Prayer before the minister receives the communion. “Almighty God, our heavenly Father, by whose gracious assistance and for our benefit, thy beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ, was obedient even to the death upon the cross; who did institute, and in his holy gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memorial of his death until his coming again; hear us, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we may receive this bread and wine in grateful remembrance of his death and sufferings, and of thy great mercy to mankind in sending him, thy chosen messenger, to turn us from darkness to light, from vice to virtue, from ignorance and error to the knowledge of thee, the only true God, whom to know is life everlasting.”
Form of administration. “Take and eat this bread in remembrance of Christ”—“Take and drink this wine in remembrance of Christ.”
In the daily service many prayers are omitted, so as to make the service much shorter. The exhortation and confession are the same; for the absolution is substituted “Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid; purify the thoughts of our hearts that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name through Christ our Lord.”—It would be useless to multiply extracts—enough has been given to show the doctrine of the Unitarian congregations who use this liturgy.
[47] Priestly’s “Discourses on Various Subjects,” p. 419. See also p. 14, &c. and Prefatory Discourse, p. 93.
[48] Channing’s Discourse on preaching Christ.
[49] Channing’s Works. On the great purpose of Christianity.
[50a] Channing’s Character of Christ.
[50b] Channing’s Sunday School.
[50c] Channing’s Charge at the Ordination of Rev. R. C. Waterston.
[51a] Channing On Infidelity.