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ACT OF THE ASSEMBLY.

"At EDINBURGH, 1st June, 1781, Sess. 8.

THERE was produced, read, and agreed to by the

"General Assembly, the Report of the Committee concerning "the Translations and Paraphrases, in verse, of several passages of Sacred Scripture, which had been prepared by a Committee "of a former Assembly; and the General Assembly, in terms "of said Report, did, and hereby do, appoint these Translations "and Paraphrases to be transmitted to the several Presbyteries "of this Church, in order that they may report their opinion

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concerning them to the ensuing General Assembly; and in "the mean time, they allow this Collection of Sacred Poems "to be used in public worship, in Congregations where the "Minister finds it for edification. The General Assembly "likewise renew the appointment of the Committee; with ་་ power to judge of any corrections or alterations of these poems that may be suggested previous to their transmission; "and with direction to cause a proper number of copies, with "such corrections as they approve, to be printed, for the consi"deration of Presbyteries, and for public use. They ordain the expence already incurred by printing this Collection for the inspection of the Members of this Assembly, to be defrayed out of the public funds of the Church. And in order to prevent it from being afterwards printed in a careless and "incorrect manner, they authorise and appoint the Printer to "the Church to print and publish it for sale, under the direc"tion of the Committee. And that he may be enabled to sell "the copies at a moderate price, the General Assembly did, and "hereby do, grant to him the exclusive privilege of printing "and publishing this Collection of Translations and Paraphrasea " for the term of five years

Extracted by

JOHN DRYSDALE, Cl. Eccl. Scot.

*THE General Assembly, by an act in the year 1795, re newed their grant for Fourteen Years, from that date.

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LET heav'n arise, let earth

said the almighty Lord:

appear,

The heav'n arose, the earth appear'd, at his creating word.

II.

Thick darkness brooded o'er the deep:
God said, "Let there be light;"
The light shone forth with smiling ray,
and scatter'd ancient night.

III.

He bade the clouds ascend on high;
the clouds ascend, and bear
A watʼry treasure to the sky,
and float upon the air.

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IV.

The liquid element below
was gather'd by his hand;
The rolling seas together flow,
and leave the solid land.

V.

With herbs, and plants, and fruitful trees, the new-form'd globe he crown'd, Ere there was rain to bless the soil, or sun to warm the ground.

VI.

Then high in heaven's resplendent arch he plac'd two orbs of light; He set the sun to rule the day, the moon to rule the night.

VH.

Next, from the deep, th' almighty King did vital beings frame;

Fowls of the air, of ev'ry wing, and fish of ev'ry name.

VIII.

To all the various brutal tribes gave their wond'rous birth;

he At once the lion and the worm sprung from the teeming earth.

IX.

Then, chief o'er all his works below, at last was Adam made;

His Maker's image bless'd his soul, and glory crown'd his head.

X.

Fair in th' almighty Maker's eye
the whole creation stood.
He view'd the fabric he had rais'd,
his word pronounc'd it good.

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GENESIS, Xxviii. 20,-22.

I.

GOD of Bethel! by whose hand thy people still are fed;

Who thro' this weary pilgrimage

hast all our fathers led;

II.

Our vows, our pray'rs, we now present

before thy throne of

grace:

God of our fathers! be the God

of their succeeding race.

III.

Through each perplexing path of life our wand'ring footsteps guide; Give us each day our daily bread,. and raiment fit provide.

IV.

O spread thy cov'ring wings around,
till all our wand'rings cease,
And at our Father's lov'd abode
our souls arrive in peace.

V.

Such blessings from thy gracious hand our humble pray'rs implore; And thou shalt be our chosen God, and portion evermore.

III.

JOB, i. 21.

I.

NAKED as from the earth we came,

and enter'd life at first;

Naked we to the earth return, and mix with kindred dust.

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