P. Courayer to the Rev. T. Lindsey.
DEAR MR. LINDSEY*, A Percy Lodge, ce 2.9 Septembre, 1/53-
JE suis charme que votre progress dans la langue FranQoise
vous rende ma recommandation inutile. Car par vous mthne
vous saurez assez vous recommander a. ceux avec qui vous ferca
connoissance, La science et la bonne conduite sont un excellent
passe-par-tout aupres de tous les honn6tes gens.
Quoi que je ne puisse convenir avec Mr. de St. Perne que ma
retrace ait ete une perte pour personne, je suis persuade, comme
lui, que si j'etois reste en France je n'y aurois pu deinewer sans
m'exposer a de grandes difficultez et a quelques dangers; et
quelque mortification que j'aye eu a sauffrir en quittant u»e
societe et un pais oil je vivois avec agreement et satisfaction, je
ne me repeus point de cette demarche, qui m'a dedommage de
ce que j'ai perdu par les avantages que j'ai retrouvez ici, et qui
amis ma conscience a couvert des troubles et des tentations aux
quelles elle auroit etd exposee en demeurant dans ma patrie*
Rien n'est plus triste, comnae vous I'observez,. que de voir
les hommes se perseeuter pour des opinions sur des- points ob
scure, don t la decision est aussi incertaine que lesont les points
memes en question, et qui d'ailleurs n'ont que tres peu d'influ-
ence sur les inceurs et la conduite. des hommes. Mais on. veut
dominer sur la foi des autres ; et la mime ambition qui porte les
princes a etendre leurs domaines, engage les, theologiens a voa-
loir faire re^gner leurs opinions. C'est un mal aussi ancien que
le monde, et il y a long terns que, comme Fa dit ua ancien,
l'homme secomporte en b£te firoce a-Pegard des autres: ham&
homini lupus, Que faire pour reme'dier a ce mal? En geafcir
devant Dieu,.lui demander la grace de changer le coeur des hom
mes, et de les ramener a des sentimens plus eclairez, censurer
cet esprit de domination quand l'occasion se pr^sente de le faine
avec utilite, et si on ne peut reformer les- autres, s'eloigmer soi
raeme d'une pareille disposition, et laisser la- liberty a chacuii db
suivre ses propres kimieres en conservant l'esprit d'unioa et d«
charite qui fait proprement l'essence de la religion.
La demande que vous me fakes est si vague que je ne saurois
.pour cette- fois y repondre. Vous me priez de vous faire con-
nokre quelques peti.ts traitez que vous puissiez vous procurer.
Je ne sais ce que vous enteudez par la. Sont-ce des traiteside
piete, ou de controverse, ou de belles lettres ? Sont-ee-ou des
ouvrages de morale on des sermons, ou simplement des ouvrages
d'esprit? Pardonnez moi de ne rien repondre a une demande
qui est trop g^nerale pour que je puisse y satisfaire.
* So in the original.

400 APPENDIX. [NO. IX.
J'ai pris part comme toute la France a la naissance du Due
de Bourgogne. Je crois merne que e'est uu bien pour toute
I'Europe, qu'un defaut de succession pourroit rengager dans une
guerre generale. Mon exil ne me rend point insensible aux
avantages de ma patrie. Mais comme ce n'est pas tout d'avoir
un prince a moins qu'il ne soit bon, mes vceux presentement se
bornent a en souhaiter un qui fasse le bonheur de son royaume,
et qui rende ses peuples aussi heureux que sa naissance leur
donne de satisfaction.
Apres quatre mois de sejour a Percy Lodge, je m'en retourne
cette semaine a Londres. J'ai la satisfaction de laisser la Du-
chesse en assez bonne sante. Je lui en souhaite la continuation,
d'autant plus que d'elle depend le support et la subsistance de
bien des pauvres aux besoins desquels sa charite' fournit.
Je ne sais si je dois vous faire mes complimens sur les benefices
que My Lord Northumberland vous offre. Le plus considerable
n'est qu'un depot, que je ne regarde pas trop comme legitime,
et que nous regardons en France comme une softe de simonie.
L'autre ne vous donne qu'une simple subsistance, et vous m'avez
souvent avoue que vous ne vous contenteriez pas d'une cure qui
ne vous donnat pas de quoi fournir aux pauvres dont vous seriez
charge. Ainsi j'attens que vous ayez pris votre resolution pour
savoir si je dois vous en feliciter.
Mr. Cowslad vous fait ses complimens, quoi qu'il soit en
colere que vous ne lui ayez pas envoye" la recette de la creme
de Blois qu'il vous avoit demandee. Mes tendres amities a
Mr. de St. Perne, et mes complimens a My Lord Warkworth,
a qui je souhaite la continuation de sa sante.
Comme je suppose que la Duchesse vous mande les nouvelles
courantes, je ne me charge point de ce detail. II n'est question
pour moi que de m'entretenir dans Votre souvenir, et de vous
demander la continuation de votre amitie. Personne ne la
merite mieux, s'il suffit pour la meriter d'avoir pour vous autant
d'estime et d'attachement que j'en ai. II ne tiendra qu'a vous
de me fournir quelque occasion de vous en donner des preuves,
et de vous convaincre que personne n'est plus sincerement,
Mon cher ami,
Votre ties humble et
tres obeissant serviteur,
P. fr. Le Courayer.
A Monsieur
Monsieur Lindsey.

NO. X.] APPENDIX. 401
No. X.
From William Wells, Esq. of Boston in New England,
to the Author.
MY DEAR SIR, Boston, March 21, 1812.
1 am glad to hear you received the sermons safe. About six
weeks ago I forwarded to Mr. Freme a parcel for you, contain
ing the first No. of " The General Repository and Review."
For this you are indebted to Mr. B. I think a letter from him
accompanied the Review, but am not sure, as I took no memo
randum of the contents of the parcel. A second number will
shortly appear, which shall be forwarded by the earliest oppor
tunity. I believe I mentioned in my last the name of the editor,
Mr. Norton, an excellent young man. Of his abilities you will
be able to judge. I think the first article, and the review of the
Horsleian and Priestleian controversy display a soundness of
judgement which at his age is rare. A number of young men
who have taken their bachelor's degree now reside at Cambridge
as theological students. Several of them are the sons of men of
fortune, some, as far as I can judge, of superior talents ; and all
are pursuing their professional studies with a zeal which is well
directed by the very worthy and learned. Dr. Ware, professor of
divinity, and Dr. Kirkland the president, aiid an honesty which
is entirely unfettered and unbiassed by any system whatever.
We have to contend here, as you in England, for the first prin
ciples of protestantism, but I see no reason to fear that the en
suing generation will be destitute of able champions for the right
of private judgement.
With regard to the progress of Unitarianism, I have but little
to say. Its tenets have spread very extensively in New England,
but I believe there is only one church professedly Unitarian.
The churches at Portland and Saco, of which you speak, hardly
ever saw the light, and exist no longer. The Mr. Thacher who
was formerly a member of Congress, and the Judge T. whom
Mr. Merrick mentions, are the same. He is one of the Judges
of our Supreme Court, an excellent man and most zealous Uni
tarian. He is now on the circuit in this town, and tells me he
is obliged on Sunday to stay at home, or to hear a Calvinistic
minister. He is no relation to our friend.
Most of our Boston clergy and respectable laymen (of whom
we have manv enlightened theologians) are Unitarian. Nor do
thev think it at all necessary to conceal their sentiments upon
these subjects, but express them without the least hesitation
when they judge it proper. I may safely say, the general habit
of thinking and speaking upon this question in Boston, is Uni
tarian At the same time the controversy is seldom or never
2 D

