Letters addressed to relatives and friends chiefly in reply to arguments in support of the doctrine of the Trinity

Front matter

UlBRARY OF CONGRESS.!

J UNITED STATES OF AMERICA*

L

Introduction

The days of torture, fire, and the sword, have, happily, almost entirely passed away. He who changes his religious opinions has not now, in Protestant countries at least, to fear the strong arm of ecclesiastical power, nor the civil law ; no Inquisition holds over our heads its rod of terror ; no dungeons open to receive us ; no " Form of Concord" is imposed upon us; no " Act of uniformity " binds us to submit to certain rites and ceremonies. But is there not a kind of persecution still enacted, which, though less extreme and violent, is quite as onerous, and no less difficult to bear?

The days of proscription, slander, insult, and neglect, have by no means passed away. Cold greetings, averted looks, long and intimate friendships sundered in a moment, tell a mournful tale in respect to the toleration really exercised, in this country, so proud of its civil and religious liberty, towards those who have conscientiously changed their opinions. Nor are these the only methods by which the spirit of unyielding intolerance is developed. Injurious suspicions ; direct charges which would almost break the heart of the sufferer, did he not feel himself above their reach ; the imputation of any and every motive but the real one ; all these must be experienced and endured by one who feels it his duty to leave the ranks of popular or ortho-

IV INTRODUCTION.

dox theology, commonly so callled, and candidly avow his honest opinions.

Many people do not seem to imagine, that one can honestly depart from the faith in which he has been educated. Independent thought in matters of religion seems to be regarded as an arrogant assumption, and to excite general indignation and surprise. It is evidently thought to be an innovation upon the established order of things. It is a phenomenon for which people are not prepared. And when I look around me, and observe how the great majority of mankind are blindly following the lead of others, how few there are who think for themselves, how few are willing to test their religious opinions by comparing them with other systems of faith, by bringing them all to " the law and to the testimony " of God's inspired word, clinging firmly to truth, following it wherever it may lead, and boldly rejecting error, — when these things meet my view, though I may be distressed at the exhibition of intolerance, I ought not, perhaps, to be surprised at the spirit which is manifested.

That I have ample ground for these remarks, will probably become sufficiently evident from the ensuing pages of this work. I have received letters from various quarters, since my change of opinions became known, some of the sentiments of which have amazed and appalled me. As I have been charged with indecent haste in making a change so fraught with momentous consequences, I wish to show, by other evidence than my own, that my change has not been so sudden as it has seemed to those who had no intimate knowledge of the workings of my mind. As my motives have been unkindly assailed, I wish to show, that I have not been actuated by mere caprice, but that I have reasons for my present opinions, which, at least, satisfy

INTRODUCTION. V

me. So much has this community interested itself in my affairs, — so much has been said for which there was no foundation, — so much ignorance has been evinced in regard to my present opinions, and the religious belief of that body of Christians with whom I now sympathize, — that I feel it due to myself and to them, to remove, if possible, some of the erroneous impressions of those whose injurious remarks are the result of ignorance and prejudice, and not of malice.

To some of the numerous communications I have recently received, I propose to reply in the following pages. It was impossible for me to answer individually all the letters I received ; and, even if I could have done so, there were many other persons who were saying, substantially, the very same things, and who could not have been reached by mere individual replies to my various letters. The extracts I shall make from these communications will, I think, abundantly prove that I have been, in a manner, compelled to speak in my own defence, and in defence of those who, through me, and in consequence of my present position, have been extensively and unjustly assailed. And may I not hope, that I may be instrumental in doing something to promote the interests of liberal and enlightened Christianity, or, at least, to soften the rigor of that judgment which has been so freely passed upon a conscientious and respectable body of Christians?

At this age of the world, a rational religion is certainly needed to counteract the prevalence of infidelity ; and nothing but a rational religion will do this. Those in high places may sound the alarm, if they please, and tell us, that it is dangerous to use our reason in matters of religion, but it will be all in vain. We are not living in the dark ages ; the majority of men in the present day will have a reasonable religion, or they a*

VI INTRODUCTION.

