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meeting on Friday evening. There are some persons under convictions, to whom such a meeting, by the blessing of God, may be useful.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. Bourn, Mis- | sionary at Honduras, to a Friend in the neighbourhood of Kidderminster, dated Belize, Sept. 26, 1823.

MY DEAR BROTHER,

The land all along this coast lies uncultivated for miles, and belongs to any one who has a mind to take it up and cultivate it. It is mostly very fertile, and will produce any thing grown in the West Indies. My dear Brother, live near to God;—I beg an interest in your prayers. Give my love to all friends, and accept the same yourself, from an affectionate brother in Christ, JOSEPH Bourn.

To the Editor of the New Evan. Magazine.
SIR,

In your Magazine for March last, you have inserted an article, relating to the distressed circumstances of Mrs. Cook and family, signed by the minister and deacon of the Baptist church at Wells; in which are these expressions,-" Mr. Cook, with a noble generosity, expended his wife's fortune, in the purchase and fitting up of a place of worship."

Your's with others came safe to hand, as probably you have learned by this, by a Letter I have written to my Mother some time ago. I would have written to you then, but I had a great deal of writing in hand, which I could not defer; believe me it was not for the want of inclination, but from the unavoidable pressure of business. When I say business, I mean not that I am engaged in any mere worldly avocation, but there are different kinds of business, what relates to this world and that which is to come. The great business of the Christian, especially of the Minister, in this life, is with the kingdom of God in his own soul, and in the souls of others. To establish this the Lord came down from heaven; he laboured, he taught, and at last yielded himself a sacrifice to death. To establish this, apostles preached in season and out of season, and were always abounding in the work of the Lord. If we live, my dear Brother, to any great pur- As this assertion has been questioned, pose, we shall live for this; indeed, com- and doubts raised in this neighbourhood, pared to this, nothing else is worth living which have tended to paralize the efforts of for. Not that I say every man is to leave Mrs. Cook's friends, I have taken pains the situation in which God has placed him, to investigate the business, and think it my but to glorify God in it, and do all the duty to communicate to the public, through good he can by the gifts, means, and op- the medium of your Magazine, the result of portunities God has given him; this is my enquiries; first premising that I well urged by the very great obligations under know Mr. Shell and Mr. Payne, whose which, as a Christian, he is laid to God-signatures are affixed to the case; and the little he has done in his past life to glorify God, and the shortness of his remaining days, if indeed they are spared him. Brethren, the time is short," work while it is day, for the night cometh in which no man can work; it hasteth on, it will soon be here; let us not sleep as do others. The loss you refer to,* I deeply feel in this land of sin and strangers. As to the climate it agrees upon the whole with my constitution; many who arrived here before and since I came have been carried off, while as yet I have not been confined to a bed of sickness; this is a mercy I cannot be sufficiently thankful for. There are vessels running continually between here and the United States, and their passage in going and returning is about six or eight weeks. I expect soon a (wood) place of worship, from thence, 64 by 34 feet. With respect to the cause of Christ, I trust the Lord has a work to do here, but it will require time, labour, and patience for it to be accomplished. I have three services on the Sunday, besides the Sunday school, which is as much as another, to attend to; one service at six in the morning, one between breakfast and dinner, the school in the afternoon, and preaching in the evening. Another service on the Monday evening, another on Wednesday, a little way out of Town, another on Thursday evening, and I am just on the eve of beginning an experience

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having the best opinion of their characters, can have no idea that they would willingly sanction any thing, which would not bear to be exhibited in the light of the noon-day sun; and, moreover, declaring that the information which I have received, comes from a person, whose veracity I can no more question, than I would that of an angel sent from heaven for the express purpose of declaring the truth.

My informant tells me, that "The house which was afterwards fitted up as a chapel was sold by auction: that Mr. Cook, sen. the father of the late Mr. George Cook, bid for it, and purchased it for him, intending it for his residence. That Mr. Cook, jun. paid the deposit next morning. That the purchase was in due time completed. And that about that time, or soon after, Mr. George Cook having received several hundred pounds from the executor of his wife's father, and having taken the purchase on himself, determined to convert it into a chapel, towards which his father gave £20. for the use of the congregation, which had before assembled in his own house. This design he carried into execntion at his own risque and responsibility, to an amount at least equal to his wife's fortune; which, at that time, constituted the major part, if not the whole of his property, the stock in trade being absolutely his father's, for which bonds were given to a consider able amount, and interest paid. It appears *This refers to his afflictive bereavement in the decease of Mrs. B.

