CONNEXION OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION. 



149 



In any attempts that may be made to promote 

 this great object, mutual concessions behoved to 

 bt made hy all parties. One general principle, 

 that requires to be recognised, is this : that eve 

 ry opinion and practice be set aside, which is ac 

 knowledged on all hands to have no direct founda 

 tion in scripture, but is a mere human fabrication, 

 introduced by accident or whim ; such as, the 

 observance of fast and preparation days pre 

 vious to the participation of the Lord s Supper, 

 kneeling in the act of partaking of that ordinance, 

 repeating the Athanasian Creed in the regular 

 services of the church, &c. &c. It is a striking 

 and remarkable fact, that the chief points about 

 which Christians are divided, are points on 

 which the volume of inspiration is silent, and 

 which the presumption and perversity of men 

 nave attached to the Christian system, and in 

 terwoven with the truths and ordinances of reli 

 gion ; and, therefore, were the line of distinction 

 clearly drawn between mere human opinions and 

 ceremonials, and the positive dictates of revela 

 tion, and the one separated from the other, the 

 way would be prepared for a more intimate and 

 harmonious union in the church of Christ. As a 

 preparative measure to such a union, a friendly 

 intercourse between the different sectaries* 

 should be solicited and cherished. Enlightened 

 ministers of different denominations should occa 

 sionally exchange pulpits, and officiate for each 

 other in the public exercises of divine worship. 

 This would tend to show to the world, and to 

 each other, that there is no unholy jealousy or 

 hostile animosity subsisting between them, which 

 their present conduct and attitude too frequently 

 indicate. It would also be productive of many 

 conveniences, in the case of a minister being in 

 disposed, or absent from home, as his place could 

 frequently be supplied, without the least expense 

 or inconvenience, by his brethren of other denomi 

 nations. It would likewise show to the mass of 

 professing Christians, that the doctrines promul 

 gated, and the duties enforced, by ministers of 

 different denominations, are substantially the 

 same. What a disgrace to the Christian name, 

 that such a friendly intercourse has never yet 

 been established ; or, when it occasionally hap 

 pens, that it should be considered as an extraor 

 dinary and unlooked-for phenomenon ! What a 

 strange and unexpected report must be received 

 by Christian converts in heathen lands, when they 

 are told, that Christian ministers in this country, 

 who were instrumental in sending missionaries 

 10 communicate to them the knowledge of salva 

 tion, are actuated by so much jealousy, and stand 

 so much aloof from each other, that even at the 



By sectaries, in this place, and elsewhere, I un 

 derstand, not only the different denominations of 

 Dissenters but the Church of England, the Church 

 of eteoUiuid. and all other national churches, which 

 are all no many nectaries, or different compartments 

 of the universal Christian church. 



very time they are planning missionary enterpri 

 ses, they will refuse their pulpits to each other, 

 for the purpose of addressing their fellow-men on 

 subjects connected with their everlasting interests, 

 and refrain from joining in unison in the ordinan 

 ces of religion, although many of them expect, ere 

 long, to join in harmony in the services of the 

 sanctuary above ! It is to be hoped, that such a 

 disgrace to the Christian cause will soon be wip 

 ed away, and its inconsistency clearly perceiv 

 ed by all who are intelligent and &quot;right-hearted 

 men.&quot; 



Such a friendly intercourse and correspon 

 dence as now suggested, would be far more effi 

 cient in preparing the way for a cordial union 

 of Christians, than the deliberations and discus 

 sions of a thousand doctorsof divinity, delegated 

 to meet in councils to settle the points in dis 

 pute between the different sectaries. This object, 

 I presume, will never be accomplished by theo 

 logical controversy, or by any attempt to con 

 vince the respective parties of the futility or 

 erroneousness of their peculiar opinions ; but, on 

 the ground of their being brought nearer to each 

 other, and more firmly united in the mutual ex 

 ercise of the Christian virtues, and in the bonds 

 of Christian affection. And, when such a har 

 monious intercourse shall be fully effected, it 

 will form a more glorious and auspicious era in 

 the history of the Christian church, than has 

 ever occurred since the &quot; good tidings of great 

 joy&quot; were proclaimed in the plains of Bethlehem, 

 or since the day of Pentecost, when &quot; the whole 

 multitude of them that believed were of one heart, 

 and of one soul, and had all things common.&quot;* 



SECTION XI. 



On the importance of connecting Science with 



Religion. 



IN several of the preceding sections, I hare 

 exhibited sketches of the outlines of some of the 

 branches of science, and of the objects towards 

 which its investigations are directed. 1 have 

 all along taken it for granted, that such knowledge 

 and investigations ought to be combined with 

 just views of religion, and an attention to its 

 practical acquirements, and have occasionally 

 inters persed some remarks on this topic. But 

 as the subject is of peculiar importance, it may 

 not be inexpedient to devote a section to its mo/a 

 particular elucidation. 



Of late years, knowledge has increased, among 

 the middle and lower ranks of society, with 

 greater rapidity than in any preceding age, and 

 Mechanics Institutions, arid other associations, 

 have been formed, to give an impulse to tho re- 



* Sea Appendix, Note XL 