402 APPENDIX. '[NO. X.
introduced into the pulpit. I except the Chapel church. If
publications make their appearance attacking Unitarian senti
ments, they are commonly answered with spirit and ability ; but
the majority of those who are Unitarian are perhaps of these
sentiments, without any distinct consciousness of being so. Like
the first Christians, finding- no sentiments but those in the N.T.
and not accustomed to hear the language of the N. T. strained
and warped by theological system- makers, they adopt naturally
a just mode of thinking.
This state of things appears to me so favourable to the dis
semination of correct sentiments, that 1 should perhaps regret a'
great degree of excitement in the public mind upon these sub
jects. The majority would eventually be against us. The ig
norant, the violent, the ambitious, and the cunning, would carry
the multitude with them in religion as they do in politics. One
Dr. M., in a contest for spreading his own sentiments among
the great body of the people, would, at least for a time, beat
ten Priestleys. Not to dwell upon the consideration, that Uni
tarianism consists rather in not believing; and that it is more
easy to gain proselytes to absurd opinions, than to make men
zealous in refusing to believe, with what arms, when the ol ttoXXoi
are the judges, can virtue and learning and honour contend with
craft and cunning and equivocation and falsehood and intolerant
zeal ? Learning is worse than useless, virtue is often diffident
of her own conclusions, and, at any rale, more anxious to render
men good Christians, than to make them Christians of her own
denomination; and that self-respect, which is the companion of
virtue, disdains to meet the low cunning of her adversaries, or to
flatter the low prejudices of her judges. I think then it must be
assumed as an axiom, that a persevering controversy upon this
question would render the multitude bigoted and persecuting
Calvinists. Then come systems and catechisms in abundance.
Every conceited deacon, every parishioner who has, or thinks he
ha3, a smattering in theology, becomes the inquisitor of his pas
tor. In such circumstances learning and good sense have no
chance. They cannot even be heard.
The violent party here have chosen to meet their opponents
upon very unfavourable ground. Instead of making it a cause
of orthodoxy against heresy, they have very unwisely preferred
to insist upon a subscription to articles of faith. This has given
great offence to many who are disposed to be in favour of their
creed, and thrown them into the opposite scale. Dr. Osgood
is really orthodox in sentiment, but a noble and determined sup
porter of the right of private judgement, and on the best pos
sible terms with our Boston friends. This is also the case with
the venerable Dr. Lathrop of West-Springfield, Mr. Palmer's

NO.

XI.] APPENDIX.

friend, and many others. In short, we are now contending for
the liberty of being Protestants. If we can persuade the people
(and we stand upon advantageous ground) that we have the
right to think upon religious subjects as our consciences and
the scriptures direct, things will goon very well. Learning,
good sense, and virtue will then produce their natural effects ;
and just modes of thinking upon subjects of this nature, as upon
all others, will necessarily prevail.
Will you, my clear Sir, excuse my unintentional prolixity?
I do not know that you will approve my sentiments, nor am I
very confident of their justness; but I have seen the contest
between truth and falsehood, before the multitude; between
every thing which is respectable, and every thing which is detest
able, so unequal in politics, that I dread the event in matters of
religion. Still I would be no advocate for timidity, much less
for any thing like equivocation or evasion; and it must be con
fessed, that prudence often degenerates into these vices.
• I remain, dear Sir,
with the greatest esteem,
Yours affectionately,
To the Rev. Thomas Belsham. W. WELLS, J UN.

No. XL
From the Rev. Thomas Fyshe Palmer, to Mr. Lindsey;
giving some account of his treatment on board the
Surprize transport.
MY DEAR SIR, N. S. Wales, Sydney, Sept. 15, 1795.
It was with inexpressible pleasure that I again saw your hand
writing ; receiving your letter and parcel of books safe, for which
I am much obliged to you. I long to read with attention, the
Commentary on the Revelation, which I believe will nearly (from
a hasty glimpse of it) meet my own ideas. I am happy to find
that my edition of Elwall is in the hands of a person who will
give them away: it was printed for that very purpose, nor must
I allow your kind partiality to frustrate it.
- I must begin with telling you that we have all enjoyed unin
terrupted health, excepting that landing with weak eyes, and
using them very much at the time, the common malady of the
climate has ever since grievously affected them, so that I have
been obliged to give over reading and writing. But they are now
considerably better.
By this time you will, 1 imagine, have received the dismal nar
rative of my sufferings on board the Surprize ; the master of which
2d 2

404 APPENDIX. [NO. XI.
accused me and Mr. Skirving of hiring people to murder him and
the principal officers. He pitched on some unhappy people as
our associates, and what he made them and us endure is hardly
to be credited. It must have been more than human help which
supported me. One week of it at any other time would have
dispatched me. In the torrid zone when 1 could not bear the
covering of my shirt, Mr. Skirving and I were shut up in a box
six feet square, and not suffered to pass the threshold. At night,
as a vast indulgence, we were separated, and I laid in a bed not
merely wet but soaked through with salt water and rain, which
my tyrant would not permit me or my friends to dry. The pre
tended associates were much worse treated ; every cruelty and
every artifice were employed to make them accuse us. They
were flogged, and illegally reduced to half allowance. They were
loaded with sixty pounds weight of irons, and all chained to an
iron bar and exposed on the poop all weather, in that dreadful
temperature. When I landed, six or seven people went volun
tarily to a magistrate, and swore that C. offered them great re
wards if they would swear that I and Mr. Skirving hired them to
murder him and the principal officers, that he held a pistol in his
hand and threatened to shoot some if they did not, and to treat
them as we traitors were. The whole of this I have entrusted to
Mr. White, principal surgeon of the settlement, who went home
in the Daedalus in December last. I believe I should have fallen
before my inhuman tyrant, had it not been for the courageous
and active friendship of James Ellis and Mr. Boston, the young
man I wrote to you about, and his wife. They were threatened
with irons, even Mrs. Boston ; and when Mr. Boston landed,
C. blasted all his prospects by accusing him of jacobinism and
drinking destruction to the K — : — . This last was proved to be
au infamous falsehood. They gave another signal proof of their
friendship. Somehow or other their knowledge of the arts was
spread abroad at Rio de Janeiro, and the Viceroy paid them every
attention, kept a splendid table for them, had a man of rank to
attend them, set them to work, and, when convinced of their abi
lity, offered them any sum to set up in business, and 300/. per
annum each to settle at Rio. They firmly rejected the offer
(though both were without a-shilling), and every solicitation made
use of for their compliance, as it was their firm belief that C.
would have murdered me in their absence. After such kindness
it followed of course that we lived together, and that they shared
what I had. It was fortunate for them that I had something left
from the plunder of C. and his crew. The destructive and op
pressive monopoly of the military officers forbad every one to pur
chase of the ships that came to this harbour. The military offi
cers alone bought, and resold to all the colony at 1000 per cent.

