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Title
Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 171, "Concert in Benevolent Efforts," 1823 June
Contributor
Creator: Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864
Genre
Creation Information
Date Created
1823-06
Location
Physical Description
1 volume (16 pages)
Abstract
Edward Hitchcock's sermon on concerted action, based on Isaiah 41:6-7 (They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage....). Hitchcock noted on the first page that he had delivered this sermon once at Conway, Massachusetts "Before the Benevolent Societies." He explained that irreligious and worldly men have always understood more clearly than real Christians the principle that there is more power in "united or associated effort" than in "individual and unconnected exertions" and that the power of a group is a geometrical magnification of the mere number of individuals involved. Hitchcock provided a series of examples to illustrate the use of this principle to advance the interests of false religion (especially the Roman Catholic church), the interests of worldly concerns (the East India Company, for example), and the interests of the enemies of religion. The most notable instance of the latter was Illuminism (lead by Voltaire and Rousseau, among others), which in the last half century had propelled Christians to employ this same principle in their own defense against "heathenism & mahometanism." Hitchcock called for more vigorous exertions.
Subjects
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Finding Aid
Language
English
Repository
List of All Images
Direct Link to Digital Object's IIIF Presentation Manifest V3