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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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religion . It h not known when £ he first b uildiaff w&s erected by Christians far the sake of public worship . There is no trace of a rjy such thing' in the apostolical writings . We read there of the church at a person ' s house , but the w « rd ought to bave been rendered meeting' or assembly , which was held in a room in that house used afterwards for
other purposes . Id those meetings every one took a part according to bis peculiar gifts . TherC was no such thing as a service exclusively performed ty one person with a peeti Iiar character attached to him ; and it would be well for Christians to
consider whether the change from the apostolical mode of worsbipjtyas not been exceedingly detrimental to the cause of the kingdom of . God : Soon after tlie giteat departure from the spirit of Christianity in the usurpation of bishops , or pretended fathers of the church ,
lording it ov ^ er Christ s heri tage , magnificent buildings were erected in imitation of the heathen temples . In these a degree of pomp was displayed little consistent with $ be humility of the first teachers of
Cbristianity ; and they frequently excited the jealousy of their heathen neighbours . Many of these structures were destroyed at the tome of # ie Bio&lesian persecution ; but they raised their heads again when Con&lan ,-iine formed his establishment in church and
state , and the temples of the Heathens were violently seized from then ) and converted to the purposes of the new superstition . I'hs latter temples were easily convertible to the new faith , for they were adapted to solemn processions , and the imitation of P * gan sacrifices , which now began to be the general worship of those who called themselves ; Christians . The Roman
empire was soon / Covered with similar buildings , man y of them of beautiful or jtoag-nitficent architecture . Yet , as their number and magnificence increased , the spirit of true religion Reclined , and at last thick darlc-« uess covered the earth , and the worship of * he unhallowed name almost univecsally prevailed .
On the great revolt from Popery , a considerable and very ad vantageous change took place mihe services of these churches , tbe principal of whioh were the reading of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue , and < lte interpretation of them at stated times by the officiating minister . This was a . very . great improvement , and if it falls short of
tfe * perfection to which every-Chriuiiau is to aim , still we must not be . &e&seta&g of the ^ Wi gatioiis we lte wader to ^ those by wham * Vi s im p r ovenieot was eflfectcd . The plf * n adopted by the sect established by law , mm ingip ««^ l pursued by iheiiar ^ e&Mluch divvented € r ^ m it , v and ooriffrc ^ tiiojnf liglienod lo ^ a >^ i <^ of ihcirvteaobAx , BelHoai tbiol (> inr ^ f ttedtuy of 4 K ^ # rtingr each tt er , b « t
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leaving ttb | at tajsk to the officer , >\ ho&e peculiar business it was deemed Ip be . In this manner things were conductjed for upwards af two centui ; ies in this country , iyhe ^ it struck some emiueat men , di&tiiigaished by their piety , that this could never have been the intention of the first founders of
Christianity , that one should be appointed a teacher , and the rest were to remain in a state of pupilage all their lives . They began to diffuse the notion tbat all were interested in religion , and unless they all ( e \ t that interest , there must be a coldness in divine worship , and very little feeling of universal benevolence . In consequence of
this , churches were formed by the society which oow goes under the name of the Methodists , and is entitled to a high degree of our respect . They were not content , and in this we capnot too highly applaud them , with the formal instruction apd devotion of one day of the week , hut they divided their society into classed and bands , by which they might conveniently
meet at other times in their private houses , and mutually edify each other . This is a very great improvement upon the former plan , for by this the talents of all are brought forth . They have discovered that
others , besides those who are called in en of learning , are capable of communicating the spiritual things of God y ' that many bave gift ** , which , under the former system , might li ^ ave lain buried for ever .
This plan has been adopted , we believe , in very -few , cases by us ^ yet it may be submitted to general consideration , tl ^ at wherever a place of worship is built fo , r three or fpur hundred membfiis , there seems to be a waste of expense in its appropriation to a ^ e ^ vice for ojiIj one cUy of the
week . The congregation might be divided iiito clasps , «> * hat each jwiity might couvenientiy jneet in it , and there employ thenisel ves in those objects whicli are iiilerestmg ' to ajl CJi ^ istia ^ s . Among us ^ asx axnong the Methpdisis , ip would be found , tbat many possess gifts \ vliieb are now lost )
icnafjy capable to edify each other by rejections o # pur ^ ri pture ^ . For it i ? » a great error to suppose tbat f > cholo $ tie iearuiog" i , s necessary to the fustberancje of the gospel . M ^ ny who kno w nothingr of Scripture bujt what ^ ey ^ ave learned from t ^ e tra nslation in ^ e valgai tousle , ajul
jhave never attended to apy of tb& disputes about its meaning , know nothing of the pretended fathers , of couucil ^ , of articles of faith , way far excel in the knowledgeQf Christ , those whose lijfey * have l ^ een passed in the 4 n ^ * t Ml ** . ; % t that learning is tvbe Opined , ' bpt $ & . ^ ly Jearaiug- fy Jj ^> raJlwd ky Wf *» . * to * t w ^ iojh doeB aot a ^ 4 t > 1 ^ li ^ W in ^ i e ^ t ^^^ tion 5 . U » at w ^ dh # fcv « fr jw 4 b # fcwo , wte 4 » e < 4 $ h& mm ^^ * hmr arkrinal ; tanfiuamsf , * $$ , if ., pp ;| # r
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1818, page 222, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2474/page/70/
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