Your fellow-labourers and fellow-Christians,
| James Martineau. | ||
| John Hamilton Thom. | ||
| Feb. 14, 1839. | Henry Giles. |
To the Revs. Thomas Byrth, Fielding Ould, and Hugh M‘Neile.
Gentlemen,—Your willingness to discuss the Unitarian and Trinitarian controversy in the most satisfactory mode, has given us sincere pleasure; and if we have seemed to press this matter upon your acceptance, we assure you it was with the single desire that the statements of both views, in their most accurate and perfect forms, might be presented to the same minds through an unbiassing medium; an object which could be obtained neither by the unequal distribution of separate lectures, nor by means so necessarily imperfect as oral discussion.
We shall be happy to arrange with you, at the earliest possible period, the manner and conditions of our proposed discussion.
We shall be ready to conform ourselves to your wishes upon the subject; but we would suggest the desirableness of the discussion being entered on at once—partly because attention to it might now be secured, and partly because in the seriousness and number of our mutual engagements, this controversy should not be allowed to interfere with our other duties and responsibilities longer than is necessary.
We are, Gentlemen,
Yours, with respect,
| John Hamilton Thom. | |||
| James Martineau. | |||
| Feb. 14, 1839. | Henry Giles. |