On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (4)
-
MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS ;
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Miscellaneous Communications ;
MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS ;
Untitled Article
To the Editor of the Monthly Repository .
The question , so long discussed in a former age , whether public prayer should be conducted by a brepared form , or by
extemporaneous effusion ,- seems to excite no interest at the present day . We have , probably , in this case , an instance of the eventual triumph of learning and good sense over prejudice and enthusiasm , which should animate the zeal of
reasonable and wise men , to continue their efforts to enlightta and instruct mankind * Unitarians are either agreed on the subject , or are indifferent about its decision . The
evangelical , in the church of England , are probably zealous for prescribed forms . At least they are indifferent , like the Unitarians , as to the mode of conducting divine
worship . If the disciples of Wes - ley have not departed "from their principles , they are sticklers for the established liturgy , and should use it in their public service when held at the same time with that of
the church <> f the parish in which they assemble . The Methodists of the Calvinistifc persuasion , the X ^ ady- Huntingdon connection , the [ Rowland Hill sect , or whatever other name they choose to 3 . do |> t , are more uniform in their use of
the established liturgy in their several chapels * . As to the orthodox dissenters , it seems as if nothing comes amiss to them , froYn a gown 6 r a cofat , a cloak or a s&r-
Untitled Article
plice , with liturgic precision or extemporaneous extravagance , provided it be sound , orthodox , calvinistic and infallible . There is , however , another question for the Unitarians to consider , of no small importance . If prepared prayers are allowed to be preferable to those delivered extemporaneously , is the preparation of them to be left to the mte
mster ; end should tbey be as va * rious as his leisure or industry may lender them ? Or , should they not be prepared , by common cortsetit , for the common use of
all who are engaged in the public worship ? I think that they should be of the latter description , for the following and other reasons . I . Forms , prepared by the minister for the occasion , have no
advantage over extemporaneous performances but their accurac ^ and variety . They are equally unknown , before their delivery , to the people assembled , with such as are unpremeditated or recited .
And they have not the advantage of impassioned utterance , which may fairly be pleaded as the best reason for extemporary prayer . The latter advantage cannot be sufficiently compensated but hy
the actual engagement of every individual in prayer by means of a form already known to him , or open before him . A public liturgy has the advantage of accuracy in a pre-eminent degree , and it hafc the advantage of producing
Untitled Article
[ 358 ]
Untitled Article
OF AN UNITARIAN LlTtlRGYi
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1809, page 358, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1738/page/4/
-