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thersfield, preached to the people, from Deut. i. 38; Mr. Biddow, of Stambourn, concluded with prayer.

In the evening, a sermon was preached by Mr. Dobson, of Chisshill; and Mr. Judson, of Saffron Walden, engaged in prayer. -The religious world will, no doubt, be gratified to learn, that, under a divine blessing, this interest has been raised from the former labours and exertions of that truly venerable servant of Christ, Mr. Berridge,

March 28. Rev. John Thomas (lately a student at Hoxton Academy) was set apart to the pastoral Cffice over the church at Founders' Hall, Lothbury, of which the late Rev. A. Crole was pastor. Mr. Clayton prayed, and read the Scriptures; Mr. Thorpe delivered an introductory discourse, &c.; Mr. Simpson, Senior Tutor of Hoxton, offered the ordination-prayer; Mr. Nicol delivered the charge, from Acts xx. 28; Mr. Wilks offered the general prayer; Mr. Burder preached to the people, from Heb. Xiii. 17; and Mr. Atkinson concluded.

April 4. Mr. Lewis, who has been an occasional preacher for several years, was regularly devoted to the work of the ministry. Mr. Buck introduced the service by a suitable discourse. Mr. Lewis answered the usual questions, and gave a confession of his faith; Mr. Nicol prayed the ordination prayer; Mr. Burder delivered the charge, founded on Jer. i. 7; and Mr. Hill preached, from Rom.xii.4, 5. The Managers of Orange Street Chapel lent their spacious place for this service, which was very numerously attended.

April 4. The Rev. David Blackadder was set apart to the pastoral charge of the Associate Burgher congregation of Brechin, by fasting and prayer, and the laying on of the hands of the Associate Presbytery of Perth. Mr. Hepburn, of Newburgh, introduced the religious exercises of the day with singing and prayer; after which he preached from Cor. iii. 6, 7. Mr. Johnstone, of Rathillet, preach.

ed the ordination - sermon, from 2 Cor. iv. 5. and engaged in the ordination - prayer. Previous to which, Mr. Hepburn proposed the usual questions, which compose what, in Scotland, are commonly called the Formula. The pro fessed belief of the principles which they contain, and a solemn engage ment to discharge the duties which they enjoin, form the basis of the Association. Mr. King, of Mon trose, addressed the minister, and concluded.

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April 10. In the evening, the Rev. Edw. Pidgeon, who had been two years and a half at the Mission ary Seminary at Gosport, was there set apart, by prayer and imposition of hands, to the pastoral office of a Missionary. Mr. Styles, of Cowes, began the service with prayer, &c. An introductory discourse delivered by Mr. Griffin, of Portsea; who likewise enquired of Mr. Pidgeon the reasons of his hope, and of his desire to exercise his ministry as a Missionary of Jesus Christ. Satisfactory answers were given by Mr. P. who likewise delivered a confession of his faith. The ordination-prayer was offered up by his Tutor, Mr. Bogue; Mr. Winter, of Newport, gave the charge, from 2 Tim. iv. 5; Mr. Scamp, of Havant, presented the general and intercessory prayer; an exhortation was addressed to the large congregation present, by Mr. Cox, of Fareham, from Acts xxvi. 18. suitably explaining and enforcing the duties which Christians owe to Christ's Missionaries; Mr. Frey (the converted Jew) concluded the whole with prayer.

April 11. The Rev. Mr. Hyatt (brother to Mr. Hyatt of Frome) was set apart to the pastoral office over the church and congregation, late Mr. Radford's, removed from Virginia Street to Angel Chapel, Ratcliffe Highway. The services of the day were opened by Mr. Williams, of Stepney, with reading and prayer. The introductory discourse was delivered by Mr. Thorpe, of Carey Street; Mr. Wilks prayed the ordination-prayer, with imposition of hands; Mr

Platt, of Holywell Mount, delivered an affectionate charge; Mr. Towers, of Barbican, offered up the intercessory prayer; Mr. Ball, of Jewry Street, preached an appropriate sermon to the people, from Deut. i. 38, "Encourage him ;" and Mr. Fowler, of Edmonton, concluded with prayer.

