Christian Instructor." This work he commenced, with the assistance of several of his clerical brethren, a few months after his settlement in Edinburgh; and for many years he discharged the duties of its editor, besides contributing largely
to the work itself. It is almost unnecessary to add, after what has been said of Dr Thomson, that the "Christian Instructor" is a work of singular merit, and, altogether, perhaps, one of the ablest of the kind which the cause of Christianity
has produced.
Dr Thomson's literary labours were not, however, confined at this period to the "Christian Instructor." He contributed, besides, many valuable articles to the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia; all of which are distinguished by that nervous style and accuracy of conception, which so peculiarly belonged to their author. The extraordinary merits of Dr Thomson had early forced themselves on the public notice; but they were now become so obvious and incontestable, as to engross a very large share of the public attention, and to form a subject of its consideration. The result of this general feeling was, his appointment to St George's church, which took place on the 16th of June, 1814; one of the most important and dignified charges in the church of Scotland. In this conspicuous situation, he rapidly extended his reputation, and increased the number of his friends; and, ultimately, acquired an influence over his congregation, composed of the most influential persons in the metropolis, which few preachers have ever enjoyed. Previously to his appointment to St George's, Dr Thomson had not been in the habit of writing out his discourses. He trusted to the natural promptness with which his ideas presented and arranged themselves, and to the remarkable fluency of expression with which he was gifted; and these did not fail him: but he now thought it advisable, as he was to preach to a more refined class of persons, to secure more correctness for his discourses, by committing them to paper, before delivering them from the pulpit. And in the pursuance of this resolution, he weekly composed and wrote two sermons, and this in the midst of other avocations, which alone would have occupied all the time of any man of less bodily and mental activity than he was possessed of.
To the ordinary duties of the Sunday, Dr Thomson added the practice of catechising the young persons of his congregation, devoting to this exercise the interval between the forenoon and afternoon services. He also held week-day meetings in the church, for the purpose of instructing in the principles of religion, as they are taught in the Shorter Catechism; and, to complete the system of moral and religious culture, which his unwearying zeal had planned out, he instituted a week-day school, for the benefit of those of his young parishioners whose circumstances either prevented their attending church, or rendered a greater extent of tuition necessary than he could afford to bestow on Sunday. But he did still more than merely institute this little seminary. He compiled suitable books for the different classes it comprised, and crowned the good work, by acting himself as their teacher, as the teacher of the poorest and humblest of his flock.
With all this devotion to the higher and more important duties of his sacred office, Dr Thomson did not neglect those of a minor character. Amongst these, church music had an especial share of his attention. Together with his other rare endowments, he possessed an exquisite ear and taste for music, and not only introduced an improved psalmody into the Scottish church, but added to it several eminently beautiful compositions of his own. Admirable as Dr Thomson was in all his relations to his flock, he was in none more so, than in that of the personal friend, the soother of affliction, and the alleviator of domestic misery. His private labours of this kind were very great, and eminently successful. His presence never failed to excite a new feeling of animation,