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EDITOR.

that a part of the money was afterwards
repaid to Mr. Cook, and the place itself
vested in the hands of trustees; but as by
his will, he left all his property to satisfy the
demands of his creditors, a claim is justly
made upon the Meeting-house to the
amount of £350. by one of his relatives,
who has acted the part of executrix. And
it is supposed that, a fear lest the case of
the poor church at Wells, who feel the
burden of this debt, should sustain injury
by the sentence alluded to, has elicited
expressions which motives of a less justi-
fiable nature have assisted in diffusing, to
the disadvantage of Mrs. Cook's case.
However, whether Mr. Cook was the ori-
ginal purchaser, or took the house from his
father: and whether the money was ori-
ginally paid from the trade, or with his
wife's fortune, the responsibility was his
alone, and her property was involved in that
responsibility. I therefore conceive the
expressions to be fully justifiable, and can-
not help thinking, that there is a degree of
cruelty manifested by some, who appear
quite willing that the family should remain
in the state of depression, to which great
and unforeseen misfortunes have reduced
them. Some think this circumstance should
not have been introduced into Mrs. Cook's
case; I think otherwise, especially as she
fully approved of, and consented to this
appropriation of the property in question.
Whilst writing on this subject, I cannot
help adding a word or two on the integrity
manifested by Mr. Cook, in the final dis-
posal of his effects.

It appears that his father left him a freehold property in reversion, of the value of £1010.; which, it was supposed, had he died without a will, would have been his son's at the death of his grandmother; and therefore after the occurrence of the misfortunes which, no doubt, broke his heart, he bequeathed this, as well as his other property, to his creditors: leaving his wife and children with no other inheritance, either in possession or prospect, but the protection and support of that God whom he served, and in whom he trusted. And it is a source of satisfaction to his friends, that no one, beyond the pale of his own family, will have to reproach his memory with the loss of a shilling; and it is hoped that they will lose but little, except the rent of the freehold above mentioned, though as one only of the two executrices has acted, and access to Mr. Cook's accounts is not in my power, it is a point upon which I cannot decidedly speak.

Perhaps some persons may question the prudence of Mr. Cook's conduct in the case alluded to. To me it appears a memorable instance of devotedness to God, and zeal for his glory, worthy of admiration, though not perhaps of general imitation. And, therefore, whilst I entertain the sincerest respect for his memory, and an earnest compassion for his family, I am determined to use my best endeavours to promote their welfare and fulfil the duties of, A Friend to the Widow and Fatherless Children of GEORGE Cook.

199

To the Editor of the New Evan. Magazine,
DEAR SIR,

Having been called by Divine Pro-
vidence to spend eight or nine days in the
country, I have not had an opportunity of
attending any of the public meetings which
have been held in London; but have heard
some very pleasing and gratifying accounts
from some of my Christian friends. I am
looking forward to the Annual Meeting of
our own denomination, and I do most sin-
cerely and devoutly pray, that the Lord
may pour out his Holy Spirit in an abun
dant manner upon them. I confess I am a
little alarmed at some circumstances; and
as I am not now quite a young man, having
occupied one pulpit nearly thirty-nine
years, I hope I shall be excused if I make
a few serious remarks as to the cause of my
uneasiness: especially as I have two Sons,
who are Pastors of churches, besides seve-
ral others who once called me their Pastor.
I deeply lament, that it is become a very
frequent practice, particularly on public
occasions, for ministers to read their Ser-
mons-a practice which, I believe, to be
both unscriptural and unprofitable. I felt
it an imperative duty incumbent upon me
as a Father, when I addressed my eldest
Son from Paul's words to Timothy, Preach
the word,' never to read his Sermons. Yea,
I solemnly enjoined it upon him, I hope in
the fear of God, never to accept any in-
vitation to preach on any public occasion,
till he possessed temerity sufficient, to cast
himself upon himself, upon the candour
and kindness of any congregation, and
confidence in the gracious promise of the
exalted Redeemer, (who has said,
Lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the
world,) sufficiently strong to trust in him
for the assistance of the Holy Spirit. If
ever he practically disregard that charge,
while I live I shall deeply deplore the cir-
cumstance; I shall consider that God is
dishonoured, and his father disobeyed.
The second circumstance which is a source
of sorrow to my mind, is the inòrdinate
length to which such services have been
generally protracted. I will not mention
particulars, lest the preachers should think
me personal and severe. I leave their
consciences to make the application. My
object is to prevent what I consider to be
disgraceful to any man in the world, and
an offence to any congregation.