The labours of the Rev. John Pye Smith, Resident Tutor in the Academy at Homerton, having been instrumental in raising a new congregation, and forming a small church in that village, Mr. Smith was ordained to the pastoral office over them, Apr.11, at Mr. Gaffee's meeting, Broad Street, London. The service was introduced with prayer, &c. by Mr. Gaffee. A suitable discourse was delivered by Mr. Humphreys, who also pro. posed the usual questions, &c. This part of the service in particular, was rendered additionally affecting, by the repetition of the Solemn Covenant which this infant society has adopted; during the reading of which the members denoted their ratification of it by standing up. The ordination-prayer was then offered by Mr. Burder; with the scriptural rite of laying on the hands of the Presbytery; the charge was delivered by Mr. Barber, from Col. i. 28. Mr. Goode then offered up the General and Intercessory Prayer. The sermon to the church was preached by Mr. Clayton, from 1 Cor. xvi. 10. The service was concluded with prayer, by Mr. James Knight, Theological Tutor at Homerton.

On Tuesday evening and Wednesday, the 17th and 18th of April, was held at the Rev. F. Dixon's meeting-house, Lee Croft, Sheffield, the Association of Ministers belonging to several congregational churches in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire. On the first evening, Mr. Phillips, of Rotherham, preached from Jude 3. On Wednesday morning, Dr. Williams preached on the doctrinal subject of Predestination to Life," from Mat. xx. 23; and in the evening, Mr. Gawthorne, of Derby, preached from Ps. lxvi. 16. The services

were well attended each time; and many can testify, that the Lord dwells in his earthly temples, and that it is good to wait upon him. We understand that the doctrinal sermon will be printed. The sub. stance of one Resolution of this Meeting was, That as the Members of this Association are so distantly situated as to make it inconvenient to meet often, a Plan is to be produced at their next meeting for dividing it into districts; and for an Annual Association of all the Members to be at one central place. -The next Meeting will be at Rotherham.

April 24th, the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Congregational Union for Promoting the Knowledge of the Gospel in the county of Essex and its vicinity, was held at the Rev. Mr. Craig's place at Bocking. The public services of the day were introduced with prayer and reading the Scriptures, by Mr. Thornton, of Billericay; Mr. Hobbs, of Colchester, offered up the general prayer. The sermon was preached by Mr. Crathern, of Dedham, from Psalm Ixvii. 1, 1; and Mr. Morell, of Little Baddow, concluded. The Committee was renewed for the current year.

May 1, 1804, a new Chapel was opened at Cradley, Worcestershire. Rev. Mr. Palmer, of Shrewsbury, preached in the morning from Isa. xl. 11; Mr. Morgan, of Birmingham, in the afternoon, from Psalm cxxii. 6; Messrs. Edmonds, Steil, Richards, and Mason, engaged in prayer; and the services were sanctioned with manifest tokens of the divine approbation.

A General Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society was held at the London Tavern, May 2, when the Plan of the Institution was perfected, and the Funds of the Society considerably augmented. more particular account, with the names of the Officers and Com mittee, shall be inserted hereafter.

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The Union of Christians held their Eighth General Meeting at Bed.ord, on Wednesday, May 2.

Mr. S. Hillyard, of that town, preached in the forenoon, from Matt. ix 36; and Mr. Morris, of Dunstable, in the evening, from Isa, xxxvii. 32; Messrs. Payne, of Braunston, in Northamptonshire; T. P. Bull, of Newport Pagnel; Grocer, of Watford, in Hertfordshire; and Castleden, of Woburn, Bedfordshire, engaged in public prayer. The usual conference in the afternoon was introduced with prayer by Mr. Higgs, of Dorchester, From the reports of the Committee and of the Treasurer, it appeared that prospects of usefulness, from the labours of the association, had considerably enlarged; and that there was room to hope for adequate funds in the ensuing year. An affectionate and edifying letter from the ministers assembled for I conference at Hernhuth, in Germany, was read; and a reply to it, which had been prepared by the Committee, was approved. A digest of the various rules which had been adopted, from the commencement of the Union, for their joint proceedings, was also presented and sanctioned. Mr. Hubbard, of Stamford, Lincolnshire, closed the conference with prayer. The of. ficers of the Union were rechosen. The attendance appeared to be as numerous as upon any former occasion; and the same cordial unanimity prevailed.