will have none. It will not always do to bind the consciences of men to creeds formed in the ages of darkness and superstition. As the world continues to emerge, gradually, it may be, from the midnight gloom in which it was enveloped before the Reformation, the work of reform will be more and more complete. This is the natural course of things. The morning sun slowly dispels the darkness of night, and shines brighter and brighter unto the noon-day, although it may not always shine uninterruptedly. Sometimes a cloud arises, and obscures for a while its radiance ; but when the cloud disperses, we find that the god of day has been silently, but surely, advancing in his course. So is it with the glorious work of reformation and moral renovation. It is not half accomplished yet. Sometimes the work advances rapidly ; sometimes, for a season, it seems to be retrograding ; but it is cheering to perceive, that, on the whole, its march is onward. I observe, with pleasure, that many irrational and unscriptural tenets, formerly so popular, are now only nominally held. When their advocates are pressed upon the subject, they explain them away, so as to make them mean just nothing at all ; and thus they virtually abandon them. And I also rejoice to perceive, that liberal sentiments are slowly, but surely, spreading themselves among the great body of the people. Let us thank God, and take courage, 'while we pray that the truth, as it is in Jesus, may prosper and prevail until all the inhabitants of the earth shall be brought under its blessed influence and control.

I will here take occasion to remark, that it will be impossible to observe any great degree of order in my arrangement of topics, as the same general subjects have been touched upon, in the different letters addressed to me, in a variety of different aspects. I could not, in reply to them, bring together all the

INTRODUCTION. Vll

remarks relating- to one general subject, without creating some degree of confusion. There will therefore, perhaps, be a little repetition of topics in different letters ; but I hope, on so important a subject, that a little repetition will be pardoned. There is no limit to the frequency with which the same objections are advanced, after they have been answered over and over again.

It will be observed, that all the ensuing letters, with the exception of those to my parents, and one to a particular friend, are addressed as if to one individual ; though, in reality, this is not the case. I have pursued this plan, for the sake of friendly concealment and convenience. The letters of my revered father contain no such sweeping assertions and denunciations, as will be noticed in some of the extracts from other letters. Though he has felt the trial as deeply as any other individual, his method with me has been that of calm investigation and argument, and therefore I have no desire to conceal the authorship of those things which he has written. He has approached the subject with that honest candor for which he is remarkable, and for which I honor and revere him.

I bespeak for the following pages a kind and candid consideration ; and may the Holy Spirit of God lead into all truth both writer and readers.

Charleston, S. C.

Letter III

Scott's notes, 30. Whitby's retractation, 30, 31. Extracts from Whitby, 31, 32. The divine Will, 33. Whitby on the Opinions of the Fathers, 34, 35. Sir Isaac Newton, 35. Pliny's letter to Trajan, 36. St. John's Gospel, 37, 38. . . . 30

Letter VII

An Explanation, 64. Early Opinions, 65. Bible Phraseology, 66. Inquiries and Replies, 67, 63. Extracts from Dewey's Sermons, 69. On the use of certain terms, 70. On the Baptismal form, 70, 71. On the Atonement, 71. On Human Depravity, 72. On Regeneration and Election, 73. On the Future State, 74. ........ 64

Letter XXIV

Mental Suffering, 201. Extract and Reply, 202, 203. An Extract, 204. Denunciation unwise, 205. The Duke of Sussex, 206. Unitarians love Charity, 207. Religious Controversy, 208. An Extract, 209. Phil. ii. 6, p, 210. Atonement, 211. Mediation, 212. Christ ever Present, 213. Christ's Knowledge, 214. Omnipresence, 215. Harsh Epithets, 216, 217. . . 201

Letter XXV

Extracts, 218, 219. The Light of the Truth, 220. Colossians, chap. I. and II., p. 221, 222. Creation hy Christ a Spiritual one, 223-227. An Extract, 228. Mystery, 229. Creation by Proxy, 230. Human Teaching not Infallible, 231. Extract and Reply, 232, 233. . . . . . . .218

LETTER I. January 19th, 1845

My kind and venerated Parents :

It has become my solemn duty to make to you an announcement, which, I fear, will fill your hearts with sorrow. Would to God, that I could save you from the pain, which, from my knowledge of your views and feelings, I am sure awaits you ; but I believe, as God is my Judge, that truth is dearer to me than life itself, and I dare no longer disavow the sentiments, which, after thorough, and honest, and prayerful deliberation, I have at length adopted.

I will keep you no longer in suspense, but will proceed to declare, that I do not now believe that my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Supreme God. I believe that there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things. I believe that " all power," was given unto him in Heaven and on earth ; * that he was

* I would remark, that I suppose these terms to be applied to Christ as the Messiah, and that the expression, " all power," relates to his Messiahship, and to the offices he was to perform in Heaven and on earth, in connection with the redemption of mankind, which glorious object was what his Father sent him to

*6 THE TRINITY.

the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament writers, who, in the fulness of time, came into the world with a commission from God, and full power and authority to do the work which God had given him to do. In other words, after long and earnest deliberation, much diligent study of the Holy Scriptures, and fervent prayer to God for the assistance of his spirit, I conscientiously and firmly reject the doctrine of the Trinity.

