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the Report, we intend to take an early, their support to the Bristol Church Mis-
opportunity of furnishing our readers sionary Association.
with abundantly more information on the
subject of the British and Foreign Bible
Society than it is possible for us, at pre-
sent, to communicate.

Bristol Church Missionary Association, in aid of the Church Missionary Society.

A numerous and very respectable Meeting was held in the Guild-hall of the city of Bristol, on the 25th of March, the MAYOR of BRISTOL in the Chair, for the formation of an Association in aid of this Society. The Rev. JOSIAH PRATT, the Secretary to, the Society, explained to the Meeting its object, constitution, and proceedings, disavowing all hostility or rivalry to other institutions formed for similar purposes; but forcibly urging on the members of the Established Church their high obligation to come forward and take their share in attempting the conversion of the Heathen world. I. S. HARFORD, jan. Esq., in a very elegant speech, moved the first resolution, which was ably seconded by the Rev. T.T. BIDDULPH. The principal Clergy aud Gentlemen of Bristol took a share in the business of the day, or have given

POETRY.

A CHARACTER.
An angel's second, nor that second long.

YOUNG. SEEST thou that well-wrought character of grace?

Yes, 'tis Philagathos.-In youth's green age
Giddy and volatile, from bliss he stray'd,
Dallying awhile with sin; now mounting
high

Through wisdom's discipline, and holy aids,
From man to angel, from a worm to God;
An angel now in embryo, soon in form.
Angels for ever view the face divine
In the full blessing of primeval nature;
Nor, till assimilated to their make
And taste, shall mortals that Elysium gain.
Bad as the times appear, lo! there shines

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The most perfect cordiality prevailed, and few meetings have witnessed such a display of commanding talent, fervid eloquence,and elevated piety. Sermons were preached in the week, by the Rev. EDWARD BURN, the Rev. JOSIAH PRATT, the Rev. HENRY BUDD, the Rev. THOMAS SCOTT, and the Rev. BAZIL WOODD. The interchange of kindness among the various denominations of Christians was not the least triumph on this occasion, the Dissenters shutting up their places of worship, to enable their congrega tions to attend the Church Sermons, and both the Preachers and speakers expressing the most earnest wishes for the success of all similar institutions. The DUKE of BEAUFORD is Patron, and the MAYOR of BRISTOL and MEMBERS FOR THE CITY, for the time being, are Vice-presidents. The Rev. JAMES VAUGHAN and the Rev. FOUN TAIN ELWIN, are Secretaries; and THOMAS DANIEL, Esq. Treasurer. The contributions will amount, it is supposed, to TWO THOUSAND POUNDS. Trinkets and ornaments have been given to the value of not much less than one hundred pounds. An account of the Meeting is preparing for publication.

With deeds of charity to men, in all
He stands pre-eminent on virtue's roll.
"How blest, (we cry,) that human seraph
here!

"That more than mortal candidate for bliss,
"By grace new-modell'd to celestial likeness."

But by what steps did wisdom's pupil rise From sensual and terrestrial to divine? From low and abject to that height of great

ness?

"Twas by a touch of that almighty hand,
Which once stretch'd out in acts of mercy,
touch'd

Blindness to sight,*-infirmity to health,†-.
And death to life. 'Twas by a secret power
Of that prolific Dove, which brooded o'er
The chaos void, and hatch'd it into birth.
'Twas, far as progress on his own assent
And strenuous efforts might depend, high
heaven

Aiding mean time with free prevenient grace,
By close examination of the springs
Of human agency, both good and i!l,
And practice in its issues well discern'd,
"To vice confusion, and to virtue peace,"
Thus by conviction of right reason sway'd,
With pleas'd anticipation he began
The legal course, in duty's strictest forms:
But finding soon his appetites averse
To harsh restraint, he stay'd not, though
allur'd,

To list their soothing sophistry; but fled,
Forcing himself to penitence and prayer,
And acts of self-denial oft renew'd:

* Matt. xx, 84. + viii, 16. 4 Luke vii. 14

But strength of sin o'er strongest vows prevail'd;

And oft the good he will'd to do, he found He did not, but the bad he would not, did.* Here pitying heaven, to shew to him his heart, And then new make it, opportunely sent That best interpreter, the gospel word. Hence open'd are his eyes-past sins arise Full on his view-sins undiscern'd before, An horrid aggregate of guilt and shame, And just result, hell's everlasting doom. What can he do? What plea prefer to gain His Maker's favour? Will good works atone For old delinquencies? Will fastings, tears, Heal a sick heart, or quench heaven's kindled ire?

Ah, no! What then remains but prostrate lie
At mercy's door, and own himself undone?
Yet would he wait to hear, with rev'rence low
And mind submiss, what God might deign to
speak;

Or wrestle, Jacob-like, till break of day,
By faith's strong grasp, and agony of prayer.
The God of mercy smil'd; contrition's tears
Wip'd from his eyes, and spoke his heart to

rest.

