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    spletidid victory . [ Theolog . Mag , for Dec . 1805 . ] I doubt not but he willingly submits to the apostolic canon , * Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind ; ' * and there

    fore , without reeling himself offended , will allow me to state some of the chief reasons why I am equally dissatisfied with his arguments and his practice on these occasions . It seems he " has without scruple observed the days of fasting , &c . because it gave him an opportunity , of deploring the miseries of war , and of expressing the earnest wishes of himself and people for a return of the blessings of peace / ' He tells us too that these

    lamentations and supplications have been made on " the days vrhich have been from time to time appointed by the state , "

    consequently he observes them for this reason , otherwise any other day em ployed for the same purposes would do just as welf . Now if the state appoints a day of fasting or thanksgiving to be observed , it as&igns the reasons why , and to these reasons we ought to conform , otherwise we cannot pretend to observe the

    day for the purposes it enjoins ^ and may even run some hazard of giving umbrage to the state ; we must therefore , of necessity , consult the proclamation usually issued on such occasions . Here

    then we are commanded , under the penalty of incurring thedisr pleasure of Almighty God ^ to implore the forgiveness of our manifold sins , to pray for his blessing upon our designs in the just and necessary war in which we are engaged , and -to petition that the |> ride , malice , and devices of our enemies may be abated ,

    assuaged , and confounded ; and that we may perform all these matters with perfect uniformity , our fathers in God are commanded to furnish us with the only allowable form of words ia which we are " to present our common supplications / ' If then V . F . does not conform to these orders , and neglects to read the prayers for the d ay ^ he is so far guilty of disobedience *

    He may employ himself , properly enough no doubt , in deploring the miseries of war , or in longing for the return of peace ; but if these be all he laments or prays for , he may have a chance to fall short of the objects chiefly in view ^ and to be interrogated , " Who required these things at your hand ? ' * V . F . tells us that a thanksgiving for the recovery of a beloved sovereign , or for a peace , ' * is a very different thing / ' from a

    thanksgiving " for a successful battle , " and who doubts it ? He then laments , iri-terms which do honour to his feelings as a man , and especially as a Christian ^ * ' the dreadful destruction of lives on both sides , " together with other consequent and terrible calamities . But can such truly dreadful events be

    avoided in war ? It is impossible ! Besides the constant recital of such carnage renders it quite familiar ; insomuch , that m ^ ny of the fair sex ^ though they can weep or faint at the represen-

    Untitled Article

    Thoughts on Fasts . Wl

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1806, page 21, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1720/page/21/