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be forbidden the pleasure and improvement of social worship ? Surely the same principle would lead to the suppression of family worship . The individuals who , in such places , lead the services of their brethren unrewarded .
but by the approbation of their own consciences , and the gratitude of those they serve , in my opinion at least , occupy situations of distinguished honour , and deserve the encouraging testimony of their fellow-chrialians wherever thefr
conduct is known . The case is exactly similar where a congregation is from any cause destitute of a minister for a time . I have known instances in this neighbourhood , of public worship
being kept up during considerable intervais by respectable laymen , when the congregations must otherwise have been materially injured by its suspension , and I regard those individuals with high respect and esteem .
There are cases again of congregations consisting so entirely of persons in the humbler ranks of life , and able to contribute so little towards the support of a minister , that it is hardly possible for them to have one diseneragred sible for them tp have one disengaged
from other pursuits , and they could not estimate , could hardly derive satisfaction from a man of learning and refinement : is it not plain that such congregations must seek the assistance of men of humbler acquirements ; and if they be good Christians , lovers of , and seekers after truth , zealous for the best
interests of mankind , and frequent , serious , and reflecting readers of the Scriptures , what are such men the worse for being tradesmen , mechanics , or even common servants ? It will be recollected that W . Roberts , the promoter of Unitarianism at Madras , is a servant , and which of us respects him the less on this account ? Is he not
even deserving of more respect because his advantages have been fewer ai > d his exertions greater ? We would not surely say that truth is inaccessible to those who are not possessed of learning . Learning may smooth the way to its attainment , and remove many
difficulties 5 but the Sincere , humble and cautious inquirer is in the right road , and will generally be rewarded . The possessors of truth cannot be wild enthusiasts , and are little likely to be bold declaimers ; and your correspond dent ' s assertion that * ' humility is found only in those whose attainments
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are far above mediocrity / ' though in some senses true , must not be admitted in the sense in which his argument requires it to be taken , I should Ire sorry if I did not know many destitute of all pretensions to learning , who are possessed of true humility ; and I do
not call that humility which prevents us from using our talents and attainments , such as they are , in the service of our fellow-creatures when an opportunity is afforded us . None certainly can hope for improvement from silly rhapsodies ; but the epithet , self-created minister , is as applicable to the most learned as to the humblest who
ascends the pulpit ; and I am confident that , in my limited experience , I have known more than one individual in our own body , who has exchanged his honest employment behind the counter , and without neglecting it too , for a situation of real usefulness on
the Sunday in the public instruction of his brethren . I do not like such expressions as priests and holy orders when applied , as by your correspondent to our
ministers . They may not be in themselves objectionable , but they are so much connected with \ priestcraft and superstition , that it is at least safer to avoid them .
. Let us have as many learned ministers , and as many ministers entirely devoted to their work , as we may ; ( if our societies were more sensible of the importance of this Ia 6 t , in particular , it would be better ;) but let us reject the labours of none who can be useful
—and there are , I am persuaded , many cases in which men who , though illiterate , having strong perceptions of truth derived from thought and inquiry , being animated with lively zeal for its promotion , and being capable of commuto thers with clearness and
nicating o strength the arguments which have impressed their own minds , may be eminently useful ; more so even than men of higher attainments , because they can obtain readier access to the minds of those whom they wish to
c , I do not know what particular ground of complaint M . S . may have , but as I do not conceive literature or learning to be necessary ^ for rightly understanding the Christian religion , or justly feeling its excellence and importance , I cannot think them to be in ** H <* as «»
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532 Mr . Hincks in Reply to the %€ Remonstrance on Lay-Preaching" .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1821, page 532, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2504/page/28/
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