When in health temptations throng, IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD; AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. O WORD! O WISDOM! heaven's high theme! Maker and Sufferer!-Lord Supreme! Yet sacrifice for sin ! NOW REASON! trim thy brightest lamp, View nature through-and, from the round Hold, and affirm that God must heed Or frankincense to rise. *The above were suggested by a sermon, which Dr. Good heard, preached by the Rev. Thos. Hartwell Horne, on December 25th, 1823. He transmitted a copy to Mr. Horne the following day, accompanied by the subjoined note. "My Dear Friend, "The best proof I can give you of my obligation to you for your labour of last night, is by sending you the enclosed, the outline of which occurred to me on my return home. Were it more worthy of the subject, it would be more worthy of your acceptance, as well as more gratifying to Guilford-street, Friday Afternoon. Yours very faithfully, Prove by the plummet, rule, and line, That MAN could ne'er be half divine, That he who holds the worlds in awe, Nor breathe, and groan, and die. This prove till all the learn'd submit: Or only own what Holy Writ To heavenly minds supplies. O Word! O Wisdom!-boundless theme Of rapture and of grief:- BEHOLD THE MAN! Behold the Man!-was ever face A reed his mace-his crown rude thorns, Whose sceptre sways earth, heaven, and hell; Whose glory all the heights adorns, Whose praise adoring seraphs tell. Behold the Man!-and in that man A love surpassing wonder see; For thee in streams his life-blood ran, He bow'd, he groan'd, he died for thee. Behold the Man! through time's long reign Behold the Man! and, while ye may, That precious voice may sound no more. Behold the Man! behold the God! The mighty Conqueror bursts the tomb; He rises, and resumes his rod; Flee while ye may the sinner's doom. WATCH! Life is a sea-how fair its face, How smooth its dimpling waters pace, Its canopy how pure! But rocks below, and tempests sleep, Nor leave an hour secure. Life is a wilderness-beset With tangling thorns, and treach'rous net, And prowl'd by beasts of prey. One path alone conducts aright, A thousand lead astray. Life is a warfare-and alike Prepar'd to parley, or to strike, Whate'er its form, whate'er its flow, One duty stands confest To watch incessant, firm of mind, And leave to God the rest. "Twas while they watch'd, the shepherd-swains Heard angels strike to angel-strains The song of heavenly love: Blest harmony! that far excels All music else on earth that dwells, Or e'er was tun'd above. 'Twas while they watch'd the sages trac'd The star that every star effac'd With new and nobler shine: They follow'd, and it led the way To where the infant Saviour lay, And gave them light divine. "Twas while they watch'd, with lamp in hand, And oil well stor'd, the virgin band. The bridal pomp descried; They join'd it—and the heavenly gate, Was clos'd on all beside. Watch!" watch and pray!"-in suffering hour And triumph'd in the strife. Victor of death! thy voice I hear: Fain would I watch with holy fear, Would watch and pray through life's career, And only cease with life. For the last seven or eight years of his life, Dr. Good, persuaded of the incalculable benefits, of the highest order, likely to accrue from Bible and Missionary societies, gave to them his most cordial support; on many occasions advocating their cause at public meetings, and on others employing his pen in their defence. To the concerns of "the Church Missionary Society" especially, he devoted himself with the utmost activity and ardour, as a most judicious, learned, and able member of its committee. He suggested some useful plans for the instruction of missionaries, and, in certain cases, of their wives, in the general principles of medical science, the nature and operation of the simpler remedies, and in the safe practical application of such knowledge to numerous cases which may obviously occur amongst the inhabitants of the dark and uncivilized regions in which christian missionaries most frequently labour. These suggestions were not merely proposed in general terms, in the committee; but, in many instances, carried into the minutiae of detail, by instructions which Dr. Good gave personally to the missionaries themselves.* Nor was the advice thus At his death, the Committee of the Church Missionary Society transmitted to Mrs. Good a resolution expressive of the very high value they set upon his services, and of the heavy loss they were conscious they sustained by that event. The resolution was accompanied by a letter of cordial sympathy from the Rev. E. Bickersteth, the Secretary. |