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To a withering Rose that had been trans-
planted by the Author, 1815.
Midst gayer flowers awhile to bloom,
rais'd thee from thy native bed,
Alas! I but prepared a tomb;
Already droops thy beauteous head.

Say, have the Sun's meridian rays
Beam'd on thee with resistless force,
And like the breath of flatt'ring praise
Blasted thy beauty at the source?

No; morn and eve have scarcely flown,
Nor scorching noon bas o'er thee past,
Yet low to earth thy stem is prone,
Thy life's bright morning all o'ercast.
Thus, by misjudging kindness torn
Beluctant, from its genial shades,
To sink the prey of fortune's scorn,
Full many an op'ning virtue fades.
How oft the hand of friendly pow'r
In mis'ry's aid arrives too late,
So vainly now this falling show'r
Would still arrest thy hapless fate.

To grace thee, lovely sight of woe,
In idle sorrow does it weep,
As glistening in their wonted shew
The crystal drops thy blossoms steep.
OTIOSA.

To a Crocus,

Which has blown for thirty years on the same
Spot.

Welcome, thrice welcome, little flower,
Blooming harbinger of Spring;
With thee we hail the genial hour,
Borne on the vernal zephyr's wing.

Exhausted nature droops and dies,
Chill winter holds his dreary reign;
Thou blossom'st, and the earth revives,
The op'ning buds appear again.

Gay woodbines and the blushing rose,
On summer gales their fragrance shed;
But thou, sweet flow'ret, 'mid the snows
Of winter, rear'st thy tender head.
Kind Nature's first-born darling child,
Chaste leader of the flow'ry host,

Not summer bright, nor autumn mild, -
A lovelier ornament can boast.
The radiant sun in splendour drest,
Has thrice ten seasons led the day;
And thou with constancy confess'd
His genial power and cheering ray.
Renew thy blossoms, lovely flower,
Inspiring hope and confidence ;
Though storms may rage and tempests
low'r,

Fear not, thy shield is Innocence.

A. C.

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( 243 ) OBITUARY.

On Thursday, the 18th of January, at Doncaster, after a short indisposition, in the 81st year of his age, the Rev. RICHARD HODGSON, Unitarian Minister at that place, where in connexion with Long Houghton he continued preaching until six months before his death, for the last fifteen years. He was the son of the Rev. John Hodgson, the minister at Lincoln. He received his education at Glasgow and Warrington: on his removal from thence he married Miss Lightfoot, daughter of the Unitarian minister at Osset, at which place he commenced the ministry, succeeding his wife's father, and for sixty years faithfully and unremittingly preached the gospel. He had by her seven children, (two having since died) four of whom he had the satisfaction to see advantageously settled in Sheffield. From Osset he removed to Monton and continued to discharge the various duties of the ministry for many years. He afterwards went to Namptwich, where he preached thirtyone years. The former part of his time there he devoted to the education of a small number of young gentlemen. He then succeeded the Rev. Mr. Scott, at Doncaster. Although the smallness of the congregation there would often cause him a momentary concern, yet it proved no discouragement to his zeal and perseverance; he seldom suffered any thing except indisposition to interfere with the performance of his duty, and could not be prevailed upon by his children or friends (who long thought him unequal to the exertion) to retire, until he was completely incapacitated for public service. He was blessed with a strong constitution, uncommon vigour and activity at his advanced period of life, until the loss of his excellent wife, who died the 10th of October, 1812, in the 76th year of her age that deprivation produced in him a material change, though he bowed with humble submission to the will of heaven; since that time his intellectual faculties lost their vigour, and his health was gradually on the decline. Thro ghout life, he exhibited a natural cheerfulness of mind united with sensibility of heart, and in his last illness he exemplified the true spirit of Christian fortitude, patience under his sufferings, and derived great consolation from those principles of faith he had imbibed himself, and endeavoured to instil into the minds of others—“ The memory of the just is blessed." His children will ever remember his tender concern for their welfare, *and his grandchildren his affectionate disposition and engaging manners.

The above is inserted as a tribute of affection and respect by a part of his surviving family.

Sheffield, March 19, 1816.

K.

At Saffron Walden, on Friday, March 1st, 1816, in the 73d year of his age, Mr. JOSEPH EEDES, for many years a deacon of the General Baptist Church in that town. He was a worthy member' of society in general, and particularly useful to the religious society to which he belonged. He was a bright and ornamental character as a Christian; loved and respected by persons of different persuasions in religion for his mild and peaceable temper, his charitable disposition and good will to all. He truly adorned the doctrines of Christianity. His death was easy and calm; he was resigned to the will of heaven, and fell asleep without a sigh or groan. He was interred March 12, in his family vault, in the burial ground belonging to the General Baptists in Saffron Walden. An impressive sermon was preached on the occasion by his minister, the Rev. S. Philpot, from 1 Thessalonians iv. 13, 14, to a respectable and crowded audience, who testified their regard to the good man by paying this last tribute of respect to his memory: an appropriate Oration at the grave finished the last part of the solemn scene.