This doctrine was a part of my education. I received it, as many others do, without thorough investigation, though, I must confess, it has often perplexed me beyond measure. Still I held it, as it seems to me all must do, as a strange mystery, which I must not attempt to comprehend ; not considering, that a mystery does not necessarily suppose an incomprehensibility ; and losing sight of the danger of admitting, what now appears to me to be an impossibility. It is impossible for me, and I now perceive that it has always been impossible to make one of three, or three of one, — one perfect and infinite being equal to three perfect and infinite beings. There may be gifted minds capable of comprehending this doctrine, but such is not mine. It is plain to me now, that I have all my life been worshipping three distinct beings ; never having been able, with the most strenuous efforts, to combine the three in my own mind so as to form a

accomplish. It does not seem natural to use any of these terms in an unlimited sense. Jerome, one of the early Fathers, supposes that this term, "all power," had reference to the great power which came upon him when the Spirit of God descended ypon him at his baptism.

MODIFIED VIEWS. 6

simple idea. But now I bow to the divine authority, when I hear Jehovah saying, cc Hear, O Israei, the Lord thy God is one Lord."

But to return. So anxious have I always been for clearer views upon this point, that I have eagerly read everything upon the Trinitarian side of the question which came in my way ; yet always without the satisfaction so desirable to an honest and inquisitive mind, and always with the same melancholy feeling, that it was a strange mystery ; though still I felt bound to receive it.

And now I will relate to you the process through which my mind has passed. For many years, I have not been able to believe, that faith in the Trinity was necessary to salvation, because I saw a great many exemplary Christians who did not hold the doctrine, but who nevertheless believed that Jesus was ct the Christ," and "the Son of God ;" and because the apostle John has said, that whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and that whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

I have often been startled, by hearing passages of Scripture wrested from what appeared to me to be their legitimate meaning, and forced to an agreement with some favorite hypothesis. Not long ago, in a bible class which I attended, the first part of the gospel by John was examined, and then many doubts found their way into my mind, but not with so much force, or in so tangible a form, as they have recently assumed. But, had I ever been disposed to give

4 SPIRIT OF INQUIRY.

the subject a thorough examination, I have never had access to the arguments in favor of Unitarianism, nor have I ever in my life before read upon that side of the question.

Not very long ago, while conversing with a muchloved friend, (you will know to whom I allude,) I found that my impressions in regard to Unitarians and to their system were exceedingly erroneous ; and I expressed a wish to know a little more about their faith and practice. Was this desire wrong ? Was it not in perfect accordance with that Christian charity, which u hopeth all things," and u thinketh no evil ? "

And here let me exonerate from blame the two individuals from whom, entirely at my own request, I have procured the information which I wanted. In both instances, they expressed a hesitation in complying with my request, fearing to be considered obtrusive, if not by myself, at least by my friends. T cannot but believe, that this feeling arose from a confidence in the strength of their position, and a foresight of the consequences which have actually ensued.

Now what was I to do ? Shut my eyes resolutely, and blindly cherish the faith in which I had been educated, or sift the matter for myself ? What kind of faith is that, which fears to stand the test of impartial inquiry ? Would not an ingenuous mind lose all confidence in itself, and its received opinions, while there remained a consciousness of this fear and dread of investigation ? Was it not my sacred duty to u prove all things," and " hold fast " only to that which I found to be " good " ?

MEANS OF INFORMATION. 5

Under these circumstances I insisted upon having access to some writings on the subject, and such as I wished were accordingly granted me. Now I know too well the candor and nobleness of my dear parents to fear that they will impute blame where none is deserved, unless indeed they carry the doctrine of imputation further than I think they do. Yet, in the first overflow of feeling, they may not view the matter as temperately and fairly as they will do hereafter, and this is why I enlarge upon the point. Now suppose that a Unitarian of my age and mental capacities — one, in fact, situated just as I am — should come to you, and ask you what the Trinitarian faith really was ; would you withhold from such a person the means of information ? I am very sure you would not. Be generous then, and if there be any blame in the matter, let it rest upon the guilty, and not upon the innocent, — and then it certainly will fall upon no human agent, but upon a system which will not bear investigation.

