pears to increase, with every meeting, among the Minifters of the Affociafion. May it long continue to prevail and abound!

The next meeting will be held at Mr. Attwood's, at Folkestone, on the 11th of April next.-Mr. Rolls, of Canterbury, is appointed to preach in the morning, and Mr. Prienley, of Deal, in the evening. In cafe ot faiJure, Meflrs. Willy and Laxon.

At this meeting it is to be confidered, Whether it be practicable, in this Eastern diftrict of Kent, to maintain an Itinerant Millionary; to endea vour to illuminate its dark villages with Gofpel Light, the expences attending which, to be defrayed by the Affociated Churches?

ORDINATIONS.

REV. MR. NORRIS.

ON Christmas Day laft, before an auditory of near 2000 people, at Mr. Parton's Meeting, at Leeds, Mr. Norris, employed by Societas Evangelica, to labour in the north-riding of York and county of Durham, was ordained as an Itinerant Minifter. On this occation Mr. N. produced a paper figned by near an hundred ferious perfons in different parts of his circuit, expreffing their earnest defire to enjoy all Goʻpel ordinances. Mr. Bruce, of Wakefield, propofed a variety of appropriate questions, to which Mr. N. returned the moft fatisfactory antwers. Mr. Cockin, of Hallifax, prayed over Mr. N., and Mr. Parfons, of Leeds, gave him fome fuitable advice, by way of charge, from" Do the work of an evangelift." Mr. Cockin then preached on Ephes. iv. 11. and concluded with prayer.

Our Correfpondent adds, "It was indeed a good day with us; and we departed more ready for any fuch fervice in future than we were before.

Rev. Jos. GRIFFITHS was fet apart to the Paftoral Office of the Independent Congregation at Wallingford, Berks, on the 26th of Nov. lat.Mr. Wilkins, of Goring, prayed the general prayer-Mr. Mutton, of Afton, delivered a difcourfe on the nature of a Gofpel Church-tated the fteps that had been taken by the people when deftiture-read their call to Mr. G. with his acceptance, and implored the divine bieffing on their union. Mr. Thresher, of Abingdon, preached from 1 Cor. xv. 58. and Mr. G. clofed the folemnities by prayer.

Rev. JOHN FOWLER was ordained to the Paftoral Charge of the Independent Church at Sheernefs, on Jan. 30, 1799.

Mr. Moor, of Stroud, read the Scriptures. Mr. Slatterie, of Chatham, delivered the introductory difcourfe, and received the Confeffion of Faith. Mr. Wilks, of London, gave the charge from Zach. iii. 6,7. Mr. Town, fend, of Rotherhithe, preached to the Church from 1 Peter i. 1, 3. Gore of Sandwich, Mr. Ralph of Maidstone, Mr. Young of Canterbury, and Mr. Gooding, of Lenham, feverally engaged in prayer; and Mr. Atkinton, of Greenwich, gave out suitable hymns.

Mr.

This fervice for the accommodation of the workmen in his Majelly's dock-yard began at half past five in the afternoon. In the morning Mr. Gore preached to as many as could conveniently affemble.

At Sheernefs is a large meeting-houfe, with a large congregation and church, principally railed by the inftrumentality of the late Mr. Shrubfole.

CHAPEL OPENED.

ON Wednesday, Jan. 16, 1799, was re-opened, after having been fut up many years, an old Prefbyterian Meeting-houfe at Somerton. The laburs of Mr. Gale, the county Miffionary, and fome of his Brethren, hav

ing

ing been rendered ufeful in that town and neighbourhood, application was made to Dr. Toulmin, of Taunton, and the other trustees, for the use of the place. They very obligingly gave up the writings; and the place, after being repaired at the expence of about 40l., was vetted in a new truft. Mr. Tozer, of Taunton, preached in the morning from Pf. cii. 16. "When the Lord fhall build up Zion, he fhall appear in his glory;" and Mr. Evans, of Wells, in the afternoon, from Luke xix. 9. "This day is falvation come to this houfe." Meffrs. Warlow of Wincanton, Pittard of Mortock, Morcu of Yeovil, and Parish of Wellington, prayed. A collection, amounting to 111. was made towards paying for the repairs; and the Brethren, feeing the pleasure of the Lord profper in their hands, returned home, refolving, in his ftrength, not to be weary in well-doing.

LONDON.

ON Feb. 7, the poll closed for the Lectureship of St. Giles's in the Fields, London, when there appeared 142 majority in favour of the Rev. Mr. Shepherd, late Curate to Mr. Cadogan, of Reading, deceased.

On Friday the 8th, at 11 o'clock, the Lord Bishop of London commenced his Scripture Lectures at St. James' Church, which he intends to continue weekly, except on Good Friday, during Lent.

