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One Hundred and Fifty Eight years ago a
Lady by the name of Mary Dana, wrote Her parents a letter. It is worth posting and reading. The letter has been left intact
as originally written.
January
19th, 1845 :
My kind and venerated Parents:
It has become my solemn duty to make you
an announcement, which, I fear, will fill your hearts with sorrow. Would to God, that I could save you from the pain, which,
from my knowledge of your views and feelings, I am sure awaits you; but I believe, as God is my Judge, that truth is dearer
to me than life itself, and I dare no longer disavow the sentiments, which, after thorough, and honest, and prayerful deliberation,
I have at length adopted.
I will keep you no longer in suspense, but will proceed to declare, that I do not believe
that my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Supreme God. I believe that there is but one God, the Father, of whom
are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things. I believe that "all power" was given unto him in Heaven
and on earth; that he was the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament writers, who, in the fullness of time, came into the
world with a commission from God, and full power and authority to do the work which God had given him to do. In other words,
after long and earnest deliberation, much diligent study of the Holy Scriptures, and fervent prayer to God for the assistance
of his spirit, I conscientiously and firmly reject the doctrine of the Trinity.
This doctrine was part of my education.
I received it, as many others do, without thorough investigation, though, I must confess, it has often perplexed me beyond
measure. Still I held it, as it seems to me all must do, as a strange mystery, which I must not attempt to comprehend; not
considering, that a mystery does not necessarily suppose an incomprehensibility; and losing sight of the danger of admitting,
what now appears to me to be an impossibility.
It is impossible for me, and I now perceive that it has always been
impossible to make one of three, or three of one,---one perfect and infinite being equal to three perfect and infinite beings.
There may be gifted minds capable of comprehending this doctrine, but such is not mine. It is plain to me now, that I have
all my life been worshipping three distinct beings; never having been able, with the most strenuous efforts, to combine the
three in my own mind so as to form a simple idea. But now I bow to the divine authority, when I hear Jehovah saying, "Hear,
O Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord."
But to return. So anxious have I been for clearer views on this point, that
I have eagerly read everything upon the Trinitarian side of the question which came my way; yet always without the satisfaction
so desirable to an honest and inquisitive mind, and always with the same melancholy feeling, that it was a strange mystery;
though still I felt bound to receive it.
And now I will relate to you the process through which my mind has passed.
For many years, I have not been able to believe, that faith in the Trinity was necessary to salvation, because I saw a great
many exemplary Christians who did not hold the doctrine, but who nevertheless believed that Jesus was "the Christ," and "the
Son of God;" and because the Apostle John has said, that whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth
in him, and he in God.
I have often been startled, by hearing passages of Scripture wrested from what appeared to
me to be their legitimate meaning, and forced to an agreement with some favorite hypothesis. Not long ago, in a bible class
which I attended, the first part of the gospel by John was examined, and then many doubts found their way into my mind, but
not with so much force, or in so tangible a form, as they have recently assumed. But, had I ever been disposed to give the
subject a thorough examination, I have never had access to the arguments in favor of Unitarianism, nor have I ever in my life
before read upon that side of the question.
Not very long ago, while conversing with a much loved friend, (you will
know to whom I allude,) I found that my impressions with regard to Unitarians and to their system were extremely erroneous;
and I expressed a wish to know a little more about their faith and practice. Was this desire wrong? Was it not in accordance
with that Christian charity, which "hopeth all things," and "thinketh no evil?"
And here let me exonerate from blame
the two individuals from whom, entirely at my own request, I have procured the information which I wanted. In both instances,
they expressed a hesitation in complying with my request, fearing to be considered obtrusive, if not by myself, at least by
my friends. I cannot but believe, that this feeling arose from a confidence in the strength of their position, and a foresight
of the consequences which have actually ensued.
Now what was I to do? Shut my eyes resolutely, and blindly cherish the
faith in which I had been educated, or sift the matter for myself? What kind of faith is that, which fears to stand the test
of impartial inquiry? Would not an ingenuous mind lose all confidence in itself, and its received opinions, while there remained
a consciousness of this fear and dread of investigation? Was it not my sacred duty to "prove all things," and "hold fast"
only to that which I have found to be good?
Under these circumstances I insisted upon having access to some writings
on the subject, and such as I wished were accordingly granted me. Now I know too well the candor and nobleness of my dear
parents to fear that they will impute blame where none is deserved, unless indeed they carry the doctrine of imputation further
than I think they do. Yet, in the first overflow of feeling, they may not view the matter as temperately and fairly as they
will do hereafter, and this is why I enlarge upon the point.
Now suppose that a Unitarian of my age and mental capacities---one,
in fact, situated just as I am---should come to you, and ask you what they Trinitarian faith really was; would you withhold
from such a person the means of information? I am very sure you would not. Be generous then, and if there be any blame in
the matter, let it rest upon the guilty, and not upon the innocent,---and then it certainly will fall upon no human agent,
but upon a system which will not bear investigation.
Perhaps you will say, "Why did you not bring your doubts to us?
Perhaps we could have solved them." For an opposite course I had several reasons. First, I knew perfectly well what your views
were, and I had access to Trinitarian systems of divinity, which were considered standard works; secondly, I wished to examine
the subject with an unbiased, unfettered mind; in short, to forget everything but the truth itself; and thirdly, I did not
wish to give my friends unnecessary pain.
When the subject first presented itself fully and distinctly before my mind,
in connection with a desire and a determination to give it a complete investigation, I felt an instinctive fear, almost a
horror, at my presumption. I took Dr. Dwight��s sermons of the divinity of Christ, and tried to be convinced
that I had all my life been in the right---I read them over and over again---I had anxious days and sleepless nights; and
even in my dreams my visions were of three distinct Gods, entangled together in dreadful and inextricable confusion. Thus
I was driven to the examination of the subject with a power which I could not withstand.
