Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." The funeral was attended by a large concourse of seamen.

September 7-The missionaries made a proposal to Capt. Brown to supply the sailors of the ship Paragon with Bibles, to which he expressed his approbation; and the next day four Bibles were presented to the crew; also one to a sailor at work on the church.

Oct. 6.—" A very pleasant visit from Mr. Crocker, first officer of the ship Packet. We conversed, sung a hymn, and prayed together. He presented the mission with a chest of tea, and 15 dollars in money, for the education of heathen children. We are glad to see, and converse, and pray with, those who love the souls of the poor heathen."

8.-To-day one of the seamen belonging to the ship Packet, called to inquire if we had Bibles to give to sailors who had none. He said he was informed, that we gave Bibles to those who would make a good use of them, observing, at the same time, that there were four persons on board, who were destitute, and who would be thankful to receive each a copy. Four Bibles were given him.

EGYPT.-ALEXANDRIA.

THE Rev. P. Fisk, American missionary at Palestine, while at Alexandria, wrote as follows respecting seamen :

"I have also become acquainted with the masters of several English merchant vessels, one of whom, I learn, has prayers daily with his men, and reads a sermon to them, regularly, on the Sabbath. Another has given me an interesting account of the "Floating Ark," for the support of which he is a subscriber, and in which he attends worship when at London. This vessel, he says, was originally a 64 gun ship, was purchased by a company of merchants in London, and application was then made to them by the "Port of London Society," to obtain it as a place of worship for seamen. The merchants replied, "if you want it for that purpose, we make a donation of it, if for any other object we charge you £3,000.” Some hundreds of sailors now assemble in it, from Sabbath to Sabbath, to hear the Gospel. The captain who gave me this account, says there is a great change, since his recollection, among English sailMany of them now wish to spend the Sabbath in no other way, than in attending public worship, or in reading their Bibles. I have given, to the captains of three vesels, a small supply of tracts for their

ors.

men."

SCOTLAND.

Aberdeen. One of the Rev. Doctors went on board every large ves sel in the month of March, four years ago, and left Bibles on consignment, for sale among the crews. Four hundred Bibles were thus sold, and every succeeding year the same plan has been pursued. During this period, sermons have occasionally been preached to the sailors. In the early part of this year some friends of the cause proposed to provide a floating chapel, but finally concluded to erect a small place of

Ships in Ordinary.-Sailing on Sunday.

415

worship on the quay. Some difficulties arose about supplying the pulpit, on account of ecclesiastical restraints, which it was hoped would be overcome. It is estimated the chapel will cost about $3,000, and that collections will be taken up in London, &c. to defray it.

SHIPS IN ORDINARY.

H. M. S. C, 17th June, 1822. You recollect I told you when on board I was trying to establish prayer meetings in ships in ordinary. Glory-glory--glory to God! I have gained my point so far, that our lieutenant has given leave to have them on board this ship, and we commence on Thursday next. All hands of you to pray for us, that utterance may be given, and that God will bless his word. I entreat you for Christ's sake, pray for your poor friend to go on, and that my face may be like flint before this people, not fearing to declare the unspeakable riches of Christ. Stop, mind me, as yet the knows nothing of this, and should he or the hear of it, what will be the consequence--what shall I tell you? God can shut the lion's mouth, and he has declared no weapon formed against us shall prosper. What is left for you and ourselves to do in this case? why, pray fervently to God to prevent opposition, and if we are opposed, pray to him to put a stop to it; so you see we can weather them on both tacks. "The Christian has a charm unknown to many." I really cannot help smiling, though with tears in my eyes, at the futile attempts of men and devils to stop the glorious progress of our dear Redeemer's kingdom, while at every step they take, this blessed declaration stops them in their career ; "I will do all my pleasure, and I will work, and none shall let it." Yes, blessed Jesus, I behold thee still going forward by sea and land.

The winds and waves obey his word,
Submissive own him for their Lord;
He spreads wide open mercy's door,
The Gospel preaches to the poor.
Onward He moves opposed to hell,
And works his own, his sovereign will;

In grandeur all divine He goes,

And hurls confusion on His foes.

