ODE

ON

THE NATIVITY OF OUR SAVIOUR. WHAT glowing beams the heav'ns adorn! What music hails the rising morn!

What angei hymns are these? Hark! dulcet notes from golden lyres, Attun'd to raptur'd seraphs' fires,

Announce the Prince of Peace.

In strains like these the wond'rous plan
Of peace and pardon seal'd to man,

Th' unfolding skies proclaim;
Bid earth, rejoicing, own her Lord,
At whose primeval potent word
Arose the beauteous frame.

In empyrean realms of light,
Grown vocal with the new delight,
Angelic natures know:

"To God be glory: God is love."
Lo! Mercy leaves her throne above,
To dwell with man below.

The golden age begins to run;
See-on the world, Salvation's Sun
From orient climes arise.
Worshipp'd by all th' angelic choir,
He comes, th' expectant world's desire,
In poverty's disguise.

Prophetic of his mental sway,
Enlighten'd by his wisdom's ray,

See Wisdom's sons adore.

In homage to the world's great King,
Arabia's richest odours bring,

And Sala's golden ore.

The rocky wilds with roses bloom,
Unsightly thorns exhale perfume,

Whose fragrance fills the skies:
Majestic mountains bow their head,
With cedars and with palms o'erspread,
And lonely vallies rise.

Pure streams the thirsty desart grace,
Where the gaunt lion's tawny race

With tender lambs shall feed;
And Innocence, with fearless air,
Play near the dragon's reedy lair,

And docile leopards lead.

From Judah's pastor-king, whose fold
Confess'd a shepherd's care of old,

Shall earth's salvation spring.
Seraphic music fills the air,
Again glad tidings shepherds bear,

And hail the new-born King.

Mercy and truth's united strains
Declare" The world's Great Shepherd
reigns:

"Ye nations own his sway;
"Who feeds you with a shepherd's love,
"Who leads you to his rest above,
"By truth's unerring w
way."

Why doth not Israel own her God?
Who bears the royal Judah's rod,

Whom all the prophets sing.
Levi-behold the Virgin's Son;
Elijah see-his Lord forerun,

Proclaiming Israel's King.

Oh, Solyma, thy sons no more,
In thy bright portals shall adore,

Once Heav'n's adopted race;
No more in spiry columns rise,
Thine altar's incense to the skies,

Circling the throne of grace.
A Gentile race shall now impart
Truths that shall purify the heart;
Give faith's aspirlag eye,
With transports, clearly to behold
What thy dark oracles foretold,
A life beyond the sky.

Heav'n's banner o'er their heads shall
wave,

Alike to conquer or to save,

Invincible be found:

The fiery darts the foe shall wield;
Against faith's adamantine shield,

Shall fall extinct around.

Salvation shall their helmet shine,
Immanuel's righteousness divine,

Clothe like a sun their breast;
Theirs be the Spirit's piercing sword;
Bright effluence of th' Eternal Word,
Pointing to endless rest.

Pure zeal their fearless feet shall guide
O'er ev'ry ocean's unknown tide,

Salvation's sound to hear;
Ferocious roaming hordes to tame,
And raise their earth-bound spirits aim
To Heav'n's immortal sphere.

The sacred soul. exalting lore,
From pole to pole, from shore to shore,
Glad proselytes shall gain;
From the low cottage to the throne,
That, till the world expires, shall own
Messiah's righteous reign.

W.C.

556

EVENING HYMN.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

O THOU! the Parent of the day,

The God of ev'ry hour,
Fain would I dwell upon thy love,
Thy goodness, and thy pow'r.
May that reflection now be mine
The season should inspire,
The lighter thoughts of day supprest,—
Supprest each vague desire!
Perhaps, at this still, soleinn hour,

Some spirit wings its way;
Or, in the chamber's sullen gloom,
Now sickens to decay;
And ere another morning's sun
At thy command shall rise,
Commission'd Death's unerring hand
May close these waking eyes!
Tremendous thought! and can my doom
The fleeting moments seal?
Seme moment, swiftly hast'ning, will
Th' amazing truth reveal.

