MR. KNIGHT AND THE DUNDEE " FREE " PRESBYTERY. [TO
THE EDITOR OF THE " SPROTATOR.1 SIR,—In one of those little articles at the beginning of the Spectator,. to which so many of us are indebted for Liberal opinions without. the pain of thinking, there is the following sentence :—" We trust. and believe that Mr. Knight will not commit himself to the very unintelligible proposition the affirmation of which is required of him." And the proposition is, " that the Unitarian body forms no. part of the Church of Christ." Surely there are hundreds and thousands of sensible religious men who would not only not com- mit themselves to such a proposition, but would flatly deny it. A. thing, however, may very easily be done by a layman which can, only be done by a clergyman with pain and loss. It is very easy, to say " we trust and hope Mr. Knight will not," &c., &c., but, let those who indolently say so consider what is involved in the- satisfaction of these wishes. Mr. Knight may have to defend him- self through a course of wearisome and expensive litigation, and may possibly, as the result of it, be suspended or deprived. I have not the honour of knowing Mr. Knight, nor do I belong to his. Church; but the case is a fair one to illustrate what must, from time to time with growing frequency, happen in other religious commun- ions. The current of the age is not toward martyrdom for speculative opinions ; and it is hard to call upon the clergy—men who have been. specially educated for these professions, who have no other to which they can turn to obtain a livelihood, and who are often burdened, by large families—to come out to the lions, while the lay Spectators,. reposing in the luxury of Liberalism, repay the martyr with en- lightened, if languid applause. Of course, we ought all to be willing: to be martyrs if it be necessary, but let laymen show that they can suffer in the cause for which they think the clergy should die,. and let them say practically whether they will permit a clergy- man to go to the workhouse because he will not " repudiate the Unitarian body as forming no part of the will of Christ." L
am a country vicar, but not being any more eager for martyrdom than the generality of laymen, will you allow me to subscribe
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