A CAPTAIN WHO WOULD NOT SAIL ON SUNDAYS.

A PIOUS Captain desires to know whether it was proper to sail on Sunday or not; in which I thought proper to relate a circumstance that happened to a Captain, who made it a rule never to sail on a Sunday; and after some time the mate acquainted the owners of the vessel with it, and told them it would be the means of losing many voyages. Immediately the owners sent for the Captain, and told him if he would not sail on a Sunday, he should leave the vessel. His reply was, then he had his choice, either to serve God or man. He immediately gave her up to the mate, and became pilot in the river; but after a few months his owners sent for him, and told him to take the vessel again, and sail as he thought proper. A SAILOR

DIVING BELL.

A DIVING bell under the direction of a submarine adventurer, called' Crusoe, has been lately shipped from London to Holland, to recover the cargo of a frigate sunk there 22 years ago. The Lutine is stated to have 22 brass guns on board, 30,000l. in gold, 32 casks of gold in bars, and 32 casks of silver in bars. The vessel lies in thirty feet at high water, which being very clear, the most sanguine expectations are formed of their saving the whole of the property. One of the casks of gold bars was lately raised to the water's edge, but, from the bursting of the hoops, only one bar was saved, which weighed seven pounds and a half.

[blocks in formation]

Or, the King's arrival welcomed.

THURSDAY, the 15th July, when the King landed in Scotland, and proceeded in state to Edinburgh, there were several arches tastefully decorated and thrown across the streets; on one of which was inscribed, in gold letters, "O felicem. When the diem," and on the opposite side the translation, "O happy day.' royal carriage entered the barrier, the Lord Provost advanced and presented "the keys" of the city to his Majesty with these words :-" This ceremony now" implies that we place with loyal devotion at the disposal of your Majesty the hearts and persons of our citizens, and bid your Majesty a hearty welcome to this metropolis."-Having read this intelligence, the following lines have been penned from the impression of the moment ;

O happy day! when grace subdued

Its foes in my rebellious heart;
And Christ my best affections woo'd,
And bade the powers of Hell depart.

O happy day! when Jesus gained

Dominion o'er my guilty soul;
And sweetly all my powers constrained
To bow to His benign control.

O happy day! when Heaven proclaimed,
"Prepare to welcome Christ, your King,
Ye who by grace have been reclaimed;
He comes! He comes! Hosanna sing!"

O happy day! "Lift up your head,
Ye mental gates be lifted up ;"
Enter, my King. Thy foes are fled,

For thou didst 'drink' the fatal 'cup.'

O happy day! "the keys" are Thine,
Blessed Jesus, at Thy feet I fall;
Bought with Thy blood, I've nothing
mine,

Oh, take my life-my soul-my all!

O happy day! when Thou shalt come, And crowns, and thrones, and suns expire ;

When blood-bought millions shout He's

come!

The dead arise-the globe's on fire!" O happy day!—the trumpet sounds,

All nature forms one general blaze; My Jesus wears ten thousand crowns, Aad myriads shout alone HiS PRAISE! G. C. S.

REV. MR. TRUAIR'S RETURN.

THE Rev. Mr. Truair has returned to this city, and resumed his labours in the Mariners' Church. He has been absent fourteen weeks, visited several towns in the five New England States, preached sixty-one sermons, delivered addresses at upwards of thirty meetings, travelled about 1420 miles, and collected six hundred and eighty-one dollars for the "Society for promoting the Gospel among seamen." We had prepared a more detailed sketch of his proceedings, for this number, but are obliged to defer it; as also some remarks on "A Traveller's Journal," in this number.

