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CRITICAL NOTICES.
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Art . I . —Principles of Congregationalism . The Second Century Lecture of the First Church . By O . VV . Upham , Junior Pastor . Salem ( Massachusetts ) . L 829 . 8 vo Pp . 72 . It is thought by many that America must be in a pitiful plight because she
has no Feudal Antiquities and no Established Church . They may be consoled by finding that she does make something of what antiquity she has ; and that her children have their high and solemn festivals , their religious commemorations of the men and deeds of former days . It is true that these are rather in contrast
with those which English Episcopacy has embalmed in her Prayer-book ; but they may do foj so young and rude a people till the lapse of ages shall provide them with something better . They have no thanksgiving for the restoration of a besotted and tyrannic dynasty ; they only celebrate the restoration of millions to
the possession of their native rights . The landing which they commemorate is not that of a foreigner , come for their goods , " but of the Pilgrim Fathers seeking freedom to worship God in the wilderness . Instead of one royal martyr , they venerate thousands of martyrs and confessors , made so by the tyranny of him and his house . And we have a
further specimen of their Holy Days in the discourse before us , which was delivered on the second centenary celebration of the formation of the first Congregational Church in America . The courtiers of the day , if they ever heard of the event , only smiled at it . By the results of that and similar events , in after times , have courtiers and kings often been made to frown , sometimes to tremble . Happy for the world and themselves had they also been made to think .
We cannot give a better account of the occasion of this sermon than by quoting its introduction : ' We have assembled here to perform a service enjoined upon us by the example of our ancestors . Its nature and object will be best explained by referring to the notices of its previous celebrartioq , which have fortunately been transmitted to our day . One is found in the records
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of the church ; the other , which will now be read , was accidentally discovered in an old public paper . " ' Salem , August 6 , 1729 . On Wednesday was celebrated the First Century Lecture , in the meeting house of the First Church here , in commemoration of the good hand of the Lord in founding that Church on August 6 th ,
1629 ; just one hundred years ago ; enlarging and making her " the mother of several others , and preserving and blessing her to this day . She was the first Congregational Church that was completely formed and organized in the whole American continent , which was on the day above-mentioned , when the Kev . Mr . ( Francis ) Higginson was
ordained the teacher , and the Rev . Mr . Skelton their pastor . Governor Bradford and others , deputed from the church at Plymouth , coming into the assembly in the time of the solemnity , ( having been hindered by contrary wiuds , ) gave them the right hand of fellowship ; wishing all prosperity and a blessed success to such good beginnings .
" The Century Lecture began with singing Psalm exxii . 1—8 . The Rev . Mr . Fisk then preached a very agreeable sermon from Psalm lxxviii . 1—7 . We then sang Psalm xliv . 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 . The Kev . Mr . Prescottthen prayed . We then sang Psalm c . first metre , and the Rev . Mr . Fisk pronounced the blessing . " ' There were thirteen ministers present , and a considerable confluence of people both from this place and the towns about /
" The Records of the Church contain a similar account . It denominates the occasion , The First Century Jubilee , ' and concludes by expressing the petition that ' the Lord would accept the offering of thanks which had then been made . '
One hundred years more have passed away since the interesting service , which has thus been described to you in the language of those who were present to witness and partake in it , was performed on this spot . The Centennial ' Jubilee * has again come round ; and we are now gathered to commemorate the completion of the Second Century since the formation of the First American Con-
Critical Notices.
CRITICAL NOTICES .
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THEOLOGY .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1830, page 45, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2580/page/45/
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