Great God! while roll the midnight hours,

O let me own thy care;
And through each perio, yet unseen,
Thy living presence share.
Though deep'ning shadows all around
A dark confusion throw,
Yet in this bosom darker still,

'Tis thine each thought to know.
Oh there, with gratitude and love,
May Faith and Joy reside;
Nor aught beneath yon vaulted skies
My brighter hopes divide.

So, when the day of life is past

(The mortal veil withdrawn) Then on my raptur'd, longing sight, Eternity shall dawn!

Tooley Street.

PASTOR.

Orphan Boy's Lamentation.

An, what a cloud o'erspreads my sky,-
Neglected and forlorn I roam,
A poor unthought-of wretched boy,
Bereav'd of parents and a home!
From place to place 1 pensive go,
To ease the bitter pangs of woe.

Once had I parents, parents dear,
More precious far to me than gold;
Who watch'd my steps with anxious care,
Who screen'd my tender limbs from cold.

Thrice happy days were those to me;
But ah! what diff'rent days I see!
No father now to guide my feet,

No mother's tender voice I hear! No more their daily converse sweet Fills with delight my list'ning ear!

Ah no! I'm left to wander on,
Forsaken, wretched, and forlorn.
Ere I was twelve, relentless Death,
Regardless of my heaving sigh,
Stretch'd forth his arm, and snatch'd their
breath,

And rent in twain each tender tie!
Oh, mournful hour, when 1, poor I,
Was left a wand'ring orphan boy!
Some guardian angel take their place,
Or whisper in some gracious ear,
Whose pitying heart shall feei my case,
Whose hand shall wipe the falling tear;
That no disaster may destroy
A poor and helpless orphan boy.

THE YOUNG CONVERI'S PRAYER
My youth, my youth, O Lord, secure
From ev'ry lurking foe;
Teach me to flee each tempting lure
That seeks my overthrow.

For Oh, what floods of lust and pride
Unite their subtle force

To court and draw my heart aside;
But thou canst stay their course.
Direct mine inexperienc'd feet, 1
That they shall stray no more;
Thou know'st their proneness to repeat
The steps they've trod before.
Lord, send thy Spirit from above,
To shed its rays benign,
That I decidedly may prove
Myself a child of thine!

O then I'll let my neighbours see
That Jesus is my friend;
My Saviour and my refuge he,

On whom my hopes depend.
While some may sing of beauty's charms,
And some of pleasures vain,

And some of wealth, and some of arms,
I'll sing a nobler strain:

I'll sing the glories of thy grace,

The meltings of thy love;
And mine affections will I place

On thee and thine above.

Yea, earth shall sink beneath my feet,
If thou but speak the word;
And my quick ardent pulse shall beat
But to exalt my Lord.
J B.

G. AULD, Printer, Greville Street, London.

TO THE

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE,

FOR THE YEAR 1803.

MEMOIR

OF

THE LATE REV. JOSEPH RADFORD.

Ir is impossible to view the various distinguishing excel lencies of the servants of our dear Immanuel, without admiring the wisdom of the Spirit of the Lord, who divides to every man severally as he will. To some he imparts qualifications for extensive usefulness, in awaking the careless: to others, skill instrumentally, to bind up the broken heart, and comfort the feeble mind. One is indulged to gather a church; another is peculiarly fitted to tend and feed it when formed: all have reason to be thankful; none have any occasion of boasting. Men of the greatest talents have not every talent; there is a wise and gracious distribution. It will not, however, be deemed presumptuous to say, that those whom the Lord has been pleased to favour with the necessary requisites for general usefulness and continued reputation, who never were exposed to the snare of momentary popularity, nor ever sunk into neglect and oblivion, are among the happiest and most honourable, not to say the most enviable, of all the ministers of Christ. Such a one was the subject of the present memoir.

The Rev. Joseph Radford was born in the parish of Stepney, July 21, 1752. His father, who was a reputable tradesman, died when he was but two years old; and the business continued to be carried on by his mother; but, alas! with so little success, that when the Lord removed her by a fever, during his apprenticeship, it appears, that not only all her own property was consumed, but also an estate of seventeen houses, which his father had left him by will; so that all his earthly 4 C

XI.