H..

Died, March 228, 1816, in her fiftysecond year, ANN, wife of Mr. Robert BLYTH, of Birmingham, (to whom she was married April 10, 1783), and daughter of the late Mr. George Brittain, merchant, of Sheffield. The best qualities of the understanding and of the heart were united in this valuable woman. A worshipper, on inquiry and from conviction, of the one God, the Father, in the name of the man Christ Jesus, she adorned her religious profession by the spirit of genuine meekness, humility, devotion and beneficence. Her estimable and liberal-minded parents had educated her in the principles of the Established Church. The events, however, of her early life, led her to examine the foundation of Unitarian Dissent: she reflected and read much on the subject; and, comparing with the scriptures what she heard respecting it in conversation and in public discourses, she saw reason to embrace that simple faith in the evidences and obligations of which she assiduously instructed her children; ten out of eleven, of whom survive to bless her memory and attempt the imitation of her virtues. In her family and neighbourhood, in a large circle of associates, through which the sweetness of her temper and manners uniformly shed delight, and in the religious community of which she was a distinguished ornament, her death has occasioned a vacancy that will not be easily supplied. All her duties were discharged with eminent wisdom, affection and fidelity. As a daugh

244

Obituary. Mr. Joshua Joyce.-Mr. James Drover.

:

ter and a wife, not less than as a mother, she was, above most, deservedly admired and beloved. To the voice of friendship and the feelings of enlightened piety she was ever alive and her submission to the Divine Will, through many years of bodily Languor, presented a truly engaging and edifying spectacle. Of such a character a sketch is now given, that the graces of it may be emulated: around such a tomb Christian mourners may join in two employments which are among the noblest, the most beneficial and the most soothing, of any that can occupy the contemplative mind-in virtuous recollection and in the indulgence of sacred and even exulting hope!

was,

On the 29th of March, in the 60th year of his age, and exactly seven weeks after the death of his mother, (see p. 110,) Mr. JOSHUA JOYCE, of Essex Street, Strand, highly respected as well for the activity and usefulness of his talents as for the uprightness and integrity of his conduct in every relation of life. By the death of his father in 1778, when he was a very young man, the care of the junior branches of the family, in a great measure, devolved on him, whose concerns he managed with zeal and disinterestedness. The patrimony resulting to them was small, but to the younger brother, in addition to an equal share with the rest of the children, was bequeathed a small copyhold, supposed by his father, to be his right as youngest son. The subject of the present article however, informed, when he appeared in court to pay the usual fine, in behalf of his brother, that he might dispute his father's will and claim it for himself, the idea of which he instantly rejected. By this act of disinterestedness the youth, in whose favour it was done, was enabled, when he came of age, and had completed the term of his apprenticeship, in which he had been engaged about a year, to quit mechanical employments and to devote himself, under the patronage of the late Rev. Hugh Worthington, to those studies that are necessary qualifications for the profession of a dissenting minister. In 1794, when his brother was singled out by the late Mr, Pitt as a victim, with others, to be sacrificed. at the shrine of his wicked ambition, Mr. Joshua Joyce zealously interested himself in his behalf, and that of the other state prisoners; and the late Mr. John Horne Tooke has frequently asserted, that himself and friends were more indebted to his exertions than to those of any other man in defeating the projects of ministers, who, at that period, were conspiring to subvert the liberties and constitution of the country. The minister had hoped to perplex and confound the prisoners, by sending to each, or causing to be sent, an unheard of number of persons as jurymen, and to use his own phrase a cloud of witnesses whose cha

racters it would be difficult, if not impossible to scrutinize in the short period of ten days; but by the constant and unwearied efforts of the subject of this article, with the aid of other persons of great respectability, who felt that on the issue of those trials depended the liberties and safety of every man in the realm, as well as the lives of the accused; the characters and motives of four hundred and twenty-one persons were fully investigated in the time allowed: the minister was baffled, his spies detected, and himseif discomfited and disgraced.

Many private trusts were committed to the care of Mr. Joyce, which he executed with fidelity and to the satisfaction of those for whose interests he was engaged. He has left a widow and ten children to deplore his loss: the latter by imitating his virtues will do honour, to the character of an excellent parent, aud probably secure to themselves the reputation and success in the world which are, to the young and well disposed, always objects of laudable am

bition.

Highgate.