*o. xi.] appendix. 4().r>
profit, and often more. They firmly, but in guarded language,
insisted ou the rights of British subjects to carry on any tra<le,
not prohibited, in one of His Majesty's harbours. This irritated
the whole governing despotic power of the settlement against
them. They were refused a grant, servants, and never employed,
though, by making salt and curing fish, they could have saved the
colony from a famine. Where every thing is so immensely dear,
you may guess that it has laid heavy on me ; but my money could
not have been so well employed. The worst is over. They ma
nufacture beer, vinegar, salt, soap, &c. for sale. I have a farm.
But, above all, Governor Hunter, who is, I hear from all hands,
a good man, and their friend,. is arrived, and the despotism and
infamous monopolies of the last government are no more.
The clergyman here, Mr. Johnson, is a most dutiful son of the
church of England, thinking it to be the best constituted church
in the world. He is a Moravian methodist, and was bred, I be
lieve, at Magdalen, Cambridge. I believe him to be a very good,
pious, inoffensive man. None of our household ever have heard
him, though I confess I could have heard him yesterday with plea
sure. It was the first Sunday after Governor Hunter's arrival.
He exposed the last government, their extortion, their despot
ism, their debauchery and ruin of the colony, driving it almost to
famine by the sale of liquors at 1200 per cent, profit. He con
gratulated the colony at the abolition of a military government,
and the restoration of a civil one, and of the laws. Orders are
this day, Tuesday, given out, that no officer shall sell any more
liquor. I rejoice to hear of the safety, the care, and the reception of
Dr. Priestley, and the door of usefulness opened to him in
America. I have sealed up my letter to Mr. Rutt. I must therefore de
sire you to get our mutual friend Dyer to tell him that I have re
ceived his letter of June 23d, and the parcel of newspapers and
pamphlets, and especially the highly interesting (to us) Reports
of the Secret Committee, sent to the care of Mr. Johnson. He
must tell him that I am overwhelmed with his goodness, and only
fear that I shall not show myself sufficiently deserving of it.
He must know that Mr. Muir lives with me, and that he, Skir
ving, and I live in great cordiality; our houses at Sydney are con
tiguous, as also our farms in the country.
I have written by every conveyance, and by the last to Dr.
Disney, to whom and Mrs. Disney I must beg to be particularly
remembered. Mrs. Lindsey will accept of my best regard ; her
spectacles often recall her to mv mind.
Farewell, dear Sir. I hope it is reserved for me to see you

406 APPENDIX. [NO. XII.
again in this state ; and I earnestly pray never to be separated
from you in the next. I am your affectionate and obliged
Thos. Fyshe Palmer.
To the Rev. Mr. Lindsey,
Essex-street, London.

No. XII.
Select Extracts from the Letters of Dr. Priestley to Mr.
Lindsey, and from Thomas Jefferson, Esq. President
of the United States, to Dr. Priestley.
FROM DR. PRIESTLEY. Birmingham, Aug. 26, 1789.
The Archdeacon had indeed an euthanasia, and 1 find his friend
the Bishop of Carlisle died about the same time, and at about
the same age. They have been useful men in their day, and you
justly observe none are without their failings, and least of all great
minds. This I see confirmed, and I am sorry to see it so much
so, in Beausobre's History of the Reformation, which I have read
through with peculiar satisfaction. Luther had great defects
indeed, and of a very disagreeable kind ; especially envy, and dis
like of other reformers. He wished all to follow him, and was
angry if they went one step farther. His behaviour to Carlostadt
and Zuinglius, &c. is inexcusable. But he had great and good
qualities notwithstanding, and would, 1 doubt not, have been an
intrepid martyr. Beausobre is far more satisfactory than Slei-
dan, but I am sorry that he goes no farther than the year 1530.
He certainly meant to have written more. The last volume is
particularly interesting. ....
In a letter from Mr. Palmer in Scotland, you will see that he
corresponds with Mr. Robinson, of Cambridge, as an avowed
Unitarian. But he ought to make a public declaration, after
what he has written  FROM THE SAME. Birmingham, Oct. 3, 1789.
At my return 1 found a letter from Mr. Tayleur, with a bill of
150 pounds for the expences of my Ecclesiastical History. I told
him I apprehended it would be considerably too much, and that
I should consult with you, and did not doubt we should dispose
of the overplus to his satisfaction. 1 send you the letter and bill,
which I wish you would put into the hands of Mr. Chambers, who,
as usual, will give a receipt, and allow interest for it. Jiqw un-

N°- XII.] APPENDIX. 407
boundedly generous Mr. Tayleur is ! I may well afford to give
my books, when they are paid for beforehand.  Before I took
my journey 1 ordered 25 copies of my History of Early Opinions
to be sent to you. I am told they Were immediately sent by a
waggon that goes to the Castle and Falcon,. Aldersgate-street.
You say nothing about the parcel, and therefore it has not been
delivered. I am really desirous of giving a great part of the im
pression. I cannot consider them as my property, and only wish
to place them where they may be of the most use.
You will be pleased to be informed, that at Manchester I met
with two Unitarian street-preachers, men of good sense and great
zeal, who had read hardly any thing besides the Bible, nothing
of mine or yours. They are Baptists, and 1-1 in number; not
more than two months' standing. One of them had been in Mr.
Wesley's connection. As they had hired a building for their
meetings in the winter, and were at expense in travelling to
preach in the neighbouring towns, &c. I gave them five guineas;
They are all working men. I was exceedingly pleased with their
conversation. They told me of another society of the samekind
in York of 60 members ; and others are forming in different
places. Young Mr. Toulmin was with me, and gave them some
of my small pieces; and 1 promised to send them other books.
The name of one of them was John Laycock, and the other
 Burton. Two others of their friends were also preachers.
They spake with great fluency and propriety 

FROM THE SAME. Birmingham, May 24, 1/90.
I greatly admire Mr. —  's spirit and zeal, but I cannot
approve of his plan. Neither Christianity nor the Reformation
was carried on in that way, but more silently and naturally, like
the growth of corn, to which our Saviour compared the former.
So ostentatious a method of proceeding would engage our oppo
nents in similar measures, and excite a spirit of party, which is
hostile to free inquiry. Besides, the relief of sufferers, publicly
held out, would draw endless claimants, to whom no satisfaction
could be given. Assistance in particular and well-known cases
may still be given, books may be distributed, and lay preachers,
who 'want but little money, may be encouraged, without making
much noise. The very apparatus and correspondence necessary
for such a scheme as Mr.  's would alone be very expensive,
and the same money may be much better employed 

