78 



MINISTRY AT STAND. 



[Chap. III. 



truth, and to hold and teach whatever appears to him the revealed 

 will of God. As your society was (if I mistake not) one of 

 the old Presbyterian congregations, it is probable that you 

 agree with me in principle, although we differ in name. And 

 if you allow me full liberty to teach the religion of Christ 

 as a spiritual influence, irrespective of sectarian distinctions, 

 I shall feel pleasure in becoming your minister. But without 

 that liberty, I could neither be faithful nor useful among you. 

 The views to which I have alluded you will find developed 

 in the services at my ordination at Stand, to portions of which 

 I beg respectfully to direct your attention. And I will add, 

 that the statement I then made of my religious opinions, brief 

 and comprehensive as it is, was objected to in " The Christian 

 Teacher," on the ground that no expression of opinions ought 

 to be required, or even desired, from a minister of the Gospel." 

 The congregation acceded to his request with such unanimity, 

 that he had no plea for not accepting the invitation, though 

 he did it with "fear and trembling," and wrote to a friend, 

 " My heart was with the Churches in Rossendale, and I longed 

 to be freed from the trammels of worldly respectability." 



Among those whom he consulted was the Rev. James 

 Martineau, his visit to whom interested him deeply. Mr. 

 Martineau had just published " The Bible and the Child," 

 which at that time greatly discomposed most Unitarian ministers ; 

 " though he was inundated with letters of thanks from persons 

 of all classes, particularly schoolmasters, and even clergymen." 

 " I reverence," writes Philip, " this faithful preaching, even 

 though I may not always agree with his views." During most 

 of his ministry, Philip expressed himself with equal plainness' 

 as to those parts of the Old Testament that, in their obvious* 

 meaning, do not accord with the spirit of Christ. " Though 

 rather orthodox in my own views," he says to another friend, 

 " I have great sympathy with the 'new lights,' and very little 

 with the dogmatic Unitarians." In writing to Mr. Martineau 

 to announce his decision, he says, " I hope that, like the mist 

 this morning, the sun may break out : and that I may be useful 

 yet in my new locality. I do not ask to be happy ; I know I 



