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them lay a very great stress upon modes of dress and positions af the body in divine worship ; they have a great veneration for particular times ; and they contract a sacred reverence for certain places and persons , on whom , by uttering a prescribed
charm , they confer qualities of a moral denomination , inasmuch as they continue holy ever after , even if it be against their inclination * Many think the performance of certain ceremonies to be of wonderful efficacy , to young and o \ d , in order to obtain admittance into heaven . I know none of these embattled hosts , whose modesty , to say the least , is not equal to that of the Unitarians , and their humility to that of Dr . M « .
for some are christened the Orthodox , others Evangelical Christians , others Vital Christians , others the Church , &c . &c . And why should I not add , Mr . Editor , that with many the very life and soul of religion consists in a certain twang of voice , a certain affected brogue or slang , an oddness and quaintness of expression , a certain grimace of countenance and uncouthness of gesture , and an eternal affectation of canting piety ? To add to the list of things as irrational as disgusting were not difficult ; but , without deigning to prove the irrationality
and absurdity or the things above mentioned , permit me to g ay , that I am not ashamed of the modesty that arrogates to be distinguished from Christians of such a complexion in general , as well as from our brother nonconformists in particular , by the appellation of Ratlnal Dissenters . But , Sir , T can proddce a still stronger claim , by virtue of which the Unitarians may justly claim to be distinguished from the Orthodox , by the epithet Rational . From their own mouth let them be judged . 1 will state in their own words the respective sentiments of the Orthodox and the Unitarians concerning
reason . The sentiments of the Orthodox concerning reason : 4 C If , on the contrary , our pride of understanding , and selfsufficiency of reason are not made to prostrate themselves before the awful , mysterious truths of revelation , we may bear the name of Christians , but we want the essence of Christianity . 3 > Dr . Magee ' s Sermon on Atonement , p . 21 . The Doctor grievously accuses the Unitarians of "
glorying in having brought the high things of God to the level of man ' s understanding . ?> Id . p . 13 . Hear what the great Orthodoxarch Calvin says : S € In the knowledge of God and our salvation , and in framing a rule of lite , the most wise are blinder than moles . " Agaiil : " The highest perfection [ acumen ] ' of human reason ., as far as it re-
Untitled Article
572 Remarks on the appellation of " Rational JOissentersJ
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1807, page 572, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2386/page/8/
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