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Untitled Article
am in the midst of them . These words appear to me , to be perfectly satisfactory , and to determine the point that they are fully competent to form their own regular lions , and that they are not amenable to any religious sect or community whatsoever for their
conduct . To their own master they stand or they fall . The yoke of their Saviour is easy ^ and his burden is light . They are to inquire what burden he imposes upon them , and having settled their minds upon this point , they are not to be at all anxious that
their regulations should correspond with those of other communities . In fact , when we consider the disputes that have been , and are in the world , among various $ ects , on the superior excellence x > f their respective institutions , we shall see at once , the
advantageous position in which our supposed new community is placed . It has nothing to do with the worldly disputes that have desolated the earth ; it does not enter into any contention with another sect : it endeavours to act
agree-* ^ 2 ably to their Lord ' s commands , and the result they leave to him . Uniformity is a subject much talked of in the world : but our Saviour ' s kingdom is not of ( his world , and the persons we suppose
to have met will not be frightened at the word . In fact , where is uniformity to be met ? It prevails in Checircleof one sect , but if wecom-• pare together the different sects , uniformity is to be found in vury
few points . However there is an uniformity which ought to be pursued by ours , as well as every other community , and that is a uniformity of love . Here our Saviour ' s words are decisive , and they arc so frequently used by his
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apostles , that , however contradictory the conduct of Christians has been , the precept is clear . ' By this shall all men know whether ye are my disciples , if ye love one another . ' I lay it down then as a
principle of my supposed community , that they are not bound by any rul ^ s or regulations of aijy other community with respect to faith , to worship , or to disciplinebut they are bound by our Saviour ' s rule to love each other , and to e . N >
tend this love to Christians o £ every other community . I should conceive that any one of our Missionaries , who had collected a dozen persons , wfro
agreed upon these principles , and upon them had formed the basis of their union ^ would have made considerable progress in his first meeting , if they had formed the following resolutions .
Resolved , That we being desirous of entering into a Christian Society , agreeing to worship the God of our Saviour , and to be directed by his laws , do determine that we will make the scriptures the rule of our conduct ; that we will be guided by them , and them only ; and will not allow the decisions of
any body of Christians , to have independently of them , any sway over us . Resolved , That Christian love is the basis of our union , and that we do not confine this love to persons of our own persuasion onl y ^ but that we wish to entertain it as
mankind of every denomination , occasion offers ^ for our brethren of The principles ot" our Society being thus laid down , the discus * sion of some regulations becomes necessary , for the Society must have its place and time of meeting ; some order must be preserved in these meetings ; and there
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18 On the Discipline of a Christian Community . Let . I .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1809, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1732/page/18/
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