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here , also , the order of a Christian family is disturbed : and all this from a propensity to Vanity , if not to covetousness , which is a crime . Sum up the whole , by viewing personal and family worship either totally laid aside , or unseasonably ,
partially , and superficially performed—~ the person who ought to conduct domestic worship , unfitted for his task , from the company and agitations of the gaming-table—and his example making the most unfavourable impression on the minds of all his domestics ! Such a minister has often been called a
Suriday ' s-man , as most of his religion is confined to the pulpit . There may be partial exceptions to this picture ; but I dare challenge any minister to prove that he has found himself improved for the duties of his office by his habit of card-playing . It may be sufficient for this part of my letter to direct your attention to Paul ' s epistles to Timothy * and his letter to Titus .
There you will find an original which you will feel it your glory to copy . Your question involves in it the suceess of your ministry . If you sink the dignity and sanctity of your character by the indulgence of any propensity , will not your usefulness be endangered ? You are a public teacher of religion and virtue ^ and are attended by a number of serious and conscientious hearers . Suppose that they have doubts of the lawfulness of their minister being a member of a card-club-, should you not
honour the tenderness of their conscience , and rather cherish it , than tempt them to call in question the sincerity of your profession , and the truth of your doctrine ? They may say with truth s •** . This man teaches us the duty of self-denial , of non-conformily to the world s and yet he will not deny himself the small gratification of counting black and red spots on pieces of paper , and sometimes not in the most respectable company I " They are offended at your liberty : and in such a case do yeu walk charitably towards them r Do you attend to the admonition of Paul , respecting things indifferent to speak with the utmost latitude ? For no one will presume that a minister's conscience will be defiled , 'C he should abstain from
cardplaying . But a weak Christian may be offended at the practice . We labour for souls as those who must give an account ; let us bear the ixifirmities of the weak ; let us gather the lambs in our armsj and carry them hi o \\ r bosom !
We sometimes complain of the low state of religion amongst us . The complaint is just : but what is the remedy ? To hqid to view a noble example—to keep ourselves ^ as the ministers of religion ^ unspotted from the world . I am aware , if this letter shquld ever see . the light-, I shall be exposed to the ridicule of different parties among us ! Herod
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On Dissen ting Ministers play i ?? g at Cards . 537
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VOL . I . 3 Z
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1806, page 537, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1729/page/33/
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