Perhaps you will say, " Why did you not bring your doubts to us ? Perhaps we could have solved them." For an opposite course I had several reasons. First, I knew perfectly well what your views were, and I had access to Trinitarian systems of divinity, which were considered standard works ; secondly, I wished to examine the subject with an unbiassed, unfettered mind ; in short, to forget everything but the truth itself; and thirdly, I did not wish to give my friends unnecessary pain.

When the subject first presented itself fully and distinctly before my mind, in connection with a desire and 1*

D SOLITARY INVESTIGATION.

a determination to give it a complete investigation, I felt an instinctive fear, almost a horror, at my presumption. I took Dr. Dwight's sermons upon the divinity of Christ, and tried to be convinced that I had all my life been in the right — I read them over and over again — I had anxious days and sleepless nights ; and even in my dreams my visions were of three distinct Gods, entangled together in dreadful and inextricable confusion. Thus was I driven to the examination of the subject with a power which I could not withstand.

My chief source of information has been the New Testament, and especially the gospel by John. I endeavored to read with an unprejudiced mind, and a teachable spirit, and to explain passages of doubtful import by those which could admit of no possible mistake. While thus reading, the doctrines of the absolute unity of God, and of the derived power and authority of his Son, shone forth from every page of the blessed volume with a brightness and a clearness perfectly convincing to my wondering mind. I could no longer resist the mass of evidence which seemed fully to establish the superiority of the Father to the Son. 1 found that Christ always spoke of himself as inferior to his Father, of his power and authority as derived from his Father, — and it seemed to me that, if the case were otherwise, (with humility let me say it,) our blessed Lord had studiously endeavored to mislead us.

I also found that the vast number of texts which directly and explicitly asserted Christ's inferiority, could only be set aside by an assumption of the doctrine of two natures in Christ Jesus ; and even on this assump-

NEW VIEWS. 7

tion, such words could not have been used without apparent equivocation. On the other hand, the small number of texts which are brought forward as evidence of the deity of our Lord, can be explained without doing such violence to our reason, as the doctrine of two complete natures in one person — one infinite and the other finite — always must.

It seemed strange to me, that our compassionate Heavenly Father, who so well knew the weakness of human nature, should require us to receive a doctrine, violating the common laws of that very reason which he has given us, without such an explicit statement of it, and such an authoritative command for its reception, as would leave no possible chance for human reason to gainsay or resist it. But I could find no such statement, and no such command in the Bible. Now, I had always read the Scriptures with this doctrine pervading my mind, and thus pre-occupied, every passage of holy writ was made, if possible, to harmonize with my opinions.

I now found that our blessed Lord had given us a very different clue to the right understanding of the Scriptures when he declared, that all power was given to him in Heaven and on earth. With this, his own declaration, constantly in view, I found that I could understand many things which were dark before ; that I had, in fact, got possession of the most prominent idea, — the current doctrine of the New Testament. This declaration of our Saviour is, to me, a most satisfactory comment on those passages brought forward in support of the deity of the Son of God. Now what

8 NEW VIEWS.

are inferences, and what are metaphysical arguments to the unequivocal and oft repeated declarations of Christ himself, and of his apostles ? With these for my guide, the Bible becomes plain. And when I remember that many of these passages relied upon by Trinitarians, admit of various readings, — and when I consider the well known history of the received version of the Scriptures, and that our translation was made by Trinitarians, under the auspices of that pedantic bigot, James I., I feel that the Trinitarian side of the question has had every possible advantage, and am perfectly satisfied with the views which I have adopted.

And now, when I sit down seriously to compare the system of doctrines with which I have so long been fettered, with those under the influence of which my freed spirit now joyfully springs to meet its benevolent Creator, I cannot but exclaim, cc thanks be to God, who hath given me the victory, through my Lord Jesus Christ ! " My mind is disenthralled, disenchanted, awakened as from a deathlike stupor, — all mists are cleared away, — and this feeling of light, and life, and liberty, arises from a delightful consciousness that I have learned to give the Scriptures a rational and simple interpretation, and that, on the most important of all subjects, I have learned to think for myself.

