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    Untitled Article

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    Untitled Article

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    CRITICAL NOTICES.

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    Untitled Article

    Art . I . —Motives to Industry and Zeal in the Christian Ministry , illustrated and enforced : a Discourse preached before the Provincial Meeting- of tk& Presbyterian and Unitarian Ministers of Lancashire and Cheshire , assembled at Chowbent , Jtine 18 , 1829 . By the Rev . John James Tayler , A . B .

    Tkis beautiful , interesting , and useful sermon is founded On the promise held out in the words of prophecy recorded in Isaiah lx \ . 11 , which are interpreted by the preacher ** as a general annunciation of the progressive tendencies of Providence to good / ' After illustrating Providence to good / ' After illustrating

    toith much felicity the truth contained ill foe text , Mr . TayYer remarks , and to the concluding part of the qudtation we beg especial attentfon , «* Fortified by this cheerVng assurance of the Divine word , with what gladness of spirit may the ministers of Jesus Christ go forth to

    their labours of love among their feflowmen ! tt'br let anyone , however litittible his station and limited his means , who is convinced id hia <* Wn heart of the excellence Of true rel / idon , feel nimseif exempted from the dtity of co-operation in this glorious vvOrk . Every brother , every husband , ievery parent , every master of a family , has the means , and ought to have the inclination , to

    promote the work of the Christian ittinistry among ; men ; and never wilt religiou flourish , never Will the minister find the soil duly prepared to recede the good seed of their iniatrticitions , never , perhaps Will fcninistevs tttetrfsefres be made sensible of the extent , importance , and efficacy of their labours , till they are

    more roused and stimulated by the encouragement and co-operation of their lay brethren ; till the stream of piety is more freely replenished from , prfvafe and domestic sources ; till children and servants are better prepared at hoi&e for profiting by the services of the

    sanctuary ; till the foundations of human improvement and happiness arfc laid more deeply and more firmly in the early and habitual inculcation of ( he strongest moral and refrgtous principles / ' *

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    tjpon ministers , however , Mr . T . well remarks , is devolved , and justly , the chief duty and responsibility of exciting and promoting the great work of moral aod religious reformation . The impulse to improvement must and ought to begin

    with them , and instead of wasting their strength in unavailing complaints , it would be better to pursue the good work without fear and without despondency . A holy and earnest zeal is contagious , and the people will soon follow when the ministers lead . For success iu these

    holy labours a feeling of devout confidence in the final effiacy of their labours is essentiall y necessary , and to this should be united a deep and inward feel ' ing of the dignity and supreme importance of the work in which they are engaged . But the confidence

    recommended is not easily retained amidst the drawbacks and heavy discouragements which prevail , especially among Unitarian Dissenters in England . * ' There is a deadhess in many of our most useful Institutions , a flatness and apathy , in regard to religious matters , too

    frequently prevailing among those of our i&y-brethren * from whom we are most ; entitled to look for support and assistance , which are very depressing fa a minister ' s spirits , and sometimes sufficient to stifle in its birth the first mov «

    ings of a holy and righteous zeal . " But , continues the writer , " The words which the greatest of modern philosophers ( Bacon ) has borrowed from the greatest of ancient orators , ( Demosthenes , ) as a dissuasive against despondency in the low condition of the

    sciences , may be applied very properly to ourselves : . ' The same circumstances which look worse ( the worst ) in the retrospect of the past , may furnish us with the brightest omens for the future . For if we were conscious of having done every thing which duty required , and still our affairs continued stationary ^ then , indeed , ho ground of hope would remain to expect improvement ; but since the low state of oar affairs seems to

    arise not so much from irremediable causes , as from errors and omissions , which we have it in our power to repair , then is there the strouge ' st ground to

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    ( 663 )

    Critical Notices.

    CRITICAL NOTICES .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1829, page 663, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2576/page/63/