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Untitled Article
4 . Further , The observance of such a day very much borders on the rites of pagan worship ) , and ^ utte rly inconsistent with tfce sinii plicity of the gospel We know ^ that the deities of the < 3 rxeeksand
Romans were maiiy of them person ^ - , who were : raised to divine honours by the servility of thejbr countrymen ; and thai the festivals observed in honoir of them were a mixture of religious solemnities and of the most indecent
ceremonies . The manner in which ( he anniversary pf the Saviour ' s birth is observed , even in a £ oun-Uy prpfejssiug a religion ^ said to be Reformed from A the errors of superstition and paganism , has too
much resemblance to the festivals of Gentile nations , and is > on that account , iiinwi&rthy of those who profess to he t ^ ejfrue followers of Jesus . > Hie ihistory of mankind proves how apt tjiey are to elevate to divine Konours ^ those who have
been the iostruments of conferring important benefits : I might add , the history of the Christian church boars the same testimony * If we may be ajjofred to conjecture upon such a subject , this might be the ; very reason ^ why the day of the Skmoii ** * hirth lias not been
recorded , and Why the observance of it was not instituted by Jesus or his apostles * ' 5 Our beloved Master , ,-ff who knew what was in man / ' rpight be awdre , that in ssu
signing any importance to tjtie period of hia birth , or to the time when hp was supposed to make his appearance in the world , he might be laying the foundation of those superstitious ceremonies and
divine honours being paid to hit ?]} whjch were so generally practised bjr the Gentile nations , in respect to their heroes and imaginary vd 6 i-
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. \ . : : ¦; ¦ ,, =.. ' \ y i ' , - ^^ : v-- - - / ¦' ¦¦¦ ¦ ties . And has not this been the casef my friendsV ; ^^^ amoft g person ^ calling threfeM ve ^ Cfhn&tiahsj and with ^ vhom indeed -the -custom of celebrating this day rnu ^ t litcvp originated ? M&s noi the suppb ^ ed ; anniversary of the ¦ ' 8 ttviput 3 birth been held more ; sacte ^ thto the return ¦ ' of the Kfististti
sabbath ? Has not the nieek anc ^ huthble Jesusj itnd even the mother of Jesiis , been reveirehceij with greater honour than that allperfect Being , whom ottf : b ^ lpv ^ d
Master hath taught us to regard a ^ the sole object df religious \ Vor % ship ? Btut no such coasequence could possibly result from ute iri ^ stitution of an ordinance in
commemoration of his death , by whifchj if evidence were wanting , our honoured and now . exalted redeemer was proved to have the ; same nature and the like feelings , with ourselves . Nt > one would
think of ascribing divine honours to a man , who expired under the agonies of the crass . This we , kno ^ w to have been ttie fact ; Tb ^ persons to whom the apostle ai-f ludes , when he says " for ma *
ny deceivers are entered into tb » world , who confess not that Jesu ^ Christ is come in the flesh , ^ werq the Gnostics , who asserted , thai Jesus had not the feelings of that
a man ,- he sufferedrjn ap « pearance only , and that he was in reality orie of tfros 4 superior beings whom the / hetttheh phibsoph « rs distinguished and Reverenced as emanations froin deity . It is evident , that in substituting
this philosophy and vain deceit , ^ for the sitnjplfe doctrine 6 ^ riie gospel , they were influence ^ y dishonest shame , and by rf > wi ^ h ta rerinoVe ijbie odium thi * dWn tifjoa th ^ in by their unbelieving ^ ourtitiry
Untitled Article
Objections against tie Observance of Christmas Day * 53 f
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1810, page 539, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2410/page/15/
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