M 



UNIT JAR. 



MiYTKHIAN CHURCH (OF SCOTLAND). 488 



The common rule of three, M generally stated, and given without 

 proof, is the cause of much of the habit which leads to this unwilling- 

 nes* ; and for thoee who cannot nee any difference between 6 shillings 

 taken S time*, and 5 shillings multiplied by 3 (hillings, the examination 

 of a question in this rule will be worth while. Let it be as follows : 

 If 10 apples cost 7 pence, how much will SO apples cost? The 

 computer proceeds in this manner: As 10 apples are to 7 penoe, so are 

 SO apples to the answer required. According to the rule, he multiplies 

 together 7 pence and 30 apples, and produce* 210 of what he does 

 not aay. They can hardly be simple apples, or pence : probably they 

 are 210 chemical compounds of an apple and a penny. The result is 

 to be divided by the first term, 10 apples: here 210 divided by 10 

 gives 21, and the apples in the divisor decompose this compound, !><< 

 it of all its fruit, and leave for the final answer 21 pence. The confusion 

 which is caused by the improper use of the concrete unit can hardly 

 be conceived by any but one who has been used to teaching. 

 UNIT JAR. [ KLKITRH-ITT, COMMON, coL 801.] 

 UNIT OF WORK. [WORK, UNIT or.] 



UNITARIAN. This term, in its strict and literal interpretation, 

 denotes simply a believer in one God ; and, when thus understood, ia 

 a generic term, applicable to all Christians, for they all profess to 

 receive the unity of the divine nature ; and not only so, but to Jews 

 and Mohammedans also, and even to those unbelievers commonly called 

 Deists, who, on the grounds supplied by natural reason alone, admit 

 the existence, providence, and moral government of one Supreme 

 Being. But it is more commonly understood as opposed to Trinitarian, 

 and U accordingly the received denomination of those Christians who 

 acknowledge one Qod in one person, as distinguished from those who 

 conceive of him in three persons, characters, or relations, each of which 

 they regard as the proper object of a distinct and separate religious 

 worship. The Unitarian Christian believes the Father to be the only 

 true Ood, and Jesus his messenger to be the Christ. (John xvii. 3.) 

 This U the leading fundamental principle, which constitutes the true 

 anil complete definition of the term ; under which are consequently 

 included all those who, receiving the divine authority or commission of 

 Jesus Christ, believe him to be a dependent creature, deriving his 

 existence from the Father, and therefore as the fit object of all the 

 veneration, submission, and obedience which can he offered to a crea- 

 ture, but not of religious worship properly so called. Agreeing in this 

 great and leading principle, Unitarians differ in their opinions as to the 

 origin, nature, and dignity of the author of their religion. Some 

 believe him to have been a celestial spirit of great power and dignity, 

 existing before all worlds, and employed by the Father as his instru- 

 ment or agent in the creation of the universe, or at least of this portion 

 of it in which we dwell. These are usually called, and call themselves, 

 Arians ; though differing in various particulars from the distinguishing 

 tenet* of that celebrated heresiarch. Of this class was the late Dr. 

 Price, and many of the principal English Unitarians in the earlier part 

 of the last century. Others believe Jesus to have had no existence 

 previous to hU birth, and to have been simply " a man, approved of 

 God by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him." 

 (Act* ii. 22.) These are not unfrequently styled Sociuians : but they 

 themselves, almost universally, reject this appellation ; both because it 

 is usually given as a term of reproach (though in fact there is no more 

 reason why it should be so considered than Lutheran, Calvinist, or 

 Arminian), and also because Socinus held certain opinions which they 

 disapprove, particularly the duty of praying to Christ, contrary, as 

 many of them think, to his own express injunction. (John xvi. ^:t.) 

 Unitarians believe that in Christ dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead, 

 inasmuch as the spirit was not given by measure unto him, and as he 

 was invested with full power to make known to the children of men 

 the will and intentions of God concerning them ; and they require no 

 other evidence than his authority for receiving all which he delivered 

 as coming from God. On this authority they believe that there will 

 be a resurrection from the dead, both of the just and of the unju-t, 

 when all shall be rewarded according to their works, and when Christ 

 himself shall come in the glory of his Father to judge the living and 

 the dead. They believe tha^ the truth of this declaration was ascer- 

 tained and exemplified by his own resurrection from the grave. They 

 believe that he was sent to include both .lew and Gentile in the terms 

 of a new ami better covenant : and to admit the- whole race of mankind 

 to a participation in the privileges of the family of God. For thw 

 reason it i* that the death of Christ is described by himself as the 

 Mood nl the new covenant, shed for many for the remission of sins; 

 and hence Unitarians receive him not as God himself, but as the imnyr 

 of God (2 Cor. iv. 4), and a ray of his Fathers glory as the one 

 Mediator between God and man. 



Unitarians believe in the Atonement ; understanding that term in 

 the MOM in which it is used in the only place where it occurs in tin- 

 New Testament, namely, reconciliation. Men were enemies to Ood by 

 wicked works ; they were reconciled by the death of Christ, that is, 

 by the new covenant of grace and mercy ratified by his death, in as far 

 as thry have been recUiim-d frin sin to a life of righteousness. In 

 this *en*e they think that <'hrit died far us ; not in our ntead, hut on 

 our U-h.ilf ; to piociire for us the benefit of a new and better dinpen- 

 sati'.n. Thus the terras or conditions of salvation are " r.-|,. ni ,m.-. 

 toward* God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." And t)n-v .1. n\ 

 that theM view* are liable to the charge which is sometimes brought 



against them, of underrating the evil of sin; considering that by 

 repentance U meant not merely sorrow for past sin, but a change of 

 mind and heart, leading to future amendment, and, when practicable, 

 to restitution. 



