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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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Kingsford , Pastor of the Unitarian Society meeting in the JBJackfriars , Canterbury , having completed the fiftieth year of his public ministry in that place , delivered an impressive and appropriate sermon before the members and friends of the congregation .
The sermon was introduced by the following short address : " My Christian friends , having been long spared , and for fifty years a preacher in this society , I could not let the opportunity pass without
addressing you on the occasion . Looking at the general estimate of a man ' s life , my existence in a few years may close ; and , to use the words of Peter , I must ' put off this tabernacle / But while I continue with you , I am sure you will suffer a word of exhortation . We
are all the children of the dust ; even the lives of the young are not insured ; nature every day is pouring vast tides of mortals into eternity , and it becomes survivors to consider , that life hangs
upon a thread delicately fine and slender : let us live prepared for the solemn change . " The portion of Scripture on which I propose to address you , is Phil . i . 3 : / thank my God upon every remembrance of you . "
After speaking on the apostle ' s design , Mr . K . went on to accommodate the words to the singular occasion on which they were then met . Having expatiated on the beneficial influence of a pious education , in connexion with which he paid a just tribute of
affectionate esteem to the memory of his revered parents , who , though dead , were still living in the recollection of a considerable part of the congregation ; he gave a brief narrative of some of the interesting events which led to his first union with them , and the
subsequent commencement of his public ministry amongst them . At an early period of his life , ( 1766 , ) Mr . K . observed , he felt the obligation of engaging by solemn covenant in the service of God by baptism . He was convince ^ that baptism was a duty
and although an external rite , it was enforced both by the command and example of Jesus . He well remembered being asked , why he requested baptism ? His answer was , that he was convinced it was his duty ; and that without it , he was left to the uncovenanted mercies of God .
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At that time , Mr , K . observed , the church had in it a band of young men of serious and inquiring minds , hungering * and thirsting after righteousness ; these were his associates .
In their society he felt the force of Solomon ' s words—As iron sharpeneth iron , &c . At this period also religious conference-meetings were much encouraged , which tended to excite a spirit of inquiry and holy emulation ; and 1
after exercising hisgifts for the ministry , he was called out , by the unanimous voice of the people , Dec . 2 , 1770 . The remembrance of these passing scenes of his early life , even now produced in his mind the most grateful reflections .
Since the commencement of his public labours , Mr . K . could not but remark on the ravages which death had made in the congregation . * After many other things he went on to observe , that he could not but bear in thankful remembrance , that the society
meeting in that place had not departed from the worship of the one living and true God . " Other societies , " said he , " what is their worship ? Is it not that of many gods ? which I fear is still the case in every other
Christian society in this city . Solemn and positive as was the command given to the Israelites , Thou shalt have no other gods but me , ( not us , } yet they were always prone to idolatry and fond of their own inventions . Our
Master has also told us , that God his Father is the only good , the only true God ; yet many contend that there arc other Gods , co-equal and co-eternal with this God , and worship him as such ; these persons are not content with scripture language , but have a barbarous language of their own . As Jesus Christ said , We know whom we worship : but it appears to me , " said Mr . K ., " such is the confusion of their
language , that they know not what they worship . To us , to use the words of the apostle , there is but one God , the Father : his supremacy ( thanks be to h \ m ) has been maintained in this place , and I trust never will be departed from /'
The worthy preacher then proceeded nearly in the following words : * Only three persons were present at the delivery of this discourse who heard his first sermon !
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160 Mr . S . Kingsford s Fiftieth-Year Sermon .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1821, page 160, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2498/page/32/
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