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Untitled Article
can understand , the natural junction of religion , with the power of defending its holy rights and revelations upon earth , ) might (have silenced your idle animadversions on such subjects . Is it not written that a fool uttereth all his mind / and also ' the forward
(tongue shall be cut V Doth not the apostle say , ' suffer as a Christian ? ' and do not the holy Scriptures exhort us above all things to put on charity V The history , as you are pleased to term it , of your mind , which you have submitted to my notice , is indeed a very lamentable one . It evinces the woeful misdirection of your voluntary studies ; and I
am bound in duty to express my strongest and most unqualified disapprobation . You describe your vain-glorious aspirations' in terms that savour even of blasphemy ; the results to which they have led you , judging by the figurative style in which you make an ostentatious display of rhetorical colouring , are but too characteristic . You appear to have taken far more interest in cultivating
the art of displaying a gorgeous gallimaufry of the passions , than in studying and teaching the meek and unadorned gospel of our blessed Redeemer , thus striving to renew that wickedness of the earth , when God saw that every imagination of man ' s thoughts was evil . ' I lament , sir—sincerely lament—to observe the misguided efforts you make ; not without some skill , which is evidently
the consequence of long practice ; to delineate Ambition with verbose extravagance ; Hatred , with its tautological mysticism ; Revenge , with its horrid and monstrous image of murder ; and Despair , with its preternatural absurdity . It would , in all respects , have become you better , to have written a sermon of meek simplicity upon the beautiful attributes of faith , hope , and charity , for the benefit of your parishioners . It is true you speak of these
things as the contemplations of a by-gone period ; but the prominent position they still retain in your mind , is but too manifest from the pleasure with which you dwell upon them to an unseemly length . Be assured that no one can take the slightest interest in such displays , except those who prefer contemplating gross passions to pure religion , and prefer mythology to revelation . They must be thoroughly condemned by every sincere Christian ; their bad taste renders them equally unworthy of criticism .
Touching the account you have favoured me with , in respect of your domestic affairs , it is a matter which , by a different method of application , should have received a due consideration . As it is , I cannot feel it my duty to interfere in the manner you wish , were it only in justice to other better-qualified individuals . One
circumstance , however , I cannot pass over without comment , though I scarcely know in what terms to express the revolting sentiments wherewith it inspired me . I , of course , allude to the most offensive account you yourself have given me of the self-murder of your own son , and the yet more offensive , unparalleled—J had almost
Untitled Article
472 The Bishop's Answer ,
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1834, page 472, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2635/page/12/
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