02488cam a22003373u 4500 64877 UtSlPG 20260610134510.0 m cr n 260607r2021||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 BX Skinner, James, 1818-1881 A Tract for the Times: The Church and the Census Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2021 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2021-03-20 Transcribed from the 1860 Joseph Masters edition by David Price. Many thanks to the British Library for making their copy available "A Tract for the Times: The Church and the Census" by James Skinner is a theological tract written in the mid-19th century. The book addresses the role of the Church of England in relation to the upcoming census that aims to collect information about the religious beliefs of the populace. It examines the implications of this exercise and discusses the spiritual state of the church and its members, particularly in light of societal changes and challenges to traditional religious expressions. In the tract, Skinner argues that the Church serves as a witness to God's truth and emphasizes the importance of openly confessing one's faith. He reflects on the hesitance of individuals to declare their beliefs publicly, correlating this with the biblical figure Ephraim, who failed in his witness due to mingling with the people and worshiping false idols. Skinner points out that during a time of spiritual sifting, it is crucial for believers to define and articulate their faith, instead of remaining silent and ambiguous. He ultimately calls for a reaffirmation of commitment to the truth as articulated by the Church, urging his fellow Christians to resist the temptations of conformity and to uphold the core tenets of their faith during a period of societal upheaval. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Church and state -- Great Britain Great Britain -- Census, 1861 Church of England -- History -- 19th century Truth -- Religious aspects -- Christianity https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64877 105700 105700