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enclosed a cash note, value five guineas, which he begs the Gentlemen of the Committee to accept, "as a mite thrown into the treasury," and adds, that an acknowledgement of a receipt by "a line in the Evangelical Magazine for April will be fatisfactory." This benevolent friend to the institution is requested to accept the grateful thanks of the managers for this donation, for his pious wishes, and for his prayers.

REMOVALS, &c. OF MINISTERS.

WE are forry to learn that the indifpofition of that eminent fervant of Jefus Chrift, Mr. Afbburner, of Pool, has incapacitated him for the regular discharge of his minifterial office. Mr. Durant, late of Hoxton Academy, has received an invitation to be his affistant.

Mr. Hervey, of Cerne, from a fimilar caufe, has been obliged to refign his charge, and is succeeded by Mr. Lamb, of Weymouth.

Mr. Totticary, of Newport, in the Ifle of Wight, has refigned his charge of the Independent Church in that town.

Mr. Priefly, of Mere, is gone to be affiftant to Mr. Sloper, of Devizes, and it is expected he will be fucceeded by Mr. Gamble.

Mr. Kirkpatrick, of Sutton Afhfield, Derbyshire, is removed to Toulmere, in Effex.

MEETING OF MINISTERS.

ON Thursday, March 5, a Meeting of Minifters was held in the Meeting-houfe of the Rev. Mr. Wake, at Leighton, Bedfordshire; Mr. Caitledon, of Woburn, began in prayer; Mr. Scraggs, of Buckingham, preached from P. xciv. 19; Mr. Carey concluded in prayer; and Mr. Tift, of Woburn, gave out the hymns. Much harmony and Chriftian love appeared in thofe prefent; and to the people, as well as to the Minifters, it was a pleasant, and we hope a profitable season.

As most of the above-mentioned Ministers (and others who attended) are members of the Bedford Union, they agreed to continue the Sabbath Evening Lectures at Winflow once every fortnight during the Summer.And we are requested to add, that the general meeting of "the Union of Chriftians" is appointed to be held at BEDFORD on Wedne/day, May 6, when the Rev. A. Fuller, of Kettering, is expected to preach.

RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETIES.

WE are happy to learn that the diftribution of Religious Tracts becomes daily more extenfive, and that a Society has been recently formed for that purpose on a broad and liberal bafis at Darlington, in the county of Durham, under the auspices of several of the dignified Clergy, in that vicinity. The Tracts they circulate are " to be in general selected from those of the Religious Tract Society in London,” with whom they have opened a correfpondence for that purpofe. Pleafing accounts have been received by the latter Society of their Tracts, having proved useful inftruments in awakening perfons to a concern for their eternal welfare, who had hitherto been apparently infenfible of the value of their immortal souls: in particular a clergyman near Norwich writes, “that, through the divine bleffing on the Tracts diftributed in his parish, they have been extenfively ufeful," and we understand that the committee earnestly wish to be favoured with the communications of friends, who may at any time meet with inftances of the Tracts being of use, directed (free of expence) to the Depository.

POETRY.

POETRY.

THE MISSIONARY.

An Extract, written in 1798. #YE! from whofe eyes the tears of pity flow,

Whose hearts have learn'd to bleed at others' woe;

Who love within the prifon-wall to tread, From the deep cell to raise the rev'rend. head;

Admire the man,

whofe philanthropic

mind, Breathes but one boundless with for all mankind:

In this vast circle all his paffions move; Taught by his great Redeemer how to love, A half will not fuffice---his ample foul Stretches its arms, and grafps the mighty whole.

Lo! where the ifles in mental darkness lie

With thoughts of love he bends an eager eye:

Where thousands fteer for all-alluring gold,
Hardy in hope, and in ambition bold,
He bears the tidings of redeeming love,
And points the foul to fairer realms above.

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The fage can cross the pathlefs, howling wafte,

To make on eastern lore a short repast;
Can fly with rapture o'er Egyptian plains
To view a mould'ring pyramid's remains.
But other objects ftrike the Chriftian's eye,
That time, or chance, or death, can ne'er
destroy;

Smit with the love of fouls, he boldly braves
The furious winds, and unrelenting waves;
To this fair pinnacle his hopes afpire,
To rear a heathen band, and lead the choir.

One angry bolt from yon avenging fkies Can low'r the pyramid, no more to rife: The fpoils of Indian fhores, one ruthless fweep

May give for ever to the briny deep;
May difappoint a thoufand longing eyes;
Snatch from the mifer's grafp th' expected

prize,

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E'en now, in yonder feas, the peaceful fail

Gently divides the waves, and courts the gale.

Bleft with the faireft climes that nature yields,

With flow'ry plains, and ever-blooming fields;

With fruitful vallies, and unclouded skies, Scenes form'd to ftrike, and charm the wond'ring eyes;

Chequer'd with funny mounts, and fhady groves,

Such rural haunts as contemplation loves, Deep in the bofom of the fouthern main, Fair Otaheite's fons their bounds maintain. For them, the God of heav'n profufely pours

A genial warmth, and fructifying fhow'rs; Nature, unask'd, her annual tribute brings, And tunes a thousand notes, and paints a

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tears;

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On obferving a Diamond Cross fufpended from the Necklace of a young Lady,who was alighting from a Carriage at the Door of Covent Garden Theatre.

Difpatches many an ardent pray'r to heav'n AH take away that Cross, nor let it shine

That foft'ring thow'rs, and rip'ning beams

be giv'n:

That his dear Lord wou'd condefcend to fmile,

A rich reward for all his fervant's toil! That no rude enemy the work destroy, And blight his hopes, and rob him of his joy;

Then looks thro' rolling years and lo! the grain

Waves on the barren fteep, and fterile

plain,

And, flourishing beneath Jehovah's hand, A failing harveft crowns the happy land.

Sooth'd with the hope, he wipes his

weeping eyes,

Rapture pervades his foul-and thus he

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The falfe fair emblem of a love divine: Can Chrif with Belial ever make a truce, Or works of darkness works of light produce?

If fo, let this world's pleasure have thy praise,

Go, let the Play-houfe thy affections share, Nor feek for happiness in wifdom's ways. And scorn to pafs an hour in fecret pray'r: Difdain the converfe of the Saints on earth, And give thy time to paftime and to mirth: But be confiftent; lay afide that gem, Which muft, if thought upon, thy courfe condemn.

Profefs not friendship to the Saviour's caufe Whilft underfoot thou trampleft all his laws. Let not the beauteous fignet on thy breast, Whilft thou'rt in league with Satan, be

carcft:

But bid the one, or other, quick depart; For Chrift must have an undivided heart.

G. R.

On reading that Hogs at Otaheite have net the custom of wallowing in the Mire. DELIGHTFUL fcenes! ye fouthern Where yet a fruitful Eden smiles,

ifles!

And plenty flows around!
Your fhores no beafts of prey infeft,
Nor pois'nous creatures e'er molest,
As if un-curft the ground!

Strange! that your Swire fhould not defire
To roll, like ours, in filthy mire,

But choose a cleanlier rest! Immers'd in fin, a fenfual race, But yet-unhappy ftill the place!

Man wallows there---a beast! All-hail! the gen'rous plan of love (The fpark defcended from above

That wak'd the facred fire,)
'Tis yours, ye meffengers of grace,
Who flew to help a ruin'd race,
To raise them from the Mire!

Printed by T. Gillet Saliibury Square.

IOTA.

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