Broadside regarding a prayer delivered by James Campbell

Transcription

Impresssive Prayer ascribed, as de-
livered by James Campbell, to his fellow-convicts, before
their leaving Glasgow Jail, on Wednseday morning 20th
Novr., 1822.

The following impressive prayer, is ascribed to be the one
offered up by a person w ho had nearly forfeited his life to
the laws. That James Campbell offered up an earnest and
impressive prayer for the temporal reformation and eternal
welfare of his fellow convicts, on Wednesday morning, last,
the 20th Novr. previous to their being taken from this city,
in fulfillment of their sentence, and which prayer came from
the lips of the above named person, while assembled in an
appartment in the Jail, in the presence of the Revd. Mr,
Morrison, and other worthy men, is stated in the Glasgow
Public Papers, this week; and as the affeeting scene alluded
to called forth the tears of the by-standers, it is to be hoped
the impressions on that morning, will not be soon forgotten.

PRAYER.

" O Thou, thou that dwellest in the heavens, and readest the .
thoughts of our hearts, we approach thee in fear and tremb-
ling. Though we may atone for our offence to the mild
laws of our country, how shall we atone for our offences to
thee! We feel that thou art merciful, yet just; and in the
cave, in the wilderness, and in the deep sea, thou wilt find
us out. Teach us, 0 God, to seek thy footsteps; thou hast said, wherever
   two or three are met together in thy name, there will thou be in the midst
of them ; and though all the world cast us off, thou wilt still be the refuge
and friend of the outcast. We whom thou foundst in the cradle, when
our parents' arms strained us to their bosom, wilt not desert us when the
fetter binds us, or the chain lays us prostrate on the earth. Teach us,
O God, how to find thee, wen deserted of every friend but thee; let us
trace thy footsteps on the hills, amid the rolling thunder; let us hear thy
voice amid the storm; let us find thee among the rocks; let us see thy
face in the pit and the dungeon; let us see thee as a God, whose commiser-
ation is not only to be excited by the hurricane and the voicano, but still
as the God of the stranger, to whom, the appeal of his creatures lowers
above the tempest, and is heard louder than the storm !

Grant us length of days, O God, that we may be enabled to repent and
endeavour to atone for the evils in our past life; and when old age may at
length oertake us, when no tender friend is near, grant that our death
may be to thy glory. And should one penitent tear bedew our cheek;
when in manhood death may assail us, in a distant country, it will be a beam
will light the outcast to his grave, and the last that his weary feet wanted.

Help us, O God, and support us under our suffering , and soften the
kardened heart; do not destroy us should there be found, already, even
one or two contrite hearts. And should it please thee, that those who
now leave their native country, and those are left, shall never all meet
again on earth.?then, when the great tribunal shall be hold?when the
sun shall rise, to arise no more?when the moon and the stars are falling?
when Judges must appear to be tried themselves?may they be untainted
and acquitted, through their Redeemer's sake, Amen."

Mayne & Co, Printers, Glasgow.

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