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Untitled Article
deemed . This great and most desirable change— -this renovation of holy scriptural religion , will , doubtless , sooner or later , take place , after a " long and dark night of apostacy . But means , under
Providence , must be used : and what means can be supposed more suitable than endeavours to bring into active usefulness , on an extensive scale , among the sober and well-informed commonalty , the powers and energies of the human mind ? Among men prepared to
lay aside the weight and burden of ecclesiastical prejudice and do . minion , which neither they , nor many of their fathers , have been able to bear-That the national church is in
danger , has often been said , and echoed by interested churchmen , in this country , but never with more alarm than now . This is notorious . The professed
champions of the church may continue to complain ; but the influencing motives are obvious ; and complaint from such rfien is natural . But while sincere Unitarians have
no particular views of overturning any church , merely as such , and are purely concerned for the interests of truth , and the personal improvement of their fellow-men , they must leave the event to Providence , which works by his own instrumental means ; and the end x > f his working thev are sure will
be right . This is their ground of Procedure and of trust . With such views , and on such principles , I would recommend to
the Unitarian committee or board , in London , the issuing of brotherly admonitions to their fellowprofessors , in districts throughout the country , whetffc stated , ministers are / lot settled , exhorting
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those of ability to become instru * . ments in carrying on Unitarian worship , the avowed worship of One Eternal God , agreeably to the doctrines of his blessed Son ^ our appointed High-Priest ,
Combe erected , they are desirable , and will of course by degrees be prepared ; but where those means are wanting , and the number of brethren small , a decent room , or part of a building , may be
appromon Lord and . Saviour . The simplicity of Unitarian principles and worship , requires not the aid of robes , lofty pulpits , and splendid houses , as essential in social devotion . Where , consistently with numbers and means , plain and commodious buildings may
priated and licensed for the sacred use ; or , in some instances , a family sitting room may be well employed , for' social worship . If conveniencies serve , it may be sl Christian office to invite any of the neighbours to attend and be wit *
nesses of the order , and partakers of the benefits , of such serious employments . To this end the pre- ^ vious distribution of small and pious Unitarian tracts may be an excellent preparative . A plain moveable desk , purposely . constructed for the use of the official *
ing brother should be provided , and when used decently covered } suitable seats or chairs may be easily had . Let all things be done decently and in order . The main article of religious exercise will of course be the
solemn reading of portions of sacred scripture , both in the Old and New Testaments ; those portions will doubtless be preferred which treat of social and . religious duties , and devotional godliness . Other devotional books ( xherc being many
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308 Mr . Matthews on the tierv Unitarian Academy .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1812, page 308, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1748/page/28/
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