North Riding Auxiliary Society.-Mr. York Juvenile Branch.-Collection at Annual Meeting, exclusive of Expenses 48 9 10 Howden.-Rev. Mr. Wilkinson.-Auxiliary Missionary Society; per Mr. G. Thompson, Jun... Less Expenses Wakefield.*-Per Rev. Sam. Bruce.Legacy under the Will of the late Mr. Joseph Stephenson, of Great Preston. -Rev. Sam. Bruce and Mr. T. Mathers, Executors (Less Duty, &c. 51. 2s. 6d.).... Scotland.-East Lothian Society and Auxiliaries for Propagat- Haddington.-Rev. B. Black Dirleton.-Rev. W. Stark .... 1 11 6 220 0 10 6 220 18 11 11 2 19 11 1512 0 50 0 0 660 N. B.-Contributions from the Yorkshire West Riding Auxiliary Missionary Society, inserted in the Chro nicle for August last, were not the Receipts of the year, but simply the payments made to the Treasurer at the time of the Anniversary held at Leeds. Other sums previously remitted, will be found acknowledged. in the preceding Numbers of the Missionary Chronicle. Harvest; or, the Reapers' Song. By W. B. COLLYER, D.D., &c. (From his Collection, No. 979.) YE verdant hills, ye smiling fields, To man a rich supply; Echo, whose mimic notes prolong The melting strain and bear along, To nature's bounteous king: Whose voice, loud sounding from the pole, The zephyr's silken wing! With bread the heart of man to cheer, See, bending low, the ripen'd ear Bow it's luxuriant head! In vain, ye swains, had been your care, Had not He caus'd the blight to spare The promise of the summer fair, And bade the sun, the rain, the air, Their gracious influence shed. He bade the soft refreshing gale, Blow gently down the teeming vale, Nor hurt the peeping grain; But when the ear began to rise, To Him we rais'd our anxious eyes; Oft from the cisterns of the skies He sent in mercy rich supplies, Early and latter rain. And now his hand hath crown'd our toil The harvest home to bear! THE EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE AND MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. NOVEMBER 1823. MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. JAMES WESTON, THE subject of the present Memoir was born in the year 1766. Comparatively but little is known of his earliest habits and associations. While yet a stripling, how ever, he was brought to listen to the testimony of the gospel of Christ, delivered by the Rev. Matthew Wilks, then supplying at the Bristol Tabernacle. The power of the Holy Spirit accompanied the means of grace, and the word preached approved itself to his understanding and his heart. A thorough change in his principles and conduct was the happy result; and he soon became publicly associated with the disciples of the Redeemer in that place. Happily preserved from the entanglements of controversy, his mind was fully established in the distinguishing doctrines of divine grace; and living under their influence, he habitually united in conducting the devotional solemnities of the social meeting for prayer and praise. A course of steady piety in youth is often the prelude to distinguished usefulness. It was at that period, and during those continued exercises, that Mr. Wilks discovered the germ of those moral and mental excellencies which led him to conclude that God had designed him VOL. I. to serve in the gospel of his Son; and about the year 1789 he warmly recommended him to Gosport, where during his three years' study, he greatly endeared himself to Dr. Bogue, his honoured tutor, and his fellow students. The period of his academical studies terminating towards the close of the year 1792, his mind was then particularly anxious to follow the leadings of Providence, in reference to the sphere of his pastoral labours. Two openings were placed before him, each of which he was earnestly invited to occupy: one was Corsham, in Wilts, and the other was a place in another county, which promised greater pecuniary emolu ment. In looking at these openings, conscience, not interest, was his guide; and his occasional ministrations having evidently been useful at Corsham, he regarded that as an indication of the will of God, and his choice was decided accordingly. His ordination to the pastoral office in that place soon followed, and the Rev. Dr. Bogue, Messrs. Jay and Winter, together with other ministers, severally took part in the important service. The state of religion in that town previously to Mr. Weston's settlement there was far from flourishing. Pre2 S judices of no ordinary character and influence had been permitted to hinder the gospel of Christ; and even now, though the hinderance was partially removed, still his faith and patience had to contend with many difficulties. These, however, only tended to discover the unwearied devotedness of his mind, and also to magnify the grace of the Holy Spirit, which crowned his labours with a very encouraging degree of success. Having spent rather more than seven years in faithfully testifying the gospel of Jesus Christ at Corsham, the attention of the church and congregation at Sherborne was directed towards him. The particular circumstances, or motives, which induced him to listen to their invitation do not appear upon record; but from the mature deliberation and personal disinterestedness which are known to have marked all his public movements, it is readily believed they were such as satisfied him it was the will of God; and accordingly he removed to Sherborne in the year 1800. At that time the place of worship would accommodate but 250 persons, and by the usual attendance it was scarcely two-thirds filled. Still he found himself in the midst of a wide and promising field of usefulness. In the happy union of humble dependence and unwearied labour, he at once devoted himself to its moral and spiritual culture: and, by the blessing of God, the encouraging results abundantly rewarded his persevering toil. In the year 1803 it was found necessary to erect a new chapel. The congregation still increasing, side galleries were added to it in the year 1814. And with still growing numbers, in 1821 it was enlarged to its present size, and will now accommodate 800 people: and what is calculated to give still additional interest to these several enlargements is, it is presumed that the expense thereby incurred was defrayed from among the people themselves. The Mr. Weston was privileged to occupy this important and interesting station for the period of twentythree years, during which the early excellencies of his character appeared gradually ripening to maturity; and the promising expectations awakened by the devotedness of the youth, were fully realized in the usefulness of the "man. endearments of the domestic circle peculiarly called forth the amiable tenderness and devotional affections of his mind. The members of the church witnessed him presiding among them, even as a father watching over the interests of his children, training them up for heaven. To the congregation at large, he manifested himself at all times as "affectionately desirous" of winning them to the Saviour; while the inhabitants of the town uniformly recognised him as an amiable and devoted Christian. Such a character needs not the testimony of a death-bed to prove its sterling value; but still it is deeply interesting to trace how the principles which formed that character for living excellence and active usefulness, maintained its confidence and composure in the solemn scenes of a dying hour. On the 17th of May last, while on a visit at Poundesford Park, near Taunton, he supplied the pulpit of the Rev. T. Golding. The services of the Sabbath afforded him an unusual degree of spiritual enjoyment, which continued through the whole of the following day, and was doubtless intended to prepare him for those solemnities that now awaited him. On the Tuesday morning he felt the first symptoms of the disorder, which in a week terminated his useful career. At |