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    it was absolutely necessary to secede from that church , and to form a society for the worship of one God , according to the precepts and example of Christ and his apostles .

    The number of such persons could not be expected to be considerable ; yet they were sufficient to encourage Mr . Lindsay in his hopes of forming a congregation . He had determined on scriptural

    worship in his family , and would have admitted any that his situation allowed to join with him . But his confined lodgings did not permit any thing of the kind , and the zeal of his friends soon found

    a place , in which they might be accommodated . A room was taken in Essex-house , over which the present ch / ipel now stands : it was fitted up for the occasion ; and on April 17 th 1774 , divine service was performed in it . and

    a sermon preached by Mr . L . indsey to a small congregation . This sermon was afterwards published , and was instrumental in promoting the spirit of inquiry . In this room , worship was conducted for

    nearly four > ears , a small but respectable congregation attending ; among whom were some persons distinguished for their rank and talents—Sir George SavjUe , the member for Yorkshire ; Mr .

    Wilberforce , the present member for Yorkshire ; Mr . Lee , afterwards soiiciloi-general ; Mr . Dodson , the translator of Isaiah ; Dr . Jebb , » nd that excellent woman

    JVirs . Rayncr , who came the second Sunday , and was from that lime a great friend of Mr . Lind-3 ey ' s , and a strenuous supporter of his cause . The remains of

    ^ hese excellent persons are iiow deposited together , Mrs Rayner ' s being buried , by her par-

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    ticular desire , in the vault which Mr . Lindsey had secured in Bunhill-fields . The liturgy , used in Essex-house , was that of the

    Church of England , with the alterations only , that were absolutely necessary for those , who worship no other god , but the God and Father of Jesus Christ-

    that is , no other god than him , whom Jesus Christ himself worshipped , and to whom he ordered us to offer up our prayers . Such a liturgy had not before been publicly used ; but the necessity of it

    was seen by that admirable divine , Dr . Clarke , formerly rector of St . James ' s , who corrected the service of the church of England , but had not the courage to use it in public . He did a service however to the religious world , by

    leaving his copy to posterity ; and it is a melancholy thing , that with such a testimony before their eyes , the superiors , of the church took no pains to correct the offensive pans of . its service . It is needless to say that the absurdities and contradictious in the

    creed , vulgarly attributed to the factious high priest , St . Athanasius , did not sully the purity-of Mr . Lindsey ' s liturgy . His was a

    service in which all Christians might unite ; for , if adoration was paid only to one person , it is to be considered , that to tfrat person Christ ordered us to direct our

    prayers ; and , if mistaken Christians hav £ made supplications to many other persons , this does not alter the efficacy of prayer to him , who is allowed by all to be , God .

    In a little time it yras found that the apartments , taken in Essex-house , were not sufficient for the congregation , and it was determined , that a chapel shoulci

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    52 Memoir of the late Rev . Theophilus Lindsey , A . M . .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1809, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1732/page/2/