UNITARIANISM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4955, 8 February 1877, Page 5

UNITARIANISM.

The following interesting" letter has been received by Miss Martha Turner, who occu-; pieß a pulpit in a, church in East Melbourne, from the Rev. 'James Martineau, the distinguished Unitarian minister. Miss Turner had He'nt'Mr., Martineau copies, the Argus,containing' thei analysis of /; tM controversy between Professor Tyridal and himself; on ; scientifjc materialism, which appeared,' under the head of "Drift of "'Modern Thought," in its columns soma months ago,:—"''frffipdon-street, "Condon, Wjb.i No vemberj 2, I*l &-1 : My dear : my sihc'ere thanks* both for your words of iriendly appreciation*, and for the interesting notices by the Dean "of Adelaide, and the .Melbourne newspaper, of the r*ceat controversy on materialism, Jt can-

n<st'"buirbe consolatory to a veteran who'iß on the eye of. retiring .from* the, field to have assurance that, in .trying, to. put such weapons as:have been given'him to faithful use, he has not been .wholly beating the air.' I hardly expect that any resistance, however str6ng in reason and right will at present avail to beat back the drift of the age towards a : dreary, suspense or negation.' of religious faith; The unideal training of the English mind has left' it helpless and; blind amid the- startling' rush:of physical disco very and conjecture, and the old conception; of Divine thingswillbe swept away,:andleaye"atemporary dark'neWwhicliinust be more or less morally disastrous." Bu'tithe deeolatipn cannot list; the vabaridvwnPdrawinto it gleams of higher and "purer "thought; and, as I deeply believe, the human spirit Will therd find itself, when all the mythblpgy is cleared out» in presence and communion with. • the Heavenly Father, to "whom the prayers of Gethsemane and Calvary, were ! Ppr awhile,- however, 1 the Christian theism wilkprobably have to go into retreat, while the battle Is fought out between the two extremes whose forbes'are mustering in marvellous strength,'"'the' Ultramontane and the '4 new;; My late friend: and colleague^John • James' Tayler, hid of ien 'SO suffer' witlii my self : tKS Hiistrusts and disaffeotida of English! IJm-. tarianß,vwho charged ifi,' witb? } * dangerous latitude of critical opinion; * -When We jwere disheartened by this, hfejiiibije ithan once said to me, 'Bear up, my friend upon it, incur old age we shall be asjcbn" gervative ; aye; by th&'V3ry>pebple; wholi we frighten now.' The jwdpHoy hoi though neither of* us- arrested - the ,r cess of natural'- change' after it wa«v njanle; . . . . I send a volume of sermons; which is i publishea-;-t&day, under the title, 'Hours of (Thought on Sacred Things.' It has no pretension .to, philosophical interest, but is , simply a memorial;, oCsmyj, praoMcal*minißtry,' Uke, the 'Endeavors,.V/after the- Christiak ■Life.'—l remainj dear, madam, yours faithfully, JXmes .Miss Mirth'aTurner." .■. ■:■'.-,■,. M . ■"•'-: .<-■ . , ■" ! ~_;'. '