J. J.

Addition to the Obituary of MR. JAMES DROVER, p. 184. (Extracted from the conclusion of Mr. Aspland's Funeral Sermon for him, just published.)

Here I might conclude. But I shall be expected perhaps to say a few words on the sad occasion of this Sermon; and I shall fulfil this expectation as far as appears to me consistent with propriety and serviceable to the cause of righteousness and truth. Funeral sermons are however for the benefit of the living only, and any further praise of the dead than may excite the virtuous imitation of survivors would be useless and even painful: within this limit I shall strictly confine myself.

The sentiments of the discourse which you have just heard were familiar to the mind of our departed brother, Mr. JAMES DROVER. He was in the constant habit of putting down his thoughts and feelings in writing; and amongst his last-written manuscripts there has been found a paper, with this remarkable sentence, " When I arrive at the closing period of my existence, if I can look back with as much satisfaction as I now look on my present sentiments, I shall die with confidence in the divine mercy."

Hence it appears, that though the death of our respected friend was sudden, it was not, in the most important sense of the word, untimely; it did not find him unprepared. He was, in fact, a truly religious

man.

I know no one, not engaged in the study of divinity by the duties of a profession, who read and thought so much upon sacred subjects. He was accustomed to frequent retirement; and the papers which he has left behind show how his retirement was occupied, namely, in the inquiry after

Intelligence.-Christian Tract Society.

Christian truth and in the cultivation of a pious temper. He was particularly conversant with the Holy Scriptures, and his family and nearest friends can bear witness how he prized this inestimable volume, His religious opinions underwent of late years some considerable change, and he is well-known to have embraced cordially and to have professed unreservedly the Unitarian faith. He thought himself the happier and the better for the change; nor was he singular in this persuasion. But whatever may be the judgment of the world upon his creed, it may be confidently affirmed that no one can ascribe his adoption of it to a want of examination or to a defect of religious feeling, much less to motives of self-interest. He sought for truth in the Holy scriptures, and, persuaded that he had found it, he held it firmly, and recommended it to the conscientious consideration of his fellow-christians.

His zeal was at the same time tempered by charity. He condemned no one for retaining opinions which he himself gave up. He esteemed and honoured highly many Christians, whom I see before me, whose faith was very different from his own. On the same paper from which I borrowed the sentence which I have just read, there is the following record of his liberality, which agrees with the tenour of all his conversations on the subject, "I do think many are as sincerely wrong as others are sincerely right." Our deceased Christian brother's piety was manifested by his regularly filling up his place in this House of Prayer, where he was an attentive hearer and a devout worshipper, and by his daily observance of the too much neglected duty of family devotiou.

What he was in the intercourse of life, his neighbours and friends are best able to declare. But I know I shall not lay my self open to contradiction, when I say that though he had failings which he himself was the first to acknowledge and lament, and over which it was the business of his life to get the mastery, he was just in his dealings, temperate in his enjoyments, innocent in his discourse, ready to serve his fellow-creatures, especially such as were in trouble and distress, and of an independent and public spirit.

245

His last illness was so rapid and so enfeebling as to allow of few opportunities for the expression of his opinions and feelings; but his dying hours were marked by patience under suffering, serenity in the midst of change, gratitude for conjugal and filial kind offices, and resignation and devotion to God.

Such is my honest view of his character, which I think it the part no less of religious duty than of friendship to hold up to public imitation. May we, my brethren, be fol lowers of him, as far as we believe that he followed Christ! May you especially that were his friends, take warning from his sudden departure, to prepare to meet your God, that you also may enjoy a peacefulend and sleep in Jesus! And may you, above all, that are mourning a relation, a father, a husband, be comforted by the remembrance of his faith and virtue, and be led by his example to live the life that you may die the death of the righteous! And may God Almighty of his infinite love and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ grant that when time shall be no more, we may all rise with our sleeping brother in the resurrection of the just, to enjoy the blessedness of them that die in the Lord, and to enter together into that holy and heavenly state, where truth will be no more shaded by error, where piety will be no longer weakened by the influence of time and sense, where friendship will be interrupted by no cloud of imperfection, where there will be no more death nor sin nor separation nor pain; where Jesus Christ, in the glory of his exaltation, will be our eternal companion and wonderful counsellor, and where God, the ever-living, ever-gracious Father, will be all and in all through endless ages. Amen and Amen.

At Bath, on Monday, the 15th instant, in the 70th year of his age, Mr. WILLIAM MATTHEWS, of the Society of Friends, and Secretary to the West of England Agricultural Society. The Newspapers, from which we extract this notice, state that Mr. Matthews was the author of a Tour in the manner of Sterne, and of some religious and moral Tracts. We hope to receive an authentic account of this gentleman from some one of our correspondents.