408 APPENDIX. [NO. XII.
FROM THE SAME.
DEAR FRIEND, Birmingham, June 11, 1790.
We have had a melancholy scene here since I wrote last. Mr.
Robinson, who preached our charity sermon on Sunday last, was
found dead in his bed on Wednesday morning at Mr. Russell's.
He was much enfeebled in body and mind, but had been bent on
taking the journey, and exerting himself to the utmost. His dis
order the physicians call angina pectoris. Two nights he was
with me, and on Monday evening he had a fit, from which I
thought he would hardly have recovered. However, he was much
better the next day, when he dined with Mr. Hawkes, and, afti»r
dinner, was in remarkably good spirits, and entertained us with
many stories and anecdotes. He ate a hearty supper, and went
to bed seemingly in good health ; but it was evident that he had
another fit soon after he went to bed, and that he expired in it,
for he was almost cold at nine o'clock the next morning.
He was by no means fit to preach; and though he was not at
a loss for words, he rambled into many things quite foreign to the
subject, dwelling much on Unitarianism at both meetings, though
they were different sermons. He used no notes. I have com
posed a sermon on the occasion of his death, which I shall preach
next Sunday. We expect letters or messengers from Cambridge,
but expect to bury him here.
I am very glad that you propose to omit the Creed, and to
make a discourse on the occasion. Your example will give a
sanction to the measure every where else. Mr. Robinson said he
Ijever felt so sensible a relief to his mind as when he read what I
published on the Miraculous Conception. He had always doubt
ed the story, but never ventured to mention his suspicion to any
body. He was correcting some of the last sheets of his History of Bap
tism, which, I dare say, will be a curious and valuable work.
Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectionately, J. Priestley,
FROM THE; SAME.
DEAR FRIEND, Birmingham, June 24, 1790.
You will see by the inclosed that J will not publish the Sermon
till I hear from the family. I beg therefore that you would take
back those I sent you, or take the troubje tp deliver the altera
tions I may have occasion to make in it.
It is evident that Mr. Robinson, though an Unitarian, did not
wish to incur the odium of it with all his old friends.
I want to know how Mr. Dodson goes on with his translation
of the Prophets. I stick close to my part, and hope to have

NO,

XII.] APPENDIX. 409

finished all that is essential before you come, at the end of the
next month, or the middle of it. 1 do a certain quantity per day.
We must make a point of dispatching the whole this year. I shall
see Mr. B., and talk to him about his part. I shall also write to
Mr. F., and give him any help that he may want. My method
is to paste paper to the margin of a quarto Bible, and make the
alterations there. This I think better, on every account, than to
write the whole, and especially much easier to those who exa-
mine it.
, Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectionately, J. Priestley.
FROM THE SAME. Birmingham, June 26, 1 790.
I send you with this a few copies of my Sermon for Mr. Ro
binson, to be disposed of as presents to whom you please. Do not
forget Mr. Radcliffe. None will be sold in London or Cambridge
till it has been seen by the family, and they allow the account
given of Mr. Robinson. There can be no doubt of his change of
sentiment, whether it should appear in his writings or not. He
had been a cautious man, and forbore to announce his change
of opinion to his congregation ; but I hope he never deceived
them. The letter in the preface is Mr. C.'s, his son-in-law, the
same that called upon you. There was however something I can
not account for with respect to his former opinion of the divinity
of Christ, unless he hold the indwelling scheme. For he said in
my hearing, he always thought the doctrine of the Trinity an ab
surdity. On this supposition, however, I cannot vindicate his
writing that book. I hear he was uncommonly eager to read your
Reply. It was brought by Mr. C. before your present of it arrived,
and he sat up all night to read it, and was much agitated by it-
He was also more affected than he ought to have been by the re
ception he met with among his old friends after his change of
opinion was known. When Mr. Hobson, who was an old ac
quaintance of his, first saw him, he sajd, " They have killed
me ;" and he complained to me, that among all his former friends
in London he had only two subscribers to his book. He had no
doubt been too fond of popularity, which is too often the case
with those who have the power of being so. However, his well
known change of sentiment cannot fail fo have a considerable
effect. FROM THE SAME. Birmingham, July C, 1790.
Mr. Robinson certainly died a natural death, but not so I be^
lieve Mr. Silas Deane. Mr, W. Wilkinson says he always talked
of taking laudanum in extremity, and doubts not but he did it.

410 APPENDIX. [NO. XII.
He had the greatest aversion to going to America with less honour
than he left it ; and though he had nothing to fear, he was poor,
and would have been overlooked. He had lived a very licentious
life at Paris : but Mr. Wilkinson says he spent almost all he was
worth to purchase arms for the Americans, and was never repaid.
FROM THE SAME. Birmingham, July 22, 1 790.
If you see Mr. Dodson, tell him it will by no means do to re
print either Blayney or Bishop Newcome, as we must keep much
nearer to the phraseology of the present version than they do. We
must content ourselves with departing from it only for the sake
of some real improvement. 1 have now gone once through the
Psalms and Proverbs, and 1 will undertake Daniel and the minor
prophets, if he will do Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Or, as I have
more than six months before me, and I am determined to make
this my principal business, I can very well do the whole ; and if
you think so, you need not say any thing to him ; or tell him that
I shall undertake it if he has not leisure, or that he may take
what he pleases, and leave me the rest. 1 fear some quaintness
in his style, and we must avoid every thing of the kind, as we
shall be laughed at.
LETTERS FROM DR. PRIESTLEY TO MR. LINDSEY SOON AFTER HIS
ARRIVAL IN AMERICA.
No. 1.
DEAR FRIEND, New York, June 15, 1794.
We have now been here near a fortnight, and I begin to expect
to hear from you, which is the greatest satisfaction that I expect
in this country. But I sometimes think that every thing here is
so promising, and every thing with you so threatening, that per
haps even you and Mrs. Lindsey may be induced to end your
days with us. To accomplish this, I should at any time come
over and fetch you. Indeed, the difference between the aspect
of things here and with you is not to be expressed. I feel as if
I were in another world. I never before could conceive how sa
tisfactory it is to have the feeling I now have from a sense of per
fect security and liberty, all men having equal rights and privi
leges, and speaking and acting as if they were sensible of it. Here
are no beggars to be seen, and families are easily maintained by
any kind of labour ; and whether it be the effect of general liber
ty, or some other cause, I find many more clever men, men ca
pable of conversing with propriety and fluency on all subjects re
lating to government, than I have met with any where in Eng
land. I have seen many of the. members of Congress on their

