is plain. May they perform it. It is only the diffusion of a religion which ennobles man and glorifies God—a religion which best honours the Creator, when its disciples most effectually secure the happiness of the creature- —a religion whose requirements are most truly obeyed, when hearts are purified and minds enlightened,-it is only Christianity, pure and undefiled, free alike from the tyranny of Establishments and the licentiousness of fanatics, which can save from the heartlessness of infidelity, and the devouring fires of superstition. ARGUS.

THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER.

GLASGOW, June 1, 1830.

THE Annual Meeting of the Subscribers to the Nottingham Unitarian Fellowship Fund, was held in the Girls' School-room of the High Pavement Chapel, on Sunday, the 14th of March last, when, after the receipt of the subscriptions due, an adjournment was made to Monday, the 22d of the same month. At which time, the usual social meeting of the subscribers and friends to this useful institution took place. After about eighty-five subscribers and friends had taken tea together, the Rev. James Tayler, one of the Unitarian Ministers of Nottingham, was called to the chair, and delivered an appropriate address. The business of the Society was then transacted, the Report of the proceedings for the past year read, the officers for the ensuing year appointed, and many useful grants were made. It appeared from the report of the Committee, that the funds of the Society were on the same scale as last year. There are now eighty-four subscribers. The meeting was concluded with singing and prayer, and the members departed about half-past nine, having shown the greatest interest in the proceedings of the evening, and expressing their wishes that so profitable and pleasant an occasion of social intercourse, might be afforded them on the succeeding anniversary.

W.

THE Bristol Fellowship Fund was instituted in 1819. It has, at present, one hundred and thirteen subscribers. In ten years, it has raised £713, and has contributed, during that period, to various congregational and mission

ary purposes, £677. Nor has the liberality of its members been confined to their exertions in connection with the Fellowship Fund. It has not been made a shield of protection for the wealthy, a plea for indifference, or an obstacle in the way of doing good. Whenever a case has occurred, which appeared to the members to call for more extended aid, though the grants of the Society, have, to various places, been very liberal, additional contributions have always been ready. The Bristol Fund, as also in some few other societies, has fulfilled the purpose which Dr. Thomson had in view in their establishment, the bringing into operation the small subscriptions of individuals who could not otherwise assist congregations that stood in need of help, whilst the more wealthy, though supporting the institution, have not considered themselves exempted from calls in still further aid of particular objects.

THE Eighth Half-yearly Meeting of the Bolton District Unitarian Association, was held at Park-Lane, near Wigan, on Thursday, April 29th, 1830. The Rev. John Cropper of Bolton, conducted the devotional services, and the Rev. F. Baker of Bolton preached a sermon on Christian liberty, from Gal. v. 1. In the course of the afternoon, which was spent in a very agreeable manner by the Society, and their friends assembled from a distance, the persecution of the Unitarians in the North of Ireland, formed a subject of much interest to the Meeting, and the following resolutions were unanimously adopted as expressive of their sympathy with the sufferers:

Resolved, That the proceedings which have been carried on in the Synod of Ulster, and caused the secession of the liberal party from that body, cannot be viewed by the friends of Christian liberty in this country, without a deep and absorbing interest.

That the ministers and lay members of the Bolton District Unitarian Association have watched with much anx

iety the progress of this struggle; and they deem it their public duty to express their admiration of the intrepid firmness with which the spirit of persecution has been rebuked by the Remonstrants; and also to record their cordial approval of the untemporizing and truly Christian conduct which the Separatists have displayed, in resisting the imposition of the proposed Test, and in so ably asserting and exemplifying the right of private judgment.

That this Meeting deeply deplore the harassing and unchristian treatment which the Friends of religious liberty have encountered from those members of the Synod of Ulster, who would have deprived them of the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free, and entangled them with the yoke of bondage.

That the sympathy of the Association is deep and ardent for the Rev. Mr. Watson of Greyabbey; whose sufferings they as greatly commiserate as they applaud his integrity and Christian temper, and whose character they now regard as combining the spirit of the martyr with the virtues of the saint.

That it is with feelings of grateful praise to the God of truth, that they contemplate the issue of this struggle between intolerance and Christian liberty; and while they rejoice in the measure of success with which it has been crowned by Providence, their thoughts naturally turn with admiration to that chosen band of confessors, through whose integrity, zeal, and eloquence, such a noble stand has been made in favour of the sacred principles of religious truth and freedom.

That this Association of Unitarian Dissenters derive the most valuable encouragement from the example set before them by their brethren in the North of Ireland, who have defended their principles in such an able and memorable manner; and while they give utterance to this expression of their warmest sympathy and respect, they beg to add, that it gives them additional confidence in the righteousness of that cause which numbers such pious and noble-minded men among it advocates.

