On this page

• Text (1)

  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.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • 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.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    he virtually forbids it ; if not , he has said nothing which beats upon the subject one way or other . If , however , the apostles of

    Jesus have given us any specific directions , respecting the mode of performing public worship , and the parts of which it was to be composed , considering them as in such cases acting under the

    authority of Jesus himself , I should regard those directions as equally binding with the immediate directions of their Lord . But so far

    from having done this , I believe it is impossible to derive directly from their writings , any thing beyond those general principles , which ought , in all cases , to guide us in our services , but which

    cannot furnish us with specific regulations . There are , it is true , in 1 Cor . xiv . some specific regulations for the church at Corinth ,

    respecting the employment of their spiritual gifts in their public assemblies ; they , it appears , having greatly perverted those gifts ; but these can scarcely be strained into directions for Christian

    churches in general , though the spirit of some of them may be most advantageously employed . It is clear , from that chapter , that at the public meetings of the Christians , individuals , under the direction of the spirit , prayed and

    gave thanks , and prophesied , taught , or exhorted ; but we have no ground to believe , that this was done in such a manner as to afford direct apostolical sanction

    to our regular routine of prayers and sermons . I do not mean to intimate , that this is contrary to apostolical directions ; but simply that we are without any such directions , to authorize us in our modes of conducting public wor-

    Untitled Article

    ship : and also without any clear apostolical examples to sanction them . Whether we shall , at stated times , begin to pray to God in our public services , or

    wait till the spirit of devotion directs the act of prayer ; whether -we shall employ unpremeditated prayer or pre- com posed forms ; whether the minister alone shall

    offer up prayers as the organ of the congregation , or all share in that part of the devotional exercise ; whether the sermon shall be extempore or written , &c * these , and as far as I can see every thing else respecting th #

    order and conduct of public worship , " are all left to be de * termined by the views and experience of the worshippers . That all should be done decently and in order , that all should be done for edifying , and that the expressions of devotion should arise

    from the heart , and be guided by the understanding , are all very valuable general principles , but afford us very little specific direction on the subject : we appear to be absolutely left to be guided by the dictates of experience , and

    by the known laws of the mmd ^ whether scientifically or practically ascertained . The religion of Je $ u $ is a religion of freedom . If forms of any kind had been enjoined , they would of course have constituted apart of our duty ; but

    as the gospel was designed for all ages and nations , our great head has most wisely left these , in almost every instance , to h « regulated by the spiritual neeessi ,. ties or mental progress of his fol « lowers . All they have to do , it to take care that their means of p iety be guided by the spirit of his religion .

    Untitled Article

    46 On the Use of Vocal and Instrumental Music in Public Worihif .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1813, page 42, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2424/page/42/