Unitarians are sometime* charged with relying upon their own 

 merit*, but erroneously. They profess to look for everything they 

 lave or can expect solely to the free grace and mercy of God, mani- 

 fested in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This, and thi* alone, U the 

 uroeuring cautr of salvation, of which conversion where necessary, and 

 repentance and better obedience in all cases, are only the prescribed 

 but indispensable condition ; a condition, which they believe that all 

 men are competent to fulfil, by a diligent and conscientious exercise of 

 their natural powers. These powers, and the entire constant i n whi.-li 

 man inherits at bis birth, they believe to be such as his Maker 

 intended them to be, not less capable in their own natti 

 religious and moral improvement than those of his first prog' 

 when cultivated with due care, exercised under an influential sense of 

 the Divine presence, and an habitual application for the Divine pro- 

 tection and blessing promised in the Gospel of Jesus Christ 



Unitarians for the most part believe in the doctrine of Universal 

 Restitution ; considering punishment, both here and hereafter, not as 

 the expression of what is called rliulictire justice, hut as the instru- 

 ment of a remedial discipline, destined ultimately to bring back the 

 sinner from the error of his ways. But it should be observed that on 

 this, as on all other points, it is difficult to give any precise statement; 

 because in fact there does not exist any Unitarian creed or standard, 

 which the general body have ever formally recognised as of authority. 

 No Unitarian will allow himself to be held responsible for the opinions 

 maintained by any other, let his talents, eminence, or reputation be 

 what they may. 



Without touching on the controversies which have arisen respecting 

 the history of Unitarianism in the primitive church, it may be 

 sufficient for our purpose to observe that it quickly made its appear- 

 ance among the leading reformers of the 1 6th century. The fate of 

 Servetus, who was burnt at Geneva for the profession of this obnox- 

 ious sentiment, is the foulest blot on the character of Calvin. Several 

 of the most eminent of the Italian reformers of that period were anti- 

 Trinitarians of different degrees, some of whom became distinguished 

 lights and founders of Unitarian churches in distant lands. In this 

 country, during the reigns of Edward VI., Elizabeth, and James I., 

 several persons expiated the offence of this form of heresy at the 

 stake ; but the first religious society established in 'England avowedly 

 on this principle was gathered in the time of the Commonwealth by 

 Biddle, who may therefore be styled the father of English Unitari < 

 The Unitarians of the present day in this country are chiefly the 

 descendants and representatives of that branch of the early Ni 

 formiste who received the denomination of Presbyterians; and tli.y 

 are still known by that name, though no Presbyterian form of church- 

 government, properly so called, has ever existed either among them or 

 their predecessors. A smaller body are Baptists ; and a few societies 

 now Unitarian originally belonged wholly or partially to the Inde- 

 pendent denomination. In the proper sense of the word they are all 

 Congregationalists ; inasmuch as every society U a distinct religious 

 community, acknowledging no external control upon earth in spirit u.il 

 concerns. The census of 1851 gave 229 congregations in England and 

 Wales, and 50,061 attendances on Sunday, March 30. 



In the United States of America there are at least four distinct 

 religious bodies who profess anti-Trinitarian opinions: 1. A large 

 portion of the Congregatioualist churches in Massachusetts, with a few 

 in the adjoining states of New England, to which may be added 

 churches of the same denomination in several of the prim -i|> .il town* in 

 other parts of the Union. 2. The Universalists, whose leading tenet 

 is the doctrine of Universal Restitution ; but who have in p 

 adopted some modification of Unitarianism. 3. A .jority 



of the American Quakers, from whom their orthodox brethren seceded 

 and formed a distinct community. 4. A numerous denomination wlio 

 call themselves Chrutiam by way of distinction, refusing to be en- 

 rolled as the followers of any other body. 



At Geneva, once the fountain-head and stronghold of < .ilviui-m. 

 Unitarianism prevails; and in Transylvania the descendants of the 

 followers of Socinus, Davides, and others, in the 16th century, .-till 

 form a numerous community. 



In this article no attempt has been made to exhibit the scriptural 

 proofs on which Unit.iri.ins are accustomed to rely ; still less I 

 any minute critical examination of the texts < 



tion to their doctrines ; but merely to state as concisely and distinctly 

 as possible what those doctrines are. Those who wMi t.. 

 further information on the views of Unitarians are referred (among 

 other sources) to Lindsey's Apology and Sequel ; Lardner's Letter on 

 tht Logot ; Belsham's Calm Inquiry; Carpenter's r/i/Mn<i>,/.<m the 

 Vates's }trjJte* to Wardlaw ; and the Doctrinal 

 DiRoourscs of the late Dr. dimming. 



UNITKII I:UI-:TIII;KN. IM..HAVIAN*.) 



UN1TKD l'l(i;>r.Y 1 KIJIAX rill lii II <OK SCOTLAND). Tl,.- 

 United Secession Church and tin- !!. ln-i Church, which had existed as 

 separate organisations for a oooaidcrable period junction in 



1847, under the designation of the .<r>7i. The 



original secession from the Scottish establishment, which took place 



