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Untitled Article
religion they do not approve , Is persecntion . But surely any individual iaay 'devote his own fortune or a part of it to what purposes he pleases , and those who choose to partake of th « fortune of this private individual , ought in all reason to
comply with his terras ; and for any to call him on this account a persecutor , would be an uncharitable perversion of language . I do not believe it can be made to appear that Mr . Coward ' s Trustees in any instance act contrary to iiis will .
It is expressed in such terms as fully to justify them in doing what they have done : •* Exhorting the students to examine freely and seriously , to make the word of God their guide , and apply to
him for direction . " If any prove Arminians , Arians or Socinians , the Trustees do not make them so . Calvinists , Trinitarians and Athanasians have no discouragements thrown in their way , no books withheld which tend to- establish
them in such principles ; and however Mr . Coward might occasionally express himself , yet if he had really been the bigot some have supposed , he would have fixed on very different men from Watts , Doddridge , Neal , &c , as the managers of his charities . Suppose a Papist should bequeath by his will a large sum € t
to instruct young persons in the principles of the Christian religion / ' would this oblige the trustees of that will , in all after ages , to receive none but Papists into a participation of the benefit , and to exclude those who appeared likely to deviate from the faith of Rome ? Should
they neglect to instruct young persons" in the principles of the Christian religion , then they would not be true to their trust . Mr . Coward's Trustees are to educate and endeavour to qualify persons for the ministry amongst Dissenters , and though some few oongregations may adopt Liturgies , and others approve of written forms , yet , whilst this is not generally
liked , it is a necessary part of a Dissenting minister ' s education to be able to pray extempore , and the Trustees ought not to he condemned , but , on the contrary , merit the thanks of every friend to the Dissenting interest for insisting on the students' using proper means for acquiring this ability . And should they withdraw their assistance from those who
refuse to adopt the methods they prescribe , no infringement would l > e made on the rights of conscience . They do not require the students to declare their approbation of extempore prayer in preference to written or printed forms ; they do not insist on their introducing any particular words and expressions ; and as it was never yet pretended , and I sup-
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it seems to me highly expedient , and almost indispensably necessary , for every one who takes on him the office of a teacher amongst any denominations of Christians , or , indeed , amongst persons
of any other religion , to be able to pray extempore with readiness and propriety , even though forms be generally used by the community to which he belongs . There are cases and circumstances to which no forms can be suited , and under which the use of free prayer would tend
much to excite a spirit of devotion , and to promote the great ends for vhich prayer is appointed . In order » to pray extempore with
readiness and propriety , the practice must be adopted early ; and as it is at present , and likely to be for many years to come , ( I hope and believe for ever , ) essential to a Dissenting minister ' s general acceptance and usefulness that he should be able to
do this ; those who have the management of our seminaries are fully justified-in withholding their assistance from those who refuse thus to endeavour to qualify themselves . You seem to think that the considering prayer as an academical exercise , is a profanation of it . I cannot see the
matter in this light , or conceive the Divine Majesty is offended when young students for the ministry , or any men whatever , pray on particular occasions with a direct view to being rendered more extensively useful , and the being enabled more effectually to promote his glory . Such will have that reverence for the Almighty on
their souls , as may be humbly hoped will render such prayers an acceptable sacrifice . If to pray extempore in public be desirable , some means must be-used to improve a person ' s abilities , and those who have the management of education must have a right to insist ( if any reluctance be expressed ) , that on some occasions those do this who are assisted in
their preparatory studies . The students niight with as much reason refuse to compose their own sermons , under a pretence that they could employ their time better , and better promote the spiritual good of their hearers by delivering the compositions of others , or even to apply to the study of the classics or philosophy , that they might be able to devote more time to divine meditations .
The case of the martyrs is not at all in point , and possibly was the hasty suggestion of some younger student . For any number of men to force others to profess sentiments , or to join in religious services which they do not approve , is persecutiqp . The forcing men to contribute the smallest part of therr pro * perty or fhelr time to the support of a
Untitled Article
On requiring Students for the Ministry ** & » $ & extempore . ^ SSl
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1823, page 381, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1786/page/13/
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