INTELLIGENCE.

DOMESTIC.
RELIGIOUS.

Christian Tract Society.

The seventh anniversary of this Society was held on Tuesday the 13th of February, at the Old London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street. At the meeting for business, W, Frend, Esq. was called to the chair. The

VOL. XI.

2K

report of the Committee, which was read by the Secretary, gave a favourable account of the continued prosperity of the institution, and of the increasing approbation with which its labours are viewed by the religious public. It stated that three new tracts had been published in the course of the preceding year, by which the Committee had

246

Intelligence-Unitarian Book Society.

been able to complete a third volume. The
entire number of Tracts printed and reprint-
ed during this period, was mentioned to be
ten thousand. It appeared that since the
first establishment of the Society in the
month of May, 1809, there had been print-
ed in all 208,500 Tracts; aud that the en-
tire number circulated, was 162,600, of
which 22,000 had been issued from the
Society's warehouse during the last year.
The following statement was presented of
the Society's property.

Estimated value of the stock 1. s. d.
on hand,
241 O
O

Due to the Society from the
publishers, &c.

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Balance in the Treasurer's hand,

Due from the Society for printing, &c.

122 7 8

the Society was originally formed. Several names were added to the list of subscribers.

Unitarian Book Society.

The twenty-fifth anniversary of this Society was holden on Friday, March 29, at the Old London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street. In the morning the Society met at the Chapel in Essex Street, where an able discourse was delivered by the Secretary, the Rev. Jeremiah Joyce. As this discourse is already before the public, having been printed at the unanimous, request of the general meeting, where upwards of four hundred copies were subscribed for, it is unnecessary to give any statement here of the preacher's subject and reasonings. Mr. 66 13 0 Joyce was considerably agitated in the delivery, at the commencement, owing to 8 the recent and sudden death of an esteemed brother, of whose decease he had been informed only a few hours previously; but the sympathy which he clanned he fully received from all who heard him, whose attention was amply repaid by the increased fervour and animation which this afflicting calamity imparted, as he proceeded, to his language and manner.

430 O 94 4 11

Amount of the Society's pre- 334 15 9 sent property,

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The Report announced that Messrs. Cradock and Joy having discontinued to act as the Society's publishers, Messrs. Sherwood, Neely and Jones, of Paternoster Row, had been appointed to be their suc

cessors.

The Resolution of the last meeting respecting the time of holding the annual meetings was re-considered, and it was agreed that in future the anniversaries should be held on the third Tuesday in January, in each year.

The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mrs. Mary Hughes and the other literary contributors to the Society; to Messrs. Cradock and Joy for their attention to the interests of the Society while they acted as its publishers, and to the officers of the Society for their services during the last year.

The following gentlemen were elected into office for the year ensuing:

TREASURER.-James Esdaile, Es SECRETARY.Rev. Thomas Rees. COMMITTEE.-Messrs. Roberts, Titford Gibson, Hart, Parker, Thomas Foster, Lean, Croper, Frend, Hall, Barton.

AUDITORS.-Messrs. Parks, Mackmurdo and J. Taylor.

The subscribers and other friends of the Society, to the number of seventy, dined together; Thomas Gibson, Esq. in the Chair. Although the meeting was deprived, through the state of the weather, and other circumstances, of the company of some of the friends of the institution whose presence has usually enlivened its assemblies, the evening past off with considerable spirit; and much interest was imparted to it by the speeches of several gentlemen who addressed the Chair on topics connected with the great objects, for the promotion of which

At the meeting for business, after the service, Mr. Rutt was called to the Chair. Mr. Belsham produced a letter which be had received from Mr. Joyce, (of whose company the society was unfortunately deprived after the close of the religious service,) notifying his resignation of the office of Secretary. This communication was received with deep regret by all present, who considered the Society as eminently indebted to the unremitting activity and laborious pains of Mr. Joyce for its prosperity during the last fourteen years. The following resolutions were then passed unanimously:

Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Belsham, That this resignation be accepted; but that Mr. Joyce be respectfully solicited to favour the Society, by continuing to perform the duties of the office until a successor can be appointed.

Resolved, on the motion of the same, That the cordial thanks of this meeting be returned to Mr. Joyce, for his long, able, and meritorious services as secretary; and that it receives with the liveliest regret his resignation of an office, the arduous duties of which he has during fourteen years, discharged in a manner so honourable to himself, and so highly advantageous to the Society.

Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be returned to Mr. Joyce for his very appropriate, eloquent and energetic discourse delivered this morning.

The members of the Society afterwards dined together, in number about seventy, at the Old London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, Wm. Smith, Esq. M. P. in the Chair.

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