The subject of the distribution of tracts was also brought under the consideration of the Meeting. All were agreed respecting the importance of the object; a little diversity of opinion prevailed respecting the manner in which that object should be carried into effect; but it was, at last, determined, that it should be recommended to the ministers and congregations comprised in the Bolton District Association, to distribute tracts in their respective neighbourhoods, and that it be reported at the next Meeting, what progress has been made by each Society.

The

Autumn Meeting of the Association, will be held at Rivington, on September 30th, the Rev. B. R. Davis of Chowbent, being the supporter, and Rev. J. Cropper the preacher on that occasion.

B.

Punishment of Death.-ONE of those scenes so disgraceful to a country calling itself civilized, has occurred in this City during the last month- —a public execution. We regard such scenes as pitiable exhibitions of human imbecility, evidencing as they do, that legislators still consider the best guardian of the public morals to be the common hangman, and the best means which enlightened society can furnish him wherewith to insure its virtue, the halter. We regard such scenes as a fearful outrage on the precepts and the spirit of Christianity, and as a usurpation of the prerogative of the sole Lord and giver of life, that gracious and everliving God who desireth not the death of a sinner, but had rather that he would turn from his wickedness and live.

Even if the propriety and the lawfulness of the punishment of death, for the commission of crimes against the security and property of society, could be proved, yet does it seem to us, that nearly the whole expected benefit of such a punishment is destroyed, by the degradation which Christianity undergoes on such occasions. If the dying memorial of the Saviour's love is to be prostituted, as a passport to secure heaven for those whom earth cuts off for crimes of deepest dye-if the gallows be thus made the stepping-place to the rewards and blessedness of eternity-if the dying words of the first martyr to Christian truth and righteousness, are to be deemed the appropriate language wherewith to grace the malefactor's exit-if at the close of a life of iniquity, heaven be declared to open its sacred and stainless portals, instantly to admit the guilty, because, when the opportunity for crime ceased, its practice ceased also, because, when power was wanting, no crime was perpretrated-if a few tears of asserted repentance (for how can repentance in such cases be indubitably manifested to man?) be thus efficacious in washing out the dire and dark records of past atrocities, could a greater contempt be thrown upon virtue? could the bitterest scorn point its barbed arrows more fatally against holiness? could unbelief cast a grosser slur on the purity and sanctity required by the gospel of the sinless Jesus?

The individuals executed in this City, the last month, were both under the age of twenty. They had been repeatedly confined in Bridewell, for various offences. One of them could not read; ay, in Scotland we write it, that an individual nearly arrived at manhood, could not

read; nor is this, we know, a solitary instance of a similar want of education. If ignorance lead to idleness, and idleness to iniquity, these young men were to be pitied, not cut off from all hope of reformation, all opportunity of improvement and amendment. Great attention appears to have been paid to them after their confinement in prison, both to remedy their ignorance, and to inspire them with religious principle. They were instructed by the Rev. Dr. Smyth, the Minister of St. George's Church in this City, as well as by other individuals. Previously to being led out to the scaffold, Dr. Smyth requested permission from the Magistrates, for one of the young men to address the persons assembled in the Court Hall. He briefly did so, attributing his criminality to ignorance, idleness, bad companions, and Sabbath-breaking; and, in conclusion, thanked the Magistrates for their attention to him and his companion, in having admitted so many kind and pious gentlemen to visit them, to whose consoling instructions they owed much of their present comfort. He was not afraid to die; for in a few moments, when the breath had left the body, his spirit would be in glory!

His spirit would be in glory!-And did Dr. Smyth, a clergyman of the Established Church of Scotland, stand by and allow such expressions to pass without explanation and reproof? Even so. And therefore is it to be presumed, that he approved the sentiment, and that it was the legitimate result of his instructions. And yet this is the same Dr. Smyth, forsooth, who has lately written a pamphlet against the doctrine of universal pardon, maintained by other clergymen of his Church-who entitles his work, "A Treatise on the Forgiveness of Sins, as the Privilege of the Redeemed"-who cries out, that "the people of our land are in danger of being perverted from the Gospel of Christ; when, instead of the Leightons, and the Guthries, and the Bostons of the olden time, the worst errors of the Pelagian and Arminian schools are presented to them as the faith of the Gospel"-and who reduces Gospel teachings and the instructions of his book, to this syllogism: "The Christian redemption is not of universal extent. Forgiveness is a primary blessing of redemption. Therefore, Forgiveness is not universal." What, then, is Dr. Smyth's conduct in relation to these criminals? Does he think they were a portion" of the redeemed," and that it was their "privilege" to receive "forgiveness of