ODE ON THE NEW YEAR. AGAIN the flight of Time I sing, A year has pass'd, and with it borne to moura Some dear departed friend. From the Eternal's throne! Ere men their final doom receive, For penitence is giv'n: 'Tis ours the doubtfu! space t' improve; Lament the past; and onward move, With future hope, to Heav'n. A SONG ON THE OLD YEAR. ETERNAL Being! mighty God! Beneath thy sway we bow, The goodly frame we see, The planets as they roll, The wat'ry tribes, the fowls of air, The beasts which graze the mead, Thou dost for favour'd man prepare, And with thy Bounty feed! From Winter's frost, from blooming Spring, From Summer's glowing sky, Thou dost the stores of Autumn brieg, And all our wants supply! Nor thus alone thy love appears From year to year the same! A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR. Lo! another Year begins, Wrapp'd in Winter's deepest gloom, Long has War its thousands slain, Break the battle-axe and spear, Give us now a Peaceful Year! While Destruction, Woe, and Death, Far and wide around us roam, Meagre Want, with wasted breath, Asks too oft for bread at home! Unexhausted Source of Good, Baffle Avarice severe; Bless the hungry poor with food; Vice and Folly, through the land, Spurn thy truth and love away! Bring thy converts home sincere! Build thy temples, spread thy name! Send the great Sabbatic Year! Time shall soon his race complete; Nature's wheels shall cease to roll; Soon the Judge shall take his seat; Fix the doom of cv'ry soul! When the awful trump shall souud, With thy sheep may we appear, Welcome to the endless round Of a bless'd Eternal Year! ALIQUIS. TO MISS With a Copy of Dr. Young's Sermon, entitled 'The African Stranger.» London. Say, Mercy's feast is now prepar'd, From bonds and torture, all at That Peace presides that Friendship flows That Joy in ev'ry bosom glows And each, in blessing others, blest. Salvation spreads her charms divine, On injur'd Afric's honest race. Is noble aim! Angelic theme! Then speed the glowing chariot's wheel, While millions rise for Afric's weal,- ON A POOR CHRISTIAN WOMAN, Who recently died of a Cancer. Behold! on yonder bed, the silent clay ! Yet would her bosom sometimes rise with fear, Sent by her Saviour from his bright abode. Then would a smile break forth, though dimm'd by pain : When blackening clouds are charg'd with fleecy rain, Or hollow thunders mutter forth at noon. But now, transplanted into fairer climes, Her soul stands, blooming, near the throne of God; Printed by G. AULD, Greville Street, London. J. W. THE EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1809. MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. JAMES SOMERVILLE, OF BRANTON, IN THE COUNTY OF NORTHUMBERLAND. THERE are many invaluable characters unknown to the world, and seldom mingling in the busy scenes around them, whose example and talents, though they do not illuminate the crowded city, or fascinate the gay metropolis, like suns of another system, spread their benign influence throughout the circle in which they live. Such shall, at the last, be owned as those who have turned many to righteousness, and shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. Such was the Subject of the following Memoir. Blest with piety, learning, and eloquence, which would have done honour to the most public station, it was his lot to spread abroad the Saviour's name in regions of comparative obscurity. Here, unknown to Fame, and without any object but the good of souls, he spent a life of labour, usefulness, and peace, testifying the truth of the gospel, and affording a bright example of the efficacy of divine grace on the minds of men. Mr. Somerville was born at Pitmuir, in the parish of Lauder, and county of Merse, Scotland, in 1743, of poor but eminently pious parents, who taught him to read, and instructed him how to pray. Happily, he soon took very great delight in both these exercises. When six years of age, he was put to school with Mr. H. Wilson, of Netherhaughton: here he learned writing, &c. He learned Latin, and probably Greek, at the GrammarSchool of Lauder. Learning and books were his principal delight; and, tho' only a child, at this school he first manifested a strong inclination to become a preacher of the gospel. When but a boy, he made conscience of secret prayer; and conducted the worship of God in the family when his father was absent. He was admitted to the Lord's Supper when only 13 years of age: this he received not in a careless manner; but, sensible of the XVII. H |