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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.
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is either pm bM 'pffrffifcl otm ifittgf h&ve it' t *> imi ^ WiWstfWfmz ceed ; which also * sfi&fi ; ha $ e Wfy th"fi use of it for its af > poitfte $ rita ^ . : ' ¦ *< There is one otffcrcircumstance connected with the review of jfae fluctuations of our religious conimunity , which scarcely needs to be pointed out to those who have even a moderate knowledge of us , or only a short recollection of our former state ; I mean the vicissitudes in
point of worldly circumstances and station among their fellows , which have attended so many of the families that have composed it ; how some have gradually disappeared , which once made a great figure among us , while others are now distinguished , which were unknown to former generations ; perhaps to give way to others in the next , or certainly in some succeeding , one . Should not this
disppse 0 ch df us to * bear our faculties , wjuj i ^ ejej ^ ness ; ' to check a too h ^ s t ^ ieqfle ^ y 6 if those who are in prosperoustfr ^ msN ^ £ s to say , * I shall n& ^ er Jte j ^ beware lest We f ^ e £ . J $ e ^ Juprc ^ rby whose permission we ' V ' ^ f ^^^ ( nH ;** h ^ t since * the tlpae ' ' ^; ^ v ^ y ^| pg pn this earth ' is sli 6 rit > " to : ; Ve | oIce ; aK ^« g h we rejoiced * M * Mm ^ % h 9 u $ M W ^^ " > an&tqusfe $ i& wQrld as not abusing it ;
sF $ mS iMi $ fW ? it & 5 t Passeth aw $£ t ^ m ^ Hi ^ u , -v -.... r , j 9 Uawi ^ reinarks , , relate to a change / in ^ Vjcg ^ lgu ^^ jrj ^ s , of the present genefat ^ o ^ tw ^ icji , } s of more importance t ^ aniAu ^ atty a ^ a ched to it , and which tfcreatei )^ iflpre tWu any other cause , the , decay of bur congregations . When we see that even ^ he temporary suspension of an eloquent preacher ' s services is the signal for His hearers to desert the walls which they thronged beforewhat can we inferbut
, , that , curiosity is a more powerful principje amongst us than religious feeling ? \ % fyatcan we anticipate , but that a moti ^ sp pptpriously inconstant in its operat ^ pn ^ i ^ . g ive us none of the steadiness aa ^ , C 9 nsMen . cy i of religious character w ^ icj ^ j ^ lpnge ^ tty our more pious but lcs ^ s qijiy ^ c ja ^ n , t ; estors } vjm ')^ ut ^ h , fact ) ,, Wth ministers and
people ^ re , J # o , ajpt to , assign too high a rank tyiiWeftObiypt 7 $ W original purpose of tj ^ sq j ^ ettfi £ s was social religious worstypt ^ , mqn - , ^ me to church unde r the pr ^ vipti ^ s iiconyiction of their dependence nftojn ^ Jodft ^ n 4 ^ heir gre ^ at o ^ ii gatio ^ ns to Hm ? i , ajad with the CNXpressed intention ¦ -tj . " ¦ 'j— " : \\ ; r . ' .. » - . hiu . ' .. ¦'' ¦' ¦ '¦^; : ' - . "
vvt " 1 Cor . vii . 29—31 /'
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Pdmt , lolw ^ i tos ^ rissl aSa tH ( b ' WWpfi ^ f McningldfexhWtar tlWn toto at iirstf oti \ f ^ o& ^ jbM ^ cU ' mSTtance , and not cons ^ id er ^ as essential to the purpose of their meeting ; though , in latter times ,, it is to be feared , it has come to be considered as the principal part , and the devotional services to be under valued * Thus very
intelligent and religious perstms . are , apt to say , 'We went to hear | i ! r > Such-anone , ' not'We went to join the Pu | ailic Worship of God at siich a- pfeceY ^ d thi ^ s it has becoiite too dbmttibn ^ tb ' resort to our religious ass ^ blies " ralher for entertainment , or a * most for information , than to have tKe
devbnt'affections of our hearts brought into exercise , the reverence and ro ^ ' ^ 'fcfod more firmly . fixed as an habitudl pf ^ tical sentiment , and obedience ;( fo ^ fci !^ commandments insensibly setrtlejl iiiti ) A more and more established prlriqjp ^ 'Jn proportion as we become accustomed ' ^ o consider ourselves as always in ills presence , and in the constant habit of renewing the sense of this presence upon our minds , in the devout retirement of
the closet , in the exercise of famil y d t e ^ votion , or by joining in still more ' , fintended communion With our fello \ ychristians , and fellow-men , in tie oA ) i ?^ of public worship . . . . " It was the custom of our forefathers to attend regularly the jpu ^ c worship of God on both parii of tli ^
day , or , if any thing , the latter part was more fully attended . But of lalte , it seems to have been considered , by the higher classes at least , as quite sufecient if they attend but one part of the day , so that , as an energetic preacher , * whom this place had the honour of training up , and to whom s , ome of us
were wont to listen with pleasure in our younger days , has observed , 'We seem to have discovered in these more enlightened days , that there are two Gods of our adoration ; one in the morning , the God of the genteeler ranks ; theother in the afternoon , of the plainer
and humbler classes . ' The changes in the hours of business and of meals , arc ? alleged as an excuse ; but as there , is , no , business on the Lord ' s-day , the old hours for meals might b , e , preserved on $ > at day $ and where they ar ; e jiqt , ft i « 99-vious , that servants are deprived of t ) b , ehowly opportu ^ ty 91 * a ^ tenfijng pubjiic w ^ r ^\ p ^ t a ^' Wp . W ' rr- ^
F . R . S ., Serinone , vol . III . p . 29 . "
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916 tmmmmtir .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1827, page 916, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1803/page/60/
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