NO. XII.] APPENDIX. 411
return from it, and, without exception, they seem to be men of
first-rate ability, though some of them plain in their manners.
With respect to myself the difference is great indeed. In England
1 was an object of the greatest aversion to every person connect
ed with government ; whereas here they are those who show me
the most respect. With you the Episcopal church is above every
thing. In this city it makes a decent figure, but the Presbyte
rians are much above them, and the Governor (Clinton), who is
particularly attentive to me, goes to the meeting-house.
But the preachers, though all civil to me, look upon me with
dread, and none of them has asked me to preach in their pulpits.
This, however, does them no good. Several persons express a wish
to hear me, and are ashamed of the illiberality of the preachers,
and some are avowed Unitarians ; so that I am fully persuaded
an Unitarian minister, of prudence and good sense, might do
very well here. If I were here a Sunday or two more I would
make a beginning, and 1 intend to return for this purpose. The
greatest difficulty arises from the indifference of liberal-minded
men as to religion in general; they are so much occupied with com
merce and politics. One man of proper spirit would be sufficient
to establish a solid Unitarian interest ; and 1 am persuaded it will
soon be done. As I am much attended to, and my writings,
which are in a manner unknown here, begin to be inquired after,
I will get my small pamphlets immediately printed here ; and
wherever 1 can get an invitation to preach 1 will go. With this
view I shall carefully avoid all the party politics of the country,
and have no other object besides religion and philosophy. Phi
ladelphia will be a more favourable situation than this, and there
I shall make a beginning. It will be better, however, to wait a
little time, and not show much zeal at the first : and as my com
ing here is much talked of, I shall reprint my Fast and Farewell
Sermons. As it may serve to amuse you and Mrs. Lindsey, 1 will inclose
copies of some Addresses, and my answers ; and also some letters
from persons who are of a party opposite to the addressers, but
equally friendly to me ; and I find 1 have given as much satisfac
tion to them by the caution I have observed in my answers, as
to the addressers, who, however, I believe, are now well satisfied
that 1 do not openly join any of their societies, though at first I
am informed they were very desirous of it. The parties are the
Federalists and Anti-federalists : the former meaning the friends
of the present system, with a leaning to that of England, and
friendship with her; the latter wishing for some improvements,
leaning to the French system, and rather wishing for war. With
a little more irritation the latter will certainly prevail. They are
now, I believe, by far the most numerous, especially in the conn-

412 APPENDIX. [NO. XII.
try, though the other prevail in the towns, especially here. The
people of Vermont on the one hand, and those of Kentucky on
the other, can hardly be restrained from falling on the English and
Spanish settlements, and the latter particularly seem disposed to
break off from the Union rather than not have their way.
The exchange is so greatly in favour of the drawer (near nine
per cent.) that 1 am drawing for most of my money in England.
On Mr. Chambers I have drawn for 300/. which is very nearly
what I have in his hands, and I have told him that the small dif
ference on either side he may settle with you. On Mr. Johnson
1 have drawn for 50/. I wish you would mention this to them,
lest the letters miscarry.
As Dr. Disney desired me to write to him, and I had a parcel
to deliver for him to Bishop Prevost, I inclose the letter for him
in this packet to you. 1 have also written to Mr. Belsham, whom
I hope, some time or other, to draw hither. He will tell you my
scheme. But as I am going to Philadelphia, I shall soon knovy
more on the subject.
I was never more mortified than I now am at not having with
me any of my small tracts in defence of the divine unity, as my
being here leads many persons to wish to read what I have writ
ten on the subject. If Mr. Johnson has not sent the box of books
(chiefly my own publications) that he was to forward to Philadel
phia, desire him to do it the first opportunity. I shall reprint
them, and I flatter myself they will produce a considerable effect.
Indeed my coming hither promises to be of much more service to
our cause than I had imagined. But time is necessary, and I am
apt to be too precipitate. I want your cool judgment. You wait
ed patiently a long time in London ; but what an abundant har
vest have you had there \
Nothing can be more delightful than the weather is here at
present, and I do not think the climate will be at all too hot for
me. I have only two clays more to stay here : to-day I dine with
Mr. Bridges, a friend of Mr. Kemble's, and to-morrow with Ge
neral Gates, whom I have seen often, and like very much. I have
met him frequently, and he is particularly attentive to me, and
was so to my son before I came.
With my best respects to Mrs. Rayner and all friends,-in which
my wife joins, I am, dear friend,
Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's most affectiouately, J. Priestley.
P. S. When you have done with the Addresses, &c. please to
forward them to Mr. J. Wilkinson by his banker, Sir B. Hainmet.

NO. XII.] APPENDIX. 41.'.
No. 2.
DEAR FRIEND, Philadelphia, June 2-1, 1794.
Tins is my third letter to you. The last was by the Hope,
from New York. On Thursday last I arrived at this place. Our
journey was very pleasant, and the aspect of the country better
than 1 expected. This city is by no means so agreeable as New
York ; but, upon the whole, more eligible than any other for my
residence till our settlement be. ready for me. With respect to re
ligion, things are exactly in the same state here as in New York.
Nobody asks me to preach, and I hear there is much jealousy and
dread of me ; and on the whole I am not sorry for the circum
stance, as it offends many who have, on this account, the greater
desire to hear me ; so that I have little doubt but that I shall
form a respectable Unitarian society in this place. The alarm of
the danger of Unitarianism has been sounded so long, that it has
ceased to be terrific to many ; and I stand so well with the coun
try in other respects, that I dare say I shall have a fair and can
did hearing; and at my return from the Susquehannah, where I
propose to go the next week, I believe some place will be prepared
for me. In the mean time I am printing an edition of my Ap
peal and Trial of Elwall, which will be ready, I am told, by the
next Monday. Part of the impression will be sent to New York,
where things are in as great forwardness as here. If I do not
greatly deceive myself, I see a great harvest opening upon me ;
and there is room for many labourers, but it will require great
prudence and judgment at first. Also, those that come must not
be discouraged at first appearances, and be able to support them
selves, and at a greater expence than would be necessary in Eng
land ; and in New York or here, greater than in London itself.
This unexpected expence makes a great proportion of the emi
grants repent of their coming, the women especially, who do not
easily find any society. Notwithstanding the flattering attention
that is paid to me, I cannot help sometimes regretting the society
I had in England, But I am fully satisfied that I did right to
leave it, and I firmly believe that much good will be done here by
mv removal, and in this I rejoice.
'Mv wife will find much more difficulty than myself. All people
complain of the difficulty of getting tolerable servants, and we
find we acted unwisely in bringing any. The woman, for whose
passage we paid twelve guineas, behaved in such a manner that
my wife dismissed her the first week ; and the; boy, for whose
passage we paid the same, and at least ten pounds in fitting out,
is nm away, and, for any thing that we yet know, may have car
ried many things with him. We shall know more before night,
when we 'shall examine the things that came from New York.

