Discourse; Historical of St. Thomas Church, Taunton, Delivered Afternoon of Easter-Day, 1844 (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: DISCOURSE, Prov. 23, 28. " Remove Not The Ancient Land-mark Which Thy Fathers HAVE SET." The past is a book, not only of human deeds, but of divine operations. We do well, therefore, to look into history and especially the history of God's Church, for which He hath especially wrought amongst mankind. Zion is the Almighty's care. Let her sons often turn back to see the way by which God hath led them and their fathers. This day, beloved Brethren, completes the second year of my pastoral connection with this Church. It is natural to take a retrospect on this occasion. But I propose to take you back, not over the short space of two years only, but over a good portion of two centuries. The history of this Church has never been written. The materials for such a history are mostly lost. None but the most mutilated records remain in our possession. But aware of your interest in the subject, and feeling the same interest myself, I have attempted what at first seemed a wholly discouraging task; and although my inquiries have discovered less than I could wish, I trust I am prepared to-present a sketch, which will not be uninteresting, and which will, at least, save the past from entire oblivion. The result of my labors I will now give to you. Our sketch must begin with a name familiar to some of you and worthy to be known and honored by you all/ One hundred and fifty years ago, there was living on the quiet bank of our river, below us, a young man, then unknown to fame, He had come to this new country, probably in the spirit of adventure, and was exercising here the humble trade of a ship-wright. That young man was Thomas Coram. He was, as I have said, then unknown to fame. He was born in England, in obscurity. His childhood and youth and early manhood, escaped the public e...