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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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Untitled Article
It is indeed one which every Christian possesses the means of deciding and which no other being can so satisfactorily demonstrate to him as he can to himself * If Christianity be to him " spirit and life ; " if he have seen it as " a stream from the fountain qf heavenly wisdom and love , ' * he has surely at sonie time , felt that it was'impossible to confound its clear dictates vyith the jarrjjng ; and discordant mandates of the world ; he has , at some time , prayqd to be translated from the bondage of that world , into " the glorious liberty of the children of God ; " and , if he has felt and prayed thus , he has also known what truly Christian independence is—how dissimilar in
its origin and spirit from self-confidence and pride . But that hour passed away , and too few have perhaps been its returns . The common maxims , the common habits , the spirit and the notions of his own circle of associates , have clouded over his clear vision , and the various motives of indolence , desire of popularity , or timidity , have perhaps prevented his recurring , again and again , to sober self-communion . Or , if he does commune with himself it may be that he errs from introducing too many thoughts of other , men . into his musings . He is reflecting upon their opinions , perhaps , or collecting authorities to justify his own feelings and opinions to himself . His private hours are haunted by visions of all the contradictory advice which has been given him , and of all that has been or may be said or thought df him . If pity would be beneficial to individuals whose habit it is thus to vex
themselves with the opinions of others , they would not ask for it in vain froiiirajly benevolent mind . But , in truth , they want to be roused and strengthened , and led to feel more of the calm assurance of faith . They want to be persuaded to think less of means , and to trust themselves to the guidings of that love and desire towards good which they are , all the while , conscious is stirring within them , and yet which they stifle for the sake of seeking reflected light from other minds . But , sincerely as we are often led to blame ourselves and others for weakly yielding to this propensity , it must not be denied that those who set themselves up rather to Jessen than increase the amount of Christian independence by perpetually interfering in one way or
cannot brook the perception of differences between ourselves and those we love . We would have them think as we do , and do not enough consider whether we may not be leading them to a violation of their own best feelings . How much of lower motive , how much of what is positively wrong , will hide itself under the specious appearance of a wish to convert others , to make them see things in the light in which they appear to ourselves , it is
impossible to calculate . How many domestic and family feuds may originate in a mere struggle to vanquish the independence of mind which * cleaves to one or two individuals of the number—hour much positive ligfit and joy and comfort may be lost out of our lives by a pertinacious reluctance to assfinilate in any degree with those who differ from us in some degree— -how much opportunity of serving our fellow-creatures effectually , because we have given hostages to some sect or party , or because we think the worl < J will suspect
other with their friends' conduct , are the most to be censured . And while wo assent to this , let us ponder it well , and ask ourselves whether we are perfectly guiltless in this matter . Where is the being whose heart can assure him that he never did by word or action trench upon a fellow-christian ' s perfect liberty of conscientious action ? In great things and in small , how large is often the amount of evil produced by the undue influence of one human being over another ! Even the hallowed names of affection and sympathy are often used but to gloss over a species of domination which is tending to destroy the best points of some noble character . Our selfishness
Untitled Article
Christian Independence . 781
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1829, page 781, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2578/page/37/
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