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to call your readers, not only to consider the situation of Mr. G. Houston, bui also to request they would examine into the liberty of the press in this country; on whose altar that writer is now a victim; for until this " thinking "nation" really understand his situation, and the motives for which he is punished, he will not be the last that will suffer in

its cause.

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explained to me the design and intention of its author; since which I have had a sight of the book. It has fully answered my expectation, and again I say displays a fund of prodigious erudition. The following short tract will shew its intention, and design, "I contend (preface page ii.) that the Ancient Jews, like other nations of antiquity, had their esoteric, and I knew I touched a sore place, when their exoteric doctrines; they coнI attempted to shew to your readers cealed the former under innumerable the discordant opinionis entertained of types and symbols, the meaning of that old book for which Eaton, Hous- which is generally unknown among ton, and thousands more may be sent their descendants. It is the object of to prison. I knew that I might be a my book to explain the hidden sense trinitarian, a unitarian, a Southcotearian, of many passages in the Hebrew Scripor any other foolarian; but that I must ture." Page 22, he says, "I recollect not bring the contradictions, and (what "that Moses was learned in all the wisthey call) the arguments of one tribe to "dom of the Egyptians, and I expect to combat the whims of the other, without “ find traces of that wisdom in his works. exciting the suspicions of those who "The learned among the ancient Egypcall themselves Just! But I have done" tians were pure theists, as Cudworth to; and while I delight in the deed, I "has proved. They were deeply skilled smile at their suspicions and contempt." in the sciences: but they carefully Before I reply to your correspondent" concealed their mysteries under innuJustus, permit me to introduce the origin" merable symbols and allegories. May of my acquaintance with the work in "we not look then for the same thing question. You must know there is a "in the writings which are ascribed to town designated by one of the most "the Jewish Lawgiver. It is what I corrupt of his time as "the toyshop" have done, and I submit to the judgof Europe; whose inhabitants, (I speak" ment of a few individuals, the result of generally) in my estimation, rank lower my researches." for liberalty of sentiment, general information, and Christian charity, than any other on the surface of the globe. The scale by which I estimate them is, that in and about the place, there are the remains of half-mutilated houses, because their inhabitants opposed the origin of our war with the French Republic, burnt by Church and King mobs; and that in those receptacles of resort, where its people go to drink mild ale and talk wisdom; there are scrolls inscribed with legible English characters "No Jacobins admitted "here." I was leaving this town last Summer in the Mail, and in passing one of those houses whose miserable appearance appeals, in silent and pathetic language, to the frigid faculties, and would hush to silence their unmanly prejudices, if reflection ever animated their torpid brains; when I soon discovered from the observations of a gentleman in the coach, that he was the Father of the engraver of the plates, in the Edipus Judaicus. He

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Of the 250 copies only, which I stated to have been printed, 100 now remain in the hands of the publisher. You will, therefore, judge whether I have been unfair in my former communication. As to quibbling about its method of publication, and circulation, it would be à ridiculous waste of time. I wish a copy was in the hands of every person in the kingdom; for Sir Wm. Drummond would then make a better and more practical use of his abilities and learning. With regard to the cruel hint about a prosecution, for blasphemy, and the pillory, its author, like D. J. Eaton, will receive more praise, and of a better description, than if he were to be bespangled with orders and titles by every King in Christendom. O, Sir, it is cruel? You know it is, to talk of law in a country where it is possible a picked jury may be chosen by those who fatten on the wages of corruption, and who delight in persecuting such as attempt to undeceive the people. As to the writers, whose books I have fainly quoted, being Sir W. D. h ́inself,

what principle of rule or right any one dares to interfere and prescribe the method by which another is to exercise his judgment. That a deal of mischief has been the result of this interference, no one, acquainted with the history of his own country, much more with the history of the world, can deny; and whether the same quantum

provided the bible had never been known, is, in my opinion, difficult to prove.

