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POETRY.

MATERNAL FEARS SUPPRESSED BY CHRISTIAN HOPE.

WHILE Softly slumb'ring on its mother's breast,

The little babe enjoys its tranquil rest;
Careless of what may be to-morrow's fare,
Devoid of flatt'ring hope, or anxious care;
How many thoughts of joy and sorrow find
Alternate place in the fond parent's mind!
Successive smiles and tears, without disguise,
Beam on her cheek, and sparkle in her eyes.
She looks, she loves, and while she loves, she fears
What sorrows may attend its future years!
What nipping frost, or what destructive shower,
May urge its force against the tender flower!
What storms may beat on its defenceless head,
When she, perhaps, is number'd with the dead!
Hence fears arise, hence soft emotions roll
Thro' all th' impassion'd feelings of her soul!

But why such anxious thoughts?. Cast all thy care
On that dear Lord who hears and answers pray'r!
Ask him to bless thy babe with saving grace,
And plead the promise," Such shall see his face."
How many lambs are gather'd with his arm,
Aad carry'd in his bosom, safe from harm!
"Ask, and ye shall receive," so says the Lord:
Believe him, trust him, take him at his word;
Leave at his throne thy case, and let the plea,
That children's children shall his glory see,
Be urg'd with faith;-the promise is divine,
And shall be realiz'd to thee and thine :
It shall be. Why? because, 'tis not a worm,
"Tis not frail man, 'tis God that will perform!

G. R.

ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF A BROTHER.

Ir great endowments of a virtuous mind,
If strength of character, with meekness join'd,
Can merit praise, that praise for him we claim;
And honour must accompany his name.
Let those who wish his character to see,
Imagine what a brother ought to be.

Sickness approach'd, with all its gloomy train,
And skilful art was exercis'd in vain:

No human pow'r his drooping life could save,
For Heaven's decree consign'd him to the grave:
That solemn empire, stretching wide around,
Where kings and mendicants alike are found;
But Death could not impede his spirit's fight,
Redeeming Love unbarr'd the gates of light,
While wings of ecstacy his soal upbore

To those bright realms where sighs are heard no more,
Where seraphs sing, and saints attune their lays,

To celebrate the great Redeemer's praise!
High o'er the balanc'd world, and all its pains,
At that celestial height where Jesus reigns,
Above each source of woe, each scene of strife,
le contemplates eternal light and life!

E

DA

-WS.

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THE CHILD'S EVENING HYMN.

THE sun, that lately fill'd the skies

With all his sparkling rays, Now hides his glories from our eyes,

And night comes on apace.

And now to Him who made the sun, And taught him when to rise; Who show'd him in what course to run

Across the glowing skies;

Who gave this gentler moon to cheer

The still and gloomy night: Like a large pearl 'mid diamonds clear

She looks, and sheds her light!. To Him, O let my willing tongue

Send up the grateful strain;
And let my heart join with the song,
Or all my praise is vain!

His name just learnt, his name I love;
How sweet it is to know
That God, who made the worlds above,
Made me and all below!
Asleep, awake, that he sustains,

And feeds my tender frame:

He sends the blood thro' all my veins : I live and move in Him!

Now grant, my Maker, from this hour,
More and more knowledge still;
And since I've learnt thy name and
pow'r,

Oh let me know thy will!
Witney.

THE LOADSTONE

AND THE ARK.

AMIDST the world's affairs And wild perplexing cares,

J. B.

That toss and agitate the human soul,
My quiv'ring spirit moves
Up to the point she loves,
True as the needle to the northern pole.

Or like to Noah's dove,
Across the waste I rove,

Nor find a peaceful spot on which t'alight,

My wings are hov'ring round,
Until the ark is found,

And to its safe recess I bend my flight,

Jesus, the magnet is,
Suspended high in bliss,

Whose virtue draws above Earth's tall

est domes!

Jesus, the ark of rest

For ev'ry soul opprest, And so my spirit shuts her weary

plumes.

ADJUTOR.

ON ISAFAH LIV. 11.

THOU, whose omnipotent word The winds and the waves can controul Thy merciful succour afford,

Make haste to deliver my soul! How long on the turbulent deep My comfortless mind has been tost, I scarce above water can keep,

And often expect to be lost! Yet, if in thy cov'nant of grace The whole of my hope is contain'd, Shall I not arrive at the place

Thou hast for thy chosen ordain'd? Thy promise is pledg'0, and thy oath, To guide to the haven my soul: The ocean and hurricane both

Shall surely obey thy controul! O safely conduct to that shore

Where mansions eternal are found, This sea-faring life shall be o'er, And bulwarks my soul shall surround! Enclos'd in the city of God,

How happy and blest shall I be! While Jesus shall make his abode Within the same dwelling with me!

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CALM is the air, serene the sky,
No tremblings shake the ground;
And Man suspects not danger nigh,
For Nature smiles around.

But when the rushing storms descend,
When vivid lightning plays,
These, to the guilty mind, portend
Earth's universal blaze!

Now, Conscience reads, by fears distress'd,

The tablet of the heart;

And sees, with iron pen impress'd,
Her crimes in ev'ry part!

But raging storms and vernal air
Alike obey the Lord:

This shall destroy, and those shall spare,

Directed by his word!

Then, mortal, let thy fears awake,
While life and health abound;
Or vengeance o'er thy head way break,
Though Nature smile around!

CORNELIA

Printed by G. AULD, Greville Street, London.

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Rov & Gibert D.D. Guernsey

Pub by Williams & Smith, Stationers Court 1,01806.

THE

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE.

OCTOBER, 1806.

MEMOIR

OF

THE LATE REV. J. CROOM.

METHODISM, from the reports made of it, and the place it has in the page of history, is so well known, that it would be in vain for its advocates to attempt the concealment of any thing belonging to it, were they so disposed. Such was the artlessness, simplicity, and integrity of those excellent men, on whose life and doctrine the epithet was first fixed; and so far were they from having any thing of the deceivableness of unrighteousness about them, that their rejoicing was this; the testimony of their conscience; that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, they had their conversation in the world.

They came forth with no plan before them but that which they supposed would have been executed within the sphere of a parish, and by their own personal exertion. Had they foreseen the extent of the work which would have been assigned to them, and the help they should have required, being themselves devoted to letters, having formed a just estimate of literary endowments, and knowing their subservience to the work of the ministry, it is most probable that men of such qualifications would have been the men they would have sought and solicited to take part with them in their ministry.

But such was the providential appointment they were under, that the extent of their work, at the first commencement of it, was concealed from them; and the help provided for it was brought to them accompanied with evidence that it was not for them to seck, but for the Lord to send.

Several truly spiritual men were raised up, some of whom were versed in the studies of humanity, and other branches of literature; but being called to the work of evangelists, they were deemed, by a persecuting world, ignorant and unlearned mon. Such as were unlearned, undoubtedly connected with, and were countenanced by them, because they appeared approved of God by the signs which God did by them. 3 K

XIV.

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