414 APPENDIX. [NO. XII.
The boy is since found ; he had taken nothing;, but as he was
bent on going to sea we have let him go.
I have seen Mr. P., who made a genteel appearance, and gave
good reasons for his wife not having heard from him. He had
written : his passage was uncommonly long and unfortunate; and
then an embargo was laid here on all shipping for England.
I fear too, that when this was heard of with you, an embargo
would also be laid on ships going from England to America, and
that this may be the reason why we have not yet heard from any
body, and indeed have had no news of any kind from England.
We must have patience ; but we are very anxious to hear what
passes on the continent of Europe. Here both the Indians and
the English are making encroachments; and if orders from Eng
land do not stop these proceedings, a war will be inevitable ; and
people in the back settlements are so eager for it, that they can
hardly be restrained even now.
Since I wrote the former part of this letter, I have almost de
termined to make my residence in Northumberland, and spend
a few months of the winter in this city. This will on many ac
counts be better than living chiefly here. The expence will lie
prodigiously less ; I shall have more leisure for all my pursuits,
and I shall be, on the whole, of as much use in propagating Uni
tarianism, as if I resided constantly in the town. I see so great
a certainty of planting Unitarianism on this continent, that I
wish you and Mr. Belsham would be looking out for proper per
sons to establish in New York and Philadelphia, and also to sup
ply the College, which you may take for granted will be esta
blished at the place of my residence. A place of worship is
building here by a society who call themselves Universalists: they
propose to leave it open to any sect of Christians three days in
the week, but they want money to finish it. My friends think to
furnish them with money, and engage the use of it for Sunday
mornings. The society itself, I hear, intend to apply to me to
open it ; which I shall gladly do. A person with a proper spirit
and prudence may do great things here. Mr. H. was the most
imprudent of men, and did apparently much harm here; but even
tually even that may be for the best. I find I have great advan
tages, and I hope to make a good use of them.
I shall enclose an address to me from the Philosophical Society
in this place, which is the only one that 1 have received ; and
also the Preface to the Atnerican edition of my Appeal. Thomp
son is here, and superintends the office where it is printed. He
will soon set up for himself. With all our respects,
Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's
most affectionately, '
J. Priestley.

NO. XII.] APPENDIX. 415
A LETTER FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON, ESQ., PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, TO DR. PRIESTLEY, SOON AFTER HIS ELEC
TION TO THAT HIGH OFFICE.
DEAR SIR, Washington, March 21, 1801.
I learnt some time ago that you were in Philadelphia, but that
it was only for a fortnight, and supposed you were gone. It was
not till yesterday I received information that you were still there;
had been very ill, but were on the recovery. 1 sincerely rejoice
that you are so. Yours is one of the few lives precious to man
kind, and for the continuance of which every thinking man must
be solicitous; bigots may be an exception. What an effort, my
dear sir, of bigotry in politics and religion have we gone through !
The barbarians really flattered themselves they should be able to
bring back the times of Vandalism, when ignorance put every
thing into the hands of power and priestcraft. All advances in
science were proscribed as innovations ; they pretended to praise
and encourage education, but it was to be the education of our
ancestors ; we were to look backwards, not forwards, for im
provement ; the President himself declaring in one of his answers
to addresses, that we were never to expect to go beyond them in
real science. This was the real ground of all the attacks upon
you : those who live by mystery and charlatanerie, fearing you
would render them useless by simplifying the christian philoso
phy, the most sublime and benevolent, but the most perverted
system that ever shone on man, endeavoured to crush your welU
earned and well-deserved fame ; but it was the Lilliputians upon
Gulliver. Our countrymen have recovered from the alarm into
which art and industry had thrown them ; science and honesty
are replaced on their high ground ; and you, my dear sir, as
their great apostle, are on its pinnacle. It is with heartfelt sa
tisfaction^ that in the first moments of my public action I can
hail vou with welcome to our land, tender you the homage of its
respect and esteem, cover you under the protection of those laws
which were made for the wise and the good, like you, and dis
claim the legitimacy of that libel on legislation, which, under the
form of a law, was for some time placed among them. As the
storm is now subsiding, and the horizon becoming serene, it is
pleasant to consider the phenomenon with attention. We can
no longer say there is nothing new under the sun ; for this whole
chapter in the history of man is new ; the great extent of our re
public is new; its sparse habitation is new; the mighty wave of
public opinion, which has rolled over it, is new; but the most
pleasing novelty is its so quickly subsiding, over such an extent
of surface, to its true level again. The order and good sense
displayed in this recovery from delusion, and in the momentous

416 APPENDIX. [NO. XII.
crisis which lately arose, really bespeak a strength of character
in our nation Which augurs well for the duration of our republic.
And I am much better satisfied now of its stability, than I was
before it was tried. I have been, above all things, solaced by
the prospect which opened on us in the event of a non -election
of a President*; in which case the federal government would
have been in the situation of a clock or watch run down : there
was no idea of force, nor of any occasion for it. A Convention,
invited by the Republican Members of Congress, with the virtual
President and Vice-President, would have been on the ground in
eight weeks, would have repaired the constitution where it was
defective, and wound it up again. This peaceable and legitimate
resource to which we are in the habit of implicit obedience, su
perseding all appeal to force, and being always within our reach,
shews a precious principle of self-preservation in our composition,
till a change of circumstances shall take place, which is not
within prospect at any definite period. But I have got into a
long disquisition on politics, when I only meant to express my
sympathy in the state of your health, and to tender you all the
affections of public and private hospitality. I should be very
happy indeed to see you here. I leave this about the 30th in
stant, to return about the 25th of April ; if you do not leave Phi
ladelphia before that, a little excursion hither would help your
health. I should be much gratified with the possession of a guest
I so mush esteem, and should claim a right to lodge you, should
you make such an excursion. Accept the homage of my high
consideration and respect, and assurances of affectionate attach
ment. Thomas Jefferson.
from dr. triestley to mr. lindsey.
DEAR FRIEND, Northumberland, April 15, 1803,
I. am happy to hear by Mr. B. that your health is still good ;
and as his letter is dated the first of February, I hope you have
got well over the winter. There is hardly any thing that I wish
for, or think of, more than the continuance of your life and
health, that you may see the last of my labours, and I may hear
your opinion of them. On this I have always laid more stres's
than on that of all the world besides; and if you die before me,
I shall lose one of my most powerful stimuluses to exertion. As
to philosophy, I do not now give much attention to it, though I
do not wholly negleet it. With the good Dr. Heberden, Sir
John Pringle, and many others, who in early life engaged in phi-
* The votes of the Senate were for some time equally divided between
Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Burr.

