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NEWTON NEW YEAR'S DAY 351 and Hebrew. He engaged zealously in the religious movement originated by Wesley and Whitefield, and in 1758 applied to the arch- bishop of York for holy orders, but was re- fused on the ground of irregularity. In April, 1764, however, he was ordained by the bishop of Lincoln and appointed curate of Olney in Buckinghamshire, and shortly afterward pub- lished " An Authentic Narrative of some Re- markable and Interesting Particulars in the Life of the Rev. John Newton." At Olney he remained nearly 16 years, forming a close friendship with Cowper, in conjunction with whom he wrote the " Olney Hymns." In 1779 he was presented with the rectory of the united parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Mary Woolchurch Haw, Lombard street, London, where he remained till his death, preaching three times a week even when more than 80 years old. He was a Calvinist, and was a prom- inent leader in the so-called evangelical party in the church of England. Among his works are a volume of "Six Discourses" (1760); a series of "Letters on Religion" (1762), under the signatures of Omicron and Vigil ; " Cardi- phonia;" and a " Review of Ecclesiastical His- tory" (1770), besides numerous sermons and tracts. A collected edition of his works was published in 1816 (6 vols. 8vo, London). His life was written by the Rev. Richard Cecil (London, 1808) ; and several of his letters to Cowper are published in Southey's edition of the life and works of that poet. NEWTON, Robert, an English clergyman, born at Roxby, Yorkshire, Sept. 8, 1780, died April 30, 1854. With a limited education he began to preach in 1798, and in 1799 was received into the British conference. In 1803 he was appointed to Glasgow circuit, where he at- tended lectures in the university on theology and philosophy. While he received his ap- pointments regularly from the conference, most of his time was spent in special labors in various parts of England and Scotland. His appointment to London in 1812 brought his extraordinary pulpit talents more prominently before the public, and he was employed with great success in advocating the cause of the British and foreign Bible society. He was also associated with Thomas Coke in promo- ting the cause of Christian missions. The de- mands for his labors throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland were extraordinary. During more than 50 years he probably trav- elled more continuously in the interests of the church than any other man of the cen- tury. He was four times elected president of the British conference, and for many years acted as its secretary. In 1839 he was sent as delegate of the British conference to the Meth- odist Episcopal church of the United States, and during this stay his marvellous eloquence attracted vast crowds. NEWTON, Thomas, an English bishop, born in Lichfield, Jan. 1, 1704, died Feb. 14, 1782. He graduated at Trinity college, Cambridge, 600 VOL. xii. 23 took orders in 1729, received the curacy of St. George's, Hanover square, London, and after- ward that of Grosvenor chapel, and in 1744 was presented by the earl of Bath to the rec- tory of St. Mary-le-Bow. He was chosen in 1747 lecturer of St. George's, Hanover square. In 1761 he became bishop of Bristol, and in 1768 dean of St. Paul's. In 1749-'52 he pub- lished the first critical edition of Milton's " Po- etical Works" with variorum notes (3 vols. 4to). His " Dissertations on the Prophecies" (3 vols. 8vo, 1754-'8) became very popular, and were translated into German and Danish. A collected edition of his writings appeared in 1783 (3 vols. 4to, London). NEW WESTMINSTER, a city and till 1867 the capital of British Columbia, on the N. bank of Eraser river, 15 m. above its mouth in the gulf of Georgia, and 65 m. N. N. E. of Yictoria; lat. 49 13' N., Ion. 122 53' W. ; pop. about 2,000, including some Indians. It has a mag- nificent site, and an equable and delightful cli- mate. In the river (here about a mile wide) are several islands, most of them inhabited. W r ithin a few miles are extensive deposits of silver, which have not been worked. Steam- ers run to Yale, the head of navigation, 100 m. above, and there is a semi-weekly line to Victoria. Salmon fishing is the principal in- dustry, five large establishments being engaged in it, and shipping annually large quantities of canned and barrelled salmon to all parts of the world. The principal buildings are the court house, council hall, post office, library, masonic and odd fellows' halls, and the penitentiary in course of erection. The Episcopal church has a fine peal of bells, and there are also a Presbyterian, a Roman Catholic, and two Wes- leyan Methodist churches. The city has two common schools, a Catholic college for boys, a young ladies' school conducted by the sisters of St. Anne, a hospital, a savings bank, a tele- graph office, and a semi-weekly newspaper. NEW TEAR'S DAY, the first day of the year. Ancient and modern civilized peoples, while differing as to the day from which they reck- oned the beginning of the civil year (see YEAB), have agreed in distinguishing it by special fes- tivities. The Romans dedicated the day and the whole ensuing month to Janus, offered sac- rifices to him on 12 altars, and were careful so to order their conduct on that day that every word and action should be a happy augury of the 12 months of the year. They exchanged kindly greetings and wishes, and sent to their kinsfolk, friends, and acquaintance presents called strena. These new year's presents be- came under the C^sars such a source of per- sonal profit to the /sovereign, and so onerous to his subjects, that Claudius limited them by a decree, the first Christian emperors kept up the custom, though still accompanied by many idolatrous rites. The church condemned it, prohibited Christians from joining in the social celebration, and ended by making it a religious festival in memory of the circumcision of Christ.