My views of my Lord and Master are dearer to me than ever before, because they are more definite. He is still my Saviour, and the Saviour of the world — the instrument chosen by his Father through whom to bestow his unmerited mercy ; a willing instrument, for he delighted to do his Father's will ; an all-suffi-

NEW VIEWS. y

cient instrument, for all power was given unto him. I believe that a living faith, which will lead us to imitate him, is the only ground of our salvation ; but, while I fully believe in the divinity of his character and of his mission, I do not believe that he was the supreme God himself. I believe in the efficacy of his death,- — the most striking circumstance of his history, — for it was the seal of a new and better covenant, — an evidence of his divine commission, and of his devotion to his Father's will ; without which he would not have given us such an assurance of the glorious certainty of a resurrection, by being himself the first-born from the dead; without which his w T ork would have been incomplete, and much less calculated i to affect our hearts, to bring us to repentance, to lead us to God, and to save our souls.

You cannot suppose, my beloved Parents, that I have embraced these opinions hastily or carelessly. It is painful to expose oneself to the charge of fickleness, and it is very painful to separate oneself from those who are near and dear ; but God is to be my Judge ; to Him alone I must answer for my opinions ; to my own Master I must stand or fall ; and I dare not disavow what, upon mature deliberation, I believe to be the truth. I love you, God knows how well ! but I love the truth better ; and your blessed Saviour and mine has said, cc He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me." If then I embrace in my heart the doctrine which appears to me to be taught by Christ himself, must I not avow it ?

With an anxious mind, an honest, tender conscience,

10 NEW VIEWS.

and a prayerful spirit, I have searched the New Testament, and the result is what I have told you. My mind is open to conviction, though I do not believe that any views can be presented with which I am not already familiar. Mourn not over me, my beloved Parents, as over one lost to you forever. If you think me in an error, rest assured it is not a fatal one. I am firmlv convinced that no doctrine can be necessary to salvation which is not so plainly revealed, that the conscientious inquirer after truth cannot possibly mistake it. " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shah be saved," " He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God," — about these plain statements there can be no mistake. Here is a glorious platform * on which sin-

* " It will appear," says Dr. Gibson, Bishop of London, in his " Second Pastoral Letter," pp. 24, 25, " that the several denominations of Christians agree both in the substance of religion, and in the necessary enforcements of the practice of it ; that the world and all things were created by God, and are under the direction and government of his all-powerful hand, and all-seeing eye ; that there is an essential difference between good and evil, virtue and vice ; that there will be a state of future rewards and punishments, according to our behavior in this life ; that Christ was a teacher sent from God, and that his Apostles were divinely inspired; that all Christians are bound to declare and profess themselves to be his disciples ; that not only the exercise of the several virtues, but also a belief in Christ, is necessary in order to their obtaining the pardon of sin, the favor of God, and eternal life; that the worship of God is to be performed chiefly by the heart, in prayers, praises, and thanksgiving, and, as to all other points, that they are bound to live by the rule which Christ and his Apostles have left them in the Holy Scriptures. Here then is a fixed, certain, and uniform rule of faith and practice, containing all the most

NEW VIEWS. 11

cere Christians of every name can meet, and exchange the right hand of fellowship, exclaiming in sweet accord, " thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! "

That our Heavenly Father may enable us all more perfectly to know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent ; that we may increase in faith, and love, and good works ; and especially that I may show in all my future life, that there is indeed the same mind in me which was also in Christ Jesus, is the earnest prayer of your affectionate daughter.

necessary points of religion established by a divine sanction, embraced as such by all denominations of Christians, &c."

To all which 1 heartily subscribe, and I therefore claim the name of Christian.

Letter II. The Terms God And Lord

My dear Father :

The words God and Lord do not, I suppose, necessarily denote absolute supremacy, although they do denote dominion and power. In studying the Scriptures, we ought to bear in mind the common sense in which certain terms were used by the common people at the time the Scriptures were written ; because we know that, in the course of time, words do very much change their signification. In the Bible we have the term God applied in various ways. In regard to its use among the Greek and Roman philosophers and poets, who lived about the time of our Saviour, we are informed by the history of that period ; we know that the term was used with very extensive latitude ; and it is natural to suppose that the writers of the New Testament, who were chosen from the people, used their terms as they were used by the people, and intended to give a meaning which would be readily understood by the people. The early Christians used the word God in relation to different degrees of superiority or power, and not as it is now used, in an absolute sense. And I wish these

THE TERMS GOD AND LORD. 13

facts to be borne in mind while you peruse this letter. I am free to confess, that, as a general thing, the term should not now be applied to any but the Supreme Being, because now it has an absolute and definite meaning ; though, in considering those passages of Scripture where it is applied to subordinate beings, it must still be used, but always with the fact of its different use in another age of the world, kept steadily in view