NO. XII.] APPENDIX. 417
losophical pursuits, but were real Christians, I think it natural as
we draw nearer to a future and better world to think more of it,
and to have our reading and pursuits directed more than ever to
wards it.
For the same reason I think more of my departed friends, Mrs.
Rayner, Dr. Price, Dr. Jebb, and others who have been my chief
friends and benefactors, than before ; forming conjectures (wild
ones no doubt) concerningour meeting and employment hereafter.
Such speculations as these have at least the effect to make the
thoughts of leaving the world, and our friends in it, less un
pleasant, indeed sometimes almost desirable. If the disciples of
Jesus rejoiced so much at his resurrection, what will they do at
his second coming, in his proper kingdom, and when all their
friends will rise again, never to be separated any more ! And the
firm faith that you and I have that even the wicked, after a state
of wholesome discipline (and that not more severe than will be.
necessary) will be raised, in due time, to a state of happiness,
greatly diminishes our concern on their account.
Such reflections as these occur to me more particularly when
I am not well, and my thoughts are less occupied with my pur
suits. But though I had a pretty long relapse of bad health after
my last to you, when I thought myself quite well, and to have
recovered my usual good state of health, I am now again, I thank
God, pretty Well, and nearly as busy as formerly.
Since I wrote the above I have received a letter from Mr. Jef
ferson, on the subject of my pamphlet about Socrates, which I
will copy, and send it you the next post. I wish 1 could send
you all his letters ; but they are rather too long to copy, and a
specimen or two may be sufficient. Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's
most affectionately, J. Priestley.
FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON, ESQ., PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, TO DR. PRIESTLEY, UPON HIS " COMPARATIVE VIEW
. OF SOCRATES AND JESUS."
DEAR SIR, Washington, April 0, 1803.
While on a short visit lately to Monticello, I received from you
a copy of your Comparative View of Socrates and Jesus, and I avail
myself of the first moment of leisure after my return to acknow
ledge the pleasure I had in the perusal, and the desire it excited to;
see you take up the subject on a more extensive scale. In con
sequence of some conversations with Dr. Rush in the years 1798-
99, I had promised some day to write him a letter, giving him
my view of the Christian system. I have reflected often on it
since, and even sketched the outlines iri my own mind. 1 should
2 E

418 APPENDIX. [NO. XII.
first take a general view of the moral doctrines of the most re
markable of the ancient philosophers, of whose ethics we have
sufficient information to make an estimate : say, of Pythagoras,
Epicurus, Epictetus, Socrates, Cicero, Seneca, Antoninus. I
should do justice to the branches of morality they have treated
well, but point out the importance of those in which they are de
ficient. I should then take a view of the deism and ethics of the
Jews, and show in what a degraded state they were, and the ne
cessity they presented of a reformation. I should proceed to a
view of the life, character, and doctrines of Jesus, who, sensible
of the incorrectness of their ideas of the deity, and of morality,
endeavoured to bring them to the principles of a pure deism, and
juster notions of the attributes of God ; to reform their moral
doctrines to the standard of reason, justice, and philanthropy,
and to inculcate the belief of a future state. This view would
purposely omit the question of his divinity, and even of his in
spiration. To do him justice, it would be necessary to remark
the disadvantages his doctrines have to encounter, not having
been committed to writing by himself, but by the most unletter
ed of men, by memory, long after they had heard them from him,
.when much was forgotten, much misunderstood, and presented
in very paradoxical shapes. Yet such are the fragments remain
ing, as to show a master-workman, and that his system of mo
rality was the most benevolent and sublime probably that has
been ever taught, and more perfect than those of any of the an
cient philosophers. His character and doctrines have received
still greater injury from those who pretend to be his special dis
ciples, and who have disfigured and sophisticated his actions and
precepts from views of personal interest, so as to induce the un
thinking part of mankind to throw off the whole system in dis
gust, and to pass sentence as an impostor on the most innocent,
the most benevolent, the most eloquent and sublime character
that ever has been exhibited to man. This is the outline ; but I
have not the time, and still less the information, which the sub
ject needs. It will therefore rest with me in contemplation only.
You are the person who of all others would do it best, and most
promptly : you have all the materials at hand ; and you put to
gether with ease. 1 wish you could be induced to extend ypur
late work to the whole subject. I have not heard particularly
what is the state of your health : but as it has been equal to the
journey to Philadelphia, perhaps it might encourage the curiosity
you must feel to see, for once, this place, which nature has form
ed on a beautiful scale, and circumstances destined for a great
one : as yet we a.e but a cluster of villages. We cannot offer
you the learned society of Philadelphia, biit you will have that
pf a few characters whom you esteem., and a bed and hearty wel-

NO- XII.] APPENDIX. 419
come with one who will rejoice in every opportunity of testifying to
you his high veneration and affectionate attachment.
Th. Jefferson.
Dr. Joseph Priestley.
from dr. priestley to mr. lindsey, containing remarks
upon mr. jefferson's letter.
DEAR FRIEND, Northumberland, April 23, 1803.
In my last I promised to send you a copy of Mr. Jefferson's
letter on reading my pamphlet entitled " Socrates and Jesus
compared." The above is that copy. He is generally considered
as an unbeliever : if so, however, he cannot be far from us, and
I hope in the way to be not only almost, but altogether what we
are. He now attends public worship very regularly, and his mo
ral conduct was never impeached. I should, on several accounts,
be glad to make the visit he proposes, but my business will not
admit of it. If I leave this place, either the printing of my works
must be intermitted, or I must request the aid of Mr. C, which
I am not fond of doing ; and though he does his best, I find he
has not been sufficiently used to the work.
DR. PRIESTLEY'S LAST LETTERS TO MR. LINDSEY, WRITTEN A
FEW WEEKS BEFORE HIS DECEASE.
No. 1.
DEAR FRIEND, Northumberland, Nov. 4, 1803.
I cannot now expect to hear often from you, but I shall write
as usual, as long as you or Mrs. Lindsey are living, provided I be
living myself. But my health is such that I really do not expect
to survive you. 1 have now, of several months, the same feelings
that I had when I formerly had gall-stones; but at the same time
I had a difficulty in swallowing, which, as it varied, and sometimes
disappeared, I hoped was nothing but a spasm in the oesophagus,
near the entrance into the stomach ; but it is now constant, and
it is painful to me to swallow any thing ; and if I do not eat very
slow, all that is in the oesophagus comes up ; and not only that,
but it fills again from the stomach, and this operation continues
till the stomach is entirely empty. My guard against this is eat
ing very slowly. For the last three months I have not been able
to eat any flesh meat. I live on broth and vegetables, besides
milk and mild cheese ; but I take even these with difficulty. 1
am thankful, however, that excepting while I eat, I have but
little pain, though while I had gall-stones I had a good deal of
pain, and sometimes very acute. The first symptom of this dis
order I had about a year ago, but sometimes I had nothing of it.
Of late, however, it has increased very much. But I have abun-
2 e 2