"I guess no man in his senses will main"tain so wild a position."---Indeed, from the wording of your Correspondent's letter, I do not believe he is serious in his assertion. But I challenge him to the proof; for Candidus, one of the three, tells Sir Wm. Drummond that he prefers the old version best, and consures him for ridiculing the Bible. Suppose, however, I am wrong in my opi-of mischief would have taken place nion of the author of the dipus Judaicus; suppose he is the story teller, the fool, and the vain jackdaw, they wish At any rate, the system of to represent him, what " necessity" was priestcraft has had a sufficient trial; there for this great and mighty parson, and it would be more becoming in the Christian Advocate, to notice his those who profess such anxiety for the production? Why did he make such circulation of the bible, to let it take endeavours to obtain a copy, he best its chance. Let them, at any rate, knows how? Surely, the "pious, think- shew their disinterestedness, by giving ing people of this country," could up the pounds, shillings, and pence not have their "minds tainted" by an it produces; or take pay only in that octavo book of not quite 500 pages, "of manner, and in those quantities, which "the most hollow and fallacious de- those who receive their assistance can scription." But these are the rules agree and afford to give, the hypocrites act upon. I was a boy should find that they do not thrive so when Thomas Paine's works were pub- well under this system, I hope they lished; but I recollect the writer was will recollect, there will be more manat first held too contemptible for no-liness in their adopting the following tice, and the "friends to social order, maxim, than in returning to the old "and our holy religion," were told they practice: had nothing to fear. After a while, the AttorneyGeneral interfered, who got a jury to condemnPaine's books, and then the canting junto asserted they were answered and refuted. "Read our side, (said

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If they

Some other scheme must occupy their brain;
For those who once have eat must eat again.
VARRO.

LETTER V.

"Advise, but force not."

they,) "see what Bishop Watson says." ON RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. So says Justus; he calls the author of the Edipus Judaicus a vain jackdaw; tells the people to read the book; (which he knows cannot be had), exST. BERNARD's Letters. horts them to attend to the Christian SIR.--Marmontel, in his Bellisarius, Advocate, and censures those who take [the fifteenth chapter of which, I would part against him. Come, come, Justus, particularly recommend to the perusal give up your prejudices. Let the "Si-of every person who has not read it] cilian Knight and British Privy Coun- says, "Truth cannot fail to triumph, but cellor," interpret the Bible his own" it must not be by the arm of flesh. way. You may depend on it I will let " By putting the sword of VENGEANCE the Archbishop's Chaplain, (who ap-" into the hand of TRUTH, you entrust pears blessed with all those amiable" ERROR with it also. The very posqualities that adorned his predecessor "session of that sword, will always be in the ever memorable time of William" deemed a sufficient authority to wield Penn) put what interpretation on it he" it without mercy, and PERSECUTION pleases. Every one that reads the "will always be on the side of the bible may undoubtedly find both in-" strongest." struction and delight; but he will be How simple, and yet how forcible is more likely to become a rational being, if he be allowed to put his own construction upon it, and interpret it his own way. I should like to know by

the mode of reasoning adopted by this beautiful writer. If kings were supposed to be God's vicegerents upon earth, and, in that capacity were allowed to

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not examined history for myself; for
being of a curious and speculative turn,
I have made myself acquainted with most
denominations of Christians at present
existing in the Christian world; and after
having carefully examined their tenets,
studied their prejudices, and observed
their conduct, I do affirm, that how-
ever tame and tolerant they may be,
while low in the world, they all possess
the latent seeds of persecution. These
only want fostering, by the genial
warmth of power, to shoot forth with
an enthusiastic fury, compounded of
envy, ambition, pride, hatred, and fa-
natic zeal; as if it were commissioned by

I would except the Quakers from the charge of being likely to evince a persecuting spirit towards other sects, though they are capable of doing it as to their own people; but the Friends of the present day are not a religious society, like the Weslian or Whitfieldian Methiodists. They are an Aristocratical_civil community; a trading company, and a set of respectable, industrious, economical, money-getting disciplinarians; who possess no more practical religion than the members of the Church of England.

