Christian Disciple and Theological Review (Volume 5)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1823 edition. Excerpt: ... effectually tend to bring to light true religion, and dispel erroneous doctrine as a fr.ee inquiry into the doctrine and meaning of the holy Scripture--and that free inquiry is provoked and aided by nothing so much as a ready access to the best books on theological subjects;--with such impressions, a few of the members of the First Congregational Church, about two years since, joined themselves into an association under the style of the Unitarian Book Society, for the purpose of printing and distributing tracts, both moral, practical and doctrinal, and of collecting a library of substantial works on theological subjects. We fondly hoped in this way to do some service to the great cause of religious truth--to give to the uninformed the means of enlightening themselves--to furnish the inquiring with books such as may satisfy their doubts, or at least enable them to pursue their researches--and more than all, to place in the hands of those who were unable to purchase expensive works, short and cheap treatises on the doctrines and duties of Christianity. 'During this time, many valuable tracts have been printed and disseminated. The books on our shelves, such as they are, have been in constant requisition, by which, somewhat has been ac-. complished, we trust, toward removing what we believe to be most unhappy corruptions of the gospel of Christ, and restoring it to its long lost simplicity; and toward mending the lives, purifying the affections, enlivening the piety and strengthening the faith of many Christians who have been asking the way to Zion. If an individual has by our efforts been brought to solemn reflection, --if one sinner has been shown the error of his ways and reclaimed, --if one anxious and conscientious mind has been set at...