On Friday, the 15th, the Bifhop of Peterborough preached at Bow Church, Cheapfide, the annual Sermon, before," The Society for propagating the Gapel in Foreign Parts." The Text was chofen from Ifa. ix. 2.

The people that walked in darkness have feen a great light." His LordAhip, after a fuitable introduction, undertook, 1. To fhew the miferable condition of the Gentiles before the coming of Jefus Chrift: 2nd, The advantages that mankind have received by his coming; and concluded, with ftating, that the Society was formed under the Patronage of William III, of glorious memory-that much good had been done by it in the British Colonies-and that it is the indipenûble duty of all Chriftians to endeavour to propagate the Gofpel. The Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen, and everal Bishops, were prefent on the occafion, and his Grace of Canterbury concluded with pronouncing the benediction.

Rev. Edmund Dunham, of Frome, has accepted a call to the charge of the Independent Church at Lock's Fields, Walworth, late under the paftoral care of the Rev. Mr. Mills, decealed.

Rev. F. Hamilton, affiftant and fon-in-law to the Rev. Richard Winter, of New Court, Carey Street, London, has alfo accepted a call to the exer cife of the pattoral office, over the Independent Church at Brightheimftone, late under the care of the Rev. Mr. Johnfon, who has refigned.

Rev. Robert Simpfon, fen. Tutor at the Hoxton Academy, is appointed to the paftoral office of the Prefbyterian Church, Artillery Street, London, late under the care of the Rev. John Love, foreign Secretary to the Milfionary Society, who has refigned, and accepted of a charge at Greenock, Scotland.

MISSIONARY JOURNAL.

THE great attention of the artist to render the engravings to this Work as neat as poffible, will unavoidably prevent the delivery of the volume to Subfcribers till the latter part of April, when, we doubt not, their expectations will be gratified.

As the lift of Subscribers is about to be printed, any name not yet delivered, mult immediately be fent to Mr. Chapman's, in Fleet-Street.

POETRY.

POETRY.

HYMN FOR THE LATE FAST.

GREAT God of Nature, at whofe word

Contending nations rife and fall,
Who bid'ft fell Difcord draw the sword,
And deflate this earthly ball.
We fall before thine awful throne,

And mown our nation's crying guilt;
For her tranfgreffions, and our own,
Our very fouls in forrow melt.
Favour'd above all other lands,

With thy rich gospel and thy grace;
How have we broke thy just commands,
Abus'd thy love, and scorn'd thy ways!
Turn us, O turn us, mighty God!

Shew us what rebels we have been;
To ev'ry heart apply thy blood,

And wash away a nation's fin.
Bid Peace, with all her welcome train,
Return to blefs our native land,
Sweet Plenty deck each fmiling plain,
And Commerce fpread on ev'ry hand.
And O, with gratitude impreft,

May Britain's fons their God adore;
Infcribe thy name on every breaft,
And found thy praise from thore to thore.
Sandwich.
E. T.

ODE FOR GOOD FRIDAY.

ETERNAL Spirit! fource of glorious light,

Who fit'ft enthron'd in Majefty above, Inspire my feeble mufe, who wings her Aight,

To fing of boundless, everlafting love.
Begin, my virgin mufe, the folemn lay,
And celebrate this glorious happy day,
"When earth's great Maker, thron'd above
yen sky,

Put off the glorious blaze of majesty,
And then defcended to this vale below,
To fave loft man from never-ending woe.

But fay, my Mufe, why should the mighty
God

Of heaven and earth, thus lay ade his
pow'r,

And quit his bright empyrean abode,
To dwell with man, the vot'ry of an
hour?

Should leave the bofom of his Father's love, Should, from the everlafting realms above, (Where the whole heav'nly hot in anthem join'd,

Where pleafures flow etherial and refin'd), To earth defcend, to tread our courts below,

To live in grief, and die a death of woe?

Love was the cause, almighty, matchless love,

To fallen, wretched man; who, but for

this

Muft, (doom'd by the strict mandate from above)

Be banish'd far,-far from the realms of blifs,

To the dark shades of everlafting night,
Where hope ne'er comes with animated
light;

Where all is forrow,wretchedness, defpair,
Nor peace, nor comfort ever enter there;
Where the awakned wrath of God is high,
And the ftrong worm of confcience ne'er
fhall dic.

What boundless love is this! Christian,
approach,

And in thyself behold the wretched caufe Of all his woes, who carried thy reproach,

And amply magnified his Father's laws; He died a curfed death that thou mightst live,

For thee to reign, his foul was made to
grieve;

Thee to redeem from woeful, black despair,
He spent a life of mifery and care:
Then, to his name be ceafeless honours
rais'd,

And this his boundless love for ever
prais'd.