commit whatever enormities they pleased,
in defence of what they considered, or
were told by their priests was the truth, is
it not evident, from the diversity of
sentiments of different sovereigns, and
the opposite persuasions of their various
teachers, that they must necessarily, at one
time, and in one country, be punishing
their subjects for entertaining opinions
which, at another time, and in another
country, were deemed perfectly ortho-
dox. Does not this prove incontestably,
that by once admitting the principle,
that the magistrate is to defend Truth,
he will much oftener be found defend-
ing ERROR? Every one will easily agree,
that all systems cannot be right. "Er-heaven.
"ror," says the same author, "has an
"immensity of space, and Truth is like
"a mathematical point in the prodigious
void." Now, although every one claims
that point to himself, is it not palpable,
as Truth is one, and Error multifarious,
that the greater portion of religious
murders, barbarities, robberies, and in-
carceration, must have been in defence
of Error rather than of Truth. How
modest, how humble, ought such con-
siderations to make us? How cautious
ought these reflections to render us, of
arrogating to ourselves the sole possession
of the truth, when we find that thou-
sands who think different from us, claim
the same happiness? Ought it not to
make us diffident of ourselves, and for-
bearing towards others? Those who have
studied human nature, will have perceived
that this violent animosity and furious
persecuting zeal, does not arise so much
from a generous love of virtue, or an
enthusiastic admiration of abstract truth,
as from the inordinate thirst for power
which pervades the heart of every hu-
man being. We wish others to think as
we do, and the greater part of us would
if we had the power, compel them to
do it. The sword of religious persecu-
tion is an instrument upon which every
party has played its tune, when raised to
power. The celebrated Dr. Franklin re-
marks, that if we look into history, for
"the character of the ancient Christians,
we shall find few who have not in their
"turn been persecutors, and complainers
"of persecution. The primitive Chris-
The primitive Chris-
"tians thought persecution extremely
wrong in the pagans, but practised it
"on one another." I could easily give
credit to this assertion, even if I had

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But to return to the sentiment of Franklin, respecting the early Christians. It was shewn in my last, that they were persecuted by the Romans, at the instigation of their priests, in the same manner as the Deists are molested by us, at the instance of our priests, on account of the simplicity of their tenets. I cannot illustrate the subject better, than by quoting Justin Martyr, one of the earliest and most learned writers of the Eastern Church, born of heathen parents, educated a pagan, and who was a platonic philosopher, previous to his becoming a Christian, He resided at Rome, during the reign of Antonius Pius; and upon a persecution breaking out against the Christians, he presented an Apology in their behalf, pointing out in a very able manner, the impropriety and absurdity of religious persecution; which Apology caused the Emperor to send a letter to the States of Asia, not only forbidding the Christians to be persecuted, but enjoining," that if any one hereafter shall go on to inform against this sort of

Ratcliff Monthly Meeting, for being SUSPECTED See the case of Thomas Foster, disowned by of believing is ONLY ONE GOD.

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"men, purely because they are Christi- France some of the greatest geniuses the "ans, let the persons accused be dis- world has produced, were united hand in charged, although they be found to be hand for fifty years, for the purpose of "Christians, and let the informer himself enlightening their fellow creatures. It "undergo the punishment." When shall is a great pity the enemies of superstiwe see an Antonius? Yet the Apology tion, tyranny, and priestcraft are not. which produced this, contains passages better known to each other; and more which no one would, in this enlightened, organized in their exertions. Look at the kumane, and liberal age, dare to advance. Fanatics of every description; how they In the second section, of his second Apo- unite, and how successful they are in logy, he says, "Reason informs and ad- stultifying the human understanding, that "monishes us, that true philosophers and most glorious ornament with which NA"men of virtue, who have been filled TURE has vouchsafed to embellish man? "with godliness and holiness, have Would not a general medium of commu"loved and honoured the simple truth, nication for Theology, Metaphysics, and "and have turned aside from following Moral Philosophy, to be open with im"the ancients, whenever their opinions partiality to the Churchman, the Dissent"have been found erroneous, or bad. er, the Disciple of NATURE, the follow"Both scripture and sound reason enjoiners of Pyrrho, and every class of Latius, not only to avoid those whose lives tudinarian, be the means of facilitating "have been wicked; who by teaching, such an object? It would lead people to argument, or other means, have dis- think, examine, and judge for themselves; "seminated false and impious doctrines; and ultimately inculcate a liberality of "not to imitate, nor in any respect to be sentiment, which can only be acquired "led by them; but also prescribe, that by the exercise of our reason concerning "the inquisitive lover of truth should the nature of man, his intellectual faprefer it to his life, and should not be culties, and education. It would ena"deterred by the fear of death, or threats ble them to make that generous allow"of torture, froin speaking and acting ance for the opinions and prejudices of " according to justice." others, so essentially necessary to the harmony of society; but which they can never possess, while their reading and observation are confined within the pale of a particular sect; and while they are in the habit of implicitly receiving their religious notions, upon thecredit of others, without investigation. A Journal of the above description has long been a desideratum in the republic of letters; for notwithstanding the number and variety of theological and controversial magazines, there are none completely open to all parties; whatever liberality they may profess. Some are exclusively the vehicles of one set of opinions only, and refuse insertion to every thing of an opposite tendency. Others admit nothing contrary to their own tenets, but what they think can easily be answered by some of their own partizans. I have taken the liberty of throwing out these few hints, as to the nature of a Journal much wanted by the Friends of Free Discussion; and remain, dear Sir, your's truly.

