Mr. Owen's Reply
Reverend Sirs,-In the reporitof the proceedings of your late meeting, as published In the Glasgow Chronick of the 1st of June, which I have just read, I find the following Paragraph:- "A correspondence was read, from which it appeared that Mr. Owen, of New Lanark} had refused the Presbytery of ianark ad- mittance to examine his schools last April. The Assembly unani- mously appointed a Committee to confer with his AMajesty's Solici. tor-General, that the proper steps may be taken to enforce a strict compliance with the acts which require presbvteries to examine all the public and private schools within their bonnds.' It is true, Reverend Sirs, that I did refuse the Presbytery of La- nark admittance into oar private schools at New Lanark; but I added, that as gentlemen and neighbours, I should be at all times nappy to see them in their individual capacity, and to show them the schools and every other part of the establishment. I refused admnittance to the Presbvtery of Lanark, because they claimed that as a right, to which I believe they have no title what. ever. I refused it, because in a former exerclse of this supposed rIght, they appear to me to have displayed a total want of whatever appertainls to pure and genuine seligion. ii *hank yoa most cordially. Reverend Sirs, for thus bringin,g the subject firly before the publi, because I wish the public to judge hter een us. You claim an inquisitorial right over the consciences of those who live within your bounds. I deny that right upon prinziples of the most eimple and obvious justice. Every mast must, of necesity, beEeve what appears to him true, and cannot, by possibility, beleve what appears to him false. To force any other expresion of opinion from him, is to force him to becsme a hypocrite. By such proceed. ings has Insinceritybeen universallyformed,andvice made to abound: by such proceedings are deception and hypocrisy at thia hour suc. cessfuilv orced upon the minds of the rising generation. You have tha right, in common with all other men, of expressing your opinions in the way of fair argument. If that right rove In. sufficient for their support, any attemPt to forcethem upon the minds of those who are unwilling to receive Ihem, will he considered, in the present advanced state of the human mind, as a futile desire to ex. ercise a monstrous power, which, as it can only engender and perpe. tuate vice, will never again, I trust, be 'recognized as belonging to any individual or to any body of men. You, Reverend Sirs, are abody, professing,like manyother bodies of men who differ materially from you, to have discovered and to be exclusively in possession oftruereligion. I am one of many illons who are conscientiously obliged fo think that on this subject You have lamentably ecred, alad your practice proves how much v6u bave been mistaken. There are at present many contending competitors for the disco. verz of true religion. lWhen true religion is discovered, It will be easUly known, because it will make men charitable and kind to all. Nov, as no such genetal character up to the present period, has been formed, is it not reasonable to conclude that pure and Xenuine rellion, freed from corruption.t and errors, does no where exist ? This is the age of great discoveries, and of much competition. I cannot avoid believing that I am in possession of that which his been so ardently sought for-truth on the subjtct of religion;. aud I mean almost immediately to bring my sentiments into competition with yoars, and -with those of all the other searcherS for truth on this molt important subject. The friendly contest between us, as I hope it will be, must be decided, not bv anger and irritation-not by jealousies and a desire for power to do evil-but by the fruits which shaU re- spectively be produced. These consIderations bring the difFerence between us to a point. If your system of religion and morals shall be found in practice to form-the more .virtuous individual ch-aracter, and the better state of society, then will I come over to your views, and ail and asist you to the utmost of my powers; but If, on the contrary, I should dis- over to yon the principles upoa which alonecan be founded a religion pare, simple, and consistent in aU its part-a religion which shaU form men to be kind and charitable to all, whatever be their differ- ence of opinon-which shall withdraw from men all desire to dorni. neer over their fellows, or to dictate to their consciences, or in any mannerdo them an injary-a religion whichshall reject, as worse than useless, aU exclusive privileges, all violent support for itself, and all forcible means of conversion-a relion whose only weapon is dis- passionate argant, and whose fowlowers wiU think it unworthy their support, if with that weapon they cannot defend it-then do I expect that you will relinquish the abuses and errors of your present system, and adopt those prnciples which 1 shaU erte long disclose to you ana&othe-world. T he mysterious nightof darknes anddiceptidii7-s exprInig, and the cheering light of trRth begins to appear. Thatyon, Reverend Sirs, may live to perience, in peace and quietness, the benefit of this light, is the sincere wish of your faithful servant 125, Pall-mall, June 9,18S4. ROBERT OWYEN. dfB. OWEZN'S REPLY TO PBOCEEDINOS OF THE GE2(ERAL ASSEMBLY OF SCOTLAND, RELATIVE TO THE ?EW LANAEK SCAOOLS.