[blocks in formation]

PERHAPS no country ever presents a more charming prospect to the man of reflection than is seen in the southern part of New-England, towards the close of May, or the beginning of June. Those who have ever spent this season of the year in that part of the country, need not that I should attempt to describe the loveliness of many of its natural scenes. The traveller is here often seen to stop his horse as he arrives at the top of an eminence, and in a kind of giddy surprise, throw his eyes around him on the little glens filled with the abodes of contentment and peace, and richly stored with the choicest gifts of nature. There is likewise something so exhilarating in this scenery, that the heart not frozen by the cares of this life, must, at times, warm and throb with gratitude to the author of all mercies. Before such scenes too, will the Christian be raised to that world, where every beauty is lasting and perfect.

It was at such a season of the year, at the close of a pleasant day, that I was slowly ascending a high hill, as the clear red sun was setting with a stillness that would be attending his last adieu. From the top of the hill I could count the spires of several village churches rising among the thick trees; while just under its brow, a most beautiful river was smoothly gliding between the luxurious hills which stood on either side, till it reached the Sound, with which it mingled with a gentle murmur, as if unwilling to be swallowed in oblivion. On the banks of the river, below me, stood a pleasant and quiet village, which seemed to unite activity with innocence and contentment. I rode slowly onward, now admiring the wisdom and goodness of God in the grandeur of the distant hills, or now gazing at the pencilled floweret, which seemed to wave its fragrant head in gratitude, or the little songsters that were pouring forth their last evening lays in praise, ere they betook themselves to rest. It was now that I had arrived at the house of an aged clergyman, where I had engaged to call. A plain, neat house was pointed out as the residence of the minister; and it was not till I had loudly and repeatedly knocked, that the door was opened by the venerable man himself. He received me with parental kindness of look, though a calm suppression of grief, and a finger placed upon the mouth, gave VOL. IX.

53

me to understand that he was now actually weighed down by unwonted sorrow. 66 My only child, a daughter," said the good old man, "on whom I leaned for support in my old age, is now no more! It was this very morning that I was thanking God for the blessing of such a child to cheer me during the remainder of my pilgrimage here; but she too is taken away, that my heart may not be too strongly bound to earth. She was my all in this world; but she was the Lord's; and he to whom I had delivered her in baptism, and to whom she had lately given herself, has called her to himself. O, I ought not to lament that which is doubtless her gain; and I know

-there is a shore

Of better promise; and I know at last,
When the long sabbath of the tomb is past,

We two shall meet in Christ, to part no more!'"

I was about to inquire into the particulars of his grief, and to offer the feeble consolation of earthly sympathy, when I saw the door yard filling with a great number of people, who were bringing in the lifeless corpse of a beautiful girl of about sixteen years old. The vene rable minister pointed to the group as an explanation of his sorrowshe covered his face with his handkerchief, but he was refused the alleviation of tears. The collection of people consisted of most of the village, who had left their houses on hearing the accident which I am relating. The young lady, whose lovely corpse was now placed in the entry of the house, in company with a companion, had attempted that afternoon to cross the river, on an errand of mercy to a poor sick family on the opposite shore. She was the subject of a late revival of religion, under the labours of her own beloved father, and she had now begun to exercise that benevolence, in which the disciples of Jesus will be engaged for ever. The two young ladies were in a little skiff under the direction of a man, who was afterwards discovered to be somewhat intoxicated. By carelessness or incapacity to act, he upset the boat in the deepest part of the river. The man and one of the girls saved themselves by clinging to the sides of the boat till assistance could arrive; but the lamented Eliza S➖➖ was separated from the others. The still waters soon wrapt their liquid sheets around, and encircled her in their bosom. She

"Fell into the weeping brook: her clothes spread wide ;
And mermaid-like awhile they bore her up,

-like a creature native and indued

Unto that element; but long it could not be,
Till that her garments, heavy with their drink,
Pulled the poor girl-

To muddy death!"

She made a few faint struggles, and as if reposing on down, she softly sunk, no more to rise. A few bubbles rose and broke on the surface of the water, just in time to inform those who had come to save, that her immortal spirit had for ever fled. They carried the body on shore, where every suggestion of medical aid was exhausted, in vain endeavours to recall the cold clay to life. After the last hope of effecting this was over, her remains were brought by the feeling

« AnteriorContinuar »