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ODE FOR THE NEW YEAR,

REFLECTION.

AGAIN, quick-footed Time hath run
Its annual fix'd career;
And, with unceasing step, bagun
A new eventful year.

Fit season, sure, by Heav'n design'd
For retrospective view,
To call the period past to mind,
And life begin anew.

How swift the flight of Time hath been!
How short the past appears
A scanty glance surveys the scene
Of many absent years!

Yet short and fleeting as they are,
Important things depend
On what report to Heav'n they bear,
And how their flight shall end!
From God they come, and space afford
For man's delight and use:
To God they fly, with full record
Of blessing or abuse.

I would my squander'd days redeem,
My years misspent bemoan;
And all my future life esteem
A's held for God alone.

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PRAISE.

And hope for a better New Year!

Thou Source of Existence and Ancient of Days,
How faithful thy promise! how wond'rous thy ways 1
Through ages succeeding thy bounty was known!
Unchanging thy being, eternal thy throne !

Thou Fountain of Life, and thou Father of all,
The worlds and the creatures began at thy call!
Thy word bid Creation in order arise;

Laid Earth's firm foundation, and furnish'd the skies]
The Sun's fervid glory, the Moon's silver'd face,
The bright Stars that spangle the regions of space,
Revolve at thy pleasure, and shine by thy light,
Our seasons to measure, our day and our night!
Thy numberless creatures upon thee depend;
For thou art their Maker, Preserver, and End!
Thou givest them daily their rest and their food;
And all things that really shall work for their good!
Time witness'd our fall, and thy sentence so just,
That limits our years and consigns us to dust!
And Time saw the Saviour our sorrows sustain,
To raise us to favour and glory again !

Time wings round its circle; yet, swift as it flies,
Thy blessing the wants of thy children supplies!
Thy wisdom directs them through darkness and fears
Thy power protects them when danger is near!

Life's changes uncertain thy goodness controuls,
For peace to their spirits, and health of their souls!
In all their denials thy patience they prove;
And find all their trials are sweeten'd with love!

Time hastens away to eternity fast,
As rivers are lost in the ocean at last.
O God, we adore thee, for hope so divine,
Of reigning in glory, eternally thine!

ALIQUIS

THE HOTTENTOTS IN LONDON.

The Gentiles shall come unto thee, from the ends of the carth, &c.

JEHOVAH Spake, and truth attends his word,

The Gentile nations shall confess their Lord;
"Mess ah's reign shall o'er the world extend;
"And his firm throne endure til time shall end !'
Each passing age the promise blest reveals;
Each distant clime the spreading conquest feels;
Each diff'rent tribe shall by the cross be won;
And all the kingdoms be in Jesus one

Europe, once Pagan, barbarous, and blind,
Now civiliz'd, enlighten'd, and refin'd,

Avows the Christian faith; while thousands share
Its blessings, who disgrace the name they bear!
Yet Europe hath its righteous souls, who aim
To spread around the world a Saviour's name:
O'er seas and desarts bold they persevere;
And lo! at length, the first ripe fruits appear!

Who are these of olive hue,

Varied forms of human race,
Uttering language harsh and new
Strangers from some distant place?
Children these of Nature rude,

In a land af darkness born;
By oppression's rad subdued,-
Europe's ridicule and scorn.
Wand'ring wild o'er Afric's plain,
Their untulor'd hordes abound,
And degraded life maintain,

Like the brutes that graze around.
Naked, but as filth arrays;

Artless, but as want constrains;
Lawless, but as passion sways,
Or as hopeless slav'ry chains.

Knowing not their Maker's name;
Having vot the means to know;
Void of decency or shame,

And unconscious of their woe,

Jer. xvi. 1

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*The Hottentot Clap Language.

Wealth or wisdom, pow'r or art,
Might attempt the change in vain :
These can never reach the heart, -

These the wretched tribes disdain. 'Twas the gospel's joyful sound,

By the voice of love convey'd,
Reach'd their misery profound,
And its pard'ning grace display'd,

Hail, thou blessed gospel, hail !

Where thy faithful heralds run,
Peate, and love, and joy pr.vail,
Glory is on earth begun!
Slaves of sin releas'd by thee,
Jesus' friends and servants are,
Form on earth his family,

And his heav'nly kingdon share!}

Say, boasting Infidel, can all your schemes
To civilize the world, such converts find?
Could vain Philosophy's delusive dreams,

Or Reason's morals thus renew the mind,
Would your philanthropy the work design,

To seek the wretched of the human race,
'Mid Iceland's snows, or Afric's burning line,
To spread the knowledge of a Saviour's grace?
God works by means that prove his sov'reign hand;
Inspires the humble to confound the wise;
Effects, by simple agents, movements grand;
Marks out the track, and ready strength supplies !
Nor wealth nor fame attend the arduous deed

But toils and dangers strew the rugged way:
Unbought they labour, and unarm'd succeed;
Their sword is truth, and souls renew'd their pay

O ye, who mourn a world in error dead,

Whose spirits cry," Lord, let thy kingdom come,
Who long to see the glorious gospel spread,

And pant to welcome wand'ring sinners home, --
Rejoice! your pray'rs have reach'd the throne above!
Go on; the word hath reach'd remotest lands !
Your work of faith, and labour sweet of love,
Shall prosper in the great Redeemer's hands!

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ALIQUIS.

The Convert.

No more, my soul, let sensual joy,
Or earthly snares thy peace annoy:
Let trifles, vain as these, employ

The sin deluded dreamer.
Disdain the gay, but worthless flow'rs;
For nobler ends exert thy pow`rs,
And consecrate thy happier hours

To praise thy great Redeemer !
Reviewing former misspent years,
What folly and what sin appears!
My God, I mourn, with groans and tears,
My grievous misbehaviour!
Thy patience each past hour displays
Be thine alone my future days!
Oh guide my heart, my lips, my ways,
To glorify my Saviour!

From foolest stains of guit and shame,
Oh, cleanse my soul in Jeses' name!
To suffer and to die he came,

From endless wor to case us!
Such love hast thou to sinners sho vn!
Such grace to me, the chie', made known i
In ev'ry heart erect thy trone,

And reign for ever, Jesus i

A HYMN TO JESUS.

SUNG BY THE HOTTENTOTS.

[Translated from the Dutch.]

Taken down and barmonized by James Hancock.

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O Zi-on's King! thou Son of God, Ex-alt- ed on thy Father's throne!

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Printed by G. AULD, Greville Street, London,

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