A Layman, [Lowell, John]. Are You a Christian or a Calvinist? or Do you prefer the Authority of Christ to that of the Genevan Reformer? Both the Form and Spirit of these Questions being suggested by the late Review of American Unitarianism by the Panoplist, and by the Rev. Mr. Worcester's Letter to Mr. Channing. To which are added, Some Strictures on both those Works. Boston: Wells and Lilly, 1815. First Edition. [10677]
Removed, no wrappers, 8 5/8 x 5 1/8 inches, 72 pages. Good. Pamphlet.
A strident attack on Calvinists and the doctrines of grace. It is as fair as the following statement from page 6: "The orthodox believe in Calvin and the Westminster Assembly; the liberal christians in Christ and his apostles. The former are Calvinists - the latter, Christians." He goes on in the next sentence to call the Calvinists "intolerant and unreasonable." Pot, meet kettle.
Attributed to John Lowell, Jr., LL.D. (1769-1840), b. Newburyport, Mass., son of the statesman John Lowell (1743-1802), who, among other important roles, was a member of the Continental Congress. John Jr. was a Harvard graduate, successful lawyer, and a writer on various topics. He was an opponent of the War of 1812 and an ardent Federalist. He wrote on politics, agriculture, theology under his own name and under several pseudonyms. He was for eighteen years a member of the corporation of Harvard and for many years president of the State Agricultural Society.
