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-Str , Ja / y' £ 4 : if tS 6 jr- < 1 BELIEVE it is very generally Iimputed as & fault to the liberal Dissenters , ( most ^ 6 f whom are now denofininated liratarians ) both by their orthodox brethren , and even by many of their own body , that controversial , or doctrinal preaching isT > ecominsr too
prevalent among them . I have freemen ttv of late heard this style' of preaching severely condemned , arid considered as a grievance by some of thoss who attend on it .
That our opponents should cornplain of this style of preaching is not to be wondered at , as by its means the errors of the prevailing systems are exposed to view , and it seems to be the fashion of the day to belabour the poor Unitarians with every kind of
accusation that may be concerned rather than proved . Thus by a writer in the ^ Quarterly Review they are accused of indecendif and ribaldry , though without quoting chapteT and verse . But my surprise is ; that any who are in the mam with us , and who have embraced
at least a comparatively pure system of Christian doctrmes , should object to the occasional use of that kind of public instruction , which is th £ most ^ ffecti . taV means of diffusing the knowledge of them in the world . As 1 have in some instances heard this
objection strongly urged bypeople of great respectability , arid cultivated minds , and as possibly it may be mote generally extended " than many are a ware of , I have thought it my duty to draw the attention of your readers to the subject , thatt it may be fully discussed , and by that means become
better , and mote generally understood . " ' In a multitude of counsellors there is wisdom . " It ! 'Has rather excited my * surprise to hear "thls style or preachiiig objected , cifchtfitf Jy 9 against the Urtitarians , as if it were ; mtlcrt mo ^ tebrehenSibte in them Wi-iVi / W other * , ? I bettete it may
be cfcrreetly stated as a matter of fa (? t , thsrtft doesp <> $ p revail > tb half the ' cjffeW ( 16 >" - ' & #$ & £ ' tdth ^ it feoh ^)" aitidrt ^ th , os < £ Whtf h&W been called ' rsticinlri Dissert *^ wtt € }<** $ atfd % * jtbW « WthM | fc / ' *> $ & **• tfNthfh antf With- ' < Ml the < fp £ ^^^^^ i ^ li . Indtkfed ' the discdaisi ^ bf t ^' ^ van ^ eHeal wrty ' in Mh ^ feWSfft ** < & 1 * tik ' WhW&WtMf of Methodists , # ryd * yf flte Orthodox Dissenters : ^« gfiHfr | . l , consist * almost Jeotir ^ ^( F 4 owwAfe'iial Materials : ' nwwi wmuimm—> »
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and I know of no pArty » in the Chureh that is not ; oecafcktfially loud and bitter enough against ^ 'ail Schism atics ( i : eVDissentersy afid'Unitarians itxp ' z& XW- Notr , 16 attribute aWt
(^ upf losihg it to be & fault ) to those vHyo ° are least ch&fgeaMe with it appears t 6 me Very tfjfriich Mke " pn \\ , ing out the mote but of thy brother ' s eye , at * d behold a b&am is in thine own eye !* - I cannot help a ^ ain expressing my . sttVpiise , that the
demerit of '^ controversial preaching ( if it has demerit ) should be most laid to the charge of' those who least practise it . I know that a bad construction must of course be laid on every thing done by the Unitarians , even on
things praiseworthy in others . Thus , an Unitarian , who avows his religious opinions , and declares his reasons for doing so , is unpardonably arrogant and presumptuous , destitute of a real
religious prtnciple , devoid of chanty , and neglectful of piety and a devotional spirit . But let us now fora moment suppose the Unitarian religiously to follow the course chalked out for him by his friends . While the
practice of controversial preaching is general and incessant against him , let him wholly withhdld all controversial subjects from the pulpit : while others on fcvery hand are denouncing his religiou . s ^ sentiments a $ heretical and dafrnnablej while he is represented as belonging tfr the fraternity of Deists , and a more datjeerous enem y to
religion than Atheists because more concealed ; while all this and much nidfe is going on on every side of him , let not a word drop from his lips which shall lead any 6 ne to suppose that he is conscioti ^ of any difference , of any offence , of any opposition , of ¦ % i " fit ' lila
. » » . ... . _ ^ . « any denunciations against him ; wnnc others are zealousJy contending for error ( tte in hi $$ opinion they must be ) let hith n 6 t open hk taouth even ft > r tV | fe truth—let the * uwclea ^ spirit ot datnbness incurably Possess him . rian
Now let us suppose that the Unita wiere to fallow this good advice m hi * frlerifias , what construction would they iri : £ kaf vase put on hrs conduct ? T hey w % uM then with miich reason * W agaiiri $ t hiro , thi ^ t he is conscious 'Wai h ^ ;; 6 ri ridrJl € 3 dVe bad and false , **« that tie it ashanfired to syow them 5 thai ?' they & 6 frm beat to be bro ^" fyr&t to ^ he fight , dn& to be ^ *• ' ' .. if ; > ,
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wf On Z > oc ^? tW ^ or € ? oi ( tr < wcrs ! Ta& T * recchin *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1816, page 456, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2455/page/20/
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