'Twas as he'd seen by faith, the slaughter'd Lamb

Bearing his sins away. 'Twas life from death. Sweet was the mental vision--heavenly bright

Its sacred beamings on his raptur'd soul, With peace ineffable, and glorious joy. Yet did the Accuser of the brethren dare Suggest his lie," that 'twas delusion allThat cause of joying at the change was none, "That, comfort goue, his steps would soon slide back

To vice, and fine pretensions fruitless prove." Then warn'd of heaven it was a stranger's voice,

Not the good Shepherd's, which thus counsell'd ill,

He pray'd for succour, and that succour gain'd,
The fiery darts of Satan to repel,
And bold fast faith and conscience undefil'd.
Hence girded with new strength, new cou-

rage, zeal,

Whether his country's welfare call'd him forth

To public scenes, or soft domestic cares
And social duties his attention claim'd
In the still bosom of sequester'd life;
The yoke of various service he sustain'd
Unwearied, firm, with dignity and ease;
His trials, meek, with undisturb'd repose.
Or, if perchance he stumbled in the road
Thorny to pilgrims' feet; or seem'd to stray
Half-bent to wrong, some steps from rectitude;
A David's penitence, a Peter's tears,
With keen compunction, and immediate flight
To the pare fountain once disclos'd for sin,†
Fail'd not the wound to heal, his hope revive,
And raise him trembling to a firmer station.
Thus, grappling with his foes, faith's fight he

fought,

Till the good hand of God, and habit's force, By grace confirm'd, the victory ensur'd. Still at his Lord's dear feet a suppliant poor, Rom. vii. 19. +Zech. xiii. 1.

He glories only in the blessed Cross.
Now this bad world, with its array of pomps
And glist'ning glories, is a shrivell'd flower.
While truth and goodness, in their loveliest
dress,

Attract, engross, and ravish all his soul.
His piety, pure, generous flame of love,
Warms and enlightens; not like moon-light
beam,

Dim and refracted in a vap'rous sky;
But lighted up from the great Source of light,
Sparkles and radiates from his eyes and looks.
With God conversing much, a godlike air
And form invest his spirit. One would say,
He'd been with Moses on the mount--in whom
Beauty of holiness her charms displays.
No indirect or self-retorted glance
On his own worth-no specious self-dislike
To elicit secret praise, or skim applause
From man-he seeks but to be great in God.

Such is this angel here in human guise;
And with his nature unison his life.
Himself a whole burnt-offering to the skies,
His hours he shares betwixt the sacred

sweets

Of pure devotion, and love's noblest deeds; His labour rest, when heaven looks on, and smiles.

What he requests his faithful Lord to be
In his behalf, he strives to be to men :
What he derives from life's immortal spring,
Whether of lower or supernal good,
He scatters with unsparing hand around.
Thro'his pure bosom runs the copious stream
Of God's munificence, with Eden's bloom
Its banks enriching, as it flows along,
And fruits of exquisite delight and taste.
Heaven's almoner, his recompence he finds
In giving, as the loaves in breaking grew.
Heaven's treasurer too, still frugal of his own,
But in his Lord's disbursements faithful
found,

Long as prosperity's bright sunshine gilds
His path, he gilds the path of poverty;
Causing the widow's heart to sing for joy:
Feet to the lame, and eyesight to the blind,
The guardian, friend, and patron of his race.
Or does adversity's rough blast beat hard?
Built on a rock, too high to dread assaults,
Too firm for fate's rude storms, or fortune's

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Printed at the Conference-Office, 14, City- Road, London: By T, Cordeux, Agent,

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THE

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR JULY, 1813.

BIOGRAPHY.

MR

MEMOIR OF MR. GEORGE WALKER, OF CHESTER.

BY MR. JOHN GUALTER.

R. GEORGE WALKER, the subject of this Memoir, was born in the city of Chester, in the month of October, 1739. His family, if it could not claim the first alliances of fortune and literature, was respectable; and maintained a character in life, which was as reputable to themselves, as it is honourable to their successors. His parents were distinguished for their regard to the moral obligations of society, and their conduct, founded upon principle, was unvaried and exact. They had the most proper regard to all the decencies of the public worship of God, but their apprehensions of the true saving knowledge of the gospel, were confused and indistinct. In conformity with the prevalent creed of unenlightened men on that first of subjects, they mistook the decorum of life, and regularity in the forms of worship, for the whole of religion. This too common, but gross delusion, is the secret cause, managed by the grand adversary, of those deplorable mistakes, which at once dishonour the work of the Redeemer, defeat the purposes of revelation, and involve our race in sin without remedy, and guilt without salvation.

What report can the dispensers of such crude and unauthorised sentiments give to the Head of the Church? They may be traced up to any other source, rather than that which they would filiate; and although, in effect, they have been taught in the ancient and modern schools of ethical philosophy, they neither meet with any countenance, nor derive any support from that form of sound words, that disclosure of the mind of God, in his own most sacred volume.

VOL. XXXVI. JULY, 1813.

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