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Unitarian Baptist Chapel , Dover * Thursday , February 25 , being the day appointed for lading- the first storre of the new Unitarian General Baptist Xhapel at Dover , notwithstanding the unfavourableness of the weather , a concourse of people assembled together . About three o ' clock Mr . Sampson KingsfcM ., of Canterbury , Mr . Read , the surveyor , and other friends , attended by the Committee , appeared on the ground .
The business was introduced by singing * a suitable hymn ; Mr . Kingsford then addressed the company in substance as follows " : Christtian Friends , * for the
" We are now met togethei ^ purpose of laying the foundation stone on which a building' is to be erected for the worship of the One living and true God , as well as for the dissemination of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ .
* There is a God . This , is a first principle in religion $ take away th \ s > and there can be no religion . This GolJJs to be worshiped arid adored : even nktions unenlightened by revelation have had
strong impressions of the importance of these solemn duties . But a question may arise when and where are these duties to be performed ? To this we answer , every where ; in heaven , on earth . AH nature is God s altar . Earth and heaven form one
great temple for the service and worship of the living , eternal , uncreated Deity . Tbe g-reat God is unconfined ; his presence is every where . Prayers may be presented and praises offered , whether oil
a mountain or in a valley , in a palace or a cotta g : e , a temple or a desert , if appropriated to those particular purposes ; and tliere is no place where prayer and praise ottere d in sincerity to God , are not heard
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with acceptance . Why then build temples ? Will JGod , whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain '—wall God * dwell in temples made with men ' s hands' ? Yes , he will ; he has promised so to do , and that promise has been fulfilled .
" Here , too , is convenieiiey for fnortals devoutly and unitedly to associate together for the purposes of Christian fellowship , as well as for the worship of the Supreme Jehovah . Universal then is the sanction which we have for the object before us ; it combines the suffrage of God and the sentiments of men .
" We are now , then , met to lay tbe first stone of a foundation on which a chapel is to be erected , sacred to the service of God , and as a place in which a Christian community may congregate for the discharge of public religious duties . " But let us not mistake 5 though this stone is to commence the foundation for a
place of Christian worship , yet observe , it is for the building only . The foundation stone of the Christian Church is Jesus Christ ; as God said by the prophet , * Behold , I lay in Zion for . a foundation , a stone , a sure foundation , ' &c . * This stone which the builders rejected , is made the head of the corner . * When our Lord , after
inquiring what opinions prevailed respecting" himself generally , said to his disciples , u But who say ye , that I , the Son of Man , am ? " * the answer by Peter was , ' Thou art Christ , the Son of the living God . ' To which our Lord rejoined , * Upon this rock ( or fact , or truth ) I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it .
" On the same rock , as a primary truth of Christianity , we viish to build . On this the apostles built : they went every where preaching , not that Jesus Christ was God , but the Son of God . Take away this stone and the building is defective : on this important truth we wish to build as the basis both of our faith and practice .
< c We are by profession Christians . If you ask ( a * the secis and parties of the Christian world are diversified ) under what class we rank ourselves , we answer , we call ourselves General Baptists ; General , because we believe in the universal love of God , aiul that Christ died to benefit all mankind ; Baptists , because we baptise , and in the admission to a Christian church
assimilate in practice to the original method practised and established by Christ afcd bis apostles . M The term . Baptist is not an exotic in the gospel history 5 for although modern sects are not there to be found , yet the
appellation Baptist is . We read of John the Baptist , who was the herald to proclaim to the Jewish nation the coming of their king . Our Lord may also be denominated a Baptist , for lie wau baptized in
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Intelligence . —Unitarian Baptist Chapel , Dover . SS 7
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London Unitarian Society . The Twenty-eighth Anniversary of this Society was holden at the London Tavern on Thursday the 22 d of April , J . T . Rutt , Esq . in * Chair . The attendance was rather less tban usual , ' but the day was passed very pleasantly . In the--course of taken of the obli
the evening notice was - gations of the Unitarian public to the Chairman for the edition of Dv . Priestley ' s Works , which he is nmv carrying through the press , ou which he has bestowed great labour in the correction of typographical and other errors , and which he has enriched wUh very numerous original and
valuable notes No sermon was preached before the Society this year ; nor has it been the uniform practice in this institution to have a religious service on these occasions . We think the custom , however , a good one , and hope to see it resumed .
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vol . xiv . 2 z
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1819, page 337, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1772/page/57/
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