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earth as at rest , and the sun in motion , the world as having ends or boundaries , &c must be considered as describing merely the obvious appearances of the system of nature as viewed by the vulgar eye . For our world being of a globular form , can have no * ' ends " or extreme boundaries ; and it is demonstrated both physically and mathematically , that the sun is nearly in a quiescent state in the centre of our system , while the earth performs its diurnai and annual revolution around
this vast source of light and heat . The expressions , however , now alluded to , are so common and natural , that they have been adopted by all nations , and even philosophers themselves still use the same phraseology *
Again , the study of science gives us a liberal and expanded view of a variety of circumstances which are overlooked by the illiterate Christian and the unscientific divine , and tends to correct many of our selfish and contracted notions . We are in the
habit of hearing ministers of the gospel , at the commencement of public worship on the first day of the week , imploring the Divine blessing on their brethren throughout the church , who are commencing the same exercises , and at the close of worship , in the afternoon , that the same blessing may seal the instructions which have been
delivered in all the churches of the saints 5 as if the public religious services of the universal church were , at that moment , drawing to a close . This is all very well so far as it goes : but a very slight acquaintance with
geographical science would teach them that , when we in this country , are commencing the religious services of the first day of the week , our Christian brethren in the East Indies , who live under a yerv different
meridian , have finished theirs ; those in Russia , Poland , and on the banks of the Caspian Sea , have performed one half of their public religious worship and instructions ; and those in New Holland have retired to rest , at the close of their sabbath . While , on
the other hand , our friends in the West Indies , and in America , at the close of our worship , are only about to commence the public instructions of the Christian sabbath . I see no reason , therefore , why our prayers should not have a reference to the
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geographical positions of the different portions of the Christian church , as well as to those who live on or near our own meridian ; that , for example , in the beginning of our public devotions we might implore , that the blessing of God may accompany the instructions which have been
delivered in the Eastern parts of the world ; and , at the close of worship , that the same blessing may direct the exercises of those in the Western hemisphere , who are about to enter on the sacred services of that day . On the same principle , we may
perceive the absurdity of those " con * certs" for prayer in different places at the same time , which were lately attempted by a certain portion of the religious world . Even within the limits of Europe , this could not be attempted with the prospect of Christians joining in devotion at one and
the same time ; for , when it is six o ' clock in one part of Europe , it is eight at another , and five o ' clock at a third place ; much less could such a concert take place throughout Europe , Asia and America . So that science , and a calm consideration of the nature and relations of things , may teach us to preserve our devotional fervour and zeal within the bounds of reason and sobriety \ and , at the same time to direct our reflections and our sympathies in refereuce to our Christian brethren , to take a
wider range than that to which they are usually confined . In a word , the man who is frequently accustomed to rational and extensive surveys ' of the magnificence , the variety and the economy displayed throughout the material and the intellectual empire of God , and of the unbounded
beneficence which every where appears , will naturally cultivate a liberal and candid disposition towards those of his brethren who differ from him in mere opinions of comparative insignificance . He will readily conclude , that many speculative opinions , which among us have been the cause of fiery
contentions and angry passions , cannot appear in so important a light in the eyes of Him who governs the affairs of ten thousand worlds ; or , that he should be pleased that the bonds of love and union among men should be broken on account of differences of sentiment , which it would
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4 SS On the Connexion of Science with Religion and a future State *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1818, page 488, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2479/page/16/
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