These noble sentiments may be used by every reformer; they were appropriate to those who suffered in Smithfield, to Galileo, Huss, and Jerome of Prague; they may be used with equal propriety by the Deists of the present day, and by all persons persecuted for what they believe to be true. Those of my Friends who will take the trouble, will find much learning, philosophy, and curious matter in the works of this Father. I am writing a treatise upon the model of the Apologies of Justin Martyr and Tertullian, to be entitled, (if God spare my life, and that of the best of Princes, till he shall ascend the throne of these realms) "An Apology to King George the Fourth, "in behalf of that most learned and "respectable portion of his subjects, the

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Materialists, Sceptics, and Deists; by "aCHRISTIAN:" and intend approaching him in person with a holy boldness, to deliver a copy thereof. Every thing which has been done towards liberalising mankind in this country, will be found the isolated efforts of individuals; but in

ERASMUS PERKINS. London, Jan. 18, 1815.

Printed and Published by G. HOUSTON: No. 192, Strand; where all Communications addressed to the Editor are requested to be forwarded.

FOL. XXVII. No. 4.]

LONDON, SATURDAY, JAN. 28, 1815.

[Price 1s.

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PARTIAL AND MEAN PERRY, Proprietor of the Morning Chronicle. READER, a full report of the proceedings of the Hampshire meeting was sent to the above Printer, together with the PETITION, which I moved thereat, and which petition (the only copy I had) was obtained from me, by the Reporter of the Chronicle, in order to be sent to London to be printed in that and other papers. It was so sent: but was suppressed by this partial, this mean, this despicable tool of a despicable place-hunting faction. -I have just learnt these facts, and can only now say, that I will, next week, give this trick of PERRY the exposure,

which it deserves.

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HIS poor tax is now become as much the object of senseless abuse as were, in 1798, those who endeavoured to pre vent it from being imposed. In 1812 an unfortunate man, named CARTER, was imprisoned in jaol, for a year, and fined, for having published a paragraph complaining of the operation of this tax. My Lord Folkestone, who made a motion upon this subject, described the paragraph as being moderate and inoffensive. Yet, for republishing the same paragraph,

Mr. Lovell of the Statesman was imprisoned a year or 18 months in Newgate, and also fined.--The selfish and unfeeling crowds, who are now clamouring against this tax; who are abusing it; who are applying to it all sorts of vile epithets and names, because they now feel the pinch of their pockets; these persons never meet to petition against the prosecutions of the press; no, and they never would have met for that pur pose, if every press in England had been. demolished and the types thrown into the street, as were those of the American printers at the City of Washington, by command of our military and naval commanders. These persons now call the tax partial, oppressive, cruel, inquisitorial, tyrannical. They compare it to every thing on earth that is odious, and some of them have gone to Hell for similies in the way of illustration. They declared, that it is every thing that is tyrannical, odious and detestable, and that it violates the spirit of our constitution; and all this in its PRINCI PLE; in its very NATURE; and ESSENCE.--Now, then, what are these men? What are these noisy petitioners? What is their character, even upon their own shewing? Why, that they are now calumniators of the government; or, that they have been slaves for the last 18 years. Let them take their choice.It is curious enough to see mễn, and great numbers of them too, who supported this tax when it was laid on, who voted for it in parliament, who, in fact, laid it on; it is curious to see these men, and in great numbers too, now coming forward and joining in the above horrid descriptions of the tax. They seem to be looking to new scenes, They They are ratting from the Government. begin to suspect, that the taxing and soldiering system must soon undergo a very material change. In short, the sys tem (for it is of no consequence who are ministers) is in a state of great anxiety, at least. The peace has produced the ef

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