420 APPENDIX. [no. XII.
dant reason to be satisfied with life, arid the goodness of God in
it. Few have, had so happy a lot as I have had, and I now see
reason to be thankful for events which at the time were the most
afflicting. As to my daughter, I cannot grieve on her account. She had
nothing before her in this life but a prospect of increasing trou
ble, and I hope soon to meet her in more favourable circum
stances. I am o'nly concerned about the children, and I do not
know what can be done for them. My only source of satisfaction,
and it is a never-failing one, is my firm persuasion that every
thing, and our oversights and mistakes among the rest, are parts
of the great plan, in which every thing will in time appear to
have been ordered and conducted in the best manner. When I
hear my son's children crying, I consider that we who are ad
vanced in life are but children ourselves, and as little judges of
what is good for ourselves or others.
As you were pleased with my comparison of Socrates and Jesus,
I have begun to carry the same comparison to all the heathen
moralists, and I have all the books that I want for the purpose,
except Simplicius and Arriati on Epictetus, and them I hope to
get from a library in Philadelphia : lest, however, I should fail
there, I wish you or Mr. Belsham would procure and send them
from London. While I am capable of any thing I cannot be idle,
and I do not know that I can do any thing better. This too is
au undertaking that Mr. Jefferson recommends to me.
With every good wish, I am
Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's
most affectionately, J. Priestley.
NO. 2.
DEAR SIR, Northumberland, Dec. 19, 1803.
I am once more made happy by the receipt of yours of the 9th
of September. I value your letters more than gold, but 1 am sen
sible it is unreasonable to expect them from you, difficult as it
must now be to you to write. But a single line will suffice.
I thank God I begin to recover from an illness which has been
very near carrying me off. It was ill understood by our physi
cians at first, and their prescriptions rtid me harm ; but now I
hope I am in a good way, though exceedingly weak, and my feet
and ancles much swelled from that cause. I live now almost al
together on animal food, which I was used to think would never
agree with me; but still I cannot eat any fibrous flesh meat, only
the gelatinous parts, such as calves' feet ; and for some days past
I have eat nothing but oysters, which agree with me better than
anything else. On this, and soup or broth, with a dish of tea, I live

NO. XII.] APPENDIX. 421
altogether. But by this means I am so much recovered, that I
hope soon to be able to eat as I used to do. I should not, how
ever, tire you with my complaints ; but this encourages me to
hope that I may live a few years longer, so as to finish the work
I am printing and composing, which is my utmost wish.
With the work that I am now composing I go on much faster
and better than I expected; so that in two or three months, if
my health continue as it now is, I hope to have it ready for the
press ; though I shall hardly proceed to print it till we have dis
patched the Notes. It is upon the same plan with that of " So
crates and Jesus compared," considering all the more distinguish
ed of the Grecian sects of philosophy, till the establishment of
Christianity in the Roman empire. If you liked that pamphlet, I
flatter myself you will like this. I hope it is calculated to show,
in a peculiarly striking light, the great advantage of revelation,
and that it will make an impression on candid unbelievers, if they
will read. But I find few that will trouble themselves to read
any thing on the subject ; which, considering the great magnitude
and interesting nature of the subject, is a proof of a very impro
per state of mind, unworthy of a rational being.
The next thing I wish to do is to assist in the publication of a
whole Bible from the several new translations of particular books,
smoothing and correcting them where I can. I shall propose it
to some of our booksellers, cheerfully giving my own labour to so
useful a work. If any thing remain of the subscription to my
present publication, I shall spend it on others, particularly on the
Alphabetical Index to the Bible, which has been some time com
pletely ready for the press.
I wish this may come safely to your hands ; but I dread the
approaching contest, which may throw every thing into confu
sion. It has probably taken place before this time. But there
is a sovereign ruler, and he, we cannot doubt, will bring good out
of all evil.
The excellent character and behaviour of my daughter is a
great consolation to me in the thoughts of her death.
Hoping still to have the great satisfaction of hearing from you
a few times more, I am Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's
most affectionately, J. Priestley.
No. 3.
DEAR FRIEND, Northumberland, Jan. 16, 1804.
Having just received a box of books from Mr. Johnson, after
I had given up all expectation of them, I beg you would make an
apology for the impatience I expressed about them, and my dis-

422 APPENDIX. [no. XII.
satisfaction with respect to his conduct. In my situation such
books are invaluable, especially as my deafness confines me in a'
manner at home, and my extreme weakness prevents my making
any excursions. Winter also keeps me from my laboratory, so
that reading and composing are my sole occupation and amuse
ment. Here too I have not the convenience of borrowing books.
This situation, however, is not without its advantages. I have
abundant leisure, and I have endeavoured to make the most of it.
I have now finished and transcribed for the press my Comparison
of the Principles of the Grecian Philosophers with those of Reve
lation, and with more ease, and more to my own satisfac
tion, than 1 expected. They who liked my pamphlet entitled
" Socrates and Jesus compared" will not, I flatter myself, dis
like this work. It has the same object, and completes the scheme.
It has increased my own sense of the unspeakable value of reve
lation, and must, I think, that of every person who will give due
attention to the subject.
We are all anxious to hear the result of the threatened inva
sion. I have some faint hopes that it will not be undertaken, at
least upon England. What confusion and distress would it not
occasion in the most favourable issue ! God preserve you, my
friend, from the general calamity ! How enviable is our situation
compared to yours ! Our only consolation must arise from re
garding the hand of God in all events, confident that the final
issue will be right and good. Yours and Mrs. Lindsey's
most affectionately, J. Priestley.
N. B. This is the last letter which Dr. Priestley wrote to his
venerated and beloved friend. That truly great and excellent
man, whose active spirit was incessantly engaged in devising or
performing something for the interest of truth and virtue, was re
leased from his labours and sufferings on the 4th of February fol
lowing, a little more than a fortnight after writing this letter.

No. XIII.

The following is a Catalogue of Mr. Lindsey's Pub
lications.
1. A Farewell Address to the Parishioners of Catterick.
2. An Apology on resigning the Vicarage of Catterick.
3. A Sequel to the Apology.
4. A Sermon preached at the Opening of the Chapel in Essex
Street, April 17, 1774.

NO. XIII.] APPENDIX. 423
5. The Book of Common Prayer Reformed for the Use of the
Chapel in Essex Street, with Hymns.
6. A Sermon preached in Essex Street on Opening the New
Chnpel, March 29, 1778.
7. Two Dissertations. First, On the Preface to St. John's
Gospel : — Secondly, On Praying to Christ.
8. The Catechist, or An Inquiry concerning the only true God,
and Object of Worship.
9. An Historical View of the State of the Unitarian Doctrine
and Worship.
10. Vindicics Priestleiance. An Address to the Students of
Oxford and Cambridge.
1 1 . A Second Address to the same.
12. An Examination of Mr. Robinson's Plea for the Divinity
of Christ. 13. A List of false Readings and Mistranslations of the Scrip
tures. 14, Conversations on Christian Idolatry.
15. A Sermon on Forms of Prayer.
1 6. A Sermon addressed to the Congregation in Essex Street on
resigning the Pastoral Office among them.
17. Conversations on the Divine Government, showing that
every thing is from God and for Good to all. 1802.
18. Sermons with appropriate Prayers annexed, 2 vols. Print
ed for J. Johnson and Co., St. Paul's Churchyard.

Richard and Arthur Taylor, Printers, Shoe-Lane, London.

Lately published, Price 3s.
CHRISTIANITY PLEADING THE PATRONAGE OF THE CIVIL POWER,
IlUT PROTESTING AGAINST THE AID OF PENAL LAWS.
CONSIDEHED IN
THREE SERMONS
PREACHED IN ESSEX STREET CHAPEL,
BY
THE REV, THOMAS BELSHAM,
MINISTER OP THE CHAPEL.

Fides suadenda est, non imperanda. — Augustin.

London : printed for Rowland Hunter, Successor to Mr. Johnson, No. 72,
St. Paul's Church-yard.

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