On Sunday evening, May 6, the Rev. Robert Hall, of Cambridge, preached a sermon at Salter's Hall, before the Corresponding Board in London, connected with the Society for Propagating Christian Know ledge in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The text, St. Matthew xvi. 26. "What shall it profit," &c. A handsome collection was made for the charity.

On Whit-Tuesday, May 22, the Rev. Mr. Biddulph, Rector of St. James's, Bristol, preached before the Society for Missions to Africa and the East, at Blackfriar's church, from St. Matthew vii. 12. "Thereføre all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye

even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." After a judi. cious explanation of the precept contained in the text, the preacher applied it to the subject of Missions to the Heathen. We were pleased to see several Evangelical Clergy men standing at the door of the church, to receive the benevolent donations of the congregation, which amounted to 2561. May divine mer cy abundantly prosper this and every other institution of a similar kind, to diffuse the knowledge of Christ in our guilty and miserable world! To a genuine disciple of Christ, the Golden Rule must ever prove an invincible argument in behalf of Missionary exertions.

A new Society has recently been formed, entitled, "The SundaySchool Union." This is composed of the Teachers and active Members of many Sunday-schools of different denominations in and near London. Their object is, 1. To stimulate and encourage each other in the religious instruction of children and youth; 2. By mutual communication, to aim at improving each other's mode of instruction; and, 3. To promote the opening of new schools. Their Quarterly Meetings are to be held at Zion Chapel, Chapel Street, Soho; New Chapel, City Road; and at Surry Chapel. A sermon, for the encouragement of this promising Institution, was preached at the City Road Chapel on Wednes day evening, May 16, by the Rev. G. Burder, from Cor. viii. г. "Charity edifieth."

The Somerset Association, ap pointed to be held at the Rev. Mr. Jones's, at Bruton, in May, is neces sarily postponed to the last Wednesday in June.

The Kentish Ministers will hold their Annual Association at Greenwich Tabernacle the Wednesday and Thursday after the first Sab bath in July. Mr. G. Townsend, Mr. Gurteen, and Mr. Vincent, are to preach.

ON SPRING.

ALL hail delightful season, Spring,

Fair daughter thou of Winter stern; Each bursting germ and breathing thing Revives and smiles at thy return!

Bright are the hues thy robes display,

As hung on ev'ry clust'red bough; And rich the tints of thine airay,

From endless op'ning flow'rets now.
New clad in green, the dewy mead
Fresh herbage yields the grazing kine;
The sportive flocks on plenty feed,
And on a velvet lawn recline.

The chilling storms at length subside;
And balmy zephyrs gently leave,
A thousand odours as they glide,

To scent the morn and cheer the eve!

The vig'rous sun, with genial rav,

Sheds lustre o'er the gilded scene; And feather'd songsters warbling gav, Express the love and praise they mean! Ah! let not man, with stupid gaze,

Behold the bounty spread around! To thee, O God, belongs the praise ! In us may gratitude abound!

This fruitful earth,- yon rolling skies,

Are guided by thy skilful hand: The show'rs that fall, the plants that rise, Descend and shoot at thy command! Man's sinful flesh, thou hast decreed,

Shall die; and dust his frame consume: Yet shall thy saints, like precious seed Arise, in endless Spring to bloom! Fruitless and hard th' unbroken heart,

A gloomy wintry heath appears;
Till soft'ning show'rs thy truths impart,
And beaming love the spirit cheeis.

Then chang'd to joy, the Desert sings,
And blossoms like the fragrant rose ;
On earth celestial glory springs,
And sacred froit in Zion grows.
ALIQUIS.

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Those glorious beams, divinely bright,
That fill the heav'nly courts with light
Were veil'd in flesh from mortal sight,
My Jesus!

Yet, tho' despis'd, thou did'st fulfill
Ev'ry kind office for us still,
With mighty pow'r and constant will,
My Jesus!

Well hast thou wrought the Saviour's part
For sure, thy love, with wond'rous art,
Has wound itself about this heart,

My Jesus! What grace, what skill thy lips display !. They drew me from the dang'rous way; And charm me still, whate'er they say, My Jesus!

Thy head, once bound with piercing thorn, Which crowns of glory now adorn, Outshines the lustre of the morn,

My Jesus!

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Printed by G. AULD, Greville Street, London.

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