The broadly sympathetic spirit which has been observed at work in the
foregoing story has led to interesting relationships between Unitarians
and some other religious bodies. The Universalists, who are strongest in
the United States, are cordially fraternal with them; and a large
proportion of the 'Christians'--a non-dogmatic body--are equally close
in sympathy. The Hicksite Friends, named after Elias Hicks, who early in
the nineteenth century avowed Anti-trinitarian views, and some other
religious bodies less conspicuous are more or less directly included in
the Unitarian forces, though not organically in union. With the French
Liberal Protestants there has been warm co-operation for many years, and
the same is true of Dutch, German, and Swiss reformers. Since the visit
of Rammohun Roy, the Indian reformer, in 1833, the English in particular
have developed kindly relations with the Indian theist movement, and
students from India and Japan are regularly educated at Oxford for the
ministry of free religion in their own countries. It is in this way,
more than by the ordinary types of missionary activity, that Unitarians
have hitherto attempted to influence the non-Christian races.
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.