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form ^ aoe the offices votion possibly be , unless they operate favourably on tjte moral character ? And yet , howmany are there , even among rational Christiahs , who appear to .
frequent the altars of God fbrfrio other purpose than to count their beads , or to engage in a certain round of cfcre ^ monial observances ! If any thing deserves the name of superstition , it is surelv that act ,, liowever devout it
may be , which piiesentst prayers and praises to the Deity , merely for the purpose of rendiehiiag ah acceptable Service to the object of worship , without regard to the moral influence
which that em play men t may have upon the character and disposition of the worshiper . For it appears tame , that if the utility of acts of devotion , in themselves considered , and without
any ulterior object , be once admitted , a door is immediately opened for the introduction pf any superstition . Superstition has , with great propriety , been denominated a leaven , the
smallest mixture of which is capable of effecting a change in the whole mass . For , if we can once imagine that the Almighty is pleased with one useless thing , ( such for example as an act of devotion , which has no
influence on the character of the worshiper , ) wh > y may we not suppose him to be pleased with another ? Whereas , if we reflect properly , we must be convinced that a great and good Being can desire nothing from us , but what tends to promote our owu welfare or advantage .
Man is not a stationary being . He must either be advancingju improvement , or otherwise will ultimately acquire those habits and propensities , which will entail an everlasting blot
upon bis intellectual character , and effectually divert his steps fuain that path which would have led him on to a state of felicity and perfection * But tlifc rapidity of the retrograde progress of those minds which have
unfortunately been under the dominion of a superstitious education , is not forme txjt attempt to describe , rior > foranv of you ** thanks be to God , everito conoeivfiofi Enough for us to have observed that superstition of every kind ha&a baneful iiiflqence upon the
bn-- ~ - ~ - - ¦;¦; > , ;> . '¦; ,. „ ,,, < . * m , ¦ >* ,. » . , j « y . . ~ ** 5 Ue * dt at the Monthly Meeting « tf > Cbe
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mau character , mm $ && ibswmtivm prodttices < jqnsequeRce ^ too horrid w&te to ^ contemplated * i < I E nough f © # m >? if- i « e resolve td guard every av ^ p ti ^ r Of oi ^ r owti hearts from , the intrusionof ^ so dangerous aad insinuating din ep ^ nny , and to waru
our children an $ ^ oJnesti cH against allowing any thtog whfech : feeaj ^^ the semblance of superstition to be che ^ risbed by them forr a- naoment . Ifc behoves us also-to cwbrace every fe ? vourableopportuiHty of assuring t b ^ m > that thie l ^ tws pf tla ^ universe are not
oeiy wise a ^ d ^^ pprapriate , but uniform , ^ nd un changeable ; sind that ? the fe « H iievolent Anthov o £ thorn laws aevor , allows of giiy deviation therefrQU * , ia the course of his providences but ^ for the most signal and ? important- pu *> poses . S . K .
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On Candour . -- ' v < - v ^ ^ '; v , ., ; . • ..., a \ ¦ $ i&
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OnCwi < faw \ Sir , April % » 131 8 * JUDGING froui the number of exhortations to the practice of this virtue , which have been sent into the world by Unitarian ministers , weshould
be led to conclude that they consicj ^ retd a want of candour as the easilv besetting sin of the denomination to which they belong , and that it was absolutely necessary to guard their congregations against that persecuting spirit which , once actuated a JLaud and a Calvin .
If , however , we inquire into the subject , it will , I think , appear tfaftt the gentlemen above alluded to , somewhat resemble those courtly preachers who always make it a point to praise
those virtues for which their header * are conspicuous , and never to denounce any sin to which the occupants of th « uppermost seats in their chapels are addicted .
Where , I would ask , is this want of candpj ^ r to be found ? On the contrary , has not this virtue been lauded in Assembly Sermons , and recommended in Circular l > etter ^ i ; till at length we are in danger of b ^ lieviHg , that indifference lo the correct tiiBs ^ of our faiUi is the sublimesst , attdiiirneu ^ to which a C ^ hritstian can aspiref
u modes of faith let ^ acelfs ^ 2 » alotaii fi fir ) H ; . , . ¦ . His can ' t ' be wrooga ^ 9 ^ V' % ' ^ ^ ^ right . ^ lf : this , l ^ e not the general belief , how ai ^ f \ xe * t ^ i ^ q 9 « l f ? * * PK t j ^ iat diftl ijc ^\ kfa dwtolftftl pir ^^ ififo that dreatj , w
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1818, page 315, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2476/page/27/
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