During recent years there have been held international congresses promoted by the Unitarians of Great Britain, America, and Transylvania, and attended by representatives of the various sections just named as well as by others from the orthodox churches, including Anglican and Romanist, who venture to brave the authorities thus far.  Proposals have already been made for a world-wide union of Religious Liberals, in view of the remarkable success of these great congresses; but the circumstances of the different groups, especially in Germany and Holland, seem to forbid expectation of such a development within any near period.  On the whole, Unitarians appear to be encouraged by the signs of the times, and to do their share of religious culture and benevolent work while cultivating the friendship of ‘Modernists’ of all kinds, Christian, Jewish, Moslem, and Hindoo.

CHRONOLOGY

1536-1612.  Many trials and executions for denying the Trinity; notably Servetus (1553); four East Anglians, 1579-89; Legate and Wightman, 1612.

1568.  Francis David founds the Unitarian Church in Hungary.

1578-1604.  Faustus Socinus active in Poland.

1595.  The Racovian Catechism.  Other Socinian works follow.

1640.  Canon against Socinian books in England.

1644-62.  John Bidle’s career.

1646 and onward.  Anti-trinitarians among Baptists, Independents, Friends, etc.  Books against ‘Socinianism.’

1662.  Act of Uniformity—­ejection of Nonconformists.

1674.  Milton d., leaving his Treatise of Christian Doctrine in MS.; discovered 1823 and published.

1687.  Stephen Nye’s Brief History of the Unitarians, etc.

1689.  Toleration Act—­Unitarians excluded.

1689-97.  The ‘Unitarian Controversy.’  Being suppressed, ‘Arianism’ developed among clergy, ‘Deism’ among other writers.

1690.  Presbyterian Academy (now College, Carmarthen) founded.

1695.  Locke’s Reasonableness of Christianity.

1700.  General Baptist Assembly accept Anti-trinitarian membership.

1703.  Thomas Emlyn imprisoned for denying the Trinity.

1719.  ‘Non-subscription’ vote at Salter’s Hall, London.

1740+.  Arianism diffused; Humanitarianism incipient.

1742.  The ‘Great Awakening’ revival in New England, followed by a Liberal reaction.

1755-1804.  Joseph Priestley’s career.

1774.  Theophilus Lindsey’s Unitarian Chapel, London.

1786.  Manchester Academy (now College, Oxford) founded.

1790+.  Unitarian propaganda active in England.

1808.  Controversy in New England Congregationalism.

1813.  Toleration Act extended to Unitarians.

1817.  Proceedings begun against Unitarians in respect of inherited Chapels, etc.