66

If you will permit these thoughts to appear, I will cheerfully bear all the censures which they may bring upon me, as no individual beneath the sun has seen these lines.

Yours, very respectfully,
JAMES UPTON, Sen.

No. 4, Brunswick Street,
- Blackfriars Road.

POSTSCRIPT.

The sincere respect which we entertain for MR. UPTON, has induced us to print his letter; at the same time, we crave permission to add, that if there exist no greater cause for "alarm," than those which he has specified, we should hope his alarm might be very safely allowed to subside. In our humble opinion the offences, should they exist in the present instance, are not of vital importanee. EDITOR.

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200

Original Poetry.

HOUSE APPOINTED FOR ALL LIVING.

SOLEMN and mute with sacred awe,
Great monarch Death, to whose high law
All must their homage pay;
Amid thy silent dark domains,
Drear rest-house from terrestrial pains,
Thoughtful and slow I stray.

An awe inspiring sadness round
These gloomy mansions bangs, profound
As tho' her last deep groan,
Nature herself had heav'd; and from
The world retiring to the tomb,

Deep silence reign'd alone.

Pride and ambition are unknown;
A grassy hillock or a stone

Sepulchral marks the spot

Where sleeps profound the once crown'd head,
And humble poor bave made their bed,
Both left alike to rot.

Here side by side in quiet state,
Nor fell revenge, nor feverish hate

Disturb the mould'ring bust;
Sworn foes and angry chiefs reside,
Nor former feuds can now divide
The incorporated dust.

Newtonian sages, white with years,
Whose sleeping dust, bedew'd with tears
Which genius self has shed,

In low prostration with the child,
Whose speechless tongue no care beguil❜d,
Are number'd with the dead.

If genius weeps when crown'd with wreaths
Of well earn'd laurels, or whose sheaves
Stand thickly all around,

Her veteran sons at close of day,
From her embrace are torn away,

To rest from thought profound.
How high must grief tumultuous rise,
How deep must be her widow'd cries,

When giant youths are slain; When opening glories dazzling bright, Appear'd awhile to cheer our night,

And then were lost again.

SPENCER has fall'n! O woe fraught sound,
As newly giv'n, the deep made wound
Continues still to flow;

The soft persuasive lore which hung,
Or fell like manna froin his tongue,
The world no more can know.

Glasgow still weeps at DURANT's name,
Snatch'd early from the fields of fame,
So well prepar'd to reap;
MARTYN and WHITE, and TAYLOR too,
And martyr'd SMITH are lost to view,
Genius must more than weep.

Insatiate Monster! stay thy hand,
Nor deeper drench our mourning land,
In floods of briny woe.

But hush my murm'rings! cease my grief!
This thought reviving, gives relief,

Wisdom ordains it so.

Mystery conceals in rayless night,
The conduct of the INFINITE,
From man of mortal days;
'Tis ours to bend adoring low,
And while we cannot fully know,
To justify his ways.

The universal doom is seal'd,
And all that mortal is must yield,
Or all that moves or lives.
Changeless as Mede or Persian law-
This great this sanguinary war

Nor spares, nor discharge knows. Honor nor wealth, nor pow'r can save, Nor talent bribe the greedy grave,

Nor beauty's self can move. The wit, the fool, the base, the good, The man of peace, the man of blood, The same event must prove. BYRON must fall! his sceptic mind High taught, shall yet instruction find; But ah! how sad to know; Mistake of all mistakes the worst, Each scatter'd particle of dust Gather'd for endless woe.

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