My chief source of information
has been the New Testament, and especially the gospel by John. I endeavored to read with an unprejudiced mind, and a teachable
spirit, and to explain passages of doubtful import by those which could admit of no possible mistake. While thus reading,
the doctrines of the absolute unity of God, and of the derived power and authority of his Son, shone forth from every page
of the blessed volume with a brightness and a clearness perfectly convincing to my wondering mind. I could no longer resist
the mass of evidence which seemed fully to establish the superiority of the Father to the Son. I found that Christ always
spoke of himself as inferior to his Father, of his power and authority as derived from his Father,---and it seemed to me that,
if the case were otherwise, (with humility let me say it,) our blessed Lord had studiously endeavored to mislead us.
I
also found that the vast number of texts which directly and explicitly asserted Christ��s inferiority, could
only be set aside by an assumption of the doctrine of two natures in Christ Jesus; and even on this assumption, such words
could not have been used without apparent equivocation. On the other hand, the small number of texts which are brought forward
as evidence of the deity of our Lord, can be explained without doing such violence to our reason, as the doctrine of the two
complete natures in one person---one infinite and the other finite---always must.
It seemed strange to me, that our
compassionate Heavenly Father, who so well knew the weakness of human nature, should require us to receive a doctrine, violating
the common laws of that very reason which he has given us, without such an explicit statement of it, and such an authoritative
command for its reception, as would leave no possible chance for human reason to gainsay or resist it. But, I had always read
the Scriptures with this doctrine pervading my mind, and thus preoccupied, every passage of holy writ was made, if possible,
to harmonize with my opinions.
I now found that our blessed Lord had given us a very different clue to the right understanding
of the Scriptures when he declared, that all power was given to him in Heaven and on earth. With this, his own declaration,
constantly in view, I found that I could understand many things which were dark before; that I had, in fact, got possession
of the most prominent idea,---the current doctrine of the New Testament. This declaration of our Saviour is, to me, a most
satisfactory comment on those passages brought forward in support of the deity of the Son of God. Now what are inferences,
and what are metaphysical arguments to the unequivocal and oft repeated declarations of Christ himself, and of his apostles?
With these for my guide, the Bible becomes plain. And I remember that many of the passages relied upon by the Trinitarians,
under the auspices of that pedantic bigot, James I., I feel that the Trinitarian side of the question has had every possible
advantage, and am perfectly satisfied with the views which I have adopted.
And now, when I sit down seriously to compare
the system of doctrines with which I have so long been fettered, with those under the influence of which my freed spirit now
joyfully springs to meet its benevolent Creator, I cannot but exclaim, "thanks be to God, who hath given me the victory, through
my Lord Jesus Christ!" My mind is disenthralled, disenchanted, awakened as from a deathlike stupor,---all mists are cleared
away,---and this feeling of light, and life, and liberty, arises from a delightful consciousness that I have learned to give
the Scriptures a rational and simple interpretation, and that, on the most important of all subjects, I have learned to think
for myself.
My views of the Lord and Master are dearer to me than ever before, because they are more definite. He is
still my Saviour, and the Saviour of the world---the instrument chosen by his Father through whom to bestow his unmerited
mercy; a willing instrument, for he delighted to do his Father��s will; an all-sufficient instrument, for all
power was given unto him. I believe that a living faith that will lead us to imitate him, is the only ground of our Salvation;
but, while I fully believe in the divinity of his character and of his mission, I do not believe he was the Supreme God himself.
I believe in the efficacy of his death,---the most striking circumstance of his history,---for it was the seal of a new and
better covenant,---an evidence of his divine commission, and of his devotion to his Father��s will; without
which he would not have given us such an assurance of the glorious certainty of a resurrection, by being himself the first-born
from the dead; without which his work would have been incomplete, and much less calculated to affect our hearts, to bring
us to repentance, to lead us to God, and to save our souls.
You cannot suppose, my beloved Parents, that I have embraced
these opinions hastily or carelessly. It is painful to expose oneself to the charge of fickleness, and it is very painful
to separate oneself from those who are near and dear; but God is to be my Judge; to Him alone I must answer for my opinions;
to my own master I must stand or fall; and I dare not disavow what, upon mature deliberation, I believe to be the truth. I
love you, God knows how well! But I love the truth better; and your blessed Saviour and mine has said, "He that loveth father
and mother more than me, is not worthy of me." If I then embrace in my heart the doctrine which appears to me to be taught
by Christ himself, must I not avow it?
With an anxious mind, an honest, tender conscience, and a prayerful spirit,
I have searched the New Testament, and the result is what I have told you. My mind is open to conviction, though I do not
believe that any views can be presented with which I am not already familiar. Mourn not over me, my beloved Parents, as over
one lost to you forever. If you think me in error, rest assured it is not a fatal one. I am firmly convinced that no doctrine
can be necessary to salvation which is not so plainly revealed that the conscientious inquirer after the truth cannot possibly
mistake it. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," "He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born
of God,"---about these plain statements there can be no mistake. Here is a glorious platform on which sincere Christians of
every name can meet, and exchange the right hand of fellowship, exclaiming in sweet accord, "thanks be to God for his unspeakable
gift!"
That our Heavenly Father may enable us all the more perfectly to know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom he has sent; that we may increase in faith, and love, and good works; and especially that I may show in all my future
life, that there is indeed the same mind in me which was also in Christ Jesus, is the earnest prayer of your affectionate
daughter.
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